Christ shall not shine into your Souls he will have you one way or another and if he cannot prevail one way he wil another he will endevor to catch you by the inclination of your mind and nature he will watch which way they are carried so set a trap for your spirit Secondly If it be so That there is such a thing as the great red Dragon in Heaven then Friends take heed of him for he stands at Joshuah's right hand he will appear in his white rayment to you because you are Saints he will put on his most beautiful robes when he appears to Saints thereby to deceive them Take heed of his Heads lamb-like Horns and glorious Crowns lest by his subtilty strength and glory he fetch you down from your professions and though he appear in never so much glory stoop not at all and do not obeysance to him O noble Saints no not a jot notwithstanding his crowns of glory Thirdly If it be so That there is such a thing as the great red Dragon in Heaven having seven heads ten horns and seven crowns upon his heads be not afraid of him let not his monstrousness trouble you do not fear lest he should by his policy and strength set upon you fear not his strength nor policy your God will strengthen you with strength in your Souls by the Spirit against him never think that you shall not be able to deal or grapple with him seeing God will make perfect his strength in your weaknesses Do not cry out O surely surely I shall be overcome by his temptations but rather fill your mouths as Christ did his against him with It is written It is written It is written and bring no railing accusation against him as Moses durst not but cry The Lord even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke him then you shall see him go from you and leave you as he did Christ Fourthly If there be such a thing as the great red Dragon in Heaven and that this Dragon is the old Serpent and the Serpent is the Devil and Satan then this may serve to inform some that deny the Dragon old Serpent Devil and Satan that say there is none such I say this may serve to inform them of the truth of it that there are such Quest But may some say If there be such from whence is the Dragons rise otherwise the Serpent Devil and Satan 2. What was his fall And 3. where is this Dragon otherwise the Serpent Devil and Satan Answ. Without question his rise with other Angels was from God but his not keephis first state but falling away from it was from himself and in himself Secondly What was his fall It was this He being at first a good and holy Angel himself and partaking of the brightness of the angelical Glory living and dwelling in the same with the rest of his Brethren the Angels fell from his first estate or principality and lost his own former habitation or beginning and God hath reserved him in everlasting chains under darkness unto the Judgment of the great Day Jude v. 6. The forsaking of the Society of his fellow good Angels if I may so say and forsaking of his first estate of Glory leaving his former habitation was his fall like Adam and us who left our first estate and habitation which was in God and fell to the eating of that which was forbidden 3. Where is this Dragon He is in the Ayr 2. He is in the children of disobedience Eph. 2. 2. wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the Ayr the Spirit that now works in the children of disobedience The second Thesis or Basis upon which I shall build my Discourse is this That the Tail of the great red Dragon is that by which the Dragon draws the third part of the stars of Heaven out of Heaven into Earth This is clear from the words what the Dragon and the Tail of the Dragon is and what Heaven and Earth is I have at large shewed before and therefore I will not unfold the terms again but make some Application of the words First This may serve to inform us of the truth of this how that the great red Dragon by his tail draws the third part of the stars of Heaven out of Heaven and casteth them into the Earth This we may see fulfilled in our days how many shining stars hath the tail of the great red Dragon drawn out of Heaven and cast into the Earth So that though they shined as stars in Heaven before now they are become earthly worldly carnal and wicked and do not stick to commit all manner of wickedness with greediness Quest But may some say How doth the Dragon with his tail draw the third part of the stars of Heaven out of Heaven and cast them to the Earth These manner of ways following That is to say First He deals with them as with Adam and Eve just as he drew Adam and Eve to eat of that which is forbidden so he draws the stars of Heaven out of Heaven and casteth them into the Earth See how he drew them to eat of that which was forbidden Gen. 3. Yea saith the Serpent unto the woman hath God said Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden No saith the woman We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden but of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden we may not eat of it nor touch it for God hath said it lest we dye Yea hath he said it is it indeed so are you not mistaken are you sure God spoke it See how the Serpent sets upon her and endeavors to make her question the authority of Gods Word And hath God said Ye shall surely dye that is certainly dye If you eat ye shall not certainly dye Here the Serpent makes himself to have more power then God Ye may eat safely ye shall not though God hath said it dye For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods knowing good and evil As if the Serpent should say Let God say what he will you shall not dye for instead of dying if you eat your eyes shall be opened and you shall be as gods in the knowing of good and evil Come saith the Serpent eat do not fear you shall not dye for you shall know good and evil and ye shall know good and evil as gods know it even that very day you eat it shall be so ye shall no sooner eat but it shall be so These things he gives as Reasons that the woman should not dye if she did eat because her eyes should be opened and they shal know good and evil as God that very day they did eat Now when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasant to the eyes and that it
was a tree to be desired to make one wise the woman takes of the fruit thereof and presently falls upon eating See when the Serpent had made her question the authority of Gods Word and told her that she should not certainly dye if she did eat but her eyes should be opened and she should be as God in the knowing of good and evil and likewise had perswaded her that the tree was good in respect of food and pleasantness to the eye and that it was a tree to be desired because it makes one wise the woman together with the man presently takes of the fruit of it and eats as I said before The man and the woman had a desire to have their eyes opened they had a desire to see but not in the light of God they thirsted after knowledg they coveted to be as God in knowing good and evil they coveted to be that which God would not have them they coveted to satisfie their eyes and their pallates they coveted wisdom that was not the wisdom of God and this was their fall So that though they shined like stars of Heaven before now they are cast down from thence into Earth and are become now earthly worldly carnal and sinful So that this is one way that the Dragon draws stars out of Heaven into Earth by making Souls question the Authority of Gods Word whether or no it be true The second way or manner how the great red Dragon draws with his Tail the third part of the stars of Heaven out of Heaven and casteth them to the Earth is by taking of them up into an exceeding high mountain that is by lifting them up on high and so shewing of them the glory of this world by promising them it if they will fall down and worship him Thus he hath dealt with many in our days he hath exalted them on high and given them a sight of his glory as credit honour repute esteem in the world which are the Devils glory Now those that have been like shining stars in Heaven in the appearance of others the great red Dragon by the presenting of this his glory before them hath by his Tail drawn them out of Heaven and cast them inthe Earth So that this is another way the Dragon takes to draw the third part of the stars of Heaven out of Heaven and cast them into the Earth he shews them the glory of this world and by that draws them out of Heaven into Earth as he hath done many in our days who are turned from their shining like stars in Heaven to the Devils glory that is they seek after credit honour repute and esteem in the world of which thing we have had woful experience in our days The third way and manner how the great red Dragon draws with his Tail the third part of the stars of Heaven out of Heaven and casteth them to the Earth is by his false application of Scripture to Professors as that place of Scripture 1 Cor. 6. 12. All things are lawful And if all things be lawful then say they all manner of wickedness is lawful and so we may commit it The Apostle saith not there that all manner of wickedness is lawful as fornication idolatry adultery and the like for saith the Apostle in Vers 13. The body is not for fornication but for the Lord And besides if we look in the beginning of that 13 Verse he speaks of meats for the belly And in 1 Cor. 10. 23. he speaks not there neither that all manner of wickedness is lawful though many say it is confirmed from these places of Scripture for he speaks against that in the beginning of the Chapter and besides he speaks there of going to feasts and eating of meats and in Vers 19. he speaks of his liberty to do those things which the weak could not And then that of Rom. 14. 14. the Dragon makes a false application of to poor Souls I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of it self but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean to him it is unclean Say some nothing is unclean to us no not sin we can commit any sin for we esteem not any thing to be unclean but those that do to those it is sin O subtle Devil He speaks in the Chapter of observing days and eating herbs he doth not there speak that sin in it self is not unclean whether they esteemed it not to be unclean or whether they esteemed it to be unclean sin is unclean And then that place of Scripture the Devil makes application of to Professors Tit. 1. 15. Vnto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbeleeving is nothing pure but even their minds and consciences are defiled We are pure say they and so all things are pure to us adultery fornication c. we are not defiled but beleeving and so all things are pure to us but those that beleeve not their minds and consciences are defiled O poor creatures where are you who hath bewitched you The meaning of that place is not that sin is pure to those that are pure and beleeving that is a delusion of Satan for those words all things are meant days and meats See in Rom. 14. 20. All things saith he indeed are pure but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence In which Chapter he speaks of meats and days as I said before which are now pure to him seeing the Ceremonial Law is abolished by Christ which put a difference between meats Thus you see how the Devil beguiles them thereby leading them to all manner of wickedness So that this is another way the Dragon takes to cast shining stars out of Heaven into Earth he makes false application of Scripture to them and so draws them out of Heaven into Earth The fourth way and manner how the great red Dragon draws with his Tail the third part of the stars of Heaven out of Heaven and casteth them to the Earth is by ushering in Errors with these six glorious Truths following that is to say God doth all things Is all things All things are in God All things are of God All things are through God And all things are to God First of all God doth all things and it is clear from Scripture 1 Cor. 12. 6. He worketh all in all But yet it is to be taken that he doth all things in his Son nothing out of his Son by him and in him he made the world and he upholds it by him But with and under this glorious Truth the Devil ushereth in somewhat that is not truth thereby to draw those that are like shining stars in Heaven out of Heaven into the Earth that which he ushereth in in this saying God doth all things is this If he doth all things then he doth sin he acts sin there is not any thing that is but he doth it wickedness is that he doth
the words Behold it is a word of Speculation See take notice of what a great Red Dragon where may you say in heaven O Wonderfull this is a strange thing indeed how can this be To make it plain we shall enquire what this word Wonder is it is somewhat seen which causeth admiration It signifies a sign what this Wonder or sign is It is a great Red Dragon in heaven having seven heads and ten horns and seven Crowns upon his heads But you will aske me what is this great Red Dragon in heaven I shall shew you what it is by and by but first we shall enquire into 1. What heaven is in which this great Red Dragon appeared 2. What the appearing of the great Red Dragon in heaven is 3. Wherefore it is called another Wonder 4. What the great Red Dragon is 5. What those Epithites are which are given unto him 6. The place where he is 7. His seven heads 8. His ten horns 9. His seven Crowns upon his heads 10. What his Taile is 11. What the third part of the Stats of heaven are which by the taile of the great red Dragon are drawn out of heaven and cast into the earth 12. What the earth is into which the great Red Dragon casteth the third part of the stars of heaven 13. What the meaning of the great Red Dragon's standing before the woman which was ready to be delivered is 14. What the meaning of that saying is For to devour her child as soon as it was born The first thing to be enquired into is what heaven is in which this great red Dragon appeared Heaven is taken variously in Scripture sometimes it is taken for the materiall heaven the Firmament Gen. 1. 8. Sometimes it is taken for things that are or may be shaken yet once more I shake not only earth but heaven it self and this word yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain Heb. 12. 26 27. Now those things that are or may be shaken are Prophesies Tongues and Knowledge see 1 Cor. 13. 8. But heaven in this place is taken for the glory and light of God which Stephen saw when he was praying The second thing to be inquired into is what the appearing of the great Red Dragon in heaven is It is this there was seen a great Red Dragon in heaven by John it was such an appearance as was accompanyed with seeing so that Iohn could say I saw it and it was no lying wonder that he saw but a true one what an excellent thing it is for a man to declare nothing but what he hath seen what hath appeared indeed to him by a door being opened in heaven to him as Iohn did or by being taken up in the Spirit as he was The third thing to be enquired into is Why it is called another Wonder That is because of the Wonder going before in the first verse of this Chapter And there appeared a great wonder in heaven a woman cloathed with the Sun c. The fourth thing to be enquired into is What this great Red Dragon or Wonder is It is the old Serpent called the Devill and Sathan which deceiveth the old world Revel. 12. 9. Revel. 20. 2. And he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devil and Sathan and bound him a thousand years So that if any enquire what the great Red Dragon is that Iohn saw It is the old Serpent called the Devill and Sathan but what is the old Serpent the Devill and Sathan He is called the Devil and Sathan and he is the Devil and Sathan The Wonder is the Dragon in heaven the Dragon is the old Serpent the old Serpent is the Devil and Sathan I pray mind it for there are some now adayes that hold neither Dragon old Serpent Devill not Sathan you see that there are such and that from Scripture if you do not deny Scripture and I my self by woful experience have found that there are such Quest But may some say What is the cause why the Dragon is the old Serpent and the Serpent is called the Devill and Sathan Answ. The Dragon is the old Serpent because the Serpent was from the begining he it was that craftily and subtilly insinuated into Adam and Eve and prevailed with them for to eate that the fruit whereof was death and he is called the Serpent because of his subtiltie and because of those windings and turnings that are in him as I shal shew hereafter and the Serpent is called the Devill because of his accusing the Saints day and night before God for the word devill signifies an Accuser and he is called Sathan because of that aversness that is in him against the Saints for Sathan signifies an Adversary the Serpent Devill and Sathan are nothing but the Dragon multiplyed the Dragon come forth into variety the Dragon made known under three denominations for as I said before the Dragon is the Serpent and the Serpent is called the Devill and Sathan and he is the Devil and Sathan The fifth thing to be enquired into is what those Epethites are which are given to the great Red Dragon they are two First he is Great Secondly he is Red First he is Great that is he is a hughe Dragon very large and big his greatness doth many times affright a Saint it was not a little one that Iohn saw but a great one such a one as did beget admiration a Saints adversary is a great Devil a mighty one not a small one that is the reason many times that Saints are faint to take to themselves the whole Armour of God to withstand strong and great Goliah Secondly He is Red That is another Epethite which is given to the Dragon as greatness holds forth bigness and mightiness so redness betokens bloudiness cruelty O! he is a bloudy and cruel Dragon no less than the bloud of Saints will content him If he can but draw bloud of a Saint he is satisfied Saints see what an enemy you have to wrestle with but let not his greatness and bloudiness affright you for he is a chained Dragon Jude v. 6. The sixt thing to be enquired into is the place where he is that is in Heaven John saw this wonder in Heaven Heaven as I said before was the glory of God It is not a local place which some fancie to be in the Firmament neither consisteth it in meats and drinks but in Righteousness Peace and Joy Rom. 14. 17. The seventh thing to be enquired into is what the great red Dragons seven heads are Seven you know is a perfect number and the head holds forth Wisdom Policy and Craftiness for in the head are all these We use to say such a one hath a wise crafty politique head So that the meaning is this That there is a perfection of Wisdom Policy and Craftiness in the great red Dragon to
the windings of his tail are against Jesus Christ so they are against us He tempts us as I said before somtimes to question our son-ship and somtimes to destroy our selves and someimes to fall down and worship him by his setâ—ing before us the glory of the world as he did before Christ The eleventh thing to be enquired into is What the third part of the stars of Heaven are which by the tail of the great red Dragon are drawn out of heaven and cast into the earth The third part of the stars of heaven are those that are unstable infirm unsetled not built upon the sâ—re foundation that in appearance have shined like stars in heaven they are not to be understood the material stars but it is a Metaphorical kind of expression borrowed from the stars they shined as the stars As there hath bin some in our days that have shined so in shew but are now cast down out of heaven into the earth so that now their lights are put out they themselves are become earthly worldly carnal and the like The twelfth thing to be be enquired into is What the earth is into which the great red Dragon casteth the third part of the stars of heaven The earth somtimes is put for the men of the earth As O earth hear the word of the Lord sometimes it is put for the material earth as Gen. 1. 20. but here it is to be taken for that which the first man is off the first man is of the earth earthly so that it is taken for that earthly mindedness worldliness wickedness wretchedness and filthiness which was in Adam after his fall The thirteenth thing to be enquired into is What the meaning of the great red Dragons standing before the woman which was ready to be delivered is standing is a posture of readiness to devour so that it holds forth this the readiness that the Dragon is in to devour the man-child and that term before her that is before the womans face facing of the woman the womans readiness to be delivered signifies her being nigh at hand to bring forth Now what a sad thing it would be for a woman to have one that seeks her life and the life of her child stand facing of her when she is ready to bring forth it will endanger both the woman and child so it is here O what a sad thing it is to the Church of Christ to have the great red Dragon stand facing of her when she is ready to be delivered of Jesus Christ it is the only way to make the Church of Christ miscarry Thus you see that the meaning of the Dragons standing before the woman holds forth That there is a readiness in the Dragon to devour the Babe either by facing of the woman and so making of her miscarry by reason of fear or by devouting of the Babe when he is born The fourteenth thing to be enquired into is what the meaning of that saying is for to devour her child as soon as it was born To devour is to eat up quite to make an end of as soon as it was born that is so soon as it was brought forth So soon as ever the Saints of God are in a readiness to bring forth Christ in them the great red Dragon stands before their face for to devour him he cannot endure Christ should be in them or brought forth in them but seeks to destroy him 〈◊〉 just as Herod and the Scribes and Pharisees after Christ was born did seek to devour Christ without us so the Dragon seeks to devour him within us and for this purpose she stands before us and faceth us that he might be the more ready to catch and lay hold of Christ and quash the appearing of him in us You know what a sad thing it would be for a woman to have her child as soon as it was brought forth snatcht from her and devoured and eaten up before her face O how it would trouble her So for a soul to have Jesus Christ so soon as he is brought forth in it snatcht from it and devoured and eaten up before its face O what a sad case that soul will be in O how it will cry out for is Jesus is Jesus as the woman would for her child O my child my child The terms in the words being thus explained the first Thesis or Basis upon which I shall build my discourse is this That there is such a thing as the great red Dragon in heaven It is cleer from the words and it is cleer from other Scriptures as that Scripture in Luke 10. 18. saith Christ to his Disciples I beheld Satan fall as lightning from heaven he was in heaven and Christ saw him fall from his seat Question But you will ask me What Is Satan in heaven To that I answer as followeth First Satan in heaven is Satan in a Priestly shape Secondly Satan in heaven is Satan in a Prophetical shape Thirdly Satan in heaven is Satan in a Kingly shape First of all Satan in heaven is Satan in a Priestly shape appearing as the Priest Christ Jesus acting his Priesthood doing the very office and work of Christ as offering sacrifice to God putting up petitions to him praying and the like Secondly Satan in heaven is Satan in a Prophetical shape as the Prophet Christ acting him as a Prophet prophesie as he did that is to say speak to edification exhortation reproof and of things to come O how Satan hath bin in heaven in some in this respect in our days In what a Prophetical shape he hath appeared who have prophesied out of their own hearts who have followed their own spirits and have seen nothing but vanity and lying Divination saying The Lord saith and the Lord hath not sent them and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word and they have with their lyes made the heart of the righteous sad when God hath not made sad Ezek. 13. All which we cannot but see fulfilled in our days Thirdly Satan in heaven is Satan in a Kingly shape acting the Kingly Office of Christ reigning ruling and commanding within the heart and without as Christ But to make things more plain the Dragon in heaven is the Dragon on high Secondly The Dragon in glory Thirdly The Dragon at rest For heaven presents us with all these three things Height Glory and Rest First of all The Dragon in heaven is the Dragon on High that is to say in the Chair Seat and Temple of God shewing himself that he is God and saying that he is God 2 Thes. 2. 4. He it is that exalts himself as the Eagle that sets his nest among the stars Obad. 1. 4. He is that Lucifier that ascends into heaven and that exalts his Throne above the stars that sits upon the mount of the Congregation in the sides of the North Isa. 14. 13. He is that Capernaum which is exalted unto heaven and which shall be
to thy face even before thy face Satan cannot endure a Job but he is always accusing and setting upon him And the Lord said unto him Behold he is in thy hand but save his life Though God delivers us with Job into the hands of Satan yet he will not have Satan take away our life As Satan presented himself before the Lord with the sons of God so he doth now present himself with the Saints before God but it is to accuse us to God that he might have a commission from God to set upon us to afflict us not only in our goods but in our body He speaks of us to God as he did of Job It is not for nought that yo serve God saith Satan to poor Souls you fear him for this and for that he hath thus and thus blessed you and made a hedg about you and if God should put forth his hand and touch you you would curse him See his subtilty in Zech. 3. 1. There is Satan standing at the right hand of Joshua the high Priest who stood before the Angel of the Lord His subtilty in standing at Joshuahs right hand was to resist and withstand Joshuah Satan he had espyed Ioshuahs filthy rayments that were upon him as he stood before the Angel Now his subtilty in standing there was to withstand Joshuah Thou hast filthy garments and standest thou before the Angel what dost thou here with these filthy garments on thee But afterwards he was clothed with change of rayment So he speaks to a poor Soul many times when he presents himself before God What dost thou here with these sinful garments upon thee how dar'st thou come before God with these thereby to keep it from God this is his subtilty And we may see his subtilty in the words he stands before the woman but it was to devour the man-child Secondly We shall a little consider the Dragons power But you wil ask me what is it First The power of the Dragon is expressions of Scripture Secondly Sin Thirdly Darkness First The power of the Dragon is expression of Scripture I pray bear with me a little In this expression my meaning is he makes use of Scripture whereby to strengthen himself against a Saint as he did against Christ see how he did it against Christ in Mat. 4. 6. saith the Devil to Christ Cast thy self down for he hath given his Angels charge over thee to bear thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against the stones So he saith to a poor Soul Thou mayst kill thy self God hath given his Angels charge over thee to keep thee As the strength of sin is the Law so the strength of Satan is Scripture as I may so say Secondly Sin The power of the Dragon is sin that is the Dragon makes use of sin whereby to strengthen himself against a Soul 1 John 3. 6. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not Whosoever sinneth hath not seen nor known him Now saith the Dragon to the Soul You do not abide in God because you sin you have sinned saith the Devil and you cannot deny it and therefore you have not seen nor known God when as the Soul hath not only sinned but only the Law in the flesh sin in the Soul not the mind hath sinned Now for want of distinction between the spiritual part and the fleshly part of the Soul the Soul is so troubled by Satan that it knows not what to do Thirdly Darkness The power of the Dragon is darkness that is he makes use of darkness whereby to strengthen himself against the Soul If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye 1 Joh. 1. 6. Now saith the Dragon You are in the dark and you walk in darkness and the Soul knows it is in darkness therefore you have no fellowship with God and Christ And the poor Soul is troubled that it knows not what to do when as that darkness is called there a hating our brother 1 Ioh. 2. 11. Thirdly We shall a little speak of the Dragons glory His glory is honor repute esteem preferment his crowns which are upon his heads are his glory which hold forth royalty and rule as I said before That angelical light into which he is changed is his glory that heavenly light in which he appears to Saints is his glory his lamb-like horns are his glory his seeming savor of piety zeal and holiness is his glory as I said before If it be so That there is a multiplicy of subtilty strength and glory in the red Dragon to accuse set upon tempt and destroy then take heed of his subtilty power glory lest you be ensnared in either if he cannot catch you by his subtilty he will have you by his power and if he cannot have you by his power then he will catch you by his glory Be you therefore wise as Serpents and consider what you have to deal withall watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation and let your eyes be always opened for this Dragon goes up and down like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour The fourth Basis or Thesis upon which I shall build my Discourse is this That no sooner is the Church of Christ ready to bring forth Christ in her but the Dragon stands ready before her face to devour him This is clear from the words The Dragons aim is not so much to devour the Church of Christ though he stands before it but Christ in the Church of Christ his enmity is more at Christ then the woman he cannot endure Christ should be in the Church he will labor as much as possible he can to devour him and the reason of it is because he is to rule with a rod of Iron the Nations Now the Dragon he would rule and therefore the Dragon hath great wrath against the Lamb knowing his time to be short When he was seen by Iohn to be cast out of Heaven into Earth he falls a persecuting the woman that brought forth Christ When the Dragon could do nothing to Christ he sets upon the woman when she was flying into the wilderness which is her place where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the face of the Serpent The Dragon casteth out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away therewith And when the Dragon could do no good with the woman he was wroth with her and went to make War with the remnant of her seed First he seeks to destroy Christ in us if he cannot prevail that way then he will seek to devour the woman that brings forth Christ when he cannot do that then he will seek to devour her seed First If it be so That no sooner is the Church of Christ ready to bring forth Jesus Christ but the Dragon stands ready to devour him then let the woman and her seed beware of him let her seed especially
And as for the woman she hath a place prepared for her in the Wilderness from the face of the Serpent Revel. 12. 14. A great blessedness it is though it be in the wilderness that is in a bewilded state for there the child Jesus is kept from the Dragons mouth O ye remnant of the womans seed therefore the Dragon went to make war with you and therefore I will direct my speech to you It is you the Dragon aims at it is you the Dragon will have about with it is you that he will make war with stand to your arms therefore be not without your weapons always in your hands be always girt about with truth and having on the brest-plate of Righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace and above all take the shield of Faith wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the Devil And take the helmet of Salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance lest you be conquered and your Jesus devoured before your face Above all take the shield of Faith The best weapon to fight against the Dragon is Faith Quest But you will ask me What is it and how shall we use it I shall according to my light shew you that because Faith is little spoken of now adays and so make an end Ans. First I shall shew you what Faith is It is the fixing of the heart on Christ Ps. 57. 7. It is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Hebr. 1. 1. First of all Faith is the substance of things hoped for by us that is it is the ground or confidence of things hoped for it gives us ground and confidence of things that are hoped for by us Secondly It is the evidence of or it is that which evidenceth to our spirits things not seen that is things we do not see it is that which evidenceth to us things not seen or it is the conviction of things not seen by us it convinceth us of things not seen The next thing is how faith is to be used against the Dragon just as Iacob used it when he wrestled with the Angel But how was that See Gen. 32. 24 25 26 27 28 29. And Iacob was left alone and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day And when he saw that he prevailed not against him he touched the hollow of Iacobs thigh and the hollow of Iacobs thigh was out of joynt Here is Iacob and an Angel wrestling together till break of day here is the Angel not prevailing when the Angel saw he prevailed not against Iacob he put Iacobs thigh out of joynt as he wrestled with him which was to try Iacobs faith See here the hollow of Iacobs thigh out of joynt After the doing of which by the Angel he saith Let me go Iacob The Angel would have been gone had not Iacobs faith kept him from going Saith Iacob I will not let thee go without a blessing As if he should have said Bless me and then thou shalt go I must be blessed and I am resolved to be blessed notwithstanding the hollow of my thigh is out of joynt Here is Iacobs faith he would not let go but he would hang upon the Angel still Just as if two were wrestling together and the one should put out the hollow of the thigh of the other and that other though he could not wrestle should hang upon the other and hold him with his hands So it is here Iacob though he cannot wrestle yet he hangs upon and holds with his hands the Angel and is resolved he will hang there and if the Angel went he would go with him hanging upon him unless the Angel blessed him Behold what faith is here When the Angel saw he would not let him go unless he blessed him the Angel asked him his name and he said his name was Iacob And the Angel said Thou shalt no more be called Iacob but Israel which signifies a prevailer and conqueror There is the blessing So that let your hearts be fixed on Christ as one that is not only above you that is to say in the Heavens but also within you and do not mind the Dragon so much as faith in Christ We fight against the Dragon and sin many times and never think of Christ but let your eyes be set upon him and do not wrestle with the Dragon but with Christ against the Dragon and then you wrestle aright We wrestle with the Dragon and not with Christ against the Dragon we never think of him and that is the reason we do not prevail Wrestle with Christ against the Dragon and let your eyes be placed on him and though he touch the hollow of your thigh put it out of joynt as I may so say that is take away your strength so that you cannot wrestle with Christ as many times he doth take away our power to see whether we though we cannot wrestle yet will depend and hang upon him tell Christ if he attempts to go away from you that though you cannot wrestle with him yet you will depend and hang upon him that if he go away it shall be with you hanging upon him though he say to you Let me go yet do you reply again to him and say We will not let thee go except thou bless us Then he will enquire of your names and give you other names and call you Israelites that is Prevailers over the Dragon FINIS