Generation-work, or, A brief and seasonable word offered to the view and consideration of the saints and people of God in this generation, relating to the work of the present age, or generation we live in wherein is shewed, I. What generation-work is, and how it differs from other works, II. That saints in the several generations they have lived in, have had the proper and peculiar works of their generations, III. That it is a thing of very great concernment for a saint to attend to and be industrious in, the work of his generation, IV. Wherein doth the work of the present generation lye, V. How each one in particular may find out that part or parcel of it, that is properly his work in his generation, VI. How generation-work may be so carried on, as that God may be served in the generation / by John Tillinghast ...

SECT. 1.

HAving in the fore-going Preface delivered so much, as I judged meet by way of Pre∣amble unto this our Discourse: I shall here, without spinning out the time, or tiring the Readers patience, whilst I detain him upon the way, a∣bout things of lesser concernment, enter strait way upon the thing it self.

That the Two Witnesses are the Magistracy and the Ministry, appears to me a thing without dispute, the allusion is so clear to Zerubbabel and Joshua, compare Rev. 11 4. with Zech. 4 11, 14. of which two, one was chief Magistrate, the other chief Priest: and both these, Prince and Priest, were Sons of Oyl, i.e. anoin∣ted in times of old, therefore by Zechary and John both, called two Olive trees: Onely there is (as Mr. Woodcock in his Treatise of the Two Witnesses hath observed) this twofold difference betwixt the Type and the Anti∣tipe.

1 Ze••hary sees two Olive Trees, but no Temple; But John sees first a Temple, ver 1. and then two Olive trees. The reason is, they in Zecharies time had as yet no Tem∣ple built, but were to begin the world anew; But now

the work of Johns two Witnesses, is not to build a Tem∣ple anew, so much as to preserve and keep that they had.

2 Zechary seeth two Olive trees, and but one Candle∣stick: John two Olive Trees and two Candlesticks; the reason is this Zechary wrote in the time of the Law, whilst the Church was National, and so the two did belong to one Church, John in Gospel-times when Chur∣ches were Congregational, and so the two might be of several Churches.

Now the thing which doth yet further perswade me to hold to this Exposition, is, That excellent Ana∣logie it carries with it to that of the two Beasts, Chap. 13. which two Beasts (as I have made appear upon the Vials, p. 101, to 108.) are no other, but Antichrist in his Civil and Ecclesiastical State, or the Magistracy and Mini∣stry of Antichrist. Now observe it, as Antichrist by a twofold power, a power Magisterial and Ministerial, doth all the time of the Two and forty moneths oppress the Woman, drive her into the Wilderness, tread under foot the Holy City, i.e. the People, Truths, and Worship of Christ: so doth Christ all this time, by the very same two∣fold power, comfort and nourish the woman, bear witness unto, and maintain his own truth and worship alive in the world. So that in short, Christ raiseth up his Two Wit∣nesses in opposition to Antichrists two Beasts: Antichrist for Forty two moneths, or One thousand two hundred and sixty days, stands up with two Beasts to blaspheme God, persecute the Saints, tread under foot the Holy City; Christ against him stands up with Two Witnesses to main∣tain his name and honor, cherish his people, uphold his cause and worship in the world. And as Antichrists two Beasts are no other but the false Magistracy, and Ministry: so contrariwise Christs two Witnesses, are his true Magi∣stracy, and Ministry.