And it was given unto him to make war with the
saints
The remnant of the woman's seed, ( Revelation
12:17 ) , whom God has set apart for himself, Christ has
cleansed from sin by his blood, and the Holy Spirit has
sanctified by his grace; and who under the influence of it live
holy lives and conversations; against such Satan always bore an
enmity; and it is an aggravation of the wickedness of the Romish
antichrist, that he makes war with such, which he is stirred up
to by Satan, with a malicious intent, and is permitted by God for
the trial of the faith and patience of his people: this war of
antichrist, with the saints, may be understood not merely
spiritually, of his anathemas, excommunications, bulls, and the
like, but literally, of his drawing the temporal sword against
them; see ( Revelation
13:10 ) ; and bringing of armies against them, and fighting
pitched battles; and it is thought there may be a special regard
had to his war with the Waldenses and Albigenses, in which war it
is said that a million were slain; and may take in all his ways
and methods of destroying the saints, by the bloody Inquisition,
murders, massacres, and punishments of all sorts; and also his
last war with the two witnesses, in which they will be slain,
which is yet to come, ( Revelation
11:7 ) ;
and to overcome them:
not so as to submit to him, and to forsake the doctrines and
ordinances of Christ, but by killing them; and who, by dying in
the faith and cause of Christ, overcome Satan, get the victory
over the world, and antichrist, and are more than conquerors
through him that has loved them.
And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and
nations;
in the Roman empire, which wondered after him, and worshipped
him, and over whom he has reigned, and has exercised both a
temporal and spiritual jurisdiction; see ( Revelation
17:15 Revelation
17:18 ) .