The ruin of Rome, or, An exposition upon the whole Revelation wherein is plainly…The ruine of Rome, or, An exposition upon the whole Revelation wherein is plainly…

Then the Dragon was wroth with the woman,¹ and went and made war with the remnant of her seed, which kept the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Then the Dragon was wroth with the woman,¹ and went and made warre with the remnant of her seed, which kept the commandements of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

1. 1Verse 17.

Here we see there is no end of the Devils malice; he is infatigable in mischief: though he have never so many foils, yet he will never give over, but begin again. For whereas ⟨p. 224⟩he could not prevail against the woman, to cast her out of heaven by impeaching her election and salvation in Christ, nor yet root her out of the earth by persecutions, being hid in the wilderness, and locked up in the privy chamber of Gods providence, as sometimes young Joash was locked up in the Priests chamber from the fury of Athalia: ¹now he goeth another way to work, and setteth upon her in her seed and posterity, which remain in the earth unto this day. So that now, sith he cannot do what mischief he would against the Church, yet will he do what he can: seeing he cannot wound her in her head, yet will he bite and pinch at her heel,² as it is written, that he should bruise her heel. And as it is the malice of Satan against the Church; so is the rage and fury of all his members, even all the wicked and ungodly, against the true worshippers of God. They are restless in malice and mischief: if they cannot vex them one way, they will try another: if they cannot touch them in their lives, yet will they molest them in their goods and good name: if they cannot do what they would, yet will they do what they can: they will never give over: if they can spite them in the least thing that