circumstances as knowing he must not onely do good but be wise to do good 2 It will do all the good it can if it cannot do all the good it would for so the dragon doth in evill 3 It will be in lesser duties and commands as conscionable as in greater Psal. 119. 6. When I have respect to all thy Commandements 4 In temptations to sin 1 It thinketh not it self gotten on t of sinne by running unto the other extreme 2 It will abstaine from evill and from the appearance of evill 3 It will abstaine from evill though good might come of it Rom. 3. and so preventeth the tempter who ever thrusteth on evill under the colour of some good by it Comfort to the church not to feare the high reaches and deepe devises of the enemies for 1 The wise God taketh the wise in their craftinesse and breaketh the head of the crooked serpent and dragon of the sea Isai. 27. 3. 2 Though the dragon have 7. heads our head is wiser then them all In him are treasures of wisdome and knowledge dragons may hide their counsailes from men but not from him who hath 7. eies to foresee and prevent all mischiefes from his Church Zach. 4. He hath the 7. spirits of God Rev. 5. 6. that is a most absolute wisdome and power to repell all the dragons subtilties Ob. What is this to us Answ. Yes these 7. spirits are sent into all the world vers 5 6. 2 The head hath wisdome for all the members and understandeth not for it self only but for them 3 He is made of God to us wisdome as well as righteousnesse 2 Cor. 1. 30. 3 Though Charmers whisper and busily pull many from the truth yet by this wisdome of thy head thou maiest discerne betweene truth and error betweene the voice of a shepheard and of a stranger Let never so many false Prophets goe out into the world thy comfort is thou art of God and hast overcome them 4 Though tyrants and antichristian powers should draw thee before councells and consistories feare not what to say in that houre wisdome shall be givē to thee as the poore silly Martyrs to cōfound the mighty and learned 5 Though in the world thou art counted silly and simple to crosse thy selfe in the reputation of it be content let others be wise in the world be thou wise by the word so shalt thou be wise to salvation when worldly wisdome shall end in folly and damnation And ten hornes Now wee come to the fourth propertie of this dragon namely his power and strength called here ten hornes where consider 1. What those hornes be 2. The number of them 1 The word horne properly taken is wel knowne to be that part of the beast wherein is his chiefe strength and beauty but in scripture it is commonly taken Metaphorically and signifieth strength might power kingdome glory Sometimes in the Creator 2 Sam. 22. 3. The Lord is the horne of my salvation that is my powerfull and glorious Saviour Sometimes in the Creature and thus great Provinces and Princes and those mighty Kings and kingdomes which like beasts with hornes both defend themselves and offend and hurt one another are usually called by this name in scripture Dan. 7. 7. The fourth beast by which some understand the Romane Monarchy and others better the Asiaticall kingdome of the Selucidae was fearefull and terrible and very strong It had Iron teeth and devoured and brake in pieces all before it and it had ten hornes and those were ten kings that should rise successively and ver 8. another little horne that was Antiochus Epiphanes ver 24. called little because he was yongest brother and had no right to the kingdome before whom there were three of the first hornes pluckt away that is 3. kings who had right before him but all made away by him that he might come to the kingdome And the Beast Rev. 13. 1 by which is meant Antichrist is said to have 7. heads and ten hornes here in agreeing with this dragon both of them are monstrous and though they are divers beasts yet resemble one another in great correspondency and those ten hornes are expounded to be ten Kings vassals of Antichrist Cap. 17. 12. Here by hornes I understand 1 In generall the mighty power and strength of the whole dragon both head and members that is of Satan and his instruments against the Woman the Church in generall thus Zach 1. 18. The Prophet saw a vision of foure hornes and the Angell expoundeth it saying These be the hornes which have scattered Iuda Israel and Ierusalem that is the enemies which oppressed the Church called 4. hornes not in respect of number as if there were no more but of universalitie because they make waste and havocke of the Church in all the fowre costs and regions of the world as East West North South As 1 On the East of Judea were Moabites Ammonites and Idumeans 2 On the West were Philistims 3 On the South Egyptians and Ethiopians 4 On the North Syrians Assyrians and Babylonians So the Church is beset with these foure hornes II In speciall the excessive power and glory of the imperiall dragon or Romane Emperours who most of them were successively armed with as much power as cruelty to wast and destroy the woman that is the first Churches and Christians of the new testament to which story the Evangelist John in all this vision hath speciall reference as wee have already in part shewed and shall declare further all along as we come to the particular The number tenne hornes this may be taken two waies 1 Definitly and with limitation and restraint to a certaine number and so hath an eye either to the ten bloody tyrants and persecutions under those Emperors or to the ten Kings and kingdomes of Europe which were under the Romane Empire who made themselves vassailes to that dragon and gave that power and hornes to him against Christ and his spouse this Woman 2 Or rather which I thinke the better we are to take this number here indefinitly for all those Kings and Princes and Captaines under them who leagued and banded themselves against the Woman which by the perfect number of ten are noted to be exceeding many 1 Because this number is often so taken in the Scripture for an uncertaine but a very great number Numb 14. 22. they tempted me ten times Job 19. 3. Ye have reproched me ten times that is very many times Rev. 2. 10. Ye shall have tribulation ten dayes that is many dayes a certaine time for an uncertaine and the whole visible Church is described by tenne Virgins that is a numerous multitude of professors Math. 25. 2 I take in the instruments and agents of Kings and Princes because the horne properly ariseth from the head and those instruments of violence and fury sent from their heads and Commanders are aptly meant also by hornes 3 Because
1. By their paucity The remnant of her seed 2. By their property twofold 1. They keepe the Commandements of God 2. They have the testimony of Iesus Christ. First of the dragons wrath and warre then of the persons against whom In the former 1. What kinde of warre this is 2. With whom The kinde of warre will appeare if wee consider the Captaine and the weapons The Captaine of this warre under the dragon who is Generall of the field is described in Chap. 13. 1. and 7. The Beast whom the Euangelist so calleth rather than the Bishop of Rome or rather a succession of them because hee is a Prophet here not a Doctor these spake plainly they enigmatically especially in arguments dangerous and envious Besides if hee had plainly named him hee had not left it a mysterie so deepe This beast riseth out of the sea that is out of those very floods which the dragon cast out of his mouth after the woman namely of herefies superstitions traditions abominations and wicked constitutions and decrees against the truth and professors which enthroned Antichrist and set him in his Chaire He hath seven heads a monstrous Hydra sits on seven hils and hath gotten seven kindes of government into his hand and ten hornes hee hath the power of ten Kings to uphold him Hee hath on his heads the name of blasphemy not in open profession for hee will disclaime it in word but in deed and truth brings into the Church and maintaines under glorious titles of Headship blasphemous doctrines religion and idolatrous worship so it is expressed Verse 6. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God and his Tabernacle and those that dwell in heaven 1. He opposeth himselfe against all that is called God challengeth all that God can doe hee can create and that his Creator he cannot erre he can make something of nothing hee can make Gods Word of authority or no authority hee can make Kings and transferre kingdomes he shewes himselfe as if hee were God and suffers his flattering Canonists to stile him God Oh high blasphemy 2. Hee blasphemeth the Tabernacle of God that is the Church of God resembled by the Tabernacle challenging to bee the head the husband the Lord of it oppressing it with tyranny infecting it with heresie blaspheming and condemning for arch-heretikes all that yeeld not to his blasphemies And if by the Tabernacle of God wee meane the body of Christ as some doe what more horrible blasphemy against it then to undertake to create many thousands every day out of a few pieces of bread to sacrifice to eate and destroy it at their pleasure 3 He blasphemeth all that are in heaven that is the Saints in the heaven upon earth stiling them heretickes schismatickes rebells the most wicked of al men unworthy of common light aire or any society or sufferance in the earth In the 7. verse it is given to this beast the dragon seales his Commission to make warre with the Saints alluding to his type that little horne Antiochus Dan. 7. 21. an eminent figure of the Roman Antiochus that is said to make war with the Saints and prevaile against them So as this prophecy is meant of the warres of Antichrist against the Saints and is manifest by the time of 42. months the time that the woman was hid in the wildernesse This of the Captaine The weapons also are answerable to the warre which is twofold Ecclesiasticall and Civill in ordine ad spiritualia So the beast hath two swords One is spirituall by which he wounds the soules and consciences of men and that for their consciences This sword is his Canons Constitutions Councells deceitfully called Decretalls doctrines of devills heresies the Popes head-ship Jesuitisme the sharpest point of it sophisticate distinctions sleights of equivocations cursings anathemaes excommunications damnatory proscriptions damnable Bulls and Breves degradations condemnations Popish absolutions for murders of Parents and Princes canonization of Traitors and the like enamilings of his spirituall sword The other is the secular sword with which he layes about him to force the obedience and subjection to the former This is his tyrannicall inquisition Guisian massacres English powder-plots pistolls poniards poisons fire sword insurrections rebellions invasions Armadoes treasons slaughters butcheries of Princes and people Kings and kingdomes that yeild not themselves as slaves to his beastly authority And this of the kind of warre The persons with whom it is waged will further open it that is the remnant of her seed namely such of the faithfull who when al the publique assemblies were openly corrupted by Antichristian Idolatry yet retained the ancient faith and stept out sometimes to make profession of the same The beast could no sooner meet with them or finde them out but presently he brandished his sword againstthem whether they were 1 Kings that ruled not according to the Popes rules who were warred against as tyrants or 2 Pastors and Bishops who taught not according to the Popes decrees with whom the Pope warred as against heretickes or 3 Private persons called lay-men who lived not according to the Popes lawes these he warred against as out-laws and excommunicate persons In a word seeing the dragon could not now make warre against whole congregations as formerly he had done for now in the darke times of Antichrist they appeared no where he watched if he could find any of the remnant of the seed any scattered and dispersed Saints who privately as they could exercised the pure worship of God who kept themselves to the comaundement of God in freeing themselves from the abominations idolatries and superstitions of Popery and who had the testimony of Jesus sqâ—aring their consciences to the written word and would not receive the Popes Laws traditions and decretalls for Articles of Faith These were made meat for the sword of the Beast excited by the dragon to make warre with the remnant of the womans seed Of the wrath of the dragon wee have spoken before which admits no truce as also of the renewing of his assaults though he be never so foyled in them Only now in this wrath of the dragon which is continued against the woman hid in the wildernesse note that Wicked men hate and malice the godly whom they never knew nor saw as the dragon the woman now out of sight Hest 3. 6. Haman thought it a small thing to lay hands on Mordecai only but sought to destroy all the Jews yet he knew but few of them and only one of them Mordecai had offended him Pharaâ—h pursues al the Israelites though he knew but few and drownes all the males and Herod kills all the infants which he never saw and Balak calls Balaam to curse all the people of God 1 Because of the generall enmity put by God betweene the two seeds of the Woman and the serpent And hatred is of kinds not individualls only The wolfe hateth all lambes A man naturally hateth all serpents even those he
againe whose rage and fury knowes no measure nor mercy We have by our contempt and slighting the ghospell of grace deserved most sharpe punishments And if our provocations be so greate as wrath must come Let us humbly desire to receive it from the hands of a father that hath love and compassion and remembers in justice mercy and not from the hands of scorpions and enemies that hate us to death whom nothing but blood can satiate Let us take words to us and say as Israell afraid of the Ammonites Judg. 10 15. We have sinned do with us as thou wilt onely deliver us from the Ammonites And as David 2 Sam. 24. We are in a wonderfull straight let us fall into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great and not into the hands of men whose mercies are cruell Walke wisely in the meane time and cut them off advantages To comfort the Church beset with red dragons fiery and fierce men implacable in their causelesse wrath and as much hope of reconciliation as with hell it selfe unlesse God worke a happy change and make them of Aspes and Cockatrices Lambes and sucking Children 1 Wee are to conflict with many red dragons But we have a captaine in red garments comming from Bozra who walketh in great strength mighty to save Isay 63. 2. First His garments are red with his owne blood drawne by the dragon Secondly By the blood of his enemies whom he treads in the winepresse of his wrath 2 The enemies garments now dyed red in the blood of the Saints shall at last be made red with their owne blood As in Hered Nero Dioclesian Iulian Iudas Arius Take the counsell of Pilates wife Haâ—e no hand against the just and godly man There is a time when the great Angell that hath power over fire that is all the judgements of God and revenges of his enemies and much more over all fiery dragons shall cast them into the winepresse of the wrath of God and their blood shall come unto the horse bridles 1600. furlongs Revel 19. 20. Let us leave all revenge to God who wil avenge the blood of Saints in due time 3 The time is not long but wee shall be freed from all these dragons and enemies Cant. 4. 8. Thou shalt come with me my spouse from the dâ—ns of Lions and mountaines of Leopards Exod. 14. 13. Those your enemies whom your eyes have seene this day ye shall never see more Seaven heads The third propertie of the dragon followes which is his subtiltie and craft set out by his seaven heads The head is the seat of prudence and policie And the number of seaven heads notes the manifold subtilties and crafty devises of this Hydra namely The devill and his instruments and under these seaven heads are comprehended all hurtfull arts and all kinds of wicked imaginations and devises against the Church of God Others by seaven heads understand the seaven hills of Rome where the dragon lived Or the seaven heads and kindes of governements in the Romane Monarchy Which considered may lead us to that speciall dragon here aimed at whose throne was upon seaveu heads or hills and had seaven heads or severall kindes of governement which throne was yeelded by the dragon to the Antichristian beast chap 13. 2. Which noteth unto us that Satan and his instruments are as subtile as cruell against the woman the Church For the dragon hath seaven heads a number of policies and fetches to bring forward his mischieves Of Satan himselfe the head of this dragon He is the old serpent more subtile then all the beastes of the field Genes 3. 1. A notable instance whereof we have in his first stratageme by which he overthrew all mankind In which hell set all his seaven heads to worke So as we may say by woefull experience we are not ignorant of his enterprises For First He chuseth a serpent the fittest and most insinuating instrument Secondly Sets on the woman the weaker vessell absent from her husband Thirdly Sets on the man by the woman the most fit and loving counsellour Fourthly Begins subtily for God having forbidden but one tree he asked if God have forbiden them every tree and so wronged them Fiftly In all his speaches and answers along he speakes craftily and Jesuitically venting as many lies and Amphibologies as sentences and yet so as if they had proved false he had a double meaning to himselfe As 1 Ye shall not dye he might say I meant ye shall not dye presently but become subject to mortalitie 2 Your eyes shal be opened And so they were to their shame and confusion 3 Knowing good and evill And so they did but not as Gods but by a miserable and experimentall knowledge in the want of good and presence of evill 4 Yee shall be as Gods Elohim signifieth Angels or spirits and so they were in the same state of condemnation with them So for wicked men the limbes of this dragon they are wise and subtle to doe evill Jer. 4. 12. Luk. 16 8. The children of the world are wiser in their generation then the children of light And for particulers How did Balaam trouble Israel with his wiles For whereas the King of Moab could not by power prevaile against them nor by any sorcery or cursing hurt them He by the care of Moabitish women brought Gods wrath and curse upon them for corporal fornication first and then for spirituall Numb 21. 1. Achitophel his counsell was as the oracle of God and spake rather like a God then a man but all was against the Church Quest. Why doth the Lord give such good gifts to such evil men and agents that bend it against himselfe and his people Answ. God inverteth not the order of nature for evill mens abuse but over-rules it for justice or mercy as his wisedome sees fit As in the externall faculties of the body so of the minde he suffers the powers of nature to be put forth corruptly as in fornication or adultery He hinders not the naturall action but orders it for his owne glory so here 2 He magnifies his own grace who is good and bountifull to all offering not onely common gifts as the sunne raine and naturall endowments with wealth and honour to good and bad but even the gift of his sonne in the Ministry of the gospell to those who abuse it and turne all his grace into wantonnesse 3 He makes the wicked instruments hereby inexcusable seeing To whom much is given of them much shall be required Luk. 12. 48. Quest. But why are wicked men subtile against the Church Answ. First Because they are of the serpentine seed and spawne of the dragon Acts 13. Paul to Elimas Oh full of all subtilties and mischiefe the child of the devill Wicked men not onely serve prentiships to the old serpent but as our Saviour is bold to tell the Jewes they were of their father the devill Secondly They know
great care and provident eye over his Church by whose almighty power this small flock of sheep is safe amongst a drove of wolves Lions and a whole foxest of foxes and dragons Take notice of the perpetuall condition of the Church and her dangerous estate that wee may not marvaile or take offence at the tumults and hostile forces raised against the Church at this day 1 Let not the might and power of the enemies gathereed against her dismay us nor their great and puissant armies and Captaines nor that royall and imperiall forces are raised against this poore Woman utterly to destroy her this is no new thing that mighty hornes and the highest of all humane power should lift up themselves against her she hath from the beginning beene acquainted with such tryals Nor let us startle at the multitudes of enemies Princes and armies that stand about her it is not the first time that ten hornes at once have assaulted and pushed her nay seldome shall yee see this Woman but in the midst of these ten hornes al ready to make a present spoile of her Neither let the fiercenesse and savage disposition of them against her be strange to us seeing they are the dragons hornes dragons are guided by no law but by their owne fierce and truculent nature flying upon their prey without all pity but no cruell and truculent beast or dragon is so fierce against men as wicked men are against the Woman no law of nature or nations no bond or tye no respect of sex or age stoppeth them but pitilesly without all mercy the dragons seize upon young and old male and female high and low nocents or innocents if they fall in their way whosoever professe the feare of God and true religion against them they are gathered See it in one example Haman because Mordecai will not bow to him because he was of another religion getteth to the King enformeth against all the Jewes as having a law and religion of their owne contrary to the Kings and it was not for the Kings profit to suffer thē presently without any course of law no man being heard nay no man complaining but Haman privatly slaundering the King delivereth the whole nation men women and children some 2. or 3. thousand persons to death and bloody buchery al in a day but that God prevented it a thiefe or guilty fellon shal have a due course of law shal not be condemned unheard sometimes pity spareth a seditious and rebellious multitude that have deserved death because they are many After warre and hot blood the most furious enemies will spare such as are overcome though they would have spoyled and not spared them in hot blood In sacking and taking cities the Conqueror often in humanity spareth women children when their lives are in their hands But in this cause of Religion these horned dragons put off all humanity cloath themselves with barbarous more then brutish cruelty no humanity nor humility no intreaty nor sex no age nor place can plead for one drop of pity As in plentifull examples both old and new might be proved namely the French Massacre 1572. and our owne powder Treason Quest. But what shall the Church be devoured by so many and potent horns how can a silly weak woman be safe among them Ans. No this Woman was never yet overcome by them nor shall be she may be tyred terrified pusht wounded by them but not overcome For 1 The dragons great power is but limited and restrained as Satan must not touch Iobs wise and Laban against his owne evill intention is commanded Gen. 31. 24. Take heed thou speake nought to Iacob save good So can they doe nothing against Iacob which is not good or shall not be turned to good Though their power be great yet there is a greater and over-ruling power which curbeth them both in the attempting proceeding and ending of their intentions Herod Pontius Pilate and the Gentiles can attempt nothing against Christ but what the hand and counsaile of God hath before determined to be done Act. 4. 27. In the executiō this over-ruling power can blunt their hornes at his pleasure If Esau be come forth with a band of men to revēge on Iacob this power can turne their hearts to favour his brother in the end they are over-ruled for wheras they would make no end of pushing and goaring he will have them go no further then he please And the rod of the wicked shall not alway lie on the lot of the godly 2 The hornes of the dragon have great power but being set all against God his Saints it cannot prosper Job 9. 4. Who was ever fierce against God and prospered their power shall never effect all their wils being so contrary to the will and counsaile of the Almighty their will is to destroy and roote out the Saints of the most High but his will and counsaile is onely to chasten them their will is not onely to destroy the person but the faith also fortitude but they can doe neither for though they may prevaile against the persons of some members yet never against the person of the Woman the whole Church and those that are overcome of them in respect of life are never in respect of faith the gates of hell cannot prevaile against that so as though they be slaine they are never overcome 3 Although mighty hornes are raised up against the Woman yet hath God raised up for her a more mighty horne of salvation Luk. ◠69. Even the horne of David stronger then they all the greatest enemie of the Church is but as Antiochus a little horne to him Ob. But here are ten hornes what is one horne to so many Answ. Christ our Lord and head wants not a sufficient number of hornes to encounter the dragons ten hornes Rev. 5. 6 the Lambe hath 7. hornes though the dragon seeme to exceed in number yet doth not for the number of 7 is a number of perfection and argueth in Christ perfection of power which is not in the number of ten whether it be taken definitly or indefinitly in the dragon and there is not one of these 7. but is stronger then all the dragons ten And besides whereas the dragons hornes are confined to his heads which they exalt and carry aloft our Lord Jesus hath many hornes comming out of his hands Hab. 3. 4. that is Omnipotent in all his works especially in his battailes against the dragons ten horns for he hath atchieved an admirable victorie over principalities and powers and made show of them openly as a triumphant Conqueror on the Chariot of his Crosse and at his ascension professed that all power in heaven and earth was given to him 4 Although the dragon hath his hornes and agents every where so as the Dove of Christ knoweth not where to set her foot to rest safe from them for there be 4. hornes which scatter
Judah in all the 4. quarters of the world Zach. 1. 20 yet vers 21 God hath 4. Carpenters or workmen with tooles and axes to strike off these hornes that is as the dragons hornes are in all quarters to scatter and wast the Church so the Lord hath every where instruments to batter them although the Lord could do it with any one instrument or by never a one yet for the full consolation of the Church he described them to be as many and in as many places to resist and suppresse them 5 Though these hornes of the dragon be many and powerfull yet God doth often turne them one against another as the Midianites swords were thrust into their fellowes sides and shall at length easily and certainly breake all their hornes lifted against him and his Church as in Haman Herod Pharob Iudas Iulian Zenacherib A proofe how he brake in pieces the Antichristian horne in our Fathers daies some persecutors died suddenly as Annanias some with their guts falling out as Iudas some with lothsome excrements finding unnaturall waies by the mouth nostrils some brake their necks some became frantick none escaped without repentance though for a while they held up their heads and hornes aloft Quest. But what meanes may this Woman use against all these hornes for her safty Answ. 1 She must know as all humane power cannot resist those mighty hornes and therefore must utterly dispare of her owne strength for wee fight not against flesh and blood but against spirituall wikednesse also in high places nor against weaklings but against the strong man armed Luk. 11. 21. Who is resolved to keepe his hold against the Prince of the world yea the god of the world and not against one enemie or two but ten horns an infinite army of principalities and powers with all his aids and abettors which are the great and innumerable worldly hornes all at his command against the Church and her Head Jesus Christ What is the world but Satans armorie and our adversaries are not more puissant and numerous as wee are few in number weake in our selves weaker in our sinnes utterly unable to resist their hornes and assaults Impar congressus as Saul to David he is a man of war and the other a stripling therefore we must despare of our strength 2 Fly to the strength of God which wil make us conquerors acknowledge that salvation is the Lords the dragon hath his strength from earth the Woman hath her strength from heaven by prayer David comes to Goliah in the name of the Lord and foyleth him so let us disparing of our selves be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes. 5. 10. wee shall be able to doe all things through the help of Christ strengthening us Phil. 4. 13. Colos. 1. 11. we are strengthened through him c. 3 The dragon is strong by humane confederacies and alliance we must confederate with God by daily renewing our covenant by faith repentance strengthen our league and union with God who will give us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 15. 57. 4 Leane upon the promise of God who hath undertaken to breake for his Church all the hornes of the wicked Psal. 75. 10. Even all these ten hornes shall be broken distrust not the promise but believe and be safe faith will be an honourable victory for it apprehendeth the power which brought Christ safe from the wildernesse and wild beasts and shall bring the Saints safe through all An admonition to the enemies Psal. 75. 5. Lift not up your hornes high 1 what are they in nature but savage beasts and dragons nay the wildest of the beasts retaineth more goodnesse in his nature then the wicked man doth in his Christ was more safe in the wildernesse among wild beasts then in the world among wicked men the beasts in the wildernesse acknowledge their Lord and hurt not him But if hee come among wicked men Iudas will betray him the Jewes will accuse him Pilate will condemne him the common souldiers will crucifie him Daniell was more safe among the Lions then among his enemies so was Paul too who had better escaped the beasts at Ephesus then the men Lazarus found the dogs more pittifull then Dives The beast knoweth and feareth those that doe him good but these worse then beasts neither know nor acknowledge God nor his people from whose hand and for whose sake they hold all they have 2 What are they in Gods account Obj. He favoureth and prospereth them Sol. Though they seeme to cary all before them and are men of place and power and all men stand in awe of them yet in Gods account they are but beasts amonst men their strength and power but as the raving and pushing of horned beasts 3 How are they crossed in their owne account they shal never have their wils against the Woman nor shall never destroy her faith and fortitude their intended mischiefe shall effect her good By tearing with their teeth they would utterly devoure her but as Ignatius let wild beasts teare and grind her it is but to make fit bread for the Lords table 4 Though now Papists and Antichrists hornes be lifted up God seeth and sustereth and smileth he seeeth and hath let his servants see their day comming the sins of the Church do a little while put it off but Gods word is as a hatcher lifted up to knocke both the head and hornes and the strong arme of God shall make good his word and ere long these tenne hornes shall hate the whore and make her desolate see Revel 17. 16. And seaven crownes on his heads The 5. and last propertie by which the dragon is described is by his great conquest victories together with his high rule and authoritie which he exerciseth and usurpeth in the world against the Church By crownes or diadems is meant 1. in generall the whole kingdome of darknesse which Satan by the greatnesse of his power usurpeth not upon inferiours and vassalls onely but upon the chiefest Monarchs and potentates of the earth whose crownes after a sort become his crownes 2 The many victories and great conquests which partly by fraud and partly by force he hath carried away amongst earthly Princes and carnall professors for who weare crownes but Conquerors 3 Here especially is meant the supremacy or supreme majesty of the Romane dragon or Empire subduing under it the Princes provinces nations by innumerable victories but especially prevailing against the Church and primative Christians as so many Conquerors The number of the crownes are 7. according to the number of his heads and all his 7. heads are crowned because his subtilties have so often prevailed The dragon usurpeth and exerciseth kingly authoritie and regall power in earth by which he often prevaileth against the Woman the Church This our Saviour teacheth both in the style that he giveth him and also by the
state which he ascribeth unto him for as great Princes have many great titles which declare their might So hath the dragon he is called Joh. 14. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince of this world and Ephes. 2. 2. the Prince of the aire Epes 6. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord of the world and 1 Cor. 4. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the god of this World And his estate is described no lesse magnificent then his titles for he hath not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a house but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Court like a Prince not only his palace in hell where he commandeth the inferiour devils but one erected here on earth in the hearts of wicked men Nay he hath not onely a Court but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Kingdome Math. 12. 26. If Satan be divided his kingdome cannot stand thus the Scripture speaketh of him as a crowned King and great Monarch Quest. But wherein doth the dragon exercise his Princedome Answ. This kingdome of the devill is partly spirituall partly corporall 1 He rules and playeth Rex chiefly spiritually and inwardly in all the children of disobedience acting and moving them according to his pleasure In al unregenerate men all the dragons heads are crowned for 1 He hath conquered and subdued their persons their minds by ignorance their wils by rebellion their harts by hardnesse their whole man by lusts 2 He setteth up his edicts his will is their law and they are moved at his pleasure as slaves and captives 2 Tim. 2. 26. and how just is it that they who will not be ruled by the will of God in his word to salvation should be left to the will of the devill to destruction his servants are they whom they obey 3 As a crowned King is not content to rule according to his owne will but his subjects must take up armes in defence of his title and whensoever he commandeth must fight his battels So doe and must unregenerate men give up their members weapons of unrighteousnesse and fight for sinne against grace and are ready as voluntaries to maintaine abet strive for and defend the lusts of sin and beare weapons against heaven and Jesus Christ in whose name they are baptized this is the forlorn estate of any wicked man that his person is in the power of the devill and he being a slave his whose life is a homage to the dragon and his whose power and strength warreth against God his Creator Now the dragons heads are crowned and he set upon his throne II Outwardly and corporally the dragon useth Kingly authority thrusting on his counsailes by secular power and prevailing with wicked Kings and tyrants to execute all his bloody edicts against the Woman and therefore is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strong man not onely because he is admirable strong in himselfe but because he commandeth secular powers and getteth their forces and weapons drawne against the Church hence is he said to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vessels and instruments and armour that is as Chrysostom interpreteth wicked mē Potentates that fight as leaguers and confederates with him If this great Centurian bid Cain rise up and slay his owne naturall brother Cain must and will doe it against all laws of God and nature If he command Pharoh to slay the seed of the woman and oppresse the Woman her selfe hee is in pay under the Devill and must doe it If hee command Nero Domitian Trajan and the rest of the crowned heads at whom our text aimeth to shed like fearce and sanguinary dragons the blood of the Christians till the streets of Rome ran with blood as Jerusalems did in Manasses time they readily give their crownes to the dragon and execute all his designes If he command Popish Princes and Captaines to persecute with fire and sword with bloody Inquisitions Massacres with force and fraud the holy religion of God these slaves and tyrants must and will give their crownes to the dragon and the beast and in savage manner make no end of effusion of Christian blood but would barbarously wish as one of them to ride their horses to the bellies in the blood of Protestants Thus the dragons heads are crowned in al those Kings and Princes that are enemies to the Church and exercise their power in peace or war against her From Satans malice and contrariety to Christ and his Kingdome and all he claimeth as in these particulars 1 If Christ be Lord of all the dragon will claime all Math 4. All these things will I give thee for they are mine Dare he so before Christs face challenge his right and will he not behind his back 2 If Christ have a kingdome of light which tendeth to gather the elect and destroy the wicked The dragon hath a kingdome of darknesse cleane contrary which tendeth to destroy the elect if it were possible and to gather all the wicked to him in his owne damnation 3 If Christs kingdome be ample and large from East to West and from sea to sea Psal. 2. 8. and 72. 8 The dragon will compasse the earth Job 1. and getteth the harvest of the world leaving but a few gleanings for Christ. 4 If Christ require spirituall worship being a spirituall King the dragon will require the same Math. 4 If thou fall downe and worship me And that which he could not obtaine of Christ he winneth of all the wicked in the world who worship the beast and the dragon Rev. 14. 3. 5 If Christ call his kingdome inwardly by his spirit and without by the ministry of Angels and men So will the dragon rule and move his subjects partly by inward motions and suggestions and partly by wicked angels and wicked men who are all bad agents and factors for him 6 If Christ ordaine power and authority and raise up Kings and give them crownes and scepters that as they rule by him so they should rule for him and for the upholding of his title and kingdome The dragon in speciall despight of this ordinance prevaileth with them to bend their power against Christ and his Church from whom and for whom they received it Is from the subtilty of the Dragon who knoweth it is the greatest advantage to his kingdome if he can get all his heads crowned for his experience hath taught him three things First that if he can get in great ones hee gaineth in them all their inferious who follow the motion of the great wheeles If Rehoboam commit adultery all Iudah will sacrifice under every greene tree Second that his kingdome being of this world as himselfe is the god of the world so his kingdome standeth by secular power and worldly meanes well he knoweth that truth needs no secular arme for it hath a stronger power and arme for it but falshood needeth worldly power and policie to uphold it if his
of the number here are but seaven heads but ten hornes not so many heads as hornes and so there are more Executors then Princes more Instruments then Captaines and heads and Generals and the title aptly bringeth them in all The Church of God is among the wicked as among so many horned beasts of great power and place to hurt and oppresse See Psal. 22. 12. Many Buls have compassed me even mighty buls of Bashan and vers 16. doggs have compassed me as a fearefull Hare beset with a kennell of doggs is in great danger so the weake Woman here beset with fierce and ravenous beastsand vers 21. Save me from the Lions mouth and from the hornes of Unicornes Hence Dan. 7. the calamitie of the Jewes is from the foure Beasts that is those great Monarchs and Rulers described under the name of sundrie beasts which with strong hornes fought one against another but all against the Church and every where tyrants are called in Scripture Lions Beares Unicornes Wolves for their cruelty in themselves and for the oppression of the people of God Mat. 10. Our Saviour forewarneth his disciples of their condition I send you as sheepe among Wolves and these have force and power far above the sheep To come to the times here aimed at how was the Church in the beginnings of the New Testament pushed and goared with the hornes of these beasts such as Herod the son of Antipas who beheaded Iohn and Herod Agrippa who slew Iames with the sword and persecuted Peter delivered by an Angell Acts 12. Such were Felix and Lysias and Festus who used their hornes power and places to persecute Paul and Christians in those daies And after these how lamentably was the Church wasted by the Romane persecuting tyrants even those ten Imperiall hornes and other savage dragons untill Constantine who all imbrued themselves till they were all red with the blood of many thousands of Christians In regard of the wicked themselves who all of them by nature are furiously and impetuously like bruit beasts carried against grace and piety and as little restraint have they in themselves as furious beasts unlesse God by common grace restraine them or by speciall saving grace change them and make them of Lions Wolves Beares Cockatrices Kids Lambs and harmles creatures Isa. 11. 6. For so there the Prophet stileth men in their nature because their enemies are so cruell and sanguinary more like beasts then men Godly men go soft pace in the way of godlinesse because they have a restraint in their reliques of flesh present with them but wicked men without restraint of grace as bruit beasts rush upon mischiefe as the horse into battaile If the godly walke they can run if the Saints runne they can fly if the godly bee foot men they are light horsemen In the Church 1. The sins of the Church often strengthen and sharpen and multiply the hornes of the dragon Psal. 81. 13. 14. O that Israel would have walked in my waies I would soone haue humbled their enemies through the whole story of Judges so often as Israel sinned God gave them into the hands of oppressors cap. 4. 2. cap. 2. 14 cap. 6. 1. 2 The afflictions of the Church make the Enemies lift up their hornes when they see and heare of their troubles and foyles when they see that their prayers and exercises of religion cannot help them especially when they see God for their humiliation leaveth them as a prey in their hands this maketh them exult as against Christ on the Crosse He trusted in God let him deliver him want of grace yea hatred of grace maketh them insult where they should pity not thinking the same or worse things may be fall themselves Lam. 24 5. and 2. 15. 3 The continuall estate of the Church is to bee in the world as a wildernesse wherein what can they looke for but to be environed with wild and furious beasts that is evill men who for their disposition are as wild and fierce as Tygers Lions Leopards Cockatrises because both of their power and desire of hurting and making a pray and spoile of the Church The world in which the Church is a stranger affordeth to her natives all her aide and mighty meanes to furnish them against the Church which maketh them advance their horns on high in pride and fury against the Church for they have 1 Carnall wisdome prudence policy in martiall exploits and whereas a good conscience can go but one way they can shift into a thousand by waies which is their advantage 2 They have multitudes power and strength of arme and flesh wherein they boast and glory 3 They have armories defenced Castles Citties and can want no weapons of death against the Woman 4 They have treasures revenues wealth large possessions gold of India which are the sine ws of warre 5 They have friends allies confederates holy leagues auxiliary forces and supplies and in these they lift up their hornes and are made very strong and bold for those that have no part in God glory and pride themselves in every thing but God Quest. But what doth the Lord all this while to suffer the dragon thus to exercise his rage and domineere over the Church can he help all this and will he not step out for his Church Answ. The Lord hath sundrie good ends of this his providence For 1 He so ordereth the matter as that the Church must be conformable to her head and the servants not above their Master Christ himselfe was in the wildernesse with wild beasts expecting the great dragon to set upon him as he did in three horrible and hellish temptations and through his whole life he was beset with these horned beasts among whom the principall was Herod Ascalonita who as soone as he was borne sought to slay him and devoured all the Infants of Bethelem hoping he had bin within his net And Pontius Pilate the Romane President who with the Scribes Pharisees and chiefe â—â—iests crucified and put him to death and yet who can deny that he was the Son of his Love and most deare unto his Father 2 He doth it not to extinguish but exercise not to destroy but trie their faith patience and graces for grace is like gold the oftner tried in the fire the purer Rev. 2. 10. 3 To acquaint them both with their owne danger and so to stirre them up to a constant watching as also to let them see their owne impotency and weaknesse so to drive them out of themselves to relie on his strength and power who is onely able to overmatch these mighty hornes in mans eie 4 To weane them from the love of this world to which wee are all naturally wedded and to hye themselves through it as through a dangerous wildernesse So Davids soule was weary with dwelling in Mesech 5 To advance not onely the patience of God suffering his enemies to rise to such a height but also to manifest his
and dependance of the words with antecedents and consequents By the man-childe I understand some potent Prince or Princes or some speciall deliverers whō God stirred upto succour and to relieve the Church against those Tyrannicall Romish Emperors persecutors By whom the dragon was defeated and disappointed whose aime was to devoure all the seede of the woman for these were 1. Sonnes of the Church 2. A man-childe stout strong valiant 3. Ruled over the Nations with a rod of iron viz. an unresistable power and over-ruling the nations and Princes that were enemies to the Church 4. Was taken into the Throne of God that is advanced unto chiefe government for the refreshing and defence of the Church and curbing the rage of those imperiall dragons And running over the story of those times the best commentary of a Prophesie I finde that in the yeare 182 after Christ the Church had tolerable peace under Commodus the Emperour in whose raigne the Gospell was greatly spread Hist. Eccl. cap. 21. but he being no Christian or sonne of the Church but a flagitious man was not this man-childe In Anno 247. the first Christian Emperour was Philip of whom we read that he submitted himselfe to the discipline of the Church Eccles. Hist. lib. 6. cap. 25. I doe not see but now the man childe might begin to be borne Afterward in 319. after the long and bloody raigne of Maxentius of whō the story saith that there was no great City in which 100. Christiās were not daily drawne to execution God raised up Constantine the Great an obedient and loving sonne of the Church and tooke him up to his Throne of government next to himselfe for under God was none greater than he and put into his hand not a scepter of gold onely an ensigne of dignity and regall or rather imperiall authority but a rod of iron the strongest of metals fit to beate downe all before it by which rod hee flew foure savage dragons who stood against the woman Maximian and his sonne Maxentius Maximinus and Licinius and by the same wonne all the West Empire ruled over Italy Spaine France Germany Brittaine besides his dominion in Affrike he restored peace to the Church abolished tyrannicall decrees commanded that none should injure any Christian was himselfe the greatest protector of Christianity that wee reade of in that story To these we may adde the two Theodosi's Christian Emperours and others in authority sonnes of the Church by whom shee was succoured and protected from the dragon in these tyrannicall times Ob. But the Text speaketh but of one man-childe but you interpret it of many Ans. I tie not the man-childe to one individuum or person but to all such set in dignity as God stirred up as protectors and nursing fathers to the tender Church and her babes in these terrible times for these Reasons The manchilde not one individual person but so many Protectors as Christ stirreth up 1. The manner of Prophets in the singular number to set downe a series or row of persons whereof one chiefe is still in being and continued by the succession of many Dan. 7. 17. Foure Kings are not the singular persons but the foure kingdomes and governments in the succession of sundry Kings And foure great beasts vers 3. by every beast is not signified a singular person but a State and succession 1. By the Lyon the Kingdome and successive Kings of the Assyrians and Babylonians 2. By the Beare the kingdome and successive Kings of Medes and Persians 3. By the Leopard the Greekes and Macedonians 4. By the beast with iron teeth and ten hornes the kingdome of Seleucidae and Fagedi 2. In Pauls Epistle 2 Thess. 2. 3. The man of sinne is not one person but a state and row of men who have beene the heads of Apostasie in the kingdome of Antichrist all which make up one man or person after a sort not one in number or nature but one in order succession power will and continuance So in the same Chapter the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hinderer of this man of sinne is not one Roman Emperour but the Empire 1. The state and succession of Emperors which was by succession yet the Apostle saith Hee that withholdeth Even as Saint Iohn 2. Epist. 7. cals many deceivers or Antichrists one Antichrist so many men of sinne one man of sinne many withstanders one withstander 3. In the Revelation nothing more ordinary cap. 13. 1. the beast rising out of the Sea is not one person but the state and succession of Antichrist Cap. 17. 9. the seven heads of the beast are so many States and Governments as Christ himselfe confesseth and the whore in verse 1. is not one person but the Romane state departed from Christ to Antichrist and prostituting her selfe to all idolatry and impurity of doctrine and manners the successors of Antichrists Kingdome Cap. 2. 1. The Angel of the Church of Ephesus not one man or Pastor but many for there were many Pastors and Angels therein Acts 20. 17 18. 4. Even in this Chapter wee have described the woman verse 1. not one Church but the succession of the Church in many ages yet called but a woman And verse 3. the dragon in this vision the whole spawne and row of dragons and tyrants raised by Satan against the woman even ten bloody persecutors all called one dragon for reasons you have heard and there is no reason but the manchilde may be as well collectively taken according to the manner of all Prophets and prophesies The dragon watcheth the woman but in vaine for shee bringeth forth for all that The Church shall bring forth children to God in despight of the dragon especially such children as the Text aimeth at to serve his Providence in the defence upholding of his Church Es. 66. 7. Acts 7. 20. Moses was borne in despight of Pharaoh as the circumstance of time there noteth Christ himselfe was brought forth in despight of Herod and all his plots which appeareth most plainely in those children of the Church excellent instruments prophesied of many yeares before they were borne and named of God whom it had besteaded the dragon that they had never beene brought forth if hee could have hindered them as first Isaac in whom all nations should be blessed by that blessed seed that should descend of him whereof he was a type and in whom the birth of Christ was foretold sundry thousands of yeares before it came to passe would not the dragon have hindred both the type and the truth from being borne if hee could so as all Gods promises and the Covenant of Grace in them should have beene falsified by the dragon 1 Kings 13. 2. wee read of Iosiah named before he was borne 323. yeares and of his piety and zeale in destroying dolatry and defacing of the kingdome of the devill and had it not beene much for the dragons kingdome to have hindred his birth if hee could Esay 44. 28.