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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

until seventy years should be accomplished God did not give any such positive commands unto other Generations After this in Ezra's Nehemiah's and Daniels time these Worthies and the Saints of that age had the proper work of their Generation which was to go forth of Babylon and rebuild the Temple of God at Jerusalem which Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed Thus all along in the times of the Old Testament Gods Church and people in their several Generations have had their several works Let us look to the New Testament which dawned in John the Baptist had not John the proper work of his Generation which was to be the Fore-runner and Harbinger of the Messiah to declare to the Nation of the Jews that the Messiah whom they expected and waited for was now approaching and that the glorious Kingdom of God in the pure administration of the Gospel was at hand and that therefore it did behove every one now to have their eyes and hearts turned from Moses towards him and his administration which was now approaching After him the Apostles in their time had the proper work of their Generation which was to go forth and publish the glad tydings of salvation which before were cooped up within the narrow compass of Judea to all the world beginning at Jerusalem to gather Saints together so fast as they were converted into Churches and to appoint over these Pastors and Teachers and also to give Rules and Directions for the right ordering and governing of the Churches unto the end of the world Let us come to the Saints of following Generations had not they likewise their proper works which was in some to bear witness before the wicked world and the Heathen Tyrants and Infidels of those ages wherein they lived to the truth of that Doctrine they had received from the Apostles before them by sealing the same with their blood and willingly giving themselves up as sheep to the slaughter to the cruelties tortures massacres of the Paganish world in bearing testimony to the truth of Jesus Afterwards the work of the next Generation was to bear witness by writing preaching and all sound Doctrine against the damnable Heresies of Arrius and his complices and others which through that little tranquility which the Church injoyed under Constantine crept in and overspread the Christian world In after ages for some hundreds of years together the work of Saints in their Generation was to bear witness by speaking and suffering unto the truth and worship of Jesus against the pernicious errors and false worship of Antichrist and the boundless and swelling pride and pomp of that man of sin In Generations since the work hath been to recover the truth and worship of Christ which was well nigh buried under Antichrists reign to its ancient purity lustre and beauty And so Luther and the Saints and Worthies of his Generation as their principal work did recover out of the jaws of the Beast the precious truths of Christs Priestly Office the glorious Doctrine of our justification by Christ alone which was well nigh swallowed up by the Antichristian innovations of Masses Crosses Pardons Pennance Purgatory Vowes Pilgrimages solitary and single life with other inventions of humane wisdom for the procuring a righteousness of our own And since him the great work of Saints in their Generations hath been to recover the Kingly Office of Christ which the Lordly pomp and tyranny of the man of sin and his followers had cast a mist upon to set up Christ as sole King and Governor in his Churches as well as the onely and alone High Priest of his Saints Thus Saints all along from the beginning of the world in their several Generations have had their several works proper and peculiar to the Generations they have lived in so as that what hath been the work of one Generation hath not been the work of another and what hath been the work of that other hath not been the work of that unless at such time as it fell out in the Generations of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and also the several Generations of the Saints under the Roman and Antichristian persecutions wherein the dispensations of God towards his people hath continued the same and for substance alike for divers Generations together there the work hath been the same for no substantial change in dispensation there is none in the work of out Generation it being variation of dispensation that causeth the work of our Generation for to vary Third General Head That it is a thing of very great concernment for a Saint to attend unto and be active in the work of his Generation Generation-work is the most neglected work of all others with the generality of Professors who either consider not that such a work there is or if they do yet they think that it belongs to others not to them to mind it but in case they be industrious in those common duties which lye upon them as Saints and those special duties which attend their Callings Stations Relations or present condition it is enough for them and matters not whether they be active in the business of their Generation yea or no. Yea many that are imployed therein do not sufficiently weigh the greatness of the work they have in hand I shall therefore here endeavour to shew of how great concernment it is for a Saint to attend unto and be active in this work which I shall lay before you in some particulars 1 God by his dispensations calls aloud for it The dispensations of God have a voyce and God oft by these bespeaks a duty or duties of his people Mic. 6.9 The Lords voyce cryeth unto the City What voyce is this why meerly the voyce of a dispensation Gods dispensations being commands Hear the Rod and who hath appointed it To disobey then the visible call of a dispensation is to disobey a command of God The hazarding our lives is a weighty matter and if done carelesly a great sin yet Hester upon the visible call of a dispensation viz. Gods cause and people of God lying at the stake ready to suffer runs this sore hazard to which though she was stirred up by Mordecai as one Christian friend now may stir up another in such a capacity as Hester was to befriend Gods cause were it now dying as then it was yet were not Mordecayes words her warrant he being not indued with a Prophetical Spirit norspeaking as such as his doubtful speech she weth Who knows whether thou art come to the Kingdome for such a time as this but the call of the dispensation Meroz was called by Gods dispensations to help the Lord against the mighty We read not of any particular command Merez had to do it only the call of a dispensation Gods people were under oppressors and God was up to deliver them which call Meroz neglecting Meroz is doubly and bitterly cursed by the Angel of the Lord for it Judg. 5.23 Curse ye Meroz said the Angel of the

and branch declaring their office and standing to be Antichristian for although some sprinklings of this Vial fell on them before yet the pouring of it forth which gave them their fatal and deadly blow cannot more fitly be applyed to any time than to this when by the Law of a Land yea that Land too which is by some reckoned the first of the Horns of the Beast the just judgement and indignation of the most High was poured out upon them in such maner as that not only they but all other ever since who have gone about to assume to themselves a Lordly power over Christs little flock have fallen through the powerful Effects of it And that which will not weaken this Interpretation in case it be considered is that as the two great things of Jesus Christ that Antichrist had invaded were his Priestly office and Kingly The first by his pernicious Doctrine The second by his absolute tyrannical Discipline So the first remarkable blow that Antichrist ever suffered was in detecting and destroying his cursed Doctrine and gross Idolatries by it maintained with which he had made an invasion upon the mediation and Priesthood of Christ which being done because yet Christs Kingly office was invaded by an Antichristian Lording Discipline Christ therefore that he might fully recover his own before he invades his enemy makes it his next attempt to regain into his own hands his Kingly Power and Authority which to do the very next remarkable blow that befalls the Man of Sin after the hot controversies about Christs Mediatorship and our justification by Christ alone began to cease the Saints in this having obtained a compleat victory and given their Adversaries both the rout and ruine is in his Lordly Tyrannical Discipline which straitwayes now begins to be questioned yea not onely questioned but finally is shaken yea thrown down as Antichristian and that by Law If it be said That Arch-bishops Bishops c. are but an inferior and an inconsiderable part of the Romish Hierarchy and therefore the downfal of these seems to have too much put upon it whilst the same is made a principal Effect of that Vial which is poured out upon the Hierarchy it self To that I answer though inconsiderable and inferior yet are they a part of the Hierarchy whose standing is by the same power and upon the same bottome with the rest And had it not been for a Vial of wrath poured upon the Hierarchy it self these as parts of it could not have fallen Neither is it necessary that the pouring out of the Vial should sweep away the whole at once for that were to destroy Antichrist with one Vial and not with Seven If it be further objected that this hath been done but in our Isle of Great Britain the Hierarchy even at this day in most of the Kingdoms subjected to the Beast being in as full and absolute power as ever My answer is That so long as the Isle of Brittain is reckoned amongst the Horns of the Beast it is sufficient though but in one Horn this be done for neither did the former Vial extend it self to all the parts of the Papal Kingdome for the greater part lye rolling in the very Lees and Dregs of Popery unto this day nor indeed shall any of the Vials the last excepted be poured out upon the Kingdome of the Beast in general but some fall upon one part of it some another 2 The EFFECTS 1 EFFECT The Sea becomes as the blood of a dead man And it became as the blood of a dead man That is That Hierarchy which before went for pure and Apostolical did now appear through the pouring out of this Vial upon it to be a Sea of blood i.e. a wretched Seat of cruelty yea blood of a dead man i.e. corrupt filthy stinking 2 EFFECT Every living soul in the Sea dyes And every living soul dyed in the Sea That is All those who stand by the power of have their dependance upon or livelihood from this Hierarchy are by the Effects of this Vial despoyled of this their Antichristian standing power and livelihood and so dye a civil death How visible these Effects for a great measure have already been with us in England and will be more as yet before the after-drops of this Vial are over which if I mistake not the present National Ministry in England being but as twigs growing upon the former stock both must and shall feel it is in a manner superfluous here to adde And although I conceive the Providence of God hath brought us at this day under the next Vial yet is there still a relique of this behind the Effects of one Vial ordinarily running into another as in our fifth Proposition and a generation of men that have long deserved it yet for the greater part of them hitherto scaped the blow shall feel it Thus much as touching the second VIAL VIAL III. 1 The SUBJECT The Rivers and Fountains of waters Vers 4. AND the third Angel poured out his Vial upon the Rivers and Fountains of waters By Rivers and Fountains of waters we are not here as most to understand the Bishops and Doctors of the Romish Synagogue because as hath been proved the foregoing Vial fell upon them And also secondly because though they have been causers and promoters of shedding the blood of Saints yet the act of blood-shedding hath ever been by another power to whom being condemned they were turned over to be executed and as the blood of Christ though caused by the Priests is yet said to be shed by Pontius Pilate because by his power the thing was acted So the continual blood-shed of Saints in the Kingdome of Antichrist though caused by the Bishops may yet be said to have been done by the Civil power because by that power the thing hath been acted That by Rivers and Fountains of waters the Jesuits should be here meant as a late godly Writer judgeth seems not probable to me 1 Because they are no where in all this Book set forth by any such name 2 Because had this Vial been poured out and that as is judged some yeers past upon these most surely this generation of men had not been so rise and active and that in all places as at this day they are 3 The Jesuits setting aside what they have done in a secret way by Treachery and that of some few only have not been actors any whit more in shedding the blood of the Saints than their Fellow-companions the Bishops and Doctors of the Romish Synagogue 4 And lastly The time assigned for the doing of this was many yeers before the second Vial was poured forth and therefore a thing most unlikely that this should be the meaning A late worthy Writer upon the Vials in this as in many things else varies from the common-road of Expositors understanding by Rivers States and Kingdomes by Fountains of waters the Heads of these namely Kings Parliaments Statsmen c. upon whom this

Vial is poured forth To this I do the more readily assent 1 Because the former Expositions cannot stand for the reasons aforenamed 2 Because the ordinary use of the words give this to be the meaning For Rivers and Waters in Scripture-phrase signifie People and Nations Ezek. 32.2 Son of man take up a lamentation for Pharaoh King of Egypt and say unto him Thou art like a young Lion of the Nations thou camest forth with thy Rivers and troubledst the waters with thy feet and fouledst their Rivers Isa 8.7 Now therefore behold the Lord bringeth upon them the waters of the River strong and many even the King of Assyria Rev. 17.15 The waters which thou sawest where the Whore sitteth are peoples and multitudes and Nations and Tongues The Fountain in common language is as much as the Head of a River whence it ariseth and by which it is nourished 3 Because the reason of the Vial vers 6. For they have shed the blood of thy Saints doth as but now was shewed more fitly agree to those who have hitherto been the Actors in shedding the blood of Saints than to any other 4 Because this Interpretation doth make a glorious concurrence and harmony betwixt the order of Gods workings hitherto since the Vials began to be poured out and the order of the Vials For the first remarkable thing wherein the hand of God appeared against the Beast was in the detection of and destroying his damnable doctrine and abominable Idolatries Next pouring contempt upon and pulling down the Antichristian Hierarchy And the very next thing remarkable since that hath been the shaking of some Nations and removing from their seats their Kings and great ones who were secret friends unto and supporters of this Throne of iniquity accordingly the first came under the first Vial the next the second And why may not the third being a thing remarkable and distinct from the other come under this third Vial we are now speaking of 2 The EFFECT The Rivers and Fountains of Waters become blood And they became blood That is Wars do arise in those Nations subject to this third Vial to the involving the people in blood yea causing the blood of chief Heads and great ones to be poured forth How within these few yeers past our Rivers in England and the places subjected to it have run blood yea the Fountain head hath sprouted blood is sufficiently known to all men Now the reason why I interpret blood here according to the Letter is because a necessity so to do lyes upon me and that from the very words for such blood as hath been shed by the Rivers and Fountains of waters such blood by way of retaliation is given them to drink vers 6. but blood hath been shed by them in a litteral sense therefore God in their own kind repays them again and they become blood 3 An ADJUNCT Which I so call rather than an Effect because properly it is not an Effect and that is A Justification of God in these terrible executions of his wrath upon them 1 By the Angel of the Waters Vers 5 6. And I heard the Angel of the waters say Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because thou host judged thus For they have shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them blood to drink for they are worthy The Angel of the Waters is that Angel who shall be used to pour out the Vial of Gods wrath upon the Rivers and Fountains of waters called Angel of the waters because he hath a power over the Waters to pour out Gods wrath upon them Which Angel shall at this day acknowledge that notwithstanding the things themselves done by this Vial are strange and to be wondred at things unthought of unheard of yet being done that the hand of God in them is marvellously just and to bee magnified of all his people being the just recompence of the injuries offered to and the blood of Saints How in the midst of those great and wonderful changes and revolutions that of late yeers have been in England the hearts of all those who have gone along with God in these his glorious dispensations and mighty works of wonder have been notwithstanding the continual offence of others and of the greater part carried out to justifie God and say Thou art righteous O Lord c. cannot by them be forgotten 2 By another out of the Altar Vers 7. And I heard another out of the Altar say Even so O Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy judgements The Altar was the place upon which Sacrifices being slain were laid to be consumed It signifies a suffering condition and so is used Rev. 6.9 10 11. I saw under the Altar the souls of them which were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held And they cryed with a loud voyce saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth Only with this difference the sufferings there spoken of were unto death and martyrdome and therefore they are said to be under the Altar but here though their sufferings are great yet not to death and therefore they cry out of the Altar though they are upon the Altar yet not so but that they can still give testimony to Gods work in the world The second Testimony therefore coming out of the Altar or from the Altar denotes the persons bearing this testimony to be such as lye under great sufferings who out of the Altar i.e. in the midst of all their persecutions do yet give testimony that the strange astonishing and unwonted Effects of this Vial are no other but the true and righteous judgements of God inflicted upon those upon whom this Vial is poured out How sutable hereunto is that Testimony not long since sent over by some exiled Bohemians from Lissa in Poland to us in England written by one of the banished in a little Book intituled Clavis Apocalyptica who in pages 1●3 104. speaking of the great Revolutions in the Isle of great britain and particularly mentioning that of the Fountain Head becoming blood he though yet as one amazed at the thing saith thus We must by vertue of that clear Text say with the Angel Lord thou are righteous because thou hast judged thus 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 legality 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

p. 157 The reason given why a particular description of New Jerusalems glory is forborn p. 158 Three Rules laid down to judge of such Prophecies as concern the New Jerusalem p. 160 to 166. Here is shewed under our first Rule That Ezekiel in his eight last Chapters treats of the same thing that John doth in his two last and that Ezekiels Temple is no other but that Throne of God and of the Lamb spoken of by John 4 The Effects 1 Effect Terror p. 166 2 Effect Ruin wherein we have 1 A particular List of the things ruined which are 1 The Great City which cannot be meant of the City Rome but of the whole power of the Beast p. 170 2 The Cities of the Nations shewed what meant by them p. 171 3 Great Babylon ib. 1 Not the City Rome ib. 2 Not Antichrists Kingdom in general ib. But The Turkish power or Constantinople his Royal Seat p. 172 A reason given for this Interpretation ibid. A reason also given why at this time the Furkish Seat should be called Great Babylon together with some Scriptures that carry in them a probability of the thing esserted p. 173 In order to the discussing the things spoken of in opening this second Effect it is premised and proved That the Turk shall be one principal Enemy in the battel of Armageddon p. 167 to 169. Here Gog and Magog is treated of and the gathering together of Gog and Magog mentioned Rev. 20. shewed to be not that gathering together of Gog and Magog spoken of by Ezekiel but another Here also is shewed that many of those places in the Prophets where mention is made of the Assyrians rage have reference to the Great Turk and are to be understood of him 2 The inevitableness of this ruin p. 173 What meant by Mountains and Islands and by their flying away 3 The greatness of this ruin p. 174 Why hailstones said to weigh a talent ib. 3 Effect Blaspheming God p. 175 The Conclusion of the whole The Reason added of the Order observed in pouring forth the VIALS p. 176 The end of the second Table THE CONTENTS OF The Third Part. CHAP. I. WHerein is set forth the state or condition of the two Witnesses within their Prophecying time and the time of their being killed from Rev. 11. Divided into ten Sections SECT 1. That the two Witnesses are the Magistracy and the Ministry Where is shewed why Zachery sees two Olive-trees and but one Candlestick John two Olive-trees and two Candlesticks Page 1 2 SECT 2. Why they are called Witnesses p. 3 A distinction made betwixt that general witness bearing common to Saints in all ages and that special witness-bearing peculiar to these two Witnesses and this time of 1260 years Here is also shewed that the peculiar work of these two Witnesses is to bear witness against the Beast in clearing whereof the 42 months of the Beast and the 1260 days of the Witnesses are proved to be one and the same p. 3 4 5 6 SECT 3. Why these Witnesses are said to be two why clothed in s●ckcloth what is meant by their destroying their enemies by fire shutting Heaven that it rain not turning waters into blood smitting the earth with plagues p. 6 7 SECT 4. That the three daies and a half of the Witnesses lying ●ead are to be understood not of 1260 years but of three years and a half onely and these to be the last three years and a half of the 1260 p. 8 9 10 11 SECT 5. The time of the Witnesses slaughter discussed in the general onely Three Conclusions concerning it laid down 1 Concl. That the killing of the Witnesses shall be within that very three years and a half which shall precede the Jews first stirring proved p. 12 2 Concl That the killing of the Witnesses shall be but a little before the downfal of Rome proved p. 13 3 Concl That the killing of the Witnesses shall be at the latter end of the third Vial. In order to the proving whereof is shewed That some Vials are poured forth before the slaughter of the Witnesses p. 15 16 Here is shewed that the Angel Chap. 17 1. that shews John the judgement of the great Whore was the Angel of the third Vial Also why the Holy Ghost in the explication of the Vials begins with the thirds leaving out the two first A ground to expect great discoveries under the third Vial and a reason given why God makes such discoveries under that Vial. The thing it self that the killing of the Witnesses is to be under the third Vial at the latter and thereof proved by three Arguments p. 16 to 20. Here is opened the war between the Lamb and the Kings of the earth Rev. 17.14 which is proved to be a Civil War or a war by a civil sword and for the time of it to fall within the Vials and in particular under the third Vial at the beginning of it immediately before the slaughter of the Witnesses Object All the Vials come under the seventh Trumpet answered p. 20 21. where is shewed that the seventh Trumpet is contemporary with the seventh Vial onely A Conclusion from the whole That the day of the Witnesses killing is in all likelihood already begun and not much more than begun ib. SECT 6. The Beast killing the Witnesses is the Antichristian Magistracy and Ministry p. 32. Why the Antichristian Magistracy and Ministery are spoken of as but one Beast when the Witnesses viz. Christs Magistracy and Ministry are ever spoken of as two p. 23 SECT 7. The nature of the witnesses death proved 1 Not to be a corporal death ib. But a death partly civil partly spiritual p. 24 25 Here is shewed wherein the blackness of this day will lye SECT 8. The place in which the witnesses lye dead 1 Not the whole Papal Kingdom but onely one of the ten Horns p. 25 2 Particularly to be Germany p. 26 27 28 Yet Christs Witnesses in other places must expect a cloud in some measure upon them and Gods work within this day ibid. SECT 9. How things shall be agitated in the world in the time the Witnesses lye dead 1 They of the People Kindreds Nations and Tongues shall see their dead bodies and not suffer them to be put into graves Here is shewed 1 What this putting their dead bodies into graves notes p. 29 2 Who are meant by those of the People and Kindreds and Nations and Tongues ib. 2 The dwellers on earth shall rejoyce make merry Here is shewed also who these are p. 31 3 There shall be in all likelihood within this time a general peace betwixt those Nations which are the horns of the Beast yet so as that this peace shall not be wholly effected till towards the end of this time p. 34 SECT 10. The Witnesses rise after three dayes and a half The thing setting them upon their feet is a spirit of boldness courage and noble resolution put into them by God Quest VVhether

is called the Son of Man here an Angel which name is also given him Rev. 10.1 2 3 5 6. Rev. 20.1 Chap. 16.17 which in my discourse on the seventh Vial I have shewed is to be understood of Christ I shall not much insist on onely adding that I rather incline to the latter that it is Christ himself 1 Because this work is done by the pouring out of the seventh Vial and the seventh Vial is poured out by Christ alone 2 Because this work is the treading of the Wine-press and the treading of the Wine-press is Christs work alone Isa 63.3 Rev. 19.15 3 Because it carrying greatest probability with it that the Harvest and Vintage should be but one and the same thing set forth for ampleness sake under two Similitudes it should also seem most probable to conclude the Angel of either to be the same Now the work of the Harvest is in express terms appropriated to Christ the Son of Man therefore the Vintage is his work too 4 Because supplication seems to be made in the same manner to this Angel as is to Christ himself An Angel coming out of the Temple cryes with a loud voyce to him that fate on the Cloud i.e. Christ the Son of Man to thrust in his Sickle and reap vers 15. In like manner an Angel coming from the Altar cryes with a loud voyce to this Angel to thrust in his Sickle and gather the clusters of the earth vers 18. therefore they seem to be one and the same and Christ himself the person pointed at in both If here I may add my conjecture concerning these two Angels that cry with a loud voyce to have this work of the Harvest and Vintage performed I have a conceit that the first may signifie the Gentile Churches the second the Jews who both about the instant time of Christs appearance are provoked by seeing the whole world gathering together to swallow them up to cry mightily to the Lord to manifest his power for their preservation for which cause either are said to cry with a loud voyce and both by seeing the rage and height of the enemy have saith to beleeve their destruction to be at hand therefore either are brought in pleading great words of faith The first pleads Reap O Lord for the time is come to reap the Harvest of the Earth is ripe vers 15. The second pleads Gather the clusters of the Vine for her Grapes are fully ripe vers 18. and for this reason also may as I conceive the same thing be set forth under two Parables that so hereby a clear way might be made for either of these two first Gentiles than Jews to be brought in pleading with Christ to shew forth his power and greatness at this day Now of these two the Angel of the Gentile Churches is said to come out of the Temple yet not the Temple of Heaven which the Angel of the Vintage i.e. Christ comes forth of ver 17. because the Gentile-Saints had long before this time even from the first day the Vials began to be poured forth had a Temple among them Rev. 15.5 6. this being the most remarkable thing concerning them that they had a Temple therefore are they described as coming thence The Angel of the Jews comes from the Altar vers 18. Quest Why is he so described Answ To note the wonderful sufferings that people shall be in and that in that very nick of time wherein Christ shall appear which is spoken of Daniel 12.1 Zoch 14.1 2 3. and of which we have discoursed before this being the most remarkable thing concerning them and that which makes them to cry so loud therefore are they described as coming from the Altar yet as touching this Angel it is added that he hath power over fire vers 18. noting the great prevalency that the cry of this Angel from the Altar should have to bring down the Wrath of God upon the Heads of the enemies as Elijah commanded fire from Heaven and the Witnesses in the time of their Prophecy are said to devoure their enemies by fire Rev. 11.5 so the cry of these poor Jews who at this present are to be exercised under an hour of such sharp trouble as never was until this day since there was a Nation shall be so prevalent with Christ that it shall in a manner constrain him out of Heaven and command down his sore and heaviest wrath upon the heads of their enemies which is here set forth by this Angels having power over fire As touching the 1600 Furlongs vers 20. conjectures are divers Napiers opinion is That it respects the date of this terrible day who reads the words thus Blood came out of the Wine-press unto the Horse Bridles by the space of 1600 stades of courses as if saith he appearingly he should mean Metaphorically as Wine may be thought to flow from the Press or the blood of slain men in a Field to ascend to the Horse Bridles so eternally shall the torment of the wicked ascend after that 1600 years be accomplished for saith our Author these stades agree well to mean years seeing a stade is that race or course that one may be thought to run with one breath before he begin to renew his breath again as one year is that race or course that the Sun makes in a Circuit before he begin to renew his Circuit again Now counting 1600 years from the time that this was written which was about the 97 year of Christ as Eusebius in his Chronicle saith or in the end of the reign of Domitian as Irenaeus saith which was An. Dom. 99. the end of the account shall fall out about the year of Christ 1697. or 1699. Thus Napier This agrees well to the time of Christs coming as the same is held forth in other Scriptures onely falls two or three years sooner Now whether Christ who tels us that for the Elects sake the days shall be shortned Matth. 24.22 may not by reason of that sharp trouble that precedes his coming shorten by so much as this comes to that determined time of his coming which we have in Daniel I will not say yet a seeming probability of some such thing there is in our Saviours words Mayer hath an opinion that this may relate to the place quoting Rabbi Menahen upon Gen. fol. 60. who affirmeth that the Land of Canaan was 1600. Furlongs in length Now saith our Author for so much as all things are carried here on in an Allegory to the Temple the Altar and the Holy City which were of the Jews I doubt not but in this space without the City it is also alluded unto that Country such an innumerable multitude are destroyed as if such a slaughter of men were made as would overflow in this depth all the whole land of Canaan This opinion the Prophets favor in that general concurrence that is amongst them that the battle of Armageddon which is that treading of the Wine-press here mentioned