In the interpretation of this Prophecy, _the woman in heaven clothed with the sun_, before she flies into the wilderness, represents the primitive Church catholick, illuminated with the _seven lamps_ in the _seven golden candlesticks_, which are the _seven Churches_ of _Asia_. The Dragon signifies the same Empire with _Daniel_'s He-goat in the reign of his last horn, that is, the whole _Roman_ Empire, until it became divided into the _Greek_ and _Latin_ Empires; and all the time of that division it signifies the _Greek_ Empire alone: and the Beast is _Daniel_'s fourth Beast, that is, the Empire of the _Latins_. Before the division of the _Roman_ Empire into the _Greek_ and _Latin_ Empires, the Beast is included in the body of the Dragon; and from the time of that division, the Beast is the _Latin_ Empire only. Hence the Dragon and Beast have the same heads and horns; but the heads are crowned upon the Dragon, and the horns upon the Beast. The horns are ten kingdoms, into which the Beast becomes divided presently after his separation from the Dragon, as hath been described above. The heads are seven successive dynasties, or parts, into which the _Roman_ Empire becomes divided by the opening of the seven seals. Before the woman fled into the wilderness, _she being with child_ of a Christian Empire, _cried travelling_, viz. in the ten years persecution of _Dioclesian_, _and pained to be delivered: and the Dragon_, the heathen _Roman_ Empire, _stood before her, to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who_ at length _was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne_ in the Temple, by the victory of _Constantine_ the great over _Maxentius_: _and the woman fled_ from the Temple _into the wilderness_ of _Arabia_ to _Babylon_, _where she hath a place_ of riches and honour and dominion, upon the back of the Beast, _prepared of God, that they should feed her there 1260 days. And there was war in heaven_, between the heathens under _Maximinus_ and the new Christian Empire; _and the great Dragon was cast out, that old serpent, which deceiveth the whole world_, the spirit of heathen idolatry; _he was cast out_ of the throne _into the earth. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death_.