A37035:238
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.
From the 17. vers. and forward to the end, we have some consequents, that followed this Vision, or, some circumstances for the edification of the Church, for clearing of the Vision before mentioned, and for making way for John's writing of what he saw. And they are four in number. 1. The effect, which the Vision had on John, in the beginning of vers. 17. for as stately and lovingly as Jesus Christ represented Himself, he could not bear it; but faints when he sees Him, and he falls at His feet as dead. 2. A consolation proposed by our Lord to John, which hath several steps, in the latter part of vers. 17. and 18. wherein as John kythed weakness, so Christ kythed much love, tenderness, and skilfulness in applying an effectual remedy, for curing the distemper John was into. 3. A repetition of John's Commission and Warrant to write, vers. 19. And 4. An explication of that part of the Vision, concerning the meaning of the seven golden Candlesticks, and the Stars, vers. 20.
From the 17. vers. and forward to the end, we have some consequents, that followed this Vision, or, some circumstances for the edification of the Church, for clearing of the Vision before mentioned, and for making way for Iohn's writing of what he saw. And they are four in number. 1. The effect, which the Vision had on Iohn, in the beginning of vers. 17. for as stately and lovingly as Jesus Christ represented Himself, he could not bear it; but faints when he sees Him, and he falls at His feet as dead. 2. A consolation proposed by our Lord to Iohn, which hath severall steps, in the latter part of vers. 17. and 18. wherein as Iohn kythed weaknesse, so Christ kythed much love, tendernesse, and skilfulnesse in applying an effectuall remedy, for curing the distemper Iohn was into. 3. A repetition of Iohn's Commission and Warrand to write, vers. 19. And 4. An explication of that part of the Vision, concerning the meaning of the seven golden Candlesticks, and the Stars, vers. 20.
1. And when I saw him, I fell down at his feet as dead, This is the first consequent or effect of the Vision. I fell down as dead: that is, I was benumbed (as it were) and dammished with the sight of the excellent Majesty and Glory that I saw in Him, and I was put out of capacity to act the acts of body or mind, as if I had been dead; I could no more exercise, or act the acts of a living man, than a dead man can, as Daniel, Chap. 10.8.9. And it hath been often seen in the best of Gods Children, when more than ordinary representations of God have been let forth, they have become as dead men, unfit for action. And it proceeds from two grounds. 1. From the exceeding great distance that is betwixt the infinite Majesty of God, and finite creatures: the brightness of the Glory, Excellency, and Majesty of God the Creator, burdeneth and over-burdeneth the weakness and infirmity of the best of creatures: for, if the eyes of creatures be that weak, that they cannot look on the Sun, what wonder that flesh and blood is not able to look on the Sun of Righteousness. This new wine, is too strong for our old bottles. 2. From the fear of a begun quarrel, and grounds of a continued quarrel then apprehended, making not only a disproportion, through infirmity, betwixt the Majesty of God and the creature, which is so many ways defective to comprehend Him; but also making a disconformity through sin, and so a fear to appear before Him: which makes the creature fear undoing, as in