Commentary on Revelation, Lecture 2
LECTURE II.
Vers. 8.
And to her was granted, that she should be arayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousnesse of saints.
9.
And he saith unto me, Write, blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
10.
And I fell at his feet to worship him: and he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Iesus, worship God: for the testimony of Iesus is the spirit of prophesie.
THis eighth verse doth more fully clear, and the ninth more fully confirm what went immediately before concerning the Lambs marriage, and the making ready of His Wife. There are two things cleared in the 8. vers. 1. What it is to be ready. It is to be clothed in fine linnen, clean and white, which is the righteousnesse of Saints. 2. How she is made ready, thus, to her it was granted, i.…. freely given that she should be clothed. The two things, which are confirmed, are, 1. That it is certain, there is such a thing coming as the marriage of the Lamb spoken of. 2. That it shall be the great happinesse of any that shall be called unto it: Both which are confirmed, 1. by …speciall command to write them, as things that should certainly come to passe. 2. In that they were not the sayings of Men nor Angels, but the true sayings of God, who is Truth it self, vers. 9. Both these, to wit, the explication and confirmation, may be considered more generally, as they yeeld generall doctrines, or, more specially and prophetically, as they relate to the present scope.
The 8. vers. hath three things in it, 1. Who is this made ready. 2. What this readinesse is. 3. How she cometh by it.
The party made ready is her, that is, the wife formerly mentioned, vers. 7. to wit, the Iews: for, the Gentile Church is before this adorned, Chap. 12.1. &c. The word is foreign, that signifieth, 1. one espoused only, as Mary was to Ioseph, before they came together, Matth. 1. this in the Latine is called sponsa. Or, 2. it is taken for one brought to her Husband, and joyned to him, this the Latines call uxor. It is here taken especially in the first sense, so that the Iews, that stood before their actuall calling in a speciall Covenant-relation with Christ, (which is not yet fully obliterated and dissolved, as concerning the Covenant made with the Fathers, Rom. 11.26.) are now made ready. 2. This readinesse is now set out in two expressions, 1. figuratively, she is cloathed in fine … linnen, clean and white. 2. More plainly, it is the righteousnesse or justification of the Saints. Both may be two wayes understood. 1. Of Christs imputed righteousnesse, whom we are said to put on, Rom. 13. ult. and Gal. 3. when by faith we are united to Him and made partakers of His righteousnesse for the hiding of our nakednesse, as in His counsell to Laodicea, Chap. 3. 2. It may be understood of inherent righteousnesse, which also in some respect we are said to put on, Col. 3.12. In the first sense, it is called clean and white simply, for so Christs righteousnesse is without spot. In the second sense, it is so comparatively; or, it is cleannesse and whitenesse not absolute, but in respect of what they were, and in respect of the holinesse of other times; This shall now be more. 2. The righteousnesse or justification of the Saints is also two wayes understood, 1. for a righteousnesse before men, evidencing their justification before God; so it is said, (Iam. 2.) that Abraham was justified by his works. 2. For that which indeed just fieth and is the cause of our justification before God; and so (Rom. 4.) Abraham was not justified by works, not only excluding all the works of the ceremoniall Law (for it was then not given) but even of the morall Law. But he was justified by faith in Jesus Christ, which was imputed to him for righteousnesse; the former, is the same with inherent righteousnesse, the latter is called imputed. Now, though we take in both here, as they are alway conjoyned and go together (and holinesse serveth in a speciall way to make ready and meet for enjoying Christ in Glory, when these garments shall be fully white) yet we understand here Christs imputed righteousnesse, or, the righteousnesse of faith especially, as that which maketh the Lambs wife ready, and that for these reasons, 1. This cloathing is that which is the righteousnesse of all Saints, and that before God; but that of faith, was Abrahams before the Law, Rom. 4. Davids under the Law, Psal. 32. with Rom. 4. and Pauls under the Gospel, Philip. 3.9. therefore so here. 2. Christs righteousnesse is only spotlesse and clean, ours is unclean, the best being filthy. 3. This readinesse is that upon which the marriage with Christ standeth, and serveth to close with Him in that Covenant; but that is in the offer, he that believeth s…ll be saved: and it is the want of that, that casteth and marreth the making of the marriage; for, holinesse inherent preceedeth not our union with Christ, which is our marriage, but followeth our consent (when the bargain is closed) as duties of a person married. 4. It agreeth best with the scope in reference to the in-coming of the Iews, they are made ready and brought in by the contrary of that for which they were cast off; but that (Rom. 11.) was unbelief, stumbling at the stumbling stone, in going about to establish their own righteousnesse, and not submitting to His, Rom. 9. and 10. vers. 3. Therefore now, that which maketh them ready, must be faith and submission to Christs righteousnesse. 5. This agreeth best with, and is clear from, the expressions setting forth the manner how she is made ready, and that in two expressions, she is cloathed with it: that speaketh to the resemblance of putting on something from without, in which this readinesse and decoring consisteth, and not of what is within, as Rev. 3. which pointeth at imputing of righteousnesse. 2. That it was granted to her, to shew it was not of her self, it was given and freely given and gifted to her: which saith, it is not inherent holinesse; for, that someway inferreth debt, and is opposed to grace, Rom. 4.9. and 11. Eph. 2. but it is of grace, which is the same with faith, that it might be free, Rom. 4.16. Eph. 2. and that to all the seed: by which it appeareth how we are to reconcile vers. 7. with this.
Thus if we look to the scope, as it is propheticall, this Verse saith, 1. that these Iews, on whom blindnesse and hardnesse hath layen long, shall in the end in due time be brought in to believe on Jesus Christ, and to submit to that righteousnesse which is common to all Saints, Gentiles as well as Iews, and to take that one way of salvation with the Gentiles, which they have so long rejected; God shall freely re-ingraft them again in His Church by that same faith which they despised. 2. That they at their in-coming into the Church of God at that time, shall be more eminently shining in holinesse than formerly, when the Gentiles shall provoke the Iews; and there shall be a holy emulation amongst them, more fully to adorn the profession of the Gospel, then shall the number of believers be increased, and their qualifications of holinesse at a higher pitch, This flourishing estate is promised whatever be of externall peace.
The confirmation followeth, vers. 9. where consider, 1. who confirmeth. 2. What he confirmeth. 3. How. First, The person confirming, is not God or Jesus Christ (for, it had not been a fault, vers. 10. to have worshipped hmi) but is an Angel: it is like, that Angel, who, (Chap. 17.) came to shew Iohn the judgement of the whore, and whom, it is like, God made use of, to shew Iohn the things to come, Chap. 1.1. That which he confirmeth in an extraordinary way by a speciall commission to write, that the thing may be the more observed, is set down in these words, Blessed are they who are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. The Lamb, is our Lord Jesus, often called so. His marriage here, is that vers. 7. especially of the Iews in-calling to faith in him. It signifieth, 1. that betwixt Christ and believers there is a mutuall tye, consent and obligation of each to other. 2. That it is reall. 3. A near tye. 4. Kindly and loving. 5. Indissolvable. 6. For believers advantage, to share of what He hath. It sheweth, in a word, a kindly and loving relation between Christ and them beyond what is betwixt Him and others. It is called a marriage supper, not mainly from that custome, as if then suppers had been most rise feasting times at Marriages, what ever truth be in it: for (Mat. 22.3.) it is called a dinner that the guests are invited unto: but this seemeth to be the cause, that Matth. 22. looketh to the Iews first calling at the preaching of the Gospel which they rejected: and it is called a dinner, they being more timely invited to it with the first. This again looketh to their calling, which shall be made effectuall when the day draweth near to an end at their restoring; therefore it is called the marriage supper, as more immediately preceeding the solemnizing fully of the Bridegrooms Marriage, when the Queen shall be brought to His Pallace, and the first-born shall be gathered together.
By Called here, are understood, 1. those who are effectually so; for, they are blessed and glorified, Rom. 8.30. Yea, 2. called even outwardly: Now, they of the Jews that shall be called to the Supper, are more happy than those who were called at the first to the Dinner; for, God shall make them generally more obedient, and the iron sinew shall be taken out of their neck, and the vail from off their eyes, and they shall generally yeeld to this Call and flow like doves to their windows to this Gospel; therefore are they blessed and happy. Thus these who are called by this happinesse, are not only opposed to these who are not called at all, or only to such who are called and not chosen, Matth. 20. But this second Call of the Jews is opposed, thus, to the first, Mat. 22. which is, in a word, that the Jews after their re-ingrafting shall be generally more blessed, by being made to yeeld to the call of the Gospel, than those who did live under the first offer thereof. So, the things prophetically confirmed are two, 1. That there is a second calling of the Jews, or feast of Christs Marriage to come, beside what was at first at the Dinner, a new offer to be made to the Jews before the end of the world, and a new and most beautifull lustre to be put upon the Church. 2. That they shall be blessed and happy beyond the former Jews that shall be called to this, as is said.
This truth is confirmed two wayes, 1. by a speciall command to write; Write, saith he, as Chap. 14.13. importing a singular excellency in the thing. 2. A great certainty in it, that it may be recorded ad futuram r…i memoriam, as Paul signifieth in expressing that of the Jews calling, Rom. 11. 3. A difficulty in believing or receiving the truth so pressed. And a second way he confirmeth this, is, These are the true sayings of God; it is from the Author of them and His nature and the nature of all His sayings; they are (saith he) not Mens nor Angels words, (for, there might be a lie in both these) but they are Gods, all whose words are Truth, He Himself being Truth, He Himself being God who cannot lie: and yet as in these sayings concerning the happinesse of these called, there is (as it were) a singular eminency of His faithfulnesse; so in speciall these are His true sayings, and will take effect.
The 10. ver. is notable, by expressing the infirmity of an eminent Saint, and the Angels rejecting of that worship intended to him by Iohn, with severall reasons, as if purposly he would rectifie men in that point of will-worship, in giving that religious adoration to creatures though most excellent, which alone is due to God.
Iohn's infirmity is set down in these words, And I fell at his feet to worship him. Worship implyeth three things, 1. An act in the judgement, taking up an excellency in the object worshipped. 2. An act of the will, yeelding it conformly to that apprehended excellency. 3. An externall act of the body; This may be common to all sorts of worship. Further we may consider a twofold adoration, or worship, mentioned in Scripture, that is allowable; one is Religious, and is a speciall duty due to God, and commanded in the first Table of the Law; the other is Civil, which is due to creatures, and commanded in the second Table. Again, this second sort is twofold: the first, is that which proceedeth from a reverencing of men for their stations or relations, whatever their qualifications be, as Magistrats, Ministers, Parents, great Men, &c. The second, is a reverentiall worshipping of men for their qualifications of wisdom and holinesse, so we respect good men though they be not great, as Act. 2.47. Such living Saints get, and in a greater measure Angels may have when they appear; such was that which Abraham and Lot gave to the Angels, Gen. 18. and 19. supposing them to be men. All these are lawfull.
There is also an idolatrous and sinfull worship, and that is, when what is due to the Creator is given to any creature, and that either more grosly to Idols, Images, &c. (called worshipping of devils) or, more subtil, to Saints, as that of Cornelius to Peter. Act. 10. and that to Paul and Barnabas, Act. 14. and is also of diverse sorts. This here is not of the first two sorts: for, it is not condemnable to worship God, nor to give holy Men and Angels due reverence; But it is this third sort, an unlawfull worship, as appeareth by the Angels rejecting it with so much zeal and earnestnesse, these two wayes expressed, 1. By a vehement prohibition, See thou do it not: there is no more in the Originall but, See no, an abrupt cutted expression, such as is used when men hasten to prevent something they abhor and would fain prevent. 2. It is expressed by the pressing arguments he useth, which are two, 1. This is not my due to be so worshipped, I am (saith the Angel) thy fellowservant, not thy Lord, and the fellow-servant of thy brethren that have the testimony of Iesus, and are imployed in his Ministery; we have but one Ministery, 1. The Angels to the Prophets, then the Prophets to the Church, Therefore are Ministers called Angels, and Angels Ministers. The second argument is taken from Gods prerogative, to whom only such worship is due, W…rship God, saith he, I am not God, and that is alone due to Him: therefore give it not to me but to Him, allowing by the one argument no such worship to creatures, and by the other appropriating it all to God.
He confirmeth, in the close, his arguments, (especially the first) thus, For the testimony of Iesus is the Spirit of Prophesie: which may be thus understood, the Spirit of Prophesie and revealing of these things is not mine, but it is Jesus Christs; hence it may be called the testimony of Iesus, as belonging peculiarly to Him: therefore worship is not due to me, who am but a servant with thee; Or, to the same purpose, reading the words as they lye, I am thy fellow-servant, for the testimony of Jesus, or the ministery of the Gospel, (called so for its bearing witness to Christ, in which respect, Ministers are often called Witnesses. See Chap. 22.8.) is the Spirit of prophesie, that is, is also His gift and way of revealing secrets and edifying of others, as this more immediat message which I bear is, they are of the same nature and kind of service, and therefore from these who are imployed in one of them, religious worship is not due to the other, they being fellow-servants.
For more clear opening the doctrine contained in the words, it may be asked, 1. If Iohn sinned? 2. What sort of sin? 3. How he, being such an eminent servant of Christ, and in the midst of such revelations, fell into it.
First, That he sinned, we suppose is clear, 1. in that he never fell to worship an Angel before, though he had seen and spoken with sundry, he is not reproved for that, for this. 2. By the nature of the reproof, See thou do it not, especially considering it again renewed, Chap. 22. as of an hainous sin. 3. By the reasons whereby Iohn is rejected, as having aimed to give that to a creature, which was due to God the Creatour, and not to it: which reasons do reject that worship, not for complement, but on such grounds as conclude that none such is due to any Angel.
For the second, we may easily discern the kind of sin, but more hardly in what respect he fell into it; for kind, it is (no question) idolatry, in giving that to a creature which is due to God. Now, there is a twofold idolatry. 1. Against the first Command, that is, when folks erre in the object of their worship, giving it to another than God: this is of three sorts, 1. to what hath no being, as to such idols, which are nothing; 2. to what hath a being, good or bad creatures, Angels, devils, sun, moon, heaven, &c. 3. More subtilly, when one maketh gold his confidence, as Iob speaketh, Chap. 31. or his belly or some lust his god: in which respect, covetousness is called idolatry, Col. 3.5. Secondly, Idolatry against the second Command, is not a miscarrying in the object, but in the manner of worshiping Him, who alone is the true object of religious worship, as when men worship God by other meanes or midses than He hath prescribed. Such was Aarons making the calf to Iehovah, Ieroboam's putting up the calves at Dan and Bethel: both these sorts are ryse amongst the Papists. Now, for this of Iohns, it is especially and directly of the first kind.
If it be asked, why Iohn fell now in this sin, and not before? It can hardly be said that he fell in this fault only upon mistake of the person, as if he had supposed him to be Christ that spoke to him. For, 1. it is like Iohn knew it was that Angel, spoken of, Chap. 17.1. who did still speak to him; for, so we conceive the same Angel to continue his undertaking, to shew Iohn the whore's judgement, which yet to the end of the Chapter is not finished in her supporter. 2. If that had been the mistake, he needed not then have fallen into it again, Chap. 22.8. after he was taught in this point. 3. Had that been his mistake, the Angel needed say no more, but tell him he was not Christ; but the Angel's answers are to rectifie him in the grounds of his practice, as proceeding from a mistake in what was due to God and to Angels; and his answer being to remedy his failing, we may the more warrantably read, out of the contrary directions which the Angel giveth him, what was his failing: This therefore is not the ground. We conceive it then to flow from these three together surprizing the holy man, 1. The glorious appearance of the Angel. 2. The good news he told him. 3. Iohn's weaknesse and the nature of our corruption in departing from God, which is in some measure in the strongest. Now, considering these three to meet together, it is no wonder that Iohn was suprised, as it were, even to the f…rgetting of himself, and falling down now to worship once and again, which he had not formerly done; thus the good news of the Church on earth here, and of the Church in heaven, (Chap. 22.8.) again affecteth him so. Alcasar acknowledgeth the same reason: From which we may conclude, 1. The sinfulnesse of worshipping Angels, Saints, or any other thing by religious worship. This Argument maketh it out, That which is condemned in Iohn, is not to be practised by any; But this is condemned in Iohn. Ergo, &c. Papists, to eschew this argument and defend their idolatry, run in two extream answers, whereof the one overturneth the other. 1. They say, he sinned in mistaking the person only, and so giving Latria to Angels, whereas Dulia is only due to them: But this is refuted, 1. in that before it is shown this was not the ground of Iohns practice. 2. The Angel's arguments are not only against this sort of worship, but all worship, and admitteth of no middle-worship, as we will hear, but will have all directed to God.
But seing it cannot be denied, but Iohn understood that this was an Angel, and not Christ, and that therefore he intended not foreign to the messenger (as Viegas, Cornelius à Lapide, and Alcasar upon this place, do not only acknowledge, but confirm:) It is therefore, secondly, their way to alleage, that Iohn sinned not, but that he did his duty: and because that digesteth hardly, considering the Angel's repeated reproof, they are therefore put to it to invent reasons, why the Angel doth reject this duty, and say, 1. it is but for complement, to shew his humility; 2. to testifie their respect to Christ, who is now man; therefore they shun honour now of men (whereas they say now, it is on a mistake, as if he who received this honour at any time under the Law, had been a created Angel) Or, say some, for respect to Iohns person, or office, or merits, wherein he was above Angels, especially by his virginity, and therefore it is no wonder Angels refused it from him.
Unto all which, we reply, 1. Thta it is no wonder that men go wilde, when they give way to their own inventions, and rest not satisfied in the reasons given by the Angel.
2. It must be a strong addictednesse to idolatry, that when we have it out of an Angels mouth twice from heaven, yet will we not acquiesce in it, but rather say the Angel was wrong, than amend that fault.
3. We have shown, that this is sinfull in Iohn, when it is thus thrust away by the Angel once and again, and that upon such arguments as inferred that God was wronged by it; for, what is that a…gument, worship God? If it be of any force, as to the Angel's exhortation, Worship not any but God, it must imply, that his worsh…pping of the Angel was not a worshipp…ng of God, but a derogation to it, and that wor…hipping of God could not have been consistent with worshipping of him, otherwise he might have worshipped God and the Angel also, wh…ch breaketh the force of the Angel's consequence, which opposeth them as inconsistent together.
It is wonderfull therefore, that Bēllarmine should fall in that impudency (D… sanct… b…titud. lib. 1. cap. 14.) as to presse an argument for worshipping of Angels from this place, thus, Either (saith he) Iohn took it to be Christ, whom he w…rshipped, and so h… sinned by giving the Angel divine honour; or, he knew him to be an Angel, and y…t worshipped him, which (saith he) is a copy to us; for, if Iohn knowingly worshipped an Angel, so should we, and whether doth Iohn or the Calvinists (so he speaketh) know best what is due to Angels? and this he confirmeth, If it had not been duty, then (saith he) Iohn would not have done it after the first admonition; for, he was neither forgetfu…l nor indocile.
Answ. If worshipping of Angels arise from this place, certainly it may be gathered any where; and seing the weight of i… lyeth here, that if it had been sinfull, Iohn would no… have done it, and this supposeth Iohn to have had no corruption, and saith nothing to th… arguments formerly alleaged. It may more easily be re…orted, thus, Either in this p…actic… Iohn si…ned, or the Angel; But it cannot be said that the Angel sinned in reproving of him for doing this: T…erefore Iohn sinned in doing it.
It cannot be said, that neither sinned: For, 1. there is an opposition, the one disalloweth what the other practiseth, and if any thing be gathered from Iohns relapsing in that deed, Chap. 22.8. the same may be urged still, either he sinned in renewing of thi… pract…ce, or the Angel in renewing his reproof: for, he doth again follow his reproof, and that more hotely than formerly. 2. They cannot both be right here: for, Ioh… did no… worship this Angel formerly; and if the former was no sin, this must be: neither is i… to be thought that the Angel would have confirmed Iohn by this reproof in his former errour. 3. The Angel not only refuseth Iohns worship, but refuseth it with reasons, which will admit no such …vasi…n: For, either the Angel really abhorred this fact as he expre…sed, or he did dis…mble; But this last cannot be said. Ergo, &c. Alcasar confesseth, that these reasons which they give, will not hold, and that it is beside the T…xt to alleage any other than the Angel mentioneth; he doth therefore excogitat (forsooth) a judicious exposition, and saith, the Angel here is Peter, and that, Chap. 22. is Paul, and that they refuse worship from Iohn their Colleague, as their great Church-men do from one another, who use to say to each other in their low courtesies, ke…p that (meaning their humbling of themselves) to the Sacrament of the altar. He maketh that objection to himself why Peter, being the Prince of the Apostles, refuseth that honour which Ioh… was offering. He answereth, that it is truth, that in the first ages of the Church the Popes used not to be so reverently worshipped, their pomp was not come to an height, Therefore Peter refused it, as being loath at that time that it should be known how great they were. In all which fooleries we may see what it is to thwart with clear Scripture.
2. We may conclude the fal…hood of that distinction of Dulia from Latria, as a mid-worship between Divine and Civill. If the Angel would admit no worship to him, Then there is no such thing; But he rejecteth all without distinction. This is clear, 1. by the opposition he maketh, worship God, and so leaveth no religious worship to any but to God. 2. By this, Iohn gave not foreign to him, but foreign, for, he knew him to be an Angel; but the Angel casteth that which Iohn gave him: therefore he admitteth no mid-worship.
3. This distinction will enervate both the Angels reasons why he casteth that worship. The first, I am thy companion, and (Chap. 22.9.) companion of all that keep the sayings of this Book, &c. therefore do it not. His argument is, No fellow-servant that is not Master, is to be worshipped by an other; But I and all Angels are fellow-servants: Ergo. The reason pleadeth that de jure nothing is due to hm. Now, if there were any such distinction, it might be replied, as Papists do, non sequitur: why? because there is a mid sort of worship allowable to fellow-servants, and therefore the Angel did wrong in rejecting of it. His second reason is, worship God, which saith, this worship and all worship is due to God, Therefore it is not due nor to be given to men. The adding of this distinction would enervate the argument, and say, it is not this worship or all worship that is to be given to God only; or, when he saith, ye cannot worship God and me, (for he opposeth these as inconsistent) they would answer, yes, with diverse sorts of worship we can, whereas the Angels scope is to overturn all such worship to himself and to ascribe it all to God; and therefore saith not, give not me this or that sort of worship, but none; yea, so he appointeth even that which Iohn gave him to be given unto God. And if foreign were allowed, then worshipping of Angels would be a worshipping of God the Master; But the Angel opposeth here worshipping of God, to the worshipping of him: Therefore worshipping of Angels, is acknowledged by Angels to be no worshipping of God: otherwise Iohn might have replied, that he was worshipping God, the sender in him that was sent.
4. If there were any worship due to Angels of a religious kind, then the Angel should not simply have prohibited, but should have directed Iohn right, lest from one extream he had fallen to another; But that he doth not: and if we consider that God comprehendeth all worship either in the first or second table of the Law, and this can be none of them, we need not be anxious about it, but say, certainly Angels know better what is their due than Papists and Bellarmine do: Therefore we conclude, that giving of Angels that worship, is sinfull and idolatrous.
It will confirm this, if we consider what use the Fathers make of this place, who draw a strong Argument for Christs Divinity from this, that He is worshipped, whereas no Angel is capable of worship, which they confirm from this place, vid… Ath. serm. 3. contra Arian. pag. (mihi) 191. Certainly this answer would overturn that argument so much pressed by them, if there were any religious worship which did not prove him to be God that is worshipped. The use also which Augustine maketh of it against the heathens on Psal. 96. (nobis. 97) is to the same purpose, expounding these words, Confounded be they that serve graven images, &c. he entereth in debate with the heathens, who (saith he) denied that they worshipped an Image (knowing it to be without life) but said, Adoro quod video, sed servio ei quem non video, Not unlike this former distinction. If it were asked, who that were, they answer, numen quoddam. If it were replied again, that which they took to be numen, was a devil. They answered, (Colum. 1088.) non colimus mala demonia; Angelos, quos dicitis, ipsos & nos colimus, virtutes Dei magni & ministeria Dei magni. Augustine urgeth, Vtinam ipsos col…r… velletis, facilè ab ipsis disceretis non illos colere, audite Angelum doctorem. And then citeth this place, surge, quid facis? illum adora, &c. and concludeth, quid ergo, fratres mei, nemo dicat, tim… n… irascatur mihi Angelus si non illum colo, tunc tibi irascitur quando ipsum col…r… volu… ris, bonus est enim & Deum amat, &c.