43o ARervelation ofthe Apocalypfe: CA P.13. and authority it kath; unleffeperhaps we fhould think that the Dra- gondid perfecute the woman, of which we have fpoken, and that with the rage Of an open enemie, before the Heathen Emperours were born. Moreover hence we gather, that the Pope of Rome is the vafíàll acheDragon, to whom he oweth homage and fervice, and not of Confiántine, and that he holdeth not Rome by this mans dona- tion, as he.braggeth fahly and impudently, but onely by Refignaiion from the Dragon. Thus therefore did Rme. begin to be more fa- mous, for the Topes Pallace, then for the Emperours court, after it had gotten the Draóons Throne. And indeed it grew up very fwi-ft- ly; for even then, and that prefently after this time, was the power thereof very great, as Pro/per witneffethin his Book ofunthankful) men; RomeWhich is become the Seat ofPeter, and the chief head ofpaflo- rail honour tothe WholeWorld, poffeffeth by meanes ofReligion, What- foever it cannot or dóth notpopffe byfire andfwerd. And again, Rome is made ireater, andmorefamous With the Caflle'ofReligion, thenby the Throne of outwardpower, and that (he may than the:;Princehood of her Prieflhood. For book z, of the, calling of,the, Gent. Chap. 6. Towhich teflimonies Ammianus Marcellinus addeth his, Book 27i as he is cited by Bellarmine, faying, that he-marvailednot. that men did .[hive Withfo great endeavour, to obtain thePopednme ofReme,fee- ing theWealth a4 honour thereofWere'groWn fo great. Now hence it appeareth,that the Dragon gave the Beaft this- in. that the name of Rme was reverend among all men, becaufe of the ancient Empire whichhad his "Court there of old, and that therefore he climbed eafily up to all the honour that the Empire had; but of this we 'flufffpeak moreat large inthe eleventh verfe. 3. AndIfaW one of his heads at it Were Wounded. Montanus and Plautines edition omit the,verb, IfaW : as if the Dragon had given him one Qfhis wounded heads, together witil his Throne andpow- er, but that is,..repugnant both to the authority of the reft of the copies : For Aretas, and the vulgar, yea all the reft read, .l fait, as alfo to the truth Of the Hiffo.ry. For the Beafl had not -his. heads wounded from his lirab:ginning. For firft he Was,'then.he is not; asit is after, Chapt.17, g. And as we {hall thew more fully upon that place. In there words-the Holy Ghof comethtofpeak.ofthe fe- cord conditionof the Beafl;whereby his firfl dignity Ihould:be fome- what dimi.ni(hed.The damage confifts in having one ofhis heads Weun- Ácd,whichheads we have more then once taught to be the[evenhils.¢ Kings
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