C A P.12. ,,Ilevelatîóra ofthe Apocalypfe. 399 And yet this defert is that place that was prepared for her by God, as we have feen by that fo exac`} meafuring of the Temple , that was ufed: For God cared for her,and provided her an hiding piace,how- foever he fuffered her to want her publick folemnity. The condition of the Church While fhe thus lurked, is[itch , that fhe was fed by the help of certainmen. But who are thefe ? Even thofe two Prophets of whomwe heard in the former Chap.verf.3.And that power Which Was given tbcm to prophecy, was this office of feeding the Woman. For as God did of old feed the lfraelites in the wildernefs, by raining down Manna from heaven , fo hee prepared meat for the Woman, when (he was in this defert. Yea and more then that , hee would have enjoy ned the Ravens to take that office upon them of feeding her, as we faw hee did for Eli& fake , rather then hee wouid have fuffered her toperifh with famine. This is that time thereforewher- i-n-thofe that overcame did feed upon that hidden Manna, as wee (hewed upon the Epif ie to the Church of Pe gamin, Chap.z.17. Thefpace of time wherein Thee fhould live thus in obfcurity,.and want her publick liberty , is that fpace of a thoufand tWo hundred and threefcore daycs, the famewherein thofe tWo WitneJesfhouldpro- phefe clothed in fack-cloth, Chapter 11.3. The agreement of all which things doth teach us, that this Wildernefs is that Temple , and that this continuance of banifhment in the wildernefs,is that abode that was made in theTemple. Out of which wee may gather, that -the fame beginning is to be given to bothof them ; namely, the fixt feal, as we have (hewed at large, Chapter 11.2. Into which time alto that feeling fell , 'of which wee heard, Chapter 7. All which things do moft ftrongly confirm that interpretation-of ours which wehave hitherto made. $ut why doth the Woman fly away, when (he is thus bleffed , and advanced by means of fo powerful( a-Son, whobefore this, when fhe was barren, and was in fogreat painsáf travelling in child-birth, did fo valiantly bear off the fury of the 'Dragon? Certainly it could not be the fear of theEnemy that- did thus put her to flight, but rather an intollerable irkfomnefs,by means of force home-bred evill. And fo indeed it carne to paffe , that the fecurity which fhe fell intoby this birthof her Sen, took away from her all care of true piety. For now when the yoke of tyrannie was driven off from her (houlders,(hegave hermind to increafe & further contentions and ambition. Now fl a had leifure'tofeek out the Re- licks ofSaints,to confecrate temples to the Martyrs, & tomake fup- plications at every fhrine,There were no- outward troubles that did MO-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=