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 ...

2 The ADJUNCT. A power given to the Angel to scorch with fire.

And power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. The Relative 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to him, may be referred either to the Angel pouring out this Vial, or to the Sun, upon which the same i•• poured out; and I take it, it is to be referred to the first, viz. the Angel, for this Reason, be∣cause it it said to be a power given, to wit, by special dis∣pensation of God to scorch men with fire; Now God doth not in this manner give a power to Antichrist to de∣stroy himself, which must necessarily follow, in case the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to him, be referred to the latter, viz. the Sun. Neither may it be said, that by the pouring out of this Vial, the chief Head or Heads of the Austrian Family shall be converted, which done, that house shall destroy the Roman Whote; for how can a Vial of pure and full wrath poured on for destruction, prove the convertion of that thing it should destroy?

The meaning therefore is (referring it to the Angel) That th••s Ange•• who pours out his Vial upon the Sun, shall do somewhat over and above the bare pouring out of his Vial, by which the hearts of the Antichristian faction shall be extremely moved, and they filled with wrath, envy, vexation, the which as fire, and great heat shall in∣wardly scorch and torment them; and this being added to the pouring forth of his Vial, shews it is a thing peculiar to this Angel, all the rest do only pour out their Vials, this doth that, and besides (as a thing over and above) hath a power given unto him to scorch men with fire.

Ob••. You will ask me, But what is that which by spe∣cial dispensation is given to this Angel to do besides the pouring out of his Vial, which shall so scorch the Popish party?

To that I answer, I do humbly conceive it may be this; This Angel having poured out his Vial upon the House of Austria (or rather as he is doing of it) he shall give a powerful call to the Witnesses, that by the power of that House at this instant time shall he dead, which is the voyce from Heaven (whence all the Angels of the Vials comes, Chap. 15.5.6.) saying to them, Come up hither, Rev. 11.12. which voyce, no sooner shall they hear, but in the view and faces of their enemies, they shall straight∣way in a Cloud (i.e. under the wings and protection of this Angel, who by his power shall be unto them as a Cloud by day to shelter them from the burning heat of the now inslamed Sun. i.e. the rage of this incensed House) ascend to Heaven; They ascended up to Heaven in a Cloud, and their enemies beheld them.

Object. If it be said, But there is somewhat here which seems directly to oppose such a thing as th••s, viz. That the Witnesses rising can be aimed at in this place, because in the following words it is expresly said. They blasphemed the God of Heaven, and repented not to give him glory; but at the rifing of the Witnesses we have the contra••y, chap. 11.13. The remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of Heaven.

I Answer, That the 16. Chapter speaks of those one∣ly upon whom the Vial did directly fall, who being no other than incorrigible enemies devoted to destruction (as our fourth Proposition proves,) they are by them still more and more hardned to their fatal ruin; But that Remnant spoken of chap. 11. are such upon whom God doth not poure out the Vial, I mean, the wrath of it, (although as to common and outward calamities they may feel it with the rest, but rather such, who though through igno∣rance they stand in the croud amongst those the Vial fals upon) yet hath God special grace and mercy in store for, which by pouring out this Vial upon the

rest, they come to partake of, having their eyes hereby opened to see Gods hand, and their hearts in truth turned to acknowledge the same, and give him glory; or at least∣wise such they are, who seeing Gods hand, do so far ac∣knowledge the same, as wholly to relinquish, and have nothing to do with that Antichristian party they formerly sided with.