But that I may more fully persuade the conscience of the reader, that by these frogs are meant the Jesuits and seminary Priests; let us seriously weigh that which goeth before, and that which followeth after in this text, and we shall discern it to be very clear and apparent. First, it is said,1 verse 10. that when the fifth Angel poured out his vial of Gods wrath upon the throne of the beast, by and by his kingdom waxed dark: that is, the majesty, power, pomp, credit, and estimation of Antichrist began to be diminished, obscured, and to suffer a great eclipse: which thing was fulfilled shortly after Luther's preaching. And presently it followeth, that they gnawed their tongues for sorrow: that is, they were full of fury and rage, barking and grinning like mad dogs, or rather like hell-hounds, against ⟨p. 293⟩all such as set the Gospel abroach, whereby their Babylon began to shake. For at the first, when the Gospel began to peep forth, they did despise it, as a thing which they could easily suppress; but within a short time they found, that neither by excommunication, wherewith in former times they had, even as it were with lightning and thunder, caused kings and nations to tremble; neither by force of wars and bloody slaughters, neither by any skill in learning, nor by treacheries they could any thing prevail, but that the Gospel did still more and more lay open their filthiness and shame; then did they become, and so do they continue unto this day, even as mad-men in sorrow and rage, which the holy Ghost expresseth, in saying,2 that they gnawed their tongues for sorrow, and blasphemed God, &c. whereby it is evident, that the beast, and all that received his mark, are full of fiery hatred and malice, and cannot tell which way to be revenged. For the more they strive, the more they lose. Fain would they have Popery restored to his ancient credit and dignity, and they devise what they can to bring it about; but it will not be. For their kingdom waxeth darker and darker, weaker and weaker: ⟨p. 294⟩and that is a dagger unto them, and a grief of all grief, which maketh them gnaw their tongues, and gnash their teeth for sorrow.3 But yet for all this, they repented not of their works, (saith Saint John) and therefore God is more incensed against them, and causeth the sixth Angel to pour out another vial upon the great river Euphrates, and the water thereof dried up:
But that I may more fully perswade the conscience of the reader, that by these frogs are meant the Jesuites and seminary Priests; let us seriously weigh that which goeth before, and that which followeth after in this text, and we shall discern it to be very cleer and apparant. First, it is said,1 verse 10. that when the fifth Angel powred out his viall of Gods wrath upon the throne of the beast, by and by his kingdome waxed darke: that is, the majestie, power, pomp, credit, and estimation of Antichrist began to be diminished, obscured, and to suffer a great eclipse: which thing was fulfilled shortly after Luthers preaching. And presently it followeth, that they gnawed their tongues for sorrow: that is, they were full of fury and rage, barking and grinning like mad dogs, or rather like hel-hounds, against ⟨p. 293⟩all such as set the Gospel abroach, whereby their Babylon began to shake. For at the first, when the Gospel began to peep forth, they did despise it, as a thing which they could easily suppresse; but within a short time they found, that neither by excommunication, wherewith in former times they had, even as it were with lightning and thunder, caused kings and nations to tremble; neither by force of wars and bloudy slaughters, neither by any skill in learning, nor by treacheries they could any thing prevaile, but that the Gospel did still more and more lay open their filthinesse and shame; then did they become, and so do they continue unto this day, even as mad-men in sorrow and rage, which the holy Ghost expresseth, in saying,2 that they gnawed their tongues for sorrow, and blasphemed God, &c. whereby it is evident, that the beast, and all that received his mark, are full of fiery hatred and malice, and cannot tell which way to be revenged. For the more they strive, the more they lose. Faine would they have Popery restored to his ancient credit and dignity, and they devise what they can to bring it about; but it will not be. For their kingdome waxeth darker and darker, weaker and weaker: ⟨p. 294⟩and that is a dagger unto them, and a griefe of all griefe, which maketh them gnaw their tongues, and gnash their teeth for sorrow.3 But yet for all this, they repented not of their works, (saith Saint John) and therefore God is more incensed against them, and causeth the sixth Angel to powr out another viall upon the great river Euphrates, and the water thereof dryed up:
- 1Chap. 16.10.
- 2Chap. 16.11.
- 3Chap. 16.11.
