who began his Raign mildly, but soon after moves the ninth Persecution, about this time many Christians suf∣fered, and some of the Bishops of Rome, and Sixtus, and Dionysius, and many others in the middle of his Raign, there was a Council of the Christians at Anti∣och, the Emperor seeming not to be against it, nor them, but afterwards he was about to seal an Edict for further Persecutions of the Christians, but he was so terrified with thundering and lightning, that it stopt his tyranny, in the sixth year of his Raign, he was slain about the year 276.
After him succeeded Tacitus, who Raigned but six Months, and Florianus Raigned next, who Raigned but sixty dayes, and after him Raigned Marcus Aurelius Probus, who Raigned six years and four Months, in this time there was no Persecution, but the Christians had rest as in matters of Religion, but he was slain by his souldiers in the year 248.
Carus with his two Sons Carinus and Numerianus suc∣ceeded Probus in the Empire, the Raign of which Emperors continued in all but three years; Carus was slain with lightning, and Numerianus was also slain, and Carinus the other Son Raigned alone in Italy with much Wickedness, who afterwards was slain by the hands of the Tribune at Rome; so that from the latter end of the Raign of Valerianus, unto the Raign of Dio∣clesia, there seeming to be about forty four years, in which there was little Persecution of the Christians, but they had rest and enjoyed their Worship in quiet, and they were kept under sufferings, and the Law, and did not exercise Authority over the consciences of the rest, as afterwards they did, when they came to have Power in their hands, although as I said before, divers things were brought in by the Bishops of Rome in this time, which were much disagreeing from the Apostles dayes, yet they held part of the true Wor∣ship,