as others yet wee doe not warre after the flesh but we fight against the flesh and are not patrons and defenders of the corruptions of the world no nor of the faults which wee our selves are ready enough to act Neither can there be more evident badges and liveries of mere worldly men that are all earth then these 1. to affect and desire onely or principally 2. to imitate and conforme 3. to justifie and defend the crooked waies of the world So much of the Preface now of the Vision A Woman cloathed with the Sunne In this verse and the second verse is the description of one of the Combatants by two arguments 1 her person a woman 2 her properties which are foure 1 her apparrell cloathed with the Sunne 2 her place the Moone under her feete 3. her crowne of twelve starres on her head 4 her fruitfulnesse and pregnansie being with child she cried c. First we must enquire of the person and who this woman is and afterward to the arguments and parts of the description Woman in this mysticall book signifies three things 1 Idols because 1 they are as entising and alluring as wantō women 2 Idolaters goe a whoring after them as uncleane persons after light women chap. 14. 4. these are they which were not defiled with women 2 Women signifies in this book the City of Rome the seat of Antichrist cha 17. 3 the Woman sitting upon the scarlet coloured Beast 1 because in her outward pomp and glorie she is opposed to the chaste spouse of Christ whose glorie is all within 2. because with her the great Kings of the earth have committed fornication chap. 17. ver 2. 3. because she is the mother of fornications called the great whore ver 1. to whose filthines and Idolatries all other are but punies and learners 3 Woman signifies in this booke the true Church the wife and Spouse of Iesus Christ his love his dove his undefiled and so is the word taken in this place Quest. If by the woman be meant the Church whether the Church militant or triumphant for it seemes this woman is gotten above the earth and treads the Moone under her feet and is decked with wondrous glorie Answ. This cannot be meant of the Church triumphant for three reasons 1 This woman is in travaile and paine Now the triumphant Church is past all paines and all her teares are wiped away chap. 21. 4. 2 The Dragon makes this woman flie into the wildernesse this chap. ver 6. but the Church triumphant is now in her palace no more in the wildernesse no more chased with the Dragon for there he hath nought to doe 3 This woman needs food in the wildernesse and is nourished there by meanes appointed by God ver 6. But the Church triumphant hath no need no want no hunger no thirst no meanes of life but Christ himselfe not his two Prophets therefore it agrees onely to the Church militant Quest. But if it be meant of the Church militant whether of the Church of the Iewes or of the Gentiles Answ. It is a true vision of the Catholike Church in all ages but is most applicable to the church of the new Testament and Gentiles For 1. Iohn tels us his Prophesie is of things to be done afterwards even after his trance in Pathmos Chap 1. 1. 2. The last words of the 17. verse of this Chapter bring us downe to the times after the Apostles dayes namely to the bloody persecutions of the Heathen Emperors and to the rage of Antichrist against them that kept the testimonie of Iesus 3. This woman was fed in the wildernesse when the outward court was given to the Gentiles and when the two Prophets prophesied in sackcloth to feede her by their holy doctrine all the time of her being there this is confirmed chap. 11. ver 2. 3. compared with chap 12. ver 6. Quest But why is the Church compared to a woman Answ. In two respects First as simply considered in her selfe and this for three causes 1 Because to the woman was first made the promise of the blessed seed who was to breake the Serpents head and it is still made good to the Church under the same similitude for to her all the promises of God properly belong 2 In her selfe considered she is weak and feeble as a woman without her husband Ioh. 15. 5. without me yee can doe nothing All our sufficiency is of God even to thinke a good thought or to name Iesus 3 In her selfe she is as a pure and chast virgin not defiled with Idolatry which is a spirituall harlotry nor running as the Romish strumpet after unchast and wanton lusts 2 Cor. 11. 2. a pure virgin keeps and preserves her selfe for one husband and no more Secondly as the Church stands in relation to other she is fitly called woman For her relation is threefold 1 To God and in this relation she is the daughter of God Cant. 7. 1. Oh daughter of a Prince Psa 45 10 hearken O daughter c. and therefore fitly resembled by a woman whose father is God and whose birth is not after the will of man but borne of God 2 To Christ and in this relation she is the spouse of Christ and so fitly represented by a woman First contracted and espoused to Christ in his incarnation or first comming Cant. 4. 10. my Sister my Spouse And what is the whole booke of Canticles but an holy description of the holy handfasting and contracting of this holy couple Secondly married as his bride and taken home in his second comming to dwell with him for ever 3 To Christians and in this relation she is their mother and so fitly resembled to a woman For a woman through the company of her husband is fruitfull and bringeth forth children so the Church by her conjunction with Christ and the power of his word bringeth forth and nurseth and bringeth up many children to God as this woman ver 2 5. And hence was that speech of the Ancient Hee hath not God for his father that hath not the Church for his mother As this woman is the Spouse of Christ all the professed members of the Church must learne to performe the duties of loving Spouses to Iesus Christ. And it will sort well with this occasion in the one to teach the other and with one labour prosecute urge two great duties Both to put women in mind what dutie they owe as wives to their husbands and all of us as Christians and spouses of Christ that the same duties are due from us to our spirituall head and husband Quest. What are these duties Answ. They are foure 1 To cleave to her husband For when God saw it was not good for the first Adam to be alone he made the woman out of Adams owne ribbe being cast asleepe and brought her and married her unto him as an undivided companion of his
nativity thou wast borne an enemie of God a child of Hell as full of venome and poyson as a toad or serpent But by this birth thou receivest power to be a sonne of God 1 Joh. 3. 2 and the priviledge of sonnes pardon of sinne the favour of god or fatherly affection and a childs portion in that immortall and eternall inheritance and a sweet joy in the assurance of that estate 2 The second marke to know a man borne of this Mother is his crying The first thing which discovers the birth of a Child if alive is the crying of it or else it is still-borne so the new borne child of this Mother cryeth in sense of want of miserie and of spirituall nakednesse In naturall birth is sense of weakenesse and crying after supply so in supernaturall is sense of frailties and much griefe for sinne and the miserable fruits of it And as the child in those wants can doe nothing for it selfe but cry and by crying it gets help so is it with the child of God when he findeth an utter nothing in himselfe but a gulfe of miserie ready to drown him in despaire yet now he hath a spirit which makes him cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. If any of us have never gotten a distinct and sound knowledge of sinnes and the curse of God due to the same nor applied to ourselves that wrath and curse denounced and due to our particular sins of which we are guilty for the humbling and breaking of our hard and stony hearts If we have not out of the sense of an humbled and terrified conscience seene our need of Jesus Christ and from thence have not more earnestly hungred and thirsted after Jesus Christ and cryed as much after pardon of sinne as a condemned man after the Kings gracious pardon These persons may well instruct their conversion and their birth of this woman All thy profession will not make thee a true sonne of the Church except thou cryest in sense of miserie after mercy and grace and this desire be above al other desires in the world On the othe side art thou distressed in conscience in the sense of thy sinne and feare of damnation due to it Doest thou freely confesse thy sinnes and heartily bewaile them Doest thou crie after Christ crucified so as the whole world would not be so sweet as a taste of Christ and the more thou valuest grace dost thou the more thirst and desire after it Oh be of good comfort let not thine estate discourage thee thou art in a good way and a comfortable condition It is a comfort to heare a child new borne to cry it argues both birth and life and so is it here 3 The third note of tryall of one borne of this Mother is sucking An infant so soone as ever it is borne seekes and suckes the breast and so the new borne babe seekes and suckes the sincere milke of the word 1 Pet. 2. 2. And as an infant is never well but when it is sucking night and day and nothing stils the cryes of it or quiets it but the breast so the child of God suppose him but an infant in grace hungerly desires Gods word Gold silver honor pleasure which satisfie carnall men quiet not him only Gods word can quiet and satisfie the heart And as the infant desires the pure breast-milke without any other blending or cookery so Gods children affect chiefly the sincere milke of the word in the plaine evidence of Gods wisedome and care not for blending with froth of wit or humane eloquence but as it comes out of the breasts of the Mother the two Testaments And as the infant sucketh the breast to grow thereby So by the sincere milke the children of God grow in spirituall strength and stature till they come to their talnesse 1 Pet. 2. 2. 4 The fourth note is similitude and likenesse to the father of this birth This mother brings forth children to God in the similitude and Image of god Other Mothers bring children in their owne Image as Adam begat Seth in his owne Image Gen. 5. 3. But what is borne of the spirit is spirit Joh. 3. 6. Now examine how thou expressest the seed of new birth Whom resemblest thou If God be thy father thou resemblest him in quality though not in equality Thou art like him in holinesse in righteousnesse and in the whole divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Our Saviour makes this a sure note of a sonne of God or of the Devill Joh. 8. The Jewes bragge they are sonnes of Abraham ver 39. Christ saith were they sonnes of Abraham they would doe the works of Abraham Then they bragge God is their father ver 41. Christ answereth If God were your father you would love me and resemble him for I came from him and he loves me But I will tell you whose sons you are ye are of your father the Devill for his workes yee doe So thou that professest in the Creed that God is thy Father and thou beleevest in him if in stead of Divine vertues thou expressest impious and vicious behaviour thou art of the Devill whose workes thou doest He delights in blaspheming swearing drunkennesse filthinesse he hates the word the Sabbaths the Ministers he delights in feircenesse slaunders and the like so dost thou Thou professest Jesus Christ thy Lord and Saviour but how dost thou grow in conformity with Christ If thou expressest not his humility patience selfe-deniall holinesse and all Christian vertues in some measure thou art none of his The member will grow in conformity with the head a good child will imitate a good father in goodnesse 5 The fift note of new birth is growth A child once borne growes up to strength and stature A child in nature that still suckes wholsome milke stands not at a pitch but growes every month and quarter sensibly so if thou beest borne of this Mother thou growest 1 In understanding and knowledge 2 Pet. 3. 18. 2 In sound affection and powerfull use of the meanes of salvation As a child the more it growes the more it feeds so a man new borne hath daily more love to the word more reformation by it and outgrowes weakenesses 3. In sound practise of holy duties As a child growes active to naturall and civill actions so the child of God and the Church growes strong to prayer and the parts of Gods pure worship strong to endure the labour of the power of godlinesse 4 In strength for the Christian combate He growes able to beare afflictions and stand under great burdens and crosses for Christ and the Gospell He growes strong in resistance of temptations that he is not now carried ordinarily away neither by the world nor by the God of the world from his place To this marke St. John sends us for tryall of our new birth 1 Joh. 5. 4. He that is borne of God overcommeth the world and ver 18. He
ship of the greatest burden somewhat more slowly but as surely as if a whole side were shattered out Let thy fraught of graces be never so rich one raigning sinne will wrack all One Agag spared shall cost Saul his kingdome and his life one dramme of poyson is enough one swine in a garden to roote up all one dead flie shall make the whole box of ointment to stinke and one sin raigning and unrepented shall slay the soule for ever Secondly He can easily prefer and get countenance to secret sinnes as evill and wandring motions and thoughts to take up the mind by daies and months with foule uncleane desires and purposes yea and practises and actions sutable For Are not thoughts free and who sees so much hurt in them as in the pricking of a pinne et fi non caste tamen caute He that cannot live chastly yet if he can carry it cautelously and charely all is well But the dragon knowes that 1 If the foūtaine be corrupt so are all the streams and this is a cōpedious way to poyson all that comes from within 2 That secret sinnes are stronger snares to hold men faster then more open and manifest both because these are more easily contrived admitted and continued in As also because these want those restraints which usually curbe open crimes even in bad men as shame of men feare of law and sting and terrour of conscience Thirdly He gets no small conquest by holding men in small sins which are so onely in comparison of greater why Is it not a little one and my soule may live in it and The offence skarr noise and punishment of a small sin cannot be great whereas he knowes that First The least and smallest sin let in and allowed will widen and make roome for greater as a little villaine thrust in at a window will soone set the whole house open to the whole crue of theeves and cut-throats Secondly As a skilfull Apothecary he can disperse the poyson of sinne at first in so smal quantitie as that the conscience be not sick But it is that the practice of small sinnes may grow into custome and habit and that the conscience may at length come to digest it as meat and drinke with delight because of the sweet taste in the mouth And then what delight hath God in him whose delight is in any sinne The 6. stratagem of these 7. heads is that the dragon gaineth no small advantage by spreading false feares and terrors to dishearten us in our combat as valorous chieftaines raisé up clouds of dust o◠kindle some false fires that in the smoake of them they may helpe thēselves and hinder their enemies Thus Gideon Judg. 7. by 300. persons discomfited a mighty host of Midianites by blowing every man a trumpet breaking every man a pitcher and holding up every man a burning lampe by which policy they seemed as many bands as they were men at which the amazed hoast fled worse afraid then hurt had they stood their ground Even so Satan to discomfit the Christian spreadeth false feares and terrors in their mindes to make them forsake their ground and these feà res may be reduced to 2. heads 1. Concerning their estates 2. Concerning their actions First For their estates he terrifieth them with these suggestions as 1 That they never had truth of grace but all that ever they had or did was hypocrisie and dissimulation or presumption all 'to make them out of love withgrace 2 That God never loved them for then he would not so afflict them but dandle them as children and this is to shake out the love of God from their hearts which constrayneth them to duty and obedience 3 Terrifieth them with their owne wants ignorance infirmities unworthinesse and feare of shamefull fals as such and such of Gods servants that seemed well rooted his scope herein is to make them weary of all 4 With feare of finall falling a way and withering if the sunne of persecution should arise and thus causeth many to cast away their confidence as if he that beganne the good worke would not finish it II Concerning actions the serpent spreads many false feares to drive the Christian off them as 1 In religious actions he objecteth and urgeth the reproaches and many wrongs there waiteth upon forwardnesse it is but to purchase generall dislike and disgrace expose himself to be a prey and as many Lions and difficulties are in the way sufficient to cast off the sluggard and no fewer losses of friends customers takings in the trade his credit respect of great ones and the like Here not a few are circumvented 2 In common and civill actions he perswadeth men that they cannot live by true dealing without falsehood in word and deed and if they help not themselves with lying swearing dissembling unlawfull gaines by usury and the like they cannot trade or live And hereby he holdeth many tradesmen in the trade of sinne who account nothing evil which may bring them in the goods and profits of this life 3 To hinder actions of mercy and liberality he frighteth men with false feares least by giving themselves come to need and so they wrong their family as if God supplied not seed to the sower and as if he that watereth should want raine See Proverbs 11. 25. 4 To hinder actions of justice especially if against a great man What know you what you doe would a wise man raise a Liō or take a Beare by the tooth will you pull on your selves a needlesse danger thus is he skilful by false terrors to hinder any good hereby he doubleth his strength and winneth ground on our cowardlinesse These things have I set downe that wee might not be ignorant of his enterprises 1. Cor. 2. 11. Being to deale and to grapple with this seaven headed dragon and all the serpentine seed we must learne that needfull lesson of our Saviour Mat. 16. 16 Be wise as serpents Quest. Wherein is the Serpents wisedome Answ. In 4. things 1 The serpent is naturally wise to defend himself frō wrongs to which end he wil wrap up his whole body about his head to save and defend that from danger So must Christians be most carefull of their own safety by carefull respect of their head namely the faith and glory of Jesus Christ and expose themselves to any dangers to save him his glory his holy profession harmelesse as the holy Martyrs did 2 The serpent or dragon who is the old serpent and his seed are very subtill to contrive evill So Christians must be wise and politick to contrive and bring to effect that which is good Rom. 16. 19. Be wise concerning that which is good but simple concerning that which is evill The object of Christian wisdome must be that which is good and a good cause wisely handled is very gracefull which made Davids face to shine even in Sauls envious eye because he behaved
I travell in birth againe till Christ be formed in you Elias in his calling was in so painefull travell as he was weary of his life 1 King 19. 4. Ier. 4. 19. The paines of the Prophet Esay made him cry His belly his leannes 29. 16. the Apostles of Christ what paines they endured appeares 2 Cor. 11. 23. In labours abundant in stripes above measure in prison many times in death often How they were resisted in their Ministery whipped like vagrants reviled stocked turned out at townes ends like miscreants see Acts 2. 15. 4. 18 5. 28. 13. 46. And after what violent torments they indured in their Martyrdomes the Ecclesiasticall story sheweth And at this day the labout and sufferings of godly and faithfull Ministers is like the labour and sorrowes of a woman in travell For when we travell to bring forth some Children to God out of the common track of the world how are we often oppressed contradicted and opposed by time-servers and libertines How abased and rejected by the multitude What heavy strokes and lashes endure wee from the tongues of the basest What slaunders are raised and impudently cast out against us by Papists and Atheists and inhumane wretches who fight against us with nothing but witlesse lies and falsehoods So as it is evidently true as Christ foretold his Disciples If they persecuted me they will you also Joh 15. 20. And as evident that if Christ were on earth they would spare him no more then they doe us He that refuseth you refuseth me III. It is no small part of this travell of the Church that her poore babes are so pained and suffer with her while she so hardly brings them forth For what child is there that can begin to looke into the light of this spirituall world to receive the word of God to embrace the faith by which Christ may be formed in him but presently he is pinched with scornes and taunts and heavily laded with shamefull indignities even for desiring the sincere milke of the word for the maintaining of that life with which he is newly quickned Neither can it be otherwise seeing whosoever wil live godly in Christ must suffer persecution And whosoever will be a disciple of Jesus Christ must resolve to take up his crosse daily IV. The paine and travell of the Church is more sharpe and sorrowfull by reason of those mighty lets and resistances of this new birth not only without by Devils and all sorts of wicked men but even within and nearer us then they and these are especially foure 1 Naturall ignorance what a let was it in Nichodemus he must goe into the wombe againe else cannot be borne againe Joh. 4. 10 2 Feare of difficulties losses and that this birth would prove an enemie unto their credit profit or pleasure and they see the prejudice and reproach cast upon such as are new borne 3 Too hasty and inconsiderate and irresolute undertaking of this businesse not casting the costs and how many sad throwes and pangs they may sustaine many therfore in liking of the good way have some pangs and remorse as if they would goe through the paine to the birth But finding more difficulty then they expected give it over againe for so did many who came to Christ and were Disciples a while but left him on the plaine field Joh. 6. 4 The presence and love of sinne First The presence of sinne there is another monstrous and adulterous birth that hinders begotten by the unlawfull copulation of Satan and the corrupt will Satan being the Father and our naturall corruption the Mother of this issue and these struggle with us and get us by the heele and make the case so difficult as that the Saints cry with Paul Rom. 7. Oh miserable man that I am who shall deliver me c. Secondly love of some speciall sinne or sinnes which makes all Gods ordinances inefficacious Iudas his covetousnesse Demas embracing the world or a secure heart which lets all doctrine runne out Heb. 2. 1. not cherishing or retayning it to an holy conception and birth Now what mervaile is it that there be no small labour to our Mother when our selves are not onely so helplesse to our owne birth but such hinderers of it Object Esay 66. 7. Sion shall bring forth before her sorrowes and payne come on her and therefore brings her children without paine Sol. The Prophet speakes not of the same thing but of a sudden and unexpected deliverance and restitution of the Church which before seemed utterly barren and forsaken And hath respect to the miraculous propagation of the gospell by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus which should be so sudden and unexpected as if a woman should be delivered before her paines be upon her for how miraculous was it that the Gospell by so few men in so short time and by so base persons in all outward respects should be published to the whole world and that all people should be by their outward calling brought to the unitie of faith So as this which is spoken in a special respect cōcerning an outward calling by an extraordinary power of God infringeth not this doctrine cōcerning the inward calling and conversion in the ordinary course of it which is not done without much resistance As neither that of the Apostles was And this concernes the Ministers and Ministery and sheweth 4 things First the honor and dignitie of the holy Ministery in that it is the onely instrument appointed by God for the bringing forth of Gods children Never was a despiser of the Ministery yet borne of God or a sonne of the true Church no birth without this immortall seed Secondly the end of the Ministery must be to bring children to God To forme Christ in men Gal. 4. 19. and fashion them new creatures like unto Jesus Christ. The ayme of a true Minister is not how many livings he may get and hold how much money he may lay up how high he may climbe how idle he may be and still keepe up his credit But how many soules he may be under God a father unto How he may imprint in mens hearts the gracious image of Jesus Christ that in the day of his reckoning he may with boldnesse and comfort say Behold here am I and the children that thou hast given me Esay 8. 18. And whosoever aymes not at this or at any thing more misseth his worke and perverteth his calling his reckoning shall tell him so wee must therefore frame our doctrine that it may be for the plainnesse soundnesse as Christ by it may be formed the play of wit nor prophane strong lines nor frothy straines of strange languages will not doe it The Prophets nor Apostles nor our Lord himselfe never preached so Thirdly the duty of a faithfull Minister consisteth in two things 1 To resolve on paines in his calling as knowing he cannot bring men to Christ without paines and
labour An idle Pastor that gives up the paines of his calling is like a yong mother that wold faine have children without paines and sorrow in bringing forth 2 To love dearely persons wonne to the faith For he that knowes the sorrow of winning and begetting any to Christ cannot but love them as his owne children And therefore hath Gods providence annexed much sorrow to the birth that the child might bee so much more tendred and loved of the Mother as she hath dearely bought it And so in this spirituall birth it is true And a spirituall Father may rebuke and sharply reproove his children begotten by his paines for just faults and this is fatherly love but he that shall reproach the whole seed of Christ and nip and blast goodnesse in them and the more they prosper in grace the more spitefully shall ordinaryly disgrace them I doubt whether such a one be the Father of any of their soules How doth a Mother yea a tender nurse rejoyce in the health and prosperitie of the child and grieve even unto death if the Child thrive not nor prosper And who wold abide a nurse whom nothing so much grieveth as the thriving and growth of the child Fourthly The comfort of a faithfull Minister Howsoever his sorrowes and paines be as sure and inevitable as the sorrowes of a woman in travell yea and as sharp too Yet 1 The are also short as theirs a little while will put an end to their paines 2 They are in the end sweet and turned into joy as theirs Joh. 16 21. A woman as soone as she is delivered remembreth no more the paine because a man-child is borne Their labour and paine passeth away and is quite and quickly forgotten but the joy is lasting and eternall and none can take it away Wee must consider that if we be rejected of men so was the chiefe builder and the Master builders the Apostles themselves If we speake words of truth and wisedome out of the booke of God in the name of God out of the place of God some dare say we will lie as fast as a dog will runne If our innocency were as bright as the sunne some dog will barke against us The servant is not above his Master Our Master as innocent as he was some few said he was a good man but many that he was a Devill and was a very vile man Well this is the comfort of faith it shall breake out of all clouds and darknesse and shine in the faces of all adversaries one day For as it frets the enemie that he cannot withhold Gods gracious blessing from his faithfull servants here So much more shall it breake their hearts that they cannot resist the glorious light of it hereafter And secondly to the people of God to be willing to submit themselves to the sorrowes of the new birth No infant can avoid the difficulties of birth nor no child of God can shunne this Quest. What are these sorrowes 1 Resolve therefore of sorrowes from within to undertake the paines of true repentāce sound sorrow for sinne mortification selfe-deniall renounce the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season As Moses as that of Christ If any will be a Disciple let him deny himselfe Is not here a paines and difficulty to renounce the wisedome of the flesh a mans owne corrupt will his affections and passions which must be stockt up roote and branches his owne naturall inclinations which are nearer to him then his skin his owne habits and bosome sinnes of long maintenance to cut off hands and put out eyes 2 Resolve of sorrowes from without 2 Tim. 1. 8 be partakers of the affliction of the Gospell Take up the crosse daily and after one still expect another Christ and his crosse are inseparable God might have severed affliction from the gospell as he might if he had pleased severed paine and sorrow from the birth of a child but would not For First his wisdome foresaw it stood more with his glory to erect himselfe a Church in the world in despight of Satan and all wicked instruments In no naturall thing is Gods power more seene then in the birth of an infant in grace the hazard and opposition is but the manifestation of his power Secondly The Lord would stop Satans mouth who would accuse the Saints as Iob as if we served God for nought when we are ready for Christ to endure all hazards and deadly dangers Thirdly The Lord tries the truth of his childrens graces while they abide with him in affliction Now we must resolve to goe through the paines of new birth to difference our selves from 1 Carnall gospellers that like not the gospel because it teacheth selfe-deniall 2 Wicked men because the power of it crosseth their whole course 3 Polititians who renounce it because it requires a change and they can endure no change though for the better 3 Resolve of paines and labour in the meanes of grace in hearing reading praying watching fasting and spirituall combate for God brings forward his image in his owne meanes Consider for encouragement 1 The discription of Saints Rev. 7. 19. those are they that come out of great tribulation Wicked are ever going into great affliction as jolly as they are and as free as they seeme to be but the Saints are ever comming forth 2 The worth of grace for which thou sufferest The least is worth all thy sufferings Is knowledge worth nothing Is the light of the sunne so worthlesse a thing wouldest thou suffer any hard labour and peril for money and a small summe of silver and wilt thou be at no paines for faith more pretious thē gold for hope nor for peace of conscience are these worth no paines 3 The happy estate into which thou comest by suffering Thou art borne to blessednesse Blessed are they that mourn All thy paine in suffering is not cōparable to the gaine of suffering The momentany afflictions of this life are not worthy the glory in the life to come looke not on the losse but on the gaine Thou loosest friends but hast God and Christ and his Angels neare thee Loosest libertie of body but hast libertie and joy of Conscience Hazardest outward peace but hast peace with God thy self and all creatures so farre as they cannot hurt thee See our Saviours argument Mark 10. 29. And there appeared another wonder in Heaven Now we come to the description of the Churches adversarie and opposite enemie under the name and tipe of a Dragon To which description is set a preface as before the description of the woman Of which having spoken in the 1. ver we here omit it onely remember that by heaven is meant the Church of God militant for what hath the dragon to doe in heaven in proper acceptation The description of the Dragon is by two arguments 1 His adjuncts being five 2 His effects which are two His adjuncts in the text are 1 Magnitude