A37035:1515
A commentary upon the book of the Revelation Wherein the text is explained, the…A commentarie upon the book of the Revelation Wherein the text is explained, the…
A commentary upon the book of the Revelation Wherein the text is explained, the series of the several prophecies contained in that book, deduced according to their order and dependence on each other; the periods and succession of times, at, or about which, these prophecies, that are already fulfilled, began to be, and were more fully accomplished, fixed and applied according to history; and those that are yet to be fulfilled, modestly, and so far as is warrantable, enquired into. Together with some practical observations, and several digressions, necessary for vindicating, clearing, and confirming many weighty and important truths. Delivered in several lectures, by that learned, laborious, and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, James Durham, late Minister of the Gospel in Glasgow. To which is affixed a brief summary of the whole book, with a twofold index, one of the several digressions, another of the chief and principal purposes and words contained in this treatise.A commentarie upon the book of the Revelation Wherein the text is explained, the series of the several prophecies contained in that book, deduced according to their order and dependance on each other; the periods and succession of times, at, or about which, these prophecies, that are already fulfilled, began to be, and were more fully accomplished, fixed and applied according to history; and those that are yet to be fulfilled, modestly, and so far as is warrantable, enquired into. Together with some practical observations, and several digressions, necessary for vindicating, clearing, and confirming many weighty and important truths. Delivered in several lectures, by that learned, laborious, and faithfull servant of Jesus Christ, James Durham, late Minister of the Gospel in Glasgow. To which is affixed a brief summary of the whole book, with a twofold index, one of the several digressions, another of the chief and principall purposes and words contained in this treatise.
Edinburgh: printed by Christopher Higgins, 1658
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
As, 1. That this seal with the former two, doth signify sad things unto the Church; for that they are all of one kind, appeareth by the gradation which is clear and conspicuous in them. The red horse woundeth, the black horse fainteth, the pale killeth. 2. Hence also it is said, power is given unto them together, as having one Commission. And 3. Considering, that sword, famine and death, are joined together under this seal, to signify a strait in the highest degree: when they are separated, they must also be understood to point at things of the same kind; and therefore what ever is found to be the nature and object of any one of those contained in the three seals, must be understood of all, though in a different degree. Seeing then that some of them hold forth clearly the afflictions of the Church, it must be so in the rest also. 2. It appeareth, that by these riders we are to understand the dispensation, or event it self, signified in these seals more than any particular actor, who is either the supreme or inferior cause of it; here the rider is death; and consequently we may call the first, victory; the second, war or violence; the third, Famine, by the same reason whereby this is called death, 3. That one seal doth not end, in respect of the event contained in it, when an other beginneth. Here are both sword and famine under this seal, though death and beasts be added to it. 4. We may gather, that these types are to be applied to special times, and do not only hold forth in general the kind• of rods and judgements, which were to come upon the Church; for, the repetition of sword and famine by this seal, saith, such judgements were to continue during the time this seal relateth unto, as had been exercising the Church under the former seals, otherwise the repetition were needless. 5. It appeareth, that these plagues are not literally to be understood according to the letter of the word of explication, and therefore must some way be figuratively taken, else it cannot be told how to expound that of hell following and beasts, if it be not to hold forth, by allusion to them, some sad dispensation on the Church, as hath been said.
As, 1. That this seal with the former two, doth signifie sad things unto the Church; for that they are all of one kind, appeareth by the gradation which is clear and conspicuous in them. The red horse woundeth, the black horse fainteth, the pale killeth. 2. Hence also it is said, power is given unto them together, as having one Commission. And 3. Considering, that sword, famine and death, are joyned together under this seal, to signifie a strait in the heighest degree: when they are separated, they must also be understood to point at things of the same kind; and therefore what ever is found to be the nature and object of any one of those contained in the three seals, must be understood of all, though in a different degree. Seing then that some of them hold forth clearly the afflictions of the Church, it must be so in the rest also. 2. It appeareth, that by these riders we are to understand the dispensation, or event it self, signified in these seals more than any particular actor, who is either the supream or inferiour cause of it; here the rider is death; and consequently we may call the first, victory; the second, war or violence; the third, Famine, by the same reason whereby this is called death, 3. That one seal doth not end, in respect of the event contained in it, when an other beginneth. Here are both sword and famine under this seal, though death and beasts be added to it. 4. We may gather, that these types are to be applyed to special times, and do not only hold forth in general the kind of rods and judgements, which were to come upon the Church; for, the repetition of sword and famine by this seal, saith, such judgements were to continue during the time this seal relateth unto, as had been exercising the Church under the former seals, otherwise the repetition were needlesse. 5. It appeareth, that these plagues are not literally to be understood according to the letter of the word of explication, and therefore must some way be figuratively taken, else it cannot be told how to expound that of hell following and beasts, if it be not to hold forth, by allusion to them, some sad dispensation on the Church, as hath been said.