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.

The church, one would think, was but in a homely dress when she was coming out of captivity; and yet then the people of the countries desired to be one with her:  “Let us,” said they to Zerubbabel and to the fathers of the church, “build with you, for we seek your God as you do.”

The very name of the church is striven for of the world; but that is the church which Christ has made so; her features also remain with herself.  Hear the relation that the Holy Ghost gives of the intrinsic beauty of the church when she was to go to be in a persecuted state:  “She was clothed with the sun, had the moon under her feet, and had upon her head a crown of twelve stars.”  And yet now the dragon stood by.  But I say, here is a woman!  Let any one who will attempt it show such another in the world if he can.

They therefore that have any regard to morality, civility, or to ceremonial comeliness, covet to be of the church of God, or to appropriate that glorious title to themselves.

And here indeed antichrist came in.  She took this name to herself; and though she could not come at the sun, nor moon, nor stars, to adorn herself with them, yet she has found something that makes her comely in her followers’ eyes.  See how the Holy Ghost sets her forth:  she was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand.  Hence she is called the well-favored harlot, the lady of kingdoms.

But because the chaste matron, the spouse of Christ, would not allow this harlot to run away with this name therefore she gets upon the back of her beast, and by him pushes this woman into the dirt; but because her faith and love to her husband remain, she turns again and pleads by her titles, her features, and ornaments, that she and she only is she whose square answereth to the characters which her Lord had given of his own; and so the strife began.  For so soon as this mistress became a dame in the world, and found that she had her stout abettors, she attempts to turn all things topsy-turvy, and to set them and to make of them what she lists.