A37035:210
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.
Quest. 2. Whether doth Jesus Christ appear here really in His Man-head? or, Is it only a representation of Him in a Vision, for signifying and holding forth the excellent properties and qualifications that are in Him, as sometime God appeared of old to weak man, condescending to his capacity for his comfort, as Dan. 7.9. and sometime Christ, as Dan. 10.5. to which this Vision seemeth to relate?
Quest. 2. Whether doth Iesus Christ appear here really in His Man-head? or, Is it only a representation of Him in a Vision, for signifying and holding forth the excellent properties and qualifications that are in Him, as sometime God appeared of old to weak man, condescending to his capacity for his comfort, as Dan. 7.9. and sometime Christ, as Dan. 10.5. to which this Vision seemeth to relate?
Answ. We take it not for any real apparition of Christ in His Humanity, or as He was Man, conceived in and born of the Virgin Mary, crucified, dead and buried, and in that nature risen again and ascended; but we take it only to be a representation, or vision of the glorious properties and qualifications, and stately Majesty of the Son of God, who was, and is, and is to come, the first, and the last: who as He is God, so also was and is Man; but doth not now appear in His Humane nature, but as God. Reason, 1. Because in substance it is the same Vision that we find, Dan. 7.9. and 10.5. where God, and Christ, as God, are holden out under the same expressions: and if these expressions cannot be applied in these places to signify the parts of a Humane body (which God hath not, for He is a Spirit) there can be no reason why the same expressions here, should be applied to the parts of a body. 2. It's clear also, if we look to the end, which Jesus Christ hath before Him in this representation: He being to direct seven Epistles to the seven Churches in Asia, He sets out Himself by some excellent properties, to ground the faith of His People, and move them to reverence, receive, and give obedience to what He writs unto them. 3. Look through all this Vision, it cannot be applied literally; the seven Churches, cannot be seven Candlesticks; the seven Ministers, cannot be seven Stars, &c. but it's to evidence the excellent qualifications that are in Christ, under these representations: and therefore what some would draw from this, or other representations of this kind, concerning Christs Body on earth, or the ubiquity of His Humanity, or bodily presence with His Churches, or, for portracting of His Body (as Winckelmannus and other Lutherans alleged) hath no ground from this place; but rather the just contrary: if Christ appeared after His Ascension, no other ways than He did before His Incarnation, He would take away all carnal thoughts of His bodily presence on earth. 4. It's said, One like unto the Son of Man: and this holds out, He was not indeed Man in this Vision; but appeared to John, as He did to Daniel; some way representing Himself so. But, 5. The application and exposition of many of these expressions, Chap. 2. and 3. holding forth His eyes, to signify His Omniscience and the like, will show the absurdity of this.