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duty_n	day_n	moral_a	sabbath_n	1,390	5	9.7943	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37035	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.	Durham, James, 1622-1658.	1658 (1658)	Wing D2805; ESTC R216058	1,353,392	814

Col. 2.16 where the Scripture seems to say plainly that all dayes are alike Therefore the Lords day cannot be so understood Answ. This doth indeed directly contradict the letter of the Text for either this Text pointeth at one day by another or else it doth nothing 2. The Apostles scope in the places that seem to be contrary to this is clear when he casts the Jewish Sabbath and holy dayes he casts them alike in respect of Jewish observation only or in so far as they were Jewish and Typical for Christ had taken them away in that respect even as He casteth meats also yet without prejudice of the Sacraments and this confirmeth our Argument For if Jewish Dayes and Sabbaths were taken away fourtie years and more as is clear by Paul before Iohn wrote this Revelation in as far as they were Jewish and yet Iohn speaks of a Lords day as differenced from other dayes it sayes it continued when they were abolished There is a great odds betwixt laying-aside of Jewish dayes and the Lords day and when Iohn speaks of the Lords day he speaks of it in the singular number in opposition to those many dayes the Jews had under the ceremonial Law And even that learned Doctor granteth this place to speak of the first day and the Churches practice to meet on it also and in several respects to be priviledged beyond other dayes A second exception is If this day be so counted of it will bring in the sanctifying of it in as eminent a measure as the Jews Sabbath was And is not that to judaize Answ. Distinguish betwixt things Ceremoniall or Typicall and things Morall and Perpetuall We bring back nothing that was Ceremoniall and Typicall as their Sabbaths of Weeks Sacrifices and many other things were but for Morall duties they become us as well as the Iews and bind Christians to the end of the World And this brings not back Judaisme neither leads us to Sacrifices and the like which pointed at Christ to come but contrarily this day and the duties of it hold out Christ already come which destroyeth all these Ceremonies and Sacrifices and declareth them to be gone A third exception It cannot be compared with the Lords Supper for 1. The Lords Supper is clearly instituted but this is not clear in the institution thereof 2. The Lords Supper is a Sacrament this is not and dayes may be changed as Sacraments cannot Answ. 1. To the last part It is a begging of the Question if it be the Lords day set apart for His Service all the world cannot change it except He who can change Sacraments also 2. To the first part That the institution of this day is not so clear as the institution of the Supper Answ. We do not paralel them in respect of clearnesse of institution but in respect of the ground or reason why they get this name which suppones an institution If the Sacrament of the Supper be called the Lords Supper because instituted by Him for a speciall use so must the Lords day get this name on this reason or some better or clearer reason from Scripture must be given For the second Seing it gets this name to be called the Lords day It may be questioned here concerning our manner of speaking of dayes calling the Lords day Sunday the next day after it Monday c. which hath the first rise from Superstition if not from Idolatry some of them being attributed to Planets as Sunday and Monday some of them to Idols as Thursday c. But to speak to the thing it self look to the Primitive times we will find Sunday called the Lords day and the dayes of the Week by the first second third c. But the names of dayes being like the names of places and moneths folks must speak of them as they are in use and Scripture warrands us so to do Acts 17.22 Paul is said to stand in the midst of Mars hill Acts 28.11 speaketh of a Ship whose signe was Castor and Pollux So March Ianuary Iuly and August are from the Idols Mars and Ianus or derived from men that appropriate more than ordinary to themselves And though it was ordinary to Christians in the primitive times to call this day the Lords day among themselves yet when they had dealing with the Iews they called it the Sabbath and when they had dealing with the heathen they called it the Sunday And so though it be best to speak of days as Scripture nameth them yet it is agreeable with Scripture to design or denominate them as they are in use among a people especially where no superstitions use is in naming of them For the third The Sanctification of this day It is pointed out in Iohn his saying he was in the Spirit on the Lords day to point out this that this day requireth a special Sanctification and setting apart to Worship God And there are four steps of it mentioned in the Scripture The 1. is negative abstinence not only from sin but from our civil and ordinary affairs which are lawful on other dayes but not on this day Isa. 58.13 The 2. is positive in devoting it to God and spending the whole day in duties of Worship in reading hearing praying singing breaking of bread or celebrating the Communion Acts 20.7 And that not only in private duties but in publick and in private when the publick is interrupted except in cases of necessity 3. It should be spent in the duties of charity though the sanctification of this day cannot consist with working yet it may stand well with giving of almes and seeing to the necessities of others 1 Cor. 16.1 2. A fourth step is in the Text to have a holy and sanctified frame a divine stamp a heavenly conversation more than ordinarly taken up with God and Christ and the things of another Life that day This is the main thing wherein the Sabbath is to be Sanctified and wherein it represents heaven to be abstracted from the world and to be living above in our Spirits eminently ravished in Spirit as abstracted from things we are to be taken up with on other days The frame of a Sabbath should be a kind of ravishment wherein not only we are not taken up with working our ordinary callings but we do go about Prayer and other Spiritual duties in a more heavenly way than on other dayes and that with a difference in our frame being more elevated and Spiritual we should be other men in more divine contemplation This is the main thing called for in sanctifying the Sabbath and therefore Heb. 4. heaven is set out by the Sabbath wherein there ought not only to be a ceasing from our own works but an entering into our rest Heb. 4.10 as it is Isa. 58.13 a delighting in God calling the Sabbath our delight the holy of the Lord and honourable the heart being taken up with it Remember from all that hath been said this day is the Lords day and it saith

supposing of it to be instituted and at his injoyning of a positive dutie of Charity meet for that day And it 's observable that though the Saints had meetings on other dayes yet is it never said they did meet the second third or fourth dayes c. but on the first which certainly is done to shew a pecullarnesse in that day and the meetings on it yea few or none deny this denomination to signifie the first day on this account it being so clear from Antiquity and no other day being here to compet with it and that can lay such claim to this denomination as this day doth and was by the most Ancient still so named For the second thing to be cleared What it is to be in the spirit on the Lords day To be in the spirit is First to be Spirituall to have the habits of Grace and a new Nature and thus it taketh-in the ordinary walk of Believers Gal. 5.16 25. Secondly More especially it is for these who are habitually in the Spirit to be actually and in a more eminent measure in the Spirit as Eph. 5.18 to be filled with the spirit to be in a holy rapture and ecstasie is warranted and allowed to Believers in a more speciall frame and at more speciall times to be in a spiritualnesse abstracted from e●●nalnesse and lawfull things more than ordinary Thirdly It is to be in the Spirit in an extraordinary manner and measure or to be in an extraordinary rapture the Spirit revealing something extraordinarily and this is to be in the Spirit in a sense different from the former albeit consisting with them We cannot seclude any of these in this place for Iohn was regenerated and was habitually Spirituall and Gracious but we especially include the last two As if he said though I was absent from company and Christian fellowship and had not a Congregation to Preach in on the Lords day yet I was in the Spirit exercising the habits of Grace and I was in an eminent Spirituall and Holy Frame the Spirit elevating my spirit which is that spoken of Isa. 58.13 If thou cast the Sabbath a delight the Holy of the Lord c. and the Lord taketh him in this spirituall frame and strain and ravisheth him in the Spirit and from the second step He brings him up to the third to be in Spirit as an extraordinary Prophet as we take Peter to have been Act. 10. when he went up to Pray that is to the second step and fell in a Trance and saw Heaven opened which is the third We think the same hath been Iohn's case here The words give occasion to speak of severall Doctrines as 1. The good that is to be gotten on the Lords day when folks are in a spirituall frame 2. That when folks are separated from the publick Ordinances they would be making it up in private by giving themselves to spirituall exercises 3. And that God not only can but doth make up the good to be gotten by the publick by private and secret fellowship with Himself when Believers in Him are banished from or denuded of the publick Ordinances But nor to insist on these they give occasion to speak a little of these three things 1. The institution of he Lords day 2. The name that the Lords day gets 3. Of the sanctification of it or of a speciall part wherein the sanctification of it consists For the First To wit for the institution of this Day severall Arguments are here or we may argue severall wayes to prove it 1. If in the Apostles time this day was set apart for the Lords Worship and Service and in a speciall manner called His as being kept to Him on a morall ground Then we have warrand and it 's our duty to keep it for the same end and use for the practice of extraordinary men grounded on morall and perpetuall Reasons and that were not peculiar to them as extraordinary but are common to them and us as the Grounds and Reasons of the setting apart this day are it being for the remembrance of His Resurrection and the bringing in of a new World and therefore all did from the beginning keep that day are binding to us as is clear But the first day of the Week was appointed to be the Lord's day in the Apostles times and singled out and set apart for His Service on a morall ground for no ground peculiar to them can be given Therefore certainly it must be our dutie to keep it 2. If the first day of the Week was singled out from other dayes and counted the Lords day Then there behoved to be an institution for it or a supposed institution that is it must be the Lords day either because He instituted it when He spoke many things to His Apostles after His Resurrection concerning the right ordering of His House and Worship and by His practice observed and sanctified it for His speciall Service or because these that were infallibly guided and led by His Spirit instituted and gave warrand to keep it for without an institution and command it is not to be kept or named so more than another day But this first day was in practice singled out beside all other dayes and is accounted the Lords in a speciall manner as is said Therefore there must be some institution of it 3. Comparing this Text with 1 Cor. 11.20 If the first day of the Week be the Lords day as the Sacrament of the Supper is the Lords Supper then it must be by His appointment and institution Hi● But so the phrase in both places is to be understood Ergo by comparing these two places the peculiarnesse of the phrase is such that there being no other phrase like them in Scripture it seemeth the holy Ghost warrands us to gather the reasons of this denomination of the one from the other though the institution of this day be not so clearly expressed as the institution of the Lords Supper For it 's a received Rule for expounding Scripture to expound more dark places by places that are more full and clear And therefore conclude we that the Lord's day is to be called the Lords because of its institution though we know not where because for the same reason the Supper is called His there being no solid ground to conclude upon And they who give reasons to the contrary must make it appear that there are other reasons more pregnant or else the language of the holy Ghost must have weight with us 4. This first day is the Lords as the seventh day is called His or any other thing in the Old Testament but that is ever because of His setting apart that day or that thing for His own from others of that kind Therefore it must be so here There are some exceptions made by some worthy men which we shall speak a word to As 1. If it be so it will follow that all dayes are not alike contrary to Rom. 14.14 Gal. 4.10

that folks should spend it not as they like but for Him and about the duties of His service It is not the sanctifying of the Sabbath to spend an hour or two in publick and the rest of it in our own discourses pleasing and delightsome to our selves All dayes are Gods but He hath given you six and reserved the seventh to Himself Ye should be with Him in the spirit on the Lords day which is the main use of all that hath been said LECTURE V. Vers. 10. I was in the spirit on the Lords day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet 11. Saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last and what thou seest write in a book and send it unto the seven Churches which are in Asia unto Ephesus and unto Smyrna and unto Pergamos and unto Thyatira and unto Sardis and Philadelphia and unto Laodicea JOHN hath in the verses before and in the beginning of this put by the particular circumstances relating to this vision we shall say no more of them We come to the vision it self in the rest of the chapter with some circumstances making way to Iohn's writing of what he saw We comprehend under the vision not only what is objected to the eye or what Iohn saw but all that he sees or hears whereby some new thing is represented to Iohn or that which he had heard or seen before is again more clearly revealed and made known to him as it used to be in the extraordinary Prophets having Gods mind several wayes manifested to them This part of the vision hath three steps First What Iohn heard from the midst of vers 10. to vers 12. Secondly What he did vers 12. And Thirdly Followeth that which he saw to vers 17. The rest of the chapter from vers 17. hath some following effects and circumstances to clear the vision and Iohn's writing of it That which Iohn heard is three wayes described 1. In the nature of the voice which he heard 2. From the place where or the manner or way how he heard it the voice spake behind him 3. The particular matter that was spoken First The nature of the voice which he heard is set out with two words 1. It 's called a great voice 2. It was a voice as of a trumpet or like a trumpet 1. A great voice that is a mighty sound a voice that made a great noise as afterwards vers 15. His voice was as the sound of many waters like the tumbling down of a great river over a high fall or precipire 2. It was a voice as of a trumpet that is 1. Not a confused or inarticulate sound but a stately voice having a kind of majesty with it 2. Like a trumpet giving a certain and distinct sound And 3. Like a trumpet to stir up Iohn to attention to give him an alarm to set him on his watch and guard to observe what he saw and heard And it imports these four things which might be so many grounds of Doctrine 1. The majesty of the Person who was speaking to Iohn that Iohn may come to take Him up it is to shew that it was no common Person but our Lord Jesus Christ that is stately in His coming and this is the first thing that follis should have when they come to hear the Word they should be affected with the majesty of Him who speaketh and consider it 's His voice who stakes the heaven and the earth th●● makes the bindes to calve c. Psal. 29. 2. It is to point out to Iohn the great distance between him and the Person that speaketh to Him and so to humble him and to affect him with a humbling and kindly sense of his own infirmity And these two go together to wit an impression of the statelinesse and majesty of God who speaks and an humble sense of infirmity in the creature See it in Abraham Gen. 18. 17. Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord Who am but dust and ashes and vers 25. Shall not the judge of all the earth do right And they are also joyned Eccles. 5.1 2. Keep thy foot when thou goest into the house of God God is in heaven and thou upon earth let thy Words be few 3. It is to put Iohn to an holy attention to hear and to be watchful in hearing what He was to say to him the trumpet soundeth that he may be the better taken heed to when He speaks And this is also a good property of hearers when as it is Acts 10.33 We can say with Cornelius We are all here present before God to hear Whatsoever things are commanded thee of God to be in a humble watchful posture having the heart laid open to whatsoever God will say hanging on Him as the phrase is Luke 19.48 4. The sound of the trumpet is not only to waken to attention but to put to action it gives not only a distinct sound for direction but it puts to doing to point at the nature of our Lords voice and how it ought to be heard It 's not enough to hear but there would be a suitablenesse to the voice heard according as the trumpet sounds distinctly Folks would hear suitably and welcome what is said and conform their practice thereto taking with convictions challenges directions to duties promises c. as the Word giveth them Therefore the Preaching of the Word is compared to the sounding of a trumpet Isa. 58. Lift up thy voice like a trumpet that is powerfully and distinctly and as it suppons some thing on the Ministers side that he would have his voice trumpet-like so it suppons some thing on the side of the hearers that they would conform their practice suitably to it as Souldiers prepare themselves at the sound of a trumpet 1 Corinth 14.8 The second circumstance is the place where or the manner how he heard the voice it spoke behind him it came not as before Iohn but as it were unawares surprising him behind him 1. The more to affect Iohn with the sound and to make him inquire in it for the more surprising a thing be it affects the more and wakens up the more desire to enquire in it 2. That our Lord may even try Iohn how he will carry himself in following the enquiry of the voice and so to put Iohn to pains to find it out Therefore Isa. 30.21 it is said Thou shall hear a voice behind thee partly to signifie that our backs are on God when he speak we are running away from him partly to stir us up to turn our face about as it were and to enquire after what is spoken Vers. 11. The third thing is the matter spoken and it contains two things 1. A description of the Speaker His Title and Name I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last the last two words are an exposition of the former two 2. The Commission Iohn gets and the direction given him 1.

to be understood there are but many of you meer hypocrites although ye have a fair shew Secondly Deadnesse may be understood comparatively that is either in respect of what they seemed to be and were thought to be by others or what they ought to have been or in respect of what somtimes they had been And so even Believers may be thus charged who having some life yet in these respects were defective And by considering what is said v● 2. where somthings ready to die are spoken of it will appear that this charge is so to be applied in reference to declining Believers in part as to others who were altogether hypocrites It is like this Church hath been free of grosse Errors for there is no mention of the Nicolaitans in the same as in other Churches It is like also there hath been no inward division amongst themselves or grosse profanity of practice or such like for there is no mention of such in the reproof nor would such have stood with an eminent name but on the contrary it is like they had Ordinances in frequencie and purity the Minister had Gifts in some eminencie external subjection was given to the Ordinances and they were waited upon and it may be there was zeal in outward Reformation as was in Ephesus Upon these and the like grounds they came to be esteemed-of by others as being in an excellent frame the Preachers were thought excellent Preachers and no Church thought more happy than the Church of Sardis and it is like it was counted a blessed thing to live in such a place and it may be that the Minister and People had their own too great esteem of themselves as being priviledged beyond others because they were free both of the Errors in Doctrine defects in Discipline and also of the crosses and trials which we find other Churches lying under whereupon they are said to have a name and yet they were indeed and before the Lord in the respects formerly mentioned dead and unanswerable to that name which is indeed a sad charge and a most dangerous condition Whence we may observe That a Church or Minister or a particular person may have a great esteem from others and also have much esteem of themselves and have some seeming grounds for the same and yet either totally or in part and comparatively be but dead and lifelesse and in no such estimation before God This may make all both Ministers and People to tremble and to beware of being pleased with forthy and empty names which oftentimes are found to be exceeding light before God It may be enquired on this occasion 1. as to a private person what grounds one may have to account himself living when yet indeed he may be dead For answer We conceive that the Lord in His wisdom hath made a peremptory decision of this Question to be impossible to wit how great length an hypocrite may go and yet be still in the state of hypocrisie as also of that other to wit how far a Believer may decline in the estate of Grace and yet continue to be a Believer because the deciding of these as to the maximum or minimum quod sic doth not tend to edification And He would have His People keeping a distance even from the borders and marches of these things in their practices Yet we conceive that it is clear from Scripture that a hypocrite may have very many things that may be the occasion of a name to him and yet really he may be still unfound We may for example instance them in these particulars 1. If we look to negatives they be justly chargeable with nothing before men either as to ommissions or commissions and in this respect Paul was blamlesse even while a Pharisee Phil. 3 6. 2. If we look to the common gifts of the Spirit which come under that name of Gratia gratis data they may come a great length here as to speak with tongues to understand all Mysteries to have all knowledge 1 Cor. 13.2 And in this respect they may Preach well Write well Dispute well yea even to the edification of others and as to the exercising of a gift Pray well also And no question Iudas and others whom the Lord will not own for His in the day of Judgement were eminent in all these as they were for casting out of devils and the working of miracles 3. If we will look to the performance of externall duties it will be found they may come a great length in this respect That Pharisee Luk. 18.11 12. prayed and fasted often and gave tithes of all and that man Matth. 19.20 said All these things did I keep from my youth which might be true as to the outward performance of duties and so as they understood them which also is confirmed from the example of Paul 4. If we look in to the spirituall meaning of the Law as it doth obliege the inward man to a conformity thereto we will find that hypocrites may go a length even in that thus we find a discreet Scrib Mark 12.32 33. acknowledging that to love the Lord with all the heart with all the understanding with all the soul with all the strength and to love our neighboar as our self is more than all burnt offerings or sacrifices This is indeed much to prefer internal moral duties to external ceremonial performances and is more than usually was acknowledged amongst them for which cause the Lord saith in the next word Thou art not far from the kingdom of God yet He insinuateth he was not in the Kingdom of God and so not really found notwithstanding 5. They will sometimes have seeming fruits even as to suffering although no hypocrite can have a sincere end therein yet it is clear that many of them may suffer many things materially for the Truth of Christ. The Apostle 1 Cor. 13. supposeth that one may give his body to be burnt and yet want love and Gal. 3.4 he supposeth that there may be much suffering in vain And certainly experience in all ages of the Church hath made this appear to be truth 6. If we look further in reference to Gospel duties there may be fair flourishing in this respect also as first convictions of sin may be carried on a great length Saul was often brought to say I have sinned Felix trembleth while Paul preacheth to him Act. 24.25 and even Simon Magus is brought to desire the help of Peters prayers as being convinced of his hazard Act. 8.24 Secondly This conviction may be followed with something like Repentance and sorrow for the committing of sin thus even Ahab humbleth himself 1 King 21. vers 27 29. and these that are mentioned Psal. 78. vers 34. c. did seek and enquire after him who slew them And certainly there wants not sorrow and bitternesse in Iudas his repentance Mat. 26.3 c. when he did really rew what he had done Thirdly There may be also something like faith whereby one may

nearnesse to the Throne of God Ministers that have but eyes behind them so look upon the wayes of others and have not eyes within them to consider themselves are but in a great part blind-guides as Christ speaketh of the Pharisees Matth. 15.14 This having of eyes within as well as eyes without is expressed by the Apostle 1 Tim. 4.16 in that precept take heed unto thy self and to the doctrine and Acts 20.28 take heed to your selves and to all the stock c. Ministers that look to others would take their retirings to look upon themselves left they become strangers to their own condition and what is spoken of Ministers here is a duty well-becoming every Christian. LECTURE III. Vers. 8. And they rest not day and night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come 9. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne who liveth for ever and ever 10. The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne and worship him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their crowns before the throne saying 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created IN this part of the Chapter we have the third part of this stately description wherein the Majesty of God is set out by the great work and task that these attendants of His to wit these four beasts and the four and twenty Elders have and that is the work of praise whereby both in their places concur to have Him exalted In the latter part of the 8. vers the four beasts begin and in the three verses following the four and twenty Elders go on In the Elders praise we may consider these two 1. The un-interruptednesse thereof and they rest not day and night saying c. this is to shew first the great matter of their praise that doth still continue they are furnished so with grounds thereof 2. It is to shew their diligence and seriousnesse in letting no opportunity of praise passe for praise being an affirmative duty we conceive that this practice is to be expounded according to the precepts of rejoycing alway and praying evermore 3. It may more especially set forth the diligence and seriousnesse that the Ministers of the Gospel are said to be furnished with according to the word Isa. 62.6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Ierusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night c. The second thing in the●● praise is the matter thereof which is the ascribing to the Lord three of His own glorious and essential Attributes The first is Holinesse which is thrice repeated Holy holy holy Lord God c. this seemeth to be taken from Isa. 6.3 where the Seraphims begin their song with the same expression This sheweth 1. how infinitly and inconceivably holy the Lord is when once mentioning of this Attribute is not sufficient 2. It sheweth that no Attribute of God will have more impression upon a tender Minister that is near Him than His holinesse this affecteth the very Angels and the more near any is admitted to Him the more will this affect them 3. It sheweth that Ministers ought to be Angel-like in their speaking of God and that it is a main part of their task to hold forth His excellencie to others The second Attribute is the Lords Omnipotencie Lord God Almighty c. By which the Lord is conceived as infinitly above all and able to do all things as Iob speaketh Chap. 42.2 and it is both a notable ground of praise in reference to God and a comfort in reference to His People who have Him who is able to do above what they can ask or think Ephes. 3.20 covenanted to be their Almighty God even under that same consideration Gen. 17.1 The third Attribute mentioned is His Eternity in these words which was and is and is to come whereof often hath been spoken and it is here mentioned to advance the Glory of God infinitly beyond all created Idols who have had their beginning and are going on unto a decay and will ere long come to be destroyed but the portion of Iacob is not so who in all the tossings of the world continueth the same and of His years there is no end After this followeth the praise of the four and twenty Elders The beasts go before because they represented the Ministers and Guides as we said In it three things may be observed First The timing of their praise vers 9. Secondly Their practice vers 10. Thirdly Their verball expressions or song vers 11. The time of the Elders praise is And when these beasts gave glory honour and thanke to Him that sat upon the Throne who liveth for ever and ever they fall down c. In which words we may see first what the work of the beasts is This is set forth in three expressions 1. To give glory to God this is their acknowledging of the Majesty that is in Him and doth respect His own glorious excellencie The second is Honour this respecteth the relation that is between Him as Creator and His creatures who having their being from Him and standing in that relation to Him ought by that rye to honour Him The third is Thanks which looketh to former benefits freely received from Him by which there is an engagement put on them to be thankfull which here they acknowledge to be due when they can do no more The first thing in these words is the rise or the timing of this praise of the Elders to wit it is when those beasts give glory and honour c. Which is to shew 1. The orderlinesse of the Lords worship is His Church every one keeping their own place 2. It i● to shew that though every one be not a Preacher and in that respect admitted to such dignity and nearnesse with God as others yet all in the Church have ground and matter of praise and emploiment in their stations sufficiently to express the same to the commendation of the Lords grace 3. It sheweth also the sweet harmony that ought to be between Minister and People by their joyning in the same work And 4. it expresseth the great influence that Ministers example faithfulnesse and diligence will have upon the quickning and up-stirring of People to their duty for when the beasts begin then the Elders follow And it is like the silence and dumbnesse of many Ministers may also be the cause why many Congregations are silent and dumb in this respect And this may be a reason why Ministers are expressed by this title of living wights or living things as was formerly observed because not only they ought to be lively and stirring themselves but because by their livelinesse they have great influence on others to quicken them also The second thing in the Elders praise vers 10. is their

Temples opening or the change of the outward face of the Church 2. The description of the seven Angels that were instruments vers 6. 3. The furnishing of them for their task and work 4. A concomitant going alongst with the execution of their judgement The first thing is vers 5. the antecedent to all these plagues which is the rise of all that is the opening of the Temple That this is antecedent appeareth by the context where this opening is observed to clear what followeth concerning the Angels coming forth as a prior step of the narration in order before their coming forth For understanding of it we would consider that there is an allusion as Chap. 11. vers ult to the Jewish Church where in time of Idolatry and backsliding the Temple was shut as in Ahabs dayes and in time of Reformation when all was brought again to the rule the Temple was opened and sanctified the Sacrifices put in order and the Priests sanctified as in Hezekiahs dayes Iohns meaning is before this the Temple was shut Religion in its outward splendor and beauty defaced by Antichrist but now as if he said I saw a time of Reformation when superstition and Idolatry was banished and Purity and Truth preached in open view as it was before Antichrist darkened their light Thus as the Temple was that which most evidenced the state of the Jewish Church and the changes were most sensibly observed there so as many other things that is borrowed to set out the change in the Christian Church here See more Chap. 11. vers 19. This step of preparation concerning the publick breaking out of the Truth is observed for these reasons 1. To shew to what time these vials belong to wit to the state of the Church after Antichrists treachery is discovered and God hath made some light to break out in His Church to wit to the last period 2. To shew the connexion of these vials with and their dependence upon the blowing of the seventh trumpet Chap. 11. last vers where this same is mentioned Now after a profitable digression when he cometh again to the series of the prophesie he beginneth as it were where he left so to carry it on from thence forward the more clearly The second thing will clear this after this Temple is opened and Religion in heaven that is in the visible Church is publickly professed the Lord bringeth out seven Angels out of the opened Temple These are the instruments of this wrath mentioned vers 1. They are described by these things 1. They are called Angels we think not properly but figuratively such as He had fitted for this work and commissionated to execute it whether Ministers or Magistrates Their getting their vials from one of the beasts and their being arayed with girdles seemeth to confirm this and more especially that they were great civil men 2. They are described from whence they came They came out of the Temple that is as it appeareth they shall be members of the Church now made patent who are to be made use of in these judgements to execute His wrath on the whore 3. They are cloathed with linen either to shew the purity of their proceeding or alluding to the Priests habit Ezek. 44. as that of golden girdles alludeth to the manner of Kings So these are Kings and Priests authorized and well furnished for such a work all whom He employeth are fitted instruments for His work The third circumstance of their further preparation is mentioned vers 7. where two things are to be observed 1. The instruments or means of the plagues which they had to execute them with that is vials full of wrath Vials ar great hollow vessels or cups wide at the mouth whereby is meaned 1. great wrath 2. an easie and quiet way of pouring it forth without great noise possibly having respect to the threatning Chap. 14. where they are threatned with the cup of Gods wrath These are called golden vials partly because Justice in it self is precious and it is an excellent dignity and honourable to be made use of in its execution especially as approved instruments partly to shew Gods pure proceeding without the least mixture of any passion 2. These vials are given by one of the beasts it is like the first beast as one day of the week is the first day Matth. 28. which Chap. 4. is the type of valiant bold and zealous Ministers They are said to give these Angels these vials when by and from Gods Word they clear that to be their duty and in Gods Authority calleth them to it By which it would seem that God would not have Kings and Princes waiting for an extraordinary revelation and call to awake to this judgement but to acquiesce in ordinary Ministers clearing His Truth from His Word and thus though Ministers be not to execute wrath actually and immediately by fighting yet do they as it were blow the trumpets 2 Chron. 13. and so they set up and cast down Kings and Kingdoms Ier. 1. and their sword slayeth more than Hazaels Thus it would seem when eminent men are converted and ingrafted in the Church zealous Ministers do put them in mind of this duty that God expecteth from the Kings of the earth such zealous men have been and particularly were after the begun opening of the Temple God is said here to live for ever and ever partly to shew that He is reverently alway to be spoken of partly to shew what Master these Angels had and whose wrath they were executing not their own Therefore they should not be in their zeal selfish and carnall but it was Gods wrath and the wrath of such a great God and therefore they had need to be single and humble as others had reason to be afraid of such everlasting wrath That denomination of God addeth to the heightening of the wrath The fourth thing which is the concomitant of these plagues is vers 8. containing 1. the concomitant it self 2. its effect The concomitant is the Temple is filled with smoke this alludeth to Gods way of old making His presence sensible by signes in the Tabernacle when it was newly erected as Exod. 40. and in the Temple when it was newly builded as 2 King 8.10 So here when the Gospel-church shall be of new recovered Gods presence will be as sensible and great in it as it was of old when Priests might not enter into the Temple because of the glory of it Sometimes also this appearance is a signe of anger as Numb 16. when He appeared to take vengeance on stubborn offenders and would admit of no intercession These being not inconsistent but ordinarily conjoyned to wit Gods presence glorious and refreshing to His own and terrible and dreadfull to His enemies Isa. 66.5 we understand both here which agreeth well with the words following filled with smoke from the glory of God that looketh to His gracious appearing and from His power that holdeth Him forth terrible as now appearing

the other Now the Lords Supper is called so for three Reasons for which also we conceive this day to be called the Lords day 1. The Lords Supper because of the Lords singular instituting that Bread and Wine for a speciall and religious end distinguishing differencing and setting it apart from a common use to a more speciall use And so this day is called the Lords day because of the Lords separating and setting apart this day for His speciall Service and Worship and in that distinguishing it from other dayes as He had done that Supper from common suppers 2. The Lords Supper for its speciall signification Jesus Christ and His benefits being especially set out in it His death and sufferings pointed at and the benefits we have thereby So this day is called the Lords day because it 's of speciall signification pointing out not so much Gods ceasing from the work of Creation as our Lords ceasing from the work of Redemption as the Lords Supper is for the remembrance of His death till He come again so is this day for remembring the work of Redemption and His Resurrection till He come again 3. The Lords Supper because of its speciall end to set out the honour of the Mediator and the Worship and Ordinances brought in by Him under the New Testament so to distinguish it from the Passeover So this day is called the Lords day for the same reason to set out the honour of the Mediator and that it may be enrolled among the Ordinances of the New Testament therefore when in the New Testament ought is called the Lords it points ordinarily at Christ the Mediator and at the second Person of the God-head as 1 Cor. 8.6 One God distinguished from One Lord. We take it then for granted that it is called the Lords day for these Reasons because its a speciall day set apart for the Lords use of speciall signification and for a speciall end And Secondly That it is a speciall day known to the Church may appear for else Iohn would not have given it such a denomination and that it points at some thing of Christ and so is separated from any Jewish day and common day It is a day known singularity to relate to Christ. To clear it consider it must either be the first day of the Week or some other But none other day it is Ergo c. If any other it can be supposed onely one of these two either not any particular day of the Week but any speciall day or time of Christs appearing or manifesting Himself Or else the Jewish Sabbath day Now neither of these can be meant by the Lords day 1. Not the former for such a day of Christs speciall appearing not being named here it would leave the Church in an uncertainty to know what day was meaned yet is this day mentioned to point it out from other dayes that is the scope why it is so designed Beside if it were any such day it would point at no one day for there are many times of Christs appearing It 's not so to be understood then though even so our Lords appearing may agree to the first day of the Week whereon most frequently He appeared after His Resurrection to His Disciples as Mat. 28. Ioh. 20.26 Acts 1.2 2. Neither the latter to wit the Jewish Sabbath day 1. Because it 's ever called the Sabbath and gets the own name that it formerly had and the giving of it this name will more obscure then clear the day 2. Because the Jewish Sabbaths were then annulled as Colus 2 1● Let none judge you in meat or drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moon part of the Sabbath dayes Therefore then can they not be called the Lords day And Gal. 4.10 they are reproved for observing Dayes and Moneths and Times and Years where it is clear the Jewish new Moons Sabbaths and Festivities were then and before that time abolished in so far as peculiar to them though all distinction of dayes was not taken away more than all distinctions of the Elements in the Lords Supper from other Meat because distinction of meat was condemned there also But this followeth all Jewish distinction both of meat and dayes was taken away but what is still assigned by Christ that continues 3. The Lords day in the phrase of the New Testament looks to Christ as having its name some way from him which cannot be said of the Jewish Sabbath But this is called the Lords day as pointing at an Ordinance of the New Testament whereas the Jewish Sabbaths had a respect to the Old Testament Ordinances 3. It remaineth therefore it must be the first day of the Week because no other day can lay claim to it i● is that day which we call Sunday or the Christian Sabbath and was in the Primitive times called The Lords day 1. Because the Reasons why a day is called The Lords day do agree to it especially The Jewish Sabbath was called The Lords day Exod. 20 because on it He ceased from the works of Creation this day is called The Lords day because on it He ceased from the work of Redemption Mar. 16.1 2. Luk. 24.1 2. Ioh. 20.1 It 's that day whereon our Lord not only rose but severall times did meet with His Disciples and many mark severall priviledges and benefits conferred on this day as the pouring out of the holy Ghost Acts 2. And moe reasons might be given whereby this day is singularly beyond others to be called His. 2. Because this first day of the Week and no other was set apart for the Lords Worship and Service as distinguished from other dayes And Iohns end here is to fix on a particular day known to them and so esteemed of among them as such a day That it was set apart for the Lord and His Worship is clear not only from places we have named but from Act. 20.7 Vpon the first day of the Week when the Disciples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them ready to depart on the morrow and continued his speech untill midnight Which intimates not onely a meeting but a custom of meeting and that for Preaching Prayer and celebration of the Lords Supper So 1 Cor. 16.2 Vpon the first day of the Week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him and in the 1. vers he tells concerning the Collection of the Saints he had given the same order to the Churches of Galatia If it be asked Why doth Paul point at the first day of the Week and bids give themselves to Charity that day here it is because that day was dedicated to Gods Service and Worship whereof Charity was a pendicle And as we hinted at this was not peculiar to one Church as Corinth but was common to all the Churches The like order was in all the Churches of Galatia and it doth not point at Paul's instituting a day but at his