Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BS2096.A1 1701 .P3

Ch. 9. Thefifth Angel. Revelation. x;. This Punilhment extended but to a third part. But I heard an Angel flying in the midst of Heaven, loudly crying, Wo, wo, wo for the greater Plagues that were yet to come. Someexpound this out of yofephds, of one Je(iu Son of .Ananias, that, for many years be- fore the Siege, went about pronouncing this No: Others divers other ways. C H A P. 1X. r. N D the fifth angel founded, A and I fay a fiar fall from hea- ven unto the earth : and to him was given the key of the bottomlefs pit. 2. And he opened the bottomlefs pit, and there arofe a fmoke out of the pit, as the fmokeof a great furnace, and the fun and the air were dark ned, by reafon of the fmoke of the pit. x, 2, Note, By this, force fay, is meant that Jewih Seducer that headed the turbulent Zea- lots in the Siege of7erssjalem : Others apply it to ,Arrida : molt ProreJlants take it for the Pope : some take it forChrilt, that had the Keys of Death and Hell, defcending to let booth these Deltroyers. And the Smoak is by Pro- repents moftly taken for the obscuring ofholy Doârine andManners; butby the firlt, for the Confuftons in'ferufalem by the Zealots (as the Murderers were calla.) 3. And therecame out of the froke locusts upon the earth ; and unto them was given power, as the fcorpions of . the earth have power. 4. And it was commanded them that they (hould not hurt the grafs of the earth, neither any green thing, neitherany tree, but only thofe men which have not the Peal ofGod in their foreheads. ;, a: Note, That this was an encreafe of God's Plagues, is clear ; and that it was to be by Souldiers, that were not to make an utter Defolation, but to captivate and punish the Enemies of Chrilianity. But the particular fenfe is controverted. Some take it for the 'forefaid Rage ofthe Zealots in 7erufelem, tome forthe beginning of the Roman Aflaults, force for Confiantine's Deje&ion ofthe Heathens, who yet did notkill them, but give them a difgra- ced Liberty ofIdolatry. Some take it for the firft riling of the Saracens and Mahemetans ; and tome cake them far Devils that arc oolïd The bottomlefi Pit; &c. Ch.9 Locußs, fome for Heretieks, and molt Prote- ftantsfor the Papal Clergy andFriars, and these by (hurting] mean f deceiving.) 5. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they (hould be tçrmented five months : and their torme t was as the torment of a fcorpion, wh n he ftriketha man. 6. And in thofe ys !hall men feek death, and (hall not find it, and (hall defire to die, and death (hall flee from them. S, 6. The Torment of Chrift's Enemiesfhall' be worfe than Death, fo that they shall with for Death, and notobtain it. Some by this un- dertand the Famine inyerufalem, and the Zea- lots tormenting the Inhabitants, to make them confefs where their Bread or Food was. Others otherwise. 7. And the fhapes of the locufis were like unto horfes, prepared unto battei; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 8. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9. And they had breft- plates as it were breft-plates of iron, and the found of their wings was as the found of chariots of many horfes running to battei. ro. And they had tails like unto fcorpions, and there were flings in their tails : and their power was to hurt men five months. r t' And they had a king over them, which is the angel of thebottomlefs pit, whofe name in the Hebrew tongue is Abad- don, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. 7, 8, 9, to, t T. That this is thedescription of a terrible Army of cruel Men, feetneth plain, but who they were, and when, is not fo plain : whether the aforefaid Jewish Zea- lots, ( who got out of the Country into the City, and ufeed the Inhabitants cruelly) : Or, whether it was the Roman Army, or the ,Ara- bian Mahsmerans (whichmany had rather think, than that all this ohfcure ViSon fpake but of things already done, and known to 'fake, and theft of his time , if it was in Domi- lien's Days. ) And the ,Abaddón their King, both forts think, was the Devil, though forre fay, it is Chrift , and fame an Angel , that had

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