A34679:707
An exposition upon the thirteenth chapter of the Revelation by that reverend and eminent…
An exposition upon the thirteenth chapter of the Revelation by that reverend and eminent servant of the Lord, Mr. John Cotton ... ; taken from his mouth in short-writing, and some part of it corrected by himself soon after the preaching thereof ; and all of it since viewed over by a friend to him ... wherein some mistakes were amended, but nothing of the sense altered.
London: printed for Tim. Smart, 1656
Title page typeset from the transcription.
AN EXPOSITION Upon the thirteenth Chapter of the REVELATION. › Part
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Thirdly, He doth great wonders, so that he makes fire come from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of men: And it is said, Antichrist shall come in all power of signs and lying wonders, 2 Thes. 2. 8, 9. Their Legions are full of these wonders: And in particular, for this point, of causing fire to come down from Heaven: It is an allusion sure to the fire that the old Prophet fetched from Heaven: As Elijah fetched fire from Heaven to consume the sacrifice, 1 Kings 18. 38, 39. And that was a fire that expressed Gods gracious acceptance, that made all the people cry, the Lord he is God: But this the Pope did not fetch sure, he never fetched any acceptance from Heaven. But you read of another fire fetched from Heaven by Elijah, and that was, to destroy those that mocked him, 2 Kings 1. 10. 12. Which practise when James and John would have followed in Luke 9. 54, 55, 56. You shall read, that they being offended with the Samaritans because they would not receive them; Master say they, shall we call for fire from Heaven to consume them as Elijah did? Our Saviour utterly rejects that; You know not, saith he, of what spirit ye are: Now mind you, that fetching fire from ⟨p. 232⟩Heaven, which is to destroy mens lives, and not save them, that James and John are taught to refuse, as being incompatible to the Gospel: But that which they refuse, the Successor of Peter, as they call him, takes up; if any Scribe, or Pharisee, or Samaritan refuse him, then fire comes down from Heaven, consuming fire, and vengeance, and wrath, and blood-shed, and extremity of outraged evils he causeth to come down upon them; and in pretence from Heaven, to destroy the Church and people of God, that I take to be the chief par• of the meaning of that. But if any man will urge the letters of the Text (which you need not in mystical Scriptures) yet it is not without truth therein.
Thirdly, He doth great wonders, so that he makes fire come from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of men: And it is said, Antichrist shall come in all power of signes and lying wonders,