of the Lamb.  The lewd woman, and the woman in the wilderness hitherto, are now to be distinguished.  As their character and conduct are different, so is their raiment.  The gaudy and splendid attire of the former, is in striking contrast with that of the latter; which is that of a “woman professing godliness,” (ch. xvii. 4; 1 Tim. ii. 10.)—­“To her was granted,”—­Precious words; for the “Lamb’s wife of herself was utterly destitute,” (ch. iii. 17.) The Jews, in the day of their Messiah’s power, (Psa. cx. 3,) convinced of the law as transgressors, will be brought to adopt the language of their own prophet, (Is. lxi. 10;) “he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.”  The righteousness of Christ imputed for justification, and the Spirit of Christ imparted for sanctification, together with good works, the visible evidence of both, will constitute the “fine linen, clean and white, which is the righteousness of saints.”  This is, after all, a more costly, as well as more comely attire, than that of the mother of harlots. (Ps. xlv. 13, 14.)—­“And he saith.”—­That is, say some, the angel, (ch. xvii. 1, 7; or ch. xviii. 1;) but we are rather to view him as the same who brings all these messages from Christ to the apostle, (ch. i. 1.) The angel pronounces those “blessed who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”—­In the beginning of the New Testament dispensation, the invitation was to a dinner. (Matt. xxii. 4.) The day will have been far spent at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, when Jews and Gentiles are called to this supper.  It will be the last great feast of the church militant.  But who shall live to partake of the banquet?  The angel gives his solemn attestation to “these sayings.”

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 Jesus.  Worship God:  for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

V. 10.—­This is a surprising incident,—­an aged, experienced and holy man, an apostle, “falling down to worship the angel!” And we are told that he relapsed into the same sin, (ch. xxii. 8, 9.) Like Peter on the mount, who “wist not what to say;” or Paul in the “third heaven ... whether in the body or out of the body, he could not tell.” (Mark ix. 6; 2 Cor. xii. 3.) John had become overpowered by the visions and transported by the high praises which he saw and heard.  The like effects were experienced by Daniel, (viii. 18; x. 8, 17.)—­This sin of idolatry by the apostle was doubtless permitted by the Lord, in order to furnish occasion for a testimony from the angel, against the “voluntary humility and worshipping of angels,” (Col. ii. 18;) practised by the Papists, and to leave them without excuse.—­The abrupt language of the angel in this and a subsequent case, is strongly expressive of resentment:—­“See—­not.”  Such is the curt, sententious utterance in