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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

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be ensnared and polluted by any through the least compliance with or liking of the great Whore that hath deceived and defiled so many with her abeminations We are afraid because we have neglected it so much and so long lest you should forget to study and enquire into the great and marvellous things that God is doing for exaltation of his own name and Son And what the Saints ought to do for God at such a time as this Vnlike to the Children of Issachar which were men that had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do We are afraid because we are so carnal and walk so much by sense our selves that there should not be such a living by faith amongst you as the word and dispensations of God require especially when we hear so many of those who formerly hoped and quietly waited for the Redemption of Gods chosen now being fearful and unbeleeving speak like Mary How shall this thing be seeing we know not how it should be brought to pass We are afraid likewise because our own hands are so heavy and we unable of our selves to keep them steady lest your hands of prayer should be let down at this time and Amaleck should prevail against Israel And if these things should be found amongst you of which we must confess our selves to be very guilty how ought you and we to fear and tremble and lye low before the Lord being very unworthy of and unthankful for all those great and terrible things which his hand hath wrought for us And if we have not had nor yet have hearts holy and heavenly and spiritual enough to walk before him with under his former and present dispensations towards us how shall we be able to stand before the Son of Man when he shall appear in far greater power and glory And to follow him in those strange and untrodden Paths that he hath yet to lead his people in and thorow Surely it is now time for us having been hitherto so much wanting in it to consider our hearts and ways and those wayes that the Lord calls us to wait upon him in Surely it is now time for us who have left our first Iove to the Lord Jesus for which we have cause to be ashamed before the Lord not onely to remember from whence we are fallen and to do our first works to love him as much we have done formerly but having tasted more of his goodness and seen more of his glory and hoping to behold much more of it to love him more than ever we did and oh that we had hearts to do it at this time Surely it is now time for those Saints that have had and have their hearts espoused to carnal and worldly interests as outward glory honor riches c. to look up to the Lord and to get their hearts dis-ingaged and set loose from the world and the things of the world and to be for ever hereafter without so much as a thought of seeking great things for themselves as becommeth Saints Surely it is now time for the Spouse and all the professed friends of Christ to cast off and abandon all acquaintance and compliance with Antichrist and to keep themselves so pure and to approve themselves so true to Christ that if the Devil should tempt them as he did their Lord by profering them all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them yet never to fall down and any way worship that Beast It argued a very chaste and faithful heart in that worthy Man Master John Knox unto Jesus Christ that when Edward the Sixth King of England offered him a Bishopricke he refused it as having Aliquid commune cum Antichristo something of Antichristianism in it Surely it is now time for us not onely to beleeve in Christ which many think is all they need to do but also to own him in this hour of his patience wherein he looks to beowned by his Saints lest he frown upon us in the day of his great power and glory which draweth near And Brethren let us make it our chief even our onely Design and count it our greatest Priviledge though we shall be men wondered at for it to follow and serve the Lord Christ in faithfulness and like Luther in the cause of Christ be content though our low and carnal hearts may tremble at the very thoughts of it to undergo the hatred and violence of the whole world Neither let us be too much troubled nor offended at those changes alterations and desolations which do and may and as Christ hath said will attend the going on and advancement of his Kingdom in the world which was that which some may be wel-meaning people objected to Luther That that doctrin could not be of God that was attended with such troubles and desolations who replyed thus Ego nisrtumultus istos viderem Christum in mundo esse non crederem Vnless I should see those troubles and tumults I should not beleeve Christ to be in the world So Brethren if we should hear of Wars and Commotions and upon the earth distress of Nations with perplexity mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth let us not be terrified nor offended but as our Savior hath bidden us look up and lift up our heads for our redemption draweth nigh And because it is high time awake Awake oh Saints lift up your hearts and cry mightily unto the Lord and never hold your peace day nor night and give him no rest for it will not be long till he establish and make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth Stand therefore with your loyns girded about and your lights burning And ye your selves like men that wait for their Lord who cometh as he hath said as a Thief in the night who may be upon you before you are aware in an hour that you think not of And however you may be hardly used and beaten of your Fellow-servants and Brethren too who say their Lord delayeth his coming Yet be not wearied nor faint in your minds because of these things but be ye patient Brethren unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the Husband-man waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill he receive the early and latter rain Be ye also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Grudge not one against another Brethren lest ye be condemned behold the Judge standeth before the door For he cometh he cometh to judge the earth He shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with his truth And you that are of a fearful heart be strong and fear not behold your God will come with vengeance even God with a recompence he will come and save you and will perform all his good word towards you and give you an expected end Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompence of reward For
likewise it is said vers 26. after 62 weeks that is 62 added to the other seven spoken of vers 25. which make 69 shall the Messiah be cut off and not after 70 weeks shall the Messiah be cut off because indeed Christs sufferings came before the 70 week was fully and compleatly expired These four deducted there remains to be accounted upon only 486 years which passed from the 20 of Artaxerxes Mnemon until Christs Passion THESIS LVIII Our third part or period comprehends the number of years from the year of Christs Passion until the end of the year 1655 or which is all one the beginning of that noted year 1656. THESIS LIX Within this Period we are to account upon 1622 years thus Christ was thirty years old when he began to preach Luke 3.23 from the time he began to preach until his Passion the common opinion holds three years and a half but we are to account three years only as is clear from Christs own words Luke 13.32 Go ye and tell that Fox Behold I cast out Devils and I do cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected vers 33. Nevertheless I must walk to day and to morrow and the day following Shewing us that Christ in preaching spent three full years and yet but three for as he is baptised at the very beginning of the seventieth week i.e. at the beginning of the first day or year of that week so he is perfected at the end of the third day of that week or the third year from the time he began to preach Christ then at the day of his Passion was three and thirty years old which three and thirty years because our common account begins from the year of Christs Nativity we are to deduct these deducted of 1655 there remains only 1622 which we are to account upon THESIS LX. Let us now reckon up the three last periods that wee have gone through and see what number of years of the 2300 we have already gained those yet behind will fall in of themselves The first period from the first of Cyrus to the twentieth of Artaxerxes Mnemon contains 147 years The second from thence to Christs Passion 486 years Both together makes up 633 The third period from Christs Passion to the year 1656 contains 1622 The total Sum is 2255 It follows then that with the beginning of the year 1656 there are 2255 of Daniels 2300 years expired the remaining years are only 45 which will expire A.D. 1701 the very year in which Daniels 1335 dayes doth also expire THESIS LXI The 2300 dayes of Daniel are the best and surest Chronologie of the Number of the worlds years that have passed since the first of Cyrus or the beginning of the Persian Monarchy until this present day THESIS LXII The 2300 years ending according to our former Computation at the same point with the 1335 is a good Argument to prove that our course by a good hand of Providence hath been steered aright both as to the beginning of either number and also the carrying on of this great number for should we seek after any other beginning of the 1335 dayes then what we have before stated the 1335 dayes could never be brought to end with the 2300. Or in case the head of the 2300 dayes were to be placed either higher or lower or the Computation to be made otherwise than what hath been laid down then would not the 2300 dayes concur in their end with the 1335. And such a Computation it is necessary should bee made as may bring both these to end together THESIS LXIII The Harmony that is betwixt all those Mystical Numbers we have passed through is a thing very glorious and admirable to behold for there is not any one of them but affords a beam of light to the other The 1290 dayes affords a great beam of light to the 1260 and contrariwise the 1260 to that again The 1335 dayes affords a glorious beam of light to the 2300 and contrariwise the 2300 to that again Finally as the beginning of the 1260 proves our beginning of the 1335 to be true so our beginning of the 1335 proves the beginning of the 2300 to be true And contrariwise as the beginning of the 2300 proves the beginning of the 1335 to be true so the beginning of the 1335 the beginning of the 1260 to be true So that which is glorious to consider the Mystical Numbers of Daniel and the Revelations though diverse and having diverse beginnings yet have within themselves such an universal Harmony that each one serves to inlighten the other and the other him again THESIS LXIV The final Conclusion is That the rise of the Witnesses the end of the Beasts reign and treading underfoot the Holy City and the first stirring of the Jews will in greatest likelihood be in the year 1656 with which year ends the 1290 dayes the 1260 the 42 months The Personal coming of Christ the final destruction of the four Beasts or Monarchy and the compleat deliverance of the Jews in the year 1701 with which year ends Daniels 2300 dayes and his 1335. Matth. 24.48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart My Lord delayeth his coming 49. And shall begin to smite his fellow-servants and to eat and drink with the Drunken 50. The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of 51. And shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the Hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth A Concluding Word WHen Daniel understood by Books the number of the years whereof the Lord had said He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem he set himself to seek the Lord by fasting weeping and mourning When Moses understood the time of the delivery of Gods people out of Egypt to be at hand he not only strengthned his Brethren but took courage and went in unto Pharaoh Though it is far from entring into my thoughts to compare my self with these yet is it my duty and desire to imitate them in their grace As to the first my hearts desire and prayer to the Father of mercies is That a Daniels praying Spirit might abound in my self and all the people of God at this day As for the second my intents and purposes were to have closed up this discovery with a solemn Exhortation First To the Higher Powers of this Commonwealth Secondly To all those who have fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ within it But considering how poor and vain a thing the words of the Creature are and how little where much is spoken reacheth the heart if the Holy Spirit apply it not in my after thoughts I judged it better to leave it to the Spirit of God to set home these truths than to undertake to do it my self and therefore resting in these thoughts I shall only in a word or two deliver a Message and I hope not my own First To the Higher Powers the Message is this THIS PEOPLE SAY THE TIME IS NOT COME the time that the Lords work should be carried on Is it time for you O yee to dwell in your cieled houses and this work of Christ lye waste Now therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts Consider your wayes Yea thus saith the Lord Consider your wayes For if at this time you lay aside that work wherein the cause and glory of our dear and blessed Redeemer is so neerly and immediately concerned and attend to work of another nature which comparatively he calls you not to he will assuredly in sore displeasure with shame and contempt lay you aside ruine shall come to Babylon salvation and deliverance unto Mount Sion another way Secondly To the people of God in this Common-wealth the Message is this That although you are verily as unworthy a generation of Saints considering how formal the profession of some is how loose the Principles of others how unlike Saints of old yea Saints but of yesterday we are all of this so great Grace now ready to be revealed as ever the earth bore Yet that the whole world may see and know the exceeding riches of his grace and that by the sheddings abroad of his love which is a way more suitable to Gospel administrations your over-grown corruptions may be rooted out and the breaches of Sion made up and you made to remember your own evill wayes and doings that were not good and to loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and abominations his grace shall with a notwithstanding triumph over all this your unworthiness and he will yet redeem his cause from the Grave carry on his work among you before you and by you as Instruments gloriously and speedily yea with a high hand for his Name sake Thirdly in particular to the Imprisoned Saints together with all those who in this day suffer the reproaches of men the scorn and censures of Brethren for the testimony of Jesus and upon the account of his Kingdom my Message is Your Brethren that hated you and cast you out for Christs name sake said LET THE LORD BE GLORIFIED but he shall appear unto your joy and they shall be ashamed Lastly To all Sions Children wheresoever they may be that take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof let me say Lift up your heads with joy for your redemption draweth nigh For yet a little while and behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the earth for their Iniquity when as he hath purposed he will stain the pride of all glory and bring into contempt the honorable of the earth For it is the day of the Lords vengeance and the year of recompences for the controversie of Sion And though the scarlet Whore begins now to say in her heart I sit as a Queen am no Widow and shall see no sorrow yet shall her plagues come upon her in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord our God that judgeth her FINIS
stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion Rev. 14.1 2 3 4. are differenced from others not in this that they were Saints and others not nor in this that they followed the Lamb which others did not but the difference is made to lye in these two things 1 They were Virgin-Saints which had not defiled themselves with women i.e. were not espoused to any worldly interest the desire of which is as natural to the hearts of men as the desire of women and particularly they had never any thing to do with the interest of that Whorish woman spoken of Chap. 17. And this to be the meaning of the phrase the foregoing words do give it which by a parallel phrase setting forth the same thing cals them the Redeemed from the earth i. e. from earthly interests as outward glory honor riches c. 2 They were such who follow the Lamb whethersoever he goes Vers 4. If the Lamb will go in strange untrodden paths making his way over the necks of the Kings and Princes of this world they will follow him there If in unpleasing paths turning about in a manner upon themselves and treading under feet their beloved interests dear and near Relations taking from them their outward glory and ornaments yet they will make a turn with him and follow him there for they are such as will follow the Lamb whethersoever he goes Now although there may be many besides these at this day who may come under the more general Character of Saint-ship and followers of the Lamb i.e. for some time yet shall they be found short of these particular Characters viz. of being Virgin-Saints un-espoused to worldly interests and followers of the Lamb not onely here and there but whithersoever he goes Hence we have it specially noted of these that they sing as it wert a new Song before the Throne which no man could learn but onely the one hundred forty four thousand which were redeemed from the earth vers 3. Why doth the Holy Ghost say As it were a new Song and not rather a new Song The reason I take to be this because the Song for the matter of it in general is the old Song i.e. the same Song still that all the children of Sion sung together upon their first coming out of Babylon But now the Lamb their Leader having upon his march towards Mount Sion taken some strange rough untroden unexpected paths which they upon their coming out did not so much as dream of many of those who upon his first march set forth with him with as loud a cry as the rest begin now some to draw backwards again to Babylon some to lag behind their Colours and now they can sing with the rest no longer i.e. they cannot now any longer own his Appearances and workings praise him or magnifie his name for them yet for all this even at this time when many fall off offended the One hundred forty four thousand redeemed from the Earth they march on with the Lamb singing still owning approving his works resolving to keep him company whethersoever he goes Now in this respect the Holy Ghost doth not term it a new Song but as it were a new Song because it puzzles most of the old Singers seeming akogether new and another to them though yet indeed it is the same the change being more in them than in the Song and the One hundred forty four thousand can sing it still Hence likewise this One hundred forty four thousand are spoken of as being a select and picked party called therefore vers 4. The redeemed from among men being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb i. e. they are if I may so say for the choyceness of their spirits above others in adhering to the Lamb their Leader the very cream of men such as the Lamb accounts his first fruits i.e. makes more store of than of others who yet may bee of his Corn and a part of his Harvest too And as that which is not here impertinent we may observe that as the coming out of Egypt was in Old Testament times one eminent type of the Saints deliverance from Spiritual Antichristian bondage for which cause the Antichristian State is spiritually called Egypt Revel 11.8 and the comming out of Babylon afterwards another for which cause Rome in the Apocalyps takes denomination from Babylon So is it a thing worthy to be noted as touching both these Types that that Generation which by stirring set the work first on foot did afterwards prove the greatest I may say the onely retarders of it For as touching the first WHO hankered after the Flesh pots of Egypt but that Generation WHO though come out yet had been brought up there WHO moved the returning back again but that Generation that came thence WHO made light of the great things God did in the Wilderness but that very Generation who from the first had seen his mighty Wonders in Egypt As touching the Second WHO are they that cry out The time is not come the time that the Lords house should be built Hag. 1.2 But that very Generation who came out of Babylon with great hearts at first to do the work but were afterwards engaged in particular concernments and private interests building seiled houses for themselves vers 4. hereby letting the work of their Generation lie waste And truly it is that which I have verily thought with my self and that some time namely That it would befall us in this Age coming out of Antichristian Babylon even as it did them coming out of Egypt and Babylon of old i.e. we should see those very persons who leading us out of Babylon at first did cry Christs Kingdom Christs Kingdom either by hankering after the Egyptian Flesh-pots of Honor Profit c. which once having tasted they cannot lose the rellish of wholly to quit their first principles and affections and so set their faces back again to return into Egypt or if not so yet at leastwise as the commers out of Babylon did who were somewhat the better of the two finding difficulty in going on make a stand on the way there building seiled houses for themselves i.e. advancing their own particular interests instead of helping forward the work of Christs Kingdom What shall I any further enlarge upon this uncouth Theam harp any longer upon this unpleasing string It was without doubt an ill Omen to Barnabas when he chose Marke to go with him to the work who had before deserted it that he should do but little in it And indeed the Event proved it for as by that act he lost the hearts of the Church who recommended Paul and Silas to the Grace of God but take no notice of Barnabas and Mark So also is it observable that from that very day he who was so active before we hear no more of him True he had this to plead Mark was a good man but Paul whose eyes were more open saw that notwithstanding his goodness yet
by a glorious restauration bringing it into the liberty of the Sons of God For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God And also because in those very new Heavens and Earth that Isay speaks of and Peter quotes from him the Wolfe and the Lamb shall feed together that is good and bad shall be in the world together Neither let it be said that this will be any hinderance to the Saints glory and spirituality to bring them from Heaven the place of glory and that about a work so mean and low to rule over men upon earth for as Angels lose not their glory by attending upon the work of God here on earth nor their spirituliaty because the works they attend upon of ministring to the Saints destroying the Enemies of God c. are in themselves mean and low yea in a manner servile for so glorious Creatures as Angels to attend upon so shall not Saints at this day by being occupied in the Affairs of this Fifth Monarchy which shall be their work for Christ to act as Officers under him in his Kingdom lose any thing of their glory especially considering Christ himself whose presence is their glory shall be with them all this time nor of their Spirituality which never suffers decay in any through a being occupied in the will and work of the Lord. And what if the Lord who in the Legal Administration thought it good to have his peoples work a burden in the Gospel Administration work but no burden will in this administration have work and glory go together who will or hath cause to find fault with it Nay let me say what sometimes hath been in my thought with refreshing that the spirituality of Saints at this day shall be such as that from thence an awe shall be upon the surviving Sinners of the world who shall tremblingly come and how themselves down at the soles of their feet Isa 60.14 and subject themselves to them for this day as the Apostle saith Rom. 8.20 shall be the day of the manifestation of the Sons of God Gods people are Sons now therefore saith John 1 Epist 3.2 Beloved now are we the Sons of God but saith he though true we are so yet the world knoweth us not i.e. the transcendent glory and excellency of our state is now a thing veiled from the world but the day I am speaking of shal be the manifestation of the Sons of God wherein that noble and super-excellent Spirit that now under a veil it in the Sons of God shall be manifested before all men when all in general shall come to see the difference that is betwixt the spiritual man and the man that is meerly rational to be as vast yea far more vast than that which now is betwixt the rational creature and sensitive And as the sensitive creature now doth tremble before the rational from beholding through a secret instinct of nature a kind of Majesty and a more noble spirit in the rational creature than is in himself so shall at this day the meer rational man tremble before the spiritual when the manifestation of that super-excellent Spirit that is in the one above the other shall be open and naked before all and therefore Cant. 6.10 we have several degrees of the Churches light and glory 1 Looking forth as the morning with a little light so in the legal administration 2 Fair as the Moon more light So in the Gospel 3 Clear as the Sun that is come up to a high degree of spiritual light and life both for both are from the Sun which is giver of the one maintainer of the other so in the administration at this day And what then why terrible as an Army with banners the Saints and people of God through this high advance in spirituality grow terrible to the mean men of the world who now tremble before them By what hath been before said it may appear that notwithstanding the thousand years is a distinct time from the Day of Judgement being that time to speak properly in which Saints shall judge the world and reign on the earth yet in a large sense the time of the thousand years and the General Judgement both may bee called one great Day of Judgement And indeed that Saints shall one day judge the world is a thing so clear in Scripture that good men not making a distinction betwixt the judging in the time of the thousand years and the General Judgement do bring the Saints at the last day instead of standing upon Christs right hand even to fit with him upon the Bench and then and there to judge the world which opinion is not only repugnant to those other Scriptures wherein we have the manner of Saints reigning over and judging the world set forth which without a manifest forcing of them cannot be applied to this time but also hath not the least countenance for it self from any one Scripture that I know of where express mention is made of the last and General Judgement but the contrary rather as from that I have said before may bee gathered which is enough to put us upon a further search and not to receive this principle upon trust any longer And truly to me it appears that the Apostle himself 1 Cor. 15.23 24 25. makes a manifest difference betwixt these two times of judging calling one the time of Christs Reign to put his enemies under his feet the other the time of the end and both these after his coming Christ the first fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming Then cometh the end plainly intimating a distance of time betwixt his coming and the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father when he shall have put down all Rule and Authority and Bower For hee must Reign shewing what his work shall be betwixt the time of his coming and the end till he hath put all enemies under his feet Why both these different judgings may not be expressed in that of the Apostle 2 Tim. 4.1 Shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome the quick first in such manner as hath been shewed and then the dead at the last and General Judgement which both are called his Appearing and Kingdome because he is but once to appear to do both and both taken together do but make up this Kingdome of Christ in which as King of Kings Christ will glorifie himself in the eyes of all creatures I see no convincing reason to the contrary Having thus spoken of the coming of our Lord according to that light I have received from the word I only now desire that none of Gods people who shall read this may be of the number of those who are troubled in mind and shaken that the day of the
clear Prophesie of the glory riches duration vast extent of this Kingdome agreeing in many things with that glorious Prophesie Isa 60. is intituled A Psalm for Solomon yet in respect of Christ the King or Monarch in this Kingdome David in Scripture is ever the Type and not Solomon because Solomon after he was sate upon the Throne did foulely back-slide to Idolatry but David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. This voyce coming from the Throne intimates what I have been speaking that now Christs Throne shall be set up and himself sit upon it as Chap. 21.5 which also we have Chap. 3.21 To him that overcommeth will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne The Throne Christ here speaks of is a distinct Throne from his Fathers Throne such a Throne as he was not to sit on till he should come from his Fathers Throne for saith he the Throne I am upon at present is my Fathers Throne which I overcoming am priviledged to sit upon but I have a Throne of my own which I shall one day sit upon when he that overcometh shall sit down with me on this my Throne as I now by overcoming am set down with my Father on his Throne which as it proves Christ shall have a Throne distinct from that on which he now sits so also it confirms what I said even now that the Dominion or the Throne is not to be given to the Saints untill such time as Christ himself comes and sits him down upon his Throne according to that Matth. 19.28 Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the Throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel and it is for this reason because the Apostles shall be advanced as chief in this New Jerusalem that Chap. 21.14 tells us that the foundations of this City shall have in it the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. And this Throne because not onely Christ himself sits upon it but also his Saints with him is therefore called Thrones in the plural number Rev. 20.4 And I saw Thrones and they sate upon them and judgement was given unto them which words exactly agree for time as before I have shewed with this of the seventh Vial. Now whereas this Throne upon which Christ sits and utters his voyce is said to be in the Temple of Heaven it clearly denotes Heaven in the Revelation being always understood of the Church on Earth the erecting of this Throne here below And indeed if we compare with Chap. 21. where we have the same Throne spoken of together with the voyce from it It is done Verse 5 6. it will evidently appear that the New Jerusalem there described is to be understood of a glorious state of the Church here on earth and not as some of Heaven hereafter First Because John sees a New Earth as well as a New Heaven Secondly Because the New Jerusalem is said to come down from God out of Heaven Verse 2. therefore not a description of the Church in Heaven which coming down out of Heaven left we should imagine it as some to be Visional onely namely that John in way of Vision saw it come down but really it is above we have therefore to free us from such a mistake a great voyce added Verse 3. Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men i.e. on earth the place of mens habitation whereas were the New Jerusalem to be understood of Heavenly glory the contrary should be viz. The Tabernacle of men with God Thirdly Because the glory of the Kings of the Earth which glory is outward and of the Nations shall be brought into it Verse 24. The Kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it Verse 26. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the Nations into it Neither of which can agree to Heaven hereafter but do most excellently agree to what is spoken at large in the Prophets of the glorious state of the Church on Earth in the last daies To say as is commonly such of the Kings of the Earth and those of the Nations who shall be converted here shall be there glorified and this to be the bringing of the glory of the Kings and Nations thither To that I answer 1. How can this be said to be their glory which is rather Gods put upon them than theirs 2 How is this brought thither is the glory of Heaven fetched thither from Earth 3 How can they be said to bring it thither who never receive this glory till they come there Fourthly Because it is evident from the 12. and 14. Verses that the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel and the twelve Apostles of the Lamb shall be first or chief in this New Jerusalem but let it be proved from any other Scripture that they shall be so in Heaven hereafter Fifthly Because Chap. 22. which to Verse 6. is a continued description of the New Jerusalem tells us ver 2. of a Tree in this New Jerusalem whose leaves are for the healing of the Nations Now let it be shewn how the Nations shall bee healed in Heaven hereafter Sixthly Because in this New Jerusalem we have express mention made as of the Throne of God so also of the Lamb Chap. 22.1 proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb Verse 3. There shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it But now in Heaven hereafter though Christ as God coequal and coeternal with the Father shall reign for ever yet not as the Lamb which is clear 1 Cor. 15.28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all i.e. the humane nature of Christ which dyed for our sins rose again as the Apostle in the foregoing verses speaketh was 〈◊〉 above all the Creatures all the time of the thousand years and the General Judgement according to which nature Christ is said to be the Lamb slain shall now be subjected after the end to the Godhead or Divine nature which in Heaven shall be all in all so that Christ as the Lamb shall not have a Throne there And this Interpretation is not so much mine as Augustines long ago and Calvins since who both speak the same thing confessing a subjection of the humanity of Christ to be here intimated whom I think good here to name not that their Authority nor my saying so proves the thing to be truth but that I might hereby stop the mouths of such who otherwise possibly would be ready to condemn the truth it self for error Yet let none hence conclude as some now adays fancy a cessation of the Humane Nature by being turned
particular States and Kingdomes with their Heads and Rulers The fourth upon the German Empire or House of Austria The fifth upon the City Rome The sixth upon the Turk or Ottoman Family But this seventh and last is general reaching all things whatsoever that stand in the way of Christs Kingdome And this the change of speech used in this Vial different from all the other noteth also as it seems to me for whereas the other Vials are poured out upon such and such things the first upon the Earth the second upon the Sea the third upon the Rivers and Fountains of waters c. This seventh and last is said to be poured out into the Air noting hereby the spreading and dilating of it self as far as the Air spreads in such manner as that thereby all and every part is filled with the effects of it Now a Vial might be poured out upon the Air yet not d●late it self into every part to fill the whole with it as the first Vial poured out upon the earth did not so dilate it self as to destroy those earthly dregs of Popery in every part of the Papal Kingdome neither did the second upon the Sea destroy the Antichristian Hierarchy but in some Kingdoms only the third upon the Rivers and Fountains of waters not the ten Horns in general but some of them only did as to the overturning of their present Government and Constitution feel it yet each of these Vials are truly said to be poured out upon these subjects because they had effects to destroy some part that which they fell upon though they did not dilate themselves into every part but now this seventh is poured out INTO THE AIR noting a dilating and diffusing of it self as far as the Air goes which I have said before is general filling all things and places accordingly this Vial reacheth 1 The whole Kingdome of the Dragon or Devil who is called the Prince of the power of the Air Eph. 2.2 who upon the pouring out of this Vial with all his Host shall be bound and shut up in the bottomless pit for a thousand years as Rev. 20.1 2 3. And here indeed it had been more orderly to have placed our fore-going Discourse of the thousand years but because truth is to be preferred before order which when it tends to the obscuring of the truth is but curiosity and to be shunned I have therefore because in my judgement it stands more for the advantage of truth where it is than it would do here chosen to be a trespasser in points of nicety 2 The whole Kingdome of Antichrist or the Papacy 3 The remaining Powers of the Great Turk which were not destroyed by the sixth Vial. 4 The Kingdomes of this world i.e. such as neither have dependance upon the Papacy nor the Great Turk all shall come under this Vial and be utterly ruined and broken in peeces by it 3 The Adjunct A great Voyce And there came a great voyce out of the Temple of Heaven from the Throne saying It is done This Voyce is Christs Rev. 21.5 6. Hee that is Christ that sate upon the Throne said unto mee It is done The meaning of the words It is done I have formerly shewed to be only this NOW is the New Jerusalem established now is my Kingdome set up the work now is done and compleated for this work had its beginning before under the former Vials and that from the first day that the little stone began to smite the great Image and therefore Daniel Chap. 2.44 speaking of this Kingdome of Christ saith In the dayes of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom i.e. Christs Kingdome shall have its beginning as the same is a stone in the dayes of the Fourth Monarchy before yet the same is destroyed and it shall grow up by little and little smiting the great Image and still as it smites be increasing in strength and greatness but yet the same is not a Mountain filling the whole Earth till it hath broken in peeces the Great Image in such sort as that the place thereof is no more found vers 34 35. i.e. this Kingdome of Christ shall not be compleatly set up it shall not be the Fifth Monarchy though yet it shall be in a rising way until the seventh Vial be poured out which breaks in peeces and wholly removes the Fourth Monarchy and all worldly powers And this is clear Dan. 7.12 who there tells us that the rest of the Beasts had not their Dominion taken away i.e. the Kingdoms of this world are not compleatly the Lords and his Christs as Rev. 11.15 until such time as the Thrones of the Fourth Beast i.e. the Roman Monarchy as under Antichrist are cast down vers 9. the Beast himself slain his body destroyed and given to the burning flame vers 11. Then shall it be said as here with a great voyce It is done Then shall be verified what is said Rev. 10.7 The mystery of God is finished as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets that is now all things spoken of by the Prophets as touching my Kingdome and the setting of it up are finished for it is done the New Jerusalem is established And truly here let me adde that although some godly men whose thoughts I have an esteem of look every day for the setting up of this Fifth Monarchy and that by having the Powers of the world laid down and let fall out of the present hands they are in who hold them as they judge by right of the Fourth Monarchy and left free for Saints to come take up and execute yet must I needs say being convinced of the contrary in this I am not of their mind conceiving their mistake to lye in this viz. a not considering which too comes from a non-acknowledgement of Christs Personal coming before it by whom how and when this Fifth Monarchy is to be set up And for my own part as I greatly rejoyce to see so much power in Saints hands already and beleeve more will be every day as the Stone by rolling grows greater so do I also wait for that which some presently expect till that day wherein our Lord shall appear who himself will do this work viz. Destroy the Beast cast him into the burning flame and then give the Kingdome and Dominion and greatness of the Kingdome under the whole heaven unto the people of the Saints of the most High When that which but now is rising and shall rise every day growing still greater and greater as an augmenting stone shall become a huge and great Mountain filling the whole Earth And of this Kingdome as to the first rise of it which is little in an unlikely way in the midst of many difficulties I take it Davids Kingdome was a Type But as to the glory of it when the same shall be a Mountain filling the earth the Kingdome of Solomon was rather a Type for which reason Psal 62. which is a