354 AKelvelattori ofthe Apocalypfe. C A t,.11. delivery?What,did í1e fly from one wildernefs into another?But all the errour arifeth hence, becaufe the wildernefs is not defcribed by the proper notes of it.1-or this defolate eftate ofthe Church is not a want fo much of any humane andoutward ayd and protection, but of the gifts of the Holy Ghoft, whet* ith the firft Church abound- ingmoft ptentiEuily, perceived no manner of defolatenefs, although it was quite deltitute of all helpe of men ; It was indeed in every great affliction, by reafon of the cruelty of the Emperours ; but the Dragon when he call= down the thirdpart of the liars upon the earth, took not heaven away from her, neither did he bereave her of her clothing With the Sun,thoughhe bereaved almolt infinite Saints of their bodies. For the excellency and majefty thereof is not to be meafured by outward pomp , andpompons (hew but by the true faith , an the integrity of the. whole worfhip of God , in both which the Church did then chiefly fiourifh more then in all other ages. Having now thus found out to what both time and place there moneths belong, namely, to the Churchesflight, Wildernef'e, hiddenefiate , and that not at her firft beginning, but after a long and molt grievous encountring with the Dr:gon, Chap.t z.6. We mull needs know hereby, that feeing thefe fame moneths are given to the Beaft, Chapter 13. 5. This farjne Beaft is a creature that liveth and haunteth in fomewildernefs ; and indeçd what other place is more fit for wilde beafts, then dens andcaves , filch as be in the wildernefs ? Whereupon this Beaft is afterwards more clearly beheld in the wildernefs, Chap.17.3. And withall, we mull needs hereby know, that this enemy,who [hould thus drive thewoman in- to the wildernefs,and fhould there labor withall his might to annoy and difturbe her refuge and fafe répofe, is not the firft enemy fhee had, thatis, the Roman Empire , but of a fecond fort, namelyAnti- chrifi Out of which is evident, how contrary it is unto the truth, to end thefe moneths in thedeath of Liciniuc, towir,raightwayes after they began. The which may be made the more plain , if wee (hall confider, that if this term be fet unto the moneths, thewhole fixt Trumpet, mull be alto [hut up in a manner within the fame bounds. For there is but avery little of that remaining, when they are ended. How cometh it to paffe then, that the myfterie is notfi- nifhed,as was-foretold,Chap.io.7. fpecially feeing the feventhTrum- pet bath now continued blowing for fo many ages by that account, towit, thefe thoufand three hundred yeers within a little more or lefTe ? Not but that we know, that a thoufand yeers are all one to God
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