A37035:600
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.
And although it was exceedingly defective, yet unsound it cannot be called: and so may be said of love to others. And considering, that where nature hath dominion, there is still enmity at the seed of God as such, how can it be that a natural man can love, and hate the same person, upon the same account, at one time? It cannot be denied, but natural men may entirely love these that are gracious; and that also their supposing them to be beloved of God, may have some weight with them: yet is not that respect had to them upon this account as they are beloved of God, or like to Him; but at the most, as thereby they may gain Gods love, or have some benefit by their loving of them, or the preventing of some evil, or the confirming of themselves in their security and self-conceited opinion from this, that they love such an one, &c. And it appears further in this, that they love not all who are Godly, and hate not, and shun not, all that are opposite to Godliness; and so do not love God and Godliness it self singly as such: because then their own inclination and secret delights, would be hateful to themselves. And yet certainly, all this would be, if Godly men were loved, upon this account, because they are such. Again, pag. 226. he illustrateth it by this comparison of eating much and little, to show that the moral good of an action consisteth in the degree thereof. Now, none will say, that simple shunning of extremes of eating and drinking too much or too little, will constitute an act to be sincerely gracious, and acceptable to God, except it be considered as qualified with its motive and end, to wit, Gods Glory, &c. And elsewhere, gold (saith he) is to be tried by weight, at by the touchstone: now this is true that the quantity of gold is to be tried so, (but not only to be tread by the weight; and then also Grace is not only to be tried by the degree) yet certainly the reality and truth of it, is to be tried by the touchstone, and it is here the sincerity and truth of Grace that we are inquiring for: and, saith he, Ibid. it is not the wrestling, but the overcoming, that the promise is made to, which is true in respect of the promises of full fruition: for, these do presuppose a full and total victory; but can it be said that no wrestler may be said to have true Grace, or may conclude that he hath it, till he have in this sense fully overcome?
And although it was exceedingly defective, yet unsound it cannot be called: and so may be said of love to others. And considering, that where nature hath dominion, there is still enimity at the seed of God as such, how can it be that a natural man can love, and hate the same person, upon the same account, at one time? It cannot be denied, but natural men may intirely love these that are gracious; and that also their supposing them to be beloved of God, may have some weight with them: yet is not that respect had to them upon this account as they are beloved of God, or like to Him; but at the most, as thereby they may gain Gods love, or have some benefit by their loving of them, or the preventing of some evil, or the confirming of themselves in their security and self-conceated opinion from this, that they love such an one, &c. And it appears further in this, that they love not all who are Godly, and hate not, and shun not, all that are opposite to Godlinesse; and so do not love God and Godlinesse it self singly as such: because then their own inclination and secret delights, would be hateful to themselves. And yet certainly, all this would be, if Godly men were loved, upon this account, because they are such. Again, pag. 226. he illustrateth it by this comparison of eating much and little, to shew that the moral good of an action consisteth in the degree thereof. Now, none will say, that simple shunning of extreams of eating and drinking too much or too little, will constitute an act to be sincerely gracious, and acceptable to God, except it be considered as qualified with its motive and end, to wit, Gods Glory, &c. And elsewhere, gold (saith he) is to be tried by weight, at by the touchstone: now this is true that the quantity of gold is to be tried so, (but not only to be tread by the weight; and then also Grace is not only to be tried by the degree) yet certainly the reality and truth of it, is to be tried by the touchstone, and it is here the sincerity and truth of Grace that we are inquiring for: and, saith he, Ibid. it is not the wrestling, but the overcoming, that the promise is made to, which is true in respect of the promises of full fruition: for, these do presuppose a full and total victorie; but can it be said that no wrestler may be said to have true Grace, or may conclude that he hath it, till he have in this sense fully overcome?