A37035:590
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.
2. We would advert, that this reduplication consisteth not only in the proposing of such an end, or being acted by such a motive, to wit, a command, &c. but it takes in a singleness in both, and gives such an end and motive the chief consideration in the act, whereby in the practice of duty the heart not only purposeth the pleasing of God in the giving of obedience to a command, but goes about it as a thing pleasing to God and honourable to Him, and as such doth approve of it: for, a servant may desire to please his Master, and do what ⟨p. 125⟩he hath commanded, and yet possibly not to be single in it, as it is pleasing to him: which, as we said, is the thing wherein the great pinch of discerning these differencing qualifications will lye.
2. We would advert, that this reduplication consisteth not only in the proposing of such an end, or being acted by such a motive, to wit, a command, &c. but it takes in a singlenesse in both, and gives such an end and motive the chief consideration in the act, whereby in the practice of duty the heart not only purposeth the pleasing of God in the giving of obedience to a command, but goes about it as a thing pleasing to God and honourable to Him, and as such doth approve of it: for, a servant may desire to please his Master, and do what ⟨p. 125⟩he hath commanded, and yet possibly not to be single in it, as it is pleasing to him: which, as we said, is the thing wherein the great pinch of discerning these differencing qualifications will lye.
Learned Baxter, in his excellent Treatise of the Saints everlasting rest, part. 3. doth otherwise express the Doctrine of the difference and trial of saving and common Grace, than what hath been usually rested in among practical Divines, which doth necessitate us someway to insist a little further in the clearing thereof. He hath these Assertions, 1. That it is not the Law but the Covenant, that can clear the sincerity of Grace as saving, to wit, as it is accepted by the Covenant as the fulfilling of the condition thereof, pag. 205. and 206. 2. He saith that God hath not in the Covenant promised Justification upon any mere act, or acts considered without their degree and suitableness to their object, &c. pag. 210. 3. There is no act, considered in its mere nature and kind, which a true Christian may perform, but one that is unsound may perform it also, pag. 211. From which he draweth, That wicked men may really rely on Christ, have recumbency on him, love God, &c. pag. 211. and 231. and that they may hate sin as sin, and as displeasing to God, Ibid. 4. He asserts, That the sincerity of saving Grace as saving, lieth materially, not in the bare nature thereof but in the degree; not in the degree considered absolutely in it self, but comparatively as it is prevalent against its contrary, that is, when love adhereth more to God than any other thing, and such like, pag. 222. which he endeavoureth to show both in the infused habits, and in the acts of saving Grace: and pag. 235. doth assert, That in loving God and Christ as Mediator, there is no more than a gradual difference between the regenerate and unregenerate; and in the end, he doth load the common opinion with many dangerous consequents.