Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsRevelation 3
English College of Douai–Rheims
Read Revelation 3 in the BibleRevelation 3:9
Adore before thy feet.
◦ You see this word of adoration is in Scriptures used for worship of creatures also, and that to fall before the feet of holy men or Angels for duty and reverence, is not idolatry, except the proper honour due to God, be given unto them. See the Annotations upon the 19 & 22 Chapter concerning the Apostle's prostration before the Angel. And the Adversaries evasion, saying that the adoration was of God only: and that, before the feet of the party, signifieth nothing else but, in his presence, is false and against the phrase of Scriptures. 23 4 Reg. 4. where the Sunamite adored Elisæus, falling down before his feet, and 4 Reg. 2. the sons of the Prophets adored him in the same sort. And here this adoration cannot be meant but of the Bishop or Angel of Philadelphia, because he promiseth this honour as a reward, and as an effect of his love towards him, saying, And they shall know that I have loved thee. And that which he saith in the 22 Chapter, I fell down to adore before the feet of the Angel: the very same he expresseth thus in the 19 Chapter, I fell before his feet to adore him: making it all one, to adore before his feet, and to adore him.
- ◦ Adoration of creatures, called Dulia.
Revelation 3:11
That no man take thy crown.
That is, his crown of everlasting life and glory, if he persevere not to the end in faith & good works: ◦ otherwise another shall enter into his place, as Mathias did both to the dignity of the Apostleship, & to the heavenly crown due for the well using and executing of the same function: which Judas might and should have had, if he had persevered to the end. And as the Gentiles came into the grace and place of the Jews. Other difficulties concerning this kind of speech are resolved in Schoolmen, and are not here to be stood upon.
- ◦ Perseverance in good & continuing to the end.
Revelation 3:16
Lukewarm.
Zeal and fervour is commendable, specially in God's cause: ◦ and the Neuters that be neither hot nor cold, are to Christ and his Church burdenous and loathsome, as lukewarm water is to a man's stomach, provoking him to vomit, and therefore he threateneth to void up such Neuters out of his mouth.
- ◦ Neuters or indifferents in religion.
Original Douay–Rheims Annotations — English College of Douai–Rheims. CC0 1.0
Revelation 3:5
He that shall overcome.
In all these speeches to diverse Bishops and their Churches, ◦ he continually encourageth them to constancy in faith and good life, by setting before their eyes the reward of the next life. And yet the Calvinists would have no man do good in respect of such reward.