The Ruin of Rome, Commentary on Revelation · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
NOw hauing finiſhed the ſecond viſion, we are come vntounto the third, contained in al the chapters following, euen vntounto the end of this book. Wherin diuers things, which were obſcurely and darkely ſet downe in the former viſion, are more plainly and fully opened and expounded: So that this third viſion is as it were a commentary or more cleare expoſition of ſundry things contained in the ſecond viſion. chapter 6 But eſpecially of the perſecuting Roman Empire mentioned in the opening of the ſecond ſeale, and alſo of the papacy mentioned at the blowing of the fift trumpet. But the general ſumme of this third viſion, chapter 9 is a liuely painting out of the malignant Church, and the great vpholders thereof, the diuel, the Romane Emperour, and the Pope. It ſheweth alſo the riſing and falling of the Romane Empire, and the riſing and falling of the papacy. It ſheweth alſo the vtter ouerthrow of both, together with the eternal condemnation of the diuel, which ſet them al a worke to fight againſt the Church. Laſt of al, it ſheweth the eternall felicity of the Church, and the vnconceiueable happines of al Gods choſen in the heauens for euermore.
The principal drift of this 12 Chapter, is to ſet forth the nature of the true viſible, and militant Church here in earth, whoſe head is Chriſt Ieſus. And alſo the falſe malignant church, whoſe head is the diuel, together with the continual enmitie and war, which is alwaies betwixt them.
This Chapter may very fitly be diuided into fiue parts.
The firſt is a deſcription of the true Church. verſ. 1.2
The ſecond is a deſcription of the diuel the Churches enemie. ver. 3.4.5
The third containeth the Churches battaile with the diuel, and her victorie. ver. 7.8.9
The fourth ſheweth the ioy and triumphes of the godly, in the churches victory ouer Sathan. ver. 10.11.12
The fift and laſt ſheweth the fury, ver. 13.14.15 16.17. and malice of Sathan, who, although he was foiled in battell by the Church, yet would not giuegive ouer, but continued perſecuting the church in her members, and making war againſt the remnant of her ſeede.
Text.
ver. 1 And there appeared a great wonder in heauē: A woman clothed with the ſunne, and the moone was vnderunder her feete, and vponupon her head a crowne of 12 ſtarres.
Firſt the Holy-ghoſt calleth the matters of this chapter a great wonder, to ſtir vsus vp to attention. For men are much mooued with wonders; and a wonder indeede it is in the literall ſenſe to ſee a woman clothed with the ſunne, &c. but a farre greater wonder in the ſpiritual ſenſe, as we ſhal heare; and the greateſt wonder of al, that a poore weake woman ſhould encounter with a great red dragon, and ouercome him.
It is ſaid to be a wonder in heauen, becauſe the church here in viſion appeareth not vponupon the earth, but in heauen, in aſmuch as her birth is from heauen, her inheritance in heauen, and her conuerſation in heauen.
The Church is here compared to a woman, as in the 45 Pſalme, and the whole booke of the Canticles, and that for three reaſons.
Firſt, as a woman is weake and feeble, and in lawe can do nothing of herſelf without her husband: ſo we of our ſelues are weake and feeble, and in matters of Gods lawe and worſhip can doe nothing without our husband Chriſt, as he ſaith: without me ye can do nothing.Iohn. 15
Secondly, as a woman thorough the company of her husband is fruitful, and bringeth forth children: ſo the Church by her coniunction with Chriſt, and his word, doth bring forth many children vntounto God.
Thirdly, as the louelove and affection of a woman is to her husband, as Gen. 2.16. ſo the louelove and affection of the Church is altogether to Chriſt, and Chriſt to her.
This woman is clothed with the Sunne: that is,Mal. 4.2. the Church is clothed with Chriſt the Sunne of righteouſnes, as the Prophet ſpeaketh.
The Moone was vnderunder her feete. Whereby is meant, that the church treadeth vnderunder her feete al worldly things, which are compared to the moone for their often changes, waxings, wanings, increaſings decreſings, and continual mutations, and vncertainties.
The church treadeth al tranſitory things vnderunder her feet: that is, ſhe maketh light account of them; ſhe regardeth them not in compariſon of heauenly things. For he that is clothed with the ſunne, careth little for the light of the moone.
She hath vponupon her head a crowne of 12 ſtarres: which ſignifieth that the church is adorned, and beautified with the doctrine of the twelue Apoſtles, that is, the doctrine of the Goſpel, as it were with a crowne of gold, of pearle, and pretious ſtones. For the doctrine of the Goſpel is the crowne of the church.
And ſhe was with child, and cried trauailing in birth, ver. 2 and was pained readie to be deliuered.
The church is ſaid to be with child after ſhe hath conceiued the immortal ſeede of the word, by the miniſtery of the Goſpel, as the Apoſtle ſaith. In Chriſt Ieſus I hauehave begotten you through the Goſpell. 1. Cor. 4.15.And to the Galatians: O ye little children of whom I trauaile in birth againe, till Chriſt bee formed in you.
Galat. 4.19It is not onelyonly ſaid that this woman was with child, but alſo, that ſhe was very neere her time ready to bring forth, and to be deliuered, and that ſhe crieth in trauaile. Now the child which ſhe bringeth forth, is Chriſt Ieſus, as appeareth verſe 5. for there it is ſaid of him, that he ſhould rule all nations with a rodde of iron.
Now although Chriſt was borne but of one member of the church, which is the Virgin Marie: yet may it be ſaid that the whole church, which was before his cōming, did euen trauaile with paine to bring him forth, becauſe they had through faith in the promiſes a longing, & feruent deſire & expectatiō of his comming. For from the firſt promiſe made to Adam, and afterward renewed to Abraham and his poſterity; the church ſtood in a continual expectation of the promiſed Meſſias, looking wiſhely eueryevery day when he ſhould be actually exhibited to the world. For which cauſe here ſhe is ſaid to cry trauailing in birth. And not vnſauerly alſo may ye church be ſaid to cry trauailing in birth, when through many perſecutions, & afflictions ſhe bringeth forth children vntounto God by the miniſtery of the word. For the church bringeth forth no children at eaſe, but with hard trauaile, and much adoe, hauing ſo few friends to helpe her, and ſo many enemies againſt her, as anon we ſhal heare.
And there appeared another wonder in heauen. For behold a great red dragon, ver. 3 hauing ſeuen heads, and ten hornes, and ſeuen crownes vponupon his heades.
ver. 4 And his taile drew the third part of the ſtarres of heauen, and caſt them to the earth. And the dragon ſtood before the woman, which was ready to be deliuered.
Now we are come to the deſcription of the Churches great & capitall enemie, which is the diuel: who becauſe he ſtudieth and laboureth continually to impeach the good eſtate of the Church in heauenly things, to deiect her from her dignitie, and diſpoſſeſſe her of her inheritance, therefore here in viſion hee is ſaid to appeare in heauen. For he medleth with the Church, in and about heauenlie things, practiſing to pull her out of heauen, from whence ſhe came, and whither ſhe muſt returne, euen to caſt her into hell, and condemnation with himſelfe, if it were poſſible.
The diuell is compared to a dragon for his furie & felneſſe; to a great dragon for his power & might; and a red dragon, for his bloudy crueltie, malice, and madneſſe againſt Chriſt, and all his mmbers.
His ſeuen heads ſignifie his manifold ſleights, and ſubtilties, wherein he is a crafts-maiſter.
His ten hornes ſignifie his dreadful power. For who knoweth not that he is ſtronger then anie other creature, hauing not loſt his ſtrength by his fall, but remaineth as ſtrong as an Angell of light.
His ſeuen crownes vponupon his heads, do ſignifie his manifold victories ouer the world. For hee hath from time to time, and from age to age, got ſo many conqueſts of the world, through his ſleights and power, that now he is the god of the world, as the Apoſtle ſaith, and raigneth as king ouer them.
This dragon hath a mōſtrous taile both for length and ſtrength. For it is ſo long, that it reacheth vp to heauen, & ſo ſtrong that it bruſheth downe the ſtarres from thence. That is, the diuel through ambition and couetouſneſſe, and other fleſhly luſts, doth pul down manie Miniſters, which ſhined in doctrine and life, as the ſtarres of heauen, euen vntounto the earth, where they hauehave loſt their brightneſſe and glorie, and ſhine as much as the Moone in a miſt.
verſ. 4 Moreouer it is ſaid, that the dragon ſtood before the woman in trauaile, to deuoure her child as ſoone as it was borne. Wherein we are to obſerue the malice and furie of Sathan, in that he watcheth ſo narrowly to deuoure the bleſſed ſeed, euen the Sauiour of the world, ſo ſoone as he was borne. And for this cauſe he ſtirred vp Herod the king,Matth. 2. ſubtilly to ſeeke him out by the wiſe men, that he might kill him: and afterward moſt cruelly practiſed the ſame, by murthering ſo manie innocents. But this is alwayes a generall truth, that Sathan ſeeketh to ſmother not onelyonly Chriſt, but euerie member of his in the cradle; yea to blaſt them in the bud, before euer they come to fruit or flower.
verſ. 5 So ſhe brought forth a man child, which ſhould rule all nations with a rod of iron, and that her child was taken vp vntounto God, and his throne.
Notwithſtanding the malice and watchfulneſſe of Sathan, yet the Church bringeth forth Chriſt, which ſhould rule and ouer-rule all nations with a rod of iron: that is, the ſcepter of his word, as it is in the ſecond Pſalme,Iſa 11.4. and with the rodde of his mouth, as the Prophet ſpeaketh.
Moreouer it is ſaid, that this child was taken vp vntounto God and his throne. That is, Chriſt by his reſurrection did take poſſeſſion of his chaire of eſtate, in deſpite of Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Prieſts, the Phariſees, and all other his enemies, which ſought to keepe him down: and now he being aſcended into heauen, doth drawe all his members vntounto him, in deſpite of the diuel and all his imps.
And the woman fled into the wilderneſſe, verſ. 6 where ſhee hath a place prepared of God, that they ſhould feede her there a thouſand two hundred and threeſcore dayes.
Now after the womans child was ſet in ſafetie, here is ſhewed what became of the woman her ſelfe: To wit, that ſhe was ſo ſore purſued by the Scribes and Phariſees, and by the Prieſts and Elders, that ſhe was faine to flie into the wilderneſſe. The naturall ſenſe & plaine meaning of this place is, that when the church began to grow, after Chriſts aſcenſiō, & the number of the Diſciples to increaſe exceedingly, as we reade in the 2. of the Acts; Sathan did ſo greatly maligne it, and began to bee in ſuch a rage, that he would hauehave eaten them vp all at a bit, and rooted them out at once, that ſo the woman might hauehave no more being in the earth. And therefore we reade, Act. 8. that after the ſtoning of Steuen, there was ſuch a perſecution raiſed vp againſt the Church by the high Prieſts, the Princes of the Iewes, the Phariſees, and all that curſed crue, that all the Apoſtles and Diſciples of Chriſt were ſcattered, and diſperſed here and there in the Heathen countries, and among the heathen people, which here are called the wilderneſse, that is to ſay, a ground vntilled, deſolate, and barren of all fruits of godlineſſe.
But now may ſome man ſay, how ſhal the Church doe in the wilderneſſe? how ſhal ſhe liue? how ſhall ſhe be ſuſtained? There is no tilling, no ſowing, no planting, there groweth no corne, there is nothing to be had either for food or raiment. Here it is anſwered, that God prepared a place for her, where ſhe ſhould be fed. God tooke vp an Inne for her. She wanted neither food nor raiment in her perſecutions & troubles. Which teacheth that God doth alwayes prouide for his owne, euen in greateſt miſeries, ſcarſities, famines, baniſhments, and perſecutions. As ſometimes he did for Elias in the time of dearth,1. King. 17. Numb. 11. Numb. 14. and for the children of Iſrael in the wilderneſſe.
The time, wherein the Church was fed in the wilderneſſe, was a thouſand two hundred and threeſcore dayes: that is, during the time of her perſecutions, as before hath been ſhewed, chapter 11.2. chap. 11. verſ. 2.
verſ. 7 And there was a battell in heauen, Michael and his angels fought againſt the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought.
verſ. 8 But they preuailed not, neither was their place found any more in heauen.
Now we are come to the third part of this chapter, which is the battell betwixt Chriſt and the diuel. For whereas the dragon could not ſmother Chriſt in the cradle, as he indeuoured, & ſo depriue the Church of all her happineſſe for euer: now he proclaimeth open warre, both againſt Chriſt, and all his members, plotting and purpoſing to oppugne the very ſaluation of the church, though it bee founded in Chriſt. Wherein he ſheweth both his impudencie and furious madneſſe.
Dan. 10.13. Iud. 9.Michael here ſignifieth Chriſt, as Dan. 10.13. Iude v. 9. This name is giuen to Chriſt in Daniel, becauſe he is the firſt of the chiefe Princes: that is, he is the head of the Angels,Col. 1.16. who are chiefe Princes, as the Apoſtle affirmeth.
That Chriſt hath his Angels ioyned with him, is not to note any weakeneſſe or want of ſtrength in Chriſt, alone to ouercome his enemies, but to ſhew, that as Chriſt doth effect great wonders in the world; ſo for the moſt part hee doth it by inſtruments, and meanes: as ſometimes Angels, ſometimes men. But here he ſpecially meaneth the Apoſtles and their ſucceſſours, yea and at this day all chriſtian kings, princes and potentates of the earth; and all others, which take part with Chriſt againſt the diuel, & his inſtruments.
Well, here wee ſee that theſe two Generals, and grand captaines Michael and the Dragon, do muſter both their armies, ioyne battel, and fight a pitched field, the euent and ſucceſſe whereof is this, that the Dragon and his Angels goe downe. Oh bleſſed ſucceſſe, may we ſay! For if the diuel had preuailed, it had beene woe to vsus; ſith this battel was about, and concerning the verie ſaluation of mankind by chriſts death and reſurrection. We know how the diuel ſet vponupon Chriſt alone to tempt him vntounto ſinne, that ſo he might ouerthrowe the worke of our redemption, ſuppoſing in this combate or Monomachie to hauehave got the day: but he preuailed not. Afterward how ſtrongly did he oppugne him by his Angels? I meane the Scribes and Phariſe… ▪ the high Prieſts and Elders of the people, yea all the diuels in hel, and his whole infernal armie, not onelyonly in murthering and crucifying his natural bodie, but alſo in vſing all forcible and cunning meanes to keepe him downe, that he might neuer riſe vp againe; as the great ſtone vponupon his tombe, the ſealing of it, the watch ſet to keepe it. for the diuel knew right wel, that if Chriſt roſe again, hee ſhould loſe the field. For the reſurrection of Chriſt is our actuall iuſtification,Rom. 4.25. Rom. 1.3. And Chriſt was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God by his reſurrection from the dead. Wel, do the dragon and his Angels what they can, yet Chriſt is riſen againe, and hath ſpoiled principalities and powers; yea al the infernall armie, and hath made a ſhew of them openly, and hath led them all in triumph vponupon his croſſe: So that we ſee in this firſt and greateſt battell, the diuell hath the foile. And it is further ſaid, that the diuell and all his Angels were caſt out of heauen, and their place was no more found: which is not to be vnderſtood of their firſt caſting out of heauen, immediately after their creatiō. For at that time they were no diuels, nor enemies to the church, but Angels of light: but nowe ſince their fall, and ſince they were diuels; they are ſaid to be caſt out of heauen, not becauſe they euer came in heauen ſince they were diuels, but becauſe they can no longer impeach the church touching her bleſſed eſtate in heauen. They are without all hope to diſpoſſeſſe her of her inheritance: for that is ratified, and made ſure vntounto her in the death and reſurrection of Chriſt. And for this cauſe it is ſaid, that the diuell hath no more to do in heauen: that is, he cannot for his heart ouerthrow the ſaluation of Gods children. For who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods choſen? It is God that iuſtifieth, Rom. 8.33.who ſhall condemne? It is Chriſt which is dead, yea or rather which is riſen againe, &c. True it is indeed that this battell is ſaid to be in heauen, that is, about heauenly things, yea about the higheſt points of heauen, which is ſaluation or damnation: for the diuel vponupon this very point, & theſe very termes, hath frō the beginning mightily wreſtled and ſtrugled with ye church, & doth euen vntil this day: but bleſſed be God, that he cannot, nor ſhall not preuaile againſt any one of gods elect. For our lord Ieſus ſaith, I giuegive vntounto thē eternal life, & they ſhal neuer periſh, Ioh. 10.28.neither ſhal any take them out of my hand: my father which gaue thē me is greater then all. Neither ſhal any pluck thē out of my hand. And againe.Ioh. 6.37. Ioh. 6.40. All that the Father giueth me, ſhal come vntounto me. And this is the fathers will which hath ſent me, that of all which he hath giuen me, I ſhould loſe nothing, but ſhould raiſe it vp againe at the laſt day.
Now further we are to obſerue, that as Chriſt in his owne perſon hath once preuailed in the maine battell againſt the diuell: ſo his church militant ſhal likewiſe alwayes preuaile through him. For it is written,Matt. 16. The gates of hell ſhall not preuaile againſt it.
And the great Dragon, that old ſerpent, called the diuel and Satan, was caſt out, which deceiueth al the world: verſ. 9 He was euen caſt into the earth, & his Angels were caſt out with him.
Now becauſe the diuel cannot ouerthrow the ſaluation of Gods elect, hee is ſaid to be caſt out of heauen into the earth: that is, amongſt earthlie and carnall men, that he may exerciſe his tyranny, and wrecke his malice vponupon them. For he hath power giuen him to tyranniſe ouer them at his pleaſure,Epheſ. 2.2. 2. Tim. 2.21. and the Apoſtle ſaith, he worketh in the children of diſobedience, and taketh them captiue to do his will.
Then I heard a loud voice in heauen, ſaying: verſ. 10 now is ſaluation, & ſtrength, and the kingdom of our God, & the power of his Chriſt: for the accuſer of our brethren is caſt downe, which accuſed them before God day and night.
Here is the triumphant ſong of victorie, which al the Saints & Angels do ſing vntounto God, prayſing and magnifying his power, and the power of his Sonne Chriſt, for ouercomming the dragon, and giuing the victory to the church through Chriſt. For now with great ioy and loude voices they ſing and ſay, that the churches ſaluation is ſealed, and made ſure vntounto her for euer. It can neuer be ſhaken. The diuel is foiled and caſt down into the earth.
Theſe ſongs of ioie after great victories, are of great antiquity in the church: as we read of the children of Iſrael,Exod. 15 Iudg. 5. 1. Sam. 18 after the ouerthrow of Pharaoh and his army in the red ſea: of Deborah, after the great victory ouer Siſara: of the women, that ſung after the victory of Goliah by Dauid.
The deuil is called the accuſer of the brethren for two cauſes. Firſt becauſe he accuſeth Gods elect of much ſinne, and calleth for iuſtice againſt them day and night at Gods hands, that they might be condemned vponupon ſuch articles, as he is able to proue againſt them: for he knowing right well that the iudge of al the world is a iuſt God, and muſt needs deale vprightly, doth daily vrge him to doe iuſtice vntounto ſinners, being willingly ignorant that al Gods People, though ſinners, are cleared and diſcharged in Chriſt.
Another reaſon is, becauſe of the calumniations, reproches and ſlaunders, which in al ages, at al times, and in al places and countries, hee hath alwaies vniuſtly raiſed vp againſt the true worſhippers of God.
ver. 11 But they ouer came him by the bloud of the Lamb, and by the worde of their teſtimony; and they loued not their liues vntounto the death.
Heere is ſhewed that the churches victory ouer Sathan and hel, is not thorough any power or might of her own, but by the bloud of the Lamb, and the word of their teſtimony, that is, the worde of God, which they witneſſe, profeſſe, louelove, & ſtick vntounto euen vntounto death.
Therfore reioice ye heauens, and ye that dwel in them. ver. 12 Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, and of the ſea: for the diuel is come downe vntounto you, which hath great wrath, knowing that he hath but a ſhort time.
Here againe the ſaints, and Angels, and al the bleſſed company of heauē, are called vponupon, & exhorted to reioice, becauſe the diuel and his Angels are caſt out, and the elect hauehave the victory ouer him thorough the bloud of the Lamb, and becauſe the ſaluation of the church is ſealed vp, and God onelyonly reigneth through Chriſt. Which al are matters of ſo great momēt, that not onelyonly the church militant is ſtirred vp to reioice herein, but euen the church triumphant alſo, that is, the ſpirits of iuſt, and perfect men. But on the contrary, here is feareful woe denounced againſt the inhabitants of the earth, and of the ſea: that is, all Papiſts, Atheiſts, worldlings, and reprobates. For ſith he cannot hauehave his wil of the church, yet hee wil hauehave his will and wite his malice vponupon them, by hardening their hearts, and blinding their eyes, & making them his ſlaues and vaſſals, to fight for his kingdom againſt Chriſt, againſt his church, againſt all goodneſſe, and all good men. The reaſon is added, why the diuel is in ſuch a rage with the world, and commeth vponupon them in ſo great wrath and furie, to wit, becauſe hee hath but a ſhort time: that is, becauſe his kingdome draweth toward an end, therefore he dooth ſo beſtir him.
ver. 13 And when the Dragon ſaw that he was caſt vntounto the earth, he perſecuted the woman which had brought forth the man child.
Now the diuel ſeeing himſelfe caſt out of heauen, ſo as he cannot impeach the ſaluation of the church, he raiſeth vp horrible perſecutions againſt her by his inſtruments here in ye earth, labouring to root her out if it were poſſible: for being ouercome of the head, he doth now with might and maine, ſet vppon the body; and what horrible ſtormes and tempeſts he hath in al ages, ſpeciallie in theſe laſt daies raiſed vp, and daily doth raiſe vp againſt the church, both the ſcriptures and al church ſtories do abundantly declare.
ver. 14 But to the woman were giuen two wings of a great eagle, that ſhe might fly into the wilderneſſe, into her place, where ſhe is nouriſhed for a time, and times, and halfe a time, from the preſence of the ſerpent.
Theſe two wings do ſignifie al the waies & meanes of euaſion, which God gaue vntounto his church, when he deliuered her from the hands of her purſuers and perſecutors: and alſo her ſwift flight from them, and al their malicious practiſes. For although the church cā not abſolutelie fly from the preſence of the diuel, with her Eagles wings, being ſo vnſpeakably ſwift as he is: yet after a ſort ſhee is ſaid to fly from him, and his preſence, when the power of the tyrants and perſecutors which he raiſeth vp, cannot ouertake her to murder, and kil her. But as touching her flight into the wilderneſſe, and her lodging and nouriſhment there, by Gods prouidence, in the middeſt of al penury and extremity, wee hauehave ſufficiently heard before ver 6. and therefore here I ſurceaſe to ſpeake any further of it. As concerning the ſpace and continuance of her nouriſhment in the wilderneſſe, which is heere ſet downe to bee a time, and times, and halfe a time, it is the ſame that the thouſand two hundred and threeſcore daies, mentioned in the ſixt verſe; and the 42 monethes, mentioned Chap. 11. verſe 2. and the three daies and a halfe, mentioned Chap. 11. ver. 9. as before hath bin ſhewed.
And the ſerpent caſt out of his mouth water after the woman, like a floud, verſ. 15 that he might cauſe her to be caried away of the floud.
Now the church being ſecretly hid and nouriſhed by Gods prouidence in the wilderneſſe, ſo as the diuel and his inſtruments cannot find her out, nor come at her, he taketh another courſe, and caſteth about another way to annoy her; & that is by caſting a floud of water after her to drowne her withal. Whereby is meant, the innumerable lies, reproches, & ſlaunders, which he raiſed vp by ſundry hereticks againſt her in al ages; as the Arrians, Donatiſts, Papiſts, and ſuch like, and al to bring her into the hatred of Princes; Potentates, and al that were in louelove with her; that ſith otherwiſe he could not preuaile againſt her, yet at leaſt he might vtterly ſinke her in this gulfe of reproches.
But the earth holpe the woman, ver. 16 and the earth opened her mouth, and ſwallowed vp the floud, which the Dragon had caſt out of his mouth.
The ſame God which firſt deliuered the church from the violence and fury of Sathan, and afterward caſt him out of heauen, and gaue her the victory ouer him; & after that againe miraculouſly hid hir & preſerued her in the wilderneſſe, doth not now at a dead lift forſake her, nor ſuffer her to be drowned in this floud of reproches, & vniuſt calumniations, which the dragon caſt vp after her. But cauſeth the earth to help her, & to ſwallow vp the floud: That is, he vſeth al creatures in the earth to helpe his church: and not onelyonly ſo, but alſo he ſtirreth vp many earthly and carnal men to befrend the church, and to take part with her againſt her enemies. As ſometimes he did Cyrus, Ebedmelech, Nebuzaradan, Gamaliel, and ſundry others, whoſe power and policy he vſed for the good of his church, and for the drying vp of that flood of reproches, which Sathan hath in al ages caſt vp againſt her. And God be thanked, we ſee at this day that this floud of ſlaunders and calumnies, which papiſts & atheiſts caſt out againſt the church, and her particular members, do dry vp dayly, and ſhal dry vp more and more, being drunk in by the earth. And the church doth ſtil ſtand vnmooueable, and ſhal ſtand and continue euen vntounto the end of the world.
ver. 17 Then the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went & made war with the remnant of her ſeede, which keep the commandements of God, and hauehave the teſtimony of Ieſus Chriſt.
Here we ſee there is no end of the diuels malice. He is infatigable in miſchief: though he hauehave neuer ſo many foiles, yet he wil not giuegive ouer, but begin againe. For wheras he could not preuaile againſt the woman, to caſt her out of heauen, by impeaching her election and ſaluation in Chriſt, nor yet root her out the earth by perſecutions, being hid in the wildernes, and locked vp in the priuy chambers of Gods prouidence, as ſometimes yong Ioaſh was locked vp in the prieſts chamber from the fury of Athaliah:King. 11.2 now he goeth another way to worke, and ſetteth vponupon her in her ſeed and poſterity, which remaine in the earth vntounto this day. So that now ſith he cannot do what miſchiefe he would againſt the church; yet wil he doo what he can: ſeeing he cannot wound her in her head, yet wil he bite, and pinch at her heele: as it is written, that he ſhould bruiſe her heele. Gen. 3.15.And as is the malice of Sathan againſt the church; ſo is the rage and fury of al his members, euen al the wicked and vngodly, againſt the true worſhippers of God. They are reſtles in malice and in miſchiefe: if they cannot vex them one way, they wil try another: if they cannot touch them in their liues, yet will they moleſt them in their goods and good name: if they cannot do what they would, yet wil they do what they can: they wil neuer giuegive ouer: if they can ſpite them in the leaſt thing that is, they ſhal be ſure of it. For they are as ful of venime as a toad, and as full of malice to Chriſt, as an eg is ful of meate.
And I ſtood on the ſea ſand. ver. 18
Now Iohn affirmeth that he ſtood vponupon the ſea ſand, to behold the beaſt which riſeth out of the ſea in the next Chapter; or elſe becauſe the greeke word may be of the third perſon, which is, he ſtood, that is,foreign. the dragon ſtood, it may beare this ſenſe, that the diuel ſtood vponupon the ſea ſand, as it were working and framing out of the ſea his chief… inſtrument, which is the beaſt now following to be ſpoken of.