IT is scarce possible for any that either love or fear God
not to feel their hearts extremely affected in seriously reading either
the beginning or the latter part of the Revelation. These, it is
evident, we cannot consider too much; but the intermediate parts I did
not study at all for many years; as utterly despairing of understanding
them, after the fruitless attempts of so many wise and good men: and
perhaps I should have lived and died in this sentiment, had I not seen
the works of the great Bengelius. But these revived my hopes of
understanding even the prophecies of this book; at least many of them in
some good degree: for perhaps some will not be opened but in eternity.
Let us, however, bless God for the measure of light we may enjoy, and
improve it to his glory. The following notes are mostly those of that
excellent man; a few of which are taken from his Gnornon Novi
Testamenti, but far more from his Ekklarte Offenbarung, which is a full
and regular comment on the Revelation. Every part of this I do not
undertake to defend. But none should condemn him without reading his
proofs at large. It did not suit my design to insert these: they are
above the capacity of ordinary readers. Nor had I room to insert the
entire translation of a book which contains near twelve hundred pages.
All I can do is, partly to translate, partly abridge, the most necessary
of his observations; allowing myself the liberty to alter some of them,
and to add a few notes where he is not full. His text, it may be
observed, I have taken almost throughout, which I apprehend he has
abundantly defended both in the Gnomon itself, and in his Apparatus and
Crisis in Apocalypsin. Yet I by no means pretend to understand or
explain all that is contained in this mysterious book. I only offer what
help I can to the serious inquirer, and shall rejoice if any be moved
thereby more carefully to read and more deeply to consider the words of
this prophecy. Blessed is he that does this with a single eye. His
labour shall not be in vain.
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