CA P. 13. 4 evelatioìt ofthe Apocalyple. 437 which are Dràgonr, did pnrchafe. unto it. For was notthis to adore and wotfllip'the Dragon, togive the high&authority to his fixed- four for his fake? But now this was the firft foundation or the Pope of Roves Primacy,becaufe this Citie was of old the mother Citie of the.Empire. Hence it is, that it is called every where in Eufebius , and other Ecclefiaílicall writers , the Citie that raigneth , but the Councell of Chalcedon fheweth this molt evidently,At&, i6.For (faith it) the Fa- thers didgive the Triviledgcc that Were agreeable to the feat of old Rome, hecaufe of the Empire of this Citie. Thofe hundred andfifty BiJliops like,Wife that Wera moft belovedof God, being movedby the fame intent,gave equal/ Priviledges to the Sea of neWRome , iredginrr reafonably, that the Citie that Was honouredLi'ith the Empire , and the Senate,would enjoy equall PriviledgesWith oldRome, andfhould carry a Maiefty in ecclefiafiicall bufines as Well as that, and to 6e the fecond next after that,&c.TheEmpire therefore & the Senatebegat the Pri- macy to old Rome,which while thofe firft Fathers grantto this Citie, becaufe of the heathen Emperours,who raigned there in times paft, thofe that followed afterwards , did amplifie that dignity that was firft granted unto it,for the fame caufe,and did all of them caft them- felves down filthily before the Dragon , worfhipping him for being the Author of this honour. The Bifhop of C'onftantinople ought to obtain the like dignity by the fame argument,but the Dragon did not fuffer him, who made the BiJkop of Rome his only heir of the whole Primacy. Wherefore the . Legats of the Bifhop of Rome with- flood that decree of the Councell of Chalcedon. Neither would Gelafius the Pope , who allowed of the Chalcedon Synod in other things, confirm this one Canon of thePriviledge of the Sea of Con- ftantinople. And therefore that decreewas void', efpecially feeing the fame Gelaf:YS , to whom the Dragonhad given over his power, prudently, and like a wary child ordained : That no AR of anySy- nod Whatfoever , Jhouldhave anyforce at all, unlejfe it Were confirmed by the Pope of Rome. Andthey adored theBeallfaying, Who is likf to the Beaft ? who can fight With him ? So much for the adoring of the Dragon, now towell- ing the adoring of the Beaft ? which is placed in magnifying his power over all men, left we fhould think it confifteth in the gefture alone. And was there not jut} caufe to boaft fo magnifically ofthe Keaft ? LeoIfturiosee , the Emperoor of Conftantinople warred un- happily with Gregory thefecond, being excommunicated by him, and Lila caft
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