C A r.9..í1Tevelatioìi oftheApocalyp le. 299 flew through the midicfl of heaven,did found out before the three lat- ter Trumpets. Did henot thereby forefhew that theplagues to come, should be more grievous then thofe which were paft. Now what more grievous (hall this Trumpet containe then the former, if the Lockfts in whomall the forceof it lyeth, have neither any power to to kill, and that which they have (hould be for a (hors time? It was a great deftru Lion which the former Trumpets did bring in, fall alfo ofterrour, and that not pasfing away in a moment, nay not inmany yeares,as wehave (hewed. But if this calamity íhouldbe focontra- tied, it ( hould neither be equal' to the former evills in the grievouf- neffe ofthe vexation, and it lhould be much lighter by reafon of the thortneffe of the greife. But I will not flay in confuting the trifling conceits of the lefuites. It is moll equal!, that they who hammer out figures at their pleafure where therearc none,(hould like blind Bee- tlesbe able to fee none where there are force indeed. The matter may perhaps the better be cleared, if we doe obferve certaine pofitions, which the words themfelres doe helpe us with. Ofwhich this in the firft,that here is nothing to doe withwhole IÇing- dams, and theKings themfelves, but onely With the Locut`is, and their great power. Which we fee tobreake forth as it were by certaine de- grees. First they come forth ofthe Smoke, the fmokecame out of the pit When it Was opened, the pit is not opened before theKey was given; neither is the key given, as bone as the Starredidfall, but after force long time; Out ofwhich it muff needs be, that the Angell of the Pit, is muchmore ancient then his hellish brood. For who can require a child, to beequal! in time to his Parent? That therefore which is proper to the iecrrfs, is not tobe cs,t upon the Kingdome itfelfe, and the Kings, as whole age is not from hence tobe confidered; but only the fummer,as it were,andchiefs vigour of that overflowing finke of mifchiefe; I fay the fummer of it, bccaufc neither the firif Original! ofLocufis, nor their laft end feemetb tobe defined in this fpace. For it mull needs be that they mull have a beginning to be borne in, be- fo re they havepower to hurt. Andafter their power (hould once be dirnini(hed, they would be noifome rio fmall time with the flinke of their rotting carcafes. The fecond is this, that wemat not reckon the time of this power from thofe that doe offer the mifcbievou.r wrongs but fromChofe that finer them; to which thatverbe paflive,Jheuld be tormented bclongs,of whichwe fpake even now. For there is great difference, fromwhe- therof thole we make computation; Ifwe reckon from the Locufis R r them-
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