John Trapp on Joel 2:7

Verſe 7. They ſhall run like mighty men,] Horribiles, fortiſſimi ut Gigantes. They ſhall ſtrike terrour into others,Oecolamp. as in the former verſe: but themſelves, as Giants and Conquerours, ſhall over-run all, with incredible ſwiftneſſe and proweſs. Strong ſouldiers have ſtrong ſinews: and thence their ſpeedy marches, and quick diſpatch.2 Sam. 2.18[illegible: 1 letter] Aſahel was light of foot as a wild-Roe. Aehilles is every where by Homer called Swift-footed. Alexander the Great, being asked how he ſo quickly conquered ſo many countreys? [non-Latin text not transcribed]. anſwered, [non-Latin text not transcribed], By my nimbleneſſe. Caeſar, in omnia praeceps, ſaith Lucan, he paſſed the Alpes, and was at Rome with a trice, as they ſay. His Word was, Veni, vidi, vici, I no ſooner came, but I overcame. He is ſaid to have taken a thouſand Towns, conquered three hundred Nations, took priſoner one million of men, and to have ſlain as many. What a deal was done by Joſhua in a ſhort ſpace at the conqueſt of Canaan? Charles the fifth, Emperour of Germany, is reported to have won in the Indies, by his Captains and Commanders there,Tukr. Hiſt. 28. Kingdoms, in 28. Battles. Bajazet the Great Turk, for his ſwiftneſſe and fierceneſſe, was ſirnamed Gilderun, or lightning. To ſuch worthy Warriours, ready and ſpeedy, prompt and preſent, are theſe Locuſts, Gods armed ſouldiers, here compared, They ſhall run like mighty men, they ſhall climbe the wall like men of war, that cannot be kept out, that will not be worſted.

They ſhall march every one (Heb. man) on his way,] though many, yet they ſhall not one hinder, or hurt another, but hold a comely equipage, keep rank and file, obſerve the lawes and rules of diſcipline, and ſo Conjuncti pollent etiam vehementer inertes. They go forth all of them by bands, or gathered together, ſaith Solomon, Prov. 30.27. So do thoſe Locuſts in the Revelation: the Popiſh Clergie under their King, the Deſtroyer, Rev. 9.11. Locuſts they are fitly called, for their numeroſity and voracity. The Jeſuites alone have ſometimes 200000. ſchollars. And how they feed on the fat and drink the ſweet where they ſwarme, who knowes not?

they ſhall not break their ranks] Or, writh and pervert their paths, Sic & R. Abrab. in Comment. as Aben-Ezra out of the Arabick idiom rendreth it. Hierom teſtifieth that He and others ſaw in Judea troopes of Locuſts flying in ſo even an order, ut nè puncto quidem aut ungue teauſverſo declinent ad alteram, that you could not ſay they brake rank at all; tanto ordine & diſpoſitione jubentis Dei volitant, ſaith He,Pſal. 47. ſo ſtrict and beautifull diſcipline there is in Gods whole army, to whom belong the ſheilds of the earth, the Militia of the whole world.