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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

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

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 co●cernment for a Saint to aeternal 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 The first part By John Tillinghast an unworthy Minister of the Gospel at Trunch in Norfolk Gen. 6.9 Noah was a just man and perfect in his Generations and Noah walked with God LONDON Printed by R. Ibbitson for L●vewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head-Alley 1655. To the Supream Authority the Parlament of the Commonwealth of England Right Honorable AS the Lord Jehovah when he first chose Israel to be a peculiar people to himself out of all the Nations of the world did give unto them righteous Judges Moses Joshua Gideon Sampson Samuel c. such as were after his own heart and of his own raising up So is it his promise to his people in the last days before the dross of Sion shall be taken away and her tin purged and she called the City of righteousness the faithful City that he will restore their Judges as AT THE FIRST and their Counsellors as AT THE BEGINNING Isa 1.25 26. How high the faith and expectations of Gods people of late years have been as to the accomplishment of these things is known to many and what uncessant prayers have been put up to the Throne of Grace for the same is best known to the Lord. That you are raised up this day to be the repairers of our breaches and the restorers of paths to dwel in is we hope the long expected and much looked for fruit of this our faith and prayer which as it doth cause rejoycing within many hearts so hath it fixed the eyes of most upon you to observe what great thing that is which God by you is about to do for his poor people Not to teach you Right Honorable what is your work but to declare what that is which the Lord in the age we live in is about to do and expects his people should eye and follow him in is the design of this little Treatise which although it had its conception some months since and was then designed for other hands yet could it not be brought forth until this day in which it casts it self into yours not so much seeking protection for what is truth will stand of it self and what is not shall fall though by men protected as that it might hereby become the more serviceable to that great interest it pleads for in doing of which the Author hath obtained whatsoever is herein his end desire or joy And now Right Honorable God having raised you up and put into your hands so great an opportunity let not the same be lost for want of any improvement which may be made thereof this is your day to honor God and serve your Generation let this day slip and it may be hereafter when you would do the thing you shall not have a day to do it Men wise men good men have fallen before you by putting off and neglecting the work of their Generation take Feed lest ye also fall through the same example of neglect THE MORE EMINENT GODS HAND HATH APPEARED IN RAISING OF YOU THE MORE NAKED AND REMARKABLE WILL IT BEE IN THROWING OF YOU DOWN IN CASE YOU FAIL HIM AS OTHERS BEFORE YOU HAVE DONE But I am perswaded better things of you Right Honorable and things that accompany diligence though I am bold thus to speak for surely the Lord who in an extraordinary way hath brought you together hath some work more than ordinary to do by you wherein if you shall observe making it your business to follow him ●●ing justly relieving the oppressed helping the fatherless ●eading the cause of the Widow and walking humbly before him though the Nations may rush against you as the rushing of many waters yet the Lord will rebuke them and you shall be as a burdensome stone to all your Enemies round about who shall weary themselves with you though all the people of the earth should be gathered together against you for behold the day is coming in which the hand of the Lord shall be known towards his people and his indignation towards his Enemies which when you shall see your hearts shall rejoyce and your bones shall flourish like an herb and your tongue shall speak and say Lo this is our God we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his Salvation and when the light of this day is come and the glory of the Lord shall be risen upon you it shall then never repent you that you have put your hands though with your lives in them to the work of Christ but whatsoever you have herein done or suffered shall now be your glory joy and Crown of rejoycing which that you may at this day from Christ obtain and in the mean time be faithful in his work he shall continue to pray for who is Your Honors humble and unworthy Servant John Tillinghast July 8. 1653. To the Saints and people of God in England Children of the same Father Members of the same Body partakers of the same Spirit having the same hope Grace and Peace be multiplied DEarly beloved in the Lord It is not many years since that this poor Nation and you in the same did sigh and groan by re●son of that bondage both Civil and Spiritual which we were in to the will of tyrann cal unjust oppressors and the superstitious innovations and injunctions of Antichristi●n Task-masters What your fears and prayers yea resolutions to do for God in case of deliverance were at this time the casting your eye a few years back again taking a view of the state of things without according as the wheel did then move and the frame and carriage of your souls within under all will better remember you of than I can tell you How suitable the spirits and actings of many of you who in this day were Gods remembrancers and Sions mourners have since the time God hath cast off the heavy yoke and broken the bonds of our oppressing persecutors been to your past prayers and resolutions I fear and yet I hope when the violence of your distemper shall be over and you so far recovered as to weigh things in the ballances of righteousness love and impartiality not so much others as your selves

glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come Chap. 12.12 Therefore rejoyce ye heavens and ye that dwel in them Wo to the Inhabiters of the Earth and of the Sea for the Devil is come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time Chap. 11.18 And the Nations were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the Prophets and to the Saints c. LONDON Printed by R. Ibbitson for Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head-Alley 1655. The Epistle Dedicatory To all those who love and patiently wait for the Appearing and Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ Grace and Peace be multiplied Dearly beloved in our Lord IT is reported of the Primitive Saints that these words the KINGDOM OF CHRIST the KINGDOM OF CHRIST were so frequent in their mouths that their malicious Adversaries willing to mistake the simplicity of their meaning and intention did make the words matter of Fact charging them hereupon with Treason as if they had driven on some design to get for themselves the Kingdom Whether the simplicity of the Saints in the age we live in who being come to the very dawning of the day and beholding the Lord going up to his Kingdom cannot hold their peace but must cry out HOSANNA TO THE SON OF DAVID HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST may through the subtlety of the old Serpent have any such abuse put upon it or no I wave at present But this I am sure of the first ages had not the Kingdom of Christ so much in their mouths but after ages had it as little their hearts were not so warm to it but the generations since have been as cold And indeed it was necessary it should so be for the Beast Antichrist being to rise in the world who after his rise must continue to reign two and forty months Rev. 13.5 it was needful therefore to the end he might be revealed that there should be as the Apostle tels us 2 Thes 2.3 a falling away which falling away above all things was necessary that it should be in the Truths of Christs Kingdom no Truths being so diametrically opposite to Antichrist as these others shake off his leaves these pluck him up by the roots If therefore the policy of the Dragon had not found out a way to brand these Truths and by making them odious to hold them down his Kingdom must have fallen many ages since for he should have had no Beast to resign his Power Seat and great Authority to It stood him greatly in hand therefore by some means to cloud these which by continuing to shine would have nipped Antichrist in the bud and this the wisdom of God permitting to accomplish thereby in the end a more glorious design which he effectually did Hence within the fourth Century at the end of which the Beast arose the Truths of Christs Kingdom before generally received began to be condemned and to go under the odious name of Heresie Hence also we finde not in the Revelations any mention made of Christs Kingdom nor any noyse of such a thing in the world all the time of the Beasts reign but the great cry of the dwellers on the Earth is The Beast the Beast who is like unto the Beast yea the whole world wondereth after the Beast Rev. 13.3 4. But now in the latter days as the Beast begins to go down so do the precious Truths of Christs Kingdom again begin to revive and have a resurrection Hence we finde that as the world by degrees gets rid of the Beast so is the cry in it still louder and louder of Christs Kingdom First Amongst the Saints in the world who no sooner have got so much footing as to stand and face the Beast which before trod them down and trampled upon them but presently they make the world ring again with the noise of Christs Kingdom Rev. 15.2 3 4. And I saw them that had gotten the victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his Mark and over the number of his Name stand on the Sea of glass having the Harps of God And they sing the Song of Moses the servant of the Lord and the Song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy name for thou onely art holy for all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgements are made manifest Secondly After this the Beast having received a more fatal blow the cry of Christs Kingdom that was before among some Saints onely is now more general and runs among the multitudes yea the great ones too of whom till this day we hear little as Rev. 19.6 And I heard as it were the voyce of a great multitude and as the voyce of many waters and as the voyce of mighty Thunderings saying Allelujah for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth Thirdly and lastly Yet after this upon the sounding of the seventh Angel when Christ comes to take his Kingdom it is then openly proclaimed with a great voyce Rev. 11.15 The Kingdoms of this world are be●ome the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and ●e shall reign for ever And as an echo to this voyce ●he hearts of Gods faithful ones reply v. 17. We give thee ●hanks O Lord God Almighty which art and wert and ●rt to come because thou hast taken to thee this great ●ower and hast reigned Thus the noyse and cry in the world towards the latter end of Antichrists reign is very different to that which was in the time of his reign then the cry was The Beast The Beast now the old cry is up again The Kingdom of Christ The Kingdom of Christ Yet notwithstanding the cry of Christs Kingdom shall at this day be so loud shall not the ears of all no not of the Saints themselves be open to hear it but some of them as well as others shall be so deeply wedded to the sweetness of Antichristian wordly interests that to maintain these they shall rather choose to sit by the waters of Babylon than with the loss of them to stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion else what need would there be of any such Proclamation to be made as we read is immediately before Romes ruin Rev. 18.4 Come out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sins and that yee receive not of her plagues And these who thus shall do are not to be reckoned among those who in this great business followed not the Lamb at all but among those who followed the Lamb some part of the way towards Mount Sion but upon some turn or falling in with some worldly pleasing interest by the way did quit his company before they came thither For this cause the hundred forty and four thousand which

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

litteral sense to make way hereby for the Jews more speedy return out of the Eastern Countries to Jerusalem their native Country mistake for the grounds of our last Proposition and also because as saith a godly man in answer to this opinion the sixth Vial according to this should have no plague at all for saith he either in these words of drying up Euphrates the plague is pointed at or in none for the following words mention no plague but only the endeavour of Gods enemies to defend themselves against it By the River Euphrates some others understand the Riches and Revenues of Antichristian Babylon which Riches and Revenues of theirs are the strength of Babylon mystical as Euphrates of old was of litteral Babylon the drying up of Euphrates the taking of these their Revenues from them which Rents and holy Tribute of theirs being denied their Chests and Coffers will by degrees grow empty Now although the Patrons of this opinion are men of worth and to be esteemed yet cannot I herein subseribe unto them 1 Because as is by some of them confessed the drying up of Euphrates in this sense hath been begun this hundred years nay some say three hundred whereas the pouring forth of this Vial is a thing yet to come 2 Because every of the Vials hitherto hath done this by degrees already and the Vials yet to come will more for observe it throughout all the Vials whatsoever it is that Antichrist loseth by any Vial he together with the loss of that loseth a considerable part of his Revenues coming in thereby and therefore every Vial clipping his Tribute and cutting him short here there needs not a particular Vial to be poured out upon that which every of the Vials till the same is wholly destroyed will have an influence upon Neither thirdly Can I see how this will further at most but very little the Jews return which is that great thing to prepare a way for the doing whereof this Vial is poured forth An eminent late Writer interprets this River Euphrates to be the streams of Popish corruption namely their Idolatries by their Mass Invocation of Saints c. their murders of the souls of men as well as the bodies of Christs servants their Sorceries of which many of the Popes themselves were guilty their Whoredomes namely in their Stews their Thefts by their Indulgences and Pardons for money c. But these things are no other but that Popish Earth the first Vial fell upon by the fall whereof these though not throughout Antichrists Kingdom yet in some parts which is enough to evidence a Vial to have been already poured out upon them were destroyed And it is well known that Luther who began to pour out the first Vial was the very hammer of the Papists as to the beating down and knocking in peeces these things And although the Popish party are severely punished for these things upon the sounding of the sixth Trumpet Chap. 9.18 19 20 21. Yet as these gross enormities came not then in upon the sounding of that Trumpet but were in before though then they are punished for them so each Vial casting out as the same Author hath observed that very corruption which the same Trumpet brought in it follows the bringing of these things in being before so must their casting out also and therefore it is more agreeable to the Authors own Position to place the casting of these things out under the first Vial as I have done they co●ing in in all likelihood under the first Trumpet than that their casting out should not be until this Sixth But more rightly as some others we are to understand the Ottoman Family or Turkish Empire called the Great River because of the multitude of People and Nations therein Rivers signifying People and Nations as I have proved under the third Vial and the Great River Euphrates either to signifie as some think that people to be here meant who inhabit about Euphrates which are the Turks or as I conceive to give us to understand that that very people are here intended who shall about this time be looked upon and accounted the greatest people of all others for of all Rivers that we read of in the Old Testament Euphrates is called the Great River Gen. 15.18 Deut. 1.7 Josh 1.4 or the River by way of emphasis Deut. 11.24 Now the people who at this present time are of all others accounted the greatest are the Turks who therefore and no other are here to be understood And which serves us for a strong confirmation hereof the River Euphrates is but once more in all the Revelation mentioned Chap. 9.14 and there by the general consent of Expositors it hath reference to the Turkish power To which let me further add that it being a thing also granted that in the last war to which preparation is made under this Vial as well the Turkish Power shall be engaged against the Saints as the Power of the Beast it therefore seems a thing very probable that the Turk shall by the pouring out of this Vial have some great provocation which shall induce him to joyn hands with the Beast in his so desperate a quarrel 2 EFFECT Drying up of the waters of Euphrates And the waters thereof were dryed up The Turks power and multitude through the pouring out of this Vial shall be wasted and destroyed for waters set forth multitudes of people as before the drying up of the waters imports a wasting and consuming of these multitude● 3 The moving Cause Preparing a way for the Kings of the East That the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared These words render a reason of the drying up of Euphrates which is to prepare a way for the Kings of the East By Kings of the East We are here to understand the Jews who upon the pouring forth of this Vial shall return to their own Land and be converted to Christ And I take it that the pouring out of this Vial prepares a way for both viz. Their possession of their own land again and their conversion to the Faith of the Gospel For as the latter shall not go without the former I mean conversion to Christ without possession of their land The Scripture being full and clear in this that when that Nation shall be converted they shall be in possession of their Land again Isa 61.7 Jer. 31.17 and 32.41 Ezek. 37.21 22 25. Amos 9.14 15. Zech. 2 12. so the former alone without the latter would be a thing indeed too low and carnal to be accounted the sole moving cause of pouring out this Vial which this preparing a way for the Kings of the East is Now the Jewes are here called Kings either for that abundance of riches they shall bring along with them at their return Isa 60.9 To bring thy Sons from far their silver and their gold with them Or rather for that great honour and dignity that God will put upon his people setting them

with the glory of the Lord and also being loath having gone thus far with Christ now to sit still whilst he hath any work to do which they may be helpful in yea counting it their high honour and glorious privilege in case they may but any way become serviceable in this matchless work and design of God they shall hereupon make tender of their assistance to the rising Jews in those parts against the Turk whereupon with this handful of Jews being as yet but the first fruits of those who from all parts are coming up they out of some parts of Italy shall invade the great Turks Dominions by whose power his waters shall be dried and his people become a spoyl unto them which may be intimated in those words Isa 11.14 which as they speak of the time so also set forth the manner of the Jews coming up to their Land They shall flye upon the shoulders of the Philistims toward the West they shall spoyl them of the East together The meaning may be this Some Potent people towards the West of the Turks Dominions as Italy is North-west of his principal Dominions shall take up the cause and quarrel of the Jews and march swiftly with them into his Dominions by whom those of the East an Argument their march shall be East-ward from towards the West quarter to the East that is the Turks shall be spoyled and the Jews re-possessed of their own Land To this agrees Isa 49.22 Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles and set up my standard to the people and they shall bring thy Sons in their arms and thy Daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders And not besides our purpose is Zacharies Vision of the four Horns and the four Carpenters Chap. 1.18 19 20 21. which Vision that it relates to the last times and not those times wherein Zachary lived is clear by comparing the first and second Chapters together which both speak of the same time as appears because the measuring line Chap. 1.16 is mentioned again Chap. 2.1 2. and it is evident though that the Prophecie of the Jews return Chap. 2. could not have its compleat fulfilling though something then was done in the Type in their return from the Babylonish Captivity but must have respect to their last Restauration when many Nations together with the Jews shall be joyned to the Lord as vers 11. And many Nations shall be joyned to the Lord in that day agreeing to that which more fully explains it Chap. 8.20 Thus saith the Lord It shall yet come to pass that there shall come people and the Inhabitants of many Cities 21. And the Inhabitants of o●e City shall go to another saying Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts I will go also 22. Yea many people and strong Nations shall come to seek the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before the Lord. 23. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts in those dayes ten men shall take hold out of all the languages of the Nations even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew saying We will go with you intimating the willingness of the Gentiles to march with them and carry them up to their land at this day for we have heard that God is with you agreeing also to that expresly spoken of the last dayes Mic 4.1.2 But in the last dayes it shall come to pass that the Mountain of the Lords House shall bee established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the Hills and the people shall flow unto it 2. And many Nations shall come and say Come and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord which hath reference to the time of the Jews return as is clear from vers 6 7 8. In that day saith the Lord will I assemble her that halteth and will gather her that is driven out and her that I have afflicted The words therefore as is clear relating to the last times by the four Horns scattering Judah Israel and Jerusalem Chap. 1.19 we are to understand the four Monarchies Dan. 2.37 38 39 40. under which Israel or the ten Tribes were scattered after that Judah or the two Tribes and lastly Jerusalem it self totally ruined and the place possessed by strangers the two first by the Assyrian or Babylonian Monarchy the last by the Roman since Christs time By the four Carpenters which come to fray these Horns and cast them out that the scattered might be gathered again understand the stone cut out of the mountains without hands by which the Image representing all the four Monarchies being smitten upon his feet i.e. in the fourth or last Monarchy the whole Image i.e. all the four Monarchies are broken in peeces together and like chaff with the wind carried away their place is no more found Dan. 2.34 35.44 45. Now compare Zacharies Vision and Nebuchadnezzars Dream together and we may out of both make this conclusion viz. That the four Carpenters whih fray the Horns lift up over the land of Judah to scatter it being the same with the stone smiting the great Image upon the feet which stone being no other than the Gentile-Churches who shall strike first at the Roman Monarchy and at the fect of it which are said to be part of iron and part of clay that is at the same as it now is under the Beast having a Civil and Spiritual power mixed together it will necessarily follow that the four Carpenters which are to fray the Horns of the Gentiles and cast them out that Israel may be gathered again are the Gentile-Churches Now because the power of the Turk especially is that Horn which at present is lift up over the land of Judah and also a part of the old Roman Monarchy as he possesseth those Countries which did anciently belong to that Monarchy therefore the Gentile Churches shall fray his Horns also i.e. dry up his power at the time when Israel is to be gathered And the Reason why they are called a Stone Dan. 2. but four Carpenters Zech. 1. is because Daniel speaks of this power in the first rise of it which as it shall be in an extraordinary way by an immediate finger of God who shall take a handful of his people out of some of the Mountains of this world and by his own power and providence without the help or assistance yea against the stream of wordly Rulers hearts could they help it form them together as a stone to break the powers of the world by so shall the instruments at first be but little low weak unskilful most despised altogether unlikely to break in peeces the great Image but now by the time that they come to fray the Horns lift up over the land of Judah i.e. to deal with the great Turk they are four Carpenters that is they shall by this time become very for midable having by waging war

with the Beast and fraying his Horns got not onely power into their hands now to cope and grapple with the greatest but also the very Art of hacking and hewing down Gods enemies they shall be no longer young beginners to whom time must be allowed to rid work off hands but they shall now become perfect Artists men that have driven a Trade a great while of fraying of Horns pulling down worldly powers and therefore be skilled in the way and know how to rid such work off hands apace and hence in the forequoted place Isa 11.14 it s said they shall flie to note the quick dispatch they shall make of their work Now the Gentile Churches by invading the Turks Dominions with such of the Jews as are nearest for being zealous in Gods cause and expert in their way they will lose no time and by fraying his Horns they shall thereby prepare a way or make a high way for the rest of the Jews who come from more remote parts and chiefly the ten Tr●●es who were carried captive by the King of Assyria who therefore are called the remnant of his people from Assyria to come up to their land and joyn with the rest as vers 16. And there shall be a high way for the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria i.e. yet remaining of those the Assyrians carried captive like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt Yet because some Jews there shall be who shall be in such corners of the world that they cannot any other way than by shipping come at their Land therefore those Gentile Christians who shall have set their Breth●en in possession of their Land making it now their bus●ress to serve God in this work shall go forth with the multitude of their ships to fetch up the Jews from the more remote parts and Creeks and corners of the world unto their own land which is spoken of Isa 60.9 Surely the Isles shall wait for me and the ships of Tarshish first to bring thy Sons from far their Silver and their Gold with them unto the name of the Lord thy God and to the holy one of Israel because he hath glorified thee And although at this day the Gentiles shall be in a manner Servants to the Jews yet shall their hearts be so spiritual that considering it to be their Fathers work will they shall be so far from being offended to see these new-coming-in-Guestsso entertained and welcommed as that they must wait upon them that they shall exceedingly delight in the thing As Angels of glory delight to see Saints dandled and to serve them Now as the Gentile Christians by drying up the waters of Euphrates shall set open a door for the Jews from all quarters to come up to their own Land So shall this kindness of theirs shewed towards the Jews in undertaking freely so great a work for their sakes have a strong influence upon the hearts of that People to bring them by little and little to a love and liking of Christianity and so as I said at first the pouring out of this Vial prepares a way both for their regaining their own Land their conversion to Christ Qu. If any further desirous to know who amongst the Gentile Christians are most likely to be the Instruments in doing of this work My thoughts concerning it are of which I may truely say that not a private affection to any people above others hath been the rise of them but a diligent search of the Scripture to find satisfaction concerning the Angel of this Vial hath brought forth unawares both the questior with my thoughts thereupon which in the general so far onely as I have ground for conjecture I shall here lay down and let the understanding and unprejudiced Reader judge 1 It is most likely That the same Angel or those very Instruments which shall ruin Rome shall also pour out this Vial upon the great River Euphrates because the stone that smites the feet of the Image i.e. Antichrist is the same with the four Carpenters who are to fray the Horns i.e. the Turkish Power lift up over the Land of Judah Now because it will be said That it is as hard a thing for us as yet to find who this Angel shall be as the other for till we see Rome destroyed who knows who shall do the thing I answer would you know the Instruments before you see them at Romes Gates observe then the rolling stone and look for them there where you see that For this is most certain that as the great Image is to be broken in peeces by no other force or power but onely that of the stone so there where the stone is first taken out of the mountains and formed together by God and begins to roll and smite out of that quarter may we conclude the Tempest though yet it be a great way off which is to fall upon Rome shall most certainly come for observe it though the stone by rolling grows greater and greater yet is it that stone still and not another which was formed together at first whereas if the same matter which formed together did make the stone at first were wholly to be laid aside though matter of the same kind should still be used yet would it be a new stone a stone new formed but the same stone that smites at first and not another is that which breaks in peeces the great Image though this stone whilst it is in doing of it is still in a growing posture by means whereof as it rolls further and further so may it have much more matter added daily to it yet is it the same stone still and the outward strength of the stone lies principally in that matter which was formed together at first that being the Basis or foundation of the rest And this confirmes our first and main Proposition viz. That the Gentile Christians shall pour out this Vial upon the Turk because the very same stone which begins to smite the Image on his feet is to break the whole Image i.e. all worldly Powers This likewise confirms what but even now I said viz. That the stone Dan. 2. and the four Carpenters Zich 1. are one and the same for the four Carpenters are they which fray the Horns lift up in the last days over the Land of Judah Now that which breaks all worldly Powers in the last days standing in the way of Christs Kingdom is no other but the stone which Daniel ●peaks of 2 In answer yet further to the former Question I find in the fore-quoted places Isa 60 9. and 11.14 four marks or characters to know that people by who among the Gentile Christians shall be the principal Instruments of making way for and bringing the Jews unto their own Land First They shall be a people inhabiting in some Isles Secondly They shall have great hearts to the work and a longing desire to

Natural and Spiritual Jews too to the Spiritual Jews about the time that Antichrist came into the World to the Natural upon the time of his going out which latter though their coming in unto Christ be long after the other yet because they are the elder Sister are chiefly spoken of and their Tribes mentioned by name and the other comprehended under them it would be a thing very desirable The doing of this may seem a thing impossible but yet possibly it is not so Something looking this way I have very lately had in mine eye that it will do the thing I cannot say if it would I conceive it not meet here to insert it Yet for truths sake to the end the thing in hand may be the more clear and free from all exception let us notwithstanding our former Arguments suppose at present the one hundred forty four thousand sealed ones to be onely the Jewes the sealing to note a conversion of that people yet to come yet will it not therefore follow that the one hundred forty four thousand standing with the Lamb upon Mount Sion should be the Jews also for there seems to be good reason for it why in case the other should be the Jews yet that the Gentiles here should be set forth by the very same number 1 The 144000 of the Jews are so called because the picked and sealed ones of that people but these being the picked and sealed ones of the Gentiles may well be set forth by the very same number of 144000. 2 The day in which the 144000 of the sealed Jews are so numbred is the first day that that People as a Nation shall be delivered from their bondage and enter into Christs rest This Rendezvouz we read of Chap. 11. is the very first day of the Gentile Saints deliverance from Antichristian bondage and entring the Spiritual Canaan of rest after that long Wilderness-condition and therefore well may these be set forth by the same number of 144000 with the other 3 The Jews in the day of that Nations coming in unto Christ shall come in a great multitude in which respect it is said of them Isa 66.8 Shall a Nation be born at once therefore set forth by a greas number of sealed ones viz. 144000 so likewise the Gentiles at the time of the Witnesses rise shall stand up a great multitude set forth therefore vers 2. by the voyce of many waters and at the time of Romes ruine which shall be suddenly upon their rise John heats a voyce of much people Rev. 19 1. Of a great multitude of many waters and mighty thundrings arguing abundance of Gentiles now come in singing Hallelujah praises for Romes ruine vers 6. therefore well may these also be set forth by a great number yea the same of 144000. 4 The Jews and Gentiles two Nations whereof one only had the priviledge to be Gods people under the Law the other hath this priviledge under the Gospel being now both by this great confluence of either to Christ to bee united under him as Head and King and thence forward to have equal Priviledges may therefore either of them being but as two several Bands marching to Christ one from one corner of the world the other from the other be both set forth by the very same number of 144000. To say no more the sum of all is That the 144000 here spoken of are the Gentile Saints SECT IV. OUr second Particular is to inquire into the cause and manner of this Rendezvouz and the condition this 144000 shall be in thereupon 1 For the Cause the accidental cause shall be the Dragons attempt upon the remnant of the Womans seed who by making war upon them to do them a mischief shall do them the greatest good and himself the greatest mischief that can be But the efficient cause shall be the Lambs standing upon Mount Sion vers 1. And I looked and lo a Lamb stood upon the Mount Sion and with him 144000 This standing upon Mount Sion we are to understand of Christs more glorious manifestation of himself in his meekness grace and love the precious vertue of his Death and Sacrifice in which respect he is called a Lamb to his Churches and People where this remn●nt shall be and that more generally at this time He shall make his people generally and wondrously sensible of the greatness of his pardoning love and how he hath ingaged so far as to become himself a Sacrifice for them withal assuring their hearts That the day is come that he is to take his Kingdom and now all they can do for him in way of requital is to gather about him and help him to stand by him in his great work of taking vengeance on the Beast overturning the Thrones of Kingdomes and therefore he calls upon them now to quit all earthly respects and interests and straight-way to arise list under his Banner and if they will but stand to him though they may have their failings and haltings yet will not he use martial Law but lead them and march before them with meekness gentleness and love Here is the principal efficient cause 2 The manner of their Rendezvouz we have vers 2. And I heard a voyce from Heaven as the voyce of many waters the phrase seems to intimate as if the thing should be by some general tumult a mighty rushing of waters a voyce and cry amongst the waters Now Waters in Apocalyptical phrase and elsewhere as I have observed in opening the subject of the third Vial denote the common people and in this place it is necessary we so interpret it because the voyce of Waters is distinguished from the voyce of Thunder which John hears afterwards And further observe these waters are not the common waters but they are the waters of Heaven i.e. of the true Church and its members therefore the voyce of waters is heard from Heaven Yea further observe the voice of waters from Heaven is a great voyce for it is a voyce not of a few but many waters noting that the Spirit now acting shall be general the cry to arise general There had been a little rushing of waters before a cry of one here another there but now what was before set home upon some particular hearts is upon the hearts of Gods people in general and the voyce of waters is a great and general voyce the cry runs on the sudden throughout the Churches and Saints and all are instantly upon their legs 3 The state and condition they shall be in upon this their Rendezvouz is set forth in two things 1 They shall be owned by some eminent Head whom God will either raise up among them or make to appear for them This Head is noted by the voyce of the great Thunder it being the phrase of the Holy Ghost in this Book to call the common people Waters the Heads and great ones Thundrings Rev. 19.6 I heard the voyce of many Waters and the voyce of