Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	apostle_n	church_n	tradition_n	2,130	5	9.1915	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54049	The root of popery struck at, and the true ancient apostolick foundation discovered, in some propositions to the papists concerning fallibility and infallibility, which cut down the uncertain, and manifest the certain way of receiving and growing up into the truth : also, some considerations concerning the true and false church and ministry, with the state of each since the dayes of the apostles : held forth in true love and pity to the souls of the papists, that they may hear and consider, and not mistake and stumble at the rock of ages, whereupon the prophets, apostles, and whole flock of God throughout all generations have been built : there is likewise somewhat added concerning the ground of error, and the way to truth and unity, for the sake of such as are more spiritual, and have been more inwardly exercised in searching after truth / by Isaac Penington, the younger.	Penington, Isaac, 1616-1679.	1660 (1660)	Wing P1185; ESTC R18235	18,931	26

THE ROOT OF POPERY Struck at And the True Ancient Apostolick Foundation DISCOVERED IN SOME Propositions to the PAPISTS Concerning FALLIBILITY and INFALLIBILITY which cut down the uncertain and manifest the certain way of receiving and growing up into the Truth Also Some CONSIDERATIONS concerning the true and false Church and Ministry with the state of each since the dayes of the Apostles Held forth in true love and pity to the Souls of the PAPISTS that they may hear and consider and not mistake and stumble at the ROCK of AGES whereupon the Prophets Apostles and whole Flock of God throughout all Generations have been built There is likewise somewhat added concerning the Ground of Error and the way to Truth and Unity for the sake of such as are more spiritual and have been more inwardly exercised in searching after Truth By ISAAC PENINGTON the younger In vain do they wo●ship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men Matt. 15 9. LONDON Printed for Robert Wilson and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Black-spread-Eagle and Wind-Mill in Martins L'Grand 1660. PREFACE THE Mystery of Iniquity which overspread the Earth under a shape and appearance of holy Church and holy Worship did begin to work in the Apostles dayes 2 Thes. 2.7 And this was the way whereby the god of this world did deceive he Endeavoured to blind mens minds to put out their right Eye 2 Cor. 4.4 to draw from the Spirit from the Annointing 1 Joh. 2.26 to rob of the Eye-Salve wherewith the Eye must be annointed to see the things of God Rev. 3.18 And now when he hath done this how easily may his false Ware pass for true his Synagogue built in the likeness of the true Church Rev. 3.9 for the true Church Antichrist his Son sitting in the Temple like Christ 2 Thes. 2 4. for the true Christ his Doctrines for the true Teaching Matth. 15.9 his feigned formal dead earthly Traditions for the true Everlasting Gospel Rev. 14.6 his Gentiles or Heathens who are so in nature and Christians onely in Name for the true Christians Rev. 11.2 The Light of the Body is the Eye saith Christ by way of Parable Mat. 6.22 23. Now if the Eye be dark if the Light which is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness How shalt thou see the Gospel the Church the Spirit the things of God But if that Eye be clear who shall be able to blind thee The Devil may come with his Deceits his false Church his false Gospel his false Power c. Yea though his Spirit creep into the very true form of godliness thou wilt be able to discern him there But if thou see with anothers Eye thou mayest easily see amiss mistake Christ mistake the Church and so believe as the false Church believes and fare as the false Church fares Oh who shall redeem the deceived Nations back to the Spirit Who shall preach to all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People the everlasting Gospel Who shall open the Eye in them which hath been so long blinded Who shall take the Golden Cup of Fornication from their lips and loosen their hearts from the Sorceries Flatteries and Enchantments of the false Woman The everlasting Bowels of the Lord rowl toward his poor captivated Seed and towards the poor deceived Nations and he is now preparing to build the Ruins of many Generations he is bringing forth that Power of Truth that Demonstration of his Spirit in the spirits of his People as no Paint shall be able to stand before He will rend the Vail of the Covering from off all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall be seen by the eye which he opens and annoints that which hath deceived and destroyed and led from the Truth building up a Mystery of Unrighteousness in the stead of it even the Beast and false Prophet which wrought Miracles with which he deceived them that had the mark of the Beast them that worshipped his Image shall be taken cast alive into the Lake Rev. 19.20 Then Captivity shall be led Captive and those which have been led captive shall creep out of their dens and out of their holes into the Light of the Living and worship the true and everlasting King when this King Abaddon is destroyed Rev. 15.2 3 4. O who shall be accounted worthy to be taught by the Lord where to wait for this To whom will the Lord discover the place of Wisdom the place where Wisdom is learned her Voice heard and her Instructions to life received which is hid from the eyes of all living Job 28.21 Whom shall he teach knowledge And whom shall he make to understand Doctrine They are them that are weaned from the Milk and drawn from the Breasts of the false Woman Isa. 28.9 chap. 52.15 They that are turned from man from the fleshly wisdom in themselves towards the spring of Life they may hear the Voice of this Wisdom which begins in the living Fear and Power which effectually turns the heart from death and darkness towards the living God to worship him in spirit and truth according to the pure living teachings thereof and not after the Inventions Imaginations and Traditions of men And he that is once come hither as he is true and faithful to the Light of Life doing the will as it is made manifest to him shall know more and more of the Doctrine Joh. 7.17 and have his feet infallibly guided into and preserved in the way of Peace The Root of Popery struck at And the true Ancient Apostolick Foundation discovered in some PROPOSITIONS to the PAPISTS concerning Fallibility and Infallibility c. Propos. 1. THat Councils may erre if I should add And have erred it might not be impossible to prove First In that they are men not perfected in the knowledge faith and obedience of the truth it necessarily implies a capacity of error both in relation to the knowledge to the faith and to the obedience 2dly Their doubtful disputation of things and long canvasing implies an uncertainty and possibility or erring 3dly Their way of determining things at last which is by a Vote of the major part is an uncertain way of determination for it is not impossible but the major part may be overswayed by by-ends relation to their own advantage interests against the righteousness and equity of the reason of the lesser part so that the way of determining things by a Council is not a certain way in it self but because men know not well how to find out a better and more probable way of deciding Controversies they judge it necessary to acquiesce therein But the Votes and Determinations of men concerning a thing do not conclude a thing to be true or false in it self they onely signifie their Opinion Judgement and Testimony concerning the thing the validity whereof depends upon their knowledge of the thing which if it be not clear full and certain their

reproof is condemned by it Joh. 3.20 21. and not only shut out of life but out of the very Way to it for the reproofs of the instruction of this Wisdom are the sole Way or path of life to the sinner Prov. 6 23. Now behold the true certainty of the everlasting Foundation and behold your own uncertainty See the Rock of Ages whereupon the Prophets Apostles all the Saints have been built See that which indeed is infallible and cease from man who is vain and subject to vanity error The Church of the Jews did err the Churches of the Gentiles also did err even in the Apostles dayes insomuch as their Candlestick wa threatned to be removed and was soon removed yea the Apostle particularly foretold the Saints at Rome concerning the Gentiles that their standing was by Faith and that if they continued not in Gods goodness they also should be cut off as the Jews were Rom. 11.20 22. Now there was not a standing in the faith but a general backsliding and falling away from the Faith and then the Man of sin was revealed and Christ and his Truth withdrawn strong delusion deceit and false appearances of truth starting up instead thereof 2 Thes. 2.3.11 For the Lord God upon the great defection and apostacy of the Gentiles seperates the outward Court from his Temple Altar and spiritual Worshippers which Temple was his true Church which he reserved for himself giving the outward Court to the Gentiles Rev. 11.1.2 And then the true Church fled into the Wilderness where she had a place prepared of God for her and so the Gentile-Christians could build up their false Churches in the Cities or Places where the true Church had been built by God and had appeared before And these false Churches may easily become much larger then the true Church ever was for while the Lord built the Church by his spirit he built it onely of spiritual Stones 1 Pet. 2.5 adding to it such as he first converted Act. 2 47. For such alone are fit to worship him in spirit and truth and such alone he seeks out to make up his Church of instead of the Jews whom he had cast off from being a Church and People to him John 4.23 But when man comes to build he takes in more largely then God allows he may gather in or force a whole City or Nation to become a Church by perswading or compelling them to receive the Doctrine and Traditions which he prescribes and by setting up an outward Knowledge Policy and Government according to man in the wisdom of man which the humane part will answer to be satisfied with To make this a little more manifest to such as in simplicity of heart desire to know the mind of God in this respect and the true state of the Church since the dayes of the Apostles consider these things following First God in those dayes sent his true Apostles and Ministers with the everlasting Gospel which was the Word of Faith which they preached to gather men out of Jerusalem Judea and all Nations into the obedience of the Faith Rom. 1.5 that he might have a spiritual House a spiritual People to worship him instead of those outward Worshippers whom he then cast off John 4.23 2. That this gathered people in Judea at Jerusalem at Corinth at Ephesus at Coloss at Philippi at Rome c. were his several Churches or Congregations and not the City of Jerusalem not the City of Corinth Ephesus Rome c. None of these were Churches but only a select Remnant gathered out o● these 3. That the Devil after he had stirred up the Jews every where and the Heathen as much as he could to cry out against the Truth and such as God had converted to the Faith for Heresie and a Sect and to persecute them and it yet could not prevail that way then he tryed another way sending his Messengers abroad cloathing them as Angels of Light teaching them also to preach Christ and the Doctrine of the Gospel and so transforming themselves under this colour secretly to sow the Seeds of Division Error and Heresie in the Church 2 Cor. 11.13 4. When this would not do but these were discovered and judged by the power and presence of the Light of the Spirit in the Church for false Jews false Apostles deceitful Workers Ministers of Satan c. Rev. 3.9 chap. 2.3 then they seperate themselves from the Church Jude 19. make up a body of the●r own go out into the world preach there gather a company there get the greater number and then set upon the Church fight with her overcome her and her Ministry and then get up their own false Church and Ministry Thus the Synagogue of Satan and his Ministry get footing in the world even in the very same Cities and Places where the Church had newly had Dominion before And now whereas before there was a Church at Jerusalem a Church at Rome a Church at Ephesus c. when the Synagogue of Satan is set up and hath got the Dominion there the whole City Jerusalem or the whole City Rome c. can then become a Church To make this yet more manifest observe and weigh these things following in the Ballance of the true Sanctuary First The false Prophets the false Apostles which had crept into the Church Jude 4. which strived to seduce the Church 1 Iohn 2 26. these went out from the Church ver. 19. and went into the World 1 Ioh. 4.1 2dly When they went out into the World their intent was to leaven the World with their Doctrine and to gather a people after them They preached to gather people to them and their Doctrine and form of godliness as the Apostles preached to gather people to God and his living Truth 3dly The World heard them they hearkened to their Doctrine were willing to be gathered by them owning their false Ministry and their false Church or Synagogue even as those that were of God hearkened to the Apostles and owned the truth 1 Ioh. 4.6 So that here was now two distinct Bodies in Cities and places where the Gospel had come A Body of the true Saints and true Apostles a Body of the false Apostles and Ministers of the deceitful workers who shewed Miracles and Wonders and had all manner of deceivableness of unrighteousness on their side 2 Thes. 2.9 10. Thus there was a great division and breach in the places where the Gospel had been preached and had reigned in power for he that was of God heard the true Apostles and kept to the true Church but those that were not of God but of the Worldly Spirit heard the false Apostles and false Ministers and so joined to the Synagogue of Satan 1 Iohn 4.6 where Satan had his seat and dwelling Rev. 2.13 even as Christ dwelleth sitteth in his Temple the true Church 4thly These false Apostles and Ministers with the help of the World which they had gathered in

Testimony Opinion or Judgment is of little value Truth remains the same in it self though all the wise men in the world should testifie against it calling it Error or Heresie and Falshood can never become Truth though never so many wise men should testifie for it putting the fairest habit and appearance of Truth upon it that they can Prop. 2. That the Pope himself may erre The Pope hath not greater freedom from fallibility in judgement or doctrine then Peter himself had Now Peter had not only a capacity of error in him but he did erre in that doctrine which he taught the Gentiles of living after the manner of the Jews for he did not only do the thing himself Gal. 2.12 but he compelled the Gentiles to do the same thing holding it forth as a practice which ought to be observed by the Gentiles ver. 14. for which carriage of his Paul withstood him to the face and said he was to be blamed v. 11. And the Council of Constance deposing Pope John advancing the Authority of Councils above the Pope did plainly imply that the Pope might erre which might further be confirmed by what the Council of Basil determined concerning Pope Eugenius Prop. 3. That every man may erre in his interpretation of Scriptures further then he hath a certain and infallible opening of them to his spirit by that Spirit which gave them forth The Spirit knoweth his own minde in every word which he hath spoken but no man knoweth his mind nor the meaning of his words but as he reveals them 1 Cor. 2.11 So that God is true in all his sayings in the Scriptures but man is a lyar in all the meanings he gives of his sayings according to his own guessings reasonings and imaginings without the Spirits infallible opening of his own words to him So that the Spirit it self is the ground and foundation of all true Light and knowledge of the things of God Prop. 4. That if there be any Light to be found anywhere shining immediately from God that Light cannot erre For God is pure and that which comes immediately from him cannot but be pure All the knowledge which man gathers or can gather into his Vessel he may pollute but what issueth from the Spring is pure and of a perfect nature James 1.17 Prop. 5. That there must necessarily be such a Light communicated to all men since the fall that they may believe thereby come to the knowledg of the truth and be saved Which I prove thus 1. From the Will of God The Apostle saith expresly that God would have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 Why then there must necessarily be somewhat dispenced from God to all men sufficient to bring them to the knowledge of the Truth that they may be saved 2. From what is found in man There is found in man a Light shining in his darkness Joh. 1.5 a Light discovering the darkness and drawing from it somewhat which checks and reproves the sinner but never consented to the evil of his heart and ways This is of God this is from God this is pure this is spiritual not of the fleshly not of the natural for then it might be drawn some time or other to consent to some of the corrupt desires of the natural but though the conscience be never so much defiled yet the Light in it can never be defiled Indeed a man may set up that for Light in his conscience which may be darkness but Gods Light Gods witness there can never be bribed but wil speak truly when God at any time awakeneth or raiseth it up witnessing for him both against the evil of the man against the ●earedness hardness unfaithfulness of his conscience towards God Prop. 6. That this Light being let in believed in and obeyed shineth more and more unto the perfect day even until it hath wholly brought out of the Error into the Truth Every way of it is infallible and every step of the creature after it is infallible Indeed the Creatures reasonings and consultations about it may be fallible but the Light is infallible in it self And so far as there is a pure simple naked thing begotten by it for it is of a begetting nature Jam. 1.17 18. so far there is an acknowledgement of its certainty in the creature There are some things that all the men of the earth certainly know to be evil by means of its shining some things also that they certainly know to be good and at some times there is a Will begotten in them towards the good against the evil Now if they did honestly wait in the singleness of this Will breathing to the God of Power to have it brought to victory in them the Light would shine more and more from his presence and in the Light the Power and saving Arm would arise which would effectually lead out of the Death and Captivity into the fellowship and freedom of the Life Prop. 7. That nothing less can lead to eternal life than an eternal Light in man's spirit where the darkness is which is to be discovered there subdued there and to be led from This was the Apostle's Message who received and came with the Message of the Gospel That God is Light and in him is no darkness at all 1 Joh. 1.5 And this they preached to bring men into fellowship with this Light ver. 3. that they might walk with God in it there be cleansed by the blood of Jesus through it ver. 7 which that they might obtain they must first be turned from darkness to it Act. 26.18 and from the Power and Kingdom of Satan to the Seed of the Kingdom of God Mat. 13.31 which Christ told the Pharisees was within them Luk. 17.21 And the Apostle Paul told the Hebrews that the Laws of the Covenant whereof Christ was the Minister and Mediator were by the tenor of the New-Covenant to be written in the Heart and Mind by the Spirit not to be written outwardly as that Covenant was which God made with the Jews by Moses Heb. 8.6 c. which was not the eternal Covenant it self but a shadow of it which made nothing perfect but only made way for the hope of a better Covenant by which believers draw nigh to God Heb. 7.19 Yea Moses himself tells the Jews that the Commandment of life the Word Eternal according to faith wherein and obedience whereto they were to Live or Dye eternally was within them Deut. 30.14 15. And Paul tells the Church at Rome that this was the Word of Faith which they preached that it was also the covenant of Life and Death under the Gospel Rom 10.8 Christ is the Light of the World Joh. 8.12 or the eternal Word Joh. 1.1 which Light or Word speaks within in every man's conscience he that believes in it brings his deeds to it and obeys it is justified by it but he that hates its

unto them joined together against the true Church and her Seed as where-ever the two contrary Spirits and Principles appear they cannot but contend and fight against each other the one for the Faith and Truth of the Gospel the other against that which is true and for a counterfeit of it so Rev. 12. there is Michael and his Angels fighting on the side of the true Church there 's the Dragon and his Angels fighting for the false Church Now mark who prevails The true Church Michael and his Angels prevail one way the the false Church the Synagogue of Satan the Dragon and his Angels prevail another way Quest How doth the true Church prevail Answ. Thus Shee keeps all the spiritual the invisible the holy things of God from the paw of the Dragon and of all those false Worshippers The invisible Jew the invisible Life and Power that whereof God had built up his Church is preserved by him and against his Life and Spirit and his Church which he builds by his Spirit and preserves in it all the powers of darknesse cannot prevail but do they all what they can the Man-child is caught up to God and the Church by God's help flies from the face of the Dragon into the Wildernesse where she is fed 42. Months or 1260. dayes which is the time of the Dragons prevailing outwardly by his false Church and Ministry Rev. 12. Quest How doth the Dragon and false Church prevail Answ. By putting the Man-Child and true Church to flight by gaining the Churches ground setting up his Synagogue or false representation of the true Church where the true Church had stood before For the Church being fled into the Wildernesse the Field was left to him and there he sets up his false Synagogue in the sight of the World calling her the true Church and her Seed the true Catholicks but casting a Flood of reproach after the Woman reviling her who indeed was the true Church for a Strumpet and all her Seed for Seducers Schismaticks Hereticks Deceivers c. even such as were not fit to be suffered in the Earth but to be made war with both by the the Spiritual and Civil Sword Rev. 12 15 17. Thus then was the victory on each hand The true Church and Temple with the inward power and virtue of life was preserved by God who caused it by the wings of his Spirit to flie out of the sight of all false Worshippers and Imitators as far as that is from the sight of men in a City which flieth out of the City into a Wildernesse And to the other is left the outward Court to worship in the Profession the Attire the Garments the visible Observations and Practises wherein the Church before had appeared and in which she did once truly and spiritually worship For the Church did acceptably worship in the outward Court before it was measured and divided from the inward Temple and given to the Gentiles Rev. 11 2. Quest Now how long was this false Church to stand Answ. Till the Church its coming out of the Wilderness in the same Spirit and Power wherewith she fled into the Wildernesse When Christ comes with the fiery breath of his mouth and with the brightness of his eternal Light then this false Image of the Church melts and dissolves away 2 Thes 2.8 But till then she keeps her seat on the Beast on whom she rides and by vertue of whom she sits upon the Waters even upon Peoples Multitudes Nations and Tongues Rev. 17.15 Obj. But did not Christ say the Gates of Hell should not prevail against his Church Answ. No more they did not For she had wings of an Eagle given her to fly into the Wildernesse into the place prepared of God for her into which she did flye and was there fed and preserved do all the Powers of darknesse what they could So that the Dragon and his Angels prevailed not against the Woman but she was hid from the face of the Serpent and from all his Spite and Power who could not come within the bounds of her Heaven in the Wilderness but was cast out into the earth and his Angels with him Rev. 12.8 9. But Christ did not say that the Gates of Hell should not prevail against her outward Estate but the contrary in this very Prophesie of John is here declared to wit that she was so far prevailed against The true Woman who was clothed with the Sun and had the Moon under her feet and was crowned with a Crown of twelve Stars was to flie away and give place and a false Woman to start up in her stead who with her Golden Cup of her Fornications was to deceive and bewitch all Nations Kindreds Tongues and Languages 42. Months or 1260. days which was the full time the Church was to remain in the Wildernesse But after that time the false Church with Antichrist her Husband who all this while sate in the Temple were to be revealed judged and destroyed and the true Church return again out of the Wildernesse into her own place Quest Why would God suffer his Church thus to be prevailed against thus to be banished and driven out of the Building which his Spirit had reared for her into a Wilderness and a Mystery of Deceit and Falshood to be set up in her name and stead Answ. First As a just judgement upon the World who slighted the day of their Visitation and would not come into the Vinyard to work God brings the Night upon them wherein they could not enter into the Vinyard nor work if they would never so fain John 9 4. 2dly As a just judgement upon such who though they could not but own and acknowledge the truth yet did not love it in their hearts but loved their unrighteousnesse their darknesse still therefore God removes the power of his Truth from their eyes into the Wildernesse and lets out a power of darknesse and deceit upon them wherewith they were deluded instead of the Truth it self 2 Thes. 2.10 11. 3dly That such as were approved might be made manifest in the Spirit to be pure Gold indeed They that held the living Truth and could not be drawn aside with all the pleasures of this World on the one hand nor with all the dangers from it on the other hand no nor yet with all the deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse these did shine indeed in the Light and Power of the Spirit and were a great Honor and Crown upon the Head of their Master 4thly That darkness might have its day or hour or season of manifestation to the full There hath been no Day of any dispensation hitherto but it hath had a Night coming after it There was an Antichrist to be revealed in the power of darkness as well as Christ the eternal Light of Life in the living Power Now as long as the true Church stood and as long as the the Man-child was found dwelling here with her in the habitation which God

had built up for them the man of sin could not be revealed but the pure Power of Life would soon discover him Therefore at length when the full time and season of his discovery came God removed that into the Wildernesse which stood in the way and then he and his Spouse the false Church make a fair shew in the World 2 Thes. 2.7 5thly That the Lord might make the Name of his Son with the glory of his Truth and Power to shine by overcoming the Dragon and this false Church after so long a time of thick darkness and after such an universal prevalency of the powers and deceits thereof Was it not a great glory and honor to the Lord to overcome the Heathenish world and Jewish Church Worship by the Power of his Truth shining through a poor despicable company of Fishermen and Mechanicks And will it not be as great if not a greater glory to him to overcome the Antichristian world after it hath taken so long and so deep root and is become so strongly founded by as poor contemptible instruments as they were Quest But how was it possible that so great a deceit should get up in the world so near the Apostles dayes or rather in the very dayes of the Apostles as this seemeth to be Answ. The false Apostles and Ministers came with all deceivavableness of unrighteousness and with all power and signs and lying wonders 2 Thes. 2.9 10. And the power of Miracles in the true Apostles might well cease For the end of Miracles was but to testifie to the world to be a sign to the unbelievers 1 Cor. 14.22 But now their work towards the world was well nigh finished Judgement was to come upon them for neglecting and despising the day of their Visitation So that the power of deceit was let up in the false Apostles the power of truth did draw inwards in the true Apostles which made it very easie for deceit to prevail Besides the false Apostles appeared in an higher appearance than the true Apostles did with more glorious discoveries so that they could hold forth all that the Apostles did as to the Form outward Doctrine more too could shew wonders to confirm what they held forth further And now how could they chuse but prevail over all that kept not close to the Annointing which distinguisheth discerneth not by any outward manifestation or appearance but by the savour of the Ointment Yea so great was the power of Deceit in them that they drew the third part of the Stars of Heaven from their place into this earthly Building so that they fell from the true Ministry and the true Church unto this false Church and Ministry Rev. 12.4 How many then of the inferior and common sort were then drawn aside Quest Hath there then been no visible true Church-state in the world since that time Answ. It is impossible for any to build a true Church for God but his own Spirit And if God removed the Church which he built into the Wildernesse it is impossible for all the men of the Earth to build up another true one all that season that God appoints his Church to abide in the Wildernesse Several sorts of men may attempt it and each may build up their different Images of the thing but none can recover the thing it self till the Lord by his Spirit who first built and then pulled down pitty the dust of Sion and raise up the Tabernacle of David again Psal. 102.13 Isa. 2.2 Rev. 21.2 3. Qu. What is the Wilderness tell us that the simple hearted who long after the truth may know where to look for how to find the true Church Answ. It is not an outward place into which the Bodies of persons might flee but a parable to express somewhat inwardly And it is under the feet of all the false Worshippers who are worshipping in their several Buildings in the outward Court That which they trample upon keep down and despise is the Holy City Rev. 11.2 And the place where the true Church all this while hath been and yet in a great part is is there Quest But if God's Church hath not been in a built state but lain desolate in the Wilderness ever since Antichrist and the false Church got up what hath the estate of his people been ever since Answ. A state of witnesses Rev. 11.3 In every Age God hath hath had two witnesses which was a sufficient number to confirm his truth by to witness to the power of his truth against the emptiness and corruptions of the forms which Antichrist had brought in instead of the living power Which witnesses were clothed with Sack-cloth giving forth their testimony with tears while they of the Antichristian party were rejoicing in the Glory Riches and Beauty of their false Church as they could slay suppress and keep down the VVitnesses Rev. 11.10 and chap. 18.7 9. Quest What did the Dragon do after this Victory after he had got his Building up in the outward Court for after he had prevailed to corrupt it the Lord gave it to his worshippers the Gentiles Rev. 11.2 those that made a profession of his truth but were not true Jews Rev. 3.9 not of the inward circumcision Phil. 3.3 and had got the holy City under the feet of his worshippers Answ. He pursued his Victory against the Woman and the remnant of her Seed As for the woman he cast a flood of Infamy of Reproach after her that she might never be able to lift up her head again in the power of truth but what she causeth to spring up might still be reviled for falshood and Heresie that nothing might henceforth go for Truth but what this false woman should determine to be so And as touching the remnant of her Seed which stil remained true to God keeping his Commandments and having the Testimony of Jesus he applies himself now to wage the war against them Rev. 12.15.17 Quest How doth he wage the War against them Answ. He raiseth up a Beast out of this Sea of Cofnusion and VVickedness which ensued upon this great Battel and Victory on his side to whom he gave his Power his Seat and great Authority Rev. 13.2 He had hitherto kept his Seat in his Synagogue where he had been slaying the faithful Martyrs of Jesus Rev. 2.13 and had put to death such as loved not their lives unto death Rev. 12.11 Now he finds it more for his advantage to raise up this Beast and to give his Power Seat and Authority to him This was the Roman Power which till it was thus depraved and enslaved by Satan was not a Beast but more noble and just in Government than the corrupted Jews were but now it becomes a Beast And this Beast he stirs up against the very Name and Form of Godliness that he might root out the very appearance of Israel from off the Earth For he got but into the Form to eat