die of it. Now unto this lingering pain is this fpiritual ftinging compared: for these locufts are commanded of God, that they fhould not kill the very reprobates outright and at once, but torment' them with a lingering death for the fpace of five 'months, that is, five-hundred years: for fo long did the Pope continue in his height and pride, full ftrength and vigour, and fo long did the Pope and his clergy sting men with lingering and fcorpion-like pain. 99 Therefore in thofe days fhall men feek death and fhall not find it, and fhall defire to die, and death fhall fly from them," Rev. ix. 6."

This verfe doth fhew, that all Papifts be ing thus ftung and tormented in their confeiences with this lingering pain of Popish doctrine, fhall with themfelves out of the world, and buried quick, that they might be rid of their fpiritual ftinging, and hellifh torments which they had in their confcience. For the Popish doctrine hath no found comfort in it, it leaveth men in defperation, in fickness, and upon their death-beds. For alas! what comfort can a poor diftreffed confcience have in Popes' pardons, indulgences, maffes, dirges, merits, works, pilgrimages, purgatory, croffes, crucifixes, Agnus Dei's, and fuch like trafh and trumpery? Thefe, alas, are too weak remedies,

for any fpiritual difeafes: they are not fuf ficient to procure pardon at God's hand for any fin. Alas, the poor blind Papifts did know and feet that they were vile fins ners: they knew they must come to judg ment: they knew that the reward of fin was death, even the fecond death: they knew all this full well, and therefore had horrible convulfions in their confciences, and knew not how to wind out of them. For the doctrine of free juftification in the blood of Chrift, was hid from them, they knew it not: and therefore all affurance of God's favour, all peace of confcience, and all joy in the Holy Ghoft was utterly taken from them; and therefore many of them died in a moft defperate and uncomfortable manner. And for this caufe it is here faid, that they fought death, and defired to be rid out of the world one way or another: for a tormented confcience who can bear it? it is a kind of hell torment.

And the form of the locufts was like unto horfes prepared unto battle, and on their heads were as it were crowns like unto gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women: and their teeth were as ⚫ the teeth of lions, Rev. ix. 7, 8.1

Hitherto we have heard of the pedigree and poifoned ftings of thefe vile locufts,

and how they vexed the inhabitants of the earth all the time of the great Antichrift. Now we are to understand of their form and likenefs: for the Spirit of God doth here point them out in their colours, that all men may discern them, and beware of thein. (

First, It is faid that they were like unto horses prepared unto battle: that is, they were as ftrong and fierce as barred horses, to rush and run upon all fuch as fhould but once mutes or mutter against them, or their authority: moreover, they have crowns of gold upon their heads, which fheweth and fignifieth, that they were the conquerors of the earth, and lords of the world, and who but they? For in thofe days no man, nay, nodord or king durft, fpeak against a monk, a friar, or a piled priest; for if any did, they were fure to fmart for it. They had alfo faces like the faces of men; that is, they fet fair faces upon matters, and pretended great devotion in religion, flattering the people, and making them believe that they could give them pardon of ali their fins, and bring them to heaven, when as in very truth, for their bellies, and for their gain, they did cunningly smooth with the nobles, the rich and the mighty, fetting fair faces upon their proceedings; and as St. Peter faith, Through covetouf

• nefs with feigned words, they made merchandize of men's fouls, 2 Pet. ii. 3. and did closely wind themselves into the hearts of the fimple people, by their fawning infinuations, being in very deed moft notable flatterers and hypocrites. They had hair as the hair of women, that is, they were altogether effeminate, being give en to delicacy, Tuft and wantonnefs; they were drowned in whoredom and all kind of beaftlinefs, being a fhoal of the most filthy villanies. Their teeth were as the teeth of lions, to catch and fnatch at all they could come by. They devoured all the fat morfels every where, they got the church livings into their hands: they firft made impropriations: they encroached upon temporal mens lands: they fwallowed all where. If we look unto the abeys, priories, and nunneries, we may eafily judge what teeth they had. Moreover, it is faid they had habergions, like to the habergions of iron; that is, they were fo ftrongly armed with the defence and countenance of the Pope, that no fécular power durft önce fpeak against them. Their wings were like the found of chariots, when many horfes run unto battle, that is, with flattering noife and terrible threatenings, they ftrove to uphold their kingdom. Alfo in churches and pulpits,.

up

every

they make a roaring noife, and take on terribly to maintain their abominable idolatry, they had tails like unto fcorpions; and there were ftings in their tails.' For with their poifoned doctrine and ftinging authority, like adders and fnakes they stung many to death. Moreover, power was given them to hurt men five months, that is all the time of Antichrift's reign, as before hath been fhewed.

They have a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomlefs pit, whofe name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is named Apollyon, that is, deftroying,' Rev. ix. 10, 11.

་ As the fowls Have a king over them, which is the eagle; and the beafts, the lion, and mortal men, fome chief governor, under whofe protection and fubjection they live: fo here thefe hellifh locufts are faid to have a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomlefs pit, that is, the devil or the Pope, under whofe enfign they fight, and under whofe defence they live. Their king's name in Hebrew is called Abaddon, and in Greek Apollyon. The words are both of one fignification, that is, destroying: for both the devil himfelf, and his vicar the Pope, are destroyers and wafters of the church of God.