Further, he quickly got him a beast to ride on, far, for
sumptuous glory, beyond--though as to nature as assish a creature
as--that on which Balaam was wont to ride; and by this exaltation he
not only became more stately, but the horns of the beast would push
for him.
Again, this man of sin, when he came into the world, had the art of
metamorphosing, and could change himself, both in form and shape,
into the likeness of a beast, a man, or woman.
A lily among thorns, a pearl on a dunghill, and beauty under a veil,
will make one turn aside to look on it. Answerable to this, the
church, even in the wilderness or under persecution, is compared not
only to a woman, but to a comely and delicate woman. Thus the
church, though in her weeds of widowhood, is become the desire of
the eyes of the nations; for indeed her features are such
considering who is her head, where mostly to the eye beauty lies,
that whoso sees but the utmost glimpse of her is easily ravished
with her beauties. The church, the very name of the church of God is
beautiful in the world; and as among women, she that has beauty has
her head desired, if it might be, to stand upon another woman's
shoulders; so this and that and every nation that beholds the beauty
of the church, would fain be called by that name.
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