Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BS2096.A1 1701 .P3

Ch. rz. Michael's Conflua Revelation. with the Dragon. Ch. r z feed her there a thoufand two hun- Note, r. IfChrittian Kingdoms be fo ho- dred and threefcore days. notable, and calla the Kingdoms of God, 6. Say Come, the Church throughout the Em- and the Power ofChrift, andthe Fall of De. pire, peritcuted by Nero for three Years and a vils, let them better confider it, that cry cheat half, was put to worship God inobscurity, and down under the name of National Churches,. as in Flight, ( but Nerds Perfecution was before and would have Churches to be only Come gá-, yohn wrote this, if under Domitian). Others they'd out ofthe multitude. more probably refer it to the later Roman Per. euef. Why dorh Satan accub Saintsday fècutions, under which God kept his Church and night Co God, who never receiveth bfs falls till its Deliverance. And Come uededtand it of lccufatiors ? lnf. I. He hash. too many true Antichrift's driving the pure Church as into a Accufationsagainft them. 2. He fheweth his Wildernefs. malice, ciao' without fuccef. 3,. He aecufeth 7. And there was war in heaven, them, bySlanderers and Life Witneffes,: to tho Michael and his angels fought a ainft Rulers of the World, and to the People, to kee the dragon, and the dragon fought, nefsP them in hatred of Faith and Godli- and his angels. 8. And prevailed not, r r. And they overcame him by the neither was their place found any blood of the Lamb, and by the word more in heaven. of their Teftimony, and they loved 7, 8. Some expound this of the Conflia at not their lives unto the death. Rome, between Simon Magus and Simon Peter I r. Not only Chrift, but the Faithful under ( long beforeyob: wrote this, if the Story be him, conquer Satan, and Heathens, and all the true). Others more probably fay, it reprefenrs Churches Enemies, t. by the Blood ofChrili, the Churches Perfecution by the Heathen Em- whole Sufferings, trotted to, are the merit of perms (efpecially Dioclefian, Maxenruss, Lid- their Succeffes. a. By the Word of God nisu, &c.) and their final overthrow by Confiar- preach'd, pleaded and wimefïed by them. 3. By tine, by a War in Heaven, of which this was their Sufferings and Martyrdoms. the effeó4. By Michael Come mean Chrifl, others 12. Therefore rejoice ye heavens, rather that Arch-angel mention'dDan. to. who and ye that dwell in them woe to was Guardian Princeover 7frael, and is now the inhabiters of the earth, and of the fach to the Church. And whether fach have real War in the Air with Devils, is doubtful. lea, for the devil is come down unto. Rut the caking out Devil-worship in the Empire you, having great wrath, becaufe he is here meant, as the Effeff: knoweth that he hath but a fhort 9. And the great dragon was call time. out, that old ferpent, called the Devil t2. Lyra thought that this was cafree King andSatan, which deceived) the whole or Perfe, who being conqyuer'd by Heraliue, world : hewas cat' out into the earth, gave the Church great cauCe of joy, but wo. ' fully opprefsd his own Subjets; rho., being and his angels were cart out with old, he had not long to do ir. Dr. H. faith, it him' was the Church's Joy and the Devil's Rage for 9. By the Similitude of caging down from the overthrowof Simon and that now Heavento Earth, is fignified, that Saran and he forefaw the- fall of his Kingom, he Cet on /Vetoers were caR out of power and honour in foot Nero's Perfécution. Others, That the Em. die World, as Earth is oppos'd to the Church pire turning Chriftians, the Devil raged by ya. and Empire. lian,Valenr, and filch others, for a little while, 1o. And I heard a loud voice, fay- both againd Laity and Clergy. Some think. ing , Now is come falvation, and that it is properly thoíé inHeaven that rejoice : f'rength, and the kingdom of our Others, that it is the Church on Earth s Others, God, and the power of his Chrift : that it is both. AndCome fay, It is upon the P approach of the Millenium,after the Fall ofAn. for the accufer of our brethren is can tichrilt. down, which accufed them before our Note; r. To be deliverd from Satan, and God dayand night. fee his Kingdom fall, is matter of great Joy. to. The Church triumphant and militant 2. If Satan rage, becaufe he knoweth that his change, which time is short, how much íhosld we he quick. glorifies God for this wonderful Phewd his Rrengthfor the letting up stns King- ned to Diligenceand Hope, when we all know dour, and the exercifeof Chrifi's;Power, and that our time on E rth is short. theSalvation of Men, by conquering the Devil 13 . Azad sohe:la the dragon law that atad the Heathens. he was caft unto the earth, he perfe- cuted

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