120 4tevelatfon ofthe ApocaIypfe. CAP . 6. is meant by the words (byDeath) the name ofthe generali being gi- ven to it, becaufe it takes men away with a moll quick and dispatch- ing death, and lets beforeour eyes a molt expreffeImage thereof, as alto it is alwayes wont tube theattendant waitingon Famine ; and in themother tonguesofmany nations it is called Mortalzty.The14 troupe isof Beaffi,which hath been an ufball fcourge in former times, as, Iwillfend amongyou the bear of thefield, Levit.26.2 2. So, Rife) When I(hallfendaLai4 7erufalemmyfoure Worj?júdgements,the _/'word, andfamine, and evil! beafis, and the peffilence, Ezech.14.21. Whereofwe have an example,when Godfeat Lions among the new in- habiting/grangers thatfucceedcd the ten tribes that were carriedaWay, 2 King.17.2 5.Or it may be,that wilde beafts maybe taken metapho- rically for mighty men upon earth, fuch as are outrageous like wilde beafts,as Tyrarts,and nicked Princes are often called by this name in the Scriptures,as it is laid of Pharoh,Thou art li1Ze to a oung Lion a- mong the nations,Ezek.3 2. z.And thedefcribirg of the foure Kingsby as many wilde brags is famous and commonly known,towit, by the Lion,the Beare,the Liobard, and the fourth a teaible beat}, namelya Centaure that ismade ofmany beaflr,char.7.4,5. Thefe therefore are the legions of Death,the which he fh-xildpowre out into the world, all banded together, the gates, as it were, being opened for them to rufh in at once,which raged before feverally oneby one. Thewhich thing the applyingof theRory fheu'eth to have in like manner fallen out. After S'everus the conditionof the Church was peace-able, till the Empire wasdevolved at laft to Decius. Maximinus did a little trouble it, but hebeing (lain, within a fhort time after hecame to the Empire, his rage and his life were fhort. But Decius being neither terrified with the calamity of wars, neither yet moved any thing with the dearth of Corne, both Which plagues he might eafily under- ffand, that the maffacres of the innocent had brought into the World,did notwithftanding give commandement that cruelty fhould be exerci- fed againft the Chri,;tians with all manner oftorments. Then fpake thefourth Living Creature: For Cyprian being art Eagle, indeed a contemner of the world, and of filch things as are much let by of others, who at the beginning of taisconverfion, did beftowall his goods upon thepoor,who didvehemently reprove the tovetoufneffe ofothers, inheaping up inheritances did tharpely tax their pride inpreferring themfelves before others, didfind fault with their fwelling infolency,and immodett boaftingof their conkeiTion, and did by all meanes openly confirme, that thefe fcourges were procured
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