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 II.

TWo things from our Discourse in the former Section are evident,

First, That the Head of this Propheey, is to be pla∣ced above a hundred years lower than the Head of the Vials; And indeed were there nothing else to be urged, yet he that shall but compare the persons and time when the Vials began to be poured forth, with the persons here spoken of, and this time, will find that to be the more early, this the latter; for,

1 Those that pour out the Vials have a mixture of fire with their Sea of glass, vers. 3. And I saw as it were a Sea of glass mingled with fire, noting (as Mr. Bright∣man observes) that though they had attained some de∣grees of purity, yet was it not such, but still there was a mixture of fire, hot jars, contentions, divisions, making of parties even amongst the Reformers themselves. But these here have all their Fathers name written in their foreheads, vers. 1. signifying (as I shall shew anon) a high pitch of union.

2 Those that begin the work of the Vials, their chief eminency lies in this, that they were got clear of the more gross defilements, and idolatries of Antichrist, set forth under the expressions of the Beast, his Image, Mark, the number of his name. I saw them that had gotten the victory over the Beast, and over his Image, and o∣ver his Mark, and over the number of his name.

But these have attained a higher pitch to renounce as well the more secret defilements by worldly selfish interests, as the more gross pollutions of Antichrist, which is the thing noted (as I have else-where observed) by their being redee∣med from the earth, vers. 3.

3 Those that begin the work of the Vials, were a party redeemed and picked from among the Idolatrous rabble of the Beasts worshippers; But these are a party picked and redeemed from amongst men, vers. 4. that is, from a∣mongst the Reformers themselves. Hence the Song these sing is a new Song, that none else can learn, vers. 3. i.e. it is a Song that goes in a higher, and more self-denying note, than the Song that was sung when the Vials began to be poured forth; and if we may say there is an alteration in the matter, I conceive it lies in this, the Song sung at this day shall be more purely Evangelical than that was; the Song of the Vials is a mixed Song, partly of Moses, part∣ly of the Lamb, something was in that, as well of Moses more dark administration, as of the Lambs more clear; But this shall be purely of the Lamb, nothing of Mo∣ses, no legality in this Song; but all is of the Lamb.

4 That Character of these, vers. 4. These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes, doth (as I have said before) clearly intimate to me, that this time is not the Lambs first setting forth, he had been marching before, viz. from the first day the Vials began to be pou∣red forth, yea fighting before, for the fight between Michael and the Dragon, chap. 12. and that betwixt the Lamb and the Kings of the Earth, Chap. 17. do both pre∣cede this time; by consequence therefore this must be be∣low the Head of the Vials, for the Lamb began not his march till the Vials began to be poured forth.

5 John sees no Throne as yet when the Vials began to be poured out, because Christ, as then, was but breaking in upon the world; but now (as we observed before) John

sees a Throne, noting, that at this day Christ hath gotten some footing in the world, so much, as in despight of them he can, and doth erect a Throne. And this consideration will save us an answer to that which seems to he as an Ob∣jection in the words, against the thing we are speaking; viz. That this one hundred sorty four thousand, at their first Rendezvouz, have no Temple, but those who pour out the Vials had, it seems therefore that they should be the lower, and these the higher.

Answ. Though true, no particular mention is made of a Temple, but these are onely said to stand upon Mount Sion, yet have they that which is more, namely, a Throne, and this those who began the work of the Vials had not, nor indeed could they then, because Christ erects himself a Throne, by casting down the Thrones of the Beast; but this work is done by the Vials, and therefore there could not be a Throne before.

From the whole it is clear, That the Head of the Vials is to be placed higher than the Head of this Pro∣phecie.

1 Hence we have done well to place the beginning of the Vials, as we have done in our Discourse upon the Vials.

2 Hence that opinion which makes this Prophecie to contemporise with the time of the Witnesses, and the Beast, is disproved, and our former method con∣firmed.

Should any here ask me a reason why the Head of the Vials is placed somewhat upwards in the Beasts Kingdom, and the head of this Chapter about the end of it.

I Answer, Because the principal work of this Chap∣ter, to do which, this 144000 are raised up, is to smite Antichrist in his Civil Inonarchical power, thereby to take his Kingdom from him, and to bring the Kingdoms

of this world under the Scepter of Christ; but now be∣fore Christ comes to deal with the Beast in his Civil Power, he deals with him upon another account, namely, of his encroachments upon Christs spiritual rights, to re∣cover them out of his hands, as I have observed upon the Vials, p. 260, 261, 262.

Now because the Vials set forth the whole of Christs dealing with Antichrist in a way of wrath; as well his dealing with him upon a Spiritual account, as a Civil, therefore is the head of the Vials seated more upwards in Antichrists Kingdom, than the Head of this Chapter which is placed at the end of it. This further confirmes me, that in my Discourse upon the Vials, I have been guided to place the beginning of the Vials aright, and in its proper place.

Secondly, Another thing following from our Discourse in the fore-going Section, is, That this 144000 which stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion, are not the same with the sealed 144000, Chap. 7. which also farther ap∣pears.

1 Reason, Because the sealed one hundred forty four thousand, are sealed by way of preservation against some evill approaching; but this one hundred forty four thousand are gathered together to do some work for Christ.

2 The sealed 144000. are sealed before any of the Trum∣pets sound; but this one hundred forty four thousand are not congregated till about the time of the Witnesses rise, which is not till the latter end of the sixth Trumpet, Rev. 11.13, 14, 15. That the sealed One hundred forty four thousand are sealed before any of the Trumpets sound, is clear;

1 Because the very plagues that they are sealed for preservation against, are no other but the plagues of the Trumpets; The plagues themselves are mentioned Chap.

7.3. Hurt not the Earth, neither the Sea, nor the Trees, till we have sealed the Servants of our God in the fore head. Three sorts of plagues here are: 1 A plague upon the earth; this is expresly the plague of the first Trumpet, Chap. 8.7. The first Angel sounded, and there followed hail, and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth. 2. A plague upon the Sea; this is the plague of the second Trumpet, v. 8. And the second Angel sounded, and as it were a great Mountain burning with fire was cast into the Sea, and the third part of the Sea became blood, vers. 9. And the third part of the creatures that were in the Sea, and had life, dyed, and the third part of ships were destroyed. 3. A plague upon the Trees; this is a part of the plague of the first Trumpet, vers. 7. The third part of Trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. Now the plagues being the very plagues of the two first Trumpets, it necessarily follows, that this sealing is, in time and order, before any of the Trum∣pets.

2 Because an express command is given to the Locusts under the fifth Trumpet, that they should hurt none but those onely, which had not the seal of God in their fore∣heads, Chap. 9.4. A clear Argument the sealing was higher, for the seal was then set upon Gods Servants, and not a thing to be set for future, and undoubtedly the words point us back to that very sealing, Chap. 7. which was before; yet the seventh Seal, which ushers in all the Trum∣pets, was opened.

The result is, That the One hundred forty four thou∣sand, which stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion, are not the same persons, neither do they belong to the same time, with the One hundred forty four thousand sealed ones, the one belong to the first times of the Beast, the other to his last; the one are a company sealed at the time of the Beasts coming in the other are a company

congregated at the time of his going out.

To say, because the one are said to be sealed in their foreheads, Chap. 7.3. the other to have the Fathers name written in their foreheads, Chap. 14.1. therefore they must be the same persons, and either Prophecy relate to the same time, would have some colour of reason, in case the thing it self, by other substantial Arguments, were first proved, but till that is done, to urge this alone, is to begge the Question.

Nay, could the thing be proved, it would yet be a que∣stion, Whether the Seal, and the Fathers Name, are one and the same thing? and put case they are, another que∣stion will arise, Whether the end of sealing be not one thing, and the end of writing the Fathers name another? and if the ends be distinct, then may the times also. All this must be throughly cleared, before any Argument can be drawn hence.

Now the Reasons why the Congregated ones are set forth by the number of 144000 which is the number of the sealed ones, I take to be,

1 Because the number of 144000. were the Lambs chosen number formerly, and therefore they are the cho∣sen number still.

2 Because One hundred forty four thousand were the number he went off the stage with, when for a time he gave way to the Beast; and therefore they are the number which now (the Beasts time being out) he comes on with again.

As for any Mystery in the Number it self, it doth not appear to me that there is any, the use of this number, Chap. 14. being with allusion to the same Number, Chap. 7. and as for any Mystery there, I cann see none, save onely that Twelve times twelve (that being the way of numbering there, twelve, which is a definite num∣ber being put for an indefinite) makes up One hundred

forty four, and therefore so many twelve thousands are called one hundred forty four thousand.