vour her child as foon as it was born," Rev. xii. 4. Wherein we are to obferve the malice and fury of Satan, in that he watcheth fo narrowly to devour the bleffed feed, even the Saviour of the world, fo foon as he was born. And for this caufe he ftirred up Herod the king fubtilely to seek him out by the wife men, that he might kill him: and afterward most cruelly practifed the fame, by murdering fo many innocents. But this is always a general truth, that Satan feeketh to fmother not only Chritt, but every member of his in the cradle; yea, to blaft them in the bud, before ever they come to fruit or flower.

'So fhe brought forth a man-child, which fhould rule all nations with a rod of iron, and that her child was taken up to God and his throne,' Rev. xii. 5.

Notwithstanding the malice and watchfulness of Satan, yet the church bringeth forth Chrift, which fhould rule and overrule all nations with a rod of iron; that is, the fceptre of his word, as it is in Pfalm ii. and with the rod of his mouth, as the prophet fpeaketh.

Moreover it is faid, that this child was ⚫ taken up unto God and his throne.' That is, Chrift by his refurrection did take poffeffion of his chair of ftate in defpite of Herod, Pontius Pilate, the priests, the pha

rifees, and all other his enemies, which fought to keep him down: and now he be ing afcended unto heaven, doth draw all his members unto him, in fpite of the devil and all his imps.

And the woman fled into the wildernefs, where fhe hath a place prepared of 'God, that they fhould feed her there a 'thoufand two hundred and threefcore 'days,' Rev. xii. 6.

Now after the woman's child was fet in fafety, here is fhewed what became of the woman herfelf: to wit, that fhe was fo fore pursued by the fcribes and pharifees, and by the priests and elders, that fhe was glad to fly into the wilderness. The natural sense and meaning of this place is, that when the church began to grow after Christ's afcenfion, and the number of the disciples to increase exceedingly, as we read in the fecond of the Acts, Satan did fo greatly malign it, and began to be in fuch a rage, that he would have eaten them up ail at a bite, and rooted them out at once, that fo the woman might have no more being in the earth. And therefore we read Acts viii. that after the ftoning of Stephen, there was fuch a perfecution raifed up against the church by the high-priefts, the princes of the Jews, the pharafees, and all that vile crew, that all the apoftles and difciples of

of Chrift were scattered and difperfed here. and there in the heathen countries, and amongst the heathen people, which here are called the wilderness, that is to fay, ground untilled, defolate and barren of all fruits of godlinefs.

But now may fome man fay, How fhall the church do in the wildernefs? How fhall fhe live? How fhall fhe be fuftained? There is no tilling, no sowing, no planting, there groweth no corn, there is nothing to be had either for food or raiment. Here it is anfwered, that God prepared a place for her, where the fhould be fed; God took up an inn for her: fhe wanted neither food nor raiment in her perfecutions and troubles. Which teacheth, that God doth always provide for his own, even in great miferies, fcarcities, famines, banishments and perfecutions; as fometimes he did for Elias in the time of dearth, and for the children of Ifrael in the wilderness.

The time wherein the church was fed in the wilderness, was, a thoufand two hundred and threefcore days:' that is, during the time of her perfecutions, as before hath been fhewed, Rev. xi. ii.

And there was a battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought.' Rev. xii. 7.

But they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven.' Rev. xii. 8.

Now we are come to the third part of this chapter, which is the battie betwixt Chrift and the devil. For whereas the dragon could not fmother Christ in the cradle, as he endeavoured, and fo deprive the church of all her happiness for ever; now he proclaimeth open war, both against Chrift and all his members, plotting and purpofing to root out the very falvation of the church, though it be founded in Christ. Wherein he fheweth both his impudence and furious madñefs. Michael hère fignifieth Chrift, as in Daniel x. 13. This name is given to Chrift in Daniel, because he is the firft of the chief Princes; that is, he is the head of the angels, who are chief princes, as the apoftle affirmeth.

That Chrift hath his angels joined with him, is not to note any weaknefs or want of strength in Christ alone to overcome his enemies, but to fhew, that as Christ effecteth great wonders in the world; fo for the most part he doth it by inftruments and means; as fometimes angels, fometimes men. But here fpecially it meaneth the apoftles, and their fucceffors; yea, and at this day all Chriftian kings, princes, and potentates of the earth, and all others, which take part

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with Chrift against the devil and his inftruments.

Well, here we fee that these two gene rals and grand captains, Michael and the dragon, do mufter both their armies, join battle, and fight a pitched battle, the event and fuccefs whereof is this, that the dragon and his angels go down. O bleffed fuccefs may we fay! For if the devil had prevailed, it had been wo to us: fince this battle was about and concerning the very falvation of mankind by Chrift's death and refurrection. We know how the devil fet upon Chrift alone to tempt him unto fin, that fo he might overthrow the work of our redemption, fuppofing in this combat for to have got the day: but he prevailed not. Afterward, how ftrongly did he oppofe him by his angels; I mean, the fcribes and pharifees, the high-priefts and elders of the people; yea, all the devils in hell, and his whole infernal army, not only in murdering and crucifying his natural body, but alfo in using all forcible and cunning means to keep him down, that he might never rise

up again; as the great stone upon his tomb, the fealing of it, the watch fet to keep it! For the devil knew right well, that if Christ rofe again, he fhould lofe the field: for the refurrection of Chrift is our actual juftification, And Chrift was mightily declared

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