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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	death_n	see_v	sin_n	3,750	5	5.0282	4	true

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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

they come out of Aegypt but they are instantly at deaths door being surrounded as it were with destruction a Sea before them Ro●ks impassable of either side an host of armed men behind them coming purposely to destroy them No sooner is this danger over but wanting bread the whole Congregation is ready to famish with hunger and this no sooner past but they want water and are all at the point of perishing for thirst and by that time this was over Amalek a warlike Nation engageth them who had never seen War in the open wilderness God had great mercy mercy upon mercy for Israel and here were great sentences of death sentence of death upon sentence of death attending them as they were in the way to it Now that which was the misery and indeed the very undoing of this people was that instead of beleeving when a sentence of death was over them they were discouraged thereby and streight way began to murmure which murmuring of theirs in the end cost them dear as the story will tell us But the principal thing in my aim is this which is worth our observation viz. That it was a mear discouragement occasioned by a sentence of death put upon the work of the Generation through the evil report brought home by those spies sent to view the land of Canaan which was the fatal Rock whereupon the whole Nation of six hundred thousand men and upwards Caleb and Joshuah excepted did suffer shipwrack as will appear by comparing Num. 13.32 with Chap. 14.1 2 28 29 30. A lesson for those to think of who giving way to their discouragements when a sentence of death is upon Christs cause do flinch from the work of Christ in these dayes 3 Take heed of envy against such whom God imploys in the work of the Generation Envy against instruments imployed by God in Generation-work was a part of Israels sin for which they fell in the wilderness as Psal 106.16 They envied Moses in the Camp and Aaron the Saint of God Meer envy against Christ drew the Priests and people in Christs time to reject him and sin against the work of the Generation Matth. 27.18 Mark 15.10 Envie of persons imployed in the work hath oft-times raised opposition to the work it self of the Generation That work which if done by some should have found approbation is therefore displeasing because done by others As said a Popish Cardinal in Luthers time A reformation indeed is needful and to the wished but that Luther a rascal Frier should be the man should do it this is intollerable 4 Take heed of procrastinating that work which is the business of the present Generation under a pretence that the time of doing of it is not yet come neither are things ripe for it This was the fault of those in Haggai's time for which they are sharply reproved for it who did put off the work of the building of Gods house under pretence the time was not come Hag. 1.2 This people say the time is not come the time that the Lords house should be built 5 Take heed of limiting God to Ordinaries My meaning is in case ordinary means for the carrying on of the work be wanting and cannot be had take heed you do not so bind up God to these as thereupon to desert the work In Generation-work God in all ages hath allowed himself a latitude in working not tying himself to Ordinaries Now when God walks in a way of Extraordinaries it is not only lawful but a duty in case Ordinaries fail to beleeve for Extraordinaries It was an extraordinary thing to beleeve that the bare striking of a Rock should fetch out water thence enough to supply a million of people ready to dye for thirst Yet because Moses and Aaron in an age wherein God walked in a way of Extraordinaries did not beleeve for this their unbeleef is severely punished Num. 20.10 11 12. 6 Take heed of neglecting the nick of opportunity that God puts into thy hands to do the work of thy Generation in There is a day and a nick of opportunity which God lets some persons have to serve their Generations in which if let slip they are gone as to Gods using of them any more and that past recovery Ester had a nick of opportunity which had she slipped though deliverance should have arisen to Gods people another way yet she and her Fathers house had been destroyed There was a nick of opportunity that Israel had to enter Canaan upon the return of the Spies which had they imbraced the door stood open for them but they neglecting it though it were in a hasty fit and a thing which presently too they recanted wishing they had never done it the door is shut and now it is too late to repent it for their carkases must fall in the wilderness Take heed of loosing the nick of opportunity wherein thou mayst act for God lest afterwards when perhaps act thou wouldst God will not own thee in his work 7 Take heed of forecasting events but do thy work and leave events to God Jonas by forecasting events that God was gracious and would therefore spare Nineveh and then he should be esteemed a false Prophet runs from the work of his Generation Jon. 4.2 8 Take heed of setling thy self upon seeming godly and righteous principles when these clash with the work of the Generation Many men look no farther then this in case they have a principle which seems just and pious they think that will bear them out what ever they do But had not Caiapha● so when he was Lord chief Justice in counselling and contriving the most notorious bloody design that ever saw light What more righteous and seemingly godly principle then this that one man should dy● to save the lives of a whole Nation yet this principl● so just so pious to an eye of reason was the Foster-father of that most cursed nefarious act I mean as acted by them of putting Christ to death And here to add an instance or two more borrowed of a worthy servant of Christ in these our dayes Mr. Owens Sermon preached before the Parliament Octob. 24. 1651. being the Publick Thanksgiving for our Worcester Deliverance because fitly applicable to the thing in hand What more righteous principle than this that it belongs to the chief Ruler of a Nation to see to the profit and glory of that Nation Yet Pharaoh setling himself upon this righteous principle only evil as it did cross the work of that Generation to the end his Realm might receive no detriment by letting Israel go whose continuance in that bondage was so much for their advantage he and his perish in their principles being led by these to act against the work of their Generation So what more prudent and just principle than this that it is not meet to let a Potent Enemy into the bowels of a Nation yet Sihon King of the Amorites upon this principle opposing Israel at the

that it can be no other coming but Christs Personal Now because at the time of Christs personal coming the dead Saints are so to be raised up as that they may be ready to come with Christ 1 Thess 3.13 1 Thess 4.14 Zech. 14.5 Therefore we have the resurrection of the dead intimated in the verse before Christs coming vers 13. And I heard a voyce from heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them The Emphasis of the Text lyes in those words from henceforth about which I find Expositors not applying this to the time of Christs coming and the resurrection but to a time past to be much puzled And indeed there is cause for as it is a forced Translation and besides the Etymologie of the word to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 otherwise than from henceforth or from this time so cannot any solid reason be given for it without a supposal of the resurrection to be here intimated why the dead from this time should be pronounced Blessed more than from any other time why from this time they should rest from their labours and have their works following them more than from any other time To say they go to Heaven by Death and there rest from their labours Answ But why from this time rather than any other are they blessed seeing all that dye in the Lord throughout all Ages are equally made partakers of the blessing in this sense To say the reason of the special blessing ariseth from the Cause they dye in they dye in Christs Cause and suffer as Martyrs Ans But why is the speciality of the Blessing annexed to this time seeing as Martyrs many had suffered for Christ long before To say as do some others because the Gospel began now to be preached in the world which only makes men dye happily Answ But why from this time seeing a Soul cannot dye happily or in the Lord at any time without some knowledge of Christ and the Gospel To restrain this as do some others to the pains of Purgatory which they say till about this time did cause fear even in good people at their deaths but now the Gospel being preached clearly and the vanity of that opinion laid open the people of God dye comfortably with assurance of going straight-way into Paradise will not help us with an interpretation for who can think otherwise but that the vanity of this most grose opinion was laid open before even when the everlasting Gospel was preached vers 6.7 and if so why then are they said to be blessed from this time and not rather from that time when the everlasting Gospel began to be preached To say yet as do others because great Persecutions were now to arise so that it was a blessing to be dead before they came Ans 1. Whether is it a greater blessing to die in the Lord a Martyr or to die of a mans natural death 2. Let it be considered Whether the time of the Waldenses Albigenses which time Expositors place higher making application of the thing spoken of vers 6 7. to them were not a time of as sore yea sorer Persecutions than the time to which they make application of these words and if so that this be the onely reason why then should not the blessing be placed there rather than here or as well there as here For my own part I do conceive that the thing here intimated is the Resurrection which opinion as it cuts off a multitude of uncertainties so doth it agree most fitly to the circumstance of time according to the method I have observed and is clear also from the Context consent of other Scriptures and the words themselves taken in their natural sense without straining or forcing of them being in effect thus much as if the Holy Ghost should say The children of God untill this day have been ever accounted the worlds Fools who have counted their life a burden and toyl their death a loss of their expectations but now at this day of the Resurrection when the fruit of Gods peoples patience their faith and obedience of which was spoken in the foregoing verse which hath a necessary dependance on this and had we conjoyned them in our exposition as they are in the Text it might possibly have been better shall be manifested before all men it shall then be seen that those who in former ages from the very beginning of the world did live to the Lord and dye in the Lord are the onely blessed men who from this day in Soul and Body both are made partakers and that in recompence of their former toyl and labours of the glorious rest of Christ having now their good works following them i. e. the reward of all their former good works which the world looked upon as things lost and cast away given to them Hence which serves to expound these words the time of the seventh Angels sounding which is contemporary with this both looking to the time of Christs coming is called the time of Gods giving a reward unto his Servants the Prophets and to the Saints and to them that fear his name smal and great Rev. 11.18 which answers punctually to this of their works i.e. the reward of their works following them By these two Scriptures I am further confirmed in what I have writen upon the Vials viz. That not Martyrs onely but all the Saints shall rise in the first Resurrection and come with Christ for the blessing here pronounced is common to all that dye in the Lord yea to all that have kept the patience faith and commandements of Christ and not peculiar to Martyrs onely the rewarding Saints in the time of the new Jerusalem is not a rewarding Martyrs onely but all that fear Gods Name a qualification common to Saints smal and great As for the double similitude in the following words 1. Of a Harvest vers 15 16. 2. Of a Vintage vers 18 19 20. whether the Harvest signifie Christs gathering his Elect in the world which are his Corn together to him 1 Thes 4 17. 2 Thes 2.1 Mat. 24.31 And the Vintage Christs destruction of those of his Enemies that he finds gathered together upon his appearing or whether one thing viz. The ruin of his enemies be intended in both which seems best to agree to Joel 3.13 Put ye in the Sickle for the Harvest is ripe come get you down for the Press is full the Fat 's over-flow which Prophecy as it is the same for time with this so this seems to be taken thence I shall not undertake possitively to determine Further whether the Angel with a Sickle who gathers the Vintage ver 19. be any Angel that Christ makes use of at his coming to destroy his enemies as God by an Angel destroyed the Host of Senacherib or whether this Angel be Christ himself who before

time in which God was leading them into Canaan he and and all his people perish by it Take heed of doing all that thou conceits thou hast a principle will bear thee out in doing 9 Take heed of lending an ear unto such friendly respectful offers which carry in the bowels of them though guilded over with outward respect and friendship a crafty design against the work of the Generation As Generation-work hath never wanted a party who have by open force opposed the same So likewise there hath mostly been a party attending of it who by secret fraud and pretences of Friendship have sought to undermine it which latter have oft-times prospered in their designs through the over-much credulity of persons imployed in Generation-work when and where the first have failed Was it not a very fair offer of Moab when otherwise they could not have their wills upon Israel then to come and in a friendly way to call and invite the people to their houses and to grant to them though strangers and men of different principles liberty to worship with them What a large shew of respect and curtesie was here And yet no other but a meer crafty design to draw Isracl to sin by which when no other way they could do it they drew the wrath of God upon Israel Numb 25. So was it not a very fair Petition of Adonijah 1 Kings 2.16 17. to ask Abishag the Shunamite to wife a thing one would think to man could have blamed yet Solomon spies out a crafty design laid in this smooth Petition which was to get the Kingdome and consequently to put by the great work of that Generation viz. the building of the Temple which Solomon was appointed unto So likewise what a friendly motion and seemingly full of dutiful respect and obedience was that of Shemajah to Nehemiah Chap. 6.10 wherein no other thing is pretended but the discovery of a dangerous plot in the hatching and tender respect to the safeguard of his person and yet this no other but a crafty design to draw Nehemiah to sin and to bring a slurre upon him in managing the work of his Generation vers 13. To say no more What could be in outward appearance a more friendly offer then that of Judahs Adversaries Ezra 4.2 to come and freely proffer their help and to joyn with Judah in the carrying on that great work of Temple-building which was the work of that Age Yea and to do this at such a time when the work was despised and had lien dead many years the instruments imployed in it few and weak so that laying all things together one would judge that there could be nothing in their hearts more than good will to the work and desire the same should prosper when as yet there was no thing in all this fair shew but a crafty design lying at the bottome of it to obstruct this work of God as vers 4 5 6. 10 Take heed of making reason of State the rule of publick actings Jeroboams reason of State made Johu perform by halves the work of his Generation destroying the house and image of Baal but winking at the Calves in Dan and Bethel This reason of State was that which led a grave wise Counsel into a most cursed practice viz. the voting the Son of God to death John 11.47 to the 54. The results of pure reason of State are oft-times dangerous most times contrary to the work of the Generation 11 Take heed of setting up humane Laws above the work of the Generation My meaning is in case these two come in competition rather to choose neglect in the work of the Generation than in any way to be offensive to humane Laws If the Commands of God himself and the special acts of his worship are to give place as hath been before proved to the work of the Generation then surely without any want of that due respect that is and ought to be given to mans Law it may be said and also without offence that humane Laws are much more to stoop and fall down to it the Authority of God being above that of man In Esters time there was a Law in the Kingdome of Ahasuerus and the foundation of it was no other but the priviledge and honour of the supreme Magistrate that whosoever man or woman should come in unto the King in the inner Court except such to whom the King should hold out the golden Scepter he should be put to death Chap. 4.11 Which Law in it self was not evill as it was meerly Politick respecting only the Honour State and Priviledge of the King Yet when the Cause and People of God lay at such a plunge that without intrenching upon this Law Gods Cause in that Age must have fell to the ground Esther though uncalled by the King yea more having no other Command from God as formerly hath been shewed but only the visible Call of a Dispensation pusheth upon the Pikes of the Law and runs the hazard of the perill of death and how wonderfully God did stand by her and preserve her in so doing the issue of this her dangerous attempt recorded in the History may sufficiently inform us 12 And lastly Take heed of conjunction with such who are not reall hearted to the Cause of God and the work of the Generation When Israel went up out of Egypt a mixed multitude of Egyptians and others that were not Israelites went up with them Exod. 12.38 Which mixed multitude did afterwards prove a snare to them even in the very work of the Generation by drawing the Congregation to murmure against the Lord Numb 11.4 And the mixed multitude that was amongst them fell a lusting and the Children of Israel also wept again and said Who shall give us flesh to eat What need I relate that which every one knows how godly Asa lost himself by his League with Benhadad King of Syria and good Jehoshaphat by his compliance with Ahab and Ahaziah And although it be true that the examples of the Kings of Judah are not in all things patterns for States and Kingdomes in Gospel-dayes to walk by yet the reason upon which the Seer reproves Asa because he relied upon the King of Assyria and not on the Lord fals as strongly upon professing States under the Gospel as it did on him who shall I hope be kept both from his sin and so from his reproof Which he shall continue to pray for who is a friend to Sions prosperity and also Englands welfare and interest which is and will be found solely depending on it They shall prosper that love thee Psal 122.6 Amen FINIS Generation-work The Second Part. Wherein is shewed what the Designs of God abroad in the World may in all likelyhood be at this present day and in the days approaching Being an Exposition of the Seven VIALS Rev. 16. And other Apocalyptical Mysteries By John Tillinghast the meanest and unworthiest of Christs Laborers Rev. 14.7 Fear God and give

place of their own destruction Verse 16. ANd he i.e. Christ gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew Tongue Armageddon These words have relation to the 14. Verse where we have the Kings of the Earth and the whole world gathering together to the battel of the great day of God Almighty onely because whilst they are gathering together from all parts and now in a manner their whole body united and ready to swallow up his people Christ appears and interposeth himself betwixt his people and their bloody raging enemies therefore we have the coming of Christ Verse 15. brought in between their gathering together and their full and compleat Randezvouze and so these words come to be dis-joyned from the former As touching the place here called Armageddon the opinions of Writers are various which being not a thing so material I shall not recite my own thoughts incline to their opinion who read it the place of destruction of an Army And possibly there may be an allusion in the name to that great destruction of the Canaanites at the waters of Megiddo Judg. 5.19 when Sisera the chief Captain of Jabin with all his Host fell by the hand of Deborah and Barak where was made such a total destruction that it is said Judg. 4.16 And the Host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword and there was not a man left And indeed I the rather incline to this interpretation for the agreeableness of it to those other Scriptures where as before I have shewed this battel is spoken of Isa 63.6 I will tread down the people in mine anger and make them drunk in my fury Chap. 66.16 The slain of the Lord shall be many Joel chap. 3.14 calls it the valley of Decision or cutting off and Rev. 19.21 The remnant were slain with the sword of him that sate on the Horse All implying a great and marvellous destruction of enemies The meaning of the whole is That Christ himself as well as the spirits before mentioned Vers 13 14. hath a special hand in the gathering together this cursed Troop they to destroy the Saints and people of Christ but he to manifest his love to his children and his own glory the more upon his appearing and to revenge upon them with his own hand the blood of his people and although their coming up and gathering to a head is through their instigation yet the disposing of their Quarters and place of Randezvouze is his who gathers them together into the appointed place of their destruction where for his peoples sake he intends to render upon them his anger with fury and his rebukes with flames of fire as Isaiah expresseth it And methinks when my thoughts are fixed upon this day I cannot but sometimes stand and admire not so much at the ruin of the enemies as at that matchless love of Christ towards his which will appear in doing of it who seems at this day to act the holy passions of a provoked Father and Husband who having seen his children oft murdered before his face and his beloved Spouse now in the hands of the Murderers can no longer forbear but in the heat and vehemency of affection with unexpressible indignation he himself with his drawn sword rusheth forth upon the Murderers as not contented to have their blood if his own hands be not dipped in it fighting with fury through and through and from the rage of his mightily provoked spirit being become deaf to all cryes kils and slays without pity or mercy and is so far from sadly resenting what he hath done afterwards as that he is marvellously delighted yea glories in it that for the sake of his Children and Spouse whose quarrel he hath been now revenging he hath ingaged so far as to come off the field with Garments dyed red in the blood of their enemies which excellently we have set forth Isa 63. where we have Christ after this wonderful slaughter made of his peoples enemies and that with his own hand who therefore is said to come from Edom Edom being ever a cruel enemy to Israel turning himself and in a way of triumph presenting himself to his Spouse who seeing one coming glorious in his apparrel i.e. most delightful to behold and yet withall having Garments dyed in blood and travelling as a mighty Gyant in the greatness of his strength she is astonished and as in an ex asie through wonderment fear and joy she cryes out Who Who is this that cometh from Edom in such a manner with dyed Garments yet glorious in his apparrel travelling in the greatness of his strength To whom Christ presently replies It is I O my Spouse It is I who am mighty to save thee who for thy sake have been treading the Winepress alone trampling the people in mine anger making them drunk in my fury bringing down their strength to the Earth and it is so far from repenting me of any thing that for thee I have done that were there or shall there be any more to gather together against thee I can yet do no less for my heart is filled with vengeance than tread them in mine anger yea trample them in my fury and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my Garments and I will slain all my Rayment Wonderful unspeakable love a●ming a most dear and blessed Saviour with burning affections and fury cladding him with zeal and vengeance as a cloak that hee might plead their cause and avenge their quarrel pour abroad the blood of their enemies who by their sins have thrust a spear in his side and wickedly poured out his What heart without melting into tears can consider of this Thus much as touching the fourth and last thing namely Christs wonderful disposing of his enemies to their own ruine with which concludes the Interval or space of time betwixt the sixth and seventh VIALS VIAL VII 1 The Angel pouring it out Vers 17. AND the seventh Angel poured out his Vial. The Angel of this Vial is doubtless Christ himself whose coming we spake of but now and who instantly upon his coming pours out this Vial called the Archangel 1 Thess 4.16 who is there said to come with a shout or voyce The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout and with the voyce of the Archangel And accordingly as an Adjunct accompanying this Vial we have a great voyce The seventh Angel poured out his Vial and there came a great voyce out of the Temple of Heaven which voyce is no other but the voyce of Christ himself as I shall shew anon 2 The Subject of it The Air. Into the Air No subject can be more general than the Air which containeth all things fills all places in which all Creatures breath The universality of the subject notes the pouring out of this Vial to be universal the fore-going Vials have fallen upon particular subjects The first upon the grosser parts of Popery The second upon the Antichristian Hierarchy The third upon some