CAP. 2. .fl revelationoftheApocaly re. 65 other, becaufe in governing this Church, hewas to Phew himfelfe to High araii . be fuch an one as this furniture importeth.For he was to avenge him- hpau felfe of rebels, as he fpeaketh after, verfe 16. Whom hee would g punifh exceeding grievously ; for it should be with a two edged/word, and that a (bar pe one. Now this fivord is the WordofGod, the power whereofshould nowPhew it felfe notably in beating down the man of finne. And yet this fword is but (haken rather in this compaffe of yeares, then laid on with thedeepest dint it could give. For he Both but threaten to fight with it againft them ifthey will notrepent,v,16. He commeth not to down right blows in a pitched fold. 13. I knoW thy Worker. Here is a Narration of thebetterand more commendableestate of this Church, which isamplified two wayes, that it had not denied the faith, though itdt'elt infuck aplace , as Where Satan had his Throne ; and then that it had not denied thefaith in thofe dayes , in which Antipas was Pine. It is not hard to know why it is called Sathans Throne. For the City where theheathen Emperours had theirfeat, who didwage profeffed warre againft the Lambe, is called the Throne ofthe Dragon, chap. a 3.2. Soamong o- ther inferiour Cities, and maintained by this Mother-head-City, thofe that do molt referablethe difpofitionof this City, becaufe they make the Devil/ a mo:e [lately and well fnrnifhed Pallace, are called by the fame name, tomake them themore notorious. Now Perga- mara was the Mother-City, belonging to the Empire of Rome in Afia. For it is likely, whenthat countreÿ wasmade a Province , after that llttalw Philometor, the King of Pergamits , had by name male the peoi,le of Rome his heire, that the Proconf ull fentto governe it ; plat d th, feat ofhis Jurifdiftion in that place. Pliny calleth it the moll renownedCity o fAifîa,Book 5. ofhis Naturali Hiftory, chap.3o. Which glory should the leffe agree to it, ifthe Proconfuls had had their chicfe abiding place elfe where , feting the honour is wont either to come to, or to depart from the Cities, together with their Princes. And yet before it belonged to the right ofthe Romans, it was the head-City of' Afra. For fo Livy fpeaketh , intreating of Seleauchns the fonne ofAntiochus, he led his array tofight againtl Pergamns the head City .sndToWer of the Kingdome. Decad. -}.lib. 7. It was a :treat matter therefore, to profeffe Chrift in the hearing and fight of fo mighty a City, and fo malicious againft the truth. Prophetienot at Bethel, for it is the Icings Chapell and Court, Amos 7. 13. Concerning this AIrrtipás, Aretr2s reporteth , That he yeas a Witneffe to the Truth at Pergamw, andthat his martyrdomewas L Dept
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