ceeded in the work of reformation, ac cording to the time and thofe days fhe lived in; the finishing whereof will be required of this generation; otherwise expect God hath a fad controverfy with this land. But Chrift hath begun his kingdom both in England and Ireland, to reign evermore: and the enemies fhall endeavour many enterprifes, yet they shall vanish like smoke, and they fhall never prevail so as to overthrow Chrift's kingdom begun here: for they will never want Chriftian princes to maintain his truth begun, which he faith began from the year 1558. For the feventh angel blew his trumpet for this time, and faith he would reign forevermore. He further faith, that ere long, before the year 1650 the fourth angel fhall pour out his vial upon the fun; which fun he interprets the holy fcriptures, which enlighten the minds of men as the beams of the fun do the eyes of the body. This vial being poured on them, fhall give them greater force and edge, more vehemently to ferotch the man of fin: fo that he fhall gnath and rage against this fun, which hath fo difcovered his ugly hew to the world: and it fhail not only burn and vex him, and those of his houfhold, but alfo hypocrites, and. all others who are not endued with true godlinefs; that they fhall even boil with

envy and ftrife, and all bitterness of mind, like the men of Atlas, which curse the fun, because it parcheth them with too much heat.

And lastly, he faith (for the better underftanding of what he means) that the city of Rome is not limited to that city, but extends as far as the Pope hath any dominion: fo that the city of Rome is in deftroying, if any of her dominions be in deftroying, as he interprets the Holy Ghost's meaning. But the Pope is to be quite and fully overthrown at the year 1835. Therefore by computation Rome must be in destroying at 1794, in fome of his do

minions.

So I conclude this brief relation (of what Mr. Brightman largely infifts úpon, fhewing his grounds in his book, why he affirms these things) with Chrift's council to this church of Laodicea.

'I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayeft be rich, and 'white raiment that thou mayest be cloathed, and that the fhame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-falve, that thou mayeft fee.'

FINIS. COM

TWO

SERMONS

BY THE

REV. MR. JAMES DURHAM,

Late Minifter of the High-Church of Glasgow.

REV. xxii. 20.

He which teftifieth these things, faith, Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Even fo, come Lord Jefus.

TH

THIS is but a fhort verfe, but com. prehenfive of two mof excellent truths, and moft concerning exprilions to the people of God. The first of them is our bleffed Lord Jefus' word, and his laft word that ftands on record to his church, "Surely, I come quickly."-The other is, the hearty and warm welcome that John, in name of believers, or the bride, as verse 17, gives to this truth, "Amen, Even fo, come Lord Jefus." And Numb. II.

thefe two words clofe Chrift's formal fpeaking to his church by revelation, and are the laft words of a faint fpeaking in fcripture to Jefus Chrift; and therefore it will not be unfuitable to fpeak a word of them in the close of the opening of this book.

The first of these words is three times in this chapter, as verfe 17, and 12, and here, befides other parts. And being so often recorded now when he is drawing near a clofe, it is to let us fee of what concernment it is, and how it should be imprinted on our hearts, feeing he that utters it speaketh and repeateth no words in vain.

That it is faid, "He that teftifieth thefe things," telleth it is his word that fpeaketh, verfe 16, Jefus have fent mine angel to teftify these things unto you:" and verse 18, "I teftify unto every man that heareth the words of this prophecy." It is the fame that is "the root and offspring of David the bright and morning ftar, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the First and the Laft:" and it is prefixed as a commendation, to make us think the more of this word.

There is then in the first part thefe three things, t. A truth laid down, a promise or prophecy that Jefus Chrift cometh. 2. The certainty of it affertde "Surely I come." 3. The fuddennefs of his coming, "I come

quickly." Firft, "I come,
" that is, ho
is on his way: he fays not, I will come,
but I come. Although his coming to judg
ment be not yet, nevertheless he is on his
way, and his coming is as certam as if he
were come, and fo he fhould be conceived
by us as at hand. 2. Surely, I come,'
This affeveration is to put it out of question,
especially being spoken out of his mouth:
its no meffenger or midfman that fpeaketh,
but Jefus Chrift: and it was spoken with a
behold before, verfe 7, and 12, for the fame
end: and here a furely is added, as we faid,
to put it out of question, to stop the mouths
of gainfayers, and to ftrengthen and com-
fort the hearts of his people that are long-
ing for, and fainting under the delay of
his coming. And 3. Because he knoweth
there is need of present confolation to his
own, and that others were ready to fuf-
pend his coming, and put the ill day far
away, he faith, "I come quickly."

Object. It may be faid, how can this be that his coming is quickly, is there not many hundreds of years fince this was fpoken, and yet he is not come? The apofile, 2 Pet. iii. forefaw this objection and giveth thee answers to it, which we fhall repeat. 1. "A thousand years to him is but as one day." 2. Though he ftay, yet he is not idle, "The Lord is not flack concerning

I.