A Revelation of the Apocalypse, Chapter 9

A Revelation of the Apocalypse · Chapter 9

p. 237CHAP. 9.

THEN the fift Angell blewe the trumpet, and I ſawe a ſtarre fall from heaven into the earth, and to that ſtarre was given the key of the bottomeleſſe pit.

2 He opened therefore the bottomeleſſe pit, and there aroſe a ſmoke out of the pit, as the ſmoke of a great fornace: and the Sunne was darkened, and the ayre, by the ſmoke of the pit.

3 And there came out of the ſmoke Locuſts upon the earth, and unto them was given power, as the ſcorpions of the earth have power.

4 But to them it was ſayd, that they ſhould not hurt the hay of the earth, neither any greene thing, neither any tree: but onelyonly thoſe men, which had not the Seale of God in their foreheads.

5 And to them was commanded, that they ſhould not kill them, but that they ſhould be tormented five moneths: and that their torment ſhould be, as the torment of a Scorpion, when he hath ſtung a man.

6 Therefore in thoſe dayes ſhall men ſeeke death, and ſhall not finde it, and ſhall deſire to dye, and death ſhall fly from them.

7 And the formes of the Locuſts were like unto horſes prepared unto battell: & on their heades were ſet as it were crownes, like unto Golde, and their faces like as the faces of men.

8 And they had haire as the haire of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of Lyons.

9 And they had habergions, as habergions of iron: and the ſound of their wings was like the ſounde of charets, when many horſes runne unto battell.

10 And they had tailes like unto Scorpions, and ſtings: and they have power in their tailes to hurt men five moneths.

11 And they have a King ſet over them, which is the ANGEL of the bottomeleſſe pit, whoſe name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greeke Apollyon, that is, Deſtroying.

p. 23812 One woe is paſt: and beholde yet two woes come after this.

13 Then the ſixt Angell blewe the trumpet, and J heard a voice from the foure hornes of the Golden Altar which is before the eyes of God, ſaying to the ſixt Angell, which had the trumpet.

14 Looſe thoſe foure Angels, which are bound at the great river Euphrates.

15 Therefore thoſe foure Angels were looſed, which were prepared at an houre, & at a day, and at a monethmonth, and at a yeere, to ſlay the third part of men.

16 And the number of the army of horſemen was two thouſand times an hundred thouſand: for I heard the number of them.

17 And I ſawe the horſes in a viſion, and them that ſate on them, having fiery habergions, and of Jacinth, and of briſtone: and the heads of the horſes were as the heades of Lions: and out of their mouthes went forth fire, and ſmoke, and brimſtone.

18 By theſe three was the third part of men killed, that is, of the fire, and of the ſmoke, and of the brimeſtone, which came out of their mouthes.

19 For the horſes power is in their mouthes, and in their tailes: for their tailes are like unto ſerpens having heades, wherewith they hurt.

20 And the remnant of the men, which were not killed by theſe plagues repented not of the workes of their handes, that they ſhould not worſhippe devils, and Idols of Gold, and of Silver, and of Braſſe, and of ſtone, and of wood, which neither can ſee, neither heare, nor goe.

21 Neither repented they of their murthers, nor of their ſorceries, neither of their fornication, nor of their theft.

Analyſis.

SVCH hath ben the common Proheme, as was ſaid in the laſt verſe of the former chapter. The ſpeciall effect of the greater trumpets followeth: two of which are handled in this chapter: The Fift, unto the verſe 13. The Sixt in the reſt. The firſt effect of that is, the fall of a ſtarre from heaven, ver 1. The ſecond effect is the opening of the bottomeleſſe pit, the ſmoke coming out of the pit, darkening the Sunne, ver. 2. and the ingendring of Locuſts: of which afterward there is a deſcription, firſt in reſpect of their power, like unto ſcorpions ver. 3. over whom, ver. 4. of how long continuance, ver. 5. howe great, both from the degree of paine, which ſhould not be unto death, but onelyonly for torment, ver. 5. and alſo from the eſteeming of death, as a leſſer evill, ver. 6. Afterward there is uſed a lively deſcription of them, both of what ſorte they are by themſelves, and that partly in ſumme: That they are like to warrelike horſes, ver. 7. partly by every member in regard of their heades and faces, in the ſame verſe, of their haires and teeth, ver. 8. of their p. 239habergeons and winges, ver. 9. of their tailes and power of hurting to cō tinue, ver. 10. and alſo laſtly, what they are in reſpect of their King Abaddon, ver. 11. So is the fift trumpet. The two next are ſet forth by tranſitiōs, ver. 12. The former whereof, that is the ſixt conteineth both the calamity in the reſt of this chapter, and alſo a conſolation of the Saincts in the two following. The calamity firſt is commanded, the authour of which commandement is declared, ver. 13. The Miniſter to whom it is given, and the ſumme of the commandement, ver. 14. Afterward it is performed in very deede, both by the Captaines, to whom a ſpace of tyranniſing, and the number of them that are to be killed, is preſcribed, ver. 15. and alſo by the ſouldiers, the number of which is shewed, ver. 16. and fierce and terrible diſpoſitiō, ver. 17. The event of all which is double, the killing of the third part of men, ver. 18.19. The hardening of the reſt, ver. 20.21.

Scholions.

1 Then the firſt Angell blewe the trumpet, and J ſawe a ſtarre: The firſt effect of the fift trūpet is the fall of a ſtarr, as wee have ſayd in the Analyſis, which ſtarre is not any good Angell, they are never ſayd to fall from heaven to the earth, which alwayes in this booke is takē in the worſe patt: but to deſcēde, as chap. 10.1. and 18.1. and 20.1. Furthermore, this ſtarre is the Angell of the bottomleſſe pit, of which in ver. 11. who is called Deſtroying, not onelyonly becauſe he shall deſtroy others, but alſo becauſe he himſelfe ſhall goe into deſtruction, chap. 17.8. Who hath come from the ſame bottomleſſe pit, from whence he hath cauſed deſtruction to others, in the ſame place: It is well true that a Holy Angell hath the key of the bottomeleſſe pit, chap. 20.1. but that is a key to ſhutte onelyonly the bottomeleſſe pit, after that the Devill is put in: this on the other ſide is onelyonly to open the ſame. Neither is that firme, that the key is never given to others, then our friends: for what other thing is the Key, then a power over a thing? Which wee knowe is granted to the fowles ſpirits; whereupon the Devill is called the Prince of the world, Iohn 14.30. the Prince of the power of the ayre, Epheſ. 2.2. the Prince of the darkenes of this world, Epheſ. 6.12. Therefore this ſtarre by an uſuall maner of ſpeaking in the Scriptures, is ſome wicked Man, to whom wee have heard before nowe, that the name of ſtarre is given. That Ambroſe, which not very long agoe Tonſtall published, will have him to be ſome Arch-heretique, who as a ſtarre in heaven, before he fell, ſhined brightly in the Church with learning and wiſdome: Ioachimus Abbas, that it is ſome Clergie man endued with knowledge of learning: Well and according to the meaning of the Holy Ghoſt, as wee p. 240ſhall ſee by and by. He is ſaid to have fallen in the time paſt, which fell before nowe. For this ſtarre fell not firſt at this fift ſounding of the trumpet, but departed longe before from her ſoundneſſe by certen degrees, & was tumbled downe into this pit of ungodlines. Although this preter tence noteth not onelyonly the thing which is nowe paſt, but alſo after the maner of the Hebrewes, a continuing action. Of which ſorte are thoſe, This is my be loved Sonne in whom I have ben well pleaſed, Mat. 3.17. So before, Beholde ſayth Chriſt, I have ſtood at the doore and doe knocke, chap. 3.20. Of which ſorte are many in other places. It fell from heaven unto the earth, by revolting from the holy Church to a degenerating company of ungodly men. But this fall nowe firſt began to be marked, after the ſounding out of the fift trū pet. For that which is done leiſurely and privily, is not perceaved to be a doing, before that it be manifeſtly come to paſſe. The key of the bottomeleſſe pit given, is a power granted over infernall darkenes, which was ſhutte up in the bottome of the pit of hell, for that is the bottomeleſſe pit. Now firſt this power was granted to ſende forth the ſmoke, howſoever the fall from heaven was before that the trumpet ſounded. Nowe that wee may finde out who this ſtarre is, the thing is not to be meaſured by one or two circū ſtances (for ſo wee ſhall finde very many to have fallen from heaven) but all things are to be taken togither: which ſurely whomſoever they ſhall fitte, he doubtleſſe is that very man whom this Prophecy painteth out unto us: it cannot be that the holy deſcriptions should be generall and common, ſo as they may be applyed to divers things contrary to the meaning of the Spirit. But it is to be obſerved, that this trumpet is not limited within any certaine boundes of the third part, as the former, but to have free liberty to ſpread farre abroad in what place ſoever it will, as in the common proheme the Angell cryed out in the ende of the former chapter, woe to the inhabitans of the earth: as though the calamity should be contained within noe other limits then of the whole earth: from whence it cometh to paſſe that the latter trumpets exccede the former, not onelyonly in the very kinde and continuāce of the evils, but alſo in the ſpace and largenes of the countries thē ſelves, to which they should bring dammage. Theſe thinges being thus layd, wee shall finde that this trumpet ſounded immediately within three yeeres after that Gregory died (whom evē nowe wee shewed to be the Angell flying from the middes of heaven) about the yeere from the birth of Chriſt, ſixe hundreth and ſeaven. At which time Boniface the third obtained of Phocas the parricide, that the Biſhop of Rome ſhould be univerſall: then alſo Mahumet in the Eaſt (whom Robertus Cetenenſis and Bibliander refer unto the ſame time in the eleven table: albeit I thinke that others more truly doe reffer p. 241him to a fewe yeeres after: as touching the ſumme of the thing there is noe difference) was beleeved of his owne people to be a greate Prophet. Both ſtarres fell from heaven before this time. The Romane defection is manifeſt in the Idolatrous worshipping of reliques, & in attributing that to the Saincts, which is proper to God alone: that I may not recite many other wicked ſuperſtitions, when as it would aske a longe time even for to number them. Gregory that middle Angell, whom by right thou mayeſt call holy in compariſon of many other that were to come: in howe plaine words doth he bewray the impiety of this ſeate herein? The holy Martyrs, ſayth he, our defenders are preſent, they will be asked, and they require to be ſought. Therefore in your prayers ſeeke yee theſe helpes, finde yee out theſe defenders of your guiltines: in his Homilies on the Goſp. Againe, Which Holy Peter of late could be your helper in all things, and more over he is able to forgive your ſinnes, booke 4. Epiſt. 34. Againe, let him put his truſt in the grace of the omnipotent God, and in the helpe of the bleſſed Apoſtle Peter, in the booke 4. chap. 39. Moreover, from the croſſe, in which is the wood of the Lords croſſe, and the haires of John Baptiſt, wee have alwayes confort of our Saviour, through the interceſſion of his fore runner, booke 7. Epiſt. 126. Neither was he the firſt authour of this Idolatry: neither did they which followed indevour to overthrowe it, but rather increaſed it with all their power. And not without cauſe indeede, the fall of this ſtarre became thē firſt knowen, when the Biſhop began to be called univerſall, then yet the eares of all men might ring with the late crying out of Gregory, He is Antichriſt, who chalengeth to himſelfe the name of univerſall Biſhop. Frō which alſo it is manifeſt, howe both they deceive and are deceived, who require inſtantly the teſtimonies of Ambroſe, Hierome, Chryſoſtome, Auguſtine, or of any other Father, by which expreſly it may be proved that the Pope of Rome is Antichriſt, ſeeing his fall could not be ſo plainly diſcerned before the blowing of the fift trumpet: which doubtleſſe ſounded not, before theſe holy men ceaſed to be among the living. The fall alſo of Mahomet from heaven is evident. The Saracenes had received the true faith of Chriſt by the inſtruction of Moſes a certaine Bishop of that people, when Mavia the Queene reigned, as in Socrates booke 4.36. or Mania, as Sozemene calleth her, booke 6. 38, At which time Valens governed the Empire of Rome in the Eaſt.

From this beginning, or peradventure from Zacomus the Prince, who flourished a fewe yeeres before, the trueth ſeemesh to have ben ſpred among them unto the times of HERACLIƲS, corrupt without all doubt with much filth, and corruption, as is wont to come to paſſe in proceſſe of time, yet not quite abolished, as it is cleare frō Mahumet himſelfe: p. 242who acknowledged the Scriptures, and tooke to himſelfe companions, or rather had for maiſters Sergius of Conſtantinople, a Neſtorian Monke, and Iohn of Antiochean Arian, Wherefore it is plaine that both of them had fallen. The key was given to the Biſhop of Rome in that manner which I have ſaid, For an ordinance of the Emperour being eſtablished, that the Biſhops of Rome ſhould have full power to aſſemble generall Councills and to diſolve them, to confirme and diſanull the thinges which ſhould be decreed in the Councills: and that the City of Rome ſhould be the heade of all holeſome life, when before Conſtantinople was ſo eſteemed becauſe of the ſeate of the Emperour (as writeth Pomponius on Phocas) what could not this key open? Doth not the Pope worthyly boaſt of the Keyes, and carrieth them an enſigne for his armes, leaſt perhaps any should be ignorant, that he is the ſame, whom Iohn ſawe ſhould come? And this is that difference betweene the other ſuperſtitious men, and the Pope of Rome. Many others did give more to the Saincts departed, then was meete, and defiled themſelves with the moſt grievous ſinne of Idolatry, yet to noe other was given the key to open the pit, but to this univerſall Biſhop. Let noe man therefore to hide the Antichriſt, call forth the defenſe and fellowſhippe of others that erred, but let him ioyne togither all the properties, nor iudge of him for one alone. But as touching Mahomet, what could not he obtaine of the ſimple multitude, being counted of all a great Prophet? Whoſe ſowning from a diſeaſe the rude multitude beleeved to have bin a conference with the Angell Gabriell. Surely a mighty Key and fit to open the pit of Hell. Therefore the reſpect to the time, the greatnes of the matter, theagreablenes of all things, which shall more appeare in the explication: finally the large boundes of this trumpet doe cauſe that as well Mahomet as the Romiſh Pope are to be contained under this ſtarre. Neither is it an unmeete thing that many perſons ſhould be noted by one type: whom the likenes doth compoſe and make to be ſome one thing.

2 Therefore he opened the bottomeleſſe pit, and the ſmoke aſcended; Such was the firſt effect. The ſecond ſorte of effects doe ariſe one from another in a certen order. For firſt, he openeth the pit: from the pit opened ſmoke aſcendeth: out of the ſmoke, beſide the darkening of the Sunne, come Locuſts. And the Smoke is Hereſy in doctrine, and ſuperſtition in worship. For what other thing can breath out of the Helliſh pit? Before time indeede by many cranyes it ſent forth a foule vapour, but nowe through the doores opened by the helpe of theſe men, it began to goe out haſtily. The Sunne and ayre are darkened, after that errours growed in uſe, and the light of the trueth was quite put out. Neither is it a darkenes of one place onelyonly, ſuch as the high rope of ſome mountaine doth cauſe, but the whole ayre is filled with blacknes p. 243differring nothing from the darknes of the night. And certenly after once the Primacy was obtained of Phocas, Bonifacius the next both in name and order, conſecrated to all Saincts, Pantheon a Temple of Heathenish Idolatry, practizing the ſame ungodlines, which the Ethniques did before, but under an other ſomething more glorious name. Whoſe holy day alſo he appointed, that the wickednes of worshipping an newe army of Gods, might not be Romes alone. Theodatus his next ſucceſſour decreed, that the parents who had received even through ignorance, their owne children from baptiſme, ſhould not live togither any more in the ſociety of wedlocke: but that there ſhould be a ſeparation made, and the woman ſhould receive her dowrie, and be married to an other after a yeere. A newe kinde of inceſt by ſpirituall kindred, which God knewe not when he made his lawes of inceſt and unlawfull marriages, Lev. 18. Bonifacius the fift added, that wee by Chriſt are delivered from originall ſinne onelyonly: that the lawe requireth noe more of us, then that which wee are able to perfourme by our owne ſtrength, or at leaſt by the helpe of the divine grace. Vitalian, that all things ought to be done in the Church in the Latine tonge. Finally, that I may not recken up an infinite thing: the matter at length came to this point, that all muſt neceſſarily ſubmit their neckes to this yoke: That every ſoule that wilbe ſaved, muſt confeſſe the forme of the Romane tradition: and that all her decrees are to be received, as if they were ſtabliſhed by the divine voice of Peter himſelfe: as Agatho in his Epiſt. among the Acts of the ſixt Councill at Conſtantinople. This ſmoke which at the firſt opening of the pit, was but thinne, became every day thicker, almoſt by infinite degrees. And the maner of Worshipping God, began to be noe leſſe corrupted, which did conſiſt wholy in Maſſes, Altars, Garments, Images, Chalices, Croſſes, Candleſticks, Cenſers, Banners, Holy Veſſels, Holy Water: in a multitude of Prayers, Pilgrimages, Faſtings, and an exceeding great company of not onelyonly idle, but alſo ungodly ceremonies, the moſt pure ordinance of God forſaken in the meane time, and troade under foote. Howe longe before, and howe farre this ſmoke ſpread it ſelfe in the Weſt, one alone Boniface Venofride an Ingliſhman may be inſtead of many witneſſes, who being the Legate and Apoſtle of Gregorie the ſecond, brought into bondage under the Pope the Franckes, the Noriques, the Boies, the Thy rigates, The Cattes, part of the Saxes, the Daces, the Sclavonians, the Friſes. How great a multitude of ſlaves by one mans travell? But this was nothing to the whole Weſt, covered in a shorte time after with the ſame ſmoke. For the Princes being made to beleeve, that, that Church was founded of Peter, and this Peter left the keyes and power given him of Chriſt to his ſucceſſours at Rome, and in no other place in the earth: ſo as he that ſhould cut of himſelfe from the Church of Rome, ſhould become a baniſhed man from the Chriſtian religion (as Adrian in his p. 244Epiſtle to the Spaniards:) it is noe mervayle if by this darkenes the Sunne was taken away from all Churches every where. But this darke night became yet much more thicke, when at length the holy Scriptures being wholly layd aſide, and all good learning being banished, ſophiſticall Theologie was onelyonly in account, the unpure Decrees and Decretals, held the governance. Then the Aegyptian darkenes was not thicker, thē that which came upon the whole Weſt. The Eaſterne ſmoke ſent forth by Mahomet was groſſer at the very firſt beginning, ſo as it might be felt with the handes. He unto three holy Scriptures, as he ſpeaketh, that is, the Lawe of Moſes, the Pſalmes of David, and the Goſpell, ioyneth his Alfurta, an horrible Chaos of all blaſphemyes. And as if the Eaſterne people had not received hurt inough frō the dotages of Mahomet, Heraclius the Emperour ſpread alſo amōg them the errour of the Monothelites. So then about theſe times, every man may ſee aboundance of ſmoke coming out of the opened pit. As touching the wordes, inſtead of a great fornace, Aretas, the Complutent edition and ſome others reade a burning fornace, peradventure both are to be ioyned togither, but the ſenſe is cleare.

3 And out of the ſmoke went Locuſts: An other effect of the ſecond ſorte, the procreation of Locuſts: that is of men, who reſemble their diſpoſitiō moſt fitly in their multitude and ſlouthfulnes. The wordes may not be underſtood of ſome venimous creatures indeede: whoſe ofſpring doth not require à man falling from the trueth, of which ſorte wee have shewed the ſtarre to be which fell from heaven: neither are the true Locuſts bred from the ſmoke of errours: but the ofſpring muſt be of the ſame kinde, of which his cauſe is. Wherfore frō this ignorance & moſt groſſe errours there came forth in the Eaſt the Mahometiſh Saracens, a cōpany of vile perſōs by troupes running violently to robberies, living not ſo much of their owne as of others: a natiō borne to eate up & devoure the goods of other men, which hath waſted the whole Eaſt in a fewe yeeres: afterward ſpoyled miſerably the weſt & our Europe. The Weſterne Locuſts are Monkes, Nunnes, the yong brethrē the innumerable route of religious, the Cardinals with the whole Popiſh Hierarchy. All theſe beetles ſprūg out of the ſame ſmoke, or dunge of ignorāce & errour. For after that men did attribute their ſalvatiō to their workes, what meaſure could there be of newe religiōs & newly deviſed ſuperſtitiō? Al doe fervētly thirſt after ſalvation, which whē they underſtāde to be in their owne power, & to cōſiſt in the obſervatiō of ſuch thinges, there was no ſuperſtitiō frō which they could ſtay thēſelves. Surely a man is ſcarce more begottē of a mā, thē theſe Locuſts frō that ſmoke. Whatſoever pleaſant thing was any where, in any coūtries, flying thither in troupes, & placing themſelves p. 245there, they devoured it wholy: neither was their living more dainty then ſecure, as though all the reſt of mankinde had bin created for to be the cookes of theſe banketers. Howe great troupes there have bin in time paſt, any man may coniecture from hence, that a certaine Generall of the Minorites, which one ſecte filled fourty Provinces, promiſed to the Pope towards his expedition againſt the Turkes, out of the Seraphicall family of the Franciſcanes, thirty thouſande wariours, who could performe valiantly warlike offices, without hindring at all the ſervice of holy things: Sabel. Ennead. 9. booke 6. Howe huge a multitude muſt there have bin of all the religious men, conſidering that one family of them miniſtred ſo copious an army? To which is to be added Polydore Virgill, affirming, that there was never any ordinance of humaine godlineſſe, that grewe more in a ſhort time: for this alone family of the Franciſcanes filled the whole earth: ſo as the common people aſtonied did ſuſpect, that godlines was not ſo much regarded of many, as idlenes and ſlouthfulnes: of Invent. booke 7. chap. 4. Behold the Locuſts, even by the iudgement of the common people. There were Mōkes indeede of olde time, but ſuch as lived by their labour: neither were they at all of any Eccleſiaſticall degree: but this newe generation ſowing nothing of their owne, devoured other mens harveſes: and that it might be evident whoſe ofſpring they are, The Monkes are inrolled by Boniface the 4. among the tribes of Prieſts, and power is given to them to preach the word and miniſter the Sacraments. Boniface the fift added the power of binding and looſing. Nowe therefore they are made the creatures of the Pope, of whom alone they receave their dignity and authority, which before they could obtaine no further, then the opinion of their godlines would procure unto them. And not without cauſe it is noted of learned men, although minding nothing as it ſeemeth this Prophecy, that in this age three great miracles came to paſſe, the Monaſteries of Monkes were builded, Kinges themſelves became ſhaven Monkes, & dayly fornication was amonge the holy canonized ſtate, Beleus Centurie the firſt on Vitalianus. Surely the Monkery of this time had ſome peculiar thing, which did cauſe aſtoniſhement unto men, although they had litle regard to this Prophecy.

¶ And power was given them, as the Scorpions of the earth have power: Nowe followeth hereafter a deſcription of the Locuſts: and firſt from the power given them, which they obtaine like to that, of the ſcorpions of the earth. This creature is of the infects, it hath five armes, toothed with forked clawes: the cruell plague of the poiſon of ſerpents, as ſayth Plin. They are of an angry diſpoſitiō, whence the proverbe, thou provokeſt the eight-footed ſcorpion: and Scorpio among the Greekes, is to exaſperate, to ſtirre up, to make very angry, after the manner of a Scorpion.

p. 246And as it becometh their outragious madneſſe, they carry alwayes a drawne and ready weapon to inflict a deadly wounde. The reſt of the inſects have their ſtinges hidden within: the ſcorpion alone is armed with a longe ſtinge hanging out, which is not idle, but alwayes ſtriking, giving himſelfe noe reſte at any time, that he may not be wanting at any occaſion: his going is with a winding ſteppe, by which he ſtriketh the more unwarres. Such doubtleſſe is this ſmoky breed in the power of hurting, which at the firſt were Locuſts in multitude and ſloughtfulnes. The thing is cleare in the Saracenes a furious nation, prompt and ready alwayes to kill: which by ſtealth & privily is wonte to aſſaile men, and to come on with rage in thoſe places, in which it was leaſt of all feared. Alſo our Religious Locuſts in the weſt, which ſeemed to breath forth no other thing then charity, gentleneſſe, courteſie, were as quickly mooved, as the Scorpions. If a man did offende but one even the leaſt of that ſhaven heard, he ſtirred up the whole troupe, neither did he carry it away ſcotfree, although placed in the higeſt eſtate of nobility

Don Pluto dares not ta aſſay, though he be Prince of Hell,

So much as dares th'unruly Monke, & crafty beldame fell.

In which two verſes Pope Pius, who before his Popedome was Aeneas Silvius, was not afraide to pronounce, that the rage of the Devill is milder, then the monkiſh. They carried their weapon ſtanding out and knowne to all men; the terrible lightening of excommunication: but they gave a blow for the moſt part fetching a compaſſe, & ſecretly, and they pretended alwayes fained cauſes of their forie. Although if they pleaſed not to drawe this weapon, at the leaſt way, they tormented with feare of Purgatory, and Hell, whither they thruſt downe all their enemies. Nowe therfore was the time, when men dwelt among ſcorpions, as in time paſt, Ezech. 2.6.

4 And it was commanded them that they ſhould not hurt the graſſe of the earth: Theſe thinges shew over whom power is given them. Firſt, all Hay is excepted ſimply; ſecōdly alſo in part the greene and trees: onelyonly men unſealed, ar left to their luſt. As touching the hay (fOr ſo may the Greeke worde with the olde Interpreter be well tranſlated, ſpecially ſeeing that the word green followeth next after) it is the dry graſſe cut of from the earth, which ſeeing it is the company of the wicked, as wee have often shewed, the graſſe cut of from thence, shalbe men ſeparated of God from the ſociety of other wicked, by certaine playne and knowne markes. The Locuſts ſhould not hurt theſe, not becauſe there lacked will and endevour; but becauſe they ſhould looſe all their labour in attempting their deſtruction, whom God would defende by his mighty arme againſt their violence. As wee reade that it came to paſſe in the Eaſt, when Conſtantine Pogonatus was Emperour, about the yeere p. 247674. For then the Saracenes with great armies, by lande and ſea invaded Thracia, they aſſaulted Conſtantinople the very ſeate of the Kinge: but after that by the ſpace of ſeven yeeres togither they could effect nothing by violent aſſaults, at laſt many ſhippes being burnt by a fire newly found out of one Callimcus, and the reſt of the navie being partly drowned through a ſtorme, partly daſhed againſt the rockes, they were diſcouraged and weakened, ſo that having loſt all hope, they deſyred peace for thirty yeeres: which they redeemed by a yeerly tribute of a thouſand poundes of Golde, and 40 men priſoners. But doe you aske the cauſe why the Saracens fought here ſo unproſperouſly? There was a certen Hay time in thoſe countryes, when Conſtantine abandoned the impiety of Heraclius and Conſtans his Father, & rooted out utterly Monotheliſme, the ſixt Councill of Conſtantinople being aſſſembled. Indeede Martin & Agatho Biſhops of Rome, condemned alſo the ſame Hereſy: who yet cannot be counted among this haie, being tied to the earth by other veines, to wit a moſt fowle Idolatry: of which the Church of Conſtantinople, was more pure, which received not true and expreſſe Images before the foreign Coūcill a fewe yeeres after under Iuſtinianus ſecond, as sheweth Antonius Contius, in the third part of the Decrees, in the third chap. of diſtinctions, the ſixt holy Councill: and Polydor. Virgil. in his 6. booke and 13. chap. concerning the Inventours. In the times of Leo Iſaurus, the ſame Locuſts came flying againe about the yeere 719. with a farre greater number of ſhippes, and more hurtfull armies. But God ſufferred them not to hurt his haie, which he himſelfe doubtleſſe had moved in ſtirring up Leo to prohibite that wicked Idolatry: which haie time became yet more evident, when Gregorie the ſecond excommunicated the Emperour, and deprived him of the Empire and of his felowſhippe, that is cut him of frō the wicked earth, becauſe he had ordayned that holie images and pillars ſhould be throwne downe and deſtroyed. Therefore the Locuſts are driven away by battaile, by famine, by a ſea-fire, by tempeſt, and haile mingled with fire, that they might acknowledge God to be the defender of his haie: and the whole navie of ſhippes, tenne onelyonly excepted, did perish: of which tenne, five alſo were intercepted of the Emperours ſouldiers, the reſt at length arriving at Syria, that they might be tidings bringers of that horrible ſlaughter. It was Doubtleſſe a manifeſt example of the haie ſaved from the iniurie of the Locuſts. Beſides theſe Locuſts, the whole Eaſt was alſo full of Monkes: but as the ſcorpions in ſome landes doe not hurt, as in the Jlande Pharo, in the Norike Alpes, and elſwhere: ſo in very many places they bring death without any remedy; and as the Locuſts deſtroy very often whole nations with famine, ſome time alſo they are for meate: ſo the poiſon of the Monkes was more p. 248sharpe in the Weſt part, in that it did not enter into the Eaſt: neither were they much hurtfull in the Weſt, to the cut graſſe. Diſcreete men, to whom the trueth did shew it ſelfe more clearly, deſpiſed the hypocrites without feare, and ſufferred not themſelves to be devoured of them, as the other unskilfull multitude, which through a shewe of Godlines became a pray.

¶ Neither all greene thing, neither all trees, but onelyonly thoſe men, which have not, &c. The meaning is, that ſome greene thing, and ſome trees should be delivered from this vexation of the Locuſts, all the reſt being yeelded up to their cruelty, who had not the ſeale of God in their foreheades. In the former chapter and ſeventh verſe, the third part of trees was burnt, and all greene graſſe, to wit, of that third part, becauſe all that part of graſſe, and of trees, should be of the cōpanie of the caſt awayes. But unleſſe ſome trees should be counted in the number of the elect, the foure Angels should not have bin forbidden before to ſtay their rage, even for one moment of time, ch. 7.1. Here therefore a fewe are taken out of a great number, as the naturall force of the wordes doth shewe ſufficiently. The wordes doe beare doubtleſſe that interpretation, which the moſt learned Theod. Beza bringeth, thus, neither any greene thing, nor any tree, but onelyonly the men &c. For the univerſall ſigne, all, is taken ſome time for any, as chap. 7. ver. 1. neither upon all tree, that is, upon any: where the Complutent edition readeth upon any tree: and chap. 21.27. any thing that defiled, or any defiled thinge, as hath the Common tranſlation. Alſo the particles foreign, may be underſtood by way of oppoſition, but onelyonly the men &c. as, but they onelyonly which are written in the booke of life of the Lambe, chap. 21.27. But here I thinke that it is rather to be tranſlated according to the proper ſignification of the wordes by way of exception, thus, except onelyonly the men, which have not the ſeale &c. The difference is, that exception is alwayes of a thing of the ſame kinde: oppoſition may be of any divers thing whatſoever. And this placeth every greene thing, and every tree in the number of the ſealed: that attributeth the ſame thing to ſome certen trees, and onelyonly to ſome greene thing, counting the reſt of the grone in noe place of thoſe that are to be ſaved, more agreably to that which wee mentioned before. chap. 8.7. Neither is it needfull in the other places alleadged to departe from the naturall property of theſe particles, if wee shall conſider the matter diligently. From theſe thinges then it is prooved that there are ſome within the compaſſe of the falſe Church, whom God chalengeth to him ſelfe by a privie ſealing: and that this greene thinge and trees are men, as wee have interpreted, chap. 7.1. the exception requiring it, which noteth expreſſly men ſealed, that alſo the greene thinge and trees ſhould be men, out of the number of which men are excepted. And ſurely there p. 249were many men, yea ſome Kingdomes England, Denmarke, Germanie &c. whether the rage of the Sarracenes came not: and in thoſe places where they raged, did they exerciſe tyranny over any other, then thoſe men, who had not the marke of ſalvation? What other ſtrife doe the Hiſtory-writers of thoſe times and places report, then about the ſepulchre and the croſſe of the Lord, and ſuch vaine things wherewith Chriſtians were bewitched? Neither did ſuperſtitious Locuſts vexe any other men but thoſe which were addicted to their ſuperſtition, as even nowe wee ſaid.

5 And to them was commanded, that they ſhould not kill them: Howe great is their power, wee may perceive from the degree of torment, from the continuance of it, & eſtimation of death, as a lighter thing. As touching the firſt, it was not permitted them to kill, but to tormente. Howe may this agree to the Saracenes, who shed ſo much Chriſtian blood? Theſe thinges ſeeme to be ſpoken, not ſimply, but in compariſon. Yf conſideration be had of that ſlaughter, which in the next trumpet was to come, the Saracenes may well be thought, not to kill. At their firſt beginning the Chriſtian name was not ſo much hated: neither was there neede of any great murder, when the nations which they ſet upon gave out their vanquished handes, yeelding almoſt of their owne accord to have fellowshipe in that ungodlines. In the latter times there was a more fierce and bloody victory, by howe much the battell was more eger. But the Spirit did purpoſely choſe out that kinde of ſpeaking, which might agree very well to both the troupes of Locuſts. For thoſe in the Weſt should not be ſo fierce and cruell in killing the bodies. But this comparative ſpeach noteth both the ceſsing of theſe in this reſpect, neither taketh from the other all killing, though farre leſſe then that which was to come.

¶ But that they ſhould be vexed: To wit, the men that were without the marke. There is a defect of the relative they. foreign properly ſignifieth to be tryed, here it is uſed for to be afflicted, tormented, or any way to be vexed, as every where in the holy Scriptures, & elſewhere. Montanus and Plantines edition reade, that they ſhould vexe, which they ſeeme rather to take, that the ſentence might be leſſe harsh: but Aretas and the Common tranſlatiō have it in the paſsive, as alſo Theod. Beza. Neither is it in vaine that there is made ſo ſudden a paſsing frō the verbe active to the paſſive, but to shewe that this ſorrowfull time is not to be meaſured by the furie of them that tyrannize, but by the calamity of the ſufferers: which thing bringeth great light to underſtand the continuance of the torment, of which, in the next wordes which follow.

¶ Five monthes: Primaſius readeth ſixe monethes: but the Greeke copies p. 250with one conſent, and the Common tranſlation have five. This place is indeede very darke, and ſuch as hath alwayes much troubled the Interprepreters. For howe may ſo ſmall a ſpace agree to the Kingdomes either of the Sarracenes, or of the Papiſts? Let every day be counted for ſo many yeeres, that five monethes ſhould be at leaſt as much as an hundred and fifty yeeres, after the manner of the Scriptures in other places, as in Ezechiel fourty dayes, every day for a yeere I give thee: and according to the continuall cuſtome of this booke (as hereafter wee will shewe God willing) yet nevertheleſſe what is this ſo ſmall and short a diſtance of time, to theſe ſo longe continuing tyrannies? Wherfore Bullinger and ſome others of our countrymen doe thinke that this number is aſsigned as it were of the hotter monethes, in which eſpecially the Locuſts are wonte to be in chiefe ſtrēgth, for all the graunted ſpace of tyrannizing, how great ſoever it shall be. The which opinion ſeemeth to mee like to be true, unleſſe that the very great care of the accounte, which is uſed in other places, required here alſo ſome certen and limited thing. The Ieſuites, being like unto the Cuttell, doe purpoſely as I thinke, powre out here their darkenes, to the ende that all thinges being confounded and diſordered they may lurke the more ſafely: they will have ſo many common monethes to be ſignified, as though that woe had ben in vaine, which the Angell flying through the middes of Heaven had ſung before the three laſt trumpets. Did he not foreshewe by the ſame that the plagues to come, should be more grievous then thoſe which were paſt? What greater thing shall this trumpet have then the former, if the Locuſts, in whō lieth the whole force of it, neither are endued with power to kill, and alſo that the power which they have is of ſo short time? It was a great deſtruction which the former trumpets brought in, and full of terrour, neither paſsing over in a moment, yea not in a fewe yeeres, as wee have shewed: but if this calamity be ſo shortened, neither shall it compare with the former evils in grievouſnes of torment, and alſo in reſpect of the shortneſſe of the paine, it would be found much eaſier. But I will not ſtād long in refuting the toies of the Ieſuites. It is moſt iuſt that they who will coyne figures at their pleaſure where they are not, should not ſee the ſame, where they are in very deede, having as it were their eyes blinded. The thing peradventure may be ſomewhat more apparant, if wee obſerve certaine poſitions: the firſt of which is this, whole Kingdomes and their Kinges are not ſpoken of here, but onelie the Locuſts and their exceeding great power: which wee ſee to riſe up by certen degrees. Firſt, they come forth out of the ſmoke: the ſmoke out of the pit opened: the pit is not opened before the key be given: neither is the key given, aſſoone as the ſtarre fell, but ſome long time after. p. 251From which it is neceſſary that the Angell be farre more auncient then the infernall generation. For who requireth the iſſue of ones body to be equall to the parent? Wherefore that is not to be caſt upon the Kingdome it ſelfe and Kings, which is proper to the Locuſts. Whoſe age is not to be regarded from hence, but onelyonly the ſommer time & vigour of this overflowing cō pany of vile perſons: The ſommer time, I ſay, becauſe neither the firſt originall of the Locuſts, nor the laſt ende ſeemeth to be limited in this ſpace. For they muſt needes have a beginning to growe, before they have a power to hurte. But after their power should be diminished, they should hurt noe ſmall time through the ſtinke of their rotten carkeiſes. The ſeconde, the time is not to be counted from the bringers of the paine; but from the ſufferers. Whereunto have refference that verbe paſsive, that they ſhould be vexed, of which we ſpake even nowe. For it importeth much from whether of them wee make the accounte: if the reckening be from the Locuſtes themſelves, they should have power to vexe in noe place of the world, but for the ſpace of theſe five monethes onelyonly: but if reſpect be had to the ſufferers, the ſame diſtance of time shalbe given to certaine countries, and shalbe eſteemed according to the diverſity of places, howſoever the continuing of the Locuſts, in ſome place it may be ſhalbe longer. Frō which followeth a third poſition, that the five monethes are not once onelyonly to be numbred, but ſo many to be underſtood figuratively, as there are countries, which were to undergoe the ſame calamity for ſo greate a ſpace of yeeres. Which foundations being laid, we ſhall ſee noe ſmall conſent of the Hiſtory. The firſt troupe of Locuſtes was of the Saracenes, who beginning about the yeere 630. to fly about, Mahomet being their captaine, in the firſt five monethes, that is, the firſt hundred & fifty yeeres afflicted moſt miſerably the whole Arabia, Syria, Meſopotamia, Armenia, Perſia, they tooke likewiſe Egypt, ſpoiled Afrique, and at length entred into Spaine. True, wilt thou ſay, but they have helde all theſe places, except peradventure Perſia, Armenia, and ſome parte of Arabia, not onelyonly for an hundred and fifty, but more or leſſe foure hundred yeeres. I deny not, but in the meane time it is to be conſidered howe long they were trou belſome to men of the Chriſtian name in thoſe places. It is certaine that there were congregations of Chriſtians in great number, when firſt the Saracenes invaded: and that they were not utterly rooted out by and by, but after a long continuing miſery, at lēgth they were wholy deſtroyed by death, by ſlaughter, by falling away to that impiety waxing ſtrong, which became every day more confirmed by an acceſſe of newe ſtrength. By which things it came to paſſe, that the countries which before time perteined to the worſhippers of Chriſt, in the ſpace of thoſe five monethes, became all to the infidels, p. 252either noe Chriſtians at all, or very fewe being left there. In the next ages wee shall finde the Hiſtory very ſilent as touching the making mention of Churches in thoſe places. But wee doe limit this firſt invaſion within the ſpace of an hundred and fifty yeeres: not becauſe at the ende of this time, they were diſpoiled ſtraiteway of the countries which they ſubdued, but becauſe afterward they fought with ill ſucceſſe againſt the Romanes, often times vanquished, killed, put to flight, hardly keeping that which had ben gotten, much leſſe getting any more. At the yeere 780. about the ende of Leo Copronimus, that is after the hundreth and fifty yeere, ſince which time they firſt grewe ſtronge, their inſolency was reſtrayned by almoſt continuall received ſlaughters, & by domeſticall diſcordes: Leo hanodraco brought them under in Aſia: Conſtantine who raigned with Irene his mother put them to flight. Nicephorus was beaten by Leo Armenius. The ſame did Theophilus, Michael the ſonne by Baſilius, Petronas and Andreas Captaines: and the other following Emperours founde noe leſſe good ſuceſſe againſt them: ſo that nowe there being a manifeſt decay of their former proſperity, not without cauſe their florishing ſommer may be thought to have ended in the Eaſt, they began to braunch out in the Mediterrane Ilands, in Italy & Peloponneſus, all which places by the ſpace of an other hundred and fifty yeeres they cruelly ſpoyled and deſtroied. The inhabitans of Cyprus being thruſt out of their dwelling places, and tranſported other where about the yeere 807. at length by the proſperous conduct of Zimiſca, recouvered their native countrie after an hundred and three ſcore yeeres. This ſpace is greater by a fewe yeeres: but ſome weakening and infirmity is wonte to goe before the laſt deſtruction, ſo as the vigour may agree very well unto the number ſet downe. They bring in ſubiection to them all Sicilia aſſailed often before about the yeere 867: neither could they be expelled wholly frō thence, before that Georgiꝰ Mamaces deſtroyed them utterly about the yeere 1060 more or leſſe. Zonaras reporteth that not longe after they returned under the power of the Agarenes, but Ambuſtus Catacalon, many thouſandes of them being killed, repreſſed them ſo, that they neither durſt nor could bring much hurt to the Chriſtian inhabitans. This ſpace alſo is longer thē the determined monethes, unleſſe peradventure the dwelling of the Saracenes was not ſo trobleſome to the inhabitans, in thoſe yeeres numbred over and beſide. But in Italy the thinge is more cleare. About the yeere 830 the Saracenes being called out of Babylon for aide, shee felt deſtruction by and by from them, whom shee ſent for to be her helpers: for they brought a very grievous deſolation upon the chiefe part of that country: neither was there any pauſe of the vexation, Otto ſecond being Emperour, in the yeere p. 253980, that is by a plaine accounte, in the hundreth and fifty yeere after the ſpoiling begun, killed them with ſo great a ſlaughter, that from thence he got a name, and was commonly called the Death of the Saracenes. Here is ſo great a conſent of the time, as if the Spirit had reſpected this country alone, and in it had ordained an example of his wrath, in delivering her up for to be ſpoiled of theſe Locuſts, which was the teacher of impiety to the whole earth, and out of which an other kinde of Locuſts did ſpring noe leſſe noiſome then that former. But touching them wee shall ſee by & by: let us proſecute thoſe thinges which remayne concerning the former. Therefore this firſt company, which by a limited ſpace of an hundred and fifty yeeres did robbe and ſlay in ſundry places by a certen interchangeable courſe, at length newe troupes of Turkes followed. Who at firſt were trobleſome not ſo much by the dammage which they brought by themſelves, as that in taking by force the countries of the Saracenes, who abode in heapes togither in the Eaſt, they drove them forth more into all the Weſt. But after the poiſon of the Agarenes waxed olde, leaſt the Chriſtian name should enioy even a very little peace, the Turkes tooke upon them their office, which they performed more cruelly, then they themſelves whom they ſucceeded. For beginning at Romanus Diogenes in the yeere 1073, who being taken of the Turkes, and againe ſent away, having his eyes firſt put out, was killed of his owne people. The Turkes not enduring that their good turne should thus be nothing regarded of the Romanes, vexed and tooke away the whole Eaſt: untill a newe invaſion of the Scythians made them feare, and conſtrained them to deviſe howe they might defende themſelves, rather then to moleſt others: wherby they were brought to ſeeke peace of Iohannes Duca Emperour of Rome, who then lived at Nice, Byzantium being lately taken of the Latines. Which fell upon the yeere 1223. ſee Niceph. Gregoras in the ſecond booke of the Romane Hiſtory. For ſo it pleaſed God the ſupreme governour, that the Turkes, as Locuſts & Scorpions should vexe, before that after the manner of cruel Lions, they should make horrible ſlaughters without any difference of ſexe or of perſons. And therefore worthily their aſſayling untill the yeere 1300, was called robbing by the Hiſtory-writers, rather then warre: undertaken rather with a minde to take booties, then with anie hope to poſſeſſe the places, which they had taken.

This rehearſall hath ben ſome thing full of wordes: but my deſire is to bring light unto the Hiſtory: which that I may doe, I regarde nothing my owne trouble.

p. 254The other kinde of Locuſtes are our Religious ones in the Weſt part of the world, who as longe as the Saracens were in their chiefe ſtrength, had not yet attained their perfection. They overflowed indeede before through great abondance, but the ſommer was not yet very hotte, wherein they ſhould moſt of all tyrannize, untill in the times of Innocent the third the Dominicans, Franciſcans, the Poore, The Penitent, the Obſervants, the Trinitaires, the brethren of the Holy Ghoſt, and other infinite of ſcowring of that kinde, aroſe with full power to vexe men at their pleaſure. There was noe age ſo abounding with religious, as Polydore Virgil and other learned men have obſerved. Neither did ſome writers thinke, that all the orders were even to be reckoned up, both becauſe they would have regard to brevity, and alſo becauſe they were wonte often to ſpring up after the manner of todſtooles, as ſaith Polydore Virgill in booke 7.3. And certenly nowe was the Power of darkneſſe, the Locuſts being armed with their ſtinges. Hildegardis the Abbeſſe ſawe from God and bewayled a fewe yeeres before, the miſery to come by the begging Fryars and hungry Locuſts, and not longe after experience taught the world, that her ſorrowe was not in vaine. This plague dared longue, neither left it any thing uneatē up wholly, untill about the yeere 1360, to wit, and hundred and fifty yeeres after their power receaved, at length a Weſt winde began to blowe by Wickleffe and other godly men: which ſhaking them of from the boughes, ceaſed not to blowe, untill they were driven in to the Skarlated Fathers, as it were into the read Sea. But that none may obiect that their ſtinking carkeiſes doe even hitherto infect the aire: noe man can deny but that ſince that time they have loſt their ſtinges, which thinge onelyonly this Prophecy reſpecteth.

¶ And their paine ſhould be as the paine of a Scorpion: Not that they ſhould kill as Scorpions (for this was forbiddē them before), but that they ſhould inflict a wound cauſing noe leſſe ſharpe griefe, then the ſtinging of a Scorpion. It is likely that ſome great inflammation of blood, ſtriking & pearſing througly doth thereof ariſe: eſpecially ſeeing it is a chollerick creature, as wee have declared before, ver. 3. But what torment is to be compared with that, whereby men are ſpoyled of their goods, are pulled aſunder from their wives, are berefte of their children, the chiefe comforts of this life: neither this by any neceſsity of death, the griefe whereof is forgotten with the time, but wherby the living & ſtrong are ſeparated away from the living, that the griefe may be renewed dayly, and a man onelyonly left alive for miſery? That men ſufferred all theſe thinges at the handes of the Sarracens, is more knowne, then that it needeth examples: and wee ſhall ſee that they endured noe leſſe the ſame at the handes of the begging fryers, if wee shall well p. 255marke ſomewhat more diligently. For theſe heires ſpoiled of their inheritances, in ſitting by their parents ready to dy, and wringing from them, partly by threates of Purgatory, partly by an hope to be delivered frō thēce through their ſinging of maſſes for their ſoules, and by their prayers, poſſeſsions of great revenew, farmes in the country, lands, Lordshippes, and great ſummes of money. For which thing any word of the ſick man halfe dead was ſufficient, or if the breath were gone, yet any ſigh uttered at their demaundes. It was a grievous thinge to the heires for to be diſpoiled of their goods by this fraude: but it was more grievous to be bereaft of their wives and children. What was it elſe but under colour of a vowe to breake marriages, to withdrawe children from the governement of their parents, that againſt their willes, they would keepe themſelves cloſe in their Monaſteries? And here are to be referred thoſe moſt famous decrees: If any ſhall ſay, that a ratifyed marriage, is not broken of by a ſolemne profeſſion of religion of one of the two yokefellowes, let him be accurſed. This decree is of the Councill of Trent: but it was in uſe in former times, chiefly whē theſe Monkes abounded. And many exāples doe proove that not onelyonly marriages ratifyed were undone, when as it is wonte to be a hotter fire, and greater torment not to obtaine the thing deſired, but alſo thoſe that were accomplished, which examples being ſufficiently knowne, I doe paſſe over purpoſely. More over that it is lawfull for children to enter into a religion againſt the will of their parents. An other torment of miſerable men. They tooke then away husbandes, and wives, and children from thoſe, to whom God and Nature had conioyned them. Whom when they had in their keeping as pledges, what could they nowe be afraid of their moſt loving mates, and moſt tender parents, who durſt not to attēpt to doe any thing againſt it, leaſt they should be cruell towards their owne bowels? yea rather what should they not hope for and carie away? This tyrannie therefore brought noe leſſe wealth and ſecurity to the ſpoilers, then vexation to the ſpoyled. That I may not ſay, howe greatly it did moleſt the Prieſts and Biſhops that the ſickle should be thruſt into their harveſt of the ſuperſtitious Locuſts, and that they are wiped both of all eſtimation and alſo money with the people, while the Fryars bare the ſway in hearing confeſsions, and doing other things, which by right perteined to the ſecular Prieſts, as the Archbiſhop of Biturim complaineth in an aſſembly of the French Biſhops, Maidenburg Centur. 13. chap. 9. colum. 964. But peradventure this was a more eaſy torment, conſiſting wholly in thinges of this life: that was farre greater, which did caſt a ſnare upon the conſciences, by enioyning a neceſſity of confeſſing all their ſinnes with every circumſtance. Jnnocent the third, to whom the Weſterne Locuſts owe their ſtinges; powred p. 256the firſt poiſon and ſtrength of vexing into this ſuperſtition. Whoſoever, ſayth he, confeſſeth not alone all his ſinnes faithfully at leaſt once a yeere to his owne Prieſt, let him both living be kept from entring into the Church, and alſo dying let him want Chriſtian buriall, in the Councill of Lateran, canon 21. The Locuſts armed with this ſtinge, afflicted men with moſt grievous torments. And certenly what racke could be more painfull? Not to confeſſe was to betray their ſalvation, as they were made to beleeve. But to confeſſe was all one plainly, with this, for a man to offer his throate to the tormenter: when as thoſe holy hypocrites would abſolve moſt readily the wolves & Foxes from great ſinnes: and would devoure the poore Aſſes for one bundle of litter ſtollen away, as a certen man wrote pretily in the Penitentiarie of the Aſſe: The iniury which thou haſt done to a ſtranger in taking away the litter from him, is an exceeding great wickedneſſe. Such then is the torment, ſo farre as may ſuffice to manifeſt the trueth: the full declaration whereof would be longer then would fitte our purpoſe.

6 Therefore in thoſe dayes: Men shall be ſo weary of their life, that they shall ſeeke death, even as a thing which they deſire very earneſtly, that is, Death shalbe eſteemed a leſſe evill, then this torment. Hence it came that the Mardaitae did fortify Libanus, flying from the Saracenes: to whom aſſembled many captives, ſervants, and that were home-bred, becauſe they were not able to endure any longer the tyranny of the Saracenes. Although the ſafety which they ſought by falling and flying away, did runne from them; who were compelled againe by force and armes to their former bondage, as ſaith Zonar, in Conſtant. Pogonatus. Our England was ſo grievouſly vexed and polled by theſe Weſterne Locuſts, that it complayned in vaine, that shee was more miſerable then Balaams Aſſe: clubbes & ſpurres did pricke their ſides, and ſuffered them not to reſt even a very little while: but to go forward, and to obey their moſt uniuſt exactions, which the Holy Pope did urge continually by theſe Horſleaches, was nothing elſe, then to goe willingly into certen deſtruction, ſet before their eyes. Certenly during the reigne of Henry the third, men by the iuſt iudgement of God being given up to the luſt of theſe Locuſtes, were ſicke of a diſeaſe more grievous then death. Neither did this miſery belong to one Kingdome alone, but alſo the neighbours, Scotland, France, & Germany groned under the ſame burden. From whence not without cauſe Iohannes Camotenſis, as he is alleadged of Agrippa in the booke of the vanity of ſciences, ſaid, the Legates of the Popes of Rome did ſo play the Devill in the Provinces, as if Sathan had gone forth from the face of the Lord to ſcourge the Church. But chiefly men ſought death, and founde it not being terrifyed of theſe locuſts with the feare of Purgatory. They would p. 257willingly have died the common death of the body, which all antiquity iudged alwayes to be the Haven and ende of all miſeries; but when the Locuſts thundred out that the flames of Purgatory were not inferiour to hell fire in torment, they quaked for feare being about to die, and felt themſelves to be ſpoiled of all confort of death. From hence it was that for to be freed from this their feare, they did give to the Locuſts, whatſoever they would aske, yea often times when they did aske nothing at all. Yet nevertheleſſe howe of neceſsity did the miſerable ſoule ſtagger and was vexed, when even common ſenſe did teach, that ſinnes cannot be purged by any corruptible price? Thought therefore & anguish of minde did preſſe them downe on every ſide, conſidering that a bought confidence did free them from paine little or nothing at all.

7 And the forme of the Locuſts: A deſcription of the Locuſts, which firſt in cruelty are like unto horſes prepared unto battell. There is a great alacrity of this beaſt unto fight: he diggeth his feete in the valley, and reioyceth in his ſtrēgth going forth to meete the weapons, he moketh at feare, and is not made afraid, & turneth not backe through feare of the ſword: Iob. 39, 25. There should be no leſſe promptneſſe in the Locuſts.

Famous are the invaſions of the Sarracenes in all the Hiſtories: the warlike proueſſe of the Popes bande hath not peradventure ben ſo obſerved of all: which yet is as cleare and famous, if wee conſider the thing neerly. What ſouldiers uſed Innocent the third to roote out the Albingenſes? Beſides Dominicus the mourninge trumpetour and Heralde of this warre, who a little after, was made one of the foure Princes of the Begging Fryards, he muſtered an army of the Croſſe-bearers: by whoſe aide, as it were of horſes running to the battell, he hoped to repreſſe the hereſy, as they call it, & to abolish it utterly. This order had indeede their originall before nowe, but shortly after being brought almoſt to utter decay, Innocent reſtored it for this warre: that the miſchievous perſons, as it were halfe dead, might be brought againe from Hell, by the authority of the ſame man, by whoſe meanes they should have power to tyrannize and to vexe the world a freſh more ſpitefully, ſee Polydore Virgill, of Invent. in the third chapter of the 7. booke.

Neither did the POPE, whoſe manner was to confounde all thinges, and to ſet KINGES togither by the eares (as PROBƲSTƲLLENSIS sheweth in an aſſembly at Wirizburg, under Honorius the fourth) afterward uſe any other incenſours to raiſe up hatred.

p. 258Yea as often as the Popes were to make warre (for the Pope is martiall, & not without cauſe, when as the Locuſts his ſubiects are ſo warlike) a full armie of Croſſe-bearers was at hande to fight for their King. Hildegardis fore-shewed worthyly that theſe Hypocrites should be ſowers of privie grudges, who reioice in nothing ſo much, as in cōtention and bickering ofmen.

¶ And on their heads were ſet as it were crownes: The firſt propertie was generall: nowe he followeth on the thing he began by every mēber. The Crownes on their heades like unto Golde, are the ſhaving and raſing of the head, which in time paſt was of great eſtimation among men, even as a crowne of Gold: ſo called doubtleſſe, becauſe the crowne of the head being shaven, ſeemeth to appeare in the middes like to a crowne. In howe great account it hath bene ſome time, Bellarmine sheweth out of Hierome in an Epiſtle to Auguſtine, which is the 26 among the Epiſtles of Auguſtine. I pray thy crowne, ſaith he, that thou wouldeſt salute in my name, thy brethren, my Lord Alipius, and my Lord Evodius. And Auguſtine in an Epiſtle to Proculian a Bishop, Epiſt. 147. Yours doe adiure us by our crowne: ours doe adiure you by your crowne. Mee thinke I heare, yea by this Scepter: Homer. Iliad 1. Both kinde of Locuſts was notably knowen by theſe crownes. Herodotus in Thalia maketh relation to the Arabians, that their haire is ſhorne, as Dyoniſius himſelfe was wonte: And they are ſhorne beneath like a globe, ſhaving their temples. But the shaving of the Monkes & religious men was of all other most famous: Polyd. Virgil ſpeaking of the Benedictines, They are ſhaven, ſaith he, with a raſour from the crowne of the head lower then halfe of the skull: the haire beneath cut of after the forme of a ſmall circle about the eares and the temples compaſſeth the head like crowne, from whence the crowne of the head it ſelfe being ſhaven, is called a crowne, booke the 7. chap. 2. See howe fitly he interpreteth Herodotus, minding noe ſuch thing, but onelyonly moved with the conveniency of the thing it ſelfe. For that which he ſaith, they are ſhorne belowe rounde, he hath tranſlated elegantly, The haire belowe cut of in the likenes of a little circle, a thing longe a goe forbidden to the Iewes: you ſhall not cut rounde the crowne, becauſe of the Arabians neighbours as it ſeemeth, who were shorne after that manner: that in noe thing they should be like the Jdolaters, Levit. 19.27. But it is meet, that theſe Monkes, who differ onelyonly in name from the ungodly Gentiles, should agree with them in the likenes of polling their heades. The golde of this crowne, that is, the authority and dignity of this shaving, wee may ſee from hence, that they were wont to make obteſtations by their tonſure, as even nowe in the Epiſtles of Hierome and Auguſt. Yſ the dignity thereof was ſo great when yet the ſuperſtitiō was very yōg, of what gravity and authority was it, after it came to a perfit ripenes? p. 259Frances de Ribera will have foreign to be an Helmet, after the māner of ſpeaking of the Greekes: but he is deceived, foreign indeede ſometimes is uſed in that ſignification in Homer, as foreign, but never foreign, as may be underſtood from Plutarch, Sump. 8. Problem. 6. The Latines, ſayth he, doe call foreign a crowne from the head: as Homer by ſimilitude have called, foreign an helmet. So Heſychius deſcribeth foreign to be, foreign. But there is noe ſuch thing concerning foreign: To that, ſaith he, Servius affirmeth upon that of Virgill, all according to the cuſtome had ſhorne haire, hid with an helmet: on which place Servius writeth thus: a crowne, that is, an helmet, and he hath uſed the ſpeech of Homer, for he called an helmet foreign. I doubt not but Servius knewe that foreign is in Homer, and not foreign: but becauſe of the likenes of the wordes, the Printers have erred, and given to us the one for the other. Seeing therefore that the Grecians doe diſtinguish the uſe of theſe two wordes, the ſignification of the one is not to be tranſferred unto the other.

¶ And their faces, as the faces of men: Of an alluring forme and full of humanity, but wherein there is noe trueth nor ſyncerity. What wonderfull cunning men are the whole rable of thoſe ſuperstitious in this thing? Whō did they not paſſe in fayned courteſie? But well ſpake Hildegardis of them, They are gentle, ſaith ſhee, but great flatterers, falſe traitours, holy hypocrites &c. There need noe witneſſes in a cleare matter. Alſo howe could the barbarous Arabians have brought under them ſo many countryes in a short time, unleſſe by a certen counterfait humanity, they had allured them to a willing apoſtacy? Where fierce cruelty plainly sheweth it ſelfe, men had rather die in fighting, then in ſerving miſerably.

8 And they had haire, as the haire of women: Haire are given to women for a covering, ſaith the Apoſtle 1 Cor. 11.15. Therefore this ſuperaboundant: groing of haire, sheweth that the Locuſts shalbe covered with the names of women, as it were with longe haire, and shall glory very much in this ornament, counting it a very great honour to themſelves. What is more apparant? It is knowne that the Arabians were called Agarenes of Agar, Sarahs maide, and this name is often in Zonaras, Nicetas, Gregoras, and other Grecians, who were neceſſarily to report the thinges that were done of them, this name being given them for a reproch, as writeth Sabellicus, Ennead. 8. booke 6. leafe 177. b. but moſt auncient, and in their opinion moſt glorious, 1 Chron. 5.10.19. & 27.31. & long before the booke of Chronicles was written, Pſal. 83.7. from whence alſo it is evident, that the name is honourable, and by which they would have themſelves to be p. 260principally called. For why elſe are they diſtinguiſhed from the Iſmaelites, wholly of the ſame ofſpring, úleſſe that they inhabiting toward the South of Iudea, reioiced more in the name of their father: theſe toward the Eaſt and Southeaſt, and being nigher to the Iewes themſelves, rather in the name of their mother? Which name alſo at length paſſed the other in glorie, it being very famous with forraine writers, at laſt being made a name Patronymicall even to the Iſhmaelites themſelves in ſtead of that former. B…t from whence at length were they called Saracenes? From Sarah her ſelfe, as farre as it ſeemeth. For after their ofſpring frō Agar ſeemed more vile, then that it could fit their enriched eſtate (for when the Iewes were deſtroyed, both their ſtomacke and wealth grewe) the maide being refuſed, they paſſed over into the name of the miſtres, and afterward would be called S…racenes. For ſo Hierome on the 25. of Ezechiell writeth, that by the M…dian…tes, the Scripture meaneth the Agarenes, who nowe are called Saracenes, taking to themſelves falſely the name of Sarah, that forſooth they may ſeeme to be deſcended from the free woman and the Dame. From whence often times in other places he ſaith, that this is a wronge name, becauſe, that it was chalenged of them ſelves wrongfully & uniuſtly. Which things doe cauſe, that it may not ſeeme to have ben derived from Sarak, which ſignifieth in the Arabian tonge thieviſh or robbing men. For what any one man, much leſſe a whole nation, would take unto them a reprochfull name? Neither was there any cauſe that Hierome being neere to the originall thereof both in time and place, skilfull in the tongues, and very diligent to learne ſuch things, ſhould envie them that name, or call it perverſe being doubtleſſe moſt fit and farre the meeteſt for them. Yf it may be lawfull for mee to geſſe, I thinke it was made of Sara, and the putting of an other word Qedar, whoſe firſt letter, as the Hebrewes maner is, concurreth unto the compoſition of the word, as if it had ben writen Sarahqedar, & by contraction Sarah, and in Chaldee Saraq. As though they should call them Saream Arabians, for a diſtinction from the Iewes, which are Sarean Jſraelites: not that they would faine themſelves to be deſcended from Sarah, but when as the maides children were their Dames, Gen. 16.2. why should not the children take to themſelves the names as well of the Dame as of the maide? This indeede might have ſome colour, if they had ben boundmen, but being borne out of the family, and ſo many ages after they put upon themſelves this name impudently. I have rehearſed theſe thinges ſome what at large, for to ſearch out the trueth of a doubtfull matter, if peradventure my labour can doe any good. The ſumme of all cometh to this point, that the Arabians gave themſelves this name from a woman for p. 261their reputation. Were not alſo the Weſterne Locuſts proude of the name of Marie the mother of Chriſt? The Carmelites were named the Munkes of the holy virgine: from whom Honorius III taking away their garment of ſundry colours, gave them a white one, and called them the family of the Virgin, that name of virginity might agree with the white robe, which colour is not ſpotted, ſee Polyd. Virgil booke 7. chap. 3 of Invent. Afterward ſprung up a newe family of Servants of the Virgin Marie, Philippus Florenticus Medicus being the founder of it, ſee in the ſame place chap. 4. But what are theſe fewe to the whole ſwarme of thoſe Religious? Yea Dommicus & Franciſcus, from which fountaines flowed an infinite company of vile perſons, gloried in the ſame Marie their Patroneſſe: I bring for witneſſe the Hiſtory of Lombardie, which they call the golden Legende, which is able enough to convince their ungodlines, and to approve the trueth of the Prophecy: but then which, there is nothing more vaine, as concerning the trueth of the thinges which are reported. Thus therefore it is written in the life of Sainct Dominicus, pardon mee, I pray, if I relate a Fable unto you: When Bleſſed Dominicus being at Rome, was inſtant with the Pope, for the confirmation of this order, he ſawe in the Spirit Chriſt being in the ayre, and holding three ſpeares in his hande, and ſhaking them againſt the world, whom his mother meeting quickly, asked him what he would doe: and he ſaid, behold the whole world is full of three vices, to wit, pride, conveteouſneſſe, and luſt, and therefore I will deſtroy it with theſe three ſpeares. Then the Virgin falling downe at his knees ſaid, moſt deare Sonne have thou compaſſion and moderate thy iuſtice with merciemercy. To whom Chriſt answered: doeſt thou not ſee what great iniuries are done to mee? Staie thine anger my Sonne, and waite a while: for I have a faithfull ſervāt and ſtout champion, who ſhall vanquiſh the world wandring everie where, and ſhall ſubdue it under thy dominion. J will give alſo an other ſervant to him for an helpe, who ſhall fight with him faithfullie. To whom her Sonne ſaid, beholde I bin pacified, and I have accepted thee, but I will ſee whom thou wilt appointe to ſo great an Office. Then ſhee preſented to CHRIST Sainct DOMINICƲS: To Whom CHRIST ſaid, in deede he is a good and ſtout Champion, and will doe carefully all the thinges of which thou haſt ſpoken unto mee.

Shee preſented alſo SAINCT FRANCES. And CHRIST commaunded him likewiſe as the former &c. In the ſame place after. And bleſſed DOMINICƲS continuing in prayer, and intreating the Bleſſed Virgine MARIE, to whom as a ſpeciall Patroneſſe he had commited the whole care for his order &c.

p. 262From which wee ſee, what haire theſe fryars had. And not theſe onelyonly, but alſo the whole nation of the Papiſts, who hold not Ieſus Chriſt to be favorable to them any otherwiſe, but ſo farre as Marie by her interceſsion procureth them favour. But it ſhalbe ſuperfluous to wring out that thing by witneſſes, which they confeſſe at this day of their owne accord. But thou wilt ſay, howe now doe I attribute longe haire to the fryars, whom of late I had ſayd to be shorne and shaven? To be shaven and to glory in the name of a woman, are not contraries: which to be ſignifyed by theſe allegories, and not any proper covering of haire, I ſuppoſe to be manifeſt enough. So before, chap. 4. Foure and twenty Elders are ſaid to ſit upon thrones crowned: who yet afterward fall on their faces, and throw downe their crownes at the voice of the Beaſts, giving glory to God continually: which ſeeme ſo repugnant, that they cannot ſtande, if they be taken not figuratively but properly. Chriſt alſo in the parable, from one that had not on a wedding garment, and caſt into utter darkeneſſe, inferreth, that many are called, and fewe are choſen, when as the proper application would make the contrary, that many are called & fewe are reiected, Mat. 22.13.14. But the favourable readers will unlooſe theſe thinges eaſilie of themſelves.

¶ And their teeth were as the teeth of Lions: The well knowne rage of both hath ſufficiently proved to the world, their teeth to be as of Lions, ſeeing the Saracenes aſſailed with ſword and fire: they devoured widowes houſes under a colour of prayers and godlines.

9 They had alſo habergeons: Both the one and other should be fenced nobly, and should be noe leſſe ſafe, then if they should have ben covered with iron corſelets: labour should be undertaken in vaine, either for to ſubdue them by warre, or reſtraine them by any force, as long as their time of reigning should continue. How unproſperouſly did the Romanes warre often times with the Arabians, untill their fore appointed time of tyrannizing was paſſed over, is relatetd by Zonaras in Conſtans the nephewe of Heraclius, in Juſtimanus Rhino…meta, and others. The ſame alſo is evident in the friars: one exemple shalbe inſtead of many. The Vniverſity of Paris, accuſed to the Pope, a certen blaſphemeous booke patched by the Dominicanes, which they called the Eternall Ghoſpell. The Pope diſallowed the booke, yet he would not have it to be condemned publikely, that nothing might be diminished of the eſtimation of the Monkes: neither would he correct any further their wicked impudency: Maidenburg Cent. 13. chap. 8. col. 776. Therefore he that did ſtrike them with any weapon, it was as if he had caſt it againſt an iron corſelet, or rather againſt a brazen wall.

¶ And the ſounde of their winges: The huge noiſe of the Locuſts, whē they p. 263should even move themſelves to make an aſſault againſt any. I will ſpeake nothing of the Saracenes, whoſe hoſtile in roades, howe great terrour they brought to men, who is ignorant? Was it not a thing worthy of feare, unto all Kingdomes and Dominions whatſoever, that almoſt an infinite hoſt of moſt ſtrong men did remaine in the middes of them, who were wholy addicted to the faith of a forren Pope, and did altogither depend upon his pleaſure alone? By what cunning could the Pope more terrify the Kinges, then by the clapping togither of theſe winges? It is noe mervaile that the Popes cherished ſo greatly this bande of men, whoſe labour was ſo profitable unto him.

10 And their ſtinges were in their tailes: The Complutent edition & ſome other bookes read otherwiſe then the tranſlation of Theod. Beza: And they have tailes like unto ſcorpions, and ſtinges; and in their tailes they have power to hurt men five monethes. Aretas agreeth with the ſame. And ſo indeede the declaration of the thinges in order ſet forth requireth. For that which was ſet downe before undeterminatly, verſe 3. and 5. as though the power to hurt had ben common to all the Locuſts, in this maner is drawne more diſtinctly and expreſſely to one certē kinde. Nowe it is shewed that the chiefe fierceneſſe shalbe in the tailes, to which alſo the five monethes should properly belong: but the tayle is every worſt and filthyeſt thing in his kinde. Doth not the thing it ſelfe declare that it came ſo to paſſe? Who of the Saracenes did chiefly bring miſery upō our men? Certēly the tayle of the Saracenes, the baſeſt route, the raſcall ſorte and company of vile perſons, which having noe reſting places of their owne, rāne hither and th…ther into Cyprꝰ, Creta, Sicilia, Sardinia, the two Ilandes Baleares, Spaine, Fraunce, and Jtaly, to ſeeke a place to dwell in. The other multitude, whoſe tyranny was more ſtable and which continued longer, kept the countries more quietly, and with more eſtimation, which they had once poſſeſſed. Alſo of all the Religious, the Begging fryars are the tailes▪ to whom eſpecially the ſting belongeth, & the five monethes of tyrannizing. For taking their beginning from Innocentius the third, they grew into almoſt an infinite number, untiil the yeere one thouſand three hundred and fiftieth, that is untill Gerardus Ridder wrote a booke againſt them, which he intituled the teares of the Church, in which he proved that that kinde of life was farre from a Chriſtian perfection: that it is againſt charity, that they doe feede of other mens labours, when a man ſhould be able to get his living with his owne handes: that they are hypocrites: that they live moſt filthily: that for mens ſake and for lucre they mixed fables, Apocrypha, & moſt vaine dreames with the ſyncere trueth: that they devoured widowes houſes under a colour of long prayers: that they did troble the whole Church many wayes, by their confeſſiōs, p. 264ſermons, and ſolemniti…s at mens burials, and therefore that it belongeth to the Biſhops to reſtraine and repreſſe this immoderate libertie and abuſes of the Monkes. Thoſe are his wordes: the ſumme of which I have mentioned, becauſe it agreeth wonderfully with this deſcription of the Locuſts. Neither doe I attribute it to him alone, that this plague was quailed and repreſſed: but many couragious men deſirous of true godlines wer about that time, who with ioint forces did put to flight the ſame. From hence therefore it is more apparant which wee ſaid at the fifte verſe: That the whole Kingdomes, either of the Saracenes, or of the Paſtiſts, is not to be gathered into that ſpace of five monethes: but this time belong to the Locuſts onelyonly, and chieflie thoſe, which have the conſideration of tailes, as wee have declared.

11 And they had a King ſet over them: Here the articles have an expreſſe ſignification of that which is intended: That Angell of that bottomleſſe pit, as it is wont to be done in certen and knowne thinges. Yet wee have had before noe mention of this Angell of the bottomeleſſe pit in expreſſe words, unleſſe the ſame be hee, to whom the key of the pit was given. And ſoe indeede it is needfull. For who rather ſhould be the Angell of the bottomeleſſe pit, then he that had the key given him to open the pit & to ſend forth the ſmoke? By which argument wee have shewed that the ſtarre which fell was an evill Angell. That King to the Saracens is Mahumet, or the Mahumetiſh Calipha, whom they obeyed. But to the Superſtitious Locuſts the Pope. For as Bonifacius the 5. choſe the Monkes into his cleargie, wherby it was made manifeſt, whoſe creatures they are, as was ſaid at the 3. ver. ſo Innocent the third, that it might become known to all mē, that the tailes of the Locuſts, that is, the begging fryars, doe acknowledge no other King then the very Pope, decreed in the councill of Latr. can. 13. That no man from hence forth ſhould invent any new religion; but whoſoever would be converted unto a religion, ſhould chuſe one of thoſe that were approved. Which is not ſo to be underſtood, as though he would prohibit ſimply any newe religions, but that afterward no newe order should be inſtituted, without the approbation of the Apoſtolicall Chaire, as is founde in the ende of the chap. concerning the religion of Dom. Which decree, Gregorius the x. renewed in the Councill at Lions in France, in chap. The diverſity of Rel. From which decrees, that was made neceſſary, which before was free, as Bellar. himſelfe confeſſeth in his 2. booke of Monk. chap. 4. And what is this elſe, but to be a King? To whom it appertaineth to tie men with the bondes of lawes, & upon things which are at our choiſe to lay a neceſsity: wherfore the Papiſts are holden with their owne iudgement, & wee neede no other arguments. But this King is ſignifyed by name, & that two waies, in Hebrew Abbaddon, & in Greeke Apollyon, after a maner of ſpeaking uſuall p. 265with the Hebrewes, the participle being put for the ſubſtantive. And certenly that adverſarie, is called, the childe of perdition, 2 Theſ. 2.3. But it is noted by the name of both nations, becauſe that King ſhalbe cōmon as well to the Gentiles as the Hebrewes: diverſe indeede in the ſounde of languages, but one & the ſame in very trueth. Even as Auguſtine from the wordes Abba Father, argueth a conſent as well of the Gentiles, as of the Iewes unto one true God. The Hebrewe word fitteth the Saracenes, becauſe they are neare a kinne to the Hebrewes, & bordering on them by their countreyes. But the Greeke word Apollyon after the manner of the Scriptures, noteth the reſt of the Gentiles whatſoever, which fetch their beginning from any other ſtocke then the Hebrewes. With howe nigh frienſhip therefore are the Romiſh Pope, and the Mahumetiſh King ioined togither in trueth, albeit that they pretende warre and an hoſtile minde? The Spirit giveth them rightly one name, which doe one thing, although in a contrary shewe. So then wee have a moſt cleare deſcription of the Locuſts, ſo as noe man cā be in doubt nowe, either who should be that Angell of the bottomeleſſe pit, or who is his infernall armie. Hath not therefore Bellarmine notably deceaved both himſelfe and his hearers, who in a certen oration which he made in the Schooles, draweth wreſtingly all theſe thinges againſt the Lutherans? Doth he reſpect the time, when this miſchiefe should overflow the world? It is that doubtleſſe which followed next after that deſolation, which the Vandals executed upon that third part of the Chriſtian world. What other Locuſts were there at that time beſides thoſe which I have ſpokē of? Wher ſhall one finde the ſhaving the protiction of a womans name, the utterlie undone, & undoing Prince, and every of the other markes any where elſe, then in that ſame heard, whereof languiſhing nowe a long time and giving up the laſt breath, he himſelfe is one? But that the matter may be yet more apparāt, if it be poſsible, I thinke good to adde here in ſtead of a cōcluſion the prophecy of Hildegardis the Abbeſſe, both becauſe I have made often mention of her, & alſo becauſe I thinke that a copy of it is not eaſily gottē, & it doth much ſet forth the thing it ſelfe. The notable man of bleſſed memory, our countrey man Iohn Foxe, placed the ſame in the Acts & Mon. of the Church turned into English, which he had by him in Latine written in parchment with old characteres thus:

THE PROPHECIE OF HILDEGARDIS.

In thoſe daies ſhall ariſe a people blockiſh, proude, covetous, faithleſſe, & craftie: which ſhall eate up the ſinnes of the cōmō poeple, holding a certē māner of fooliſh ſuperſtition, ūder a fained covering of beggerie, by a forged religiō, preferring it ſelfe before all other. p. 266Of an arrogant diſpoſition, and ſained devotion, voide of all ſhame and feare of God: a ſtrong and ready authour and inventour of newe abominations: but all wiſe & faith full Chriſtians ſhall deteſt this order: they ſhall give labour, and ſhall give themſelves to idleneſſe, eſteeming more a living by flatterie and beggerie: endevouring with all their power everie meanes, whereby they maie perverſ…te reſiſt the teachers of the trueth, and hinder them, ioyning to themſelves for that purpoſe Noble men. Then alſo who ſhall deceave the great States of Realmes, and drawe them in…o errour that they m…y miniſter to themſelves neceſſarie ſuſtinance and the pleaſures of this world. For the Devill ſhall graſſe into their hartes theſe foure chi…fe vices, Flaterie, Envie, Hypocriſie, Backbiting: Fl…terie, wherby they maie get to themſelves manie great things: Envie, when they ſhall ſee benefits to be beſtowed upon others th…n themſelves: Hypocriſi, that they maie pleaſe men with a fained pretence: Backb…ting, that they maie extoll and ſet forth themſelves with praiſes, but derogate from others, to the ende that they maie be had in eſtimation of men, and deceave the ſimple. They ſhall preach indeede diligently, but without all ſenſe of godlines, and not after the maner of the Holy Martyrs before time. They ſhall derogate from the Secular Princes, they ſhall take awaie the Sacraments from the true Paſtours, and ſhall receive almes of the needie, ſicke and miſerable, winding themſelves by little and little, and ſtealing into the favour of the common people: they ſhall have familiaritie with wemen, teaching them how with flattering and fained wordes they maie deceave their friendes and husbāds, and rob them of their goods, to give to them. For they will receave whatſoever hath ben gotten by theft, robberie, or anie evill cunning, and they will ſay give us, and wee will pray for you: So that labouring to hide other mens ſinnes, they ſhall wholly forget their owne. And, o grievous thing: they will receive anie thinge from vagabonds, pilferers, extortioners theeves, and robbers by the high waies, from church-robbers, uſurers, adulterers, Heretiques, Shiſmatiques, revolters, harlots, bawdes of Noble men, periured merchants, corrupt iudges, ſouldiers, tyrants, and ſuch as live in trades contrarie to the lawe of God. They are perverſe and wicked, embracing the perſuaſion of the Devill, the ſweetneſſe of ſinne, an eaſie and delicate life, and a certaine abundance of thinges even unto eternall damnation. All theſe things ſhall appeare manifeſtly in them all, & everie daie they ſhall growe more wicked and more hardened in their heartes. And when their fraude ſhalbe founde out, and their naughti…eſſe, then gifts ſhall ceaſe, and they ſhall goe about to houſes hungrie like ravening dogges, their countenances caſt downe upon the grounde, and their neckes made ſhort, as doves, that they maie be ſatiſfied with bread. Then the people ſhall proſecute them with an outcrie, woe be to you wretches, children of ſorrow, the world hath deceived you, the Devill hath ruled you hitherto by his power: you have a fraile fleſh, and hart utterly without wiſdome and unſtable, wavering mindes, and eyes delighted with much vanity and folly, your idle paunches have coveted dainty diſhes of meate, and your p. 267feete have ben ſwift to wickedneſſe. Remember the time when you were openlie bleſſed, but ſecretlie envious, abroad poore, but rich at home, curteous in ſhew, but in verie trueth great flaterers, falſe traitours, perverſe back biters, holie Hypocrites, ſupplā ters of the trueth, iuſt beiond meaſure, proude, unchaſt, unconſtant teachers, delicate Martyrs, confeſſours deſirous of much lucre: gentle, but falſe accuſ…rs, religious but covetous, humble, but yet proude, mercifull, but shameleſſe liars, pleaſant flatterers, peaceable perſequutours, oppreſſours of the poore, bringing newe ſects invented of your ſelves: counted mercifull, but knowne by experience to be wicked, lovers of the world, conſpiratours, drunkards, ambitious, patrons of wickedneſſe, robbers of the whole earth, unſatiable preachers, men pleaſers, beguiling ſimple women, ſowers of privie grudges. Of whom Moſes that excellent Prophet ſpake well in his Songe, a people without councell and underſtanding: Oh that they would knowe, that they would underſtand, and conſider their latter ende. Yee have built indeede on high, and when it was not graunted you to riſe higher, yee have fallen downe togither, even as Simon Magus, whom God caſt to the grounde, and ſmote with an huge blowe: ſo at length you have ben throwne downe from your falſe doctrine, naughtineſſe, lyes, ſlaunders, villanies, out of the cloudes unto the verie earth. Then the people ſpeaketh to them, get yee hence, you teachers of abominations, deſtroiers of the trueth, brethren Shunamites, fathers of hereſies, falſe Apoſtles, who counterfaited the life of the Apoſtles, the followers of whom you have ben in noe ſorte. You are the children of iniquitie: wee will not follow your maner of courſes. For pride and arrogancie have deceaved you, and unſatiable covetouſnes hath wrapped in her ſnares your erring mindes. And after that yee would clime higher then was meete and reaſonable, by the iuſt iudgement of God yee have fallen downe headlong into eternall shame and reproch.

Theſe thinges Hildegardis foretolde about the yeere 1146, three skore yeeres before the begging fryers were bred: whom notwithſtanding ſhee painteth out ſo cunningly and lively, that ſhee may ſeeme not ſo much to have foretolde a thinge to come, as to have reported a thing paſt. Who can deſcribe more clearly the beginning and diſpoſition of theſe Locuſts? Who can ſpeake more plaine of their deſtruction? even of us, who have ſeen the thing declared to be true by the event? Neither onelyonly treated ſhee of thoſe which should ſpring up next after her age, but alſo of the I…ſuites of our time, and the other company of vile perſons of that ſorte, which doth annoy in theſe dayes. For all theſe Locuſts belonge to the ſame pit, are of the ſame manners, and shalbe in the ſame deſtruction.

12 One woe is paſt; The firſt of the three more grievous. For the ſecond followeth in chap. 11.14. as it hath ben obſerved before, that one with the Hebrewes is as well a nowne of order as of number, in chap. 6.1. This woe is paſt, not becauſe noe remnants should remaine when the next trumpet p. 268should come after the other, but becauſe the heate of it should be much cooled againe, ſo as it wanted but a little, but that it might ſeeme to have b…n utterly quenched. For this Angell of the bottomeleſſe pit ſhall not be aboliſhed wholly, togither with all his ſervants before the bright comming of the Lord, 2 Theſ. 2.8. There is the ſame meaning of this word chap. 11.14. For the ve…ation of the ſixt trumpet should not vanish away altogither forthwith at the firſt ſounding of the ſeventh, but should tarie after that for ſome longe time. But the ſpace of this trumpet is of ſixe hundred yeeres and more, to wit from the yeere 406. unto the yeere one thouſand three hundreth and fiftieth, or there about.

13 Then the ſixt Ang…ll bl…we the trumpet: Nowe the ſixt trumpet followeth, and th… ſ…co… woe: of which firſt is declared the commandement: ſecondly the Execution. In that is to be conſidered the Authour, the Adminiſtratour, and the meani…g of the commandement it ſelfe. The Authour is, one voice from the foure horn… of the golden Altar. Wee have shewed at chap. 8.3. what manner of altar this is. Properly it ſignifyeth Chriſt, in whom, & by whom onelyonly our prayers doe pleaſe God: as once was shadowed out by the golden Altar of incenſe ſet before the vaile, upon which alone, it was lawfull to burne the holie incenſe. This Altar had foure hornes, upon which onelie once a yeere reconciliation was to be made of Aaron, and with the blood of the ſ…c…ifice for ſinne in the day of reconciliations: Exod. 30.10. For albeit the daylie prayers were ſweete and had alſo a good ſavour, the incenſe of which was dayly offerred on the altar, yet theſe yeerly prayers, which were made upō the hornes of the altar were moſt fervent, & of chiefe moment. But it is to be obſerved that the voice which is heard, coming from the hornes of the altar, is not a praying, but a commanding voice, ſaying, looſe thoſe foure Angels: From whence this voice is not of the faithfull praying, but rather of Chriſt hearing their prayers. For therefore it is made from the hornes of the altar, both that hee may teach that this voice is an anſwere given to the ſupplications of the ſaincts, and alſo that wee may knowe that by him alone is obtained that, which wee aske, by whom & in whom onelyonly wee offer up our prayers to God. Therefore when the godly deſire earneſtly, that God would provide for his Church being troubled, this of looſing the 4 Angels cometh from the hornes of the altar: that while they should handle the ſtiffe enemies of ſyncere religiō according to their deſertes, the trueth in the meane time might ſpring againe, & enioy a more quiet ſeaſō. Wee have learned from thoſe thinges which have ben ſaid before, that the pure religion had ben oppreſſed wholly and overwhelmed, partly by a deluge of Locuſts, partly by other infinite corruptions, chiefly by the tyranny of Antichriſt. p. 269But when it ſeemed good to God about this time to beginne ſ…me reſtoring of the trueth, it pleaſed him to trouble Antichriſt and to diſquiet him with the feare of the foure looſed A…gels, leaſt he should d…oy his growing trueth in the firſt blade, and not ſ…ffer it to come to that rip…ſſe which wee ſee nowe. Wherfore this commandement came in good ſeaſon to the Church, for whoſe ſake alone all the alterations come to paſſe, which wee ſee in the world.

14 Saying to the ſixt Angell: To him, to whom the commandement is given. This firſt is appointed the effectour of the worke, the former only denounced the evill: peradventure the contagion of the ſinne letted them from putting their hand to the worke, but here should be a cleare ſeparation of the punishement and the fault, that the miniſter thereof should not neede to feare the infection of this.

¶ Looſe thoſe foure Angels: Car. Gal. p…g. 56. & duravit uſque ad ann. 1191 &c.The meaning of the commandement of looſing the foure Angels: who ſtood prepared in readines, expecting onelyonly whē a ſigne should be given them. But what manner of Angels were theſe? were they properly ſo called, and bounde to a certē place, that they could not ſtirre from thence, untill ſome ſpeciall leave was given them? Certenly it is read that Aſmodeus was exiled into the deſert of the uppermoſt Egypt, Tob. 8.3. But this worthily may be counted to be of ſmall credit, becauſe of the Iewiſh lyes, unto which that people was ſo given, that alſo Ioſephus a man doubtleſſe learned and eloquent, durſt affirme, Salomon either firſt to have invented, or at leaſt by his bookes to have encreaſed the Diveliſh art of coniuring a ſpirit, booke 8. chap. 2. of Antiquities. Thi…, I ſay, had ben vaine by right, unleſſe an authoritie of greater waight out of this very booke of the Revelation agreed unto it, chap. 18.2. Where it is ſignifyed, that the uncleane Spirits are ſhut up into certen places, as into a priſon. Which yet nevertheleſſe ſeemeth not to be common to all, but onelyonly to ſome certen. For howe can all be tyed to limited places, when it is free for ſome to compaſſe the whole earth? Iob 1.7. Of which alſo ſome walke about as roaring Lyons ſeeking whom they may devoure, 1 Pet. 5.6. They rule alſo in the aire: & the ſpirit that nowe worketh in the children of diſobedience. Eph. 2.2. And they are the governours of the world, yea the Gods of this world, blinding the mindes of the infidels, Eph. 6.12.2 Co 4.4. Can they performe theſe things being abſent? Therefore ſome doe ſeeme to be caſt into certē places, as into a priſon▪ ſome to have more free liberty to walke abroade. Yet nevertheleſſe the impiety of the Magitians is nothing holpen from hence, who thinke that they are able to conſtraine the Devils with a certen neceſsity of abiding within a circle, in a ſmooth ſtone, in iron, ſteele, in a looking glaſſe, in the nayle of a man, or any like thing. For God p. 270hath reſerved this power to him ſelfe alone, and to his holie Angels, whom often he uſeth for his miniſters in this thing, he hath given noe authority any where to ſuch men. Neither are theſe Angels onelyonly Devils, but alſo men, who are ruled by their power, whom nowe it is a common thinge to be called Angels. For the army is made of men, as is manifeſt frō ch. 20.7. Where againe he intreateth of the ſame thing. Sathan goeth out to deceave the nations, and to gather them togither unto battell. But the Captaines are of the ſame kinde with their ſo…ldiers. Wherfore ſeeing the order of things hath brought us unto the yeere one thouſand three hundreth, it is not to be do…bted, but that they are the Turkes: of which iudgement are a great part of Interpreters: they are ſaid foure, becauſe there were foure chiefe families of them. For after the ſlaughter received of the Scythians: Iconium the Princes Palaces being loſt, and after ſome yeeres ſpent in robberies, at length they retiring backe, they recovered themſelves againe, and divided among their Princes that of Aſia, which in short time after they tooke frō the Romanes. The firſt of which was Carm…nus Atiſurius, the ſecond Sarchanes, the third C…l…m…s & Ceraſus his ſonne, the fourth Atman, as he is written in Gregoras, or after others Ottoman: to which the ſame Gregoras addeth the fift A…urius, booke 7.1. And ſo many they ſeeme to have ben at the firſt: but afterward to have ben brought to foure. Laonicus Chalcocondy las ſaith, that in the beginning there were ſeven, booke 1 of the Turkes affaires But he ioyneth a certaine man called Teciem with Ottoman, and reckeneth the children aſunder from the fathers. But it is not a thing to be mervayled at, that this confuſion of barbarous people could not be repreſented certenly by the Hiſtory-writers, albeit Gregoras lived in the ſame time, and had the charge of keeping the rolles of the Emperour Andronicus the elder. This nation came ſome ages before from Armenia & the countries bordering on Euphrates. From which places they did repell eaſily the Romanes, which were wearied longe agoe, and waſted with many calamityes. But about the beginning of the reigne of Andronicus Paleologus the elder, before the yeere 1300. it ſpred her ſelfe abroad through Aſia, even unto the Sea Aegeum. But that they should not breake forth frō ſome other place, then from their fore appointed liſts, to wit from Euphrates, at that time, when the raines were let looſe unto them, God by the helpe of the Catelani drove them againe unto Euphrates. Theſe men their Captayne being Ronzerius, were ſouldiours in pay under Andronicus, the proweſſe of whom was ſuch, that for feare of them, the Turkes fledde not onelyonly from Philadelphia, which then they beſieged, but alſo almoſt beyonde the auncient boundes of the Romane Kingdome, as Gregoras p. 271teſtifyeth, booke 7.3. This feare therefore did drive them into the countries about the river Euphrates, & did as it were lay fetters upon thē for a time. Neither was it a ſmall bounde tying them, that they could not rage as they would, in that their forces being devided unto many Princes, every one a part were too weake, that they should dare to attempt any great thing. Both theſe impediments were taken away at the time of the power granted them. For firſt of all the Cat…lani followed not on the victory begun, but ſhortly after went away returning home. Secondly about the ſame time, to wit, about the yeere 1291, whatſoever by lawfull warre the Chriſtian Princes tooke in Paleſtina, and in the countries adioyning in twelve expeditions, and after the poſſeſsion of 196 yeeres, they had loſt nowe all that, ſo as thoſe landes being given over, every one went their way home. Finally all the families of the Turkes, whether of their owne accord, or compelled by force, ſubmitted themſelves to that one family of the Ottomans. By which meanes the Turkes being free from all feare of the enemy behind them about Euphrates, neither having any before them, that could ſet againſt them ſufficient forces, renewed their aſſault againſt the Romanes, whom in short time they overwhelmed wholly, as it were with a deluge.

¶ Bounde at that great river Euphrates: So called properly, that famous river of Armenia, running to the Weſt part of Meſopotamia, where the Turkiſh nation abode many yeeres before it entrepriſed this warfarre.

15 Were therefore looſed: The execution of the commaundement, lighting upon the yeere 1300, by one conſent of all Hiſtory-writers; when their domeſticall diſſentions being appeaſed, and all conſenting to the Empire of the Ottomans, they might freely bende themſelves with all their power to enlarge their boundes, and ſome time at length creepe out of their narrow ſtraightes. Howe longe time this power given to the Turkes should continue, is declared in the next wordes, prepared at an houre, & a day, & a monethmonth, and a yeere, which ſo exact deſcription perteineth to the conforting of the godly, whom the Spirit would have to knowe, that this moſt grievous calamity hath her ſet boundes, even to the laſt moment, beyond which it shall not be continued. Which indeede ſeemeth to be the ſpace of three hundred ninetie and ſixe yeeres, every ſeverall day being taken for a yeere, after that manner which wee interpreted the monethes before. But the yeere ſet downe here ſimply is meant to be the common and uſuall Julian yeere, of three hundred three skore and five dayes, and ſome fewe houres. All which time counted from the yeere one thouſand three hundreth, ſhall ende at lēgth about the yeere one thouſande ſixe hundreth ninetie & ſixth: p. 272which is the furtheſt bound of the Turkiſh name, as alſo other ſcriptures by a merveilous conſent doe proove, unto which nowe to run, is not permitted unto mee, but a fit occaſiō shallbe given at an other time, if God will. In the meane time wee muſt knowe that the power of the Turkes shall not remaine whole unto this ende, but shall threaten their ruine before or about fourty yeeres, before that laſt deſtruction of them shall come: but of this matter at ſome other time more at large.

¶ To ſlay the third part of men: Not without cauſe doth he make mention of the power granted to kill, becauſe more blood should be shed by theſe Angels, then by any enemyes before ſpoken of. A great number were killed of the Saracenes: and the Romiſh Antichriſt is wholy berayed with the blood of the Saincts: as after chap. 17.4.6. But the ſlaughters made by them were none in compariſon of theſe, neither therefore doe come into any account. The rage of the fierce enemie is limited with the boundes of the third part, as wee have ſeene that it hath come to paſſe in the Eaſt, partly in Aſia, partly in Europa: from whence it is not to be feared that it ſhallbe extended much further. And ſurely it is kept backe by the force of the ſame prohibition, wherby the violent waves of the ſea are kept by the limites of a ſmall ſende. For what barre is there in the Weſt to ſtay them, when the Chriſtian Princes endevour one an others deſtruction? Albeit there may be granted an excurſion beyond thoſe boundes for a ſmall time to puniſh ſome men, as wee have obſerved in the Sarden Church, chap. 3.3.

16 And the number of the horſemen was: of the armies of a horſeman, for of horſemen, unleſſe peradventure it be ſet partitively, as though he should ſay▪ and the number of the armies, of that of horſemen was two thouſand hundred thouſand: I heard alſo the number of the armies of footemen, which things need not to be ſtood upon, conſidering that any may eaſily gather frō ſo great a nūber of them, that theſe were almoſt infinite. The Comp. & the K. bible reade, of an horſe. A certē olde copy hath of horſes, & ten thouſand times ten thouſāde. The word two being put out, which Aret & the Com tranſl. hath. The Interpreter of Aret. & the Com. declare this number by the parts, twentie thouſā de times ten thouſands: which Th. Be. in the whole tranſlateth two thouſande tim…s an hūdred thouſand. In the clauſe following the Compl. & the K. bible doe omit the copulative, &, read by Ar. & the Com. tranſl. Beza hath it by a rational coniunctiō for I heard the number of them, as if the number expreſſed perteined to the whole army, which yet is referred expreſly to the army of horſe men, but the indefinite number of the reſt of the armies, should have reſpect unto that of footmen: unleſſe peradventure all the hoſts are of horſemen, becauſe of the ſwift increaſe wherby the Turks should waxe ſtrōg, p. 273as alſo is ſignifyed in the verſe following. But theſe are ſmaller things, yet not to be neglected. Wee underſtand that their armies shalbe exceeding greate. And in many expeditions it hath ben knowne for certen, that the Turk… alone did bring moe ſouldiers into the battell, then all the Chriſtian Princes ioyned togither.

17 And more over I ſawe the horſes:: Such is the number of the hoſts, their diſpoſition is declared in this verſe. Which, of what ſorte it is, is shewed frō the horſes, from the armour of the ſitters on them, from Lions heads of the horſes, and from that which cometh out of their mouth. They are Horſes in their alacrity and promptneſſe to warre, as before ver. 7. The habergeons of the ſitters on them, are firie, of Iacinth, and of brimſtone: altogither of the ſame qualitie, of which that is, which cometh out of the mouth of the horſes, which breath out fire, & ſmoke, whoſe colour is of Iacinth & brimſtone: which three ar the inſtruments of killing men, as after shalbe ſaid. Seeing then they are armed with theſe three on their breaſts, it is even as if he should ſay, that they ar armed ſ…rely with the deſtructiō of mē, as who ſuppoſe that all their ſafety & defē ce lyeth in ſlaying of other. How lively doe theſe things pourtray the Turkiſh Empire, which is ſuſteined with no other holde thē tyrāny? But further the firie habergeons ar cleare to all men, evē as the fire cānot be hid. Which is another marke, by which properly this route may be challenged to belong to the Turkes, not to the Saracens, or Romanes. For the Turkes doe vexe with opē warre, neither is there any of the Chriſtiā name, but he may behold a farre of their hoſtile minde in their habergeōs & breaſts. The Saracens alſo were noiſome, but they invaded as it were by skippes & unexpected flying upō mē privily, & as craftily as they could. Alſo the Romiſh Locuſts ſo deceived with their vaine shewes, & doe yet deceive, that they whō they kill, cānot be perſuaded that they ar their enemyes. For they hide their habergeōs & corſelets, neither make shew of any hoſtile thing, but lurke as Scorpiōs ūder a ſtone. The liōs heads of the horſes doe note great cruelty, wherby the wicked nation was brought to notable infamy above all whō wee ever heard of. Moreover in this point they paſſe the Locuſts, who had lions teeth onelyonly, but theſe have the whole head, that unto the hugeneſſe of their teeth maie be ioined the ſtrēgth of their iawes, & ſternneſſe of their cōtenance. That which cometh out of their mouth is threefold, fire, ſmoke, & brimſtone: which three ſeeme to note one thing, to wit, the ordināces of warre, whoſe originall was not lōg after the beginning of the Turkes, which they uſe with a more furious affectiō thē other men. The greatneſſe of that gunne was almoſt incredible, which M…chmetes uſed in aſſaulting Conſtantinople, to the drawing whereof were uſed ſeventy yoke of oxen and two thouſande men, as ſayth Laonic. Chalcocond in his 8. booke of the Turkes affaires.

p. 274And thoſe twelve thouſand Ianizarites whom they have to their ordinary gard for the ſafegarde of their body, are all gunners. See alſo if any thing could be ſpoken more fit to declare the nature of the ordinance. Firſt here is mention made of fire: but leaſt a cōmon fire should be underſtood, there is adioyned a double differēce, of ſmoke & brimſtone. For the fire of the ordināce is notable for an abūdāce of ſmoke, which ariſeth frō a ſuddē kindling & quēching, as cometh to paſſe in the noiſe of diſcharging ordināce. Where the fire burneth continually, and with a shining flame, there is very little ſmoke, being ſwallowed up by the flame. More over this fire is Brimſtone. Is not the gunpouder made of ſalt peter, coale, and Brimſtone? The Spirit therefore deſcribeth this enemie to us by thoſe weapons, which should take their beginning almoſt togither with his tyranny. But this fire cometh out of their mouth, becauſe they doe ſende forth this fire as eaſily, as a breath: Yf onelyonly that chiefe robber shall commande deſolatiō to be brought upon any countrey, moſt quicke handes are readie, which forthwith doe his commande, and bring all thinges into a wilderneſſe.

18 Of theſe three: Thus farre of what qualitie the Captaines & Souldiers ar, nowe he cometh to the event: which firſt is the ſtaying of the third part of men. Wee heare, o lamentable thing, dayly maſſacres: neither is any almoſt ignorant, howe farre and neare their cruelty goeth on with rage. But whereas he ſaith, of theſe three, it is to be underſtood of theſe three togither. For ſmoke and brimſtone aſunder have no harme in them. He reckeneth three, as diſtinct, becauſe the former deſcriptiō of fire required ſuch a reckening. Although men shall not be conſumed by gunnes alone, but one kinde of warlike inſtruments is put for the whole.

19 For their power: The Complutent edition and the Kings Bible reade thus, For their power is in their mouthes and in their tayles: Aretas and the Cō mon tranſlation agreeth: and ſo it ſeemeth that neceſſarily it ought to be read: otherwiſe the reaſon which followeth agreeth not with thoſe things that goe before: For their tailes &c. From hence therefore, an other differē ce betweene theſe horſe men and the Locuſts cometh to minde: For theſe did beare their ſtings in their tayle chieflie, that is the dregges of the Saracenes, who had noe proper places of their owne to dwell in, and did flie about hither and thither ſeeking habitations, and turning others out of all their goods, when in the meane time the chiefe Calyphi, Scriphes, and Sultans followed their pleaſure at home in Babylon, Perſia and in Egypt. Soe the Begging Fryars, the tailes of all the religious ſorte did ſting vehemently. But here the head and the taile are even like: the ſame deſtruction cometh from them both. The chiefe Turke himſelfe, the Baſſae, the Begi, and the other Miniſters of their tyranny, p. 275doe all breath forth and exerciſe the ſame cruelty. More over theſe very Princes were the cauſers of the other to tyrannize, & miniſtred unto them weapons for their furie.

¶ Having heades Wherewith they hurt: The tayles alſo have heades and mouthes, by which they ſende out the ſame deſtruction. They are all of them frō the higheſt Emperour to the loweſt ſlave ſerpents with heads at both endes, as the moſt learned Franc. Iunius hath writen very well.

20 But the reſt of men: An other event is the obſtinacie of the other men, who are nothing moved with thoſe miſeries, neither gave themſelves to any amendement of life. But who are thoſe other? Are they not Weſterne mē, the third part of men being killed lōg ſince in the Eaſt? Afrique being ſo gotten through the invaſion of the Saracens, that it would yeeld unto the dominion of the Turkes without any bloodſhedding. But the ſinnes which ſticke ſo faſt to them, are againſt the firſt table, to wit, Idolatry in this verſe. The exceeding naughtineſſe whereof is declared, firſt from the Authour, in that it is an humane invention: ſecondly, becauſe it is a worſhippe done unto Devils: thirdly from the wretched and doting affection, which appeareth from ſo manifolde ſortes of Idols, of golde, of ſilver, of braſſe, of ſtone, and of wood: laſt of all from the notable folly of worshipping thinges void of all ſenſe. Frō all which it is more cleare thē the Sunne, who amōg the Weſterne people, are the cauſe of this moſt grievous calamity frō the Turkes. For where ſhall wee finde this Idolatry? Surely the Proteſtants, as they call them, & the reformed Churches have banished away unto hell, from whence it firſt came, all worshippe, reverence, and ſacred honour of Images. Wherefore ſhee that boaſteth her ſelfe to be the Catholike Church, whoſe head is the Biſhop of Rome, whoſe Temples gliſter with images of Golde, Silver and Braſſe: yea which hath not refuſed the worshipping even of thoſe that are of ſtone, and wood: ſhee, I ſay, is that other multitude, which wreſting the Scriptures, corrupting the teſtimonies of the Fathers, faining miracles, and defending to this very day the Idolatrous worshipping of images, by whatſoever force, falshood, fraude and ſubtill deviſes shee can, will not be awaked with this moſt sharpe ſcourge. Doth shee not impudently and ſtubbornly affirme, that Images conſecrated unto true names, are by noe meanes to be counted amonge Idols? But what other ſpeaketh the Spirit of, then ſuch, which after the third part of men ſlaine of the Turkes, are defended ſtifly in the Chriſtian world? What other doth he call diveliſh? What other worship of Devils? The matter is plaine, it can not be denied. At length therefore o thou Rome, ceaſe to ſeeke out foolish crafty shifts. Deceive not thy ſelfe. Thy adoration before the image of the Virgin, is as if thou shouldeſt ſupplicate unto Venus. p. 276The worship which thou performeſt before the graven image of the Father, is done to the Devill, not to God himſelfe. The Spirit cauſeth mee to uſe this boldnes: cry thou out as much as thou wilt, that theſe ſpeaches ar blaſphemous, and after thy manner accuſe the holy trueth of God of ungodlines. But it is not to be expected that wordes should teach thee, whom ſtripes can not teach. Yet nevertheleſſe, though thou shalt receive noe profit here of, all the godly shall deteſt thee, who by theſe abominations, bringeſt a moſt cruell fiend upon the Chriſtian world. Art thou not ashamed to exhorte the Chriſtian Princes unto warres againſt the Turke, whom thou makeſt invincible by thy Idols? To pretende a minde to fight againſt a cruell enemy, but to miniſter privily unto him that aide, wherby all our forces ar made a pray unto him? Yf thou deſireſt from thy heart, that this ſpoiler of the world should be repreſſed or rather extinguished: caſt away thy dung hill Gods: forſake thy ſacrilegious Primacy: amende the reſt of thy corruption according to the rule of true godlineſſe, then shalt thou ſee this mortall and cruell mōſter, covered indeede with all villanies, to fall of his owne accord: which could not ſtand ſurely one moment, unleſſe he were holden up by theſe thy ſinnes. But neither wilt thou be admonished, neither can he be overcome, before thou beeſt overcome, as after shalbe manifeſt.

21 Neither repented they: An other kinde of ſinnes: which are foure, murders, ſorceries, formcation, thefts: of which he that knoweth not Rome to be the shoppe, he ſeeth but a little in the cleere ſunne ſhine at noonetide.