¶ And when the dragon saw that he was caste vnto the earth, he persecuted the woman, which brought forthe the man childe. And to y• woman were geuen two winges of a great Egle y• she might flye into y• wildernes into her place, where she is nourished for a tyme, ti∣mes, and halfe a tyme from the presence of the serpent. And the dragon caste oute of his mouthe water after the woman as it had bene a ryuer, because she shoulde haue bene caught of the floude. And the earth holpe the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swalowed vp the ryuer, which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And y• dragon was wroth with y• woman: & wēt and made warre wt the remnaunt of her sede, which kepe y• cōmaun∣dementes of God, and haue the testimonye of Iesus Christe. And I stode on the sea sande.
After that, Sathan, whiche is a spirite of lyes, marketh the power of faithe, whiche commeth & springeth of gods worde, & howe Christ beyng borne in the faithful, doth waxe & increase in them thorowe holy & godly workes acceptable vnto god: than he goeth about to persecute y• gospel, the true & holsom doctrine, and the spirite of Christ in the electe. But the circumspecte, quickesyghted, and highe flyeng Eagle of gods spirite resisteth the dragō, & geueth might & power with his grace vnto the Christen soule to flee into a sure place, whiche is, y• con∣tempt of this worlde, & the loue of the world to come, the solitarines of a quiet conscience in y• crosse of Christ, & the comfort in y• remembraunce of gods word. With these wynges she escapeth from Sathan and from al his spirites, snares and suggestions. This foode & noryshment is geuē throughe the grace & mercy of god vnto all the electe children of God, from such time as the word was firste writen throughe Moyses, and afterwarde declared throughe y• prophetes, and fulfilled through Christ, & preached in al y• world throughe y• apostles, & in our tyme throughe the mercye & goodnes of God, renewed againe for a thousande. and .ii. thousande yeares, y• is .iii. thousande, & yet lōger, how lōg so euer it please God which wil not haue it hidden & vnknowen vnto vs. And for this cause the nombre of the yeares both in this boke & in other is obscure, not without a syn∣guler cōsideracion. As y• disciples of Helyas, receyuing it of their maister, also sayde y• .ii. thousande yeares were past before the lawe, & that the lawe of Moy∣ses should continue lykewyse .ii. thousande yeares, & the kingdome of Messias vpō earth also about .ii. thousande yeares, not so precisely reckened, nor fullye accomplyshed, as the Rabbines & interpreters of y• Iewes doe for the most part cōfesse & declare. But ye serpēt, which he named before a dragō, doth neuer seace since y• tyme of Adam & Eue, to persecute y• faith in y• worde of God & the secret misterie of Christ. For y• merciful & rightuous god taketh & vseth y• falsehede & wickednes o•• Sathan euē for a game & a sport, as a mā may say. And ye more y• Sathan goeth about to hinder the worcke & grace of god, & the performaunce of his promises, the more doeth his damnacion, his wrath, enuy and malyce in∣crease, and gods grace throughe his mercye is the more aboundantlye multi∣plyed in all men, and the true rightuousnes of the holy and blessed seede