k He was a means of Hells breaking looſe, by looſing Satan. | I had rather interpret this generally of the great Influence upon the World, that the Devil, being looſed, had, in filling the World with Ignorance, Errour, and Wickedneſs, (for which this and the follow- ing Age are infamous in all Hiſtories) then particularly of the Errours this time abounded with. m This Influence of the Devil darkned the Sun of the Goſpel, and the whole Church of that Age with Ignorance, Errour, and abominable Superſtition in the Worſhip of God, attend- ed with the Lewdneſs and Debauchery of Men in their Lives, which uſually go altogether.
3 And there came out of the ſmoke locuſts upon the earth z7, and untothem was given power,. as the icor- P1ons of theg earth have power 0.
n From the Influence which the Devil thus let looſe, had upon the World, came forth a Generation of Men, that in their Pra&i- ces reſembled Locuſts. Who are to be underſtood by theſe Locuſts, is not eafily to reſolve. The Locufts were an Infe& with which God ſometimes plagued the Egyptians z. they are much in the Ea- ſtern' Countries, It was an Eaſt-wind which brought them upon Ezybt, Exod. 10, 12, 13- God often hath puniſhed People with them ; they are therefore threatned, or mentioned as a Judgment in cafe- of Diſobedience, Deut. 28. 38, 42. 1 Kings 8. 37. Joel I. 4. & 2.25, Two things are to be remarked of them: 1, They were wont to go in infinite Numbers, Prov. 30. 27. They go out by bands, Nahum. 3. 15. Make thy ſelf many as the Locuſts : without number, Pſal. 105. 24. 2, The Miſchief they do is expreſſed there, verſe 35. to eat up the Herbs of. the Land, and to devour the Fruit of the Ground: So they did in Egypt. We have a little Specimen of them in our Ca- terpillars in times of drought, uſually cauſed from the Wind hang- ing long in the Eaſt. The Pſa/miS, Pſalm 105. 34. joyneth the Lo- cuits and the Caterpillars together. By the following Deſcription of theſe Locuſts, and the Miſchief which they did, verſe 4. 7, 8, 9, 10. it appeareth plainly, that theſe were no natural but metaphorical Locuſts. Men that for their Numbers, and the Miſchief they did in the World, did reſemble Locuſts; but who theſe were, is the Queſtion. I find but two Opinions that have any probability : The one is a late learned Writer, who judgeth them the Popiſh Clergy, to whom, indeed, many things agree. 1. They come out of the Smoke, that is, the great Influence which the Devil hath upon the World. 2. They are numerous. - 3. Their King is Abaddon, they deſtroy every green Herb, nipping Religion, in al! places, in the Bud. But I cannot ſee how two or three things can agree to them: 1. That they do no hurt to the Lord's Sealed Ones, when as their particular Malice is againſt the pureſt and ftridteſt Profeſ- ſion. 2. That they do not kill, but only torment Men, verſe 5. 3. And (which is the greateſt ) I cannot ſee how the Period of time agreeth tothem. For this Prophecy ſeemeth to reſpe&@ the fixth and ſeventh Age : And though all theſe things agree to the Ro- miſh Clergy in later Ages, eſpecially fince the Jeſuits grew nume- rous, which is not much above 120 years fince, yet theſe three did not ſo agree to the Romiſh Clergy in the ſixth and ſeventh Age, Their BenediFine Orders began but $30, and their Orders of Domi- nicans, much more miſchievous, not till upward of the year 1200. the Zeſuits after the year 1500. I therefore rather agree with the Learned and Judicious Mr. Mede, with whom I alſo find Fohn Na- pier and others agreeing, that by theſe Zocuſts are meant the Turks and Saracens. 1. Their time agreeth ; for they firſt appeared for- midably to the World about the year 622, 2. They were always
very numerous. 3. They came the Locuſts Road from Arabia, and the Eaſtern parts, The Arabians ( which the Saracens are) are called the Children of the Ea#, and faid to be like Grafhoppers for multitude, Two things are objefted : 1. That theſe Locuſts are commanded not to hurt the Lord's ſealed Ones. 2. That their Com- miſſion is but for five Months. As to the latter we ſhall ſpeak to it, when we come to that clauſe. As to the former, Why may it not denote the Liberty that in their Conqueſts tney generaly give to all Religions; ſo as they put none to death upoa that Account ? How far other things will agree *to them, I leave to be further conſidered in the next Verſes, o That is, Such a Power as Scorpi-
REVELATION
a bave: We ſhall have a more particular Account of this; verſe
4 And it was commanded them p, * that they * - 6.6: þ 7:2. See Exod;
ſhould not hurr the graſs of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree g, bur only thoſe men
which have not + the ſeal of God in their fore- Ezck, 9.4-
heads 7.
þ That is, theſe Locuſts ; God fo ordered it by his Providence. 4 This makes it appear, that theſe Locuſts were no Inſetts ſo called, but #ypical; for natural Locuſts live upon green things. r They were only to hurt profane Men, and Hypocrites. It is a ſure Rule, that when things are attributed to living Creatures which do not agree to their Natures, the terms are to be underſtood typically, not literally. Locuſts uſe not to kill Men; we may therefore be afſured, that the Zocyſts here intended,were Men, not inſe&ts. r Sce on chaps
I» 3o
5 And to them it was given that they ſhould not Kill them , but that they ſhould be tormented five months : and their torment was as the torment of. a
{corpion, when he ſtriketh a man /.