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. I.

HAving in the fore-going Chapter treated briefly of the Two Witnesses, by way of opening part of the 11 Chap. of the Revelations, it will not be impertinent in this, for the farther clearing up of this great truth, to add my own thoughts concerning the 12. Chapter likewise.

This 12. Chapter is on all hands interpreted to be a Prophecy of the state of the Church, within the time of the Dragons rule, or the time before the rise of the Beast, and accordingly the things here fore-told, are judged to have their compleat accomplishment within the first 400 years after Christ.

I must confess, when I consider how handsomely, follow∣ing this opinion, we have the whole Prophecy of the Re∣velations, from the time John wrote, even unto the time of Christs second coming, consisting of three distinct pe∣riods, comprized within three Chapters, viz.

1 The state of the Church within the first period, un∣der the Dragons rule, Chap. 12.

2 The state of the Church within the second period, under the Government of the Beast, Chap. 13.

3 The state of the Church, under the witnesses risen, from the end of the Beasts reign, untill the time of Christs

Second coming (where begins a fourth Period, viz. of the 1000 years) Chap. 14.

I am by this single consideration more inclined to be of the common opinion, as to this 12 Chapter, then by any thing that hitherto I have found laid down for the same, by the Authors and Assertors of it, who urge not this as an Ar∣gument, not indeed can they, because (as I shall hereafter shew) they make application of the 14 Chapter, not to the third Period, but another time; and as for what is commonly urged, there is nothing in it that I can observe, that has the force of an Argument, but what is founded up∣on begged principles.

Yet must I also acknowledge, that although this con∣sideration I have now hinted, could I make it out to my self, would sway very much with me, yet hath it the less weight, by how much I cannot satisfie my self, that such a Tripartite dovision of this Prophecy should be here in∣tended. And my reason is, because I find something in this 12 Chapter (which is the Prophecy of the Dragon) run∣ning down even into the time of the Beast; for the time of the Beast doth, yea must begin with the beginning of the 1260 dayes, as hath been before proved, Cha. 1. Sect. 2. Now supposing the time times, and a half, to be equiva∣lent to the 1260 dayes, yet it is clear from the Prophecie it self, that some attempts are made by the Dragon, after the time, times, and a half are begun; As,

1 The casting water out of his mouth as a flood after the Woman, vers. 15.

2 The attempting a war after this upon the remnant of her seed, vers. 17.

Both these things (I say) are done after the Beast was come into the world, and therefore may not be applied to the time of the Dragons rule, which ceased upon the Beasts coming in, he then resigning his power, seat, and great Au∣thority to the Beast, Chap. 13.2. If therefore we may ex∣tend

this Prophecy a little time downwards into the Beasts Kingdom, after the Dragon had surrendred to him, I see no reason why we may not as well extend it quite through the Beasts Kingdome, for the former order, yea and the common method too, is as much broken by the one, as by the other. Nor indeed can I see, unless we come down∣wards to the expiring time of the Beasts Kingdom, where a people, after the 1260 dayes were begun, will be found, that had (rightly interpreted) these two Characters upon them, that the remnant of the Womans seed, which the Dragon makes war upon, are described by.

And as these Considerations have gravelled me as to that opinion which makes application of the things here foretold to the time of the Dragons rule: So by other Considerations I am induced to think that the Prophecy of this Chapter doth bring us down to the very end of the Beasts Kingdom, the expiring time of the 42 months; and that indeed the last verse of this Chapter, being joyned to the first of the fourteeenth, and so descending, we have in these two Chapters alone (the thirteenth being cut off) all the aforesaid three Periods. 1 That of the Dragon and the state of the Church within that Period, set forth in the five first verses of this 12 Chap. 2 That of the Beasts 42 months, or 1260 dayes, and the state of the Church within that time, from vers. 6. to the end. 3 That of the Witnesses risen, or the state of the Gentile Churches from about the time of the Witnesses rise, until Christs second coming, Chap. 14.

And according to this method, as this 12 Chapter, and the 14 linked together, do run parallel with the whole of the 11, which treats of the Witnesses; so this 12 Chapter alone runs parallel with so much of the 11, as brings us to the end of the 1260 dayes, only some things handled there, are omitted here; and some things omit∣ted there are handled here; both together making the Pro∣phecy

of the Winesses Prophecying and Killing-time coun∣pleat.

And farther, as so much of the Prophecy of the 11 Chapter, as refers to the 1260 dayes, joyned to, and com∣pared with this 12, makes the Prophecy of the 1260 dayes, or second period, so far as the same respects the Witnesses, compleat; so that which follows in the 11 Chap. after the 1260 dayes are expired, joyned to, and com∣pared with Chap. 14. makes the Prophecy of the third Period, or the time from the Witnesses rise till Christs coming, full and compleat also. But now because the things done throughout the second Period, have a special relation as well to the Beast, as the Witnesses; which Beast, though named, Chap. 11.7. and his time of con∣tinuance also spoken of, vers. 2. had not been as yet particu∣larly described (the Holy Ghost hitherto having been chiefly intent to set forth the condition of the Witnesses and Woman) that therefore the things concerning this Beast might neither be passed over in silence, nor brought in promiscuously with the other, which would have bred confusion, the Holy Ghost passing over this ground again, and being come to the end of the 1260 dayes, makes a breach, by dis-joyning the 12 and 14 Chapters, to make way hereby for a description of that Beast, which in a more secret manner acted by the Dragon, should rage and make war against the Saints, causing them hereby to con∣tinue in the Wilderness all the 1260 dayes; telling us what manner of Beast this Beast should be, whence he should receive his power at first, what he should do with it, and how long. That the Dragon who was openly worshipped before, should in a more secret way be worshipped still under him, &c. These things, with many other particulars relating to this Beast, being handled, as it were, in the na∣ture of a digression, Chap. 13. there is a returning again Chap. 14.1. to that point where the discourse was bro∣ken

off, which now is carried on without interruption, to the end, and the time of Christs coming.

The result of all in brief is this; That the 12 and the 14 Chapters, are but a more full repetition of the 11, and that in these two Chapters joyned together (leaving out the 13.) we have all the three Periods from Johns time until Christs second coming, viz. The Pe∣riod of the Dragons rule; the Period of the Witnesses in fackcloth, or the Woman in the Wilderness; the Period of the Witnesses risen, compleatly and orderly handled. And that the 13 Chapter is no other, but a going over again (for the clearing up another subject referring to this time) the second Period, beinging us down the third time to that point, which twice before, once Chap. 11. and again in the repetition Ch. 12. we are come unto. In a word, that the last verse of the 12 Chapter, and the first of the 14, are in time and order immediately to follow each other; and therefore the appearing of the Lamb upon Mount Sion with the 144000 to be the immediate conse∣quent of, and indeed a thing caused by the Dragons at∣tempting a war, at the very end of the 42 months, or 1260 dayes upon that holy remiant of the Womans seed.

And indeed, according to this method (leaving out the 13 Chapter, which is a Prophecy more relating to the Beast, than the Woman) we have in the 12 and 14 Chapters excellently set forth the threefold state of the Woman, or true Church, according to that threefold Period she passeth through, from the time John wrote this Prophecy, until Christs second coming. 1 We have the Woman walking in her Primitive purity, dothed with the Sun, having the Moon underfoot, on her head a Crown of twelve Stars, Chap. 12.1. This was the state of the Church within the first Period before Antichrist crept in. In this estate, she is persecuted by a Great Rod Dragon, vers. 3. i.e. by the Pagan power of the Roman Empire.

2 We have the Woman in the Wilderness, vers. 6. to the end. This is her second state, after Antichrist was come forth, and had placed himself in the Temple of God, then the Woman, the true Church withdraws, retires her self into a corner. In this estate she suffers by the Beast, and to∣wards the end of it is persecuted again by the Dragon. What this Dragon is, and how different from the former, I may shew hereafter. 3 We have the Woman come out of the Wilderness again, and triumphing, being now delive∣red from the Beast and Dragon both, treading these her enemies under feet: This is her third state, and is set forth Chap. 14. which (as I have said) is but a continua∣tion of the Womans History, from the point of time where the 12 Chapter ends, until Christs coming.

This Method, as it doth not, so far as I am able to discern, infer any absurdity; so doth it not a little conduce to the clearing up the whole of these four Chapters (which ap∣pear to me to be the most knotty peece to carry a right Method through in this Book) yea, and many other Apo∣calyptical Mysteries depending upon these; and farther doth help us to the knowledge of some useful truths, which lye obscured and buried through a mistaken order.

And indeed when I consider, That as Chap. 11. presents us with two mystical numbers, one of 1260 dayes, the other of three dayes and a half; so also doth Chap. 12. with 1260 dayes, vers. 6. and a time, times, and a half, vers. 14. how that in either Chapters betwixt these two times, mention is made of a War; and farther, how that as the Witnesses, Chap. 11.9. within the three dayes and a half, have the People, Kindreds, Nations, and Tongues be∣friending them; so likewise the Woman, Chap. 12.16. within the time, times, and a half, hath the earth befriend∣ing her; I say, when I have considered this, I have some∣times wondred that none should attempt a way, to make these two, which carry so great a likelihood, to run parallel,

but should without any farther inquiry, conclude the 11 Chapter to bring us down to the end of the Beasts reign, yea lower, and yet the 12 Chap. to bring us but to the beginning.