C A P.ï;. di revelationoftbe Apocalypfe. X29 Tea.ft ofAqme, neither was the Panther enough to lay forthhis inhu- manity;but he is madeof all thofe beafts joyned in one,which agreed to each ofthe Monarchies feverally that were of old defcribed by thefe beafts, Dan. 7.4, 5, 6. And the Dragon gave him hispolder. Hitherto of the naturals por- traiture ofthe beat; his power followeth, and that in the firft place, which he received at firft. The Dragon gave him his power, his throne , and great authority. PoWer here , is the force which a man hash inherent within himfelf. Authority, is that power which is exercifed towards others. The dragon gave him both thefe, and betides his Throne. Now this io the 7. killedcityof Rome, as we have teen before, chap. 12. 3. The Dragon Dioclefian, and Maximian, when he was tobe caft out of heaven, gave over Rome to this Beaft the Pope, that fohe might play the Devill ítill by his Vicegerent, whenhe could not do it any longer by himfelf, and indeed afloon as he perceived that he mull be packing, he did with all fpeed pro- vide himfelfe ofa Succeffour, fending the Beail into his poffefï.on, before hewas cart out. ForDioclefaan lived at Nicomedia, Maximinian at Ill'ediolanum, inwhichplaces both ofthem gave over their Empire, leavingRome empty in the mean time, and fit fin the Beaft to domineer in. Af- ter that, A'íaxentius held Rome for a few yeares , not like an owner, but like one put in truft for another, as the event (hew- ed, for he did not hold his Throne for himfelf, but kept it for the Pope. Conftantine after that comming to vifit Rome, and finding the Throne feazed on by another, got him away to By- --Lantium, called fince Con.flantinople, and there made himfelf aplace to dwellin. The ref( ofthe Weilern Emperours followed, feeing that the Bar- barous Nations did continually annoy it with their affaults, fea- ted themfelves at Aíediolannm, or Ravenna, as beingplaces more commodious for this , that they might be nearer to give ayd to Rome , and more ready upon every occafion to wlthftand their ene- mies affaults. So by little and little they gave up the Throne to the 73eaf, Whereby it came to pale at length, that that Which hindered Was quite taken aWay,and the man offin Was made manifef to all men; which the Apoftle fpeaketh of, 2 Theffal. 2.6. And out of all this it may be now underftood, that the Bea.lt here is not the Heathen Empire of Rome, as which received Rome by gift from no man, nei- ther acknowledgeth it fel£ beholding to any man for the power Kkk 2 and
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