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 ...

3 Christs Watchword to his people, to be in a readiness to meet him.

Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his Garments, lest he walk naked, and th••y see his shame.

WAtchfulness, and Christs coming usually go to∣gether, where Coming is the Doctrine, Watching is the Use; reaching us, that although watching is a duty Saints are alwayes to be found in, yet more especially will it lye upon them (as a principal work of that Age) who live in, or near upon the time of Christs coming, to

be watchful; and as before I have spoken of the one, to wit, Christs coming, so may I not here leap over the other, viz. The duty of watching, The Holy Ghost having joyned them together.

Yet for so much as concerns the practical part of this duty, that being a thing more commonly known (though not practised as known) and also not so proper to the business I am now upon, being only exposition, I shall wave it, chusing to insist upon (as a thing more proper to our work, and which also may be of use to stir up those who al∣ready know the duty, to stand SHALL I? SHALL I? no longer, but in good earnest to apply themselves to it) the reasons why the Holy Ghost hath so con∣joyned watching, and Christs coming, as that it is a thing rare to read of the one, and not also to hear of the other.

Now in the 24. and 25. Chapters of Matthew (the most full, and pathetical Sermon that ever our Lord preached of his coming) we have several things foretold by Christ himself, the which too evidently would appear about the time of his coming, which are the principal reasons why Christ so calls upon his Disciples, and in them all Beleevers, as Mark. 13.37. What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch; And therefore those more especially which should live in, or about the time wherein these things were to have their accomplishment, to bee watchful, Chap. 24.42. Chap. 25.13. which things by how much we see them more appearing, by so much may we conclude the second coming of Christ is nearer, and still have strength added to our foregoing Position, that it is that coming, and no other, spoken of in the words, I come as a Thief.

Now these are,

1 A strange sleep upon many Professors. This is held forth in the Parable of the Virgins, Mat. 25. vers. 1.

Then shall the Kingdome of Heaven be likened unto ten Virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the Bridegroom. 2. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Vers. 5. While the Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbred and slept. Which sleep is not (as I conceive) a sleep in respect of outward Pro∣fession, for the sleepers shall have a kind of Profession up∣on their backs still, as is intimated in that of the foolish Virgins to the wise, just upon the Bridegrooms ap∣proach, Our lamps are gone out, vers. 8. arguing, that the Lamps, that is, the outward Profession of wise and foolish, was held up, did not cease burning, till the very moment of the Bridegrooms coming, though yet at the time he tarried, they are said to be asleep, vers. 5. But it is a sleep in respect of the practice, and exercise of ho∣liness, which many at this day, who had formerly been as well Practitioners as Professors, should now lay aside, as a needless and superfluous thing, and so become meer Pro∣fessors; vanishing altogether into aery notions and opini∣ons, with a kind of disdain and contempt of Christian fife and conversation. Men that have been formerly much for Prayer, much for reading, hearing, Christian so∣ciety, strict, and holy walking, shall now look upon all these as low and childish things, speaking after this man∣ner, We are now expecting the Bridegroom, looking for the glorious appearance of the Morning-star, the Sun of Righteousness, great and high discoveries of God, and therefore away with these low camal duties, and Or∣dinances, what shall we, who expect such glorious ap∣pearances, exercise our selves in these mean and childish things? which indeed were fit for those who lived under former dispensations, and more dark administrations, but do not become us upon whom the morning-star is tisen.

And here (if I may so say, though with submission to

others) I conceive the thing I am speaking of to bee the very sleep before mentioned of the Ten Virgins, for (as by the scope of the Parable appears) these were in the Kingdome of Heaven, i. e. Members of the visible Church. Now the coming of the Bridegroom being a thing expected and looked for (though some look for it in one way, some in another) in the Kingdome of Heaven, i. e. by the Members of the visible Church, as near at hand; these Virgins will needs hereupon presently in all haste be going forth, before the set time, to meet him, They went forth to meet the Bridegroom, vers. 1. that is, (as I conceive) they reject all communion, holy duties, and Ordinances, &c. (things once they did exercise in) as things now no longer in use, but out of date, and bidding farewel to these, go forth with high expectations of great and glorious things, at the appearance of the Bridegroom now at hand, as if they should say, The Bridegroom is coming, he is coming, whose appearance puts an end to all these things, and therefore why shall we any longer exercise our selves in them? away therefore with these Duties and Ordinances, it behoves us to go forth and meet the Bridegroom; we will walk no longer in this way, but come, let us go forth to that higher, and more glo∣rious administration, that the Bridegroom brings with him.

Now they going thus before the time, I say, and mark it well before the time, for afterwards, vers. 6. we read of a command given at the Bridegrooms coming, to go forth and meet him; till which command had come had they stayed, and continued in that station the Bride∣groom left them in upon his departure, yeelding cheerful obedience to all those his wayes and commands, which he bid them to mind, and be conversant in till his com∣ing, they had done well; but going out before the time, leaving the Laws of Christ, before Christ the great Law∣giver

had abolished them, casting off their former practice, and the Bridegroom not coming so soon as they expected, to direct them into a new, they slumber and sleep, i.e. do even nothing at all; as a sleepy man stirs not, acts not in any way or duty for Gods glory, or his Neighbours good; so it now fares with them, which so sad an effect of their going forth to meet the Bridegroom hath made me to think, that although the thing it self were very good, had they but waited till the coming forth of the Royal Edict, for the abrogation of the old Law, and the establish∣ment of a new; yet for them to go forth to meet the Bride∣groom before the time, to run before they were called, to abrogate Christs Laws, before himself had done it, was sinful, and very evil, and that for which God, by way of correction of so great arrogancy and presumption, gives them up to this spiritual slumber and sleep here spoken of.

Now whereas I said at first this sleep should be of ma∣ny, I spake it to this end, that none might imagine this sleep to be general upon all the V••rgins in the world at this time; for though it is said, v. 5. Whilst the Bridegroom tar∣ried they all slumbered and slept; yet is not the ALL so to be understood, as if so be all the Virgins and Profes∣sors in the world should at this time be asleep; for though I conceive all here is to be taken universally, i.e. all, ex∣cepting none; yet the universality of the word doth not reach all Virgins and Professors but those onely who went forth to meet the Bridegroom, for to them alone the scope of the Parable runs; the meaning then is this, That all those who casting off Duties and Ordinances did go forth before the time, to meet the Bridegroom, did slum∣ber and sleep, not one of them was so happy as to keep his eies open; but that all Virgins cannot be here meant is clear from the following Parable (which seems to be as it were an exception from this former) where mention is made of

some Servants improving their Talents, therefore not all sleeping; and likewise, from vers. 46. of the precedent Chapter, which tells us; that some at Christs coming should be found doing their Masters work; Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall finde so doing, therefore not all asleep; Yet (I say) all takes in every of those Virgins who went forth before the time to meet the Bridegroom, the number of which shall not be a few; for they are not set forth by a smaller number, as two, but by a greater, as ten.

Two things here are very observable, which I cannot o∣mit, seeming to intimate the way or manner how this sleep shall creep on upon the Virgins at this day.

1 From a false Principle commonly received among the Virgins, as touching the coming of Christ, namely, that the same shall be spiritual onely, and not personal; this to me appears from the attempt they make, and that before his coming, to go forth and meet him; for taking this for granted (which is indeed a certain truth) that the Administration that now is, is to be in force but till his coming, and they conceiving this coming of Christ to be no other, but a more glorious man festation of himself in a spiritual way to the souls of his people, judging withall, some beginnings of this to be already both in themselves and others; they hence conclude the time now to be come in which these things are to cease, the Day-star (which will suddenly inlighten the whole world) beg••n∣ning already to glimmer in their hearts. Hereupon they pluck up stakes, quit their old station, sound a march, with a mighty cry, The Bridegroom is coming, the Bridegroom is coming, let us speedily go forth to meet him; whereas had they in their judgement, as well as beleeved the coming to be near, so retained in the love of it, that good old Principle, that it is onely Christs Perso∣nal coming which puts an end to these things, they would

have had certain ground to have stood upon, and have known the time when these things were to cease, and not before the time headily run forth, but rather patiently wai∣ted for that day, submitting themselves in the mean time to the Laws, and commands of their Lord and Master Christ.

2 From a looseness in practice, in comparison of what they were formerly, for observe,

1 They slumber, i.e. give a little way to pride, remis∣ness in duty, examining, and watching over their hearts, &c. allow themselves to be a little more worldly, stretch Conscience a little for gain, and reach after pla∣ces, honors, preferments, the love of great men (though gained by unfaithfulness to God, and them too) more then, a time was, they durst do; and thus having first by a slumber benum'd their Consciences, which now are not so tender, and apt to be pricked with the least thorn, as in times past they were; the next degree is a fast sleep, (they all slumbered and slept, vers. 5.) i. e. what before they neglected through carelesness, now they throw off from a principle, that they need not do any such things, whereupon they lay themselves down, and as a man asleep, stir not, act not in any Duty, or Ordinance, or work of their Lord and Master Christ. I wish from my heart (were it the Lords will) that all those who at this day a∣mongst us are asleep, might from this word have such a jog as might cause them to rub up a little, and to bethink them∣selves how they fell asleep.

2 An extraordinary deluge, and over-spreading of errors, Christs second coming herein agreeing to his first, for never was the Church and Commonwealth of the Jews so infested with errors as about the time of his first com∣ing. And this we have plainly chap. 24. where Christ tels us;

First, That there shall be many Seducers, vers. 5. Many

shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many, Vers. 11. And many false Prophets shall arise and shall deceive many. Vers. 24 There shall arise false Christs, and false Prophets.

Secondly, These Seducers shall pretend Commission from Christ, therefore said ver 5. to come in his name, i.e. pleading his Commission.

Thirdly, They shall profess themselves to be extraor∣dinarily gifted; persons inspired by Christ, endued with the gift of Prophecy, called therefore Prophets, Vers. 11 24.

Fourthly, They shall do strange and wonderful things, things not common, or of ordinary observation, Vers. 24. There shall arise false Prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders.

Fifthly, They shall have many followers and Disciples, ver. 5. Shall deceive many; yea ver 24. so cunning shall these be in deceiving, that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect.

3 A sad and searfull Apostacy of divers who for∣merly were eminent and glorious Lights in the Church, Vers. 12. The love of many shall wax cold; which words are to be understood of a final Apostacy, because in the next verse perseverance to the end is set in opposition to their Apostacy; but he that shall indure to the end the same shall be saved. Ver. 29. The stars shall fall from Heaven; By HEAVEN we are to understand the visible Church, so called in Scripture, I heard a great voyce of much people in Heaven, saying, Haleluyah, Revel. 191. that is, in the visible Church. By STARS emi∣nent men in the Church, Revel. 1.20. The seven Stars are the Angels (or Officers) of the seven Churches; The meaning is. eminent men, men that were formerly of no small note in the Church, for their seeming zeal and piety, shall now shew themselves what they are, and become A∣postates.

4 An aptness to be offended at the things that shall be done in the world in these times, Vers. 10. Then shall many be offended. They shall not be able to brook what God in an active way will do, in a permissive way will suffer; but every thing they shall at this day cast their eies upon will stumble them, and offend them, make them kick and sling; so that the very world will be a torment to them, and they to themselves.

5 A hating of fellow-brethren, with a notable per∣secuting spirit lying at the bottom, Vers. 10. shall betray one another, and shall hate one another, Verse 48. If that evil servant shall say in his heart, my Lord de∣layeth his coming, Vers. 49. And shall begin to smite his fellow-scrvants, and to eat and drink with the drun∣ken. What is the meaning hereof? Why, eating and drinking denote friendship, and civil society; the mean∣ing then is this, many men in these times, who shall yet go under the name of Christs servants, shall so far degene∣rate, as that they shall not onely dis-own those that were formerly their fellow-servants but shall smite them with re∣proaches, yea, with the Civil sword, if the Lord prevent not; and instead of making their fellow-servants their Companions and Associates any longer, they shall choose the Drunken, i.e. such as their very walking doth declare them to all men to be persons void of grace, and strangers to Jesus Christ, and yet these now shall be their familiars, and intimates, rather than the other.

These things our Lord Jesus Christ hath foretold to be in the world a little before his coming, to escape which, as he there calls upon his Disciples to Watch, watch, watch; so do I conceive for the very same reasons, in the words I am upon, are we exhorted to this duty, because, as by all these, sanctification grows into decay, and they are made naked in the eyes of others to their shame, (as Aaron made Israel by that sin of the Calf, and that a∣mongst

their enemies, Exod. 32.25.) so the very motive to this duty of watching, in the words, is the keeping their Garments, that is, of Sanctification (the Garment of Justification being but one Garment, resembled by the Robe Christ wore in the daies of his flesh, which was one intire peece, without seam throughout, and that rather Christs put upon us, than ours, and not at all trust∣ed in our hands to keep, but kept in Christs for us, and therefore not that here spoken of) lest by losing of them they become naked, and are in the eyes of others, yea, their enemies (who can see these Garments, though a Saints Justification is a thing hidden from them) expo∣sed to shame, which in a few words comprehends all those reasons Christ had laid down and pressed, Mat. 24. and 25. why beleevers living in times immediately preceding his coming, should be watchful.

And let not any, in case what I have said sit too close, be for that offended at the Author (who is a friend to all that love the Lord Jesus) or sleight the things themselves, but rather considering what Christ hath plainly foretold shall be a little before his coming, let them learn this, to consider their own ways, and lay seriously their practices to heart, lest otherwise he come upon them as a Theef, before they shall have time to get oyl into their Lamps, or to put on again their Garments, which now they have put off.

Thus much of the third thing, Christs Watchword to his people.