A37035:1526
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.
The scope of this seal, is, to remove that doubt, and to comfort against that tentation, that though persecutions should come to the highest they can reach unto, that is, to take away the life of the body; yet was not their happiness marred by it: they have souls (unto which persecution doth not reach) which after death enjoy blessedness; and therefore their trouble is not to be scared at, nor exchanged with the tranquility of worldly men, nor suffering to be shunned for fear of any hazard which accompanieth it.
The scope of this seal, is, to remove that doubt, and to comfort against that tentation, that though persecutions should come to the heighest they can reach unto, that is, to take away the life of the body; yet was not their happinesse marred by it: they have souls (unto which persecution doth not reach) which after death enjoy blessednesse; and therefore their trouble is not to be scared at, nor exchanged with the tranquility of worldly men, nor suffering to be shunned for fear of any hazard which accompanieth it.
This is the scope, which is here made out in these four, 1. By showing that the souls of Believers have a life after the body is killed, and a comfortable being in the enjoying of God; I saw (saith he) the souls, &c. 2. By showing that their death is precious in Gods sight, and that vengeance on their persecutors is as certain, as if their cry unto God day and night, for that end, were ascending, and He particularly taking notice of it. 3. By showing the wise ends for which God suspendeth that vengeance; which proceedeth not from his forgetting of them, but is so ordered for the accomplishing of his own designs. 4. By holding forth Gods present kindness unto the souls of these murdered persons in clothing them with white robes, so that the suspension of Gods vengeance upon their persecutors, i• no let nor interruption to their present happiness or comfortable enjoying of God. This is the sum of the words, which are more Doctrinal than Prophetical, trysted with the former sad condition of the Church, to be a consolation unto Believers, and an encouragement against the former great straits, as is said. We take up the matter in these two, 1. In something which John saw. 2. In that which John heard: which also hath two parts, First, A sad cry, Secondly, A comfortable answer to it. This seal differeth from the former seals in these three, 1. That it hath no type of horse nor rider, as all the former have. 2. That it hath no voice, calling, Come, and see. 3 That it relateth not to any such particular time, as the former do; but in its scope, is common to all these persecutions. As when he saith, I saw the souls of them that were slain, &c. it is not to be astricted to the souls of men slain at such and such a time; but is applicable to all slain for such a cause, especially these under all the former persecutions, as the prayer, How long, &c. importeth. The reason of which we conceive to be, because the scope of this seal, is not prophetically to point out new events, and to relate to a particular time, But to lay down some solid grounds of comfort to Gods people, as is said, Concerning which, these things are clear, 1. That this seal looketh to the most sad condition of the Church, when souls are so put to it, to cry as if they could endure no longer. 2.