chrift, was from the first 300 years, until 600 years, and fo forward. But now immediately upon this great increase of error and darkness, cometh the description of a special star fallen from heaven at this time, which was about 600 years after Chrift, and therefore it muft needs be understood of the Pope. And this is my fecond reason.

My third and laft reafon is drawn from the defcription of the Pope and his clergy, in the first eleven verfes of this chapter; he is fo lively defcribed and pointed out in particulars, that all men that know him, or ever heard of him, muft needs fay it is he. For this defcription here fet down by the Holy Ghoft, can fitly agree to none other.

The Papifts themselves do confess, that this ftar here mentioned, muft needs be understood of fome arch-heretic, and full wifely, forfooth, they apply it to Luther and Calvin. But we affirm, that it is to be understood of the Pope; for was there ever any fuch arch-heretic as the which ⚫ oppofeth himself againft all that is called

God,' and againft all imperial powers, as the apoftle faith? But now let us proceed to the defcription of him.

First, He is faid to have the key of the bottomlefs pit, which agreeth well to the Pope; for he hath power given him to open

hell's gates, to let in thousands thither, but no power to open heaven's gates, to let in thither; for he furthereth many to hell, none to heaven. He doth indeed falfelv challenge to himself the keys of the kingdom of heaven, to let in and fhut out at e his pleafure. But, here we fee the Holy Ghost doth attribute no fuch power unto him, but only telleth us, that his power and jurifdiction is in hell, and as for heaven, he hath nothing to do with it. It were needless to fhew how this metaphor of keys -is taken for power and jurifdiction in the fcriptures, as hath been proved before, Rev. i. 18. and as needlefs to prove that by the bottomlefs pit, is here meant hell, as appeareth from Rev. xi. 7.-XX. 1.

C

And he opened the bottomlefs pit, and there arose the fmoke of the pir, as the finoke of a great furnace, and the fun and the air were darkened by the fmoke of the pit,' Rev. ix. z.

Here we fee how the Pope openeth hell's gates with his key, and a moft horrible, grofs and flinking fmoke afcendeth up into the air prefently upon it, infomuch that both the fun and the air were darkened with it. Which all is to be understood of that fpiritual darkness, ignorance, fuperftition and idolatry, wherewith the whole church was over-fpread, after the great

Antichrift came to the poffeffion of his curfed chair, and was in his pride and height, ruling and reigning over the kings of the earth. For then indeed the fun was darkened and eclipfed, that is the light of the gofpel was almoft clean put out. For that which is fpoken here of the darkening of the air and the fun, is to be understood of a greater and more general darknefs, than that which was mentioned in the former chapter, wherein but a third part of the world was darkened. But now the Antichrift invadeth the church, all is overfpread with grofs and palpable darkness, all is as dark as pitch: no man can fee where he is, or which way he goeth. For the whole air is filled with this thick fmoke, which came out of hell's pit.

And there came out of the fmoke lo• cufts upon the earth, and unto them was given power, as the fcorpions of the earth have power,' Rev. ix. 3.

By thefe locufts is meant the Pope's clergy, as abbots, monks, friers, priests, fhavelings, and fuch like vermine; which are therefore compared to locults, because they wafte and deftroy the church, even as locufts deftroy the fruits of the earth. Fer both hiftorians and travellers do affirm, that whole fields of green corn new come up, have been wafted and caten up in one night

as bare as the earth, by fwarms of locufts in the Eaft-countries. For in thofe parts of. the world, multitudes of thefe little vermine are to be found: even fo the Popish clergy confumeth and devoureth all green things in the church.

Moreover, it is to be noted, that thefe locufts came out of the fmoke of the pit; that is, they were bred out of it: for monks, friars, priefts, and fuch like caterpillers, were bred of ignorance, error, herely, fuperftition, and the very fimoke of hell: for from hell they came, and to hell they will go. They are defcended of the black horfe of hell, and thither they will return.

Moreover, it is faid, that power was given them to fting like fcorpions. For whom have they not ftung with their molt venomous ftings? I mean their damnable errors, and devilish devices. Whom they have not wounded with their corrupt doctrine and devilish authority? They are the forest foulftingers that ever the world had, who have left their venomous ftings in the fouls of thousand thoufands, wherewith they have been poifoned and ftung to death.

And it was commanded them that they fhould not hurt the grafs of the earth, • neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only thofe which have not the feal of God in their fore-heads,' Rev. ix. 4.

It may be demanded, what became of the church, when as the whole earth was full of thefe crawling and ftinging locufts? This queftion is now here anfwered, to wit, that thefe locufts are charged and commanded, that they fhould not hurt any of the elect: for this wo and this plague extendeth no farther than to the inhabitants of the earth, as we have heard before. Their power is limited only to the reprobate, they have nothing to do with God's chofen people. And here again we fee what great care God hath for his people in the midft of the greatest dangers, as hath been twice noted before, Rev. vii. and viii. For now Antichrift reigning in his full pride, yet his elect are preferved in the midft of thefe fcorpion-locufts, flying about their ears like fwarms of hornets, not one of them is ftung to death. Chrifl's little flock is always defended and fet in fafety.

And to them was command given that they fhould not hurt them, but that they fhould be vexed five months, and that their pain fhould be as the pain that cometh of a fcorpion, when he hath ftung a man,' Rev. ix. 5.

Some write, that fuch as are ftung with a fcorpion do not die forthwith, but have a lingering pain, wherewith they are miferably vexed three or four days before they