Ver. 2.

fion. Now certain it is, that by Angels through all the Apocalyps, is meant the Overfeers of Churches, as doth plainly appear out of the fecond ' and third Chapters, where it is written, to the • Angel of Ephefus, Smyrna, and others. Further, that other fort of Angels which founds the Trumpet, of which there are feven mentioned, chap. 8. cannot agree to any but the Roman Bifhop, feeing no others are faid to found with 'Trumpet. Now to found with Trumpet, can be nothing elfe, as appears by the confequence of the Text, and the following effects, than to make Decrees, which none ever arrogated to "Himself, befides the Bishop of the Roman Church. Neither is it faid in vain, that they prepared themselves to found, feeing chiefly in these Popes, there hath been an impatient fury, and unquiet Tyranny, to make Laws, and thereby to fubject others to themselves.

'But let us come to our first Angel, who was the first among three, who were to bring three 'Woes upon the Earth; and this is he, who did "firft Inftitute and Confirm Universities, whom it 'is not eafie for me to name, Hiftories fo varying in this matter. But let him be whofoever he was, he was a Star fallen from Heaven to Earth, "whether it were Alexander of Hales, or (which I rather think) St. Thomas, who only (after the 'Universities were approved, and this Angel had "founded) was either the first, or chief Author of 'bringing in Philofophy into the Christian World, "being the most Ariftotelian, yea plainly Aristotle 'himself, to whom, as to the Earth, he fell from 'Chrift the Heaven, having obtained the Authority of that moft wicked Angel, approving fuch 'Studies.

'And he received the Key of the Bottomless Pit, and opened it, and brought forth to us

Philofophy,

Philofophy, long ago Dead and Damned by the Doctrine of the Apoftles; and from thence af cended the Smoke of that Pit, that is, the meer Words and Opinions of Aristotle and the Philo fophers, as the Smoke of that great Fornace; for then Philofophy prevailed, and became of large Extent and Power, fo that Ariftotle was made equal with Chrift, in refpect of Authority and Faith. And hereby was the Sun darkned, '(even Chrift the Sun of Righteousness and Truth; Moral Vertues being brought in, instead of "Faith, and infinite Opinions inftead of Truth) and the Air alfo, with the Smoke of the Pit; that 'it may be understood, not to be an Eclipse of the "Sun, but the obfcurity of the Air and Sun, by the Smoke of the Pit afcending, to wit, Human Doctrines obfcuring Chrift and his Faith, as the Sun and Air.

་

And out of the Smoke of the Pit, there came Ver. 3. 'forth Locufts on the Earth. Here the People of the Universities, bred and born of Philofophy, are called Locufts by a moft fit Name, becaufe they are without a King, that is, Christ, and flie in Companies, as is faid, Prov. 3. and also 'becaufe they wafte and burn up all green things, wherever they light; and fo the Grammarians think they have their Name Locuste, Locusts, à loco ufto & vaftato, from the Place which they burn and wafte. And fo, this People of the Universities, confume and burn up all the green Pasture of Chrift, that is, the Fruit of Faith.

·

'And Power was given to them, as the Scorpions of the Earth have Power; to wit, to wound the Conscience of Men, because the green Fruit of Faith being wafted, which heals the Confciences of Men, it cannot be but the Confcience must be hurt and prejudiced.

And

Ver. 4.

Ver. 5.

6

Ver. 6.

And it was commanded them, that they should < not hurt the Grafs of the Earth, nor any Green thing; that is, that they fhould not hurt the Elec. For they do not hurt all, neither do natural Locufts hurt every green thing, but fome certain Place; fo it is here.

But only thofe Men who have not the Mark or "Seal of God in their Foreheads; that is, fome 'Grafs they should hurt, to wit, those who have "not Faith, which is the Mark of God, which we 'carry in a pure Confcience and free Converfation.

'And it was commanded them, that they should "not kill them, but only fhould torment them five 'Months. This feems to be spoken of Moral Do'&trine, which seeing it teaches us the Knowledge

of Sin like the Law of God, it doth not kill, but ' only afflict a man with vain Studies, wherein he ' is always learning, and yet never coming to the "Knowledge of the Truth: For they who are killed with the Letter, are quickned with the Eternal Spirit, they are not tormented five "Months, that is, the whole time of their Senfual Life, in which Moral Vertues reign. And we fee by Experience, that all Moral Divines, are of a moft Evil and unhappy Confcience, full of Scruples and Unquietnefs, and have Power neither of Good nor Evil; and therefore it follows,

And their Torment is, as the Torment of a Scorpion when it strikes a Man. Behold here a wounded Confcience: For here he expounds what he had Jaid before, that they are not favingly killed, nor fpiritually quickned.

'And in those Days Men fhall feek Death, and fhall not find it, and fhall defire to die, and Death fhall flee from them; to wit, the Death of Sin, " which doth too much live in the Confcience, and yet is not rightly known; for if it were known, presently it being flain, would perish:

• But

But this cannot Ariftotles Ethicks do, but it is the 'Office of the Letter and the Spirit.

in prælium,

Dofrinæ,

potentes

defender

And the Shapes of the Locusts were like to Ver. 7. 'Horfes prepared to Battel, to wit, of Scholafti- Præparatis 'cal Difputation and Conflict. He defcribes the armatis 'War by this Allegory; for they are ready to omni genere argue pro & contra (as they speak.) And on arte lo'their Heads were, as it were, Crowns of Gold: quendi, arthat is, the Names and Titles of Degrees, as, guendi, reMagifter nofter Eximius: Sacra Theologia Humilis exhortandi: •& Indignus profeffor, &c. that is, Our famous Ma- funt ad infter: and, the humble and unworthy Profeffor of Sa-vadendum cred Theology, and the like. And thefe Crowned dum quam. ones, John Hus, called Hypocritas Coronatos, Crown- cunque veed Hypocrites: and by reason of thefe Crowns, em, erit they have Authority and Power among the Mul- Speciem Ve'titudes of Carnal Chriftians, who are willing to 'entertain Antichrifts Pomp into Chrift's Church. ominus omni 'Yet have they not true Crowns, but as it were facetix is 'Crowns of Gold, which yet they are very proud Honeftatis. of, and are much pufft up with them, though J. Hus. Et ufually they are set on the Head of Ignorance and 'Error.

lint Verita

ritatis, ar

apparentia

eorum Corefuper capita

Gradu

næ : i. e. 'And their Faces are like the Faces of Men, be- Arales, vel Tituli Magi cause their Doctrine and Life is governed, not Dignitatum by the Spirit of Faith, but by the Dictate of Na- um in Eccletural Reason, and by the Light of Nature illu-fa, invefti minated by Ariftotle. tura. J. Hus.

And they had Hair like the Hairs of Women. Ver. 8. For Philofophy brings forth effeminate Minifters, 'given to Eafe and Luxury; and in whom is nothing of Spirit, nor of manly Abilities in Chrift. For 'the Hairs are Priests, as you may fee, Pfal. 68. Ifa. 3. and in other Places.

And their Teeth are like the Teeth of Lyons: Confider only the Thomifts instead of all other Divines, whether they be not biting, flanderous, and devourers of all that speak a Word against • Ariftotle's

Ver. 9.

Ver. 10.

Ver. II.

Ariftotle's Divinity. Yea, the Thomifts, Scotifts, and Modern men, bite one another among them. felves, and fharpen against one another, not any Teeth, but the Teeth of Lyons; neither is there any fort of Men which war more fiercely, 'or with greater hatred, than thofe Sects of Di'vines, each of which defires to devour the other, 'that it may reign alone.

And they have Breast-Plates, as it were BreastPlates of Iron; and this is the pertinacious and confident Prefumption of each Sect, on the Truth and Soundness of his Opinion: and by these Iron BreaftPlates they are unconquerable: And these are the Principles of each Sect.

And the Sound of their Wings was as the Sound of Chariots, and of many Horjes running to Battel: the Wings are the Words of thofe that difpute and conflict, by which they do impetuously, brawlingly and clamorously rush on one another, and fight: as we fee in the Tumults of Difputants both by Words and Writings, where neither yields to neither, but each one is unconquerable. For he fignifies this pertinacious affection of Difputing, by the rushing of Chariots and Horsemen.

And they had Tails like unto Scorpions, and there were Stings in their Tails,, and their Power was to hurt Men five Months. Here he explains what be fore he had propounded, to wit, that the Fruit and End of this Divinity, is nothing but evil Confciences, during all the time of the Senfual Lives of Men. For that Divinity is an Abomination to those who are Spi ritual, because these are without the Bounds of the five Months, in the Spirit of Liberty.

And they had a King over them, which is the Angel of the Bottomless Pit, whofe Name in Hebrea is Abaddon, and in Greek Apollyon. Here we ma learn that the Rector General of all Universities, & not Chrift, nor the Holy Spirit, nor any Angel of

God