A37035:815
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
AN EXPOSITION Of the BOOK of the REVELATION. › Lecture 1 › Chapter 3
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.
But it doth imply these two, 1. A necessity of holding fast the little thing that was, left they should run to the extremity of declining ere long. 2. It respecteth what they had received and heard: and so, the meaning is, that they would grip faster to hold that than formerly they had done. Under these directions we may gather what hath been their guiltiness, and the steps by which they have come to such an height in this hypocrisy and declining. The last word is, Repent: which is a general cure for all evils, and is of special use for the preventing, and removing of such inward evils, as, declining from any good condition, security, presumption, and hypocrisy, as we may see through all these Epistles. For readily it cannot be evil with the spiritual frame of a Christian when Repentance is in exercise, and it cannot be well when it is otherwise. But of this we shall say no more now.
But it doth imply these two, 1. A necessity of holding fast the little thing that was, left they should run to the extremity of declining ere long. 2. It respecteth what they had received and heard: and so, the meaning is, that they would grip faster to hold that than formerly they had done. Under these directions we may gather what hath been their guiltinesse, and the steps by which they have come to such an hieght in this hypocrisie and declining. The last word is, Repent: which is a generall cure for all evils, and is of speciall use for the preventing, and removing of such inward evils, as, declining from any good condition, security, presumption, and hypocrisie, as we may see through all these Epistles. For readily it cannot be evil with the spiritual frame of a Christian when Repentance is in exercise, and it cannot be well when it is otherwise. But of this we shall say no more now.
The third thing in the Body of this Epistle, to wit, the way how the Lord presseth these exhortations in this verse, is by subjoining a sharp threatening, If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shall not know: this threatening is general; but it is the more comprehensive and sharp, If we consider these two, 1. That when He saith, He will come, &c. He doth not signify any particular stroke He will bring on ⟨p. 184⟩