A37035:2139
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 second thing will not need much clearing either, to wit, that the true Church was few, and in a great part latent, and where it was discerned, ever persecuted: That which especially is to be made out, is, 1. That though they were few, yet was there ever some Church and witnesses kept pure from Antichrists abominations until Reformation was restored in the Christian world. And, 2. that about that time of the Reformations springing up, the Professors and Witnesses of this Truth were brought exceeding low for a short time, to their exceeding great contempt before the world, and to the exceeding great joy and insulting of the Popish party; which yet continued not long, but ended with a more full authoritative settling of Religion than formerly it had. The first, to wit, that there was still a Church and witnesses during Antichrists height, may appear from these considerations,
The second thing will not need much clearing either, to wit, that the true Church was few, and in a great part latent, and where it was discerned, ever persecuted: That which especially is to be made out, is, 1. That though they were few, yet was there ever some Church and witnesses keeped pure from Antichrists abominations untill Reformation was restored in the Christian world. And, 2. that about that time of the Reformations springing up, the Professors and Witnesses of this Truth were brought exceeding low for a short time, to their exceeding great contempt before the world, and to the exceeding great joy and insulting of the Popish party; which yet continued not long, but ended with a more full authoritative settling of Religion than formerly it had. The first, to wit, that there was still a Church and witnesses during Antichrists height, may appear from these considerations,
1. If we consider the particular catalogue of witnesses which God raised up one after another to witness against the corruptions of that time, whose names and testimonies are particularly recorded by several Writers, particularly, Illyricus, catolog, testium veritatis, Cent. Magdebur, Fox, book of Martyrs; Alstedii chronologia testium; Usheru• de successione Ecclesiarum Christianarum, and sundry others. And if so much be known, we may gather much more indeed to be, considering the darkness of these times, and the great propension there was to suppress all that tended there away. 2. It is made out by Master Fox, White in his Way to the true Church, Jewel, Usher, and others, that Britain received not the Gospel from Rome, and that in England there hath been always some opposing his errors, until the time of Reformation came. 3. This may appear by the confession of adversaries, They grant that the Calvinists now are the same called Waldenses and Berengarians before; but these they say have been ever most dangerous to the Church of Rome, 1. Because it is of longest continuance, being from the time of Sylvester, who lived in Constantine the great his time; yea, from the time of the Apostles themselves say some of them. 2. Because it was more universal, and almost in all the earth. 3. Because it hath a great show of piety, having a good life before men, and believing all things well concerning God, being only blasphemers of the Church of Rome, as Reinerius contra Haereticos, cap. 4. affirmeth. Inter omnes sectas quae sunt aut fuerunt, non est periculosior Ecclesiae Dei quam pauperum de Lugduno, tribu de causis, 1. Quia diuturnior; quidam dicunt quod dur averit à tempore Sylvestri, quidam dicunt quod à tempore Apostolorum. 2. Quia generalior: fere enim nulla terra est quà haet secta non serpit. 3. Quia cum omnes aliae sectae immanitate blasphemiarum in Deum audientibus borrorem inducunt; haec, scilicet, Leonistarum, magnam babet speciem pietatis, ò quod coram hominibus justè vivunt, & benè de Deo omnia credunt, & omnes articulos qui in symbolo continentur, solummodo Romanam Ecclesiam blasphemant ac oderunt, cui multitudo facilis est ad credendum. This Reinerius, as Bellarmine asserteth, praefat. ad libros de pontif. wrote above three hundred years before him.