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. IX.

TWo things we have in an especiall manner noted by the Holy Ghost, both which concern the Witnesses, and are to have their fulfilling within the three days and a half of their lying dead.

First, They of the People, Kindreds, Nations and Tongues, see their dead bodies three days and a half, and will not suffer their dead bodies to be put into graves, vers. 9. The putting of the dead bodies of the Witnesses into graves, notes a corporal death, it being Scripture phrase to put the grave for bodily death, 1 Cor. 15.55. 1 King. 14.13. 2 King. 22.20. This would the Beast do, but he is hindred.

Here a Controversie ariseth, Who those People, Kin∣dreds,

Nations and Tongues should be. Some will have them to be the Popish party, some, a reformed people; if the one, the act is an act of dis-favor, if the other, of favor.

Both these opinions you may see, with the rea∣sons of either, laid down by Mr. Woodcock in his Treatise of the Two Witnesses; who himself is for the first, that they are the Popish party. To bring here the Argu∣ments on both hands to the Touchstone, would be more tedious than profitable, in regard the thing it self is not a matter of so great moment, but that without any preju∣dice to all my other Principles, there may be an allowance of different conjectures; and therefore, to make a great contention for a little gain, I shall not do it, for it will not quit time and cost.

I shall therefore onely offer to consideration my own thoughts hereof, viz. That neither the Popish party, nor a reformed people, properly so called, or so esteemed by Christ, are here meant; but indeed, a third party; a party that cannot properly be said to worship the Beast, because him they disown; Nor a party that may properly be called a reformed people, because Reformation is a thing they have little regard unto: But if you would see them in their proper Character, They shall be persons of a worldly interest, or to speak plainly, pure Statists, who walking by the rules of State-policy, shall neither profes∣sedly own the Cause of Antichrist, nor Christ, beyond these principles. And therefore very emphatically hath the Scripture (as seems to me) set them forth by people, and Kindreds, and Nations, and Tongues, which as it is a mid∣dle name, neither so odious as the name of the worshippers of the Beast, nor so honorable, as that of the Witnesses; so doth it excellently agree to such persons, whose main de∣sign is a meer worldly interest; for of such, the great thing in their eye is the good of Common-wealths, the

regulating and ordering the affairs of People, and Na∣tions, and Kindreds, and Tongues, and though they may own and favor the cause of Christ, yet will they not appear for it a step farther than will stand with National interests, the good of People, and Nations, and Kindreds, and Tongues. Now such there shall bee in the world, in the time the Witnesses lie dead, who shall take notice of the Witnesses slaughter, and have a cast of their eye that way, and by their power so far awe the Beast, as that he shall not satisfie his lusts upon the Witnesses.

Secondly, Besides these, we have another sort of peo∣ple spoken of, who formerly being such as were tormented by the Witnesses in the time of their prophecy, shall now upon their death be jovial, make merry, send gifts one to another, as hoping they are now delivered from that danger they feared they should sustain by these Witnesses. These are called the dwellers on the Earth, ver. 10. And they that dwell on the earth shall rejoyce over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another, be∣cause these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the Earth. The phrase needs no other interpretation than what we have, Chap. 13.8. And all that dwel upon the Earth shall worship him, i.e. the Beast. Ver. 14. And deceiveth them that dwel on the Earth; clearly shewing, that the dwellers on the Earth, are the Popish par∣ty, such as worship the Beast, and are deceived by him.

These, as well as the other, see the Witnesses lie dead; The difference is the other see them with an eie of care, and some kind of pitty; these, with an eie of scorn, and tri∣umph. Hence it is said, that at the Witnesses rise great fear fell on them that saw them, vers. 11. which words relate to these latter sort of beholders, who therefore vers. 12. are called enemies; these at the Witnesses rise shall fear, Why? Because having been tormented by them before, they shall now expect the same again.

The demeanor and carriage of this latter sort of behol∣ders, set forth by their rejoycing, making merry, send∣ing gifts one to another. &c. hath sometimes made me conceive that there should be within these three days and a half, a great calm upon the Nations, i.e. they should lay aside war and strife, at least, in a great measure, in comparison of what was in the days immediately before; For a time of tempest and war, when every man sees his interest going to wrack, is not a time of rejoycing and feasting, especially with the dwellers on the Earth, who serve no other God, nor mind nothing else, but their lusts and interests, but a time of howling and mourning. With∣all, the boast of the proud Whore, Revel. 18.7. (Of which I have spoken before) seems somewhat to counte∣nance this, for grant her to have killed the Witnesses, yet if when this is done, her followers were killing one another, and her outward strength tearing it self it peeces, she should have but little cause to boast. But she boasts and that in such manner, as seems to me to argue, that she hath her enemies, that before she feared, under her feet; and her own strength also, which before was broken and di∣vided, united: which two things do wonderously lift her up, and make her conceit her self (as indeed she is in an outward way) stronger, and more fast in her seat than ever. And as her boasting seems to argue, this general peace should not be till towards the end of the three days and a half, for this boasting of hers is the immediate fore-runner of her ruin, which comes in upon her inevita∣bly, upon the witnesses rise.

And to this its not improper to add the opinion of that eminent Servant of Christ, Mr. Archer, in his Personal Reign, Printed A.D. 1642. who speaking of the ten horns giving up their power to the Beast, Rev. 17.12, 13, 17. saith thus,

Here is a double giving up of their power to the Beast spoken of, though yet they may seem both

one, but will be found of him who ponders them, at two diverse and several times. For in the former its onely said they had one mind to give their power to the Beast; i.e. (saith he) they were at that time, all alike ignorant and superstitious, and so the Papacy easily devoured them: But in the latter place its said, God put it in∣to their minds to agree, and do it, i.e. at this time they were not all alike, some of the Kingdoms had light and reformation, and had withdrawn from Rome; yet by some special over-ruling Providence (in respect of which its said, God put it into their hearts, they who had depar∣ted from Popery, shall revolt and by some agreement or Covenant with the rest, all joyntly shal again give up their power to the Beast. So that (saith he) this act differs much from the former, and seems to be a second act of the ten Kings that is, of so many of them as were re∣volted from the Papacy; and it also appears to be so, because it is made the fore-runner, and the immediate fore-goer of Romes ruin, but the former giving up was at the beginning of the Papacy.

Hitherto the very words of Mr. Archer that eminent Witness of Christ, who for the testimony of Jesus, dyed in Exile fourteen or fifteen years ago, Pers. Reign, p. 50, 51.

Now this testimony is the more remarkable, as to us at this day, by how much the giving-up, vers. 17. (which he comments upon) followes that remarkable war betwixt the Lamb and the Kings of the Earth, which our eies have seen, but the worthy Author lived not to see it. Yet let me add this, that I do not conceive with the Author, that this giving up of power to the Beast, shall be a revolting of all the ten Horns to Popish Religion, for the power here spoken of, that is given up to the Beast, is civil power only (that being properly the power of the horns) which by way of League or Covenant with the Beast, or those who are consederate with him, may be given up to him, and

yet no receiving nor embracing Romish Religion.

From these grounds it is a thing conjectural, that a general peace shall be in that part of the world, common∣ly called Christendom, within the time of the three days and an half.

My first thoughts hereof were, whilst I considered this 11 Chapter onely, that this peace should be so general, as to take in all those Nations that were formerly under the power of the Beast; but since the time I weighed, and compared with the truth of this Chapter, the truth laid down in the 12, and 14 Chapt. it hath been a Question with me, whether that people whom the Holy Ghost sets forth by that Title of the remnant of the womans seed, Revel. 12.17. shall not be excluded from this agreement. One of these two (I suppose) we may conclude upon, that either they shall be excluded, or shall renounce this Co∣venant with Hell, before the three days and a half are com∣pleatly expired; for the Dragon at the end of the three days and a half makes war upon them. Which of these two will be, time will determine; but being more and more perswaded every day, that Christ is coming on upon his people apace, I shall not cause this little Book to wait to see the issue.