A plain explanation of the whole Revelation of Saint John Very necessary and comfortable…A plaine explanation of the vvhole Revelation of Saint John Very necessary and comfortable…

Whereas the Church is said to bring forth a Man-Child; it is first meant of Christ, and then of his members and servants in the beginning of the Church, whom now he hath joined unto him in his kingdom, but principally it is to be understood of Christ, that valiant one, who albeit he was stung on the ⟨p. 75⟩Cross by the Serpent, yet even thereby he overcame, and after was taken up to heaven, and had victory, triumphing over the devil, over sin, and over all his enemies, and the enemies of the Church.

Whereas the Church is said to bring forth a Man-Childe; it is first meant of Christ, and then of his members and seruants in the beginning of the Church, whom now hee hath ioyned vnto him in his kingdome, but principally it is to be vnderstood of Christ, that valiant one, who albeit hee was stung on the ⟨p. 75⟩Crosse by the Serpent, yet euen thereby hee ouercame, and after was taken vp to heauen, and had victory, triumphing ouer the diuell, ouer sinne, and ouer all his enemies, and the enemies of the Church.

Then it is said, there was a battle in heaven; by heaven, he meaneth the militant Church of God, under the Gospel, which is the part of Gods kingdom, for the kingdom of God which is begun even in earth. The principal in this battle is first Michael, to wit, Christ, and with him his Angels; namely, the godly Saints, with the good Angels on the one side, and on the other side, the Dragon with his Angels; namely, the wicked spirits and wicked men. But the godly overcome the Dragon and his Angels: the means whereby they overcome, is through the blood of the Lamb, which is their principal armour; being such, as that albeit they themselves were killed, notwithstanding by reason hereof, they were made conquerors, and were now received into the kingdom of heaven, and Satan is thrown out of the kingdom. Which thing when Satan saw, as namely, that now he had lost all his advantage, as it were, and that he could have nought to do with them any more, they being now triumphing in the kingdom of God, he waxeth mad as it were, and rageth against the earth more fiercely then before.