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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A71105	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 ...	Tillinghast, John, 1604-1655.	1655 (1655)	Wing T1175; Wing T1177; Wing T1178; ESTC R17254	317,518	510

seen heard touched by John 3 He is cloathed with a Vesture dipped in blood v. 13. he treads the Wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God ver 15. the same with that Isa 63.2 3. of which anon By these the other expressions of fitting upon a white horse judging and making War vers 11. having eyes as a flame of fire many Crowns on his head ver 12. answering to that chap. 11.15 The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord the Armies of Heaven following him ver 14. ●uling the Nations with a rod of iron answering to Psal 2.9 the sharp sword going out of his mouth vers 15. the name on his Vesture and Thigh King of Kings and Lord of Lords ver 16. Which of themselves look this way will more clearly appear to be spoken of Christ as personally coming yet because Christs personal coming at this time would hardly be received for a truth it is as I conceive therefore added ver 9 These are the true sayings of God The conclusion then of all is this Christ shall personally appear at the battel of Armageddon That battel for time exactly agrees with the Text therefore the coming here spoken of Behold I come as a Theef is a personal coming 2 ARGUMENT Christ shall personally appear at the time of the Kingdoms restoring to Israel But that shall be about this time The minor Proposition I have proved before in shewing that the coming in of the Jews must of necessity be betwixt the sixt and seventh Vials The major That Christ at this time shall appear I prove 1 From that of Paul Rom. 11.26 27. where the Apostle speaking of the Jews conversion mentions a coming of Christ The deliverer shalcome out of Sion Which words are to be taken in a litteral and spiritual sence both as are many Scriptures else as appears from Isa 59.20 whence they are quoted where to evidence the spiritual sence of them the Prophet saith expresly in the next verse My Spirit that is upon thee shall not depart out of thy mouth nor but of the mouth of thy seed c. noting that as their sins shall be pardoned so also more of the Spirit shall be given forth upon the Jews conversion than ever formerly which more fully we have Joel 2.28 29. Zech. 12.10 and this is the coming of the Deliverer to them in the spiritual sence Yet that besides this there is a litteral coming in these words appears if you compare the foregoing verses 16 17 18. upon which these have a dependance with the very same expressions almost only a little more full chap. 63.1 2 3 4 5 6. where also as here mention is made of a coming Ver. 1. Who is this that cometh from Edom which cannot be a spiritual coming i.e. a destroying of his Enemies by a glorious manifestation of himself and his power with and amongst his people because then the doing of the work should be by instruments whereas Christs arm alone without any instrument doth this work as verse 3. I have trodden the Wine-press alone and of the people there was none with me Vers 5. I looked and there was none to help and I wondered that there was none to uphold therefore my own Arm brought salvation to me and my fury it upheld me Neither could the litteral meaning of the words have their fulfilling in his first coming in which he was not glorious in his apparrel but without form and comeliness Chap. 53.2 neither was that a day of vengeance to tread down the people in anger as this is Vers 4 6. This comming therefore must be some other and is indeed that we spake of but now Rev. 19. where we have Christ coming forth upon a white horse as will appear by comparing Vers 3. I have trodden the Wine-press alone and of the people there was none with me for I will tread them in mine anger and trample them in my fury and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my Garments and I will stain all my raiment and that with Rev. 19.13 He was cloathed with a vesture dipped in blood Vers 15. And he treadeth the Wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God And this coming I proved but now by the circumstances of the Text is and must be the same with that I am opening Behold I come as a Theef 2 This appears Ezek. 37.24 25. where speaking of the Jews restauration and the Kingdom they shall have thereupon and this too with a principal relation to the last daies for the Chapter speaks of that time in which the sticks of Judah and Ephraim shall be one stick Vers 19. i.e. The two Tribes and ten Tribes one people shall have one King and that too in their own Land upon the Mountains of Israel which never yet hath been since the rent in the daies of Rehoboam it is said Vers 24. My servant David shall be King over them Now David was not a Type of Christ as King in a spiritual sense so much as in a visible way sitting upon an outward and visible Throne if therefore a spiritual reign onely were here intended the Antitype should not answer the Type Vers 27. My Tabernacle also shall be with them yea I will be their God and they shall be my people which is expounded Rev. 21.3 Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God shewing that these words have a special relation to the time of the New Jerusalem when Christ as he hath already his Prophetical and Priestly Offices shall visibly and Personally execute his Kingly Office 3 This appears farther Act. 1.6 from the Question propounded to Christ by his Disciples Wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel In which Question three things are taken for granted by the Querists As 1. That the Nation of the Jews should one day be restored and have a Kingdom 2 That this Restauration should be wrought by Christ Wilt thou 3 That it should be wrought by him in an outward visible way for such a way is by them supposed as Christ did at that time appear to them in which was an outward way with his bodily presence These three things by them beleeved are ground for a fourth which is the thing they question namely the time when this should be Wilt thou at this time Now observe it the grounds of this question which includes the substance of what is pleaded for viz. That the Kingdom should be restored to Israel and that by Christs personal appearance are neither of them denied by Christ who undoubtedly had their question been grounded upon a mistake would yea it had behoved him to have shewn them their error only their greediness of a Kingdom at present whilst he had other work for them to do first is the thing reproved Nay let me say Christ doth in a

truth had I dropped doubtful words concerning the same Yet because this Answer is none at all and I would not have any take bare words for Arguments and yet am loath here neither is it proper to start the question therefore setting aside the joynt and concurrent testimony of every of the Prophets of the Old Testament Jonah onely excepted which is rather a History than a Prophesie in this thing the truth whereof is not much more difficult to prove than to affirm I shall onely commend to such that of Paul Rom. 11. who speaks expresly not of spiritual but of natural Jews whom therefore he all along opposeth to the Gentiles calling them also branches broken off which cannot be spiritual branches but natural v. 21. the same broken off shall be grafted in again v. 24. And this not done only one by one in continuance of time but according to that of Isa 66.8 in a manner all at once ver 25 26. And so all Israel shall be saved which as yet we have never seen and yet because Scripture speaks it are to believe it Thus according to present light both of what I have received from others and have been able to add of my own a discovery of the age we live in hath been made and found to be that in which the great work of Israels redemption is most likely to be effected 2 Our next thing is that we may walk in the path before laid down to observe what those glorious and remarkable things are the accomplishment whereof God hath foretold and promised in and about these times And here give me leave to say that when I take a view of what holy Scripture hath recorded of that time in which Israel shall return to their own Land and also to the Lord and David their King that I do find this age none more full of wonders to all which Gods glorious work of redeeming Sion literal Sion or the Jews from their long captivity and spiritual Sion or the Gentile Churches from Antichristian bondage as it were the Axis upon which they turn Now to enumerate each particular of those transactions that Scripture tells us shall fall out in this age is not my intent but onely to take notice of some of the chief and such as are most free from exception for the directing of us to that which is our special work in this Generation Which are 1 Israels Redemption Which although by mentioning here again I may seem to tautologize yet must I do it this being the first and great thing promised which therefore we have before proved and make use of as a mark to descry the rest by 2 A large and plentiful conversion of Gentles to the Lord. as Isa 2.3 Many people shall say Come yee let us go up to the mountain of the Lord Which that it relates to the time in and about which the Jews shall be converted is clear vers 5. O house of Jacob i.e. ye Jews as distinguished from the Nations before spoken of Come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord. And yet more clear Mica 4.2 ver 6.7 So Isa 60.3 4 5. Lift up thine eyes round about and see all they gather themselves together they come to thee the abundance of the Sea or Nations shall be converted unto thee the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee Which that it is spoken of the Jews is clear because they are distinguished from the Gentiles and that the time of their redemption is here spoken of appears if you look back to Chap. 59.20 compared with Rom. 11.26 So Zach. 2.11 Many Nations shall be joyned to the Lord in that day What day is that See vers 12. When the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy Land and shall choose Jerusalem again So Zach. 8.20.21 22 23. To all which add Rom. 11.25 26. where the Apostle speaking of the conversion of the Jews mentions also a fulness of the Gentiles about that time coming in 3 Vniting Saints that differ Zach. 14.9 In that day shall there be one Lord and his Name one And when shall this be why then when all Nations shall be gathered together against Jerusalem to battel as vers 2. So Zeph. 3.9 I will turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord to serve him with one consent Division of languages made a division of men but when Gods people shall come to have a pure unbroken language all to speak one and the same thing division amongst Saints shall cease and there shall be union But when shall this be See vers 20. At that time will I bring you again even in the time that I will gather you for I will make you i.e. Israel distinguished from other people a name and a praise among all people of the earth when I turn back your captivity before your eyes saith the Lord. So Isa 11.13 The envy of Ephraim shall depart and the adversaries of Judah be cut off Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not vexe Ephraim When shall this be the foregoing verse tells us He shall assemble the out-casts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth So Ch. 54.13 all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shal be the peace of thy Children which may as well be understo●d of outward as inward peace for all being taught of God they shall not jar amongst themselves But when shall this be why then when as the Jews which now are barren as a widow and a wife of youth refused as vers 1.4.6 shall be received into favour again 4 Pulling down of high and lofty things under which as principal or head we are to comprehend the man of Sin or Romish Antichrist Is 2.11 12 13 14 15 16 17. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low And upon all the Cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up and upon all the Oaks of Bashan And upon all the high mountains and upon all the hils that are lifted up And upon every high Tower and upon every fenced wall and upon all the sh●ps of Tarshish and upon all pleasant pictures And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down and the haughtiness of man shall be made low and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day The meaning of all these metaphorical expressions is only this That at this time the day of the Lord the day of the Lord shall be upon all the strength and glory of the Creature upon all high and lofty things and persons that exait themselves above the Lord Christ to the pulling of them down

Generations nor matter of exaltation to our selves who have nothing but free Grace to boast of nor any other reason to give why it should thus be but this onely so it pleased him Yet as then when truth came forth in being the new light of the Generation did oftentimes offend persons living in those Generations so as they could not see the work of the Cerations as the persecutions that many of the Prophets of the Old Testament and the Apostles of the New did suffer from the men of those Generations for the same doth witness So now when truth is coming forth in regard of discovery the new discoveries of truth have been and are a continual offence to the men of these last Generations even to the opposing the very work of the Generation they have lived in as the sufferings of those Witnesses of Jesus who stood up for the Priestly Office of Christ about Luthers daies by the Papacy and the persecutions of those Worthies since who have maintained the Kingly Office of Christ by the Prelacy and the several Nick-names of truth in this our age and new light the common by-word of the Country doth clearly and fully evidence Secondly At those stumbling blocks which usually are laid in the work of the Generation It is a thing to be noted that almost in every age God hath laid some eminent stumbling-blocks in the work of that age both for the trial of the faith of his own people in getting over them and for his Enemies to stumble and fall upon which stumbling-blocks as they have exercised the faith of the one so have they been continual Rocks of offence unto the other In Noahs time when the work of that age was to expect and prepare for a universal deluge what a stumbling-block in reason may we think was it to the Old World to hear of such a thing one hundred and twenty years before it comes to look for it year after year one hundred and twenty years together and yet no appearance of such a thing might they not well conclude before half that time was expired that Noah's preaching was a fable and his building the Ark a fancy for no such thing as he expected would ever be When Moses was sent of God into Egypt to deliver Gods people thence which was the work of that age what a palpable stumbling-block was it to Pharoah and the Egyptians to behold the very same miracles which were wrought by Moses to evidence his being sent of God done by their Magicians might they not well say is this man sent of God then are our Magicians for they do the same things as he Afterwards in the wilderness did not this lie as an apparent stumbling-block before that Generation that Israel should there wander to and fro forty years till the whole Generation of men that came out of Egypt were consumed before they must enter that Land they were brought out to possess At the time of the building the second Temple upon Israels coming out of Babylon which being in the latter times of the Jewish State was I take it the Type of Christs building his Church in the last days upon the coming out of Antichristian Babylon what a stumbling-block was it that the great work of that time the which they were come from Babylon about should receive such a nip at the very beginning as to be at a stand forty years together before it could go on might not Gods people fear and Enemies conclude this work would now surely come to nothing who will wonder that Temple-building hath been at a stand for many years since the comming out of Babylon mystical that considers thus it was upon the coming out of literal Babylon and their Temple was the type of ours Christs coming into the world was accompanied with two notable stumbling-blocks First He was born of mean Parentage when as he was looked for amongst the Royal or Priestly seed Secondly He first appears out of Galilee and by vulgar esteem is a Nazarene whereas all knew the Messiah was to come out of Bethlehem These two so visible rocks of offence as they drew the generality to oppose him pleading against him and for themselves Shall Christ come out of Galilee Hath not the Scripture said That Christ commeth of the seed of David and out of the Town of Bethlehem where David was Joh. 7.41 42. So were they sore tryals to the faith of the godly who not strictly inquiring into Christs descent and the place of his birth but taking things upon trust from report of the vulgar a weakness too incident to many true meaning souls made that their stumbling-block which rightly understood would have been a confirmation of their faith as appears in that good plain-hearted Nathaniel who was without guile could not tell how a while to get over this Joh. 1.46 Can any good thing come out of Nazareth And to say no more When Christ sent forth Apostles into the world about the great work of that Generation did not this lye as a sore stumbling-block before many to see the learned ones the Doctors and Rabbies of the times set by and in this glorious work a company of poor illiterate Fisher-men imployed And as it is most evident that in Generations formerly God for wise ends hath ever laid stumbling-blocks in the work of the Generations So he that shall but narrowly observe Gods dispensations towards his people of late in these our times shall find this verified nothing more there having hardly been any great Victory obtained or any thing remarkable performed which hath not had his stumbling going along with it and happy is he whosoever is not offended thereby 3 At the declared dissents or the private discontents or murmurings of a religious party against the work of the Generation God in his secret providence unsearchable wisdom hath so thought it good that Generation-work should meet with its affronts not only from the tumultuous confused rabble of the world but also from a religious party who should either repine at dissent from or make opposition against the same It was a religious party the whole Congregation of Israel being a professing people amongst which undoubtedly very many that came out of Egypt were truly godly who yet sinned with the Congregation and fell in the wilderness that in the days of Moses did so heap up their murmurings murmuring upon murmuring against the visible dispensations of that age It was a religious party yea and that too upon a religious ground as well as a politick Joh. 11.49 50 51 52. that gave wicked counfel for the putting of Christ to death It was a religious party the Jews and the devoute women that raised persecution at Antioch against the work of the Gospel expelling Paul and Barnabas the faithful Preachers thereof out of their coasts Act. 13.50 A religious party have always had a finger in opposing Generation-work And observe when a religious party hath opposed this their

and white linnen having their breasts girded with golden girdles Ver. 6. The meaning is That the Instruments God will imploy in doing of the work at leastwise for the swaying and ruling party amongst them shall be such as have renounced the false Idolatrous worship of Antichrist and imbraced so far as their light goes the true worship of Christ in which respect they are said to come out of the Temple whose conversations shall be pure and unspotted therefore cloathed in pure and white linnen and their designs and actings for God in managing this great business how ever judged or scandalized by others shall yet be carried on with much sincerity uprightness and integrity which as a golden Girdle shall be upon their Breast Hence not the Turk nor the Jews nor any of the Antichristian Princes or party nor any other who are unconverted Idolaters false Worshippers without the Temple can be looked upon or interpreted to be the Angels of any of the Vials III. PROPOSITION That Gods call to the Angels of the Vials to pour out their Vials is to be principally looked for out of the Temple The matter of their work is to be looked for in the word that what they do be agreeable to that Rule but the Call to go about the work that is without delay to pour out this or that Vial is mainly to be looked for out of the Temple Chap. 16.1 I heard a great voyce out of the Temple saying to the seven Angels Go your ways and pour out the Vials of the wrath of God upon the earth The meaning of the word is not as if by one general command from the Temple all the Angels were authorized at once to pour out their Vials no but as the Angels were distinct so they had distinct calls yet the Call of each came as a great voyce that is with much power out of the Temple God first setting it strongly upon the hearts of his people in his Temple that such a work is to be done I Jesus have sent my Angel to testifie these things in the Churches Chap. 22 16. who thereupon with a great voyce cry mightily to each Angel i.e. such instruments as they see God hath raised up and impowred to do that work Yet understand this I am now speaking not so much of the general Call as a more particular and special Call peculiar to this time of the Vials The general Call to Generation-Work is as hath been proved in my first part dispensation but now at this time besides the Call of Gods dispensations the instruments God shall raise up to ruin the Whore shall have a more particular Call to this work to the end they may neither flag nor draw back namely the loud and uncessant cry of the Temple First Hence the general voyce or cry of Gods people out of the Temple is much to be heeded in that age in which the Vials are pouring forth Hence secondly Extraordinary actings or actings in a strange and extraordinary way are to be looked for whilst the Vials are pouring forth for is it not a wonderful and an extraordinary thing to attempt things new and in former ages unheard of and that upon this account chiefly that it is the general voyce and cry of Saints that they have it upon their hearts this work must be done IV. PROPOSITION That the subject of each Vial or the things or person● each Vial falls upon are such onely as God hates accounts his eneies and chiefly things pertaining to Antichrist This is clear for 1 The matter of each Vial is pure wrath yea fu● wrath as Chap. 15.1.7 Chap. 16.1 and pure and fu● wrath is proper onely to such 2 Each Vial is poured out upon the Earth Chap. 16.1 i.e. things carnal and earthly persons out of Church and aliens to the Commonwealth of Israel Earth her being opposed to Heaven the true Church of God or Spouse of Christ 3 The Vials in particular will evidence this For the first Vial falls upon such as had the Mark of the Beast and worshipped his Image Chap. 16.2 The third upon such as had shed the blood of Saints and in requital had blood given them to drink vers 6. the fourth fifth and seventh upon such as blasphemed God under these plagues yet repented not to give him glory vers 9 11 21. And for the other two that they likewise fall upon such will better appear hereafter when I shall come to open the subject of each Vial. Hence not Christ himself not the Scriptures not the Church or people of Christ nor any such like thing nor the inanimate creatures as the Sun or Elements may be accounted the subject of any of the Vials V. PROPOSITION That the effects of one Vial do oft times run into another Vial. My meaning is the immediate following Vial or the Vial following that may sometimes be poured out before the Effects of the foregoing Vial are wholly ceased For although an order is so to be observed the Holy Ghost having laid it down as that we must not conceive all are to be poured out at once yet it is unbecoming the Majesty of God to tye him up so strictly to order as to conceive the punctum of time ending one Vial to be the beginning of the next If man in his imployments be not so to be tyed up much less God Hence we are not to straiten the work of the Generation to one Vial onely that which for present we are under because such may the case be that before the Effects of one Vial are over God may call upon his Servants his Providence opening a door thereunto to pour out anoher VI. And last PROPOSITION That the Terms and Phrases relating to the Vials are not to be understood in a litteral unless where either the Text it self or consent of other Scriptures inforce it but in a metaphorical sense For if we take the Earth Sea Rivers and Fountains of waters Sun Air c. in a litteral sense how should a Vial of wrath poured out on these be any whit more prejudicial without a miracle to Gods enemies than his friends who partake of the benefit of these in common with the other Yea how contrary to reason would it be so to interpret the third Vial for as one saith did ever Rivers and Fountains of waters litterally shed the blood of Saints or did God ever in way of revenge give them blood to drink Hence Those of the Popish party and such of our own as would put a litteral interpretation upon the things here spoken of are mistaken These few things from which in the general some light already hath been afforded us and of which more particular use will be found hereafter being premised I now come to treat of the Vials themselves and of each in their order VIAL I. 1. The SUBJECT of it The EARTH Vers 2. AND the first went and poured out his Vial upon the Earth Of the whole Universe Earth is

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 straightway 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 onely 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 ignorance 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 leastwise such they are who seeing Gods hand do so far acknowledge the same as wholly to relinquish and have nothing to do with that Antichristian party they formerly sided with The EFFECTS 1. EFFECT Scorching with great heat Vers 9. And men were scorched with great heat The Antichristian faction seeing this that the Witnesses whom they reckoned they had killed and made sure of are now in the very faces of them got upon their feet to torment them and that under such Protection as that though stand and look upon them they can yet hurt them they are not able they shall hereat be so inraged as that they shall scorch themselves even with the fire of their own rage for indeed nothing torments a man inwardly like this to see his deadly enemy rising to rule over him and he no way able to hinder or prevent it 2 EFFECT A blaspheming the God of Heaven who had power over these plagues instead of repenting to give him glory And blasphemed the God of Heaven who had power over these plagues and repented not to give him glory The Papals i.e. that incorrigible Crue upon whom this Vial falls shall now themselves begin to see that the hand of the God of Heaven is manifestly against them in these Plagues by whose power and command alone they are ordered to fall upon them yet shall not this conviction bring them to repent and give him the glory of but rather they shall blaspheme that hand they now behold lift up against them and as it was with Pharoah when God plagued him he hardened himself so shall they by these Plagues become the more obdurate and hardened to a wilfull persisting in their iniquity Thus much as touching the fourth VIAL VIAL V. 1 The Subject of it The Seat of the Beast AND the fifth Angel poured out his Vial upon the Seat of the Beast Vers 10 That by Seat of the Beast should here be meant Antichrists Kingdom in general as some conceive seems inconsistent with the very words themselves which speak not of destroying the whole but rather a darkning of the whole by ruining some eminent part yea according to this interpretation no need would be unless we suppose this Vial alone too weak of any more Vials to be poured forth upon the Kingdom of the Beast which yet notwithstanding after this hath a greater storm falling upon it and that to its final ruin than ever any before Those who by Seat of the Beast understand the Popes Supremacy The Angel pouring forth this Vial to be King James in that Paraphrase of his upon this Book but chiefly his premonition To all most Mighty Monarches Kings Free-Princes and States of Christendom James by the Grace of God c. are certainly mistaken as appears by our second Proposition A man whom Gods people in this age are much beholding to doth by Seat of the Beast understand Episcopacy his principal reason is because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes in Scripture put for that form of Government and Authority which a person of State sitting upon the Throne may administer the pouring out this Vial to be about the year 1639. when the Scots entred into Covenant to withstand and abolish Episcopacy but though I highly honor the memory of the pious and grave Author of this opinion yet canl not receive it 1 Because this Vial speaks wholly of things to come not past as this is 2 Because we have already seen the downfal of Episcopacy under another Vial. 3 Because although the downfal of Bishops in our Isle was a blow to be noted yet not such a blow as filled the Kingdom of the Beast with darkness making the Papals to gnaw their tongues for pain as this doth 4 Because not this but another thing is yea must be the subject of this Vial namely The City Rome The very thing here intended a is evident 1 Because the original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seat is but once more used in all the Revelations where the same is applied to the Beast chap. 13.2 The Dragon gave him his Power and his Seat and great Authority and that there it cannot in the former sense but must in this latter be understood is manifest because Seat is distinguished from Power and Authority as being a thing distinct from them therefore the Beasts form of Government or Authority cannot be the thing intended thereby but it must be interpreted of his place of residence namely the City Rome 2 Because the order that the Holy Ghost observes afterwards in declaring more fully what under the Vials is but briefly hinted at agrees most exactly to this sense but by the other is broken to pecces for Chap. 18. relates to Romes ruin and Chap 19. concludes with the battle of Armageedon accordingly the City Rome is the Subject of this Vial and suddenly after Ver. 16. comes in the battle of Armageddon whereas if the ruin of the

them and also to the Great Turk to encourage and heart him on to engage with them in a quarrel that is his as well as theirs together with all others of whom they have either hope that they will or may be drawn to joyn with them that by one general Randezvouze of all their force together they may venture the whole sink or swim upon the event of one battel Which battel is here called for the remarkableness of it both in regard of the multitude of enemies and the glorious appearance of Christ with his Saints who will fight this battel for them in such a way as never before the battel of that great day of God Almighty which is I conceive the same battel with what is spoken Psal 110. Isa 63.1 to 7 chap. 6.15 to the end Ezek. 38.39 Dan. 12.1 Joel 3. Zech. 14.1 2 3 4 5. Mal. 4.1 2 3. Of which terrible yet glorious day to mention all that in the foregoing Texts and elsewhere is recorded of it would call for a Treatise of it self and therefore I think it meet rather to leave the same to the sober and pious meditations of the Reader than here to add any thing further upon so large a Subject Concerning the Agents and Ambassadors of the Dragon Beast and false Prophet who are said to be three though possibly they may be multitudes because a threefold number denotes perfection and said to come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet not as if one came out of the mouth of the one another out of the mouth of the other and another out of the mouth of the third but because their sending is by the common consent of the aforesaid three parties who or what they shall be I look upon it as a part of curiosity to enquire any further into then what is here by the Holy Ghost determined of them 1 That they shall be Spirits viz. for their subtilty nimbleness and activity 2 Unclean Spirits for the filthiness and impurity of their principles and conversation 3 Like Frogs for their bold impudency and continual croaking in the ears of those they are sent to giving them no rest till they have drawn them forth to battel withall creeping into every hole and corner of the world to carry on their design 4 Spirits of Devils for their dissembling lying and cunning craft in deceiving above all that ever were imployed before them 5 Working Miracles and that as it were in way of imitation of the great and wonderful things God either hath done or is then doing for his people by this not onely to gain credit to their Ambassage making the Kings of the Earth the more ready to receive it but also to blind the eyes of those they are sent unto and harden their hearts against the apparent works of God at this day when they shall see things somewhat like to what God is doing in the world done by these as the Magicians of Egypt did blind Pharoah's eyes harden his heart by doing like things before him by Diabolical art as Moses did by the finger of God And here I cannot but in the way take notice of that which is the spiritual Engine of the old Serpent and one of his most politick Stratagems and Devises to blind others to the truths and dispensations of God in the world making them very odious and to be loathed of many which is when he perceiveth that God hath any great Truth to make known or any great Design to drive on in the World which he cannot hinder he will now become an Angel of light and be of the foremost by setting his own instruments about it either in discovering this truth or putting forward this design that so from a just cause of suspition being laid a prejudice being begotten in peoples hearts against these things the things though discovered ever so clearly might find no acceptation but rather a general dislike from those that should receive them as at the time of Christs coming he raised up false Christs as a blind that the true might not be received At the first preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles he vaised up false Apostles that the true might not be beleeved which is a thing hath been worthily observed by a godly man of late and I here mention it onely by way of remembrance that none of us may be taken in this crafty and hidden snare Thus much of the first thing preparative to the pouring forth of the seventh VIAL 2 The Personal coming and appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ Verse 15. BEhold I come as a Theef That Christ shall personally appear before the last and General Judgement is a thing that seems to me to have much footing both throughout the Old and New-Testament without granting of which I my self cannot as yet possibly others may reconcile one Scripture with another And truly to take notice of this Opinion here I am necessarily put upon it unless I should either wholly pass over these words or be false to my own perswasions and that which as yet I cannot think otherwise is the main thing intended by the Holy Ghost in them Though yet as the Argument it self in this place doth more concern the time of his coming viz. that his coming shall be betwixt the sixt and seventh Vials than the coming it selfe So that I may keep to the Argument I must here let go several Reasons I might make use of to prove this personal coming and confine my self to such onely as will clear up this viz. That the time of his personal coming is here spoken of to be between the sixt and seventh Vials Now that Christs Personal coming and not a coming by his Power and Spirit onely is the thing here intended which will fall out in this Interval or space of time betwixt these two Vials though yet at the end of it so as that it may indifferently be referred either to the conclusion of this time or the beginning of the seventh Vial is clear to me for these Reasons 1 ARGUMENT Christ shall personally appear at the time in which the remarkable battel of Armageddon shall be fought But that shall be about this time That the battel of Armageddon shall be about this time is clear in the words That Christ shall then appear I prove Isa 66.16 For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many That this is the same with the battel of Armageddon hinted in the Text and more fully described Rev. 19. vers 17. to the end of the Chapter appears 1 Because the battel of Armageddon shall bee about the time of the Jews coming in This our Discourse at large under the sixth Vial proves So shall this For vers 7.8 we have their conversion spoken of Before shee travelled shee brought forth before her pain came shee was

sense and that in Christs admonition to the Church of Sardis Chap. 3.2 3. Yet considering that is but once and the other sense frequent there is hardly room left could nothing else be said for an indifferency in the the thing whether the coming here be spiritual or personal so as that we may take or leave but now when together with these the weight of the foregoing Arguments and Scriptures shall be put in the ballance it will then appear that there is not only a probability but a concluding strength in these also Before I leave the thing I shall adde yet further two Arguments more tending not so much to prove the Personal ceming of Christ to be here meant as in the general that the same is very neer and therefore most likely to be the coming here spoken of 1 Because the Apostle tells us 2 Thes 2.8 That the man of sin is to be consumed with the breath of his mouth and destroyed with the brightness of his coming which coming can be no other than his Personal coming because it was that coming the Apostle had been speaking of Vers 1 2. about which the Thessalonians were shaken in mind and troubled as conceiving it to be at hand possibly from what the Apostle had written in his first Epistle chap. 4.15 16 17. whence it might be inferred as if that present Generation should live to see that day and therefore he saith Not by word nor letter as from us Verse 1. which trouble the Apostle endeavors to remove by telling them that the man of Sin who was to be destroyed with the brightness of this coming was not as yet revealed and that therefore this coming which they were in doubt about could not be sudden Now observe do we already see the first viz. The Man of Sin in a consumption by the breath of Christs mouth i. e. the preaching of the Gospel then may we conclude the second viz. his final destruction which shall be by the brightness of Christs coming or appearing cannot be far off and therefore it is more consonant to the Apostles meaning to look for and expect this coming here betwixt the sixt and seventh Vials where a Personal coming is hinted which time is near to us than not to expect the same till the General Judgement which as shall appear hereafter is from us a thousand years at least how much more I know not and surely Antichrists continuance shall not be so long 2 Because Peter tells us expresly that Christs Personal coming shall be before the New Heavens and Earth 2 Epist 3.10 11 12. But the day of the Lord will come as a theef in the night in the which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noyse and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up None that ever I mes with denies this to be his Personal coming yet afterwards and that too as a fruit of this coming which therefore Peter brings in with a nevertheless as having reference to the Heavens and Earth before dissolved comes in the promise of the New Heavens and Earth verse 13. Nevertheless we according to his promise seeming to have his eye upon those very New Heavens and Earth promised Isa 65.66 look for New Heavens and a New Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Now that these New Heavens and New Earth must be and therefore this coming which is to precede them before the last and General Judgement is clear because at the General Judgement the Earth and the Heavens fly away and their place is no more found Rev. 20.11 therefore no New Heavens or Earth after that yea the places in Isaiah which Peter hath his eye upon cannot be applied to the General Judgement or any time after it therefore the New Heavens and New Earth which this Personal coming is a fore-runner of must be before that day Obj. But when then are they or where are we to place them To that I Answer immediately after the battel of Armageddon or instantly upon the pouring forth of the seventh Vial when the voyce comes from the Throne It is d●ne Rev. 16.17 that is as appears Chap. 21.5 6. All things are made new He that sate upon the Throne said Behold I make all things new and then verse 6. He i.e. He that sate upon the Throne still said unto me It is done one Phrase expounding the other If therefore Christs Personal coming according to Peter must be before these New Heavens and Earth and if these New Heavens and Earth are the effect of the seventh Vial then is it most agreeable to Peters sense as well as Pauls in our last words and the Prophets of the Old Testament yea our Saviour himself in our former Arguments to place the Personal coming of Christ here betwixt the sixt and seventh Vials where it is said I come as a Theef and indeed as Peter doth here mention a Personal coming a little before the New Heavens and the New Earth so doth Isa 66.15 16. with verse 22. and John likewise chap. 19.11 with chap. 21.1 both which comings I have proved to be personal so that in this there is a glorious Harmony betwixt them and therefore it is safest to make the coming and time thereof one and the same in all And truly to me it is a Riddle how any of those worthy men which are not a few who yet strongly affirm the pouring out of the seventh Vial to be the last and General Judgement can from their own Principle conclude any other than that the coming of our Text which is the immediate antecedent of the seventh Vial is yea must of necessity be a Personal coming Having hitherto been proving Christs personal coming to be the coming intended in these words I shall now nakedly discover my own thoughts about it which possibly may prevent the rise of some Objections in the breasts of others and withall be no weakening to my former Arguments which are That I do not conceive this coming to be any other than that second coming which is an Article of our Christian Faith and we all look for though not to be at this time and indeed what I said last out of Peter though I should add nothing else doth give it so to be for I can finde in Scripture but two personal comings of Christ one in which he bare our sins and the other in which he shall appear without sin to salvation Heb. 9.28 Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin to salvation and as all the Scriptures which speak of his Humiliation Death and Sufferings have relation to the first so those Scriptures which speak of his coming Kingdom and glory to the second And indeed that coming which good men look upon to be at the General Judgement doth most exactly agree to what is recorded of this coming for 1 That

a pure River of water of life proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb Verse 12. And by the River upon the bank thereof on this side and on that side shall grow all Trees for meat whose leaf shall not fade neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months because their waters they issued out of the Sanctuary and the fruit thereof shall be for meat and the leaf thereof for medicine Verse 2. In the midst of the street of it and of either side of the River was there the Tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruits and yeelded her fruit every month and the leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the Nations Chap. 48.35 The name of the City from that day shall be the Lord is there Verse 3. And there shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it Now Ezekiel in describing the New Jerusalem doth all along sure his expressions to that Administration and the capacities of Gods people in those times not speaking of things as they are in themselves or were to be in the accomplishment of which the whole of his Discourse is an instance But to instance more especially in one thing we have Chap. 41. a large description of a Temple which he that reads will hardly imagine to be the same Temple John speaks of Rev. 21. vers 22. The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb is the Temple of it and yet it is the very same and no other for Ezekiel Chap. 47. tells us of waters coming out of this house verse 1. causing a River verse 5. which River had on each side of it Trees for meat bearing fruit according to the Months whose leaf was for medicine verse 12. which very River is said Rev. 22.1 2. to proceed from the Throne of God and the Lamb interpreting clearly what we are to understand by Ezekiels Temple notwithstanding all the measuring the height length breadth Chambers Ornaments c. that we there read of things suting their capacities to whom the Prophet spake yet the Temple is indeed no other but the presence of the Lamb the Throne of God and the Lamb which is the very Temple of the New Jerusalem Rev. 21.22 And as in these so in many other places where the New Jerusalems glory is described by the Prophets we have sometimes long life intimated The childe shall die an hundred years old as the daies of a tree are the daies of my people Sometimes building houses planting Vineyards c. as if the great glory were to lye in such things which is not so but as Ezekiels Temple hath in his description a great deal of outward bravery suitable to such a Temple as their thoughts to whom he spake were most taken up with yet is in a word interpreted in the Revelations to be another manner of thing viz. the Lamb and his Throne so these things are spoken rather by way of condescention to their weakness who standing under an outward Covenant in which such things were promised were exceedingly pleased with things of this nature looking much at them making a greater account of them than as the things in themselves are or will appear to be when this day shall come 2 RULE That the coming of Gods people out of Babylon building the second Temple and Jerusalem being all an eminent Type of the thing I am speaking of therefore in some Scriptures where we read of this glory under that deliverance as a Type we are to look upon some things to have their fulfilling then in the Type some others to be fulfilled for time to come in the Antitype To this Rule appertain not a few places in the Prophets especially in Haggai and Zechary who prophesied upon the coming out of Babylon and at the time the second Temple was building as Hag. 2.6 7 8 9. the Prophet hath reference to the second Temple as a Type which he calls the latter house v. 9. but whilst he speaks of shaking Heaven Earth the desire of all Nations coming and thereupon the glory of the latter house to surpass the glory of the former built by Solomon in all these things it hath relation as in our former Discourse hath been proved to the time of Christs second coming and the state of the new Jerusalem So also in Zechary where we have several Prophesies concerning Jerusalems being built Chap. 1. chap. 2. chap. 8. some things had their fulfilling then in that Jerusalem which was afterwards built by Nehemiah as when it is said Jerusalem should again be inhabited as a Town without wals for the multitude of men and cattel therein Chap. 2.4 There should be yet old men and old women dwel in the streets of Jerusalem and the streets of the City should be full of Boyes and Girles playing in the streets thereof chap. 8.4.5 which things were afterwards fulfilled Jerusalem betwixt Nehemiahs time and the time of Christs coming being inhabited again and grown populous which when Zechary Prophesied was but a ruinous heap or in case these things are to be extended further to the time of the New Ierusalem we are to interpret them according to our first Rule but now there are other things as many Nations being joyned to the Lord in that day becoming his people and the Lord himself dwelling in the midst of them chap. 2.11 The coming of many people and the inhabitants of many Cities and the Inhabitants of one City saying to another Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts yea many people and strong nations coming to seek the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before the Lord chap. 8.20 21 22. These things relate to the time of the New Ierusalem yet so as we must also interpret the Prophets manner of speaking and setting forth these things according to our first Rule 3 RULE That as the Gospel Administration which was when the Prophets wrote to come was to be a very considerable step towards the glory of the new Ierusalem things being under it to make a great advance in Spirituals in comparison of what then they were by reason whereof a beginning or a peeping forth of new Ierusalems glory should be held forth in that Administration Hence we are to look upon some places in the Prophets where this glory is spoken of as relating in part and in some things to the state of the Church under the Gospel Administration that now is but to have a more special relation in regard of the Prophets scope to the state of the New Ierusalem which is yet to come This is clear from the Scriptures before mentioned Isa 54.13 All thy children shall be taught of the Lord Jer. 31.34 They shall no more teach every man his neighbor and every man his brother saying Know the Lord which places as I have said have an accomplishment in part at