But this failing also, he has taken in hand
at length to fright her into friendship with him, by stirring up the
hellish rage of tyrants to frighten and molest her; by finding out
strange inventions to torment and afflict her children; by making
many bloody examples of her own bowels before her eyes, if by that
means he might at last obtain his purpose. But behold, all has been
in vain; there can be no reconciliation. And why, but because God
himself maintains the enmity? God hath put enmity between the devil
and the woman; between that old serpent called the devil and Satan,
and the holy and beloved and espoused wife of Christ.
SECURITY OF THE CHURCH.
Gold is a metal so invincible and unconquerable, that no fire can
consume it: it may burn it indeed, and melt it; the dross indeed
doth consume and give way to the power of the fire, but the gold
remains and holds its ground, yea, it gets ground even of the
furnace and fire itself; for the more it is burned and melted, the
more it recovers its color, and the more it shakes off its dross and
dishonor.
Just thus it is with the people of God, and hath been so even from
the beginning: the more men oppressed them, the more they grew. His
church has been now for many hundred years in the king of Babylon's
furnace; all which time she hath most gloriously endured and
withstood the heat; and at last, when the fire hath done its worst
against her, behold, there comes out a city of gold.
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