C A .12,.' AKetielationof the .Apocalypfe. 409 ment of God, bee:We men would not maintain and embrace the truth with that faithfulnefs,holinelsand love,as it was worthy of,and that therefore the coles ofthe Altar when they were r aft upon the earth, did kindle that fire of contention. Now we are taught lìeie , what was the chief Agent in all thcfe Stirs , namely the Dragon h imfelf, whomade men fo unmeafurably mad, that fo he might by their help fcourge the poor woman. r 4.. But thewoman had twowings given her. Here we fee by what way the woman efcaped that aílàult, which the Dragon made againft her, which was no other, but of oon as ever fhe could to provide for her fafety by flying, and fo gettingher felf away from chafe troubles. Therefore while the afrcrnblics of thefaithfull were fil- ledwith fuperflitions; the B ifbops were bickering together through hatred and contentions, whileConftantine and Valens made havock of all,with fire and fword, the truth that had been preferved i* the Primitive Church, fled quite away, (for the had been preparing her fclf to flight in force fort now ofa long time ) and the naturall. beauty` of a true Churches face was not any where to be feen. For the furtheringoilier lwiftnefs in flyingaway, the bath two wings given her, yea and thofe of a great Eagle. God when he departedfrom his temple ofold tithe; went leafurely,and by little and little,Ezech. tg.3.But the woman who did retyre fomewhat (lowly before this time , doth not get her away fo (lowly and pace by pace now,but vanifhed away in one moment as it were. Andyet the fled not away becaufe the fearedthe bloody cruelty of Conftantine or Valens , or any other fttch Tyrant (foe Ilse learnt this leflon long tìnce,to defptfe fword, fire,wracking,or any other moll extreme torments.)Btit when the law that Cbrift was oppugned under a faceof the Chriftian Religion , and that not the bodies tamely of Chriflians, but theirminder alai were fought for to defiruthion , .fl ie held this to be amatter by no means to be endured. She flieth away therefore, through an hatred which the had conceived, of this indignity that was offered her , even fhe whom no other danger could difmay. 'For Ihewas ever wont tobe more horribly afraid ofherefie, thenof bodily torments, and more to tremble at wicked and obflinate errours, then at anybloody butchering fire knew well enough, that the blood of the Martyrs was tic onely feed to make her field fruit_full ; and that every drop of blood that was (bed in Chrifts eaufe, did beget many Chriftians more; but file knew that abfurd and wicked opinions do make a lean and barren ground like fait that is fown, partly by killingup that which is good and fìotrifhing, partly by Iiindring all good from fpringingup. Wherefore it is not enough for Chriftian Prices, that would be counted truly Religious, to procure an outward peace for the Chriflian profeffren, but they muff withall principally fee to this, that the integrity of do' urine, and thepurity of gods worOpmay beprefcrved , leafl that the Church which they would fainkeep with themfebres, flie Away from them, and fo they become naiferablefor want of her, whom; they negletìed when 'Ole was::prefent, which was the Cafe of thefe Empereurs. But when was it, thatthe Churehfledaway ? Was there now no faithfull.peöple inall theEáft? For thé.anfwèr.hereöf,wemuff obferve and know, that the woman here doth reprefent the perfon both of the whole Church generally, as altoof the particular congregations, inwhich chofe goodly ornaments are to be found,which made the woman look fo glori oufìy, is the beginning of this Chapter. The
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