No marvel then if there is here a disagreement; the beast can but
see as a beast, but the church is resolved not to be guided by the
eye of a beast, though he pretends to have his light by that very
window by which the church has hers. The beast is moon-eyed, and
puts darkness for light, yea, and hates the light that is so indeed;
but the saints will not hear him, for they know the voice of their
Lord.
On both sides they are resolved to stand by their way: the church is
confident, the man of sin is confident; they both have the same
windows--that is, "the word"--to see by, and so they manage their
matters; yet not so simply by the windows as by the diverse judgment
they make of that which shineth in at them. Each one therefore that
hath the true or false profession will be confident of his own way:
he that was right, knew he was right; and he that was wrong, thought
he was right; and so the battle began: "There is a way that seemeth
right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."
Nor is it in man to help it: there has been reasoning, there has
been disputing, there has blood also been spilt on both sides,
through the confidence that each had of the goodness of his own way:
but no reconciliation is made; the enmity is set here of God; iron
and clay cannot mix; God will have things go on thus in the world
till his word shall be fulfilled; the deceived and the deceiver are
his.
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