22 THE LOCUST AS A SYMBOL. 



mighty men climbing the wall like men of war marching 

 every one on his ways, and not breaking their ranks"* 

 entering houses filling up streams and water-trenches, the 

 dead bodies of their vanguard serving as bridges for the rear 

 of their army to pass over and putting out fires lighted in 

 vain to oppose their progress. A temporary halt ensues ; 

 then, in a more perfect form still of destructiveiiess the now 

 winged legions rise, darkening the sun, and again forwards 

 forwards with the wind rapidly pursue their course, " the 

 land as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a 

 desolate wilderness, "f On, on they go, seeming to follow only 

 the instinct of their own voracious appetites or the force of the 

 driving wind ; but an unseen power the power that guides 

 alike the sweeping whirlwind and the puny insect is con- 

 ducting their course, and leading them to self destruction. 

 Impelled seawards, they fall, and perish in the waters. 



"With only a trifling change of terms, the above description 

 of the locusts' march would serve nearly as well to depict the 

 destructive progress of those lovers of pleasure who stand in 

 direct opposition to such as are lovers of God. In their ter- 

 rible progress, singly or in congregated troops of iniquity, 

 what obstacle can oppose their headlong course ? To attain 

 the object of their selfish appetites, what social barrier will 

 they not climb over? what domestic privacy will they not 

 invade ? what pure stream of felicity will they not pollute ? 



* Joel, ii. 7. t Joel, u. 3. 



