that they work all their wickedness, blasphemy, and idolatry against God. And the bottomless pit is in the earth also, for there is no other bottomless pit but the imagination of man's heart, and out of this bottomless pit cometh all manner of wickedness. And when this bottomless pit is opened either by the law, or command of the good magistrate or the bad, there will arise unrighteousness, fear, wrath and envy out of it. But this star that had power given him, he was a wicked magistrate; for when he opened the bottomless pit by his power and command, there arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a furnace. And the sun and the air were darkened, by reason of the smocke of the pit.

Now this smoke that did arise out of the bottomless pit of his own and his peoples imaginations, and the pride of their hearts, it was his and their breathings forth of blasphemy against the living God, and revenge upon all those that would not submit to worship as they did. And this smoke which was breathed forth from himself and his people, it did darken the sun and the air. That is, it made the faith and worship of the gospel, which did signify the sun, to be darkened, so that the worship of the gospel, could not not be seen to shine for a season.

And the air was darkened also. The air doth signify the light of reason: that is, the very light of reason was so darkned, that they could not worship God according to the light of reason. For the smoke of the pit was so great, that is, ignorant, dark, and idolatrous worship was breathed and threatened forth, that it became like the smoke of a great fur

nace,

nace, so that no sun or air could be seen. That is, the idolatrous dark worship was so great and overspread the earth, and the threatnings against any other worship, it being the smoke of the bottomless pit, it darkned the sun and the air, that they could not be seen for smoke. That is no worship of the gospel, nor worship of the law, which was the light of reason, which signifies the air, could be seen by reason of the smoke of the pit; for as the smoke is great that doth arise from a furnace; so that it doth dazzle the light of the fire and candle, that it cannot be seen what is in the furnace; so the smoke of the bottomless pit was so great, that the light of the sun and the air was darkened, that none could see into the bottomless pit. That is, the light of the gospel, nor the light of law, could not penetrate through the smoke of the pit to see what was in it, the breathings forth of blasphemy and idolatry was so great, that it darkened the sun and the air, as aforesaid.

CHAP. XXVII.

AND in verse 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.

Now these locusts that came out of the smoke of the bottomless pit, I declare they were men, though called by the Revelation of John locusts. For it was the power of the star's command that opened the bottomless pit of his own imagination, and that breathed out threatnings against all that would not

obey

obey his command; so that there arose out of the smoke of his imagination, a multitude of locusts, that is, a multitude of wicked men; and these wicked men should have power given, as the scorpions of the earth have power. That is, this star did give commission to those locusts that came out of the smoke, they had power given them by his commission to spread themselves upon the earth. And as the natural scorpions of the earth have power to hurt, or sting any they shall light upon, so likewise these locusts that came out of the smoke of the pit, they also had power to hurt men whomsoever they did light upon. Only this their power was limited by a secret providence, it was commanded them, verse 4. That they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. The green grass, and green things, and trees, did signify the saints that should not be hurt.

For though the smoke of the bottomless pit had darkened the sun and the air, in that they durst not worship according to the law, nor gospel not publick, because of the smoke aforesaid, yet the saints were not to be put to death, nor hurt by these locusts, not for a certain time; for the saints did forbear outward and publick worship of the gospel for a season, so that the locusts did not hurt them, according to the secret command and providence of God, but only those that had not the seal of God in their foreheads.

And in verse 5, it is said, And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented

R

tormented five months, and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man.

Now those men which had not the seal of God in their foreheads, they were not to be killed by the locusts that came out of the smoke of the pit, but they were to be hurt and stung by them, and this stinging should torment them for five months. That is, for such a time as their power did last. Now what the spirit doth mean by five months as to time, it is uncertain, and not revealed. But as the torment is great unto that man that is stung with a natural scorpion in his body, so likewise the sting that these locusts did strike those men with who had not the scal of God in their foreheads, it was as the sting of scorpions, and the torment was like unto it. Now this torment or sting hath relation to the mind of man, as well as to the outward man; for the sin of idolatry or false worship, especially especially against a man's will, it will torment and sting the soul of man, as the sting of a scorpion doth the body, so that no rest can be found; for when men are forced to worship contrary to the light within them, else they must loose their estates; so that these locusts they do either sting men in taking away their estates, and afflicting them with outward trouble; or else they must worship against the light of their conscience, and so sting their souls, and have the torment of his mind, which is as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man. So that when men are tormented and stung in this manner both in soul and body, they will chuse rather to die than to live, and shall seek for death, but it shall flee from them. These

things have been experienced in all ages by some, and will be to the end of the world. Verse 7. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and the latter part of the verse, The faces of these locusts were like men. Verse 8. They had hair like unto the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of a lion. And in verse 9. They had breast-plates of iron. And in verse 10. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails, and their power was to hurt men five months.

'These locusts that came forth of the smoke of the pit, may be said to be in shape like horses prepared unto battle, in regard of their strength and preparedness of mind they had to hurt and to destroy; for the faces of the locusts were like the faces of men. They must needs be like men, for they were men, only they were wicked men, therefore called locusts. Their hair is said to be like the hair of women, in regard they did wear their hair long; and their teeth may be said to be like lions teeth, in respect of the readiness they had to tear in peices with their teeth. And they may be said to have breast-plates of iron, in that they were exceedingly well armed. Also they -may be said to have tails like scorpions, because of that poisonous nature that lay in their tails; for there was a sting in it which did hurt men five months; which men are called scorpions, as that of Ezekiel ii. 6. he speaking to the rebellious house of Israel, whom he calls bryers and thorns, as they were fit for nothing else but for the fire. Yet they like scorpions, did endeavour to sting Ezekiel, but he was incouraged of God not to be afraid of them. R 2

So