ereby. Those alone who truly embrace the Word will be as
immovable forever as Mount Zion. They may be few in number and
thoroughly despised by the world, as were Noah and his children. But
God, through these few, preserved to man the truth of that promised
mastery when he had not even room to set his foot upon the earth.

75. Our enemies, setting aside the Word, make much of number, outward
appearance, and persons. But the apostles foretold that the Antichrist
will be a respecter of persons, that will rely upon numbers and
ancient origin, that he will hate the Word and corrupt God's promises
and that he will kill those who cling to the Word. Shall we, then,
consider such people to be the Church?

76. The Church is a daughter born from the Word, not the mother of the
Word. Therefore, whoever loses the Word and looks to men instead,
ceases to be the Church and lapses into utter blindness; nor will
either great numbers or power avail. They who keep the word, as did
Noah and his family, are the Church, though they be few in number,
even but eight souls. The Papists at this time surpass us in numbers
and rank; we not only are cursed, but suffer many things. But we must
endure until the judgment, when God will reveal that we are his
Church, and the Papists the church of Satan.

77. So, then, we must observe that rule in 1 Sam 16, 7, where the Lord
says to Samuel: "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his
stature; because I have rejected him: for Jehovah seeth not as man
seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh
on the heart."

78. Let us not, therefore, give heed to the greatness and might of the
pope, who boasts that he is the Church, proclaiming the apostolic
succession and the majesty of his person. Let us look to the Word. If
the pope embraces it, let us judge him to be the Church; but if he
does violence to it, let us judge him to be the slave of Satan.

79. Paul says (1 Cor 2, 15) that the spiritual person judgeth all
things. If I were the only one on the face of the earth to keep the
Word, I should be the Church, and rightfully pass judgment upon all
the rest of the world that they were not the Church. Our enemies have
the office without the Word, and really have nothing. We, on the other
hand, have the Word, though we have nothing; yet we have everything
through the Word. Therefore, either let the pope, the cardinals and
the bishops come over to our side, or let them cease