294 Akvelatton ofthe Apocalypfe. C. A P . 9. the Scorpion is armed with a long fling Clicking our, and thatis not idle, but awayes aftriking , never ceafing , left at any time he fhould flip any occafion of doing mifchiefe ; it creeps oncrookedly, and fo it firikes the more at unawares. Such is thisfmoly brood in the power of hurting , which were before jocufls in multitude and lazinefs: The matter is clear in the Saracens , who are a furious kindof people,alwayes ready, and preft to kill and flay , which was wont to comeby ftealth,andout offome lurkingplace,andfuddenly to fet upon men in thofe places, where they were leaft feared. Our weflerne religious locufls alto, which feemed to breath out nothing but charity, gentlenefs, humanity, were as eafily provoked to anger, as Scorpions. If aatan fhould but in the leaft manner difpleafe any one of the poll-thorn beans , thewhole crewwas up in arms, and whatfoever he were,how great and high foever,he were fare tohave his flinging payment Don Plutodares not ,to aff ay, though he be Prince of Hell, So much as dares th'unruly 'Monke, and crafty Beldamfell. Inwhich two vertes, Pope Pius, who before his Popedome , was Eneas Silc'ius, avoucheth, that the rage of the Devil] is more milde then the Monkith mad-brained fury. They carried their dart flicking forth, openly, in the fight and hearing of all men ; that is , their ter- rible thunder-bolt of curling and excommunicating; but they gave their blow commonly with a winding , and wry carriage of them- felves , and clofelypretending alwayes falfe caufes of their .fury. At leaft if they lifted not to dilly out this dart, they did torment men with feare of Purgatory and Hell , whether at their pleafure they tumbled down all their enemies ; Now therefore was the time When as men d' ?elt among. fcorpions, Ezech.z.6. 4. And it Was commanded theta, that theyfbouldnot hurt the graffe of the earth. Thefe words Phew over whom the power wasgiven them. Firfl all thegraffe is limply accepted , and then allo inpart every green thing , and the trees ; only thofe men who are notfeared, are given over unto their lawlefle lull. As for the graffe (which may be tranflated, as the old Interpreter doth, and called hay, chiefly fee- ing green followeth immedtatly) it is dryedgraffe cut from the earth ; which Peeing it is the company of the wicked , as we ,often fhewed ; thegraffe that is cut from thence, (hall be men that are feparated by God from the company of the wicked , by certaine manifeft notes. The lacufls j73ould not hurt thefe men, not becaufe they wanted either will or endeavour, but becaufe they fhould lofe their labour in Peek- ing
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