Truth vindicated against all heresies shewing how the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent is distinguished : the woman cloathed with the sun discoverd, she having the moon under her feet : the Old and New Testament made to agree and God's justice and mercy magnified.

XI. The Woman cloathed with the Sun: Or, The Woman in the Wilderness. (Book 9)

REV. 12.1. There appeared a great Wonder in Heaven, a Woman cloathed with the Sun, and the Moon under her Feet, and upon her Head a Crown of Twelve Stars. Now whereas it is said, There appeared a great Won∣der in Heaven; a Woman. First, I shall here shew you what, or who this Woman is. This Woman is the Elect Church, or Remnant chosen from among Israel, which had a peculiar Calling. 2dly, Why she is said to be in Heaven. It is because she is highly favoured by the Heavenly Powers, or Powers of Heaven, which is God. In being by him elected, fore-chosen, ordain∣ed, and secured so by God, as none shall pluck them out of his Hand, John 10.29. 3dly, Why she is term∣ed a Wonder. Was because there was none elected through the first or Old World, nor till the then time that Israel was brought out of Egypt to be placed in the heart of the Earth, and laid as a Foundation of the World to come. From which Foundation, Christ

was figuratively slain in the Paschal Lamb: From which Foundation, the Works of those unbelieving Jews were finished, when they through unbelief of the Promise of God's giving them the Victory, refu∣sed to go to fight for the Land of Canaan, for which, all that were numbred of them from twenty Years old and upward, dyed in the Wilderness, save Caleb and Joshua. Now all Israel were taken into Covenant, and Life and Death set before them, for them to choose Life, that they and their Seed might live, Deut. 30.19. But in the Wilderness they were disobedient, therefore they were cut off. After which God secured a Remnant of that Foundation, which was then a laying in Israel for the World to come: which is the World of which the Apostle speaks, Heb. 2.5. And this exceeding kindness of God to this elect Remnant or Woman, was the Wonder in Heaven: For this is the Foundation or Remnant chosen from the Foundati∣on which standeth sure, unto whom Christ promised to be with to the end of the World; and that he would send them another Comforter, which should abide with them forever. Joh. 14.16. This is more fully proved and explained in the former Book. Therein is also shewed, that God elected and chose from among the Gentiles, a peculiar People, to the praise of his Name, Acts 15.14 upon the first publication of the Gospel, who received the holy Ghost to be in them, that the World by the evident witness of the Spirit might be∣lieve that God sent Christ, the which was given for a ground of Faith, that thereby we might believe the Truth, whereby a door of Mercy was set open to all Believers, that believe, like Abraham, the promised Re∣ward is to be had in the way of their Obedience; for Christ is become the author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him, whether Elect or not Elect. Whereas it is said in the 4th verse of this 12th chapter,

That the Elect Remnant, or Woman was cloathed with the Sun: That is, she was covered over with the Righ∣teousness of Christ, which was applicable before he was Incarnate, or in the Flesh, as well as afterwards; and in that she is said to have the Moon under her Feet; thereby shewing the little value she has to all the changeable Vanities and Pleasures of this World, which is like the Moon; and therefore she is said to have the Moon under her Feet. And in that she is said to have upon her Head a Crown of twelve Stars, thereby signified the twelve Apostles, to whom was given the prehe∣minency, and in time to come the ruling power. And in that they are termed the twelve Stars, is because they were the first Publishers of the Gospel, by which many were turned to Righteousness; and of such it is said, They shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever, Dan. 12.3. Rev. 12.2. Now whereas it is said, This Woman being with-Child, cryed travailing in Birth, and pain to be delivered: That is, of this Elect Remnant or Woman, as concerning the Flesh, the Lord Christ came. And in that she cryed out, pained to be delivered, was her ardent longing for Christ coming in the Flesh, that by the Seed of the Woman, the Serpents Head might be bruised, Gen. 3.15. But whereas it is said in the 3d. Verse, There appeared ano∣ther Wonder in Heaven, a great Red Dragon. When the Apostle saw this Vision, this Dragon or Devil was not then wholly cast out from some part of the Hea∣vens, as doth appear in the 8th verse. And whereas it is said in vers. the 4. That this Dragon or Devil stood before the Woman to devour the Child as soon as it was born. That was in that the Devil stir'd up Herod to seek the young Childs Life, thinking to have destroyed him with the Innocent Children. vers. 5. And she brought forth a Man Child which was to rule all Nations. And therefore notwithstanding all Satans attempts this Child

was preserved, till he himself freely laid down his Life, by which he conquered Death, after which he was caught up unto God and his Throne; according as it is said Acts 1.9. He was taken up, and a Cloud received him out of their sight. And in Heb. 8.1. It is said, He is set at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens. Rev. 12.6. And the Woman fled into the Wilderness, where she had a place prepared her of God, that they should feed her there a Thousand Two Hun∣dred and Threescore Days. From whence we are to take notice, there is no mention made of the time, how long it was before she fled into the Wilderness after the Child was caught up unto God.—Now having proved this forementioned Woman to be a Body of People, as also the Scarlet Whore that sits on many Waters is a Body of People, Rev. 17. And as the Scar∣let Whore is termed a City, that Reigns over the Kings of the Earth, Rev. 17.18. So this Woman that is clothed with the Sun, is likewise termed the Holy City, that should be trod under foot of the Gentiles Forty and Two Months, Rev. 11.2. These Gentiles were the Gentiles that embraced the Faith, which after they came to have no love to the Truth, but took pleasure in Unrighteousness, and their Kings would not be holden with the Cords of the Laws of the Lord, then God gave them up to strong Delusions, to believe Lies, 2 Thes. 2.9,10,11,12. Psal. 2.2,3. And then did the Devil hoist up the Beast, by whom they were deluded and given up to Worship him. (Whereas it is said, The Holy City should be trod under foot of the Gen∣tiles Forty and Two Months. From whence we are to take notice that this Holy City is not of the Gentiles) And likewise the Beast was to continue Forty and Two Months, Rev. 13.5. And Forty and Two Months, reckoning Thirty Days to a Month, according to the Chaldean account, amounts exactly to a Thousand Two

Hundred and Sixty Days, which is so many Days of Years; The which time the Woman was to be fed in the Wilderness, Rev. 12.6. And a Thousand Years is with the Lord as One Day, and One Day as a Thousand Years, 2 Pet. 3.8. And it is so Recorded to enlighten our understanding in the Word. And also we are to take notice, that the Promise of Christ was not that the Holy Ghost should be in them for ever, but with them for ever. So now this Remnant or Woman, which was drove into the Wilderness, is as liable to fall un∣der some mistakes, as the Remnant chosen from among Israel was before Christ came; for they did not appre∣hend Christ coming to Suffer, neither do these his coming to Reign; and likewise several great Truths in the Word, they did not rightly understand the true meaning of them, so neither do these; but the Promise of God was to them which were of the Remnant, that none should pluck them out of his Hand, which accor∣dingly God has performed, in preserving them in a holy and upright Conversation. And their Enemies declare, that they were a People that walkt uprightly, and kept close to all the Commands of God. As for some in the Valleys that thro the Cruelty of their E∣nemies were forc'd to adhere to the Beast, in the time of their miserable Destruction 1686. when they were expelled their Country, might be some that did come to coinhabit with them, as often some of the French Protestants did, for as St John saith, If they had been of them they would have continued with them.

I shall hereafter by God's assistance, make appear who are the two Witnesses, or Olive-Trees, who continually gave the Oyl of Grace out of themselves into the Golden-Candlestick, or Church, or Woman, who had a place prepared of God in the Wilderness, that they should feed her there, Rev. 12.6. with Grace as aforesaid. But as the Lord said, The Children o••

this World are in their Generation wiser than the Children of Light, Luk. 16.8. For had this Woman and others of Christ's Servants that truly fear him, understood the Word as well as the other did to get the Riches of this World they had not taken up with such mistaken Notions as has been put upon the Word.