394 ATevelatton ofthe Apocalypfe. CA P. Ii. but fuch men alto as are the inífruments of his fury, efpecially the Emperor<rs of Rome; who didmoff grievoully perfecute Chrifh in his members from the time that lohn wrote, as, Trajane, Hadrian, An- tonius Pit , Vests, Commodur, Severus, Deciur, and at Taft Dioclef.:- ctn, who were all open enemies, waging war againft the Church profefledly, and are thereforecalled Dragons, fuch as the Turk, is at this day. Others who are Chriftians in name onely, andyet do op- pugne the truth clofely and bycrooked windings and fhifts, are cal - led Beafts, which do not prey upon men, but to fatiffìe their hungry maws ; when as the Dragons, not driven with any lack offood, are carriedviolently to Peekour dearu ion, becaufe ofthat contrariety in nature that isbetweene mankinde and them. This Dragon was once in heaven, fo long as the open enemies were the Empereurs over all the world, exercifing authority over menofthe Chrifhan profellfion, which were fcattered throughout all the places oftheir dominions. He is called Great,as being the fupreme Princeon earth ; and Red, becaufe he is molt cruel! againft the Chri- ffians, being all overred with their blood. His (even heads, are feven hills, and feven Kings, as it is after, Chap. 17. 9, 10. Until! which placewedefer the larger handling of of thefe matters.In themean while, it fhall be enough for the matter in hand to underftand thus much,That that city is pointed out by this circumlocution , where hee fhould place the Seat of his Empire, that is, Rome, that is famoufly known by (evenhills,and King. For the Beaft receiveth her Thronefrom the `Dragon,Chap. 13.2. ifRomethen be her fear, then tauff it be his too. The ten horns are as many Icings, or Provincesgoverned by deputies, whom they called Pretors, who were like unto Kings. So doth Strabo teach us in the laft wordsof the laff Book ofhis Geography,faying, That Auguftus Celar divided his Whole dominionof Rome into tWo parts, Whereofhe took,to his oWn governmentfuch as Were turbulent andWarlike,the refs that Werepeace- able and quiet he gave unto thepeople ; Whodividedthole Provinces that Were given them by the Emperour, into ten Provinces, WhichWere governed by deputies ;The outmoff Spain , andthe lilt'sfituate there- by, the innermofi that contains Batica, and the Countrey ofNarbon in France, until!you come to Alace, Sardinia With C'orfca : Sicilia, Illy- ricumWith Epirus ioyned to it, Macedonia, Achaia unto Theffaly; - tolia and Acernania , With certain people of Epirus unto theends of Macedonia, Crete With Cyrenaica, Cyprus, Bythynia With Propontis, andcertain partsof Pontes. Suetonius doth alfo make mention of fuch
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