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 ...

Two things from what I have said, are worthy observation.

First, That this Vial hath a do••ble attestation going along with it, (which is not found in any other Vial) of the Righteousness, Justice, and Equity of the things effected by it; Why so? I take the reason to be this, because the things done under this vial, shall be so strange and amazing; so besides the ordinary path and course of Providence, and without former President, as that the le∣gality and justice of them shall be called in question by most; and therefore we have a double Testimony (that out of the mouth of two Witnesses, or two so is of Wit∣nesses, the righteousness of Gods wonderful works might be made manifest) confessing Gods hand here∣in, and the same to be most righteous in the doing of them.

2 The persons bearing this testimony are;

1 The Angel of the waters; that is, the instruments themselves, that God will use to do these great things by, who shall in their consciences be abundantly satisfied, and bear publick testimony that the things are righteous. 2 Another out of the Altar, i. e. Saints in a suffering condition from some more remote place, who hearing these things shall also cry, Lord thou art righteous. Why do these two bear witness only, and no other? The Reason may be this, To teach us that the effects of this Vial shall be such, that hardly any but those who are either deeply ingaged in pouring of it out, their hands, hearts, or prayers going with the work, or such who are under great persecutions for Christ, and thereby dis-inga∣ged from all worldly interests, shall be able to say concern∣ing

the things done, Lord thou art righteous, in the doing of them.

Object. If it be said, That there are Saints in Scot∣land and Holland, who in the time this Vial is pouring forth do suffer much why do not they with these other, come ••n, and cry, Lord. True, and righteous are thy judgements? I Answer,

1 Because, though they suffer, yet are not they upon the Altar, under suffering for the cause of Christ, but ra∣ther upon the Stage of this world, suffering for love to a worldly interest which fain they would uphold, when God is throwing it down. 2 Because they are mixed in the crowd with those men, and have shaken hands with that interest upon which this Vial falls, and therefore it is no wonder that the righteousness and justice of it should be hidden from their eyes.

Quest. If any now shall ask me, What Nations I judge those are, that are more immediately subject to the Vial?

I answer, England, with its Territories, the Low Countries and France; And my reason is, because where the b••ood of Saints hath been in a more eminent manner poured out, there in all likelihood is this vial to fall, this being the reason of pouring it forth, they have shed the blood of thy Saints, vers. 6. but setting Germany and Italy aside (which come under the two next Vials, and there∣fore not to be brought in here) it is in England, the Low Countr••es and France, that the blood of Saints hath been most eminentl•• shed, Witness the blood of Saints spilt in England in the dayes of King Henry 8. Queen Mary: I need not say King Chartes his ••e••gn too. In the Low Countries in the dayes of Duke d•• Alva, who made it his boast, that he had there put to death 36000 Prote∣sta••ts besides many that suffered there likewise under other Princes. In France, the cruel barbarous slaughter (which

continued for many yeers) of the Waldenses, Albingen∣ses, the late horrid massacre at Paris, and in many other parts of that Kingdome; therefore though possibly the droppings of this Vial may afflict some other Nations, so far as the blood of Saints hath been spilt in them, and by them, yet more immediately, and directly (in such manner as to break their whole frame, and alter their Civil con∣stitution) this Vial falls upon England with its present Territories, the Low Countries, and France, whereof the first hath already felt it; the second now feels it, and he who is coming to render recompences for the blood of Saints shed in the other, stands at the door.

Object. If it be said, But since the time that blood hath been shed in these lands, there have been (especially in England, and the Low Countries) very great Al∣terations, the ruling powers who then were Papists being now Protestants; yea the generation of persecutors is now extinct, and in their graves: How then can it be just with God to pour out the Vials of his wrath upon these Nations, and their present Heads, for what was done formerly, seeing these powers cannot help what their forefathers did yea are reformed, and do disclaim whatsoever in this way was done by them?

To that I answer, out of the words of Christ to the hypocritical Scribes and Pharisees, Matth. 23. who out of respect to the Prophets and righteous men that suffer∣ed by their forefathers did build the Tombs, and gar∣nish the Sepulchres of the Martyrs, vers. 29. saying, If we had been in the dayes of our Fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets, vers. 30. And not only so, but also they were a mighty reformed generation, in respect of those Idola∣trous wayes their Forefathers walked in; yet because they did still retain that hatred to Christ, and true holiness, in

their hearts, which was in their Forefathers, and the refor∣mation they gloried in, was only outward and hypocriti∣cal; therefore, saith Christ, (vers. 35, 36.) upon them, and that generation should come all the righteous bloodshed upon the earth. So may I say, though England of late yeers, reformed to what it was in Queen Maries dayes; and Holland at present is, to what it was in times of Popery; Yet because the late Head and Heads of England had, and the present Rulers in Holland have the same malice and hatred in their hearts against the Truths and People of Christ, that was in the hearts of their Forefathers, and the Reformation that was in the one, and is in the other, only outward, and hypocritical; therefore it is just, exceeding just with God to recom∣pence the blood of the Saints shed in the times of their Forefathers, or former Rulers, upon the Heads of the Rulers and People of this Generation Yea God will the rather do it, because it••s his way (as our instance proves) to punish the sins of a prophane and Idolatrous Genera∣tion, upon a formal and lukewarm Generation, who have a shew of holiness, but are enemies to the power.

Thus much as touching the third VIAL.

Hitherto the Vials foretel things past, and events an∣swerable to the things foretold we have seen, save only that part of the third Vial, which doth more especially relate to the Low Countries & France, which is yet behind. The events whereof begin already to shew themselves but will in due time more fully appear. As for England it ha∣ving drunk of this cup in the first place, and that so deeply, as that its old constitution is thereby destroyed, and withall the same being passed from us, it gives me some ground to ••ope (though not for our worthiness) that the day of Gods w••ath upon England is over; though yet for ought I know, some refining fire (being as the after-drops) to

purge out the remaining dross (if otherwise it bee not done) may notwithstanding be kindled amongst us.

The following Vials speak of things yet to come, and the events of them are Prophetical and therefore as we have great reason to be very jealous lest through any contrived mould of Gods workings beforehand, sutable to some∣what, which either our natural, or corrupt desires, or our conceived fancies incline us to, or lest through a pinning our faith too much upon the authority of others; or on the contrary, a desire to be singular from all; or through pr••∣ingagements to this or that particular party or interest; or straining some notion which hath a truth in it too far; or any other such like way or end, by which Saints lose their guide, we should unawares be drawn into mistakes: So on the other side, to be very humble and sober, much in waiting upon the Father of lights for light; as also, circumspect in observing, wary in judging those seve∣ral hints which may be offered, or may offer themselves for truth; to the end, if possible, and so fat as is the good pleasure of the Father, that truth shall be made known, mistakes may be avoyded. Which that my self may not swerve from in the following work, let the merciful Lord be the light and strength of his poor servant.