39z A evelation ofthe Apocalypfe. C A P.12. The defcription doth agree very excellently to the Primitive Chureh,as there is noman that can be ignorant of it,who hath fainted the_Hiftory even at thethrefhold.It was molt glorious with the cloth- nag that was made Hof the righteoufneffe of faith, by retaining that doc`frine faithfully which it had received from Chrif ,theApoflles,the Euangelifts, and other ApofloI4ke, men. Neither was it yet defloured with the dregs of mans invention, but inher whole worfhip, difci- pline,life and manners. She, had the Moon under her feet, following the holyTruth as her Load-flay: There was one form of government in all Churches ; namely, that that is delivered us in the Ails ofthe .Apoftles, and the reft of their Writings. Or ifany like better to refer the Moon to the vanityofworldly things, how free was it from am- bition, and the delire of honours ? How did it abhor the defireof riches, and contention about worldly dignities? How plain and Pimple is the Hiflory of this time in Eufebius ? The Bithops are by name reckoned up that were notable for life or doCrine, their corn. bats writings and fufferings are fpoken of,the proud titles of honours and dignities were nowhere known to the world as yet;theburning mountains Wae not ar yet call into the Sea. Neither had Satan brought in Prelatical' pomp and pride into the theepfold of the Lord; but the Faflors having work enough to do, its looking every one to the health ofhis own flock,and not having leafitre or pleafure to heap up riches and high Titles, to make a Pontifical! pompous thewwithall, did by this means preferve and exercife fingular modeftie amongtf themfelves. There was only Paulus Samofatenus, that loved to be called mag- nifcall Lord, as the fore- runner of AntichrifJ, being attended upon w itha kinde ofguard, force of them going before him, others, and thole many innumber,following after : See the Epiftle of the Synod in Eufebien, Boo .Chap. 3o. But this infolencie of his was hateful! to all the reff of the Bithops ; and now alto did thetime approach, wherein the Womanhid her felf,when as this braggardly Bifhopper- ked up in this fafhion. I am not ignorant,that pride did then fprout forth after forceother wayes; but the Holy Ghofl defcribeth theWo- man by thofe marks, which were as yet openly to be feen, not by thofe which grew upprivily, and towards the end of that flourifh- ing efiate ofhers. Such was this Church, and fuchought every one to be ; but fuch an one as this, there was never any fnce that time. For we (hail finde thofe that follow, clothed not with the Sun, but with the darkneffe of the night, not treadingupon theMoon, but creeping
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