Commentary on Revelation, Lecture 4
LECTURE IIII.
Vers. 10.
I was in the spirit on the Lords day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.
BEfore Iohn come particularly to the Vision he saw, he insisteth in some particular circumstances, that make way to the more full faith and credite of the Vision and Story that followeth: and though they be only circumstances in themselves; yet they are profitable and conducing to the main end he hath before him. We heard of the first and second circumstance how, and where Iohn was, when he got this Vision.
Followeth in the 10 vers. the third and fourth circumstances, that is, the day when he got this Vision, and the frame he was in, I was in the spirit on the Lords day. The words, in the Originall, are, I was in the spirit on that Lords day, pointing out a day singularly, and a day that in a particular and speciall manner is called His Day, beside any other day, that Dominik day, or day which is the Lords.
That we may have accesse to the use, we shall speak a little to these two. 1. What particular day this is, seing there is no mention made what day it is, more than this, that it is called The Lords day. 2. What it is to be in the spirit on this day.
For clearing of the first of these two, ye would consider, that there is but one other phrase in Scripture like this, and it's spoken of the Lords Supper, 1 Cor. 11. This is not to eat the Lords Supper. They that know the Originall, know also this phrase to be singular, like this of the Lord's day, foreign, and 1 Cor. 11.20. foreign which is opposed unto, and contradistinguished from, foreign: which was not see apart from other suppers, and common use, as this was: And these two, being by one particular phrase expressed, we must expound the one by 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 onelyonly 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. VponUpon 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 onelyonly a meeting, but a custom of meeting, and that for Preaching, Prayer, and celebration of the Lords Supper. So 1 Cor. 16.2. VponUpon 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 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. 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 layingaside 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 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.