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OR, A HISTORY OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE REIGN OF CHRIST ON EARTH. BY D. T. TAYLOR. revised and edited, with a preface, by H. L. HASTINGS. He which testifieth these things, saith, Surely, I come quickly. Amen. EIGHTH EDITION. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTORY SYNOPSIS. Extracts exhibiting the character of the volume. Antiquity. New Heavens and Earth. Kingdom of God. The Judgment Day. The Age’s Crisis. Present Evil Times. It hasteth greatly. Signs of the times. Author’s Excuse. Loving Christ’s Appearing. Author’s method. Pre-millennialists are missionaries. CHAPTER 1.
CHAPTER 2.
FIRST RESURRECTION.
SIX THOUSAND YEARS.
GENERAL CONFLAGRATION.
CHAPTER 3.
CHAPTER 4.
CHAPTER 5.
CHAPTER 6.
CHAPTER 7.
CHAPTER 8.
CHAPTER 9.
CHAPTER 1O.
APPENDIX. EDITOR’S PREFACE. In undertaking to present to the public the present volume, apologies might be multiplied. The existing prejudice against the views here presented, the peculiarity of the mode of presentation chosen in the present volume, the magnitude of the plan, and hence the necessary imperfections in its execution, the breadth of the author’s field, and hence the impossibility of collecting but a small portion of the materials which lie scattered all along the waste of ages past, — all these circumstances might be presented as defences against the animadversions of those writers who might see fit to visit the volume with their disapprobation. The work is not perfect. Chronological order is not always adhered to in the arrangement. There is much that is left out doubtless, and which wider research would disclose; but with my knowledge of the circumstances of the case, I can say the author has done what he could. Had it been the plan to write a mere history, the present volume contains materials which might easily be expanded — but the author has chosen to suppress his own reflections, and to hold in check his graphic pen, so that with twice as much study of the subject as would have assigned him a respectable position as an author, he contents himself with the modest title of compiler. But this work will fill a void in literature that many have been conscious of. It has often been stated that the present popular doctrine of the conversion of the world was of recent origin, but here it is proved, and proved beyond the possibility of successful contradiction. This is the Voice of the Church; not the voice of the Author or Editor,, not the voice of a few obscure and despised Millenarians — not the voice of unwise and over-excited fanatics, but “the Voice of the CHURCH,” — the church for many centuries. It is not the voice of an age or a generation only, but it is the voice of those who caught the words of inspiration from apostolic lips and of those who have followed in their footsteps, running with patience the race that was set before them, and saying, one by one, as their course was finished, “I have kept the faith.” The writer feels that no apology is due to the church at this time for breaking in upon her easy slumbers with this volume. The voice may be strange, but it is the voice of the church. The voice may be stern and rugged, but it is the voice of the church. The voice may seem like the voice of those that mock, but it is the voice of the church. Men may be displeased with this strange voice, men that quote the fathers, and call themselves the followers of Luther or Calvin, may wave the hand and say, “begone,” but still the church claims a hearing. She must be heard, and in this volume the church of martyrs and saints, the light of the world for seventeen hundred years utters its solemn protest against the modern doctrine of the world’s conversion, the modern cry of peace and safety. We need not argue or expatiate upon this fact. The pages of this book contain the voice of the church of the first born, whose names are written in heaven. Were they all mistaken for seventeen hundred years? Was it reserved for Daniel Whitby to correct the faith of these who listened to apostolic teachings, and who followed in their teachers’ footsteps? Has that which was an unknown doctrine or a condemnned heresy in the true church for seventeen hundred years, come at last to be the true faith of the gospel? And shall we, the successors of those who have steeled themselves against earth’s flatteries and earth’s frowns for eighteen hundred years, with the solemn watch-word, “the coming of the Lord draweth nigh,” now fold our arms in lazy lock and say in our hearts or with our lips, the Lord delayeth his coming? How are we certain that the judgment is hundreds of years distant from us, when for ages past the church has considered it near to them? Have we a new revelation? Has God sent forth men to declare that all things do and will “continue as they were” for ages yet to come? Has he not rather proclaimed that the hour of his judgment is at hand? Has he not said behold I come as a thief, and that too, in connection with events that are now passing before our eyes? And has he not said, blessed is he that watcheth? Shall we then cease to watch? If the early disciples were bidden to watch because they knew neither the day nor the hour of the coming of the Son of man, have we learned that that day and hour are so far distant that we may be excused from the watchers’ anxiety? And what are the present prospects of a church that has set out in all confidence to convert the world? How may those now putting on the harness boast of greater expected success than is warranted by the experience of those who have put it off after having fought the good fight? The prophets could not convert the world: are we mightier than they? The Apostles could not convert the world; are we stronger than they? The martyrs could not convert the world, can we do more than they? The Church for eighteen hundred years could not convert the world, can we do it? They have preached the gospel of Christ, so can we. They have gone to earth’s remotest bounds, so can we. They have saved “some,” so can we. They have wept as so few believed their report, so can we. They have finished their course with joy, and the ministry they have received to testify of the gospel of the grace of God; we can do the same. Can we reasonably hope to do more? “It would take to all eternity to bring the Millennium at the rate that modern revivals progress,” said the venerable Dr. Lyman Beecher, before a ministerial convention, held close by old Plymouth’ rock. And what hope is there that they will progress more rapidly? Is it in the word of God? Glad would we be to find it there. Sadly we read that “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” Has God a mightier Savior — a more powerful spirit? Has he another Gospel which will save the world? Where is it? Is there any way to the kingdom other than that which leads through much tribulation? Is there another way to the crown besides the way of crosses? Can we reign with him unless we first suffer in his cause? No doubt the world might be converted if they desired to know the Lord. And so had all who heard received with gladness the word of God, the world might have been converted within twenty years of the day of pentecost. If each Christian had brought one single soul to God with each successive year, the calm splendors of the Millennial era might have shone upon the declining years of the Apostles of Jesus Christ. But instead of this ages of darkness came on. The world did not repent, but the church apostate did. If the gospel were to convert the world, we should have seen tokens of it ere this. But where are such omens to be found? Shall we look at Judson, who labored ten long years before one sinner yielded to the claims of the gospel? Shall we look to the dense darkness of the heathen world? Shall we look at the formalism of the professed church? Shall we look at the wide extension of infidelity? Shall we look at the abounding of iniquity and the waxing cold of love? Shall we look at a world, where eighteen hundred years of toil and tears has not brought one-twentieth part of mankind even to a profession of true Christianity; and where not more than one-fifth claim for themselves the dubious title of Christian nations? Shall we look over a world in which we can not find one nation of Christians, nor one tribe of Christians, nor one city of Christians, nor one town of Christians, nor one village of Christians, nor one hamlet of Christians, save here and there where a questionable faith has led a few, with hypocrites even then in their midst, to withdraw themselves from the world and cherish the untried virtues of secluded life? Surely, after eighteen hundred years of experiment with that system which was to convert the world, men might point to some country, to some province, to some nation, and say, behold the commencement of a converted world. But will not the gospel then prove a failure? That depends upon what is to be expected of it. If the gospel was to effect the eternal salvation of all mankind, then failing to accomplish that work is a failure of the gospel. If the gospel was to convert the world, then if it is not done it will prove a failure. But if the gospel was preached “to take OUT OF the Gentiles a people for His name,” then it is not a faihre. If it was given that God might in infinite mercy and love “save SOME,” then it is not a failure. If it was given that every repentant sinner might have eternal life, and that every good soldier might receive a crown of glory, then it is not a failure. If it was given that an innumerable company might be redeemed OUT OF every nation and kindred and tongue under heaven, then it is not a failure. If it was given that the vales and hills of paradise restored, might teem with a holy throng who shall be “equal to the angels, and be the children of God, being the children of the resurrection,” then it is not a failure. If it was given that the elect might be brought into one great family of holy ones, then it is not a failure. And was not this its object, rather than the exaltation of a worldly church to the splendors of earthly prosperity, while beneath the theatre of their easy triumph there slumbers the ashes of prophets and the dust of the apostles? Are they to hold jubilee a thousand years, while the martyrs’ unceasing cry, “how long, oh Lord,” goes up to God? Are they to have their songs of triumph, while the whole creation groaneth for deliverance, and while that longed-for day of the redemption of our body is postponed? Nay, verily, the hope of the one body is one hope. The hope of the church stops not at death, it sweeps beyond earth’s scenes of tempest and of storm, and reposes in the calm beamings of that sun of righteousness which shall glow above the bosom of paradise regained. Thus teaches the word of the Lord. Thus responds the universal church. There are, I know, with regard to the details, differences of opinion. But this only strengthens the argument. It shows that the church were not led by blind reverence for the traditions of their fathers. But on the leading features they all agree. Wide apart as the poles in their theological opinions, they all agree in one point, that the coming of Jesus and the scenes of judgment must precede the rest of the church of God. They all agree that the church shall never reign till she reign complete in the presence of her Lord. They all agree that earth is not her rest until renewed by the power of God. They agree that the world will not be converted, but that the judge of quick and dead must come upon a race not ready for the harvest of glory, but ripe for the sickle of wrath. And is not this the voice of the prophets and apostles? If we read that God will comfort all that mourn in Zion, is it not at “the day of vengeance of our God?” If Christ is to have the heathen for his inheritance, will he not “break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces as a potter’s vessel?” If the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ, is it not when “nations are angry and God’s wrath is come.” If the new covenant be made with men, is it not beyond preaching and teaching, when they shall not any more teach his neighbor or his brother, know ye the Lord, for all shall know him from the least even unto the greatest? If Jerusalem is to be comforted by the blessing of God, will he not make her an eternal excellency? If God create new heavens and a new earth, shall not God’s saints “be glad and rejoice forever in that which he creates?” If the “righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father,” will not the tares be first gathered in bundles and cast into “the furnace of fire?” So of the whole Scripture. The old earth must be dissolved ere the new one can appear — Satan must be dethroned ere Christ can reign, and death must be swallowed up in victory ere the saints can sing the victors song. Towards those scenes we hasten. The coming of the Lord draweth nigh. The rest is before us, and the toil is very brief. But alas for the world. Woe to an earth that will not repent. The Deluge and the Dead Sea tell us what God has done. The Scriptures tell us what he will do. The Sword shall not always sleep in the scabbards even now it is about to be unsheathed. Watchman, set the trumpet to thy lips! Sound in the ears of the world the dread alarm — “But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come and take away any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood WILL I REQUIRE AT THE WATCHMAN’ S HAND!” H. L. H. Peace Dale, R. I., April, 1855. INTRODUCTORY SYNOPSIS. ANTIQUITY OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE PERSONAL ADVENT AND REIGN OF CHRIST ON EARTH. “Behold a king shall reign in righteousness and princes shall rule in judgment.” — ISAIAH. Says Rev. H. H. Milman, “the future dominion of some great king to descend from the line of David, to triumph over all his enemies, and to establish a universal kingdom of peace and happiness, was probably an authorized opinion long before the advent.” And on the part of the heathen world, Plato exclaims, “It is necessary that a lawgiver be sent from heaven to instruct us. O how greatly do I desire to see that man, and who he is. He must be more than man.” Rev. Edward Bickersteth has well remarked, “There have been from age to age those who have held the personal coming of Christ before the millennium, but where is the voice of the Church as to a spiritual millennium, uncommenced, and to last 1000 years before His real coming? The idea of a spiritual millennium, which is not yet begun, before our Lord’s return, is sometimes called the old way, the old paths; but is it not an entire novelty of modern times? Has it any plea of general antiquity whatever to urge in its behalf? I believe not. Bishop Hall in his list of varied opinions on this subject gives no intimation of it. I have not been able to trace it higher than Dr. Whitby, who speaks of it as a ‘new hypothesis’ at the beginning of the eighteenth century.” “In later ages,” says Dr. Burnet, “they seemed to have dropped one-half, namely, the renovation of nature, which Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, and the ancients, join inseparably with the millennium: and by this omission, the doctrine hath been made less intelligible, and one part of it inconsistent with another.” “We are well aware,” says Professor Bush, “of the imposing array of venerable names by which it is surrounded, as if it were the bed of Solomon guarded by three score valiant men of Israel, all holding swords, and expert in war.” In the language of Rev. J. W. Brooks, “It is still further encouraging to find the number daily increasing of able and pious ministers who are becoming sensible of the duty of investigating this important branch of Scripture, and are beginning to be persuaded of the premillennial advent of our Lord.” The Rev. W. Burgh in one of his sermons relates the following conversation between a Christian minister and a Jew. “Taking a New Testament and opening it at Luke 1:32, the Jew asked, ‘Do you believe that what is here written shall be literally accomplished — the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever?’ ‘I do not,’ answered the clergyman, ‘but rather take it to be figurative language, descriptive of Christ’s spiritual reign over the church.’ ‘Then,’ replied the Jew, neither do I believe literally the words preceding, which say that this Son of David should be born of a virgin; but take them to be merely a figurative manner of describing the remarkable character for purity of him who is the subject of the prophecy.’ ‘But why,’ continued the Jew, ‘do you refuse to believe literally verses and 33, while you believe implicitly the far more incredible statement of verse 31?’ ‘I believe it,’ replied the clergyman, ‘because it is a fact.’ ‘Ah!’ exclaimed the Jew, with an inexpressible air of scorn and triumph, ‘you believe Scripture because it is fact; I believe it because it is the Word of God.’” THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH. Calvin in his notes on Isaiah 11:6-8, remarks, “He asserts here the change of the nature of wild beasts, and the restitution of the creation as at first.” On Isaiah 24:23, “Christ shall hereafter establish his Church on earth in a most glorious estate. At length God shall enjoy his own right among us, and have his due honor, when all his creatures being gathered into order, he alone is resplendent in our eyes.” Says Matthew Henry, “Christ’s second coming will be a regeneration ( Matthew 19:28,) when there shall be new heavens and a new earth, and a restitution of all things.” In his Commentary on 2 Peter 3, Dr. A. Clarke writes as follows: “All these things will be dissolved, separated, be decomposed; but none of them will be destroyed. And as they are the original matter out of which God formed the terra queous globe; consequently they may enter again into the composition of a new system; and therefore the apostle says, ‘We look for a new heaven and a new earth;’ the others being decomposed, a new system is to be formed out of their materials.” “I do not believe,” says William Anderson, “that the earth shall be annihilated, but that rectified, and beautified, it shall last forever as the happy abode of the saints.” THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Says Dr. J. Pye Smith, “The prophccies respecting the kingdom of Messiah, its extent and duration, and the happiness of his innumerable subjects are in a much greater proportion than those which describe his humiliation to sufferings and his dreadful death.” In the language of Dr. Stephen Tyng, “The covenant made by God to Abraham remains to this day utterly unfulfilled. The fifth universal monarchy remains to be established upon the earth. The king that is to rule is the Son of Man, who will make a personal manifestation of himself.” In view of these facts, well may we exclaim, in the words of Dr. William Charming, “O come, thou kingdom of heaven for which we daily pray. Come, ye predicted ages of righteousness and love for which the faithful have so long yearned!” THE JUDGMENT DAY. Milton’s faith. — “ He believes,” says Dr. Channing, “that Christ is to appear visibly for the judgment of the world, and that he will reign a thousand years on earth, at the end of which period Satan will assail the Church with an innumerable confederacy, and be overwhelmed with everlasting ruin. He speaks of the judgment as ‘beginning with Christ’s second advent, and as comprehending his whole government through the millennium as well as the closing scene, when sentence will be pronounced on evil angels and on the whole human race.” That Christ will come to earth again is certain, and in the language of Charles Beecher , “Earth needs but one such man to dwell therein to produce a day of judgment.” In view of that solemn day, how appropriate the language of Jerome, “Whether I eat or drink, or in whatever other action or employment I am engaged, that solemn voice always seems to sound in my ears, ‘Arise ye dead and come to judgment!’ As often as I think of the day of judgment, my heart quakes, and my whole frame trembles. If I am to indulge in any of the pleasures of this present life, I am resolved to do it in such a way that the solerata realities of the future judgment may never be banished from my recollection.” THE AGE’S CRISIS. Says Sir Robert Peel, “Every aspect of the present time, viewed in the light of the past warrants the belief that we are on the eve of a universal change.” In the language of Mrs, H. B. Stowe, “This is an age of the world when nations are trembling and convulsed. A mighty influence is abroad, surging and heaving the world as with an earthquake.” Says Dr. Wm. Channing, “History and philosophy plainly show to me in human nature the foundation and promise of a better era, and Christianity concurs with these.” — And as Dr. Tyng remarks, “While all human appearances indicate the approach of changes more important than any man has ever seen before, God’s Word lays before us just what that change is to be.” PRESENT EVIL TIMES. Says Dr. Arnold, “My sense of the evils of the times that are coming, and of the prospects to which I am bringing up my poor children is overwhelming; times are coming in which the devil will fight his best and that in good earnest.” Says the learned Dr. Cotton Mather, “They who expect the rest promised for the Church of God, to be found anywhere but in the new earth, and they who expect any happy times for the church in a world that hath death and sin in it, — these do err, not knowing the Scriptures nor the kingdom Of God.” Says the gifted Charlotte Elizabeth : — “We shall soon need to exercise judgment in the discerning of spirits. The sixth vial, under which there can be no doubt that we now live, is marked by the going forth of the three unclean devils, of whose miracle-working powers we are forewarned, and He who has deigned to show us things to come, has not set forth cunningly devised fables to amuse our fancy, but revealed solemn truths to guide our steps aright, when our path becomes perplexed beyond all that we have known hitherto, or that the experience of the church has recorded.” And the great Luther declares : — “The older the world the worse. A something strikingly awful shall forewarn that the world will como to an end, and that the last day is even at the door.” In the language of President Nathan Lord, “Evangelical Protestantism has gained nothing for a hundred years. It has been merely struggling for its life.” IT HASTETH GREATLY. Says Dr. Thomas Goodwin : — “It hasteth greatly. And although we may think this dismal and black hour of temptation not likely to come so soon (seeing the clouds rise not fast enough so suddenly to overcast the face of the sky with darkness); yet we are to consider that we live now in the extremity of times, when motions and alterations being so near the center, become quickest and speediest; and we are at the verge, and, as it were, within the whirl of that great mystery of Christ’s kingdom, which will, as a gulf, swallow up all time; and so, the nearer we are unto it, the greater and more sudden changes will Christ make, now hasting to make a full end of all.” Says “The Edinburg Presbyterian Review :” — “Never was there a time when events developed themselves with such rapidity. As the world moves on, it seems to accelerate its speed, and precipitate itself with headlong haste. Events seem to ripen before their time. The crisis comes ere we were aware of the commencement. Speed, — whirlwind speed — is the order of the day.” “It seems to me,” remarks William Cuninghame, “we have entered into that last period of awful expectation during which the church is likened unto virgins.” Says the sainted Rutherford. — “Tell her (the church) that the day is near the dawning, the sky is cleaving: our Beloved will be on us ere ever we are aware.” SIGNS OF THE TIMES. Says Dr. Hales: — “Our blessed Lord graciously proposed these signs, destined to precede his second appearance at the regeneration for the comfort and support of his faithful disciples in these latter times.” How significant the inquiry of Bishop Chase: “Are not these signs of our prognostics of the speedy coining of our Lord to judgment? When the Son of Man cometh shall he find faith upon the earth? He will not find much faith upon the earth. How awful to reflect that this sign seems so exactly the fact.” Says William Cuninghame : — “If we, who have marked every sign in the spiritual horizon for a long series of years, were now asked, ‘Is there any sign of His coming yet unaccomplished?’ we should be constrained to answer: ‘To our view not one sign remains unaccomplished.’ If we were further asked, ‘Shall He come this year?’ our answer would be, ‘We know not; but this much we know and believe, that Christ is near at hand, even at the door.’ Amidst this commixture of dread and alarm, and these groanings of distressed nations, and fond whisperings of ‘peace, peace,’ suddenly as the blaze of forked lightning, unexpectedly as the fall of the trap upon the ensnared animal, and as the dark and concealed approach of the midnight thief, a voice like that of ten thousand thunders shall burst on the ears of the astonished inhabitants of the earth. IT IS THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL. IT IS THE TRUMP OF GOD.HE COMETH — HE COMETH TO JUDGE THE EARTH! His dead saints spring from the dust, — his living saints in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye are changed, and both together are rapt up far above the clouds to meet Him.” THE AUTHOR’S EXCUSE FOR WRITING THIS VOLUME Is well expressed in the words of the venerated Joshua Spaulding, “I have written these things with great trembling, not so much because I know they must be unpopular, and must be considered by this earthly minded generation, as the height of fanaticism, and the most consummate folly; and that to all careless unbelieving lazy worldlings, I must seem like Lot to his sons-in-law, as one that mocketh; but fearing most of all lest I should add unto, or take from the word of prophecy: yet I dared not be silent, and see the world slumbering until the day of God break. I have also experienced great discouragement in thinking to attempt something of this kind, from the consideration that if I am right I shall not be believed; on the contrary the songs of peace — peace — happy times yet in this world, will still prevail, and prevail until the end; but the farther considerations have engaged me to proceed, that possibly some few may be benefited, and also what I owed myself to some attempts of this kind by others, which were the means of opening my eyes, that had been held in errors, as I now think them, for a number of years of adult age.” “It is right,” says Silvo Pelico, “to profess an important truth at all times; because, if we may not hope that it will be immediately acknowledged, still it may so prepare the minds of others, as one day to produce greater impartiality of judgment, and the consequent triumph of light.” And the ministry may well give heed to the solemn charge of Dr. Hugh McNeil: “My Reverend Brethren, watch, preach the coming of Jesus — I charge you, in the name of our common Master, preach the Coming of Jesus — solemnly and affectionately in the name of God, I charge you, preach the coming of Jesus, “Watch ye, therefore, (for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in the morning,) lest, coming suddenly, he find the porter sleeping.” Take care — “what I say unto you, I say unto you all — watch.” LOVING CHRIST’S APPEARING. Says Tertullian, “For since the times of our whole hope are fixed in the sacred writings, and it cannot be placed before the coming of Christ, our desires pant after the end of this age, the passing away of the world at the great day of God.” How sweet the words of the eloquent Edward Irving, “Blessed consummation of this weary and sorrowful world! I give it welcome, I hail its approach, I wait its coming more than they that watch for the morning. Over the wrecks of a world I weep; over broken hearts of parents; over suffering infancy, over the unconscious clay of sweet innocents, over the untimely births that have never seen the light, or have just looked upon it and shut their eyes for a season until the glorious light of the resurrection morn. O, my Lord, come away. Hasten with all thy congregated ones. My soul desireth to see the King in his beauty, and the beautiful ones whom He shall bring along with him.” Says Milton, England’s greatest sacred poet: “Come forth out of thy royal chambers, O Prince of all the kings of the earth. Put on the visible robes of thy imperial majesty. Take up that unlimited sceptre which thy Almighty Father hath bequeathed thee. For now the voice of thy bride calls thee, and all creatures sigh to be renewed.” “Like as the flaming comet — doubles wide Heaven’s mighty cape; and then revisits earth, From the long travel of a thousand years; Thus at the destined period shall return He, once on earth, who bids the comet blaze; And with Him all our triumph o’er the tomb.” YOUNG’S NIGHT THOUGHTS. Such are the views in general advanced in the volume now before the reader, and sustained by the concurrent testimony of a literal interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, and by the voice of the Church. In compiling a work of this character, it has been deemed proper to condense as much as possible, avoiding unnecessary repetition, and prolixity, so that if in many testimonies there is an appearane of too much brevity, or more at least than some might wish, the reader will at once perceive the reasonableness of the same on this ground. The method of presentation is somewhat peculiar, and is chosen for the sake of presenting a wider range of mind. The compiler has spoken himself as seldom as practicable, but has chosen rather to make use of the language of others, and instead of permitting one to relate the whole as is usually done, he has preferred that all should testify, and thus each and every mind be mirrored on the page in harmonious support of the same grand truths. He has endeavored in most cases to let the witnesses speak for themselves, and though but briefly in numerous instances, yet enough is given to exhibit the constant hope of the faithful in all ages. And the names herein presented are no mean and insignificant ones. They are the names of the men who under God have controlled His church on earth, and led her in the hour of conflict and in the fight of faith. They are many of them not only enrolled high on the lists of human fame, but which is far better, are doubtless also “written in the Lamb’s book of Life.” And though but frail and feeble men, they are not to be despised. The doctrine of the personal reign of Christ in the new earth, is of the Bible, and in presenting the combined testimony of a “cloud of witnesses” in its favor, to bear upon the church in this century, it is not with the view of promulgating novelty. We are no innovators. Pre-millennialism has had its advocates among the orthodox in all ages. We seek the old paths, feeling assured they are the safest and most desirable. We have taken our position. To oppose Post-millennialism and its kindred errors we feel bound, and here we throw down the gauntlet. Being strongly impressed with the nearness of that day when the everlasting kingdom of God shall be established in the renewed earth, and the whole human race broken up and strangely and forever separated; under this solemn conviction, strengthened by every passing event, we send forth the present volume of testimonies, fraught with many a gem of truth, and many a thrilling cry, to awaken, if possible, in all our readers, a deeper interest on the momentous subject of the speedy and visible coming of the Son of Man. Time is short. The season of toil is well nigh spent. Let us be active. Every Christian in this day should be a missionary in earnest. We are not against missions. Rather do we wish there were an army of five hundred thousand missionaries like Brainard, and Wolffe, and Judson. Let this gospel of the kingdom be “preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations,” and then let the end — the kingdom, come. There are thousands of Premillennialists in the Protestant churches of Great Britain and America, and Mr. Lord affirms that among missionaries of all denominations that go abroad, there is as great a proportion of them Pre-millenialists as among the ministry who stay at home. And surely the extensive travels and writings of Ben Ezra, in South America; the unremitted toils of Joseph Wolffe and Rev. Dr. Poor in Asia, for a long series of years, who preached the speedy coming of Jesus; the happy results of the labors of James McGregor Bertram, the “man of peace,” on St. Helena, in South Africa, and elsewhere, who not only preached the gospel of faith and repentance, but also urged upon all the consideration of Christ’s soon coming; the preaching of L. D. Mansfield, in the West Indies; of many others in Newfoundland; the extraordinary efforts of Gonsalves, Dr. Kalley, and Hewitson, on the Madeira Islands, resulting in the conversion of hundreds; the Christian labors of H. W. Fox, missionary to the Teloogoo people, with many other instances we could name, now unnoticed and unknown, are sufficient proofs that Premillennialists are not opposed to missionary efforts, and lack none of the missionary spirit. They labor as did the great apostle to “save some” from wrath to come, — yea, almost come. “I have a strong anticipation,” wrote the pious Fox, “that the time is not far distant.” So Pre-millennialists labor. And their faith and hope is acknowledged to impart to their preaching greater earnestness and power. And why should it not? May God speed every effort to win souls from remediless woe, for oh! how solemn, how terrible to be found among the eternally lost. Commending our volume, with all its imperfections, to the candid and careful perusal of every Christian, we send it forth with many a prayer and tear that it may be blessed to the everlasting good of all who read its pages. It is the congregated cry of a great multitude, saying, with a loud voice, The King cometh. The kingdom is at hand! Are we ready? Oh, that reader and writer may so live and act that the stern disclosures of the day of Eternity shall not give the lie to all the fond anticipations of Time. Blessed is he that watcheth! DANIEL T. TAYLOR. ROUSE’ S POINT, N Y., 1855. CHAPTER - DEFINITION OF TERMS — THE GREAT QUESTION: WHEN IS THE MILLENNIUM TO OCCUR? — PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION. MILLENNIUM (Latin) Mille, a thousand, and annus, year. A thousand years; a word used to denote the thousand years mentioned in Revelation 20; during which period Satan will be bound, and holiness become triumphant throughout the world. During this period, as some believe, Christ will reign on earth in person with his saints. “MILLENIUM. Thousand years; generally taken for the thousand years in which some Christian sects expected, and some still expect the Messiah to found a kingdom on earth full of splendor and happiness.” “ Millenium ., thousand years: generally employed to denote the thousand years during which, according to an ancient tradition in the church, our blessed Savior will reign upon earth, after the first resurrection, before the final completion of beatitude. The time when the millennium will commence cannot be fully ascertained, but the common idea is that it will be in the seven-thousandth year of the world.” “The seventh chiliad (or 1000 years) from the creation. All sober commentators take this literally.” “ Millenniarians or Chilliasts. A name given to those who believe that the saints will reign on earth with Christ a thousand years.” It is generally conceded by the Christian world at the present time, that the Apocalyptic millennium is yet to occur in the future, and to commence immediately upon the expiration of six thousand years from the creation of the world, it seeming to be more decidedly proper and Scriptural thus to chronologically locate it: but, as there have been and still are some who deny this, and as those who maintain its futurity are divided both in regard to the manner of the events and the events themselves, which are to introduce and occupy the millennial era, manifestly composing at least three classes of millennial believers; to avoid a multiplicity of terms and introduce simplicity, it has been thought proper in the following pages to classify under three heads, all who have at any time written concerning the millennium of the Apocalypse; denominating them severally as follows: Anti-Miliennarians, or Anti-M., all those who deny that the Apocalsptic millennium is in the future, or those who locate it in the past, though not denying the future personal reign of Christ on earth. Post-Millennialists, or Post-M., all those who hold that the Apocalyptic millennium is in the future, and who postpone the personal advent of the Redeemer, and literal resurrection of the holy dead till its close, thus denying the personal millennial reign. Pre-Millenialists, or Pre-M , all those who hold that the Apocalyptic millennium is future, — the seventh thousand years, — and that it is to commence with, and be introduced by, the personal advent of Christ, and literal resurrection of the just: thus affirming the personal reign of Christ on earth. These terms are frequently varied throughout these pages, and others in common use are substituted, as Temporal Millenialists, Postmillennialists, Whitbyans, etc., to denote the second class; and Literalists, Pre-millennialists, Chiliasts, etc., to signify the third class, whose view or doctrine, of the personal reign of Christ on earth, is advocated in the present volume. Says Professor Bush: “The etymological import of the word millennium is, as is well known, the space of a thousand years. The term considered by itself does not point to any particular period of that extent, but may be applied indifferently to any one of the five millenniums which have elapsed since the creation, to the sixth, now verging to its close, or to the seventh, which is yet to come. But long established usage has given the word a restricted application, and where it occurs without specification, it is universally understood to refer to the period mentioned by the prophet of Patmos, Revelation 20:1-7” THE GREAT QUESTION. Says Bishop Henshaw: “In our day much is said of the millennium. It is a common theme in the pulpit and on the platform. It animates the conceptions of the poet, and the glowing periods of the orator. It is held forth as the great incentive to missionary effort; the glorious reward of selfdenial, liberality and prayer in the good work of propagating the Gospel.” “And here,” remarks Dr. Elliott, “the famous question opens: In what way are we to understand this vision and prophecy of the millennium? What the first resurrection spoken of, literal or figurative? Who the persons who partake of it? What the nature of the devil’s synchronous binding and incarceration? What the state of things on earth corresponding? What the chronological position and duration of the millennium? What the sequel of events on the devil’s being loosed again at its termination? Finally, what the relation of the millennary period and its blessedness to the New Jerusalem afterwards exhibited in the Apocalypse, and what also to the paradisiacal state predicted in the Old Testament prophecies?” Says Dr. Duffield: “Whether that long predicted and expected coming of Jesus Christ and of the kingdom of heaven are matters of literal verity according to the grammatical import of the expressions, or anagogically to be understood, and therefore to be interpreted altogether figuratively or spiritually, is a question of deep and wonderful bearing: nor is it to be slighted and sneered at by any one professing to love and reverence the sacred oracles of God. It is vital to all our hopes, and forms the very warp and woof of all the Scriptural revelations on the subject. It must be met; and will be candidly examined by every man who loves the truth, and is unwilling to be swayed by the dogmas of others. The decision, we contend, must be had from the word of God itself.” Charles Beecher thus earnestly inquires: “Is the second coming of the Son of Man now nigh at hand? Is it in other words the commencement and the cause, or the climax and the product of the millennium? This is the simple question now in the providence of God first claiming the solemn attention of the churches. That he shall return in majesty to judge the earth, we all believe. The simple question where we differ is, WHEN? To the answer of this question, I believe, the church is solemnly called.” PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION. Says Bishop Jeremy Taylor: “In all the interpretations of Scripture, the literal sense is to be presumed and chosen unless there be evident cause to the contrary. Says Prof. J. A. Ernesti: “There is in fact but one and the same method of interpretation common to all books whatever be their subject. And the same grammatical principles and precepts, ought to be the common guide in the interpretation of all. * * Theologians are right, therefore, when they aiffirm the literal sense, or that which is derived from the knowledge Of words, to be the only true one; for that mystical sense, which indeed is incorrectly called a sense, belongs altogether to the thing and not to the words.” Says the learned Vitringa: “We must never depart from the literal meaning of the subject mentioned in its own appropriate name, if all or its principal attributes square with the subject of the prophecy — an unerring canon, he adds, and of great use.” Says Martin Luther: “That which I have so often insisted on elsewhere, I here once more repeat, viz.: that the Christian should direct his first efforts toward understanding the literal sense (as it is called) of Scripture, which alone is the substance of faith and of Christian theology. * * The allegorical sense is commonly uncertain and by no means safe to build our faith upon: for it usually depends on human opinion and conjecture only, on which if a man lean, he will find it no better than the Egyptian reed. Therefore Origen, Jerome, and similar of the fathers are to be avoided with the whole of that Alexandrian school which, according to Eusebius and Jerome, formerly abounded in this species of interpretation. For later writers unhappily following their too much praised and prevailing example, it has come to pass that men make just what they please of the Scriptures, until some accommodate the word of God to the most extravagant absurdities; and, as Jerome complains of his own times, they extract a sense from Scripture repugnant to its meaning: of which offence, however, Jerome himself was also guilty.” Says Rosenmuller.’ “All ingenuous and unprejudiced persons will grant me this position, that there is no method of removing difficulties more secure than that of an accurate interpretation derived from the words of the texts themselves, and from their true and legitimate meaning, and depending upon no hypothesis!” Says Hooker: “I hold it for a most infallible rule in expositions of sacred Scripture, that when a literal construction will stand, the farthest from the letter is commonly the worst. There is nothing more dangerous and delusive than that art, which changes the meaning of words, as alchemy doth or would the substance of metals; making of anything what it listeth, and bringing in the end all truth to nothing.” Dr. John Pye Smith defines the literal sense as “The common rule of all rational interpretation, viz.’ the sense afforded by a cautious and critical examination of the terms of the passage, and an impartial construction of the whole sentence, according to the known usage of the language and the writer.” Such is the system adopted in this volume, it being regarded as the only safe principle of interpreting the Bible. CHAPTER 2. UNIVERSAL TRADITIONARY TESTIMONY. Hebrew Church On The First Resurrection. “And many from out of the sleepers in the dust of the earth shall awake: these (shall be) to everlasting life, and those (shall be) to everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2. Prof. Bush’s Translation. THE Hebrew church and her inspired prophets obviously taught a prior resurrection of the just. The common version of Daniel 12:2, reads, “And many of,” etc. Dr. Hody justly argues that if many, standing alone, could signify all, many of could not, and he adds, “Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth cannot be said to be all they that sleep in the dust. Many of does plainly except some.” Prof. Whiting says: “There is an obscurity in this passage, produced by an improper rendering of the Hebrew words, ‘ailleh — weailleh.’ They are translated in this instance, ‘some — and some.’ Now, the phrase, composed of the pronoun ailleh, with the conjunction wa w (and) joined to ailleh, is the proper expression for these and those.” He then translates the verse thus: “And many from the sleepers of the dust of the ground shall awake, these to everlasting life, and those to reproaches and everlasting abhorrence.” Prof. Bush renders it “these and those,” and says: “The awaking is evidently predicted of the many and not of the whole; consequently, the ‘these’ in the one case must be understood of the class that awakes, and the ‘those’ in the other of that which remains asleep.” Rev. Edward Winthrop translates the words: “And many from out of the sleepers in the dust,” etc. And the learned lexicographer, Gesenius, testifies that the Hebrew word thus rendered “designates a part taken out of the whole.” This beautifully harmonizes with the first resurrection of Revelation 20th, and as it gives the true meaning of the original, we need not wonder at the pre-millennial faith of the Hebrew church. Prof. Stuart remarks, “That the great mass of Jewish Rabbins have believed, and taught the doctrine of the resurrection of the just, in the days of the Messiah’s development, there can be no doubt on the part of him who has made any considerable investigation of this matter. The specific limitation of this to the commencement of the millennium, seems to be peculiar to John. No one must understand me, however, as appealing to Rabbinic authority in order to establish the doctrine of a first resurrection. All that I design to accomplish by such an appeal is, to show that such a doctrine was not a strange one to the Jews.” Says Rev. J. W. Brooks, “The opinions of the orthodox Jewish writers have been cast aside, and confounded with the rubbish of anti-Christian Rabbins; as if, because a man were an Israelite, he could not possibly have been guided into the truth of God. There are various traditions of the early Jewish church which are entitled to attention from the general respect shown to them in all ages, though they cannot be urged in the light of direct testimony.” With Dr. Duffield we would say, “These traditions we do not quote as authority, but as historical evidence of what the views and expectations of the church were during the period that elapsed from the captivity to the coming of Christ. The millennium John predicts, is exactly coincident in its leading features, with the expectations of the pious Jews before the coming of Christ.” We gather the following Rabbinic testimonies from the Commentaries of Dr. Clarke, Scott, Prof. Stuart, the works of Mede, Bishop Newton, and others, as they were by them extracted from the Jewish Targums and Talmuds, together with the book of Zohar, a production of the early ages of Christianity, Maimonides and other Jewish authors. The Jerusalem Targum, or Paraphrase of the Law, written A.D. 300, on Genesis 49:10, says: “The King Christ shall come whose is the kingdom, and all nations shall be subject to him.” The Babylonian Targum, written A.D. 500, on the same passage reads: “Messiah shall come whose is the kingdom, and him shall the nations serve.” Rabbi Eliezar the Great, applies Hosea 14:8, to the pious Jews who would die without seeing the glory of the Lord, paraphrasing it thus: “As I live, saith Jehovah, I will raise you up in the time to come, in the resurrection of the dead, and I will gather you with all Israel.” Capitula, c. 34. Rabbi Gamaliel, the preceptor of St. Paul, was asked by the Sadducees whence he could prove that God would raise the dead, and he finally silenced them on the authority of Deuteronomy 11:21. “Which land the Lord moreover sware he would give to your fathers.” The Rabbi argued, as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had it not, and God cannot lie, therefore they must be raised from the dead to inherit it. Christ’s argument in Luke 21, is substantially the same. Rabbi Simai of later date argues the resurrection from Exodus 6:4, insisting that the law in asserting, “And I have also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, etc.,” teaches the resurrection from the dead; “for,” he adds, “it is not said to you but to them.” Jonathan, the Paraphrast, who lived about B. C. 30, on Hosea 14:8, says, “They shall be gathered from their captivity; they shall live under the shadow of Messiah; the dead shall rise and good shall increase in the earth.” Rabbi Kimchi of the thirteenth century on Obadiah, says, “When Rome shall be laid waste, there shall be redemption for Israel.” On Isaiah 26:19, he observes that “The holy blessed God will raise the dead at the time of deliverance.” And on Jeremiah 23:20, he argues, “in that he saith, ye shall consider it, and not they, he intimateth, the resurrection.” On the second Psalm, Kimchi thus quotes an ancient apothegm. “The benefit of the rain is common to the just and the unjust, but the resurrection from the dead is the peculiar privilege of those who have lived righteously.” Rabbi Chabbo says, “The dead in the land of Israel shall live or be quickened first in the days of the Messiah, and shall enjoy the years of the Messiah.” In the Jerusalem Talmud on Genesis 13:15-17, Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Chanina both affirm that “these words respect some other text.” Resh Lekish refers them to <19B609>Psalm 116:9, and on the authority of Bar Kaplud, explains it as “the land whose dead shall live or be raised first in the days of the Messiah.” R. Sandias Gaon, of the tenth century, on Daniel 12:2, thus writes: “This is the resurrection of the dead of Israel whose lot is to eternal life; but those who do not awake, they are the destroyed of the Lord, who go down to the habitation beneath; that is, Gehenna, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” This agrees with Bush’s translation of this text, evincing its prior resurrection sentiment. Rabbi Jochannan agrees with Gaon, and says, “There are some who study in the law as they ought, and those are they who shall rise first to everlasting life, as it is said, “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life,” etc. Again, we read: “Our Rabbins have taught us that in the times of the Messiah he will restore to life the just,” etc. In another place, commenting on Isaiah 25:8, it says: — “The world cannot be free from its guilt until King Messiah shall come, and the blessed God shall raise up those who sleep in the dust.” Maimonides testifies this is the opinion of many Rabbis. In Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 182 — 1, we read, “Know that we have a tradition that when the Messiah with the collected captivity, shall come to the land of Israel, in that day the dead in Christ shall rise again; and in that day the fiery walls of the city of Jerusalem shall descend from heaven; and in that day the temple shall be builded of jewels and pearls.” Rabbi Jeremias affirms the same, saying: “The Holy blessed God shall renew the world, and build Jerusalem, and shall cause it to descend from heaven.” Rabbi Eliezer, son of Rabbi Jose, of Gallilee, observes “The days of the Messiah are a thousand years,” and, in Sanhedrin it is written thus: “There is a tradition in the house of Elias, that the righteous whom the holy blessed God shall raise from the dead, shall not return again to the dust, but for the space of a thousand years, in which the holy blessed God shall renew the world, they shall have wings like the wings of eagles, and shall fly above the waters.” In the Book of Wisdom, the writer of which was a Jew of the highest autiquity, we find the following concerning the holy dead: “In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble; they shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall rule forever.” Prof. Stuart declares that “the doctrine of a first resurrection as taught by John was not novel to the men of his time, and in his notes on Romans says it was a common opinion among the ancient commentators that the Jews were cast off until the end of the world, and hence understood the expression in Romans 11:15, ‘life from the dead,’ literally.” Bickersteth says that the Jewish writers generally mention together the coming of the Messiah, and the resurrection of the dead, and frequently consider them as branches of the same proposition; asserting from the first Psalm, verse 4, that the resurrection was peculiar to the just. Mr. Humphrey of England, also affirms the same. Calmer in his Dictionary, says that “the doctrine of a two-fold resurrection — which he allows that the early fathers taught — is found clear enough in the second book of Esdras, in the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, and in several of the Rabbis.” Joseph Mede on this subject wisely remarks: “I can hardly believe that all this smoke of tradition could arise but from some fire of truth, anciently made known unto them. Besides, why should the Holy Ghost on this point speak so like them unless he would induce us to mean with them? In fine, the second and universal resurrection with the state of the saints after it, seems to have been less known o the ancient church of the Jews, than the first and the rate to accompany it. THE SIX THOUSAND YEARS. In six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth — On the seventh day he rested and was refreshed. Exodus 31:17. One day is with the Lord as a thousand years. 2 Peter 3:8. There remaineth therefore a rest — [keeping of a Sabbath ] — to the people of God. Hebrews 4:9. Bishop Russell, of Scotland, an Anti-Millennarian, says: “With respect to the millennium it must be acknowledged that the doctrine concerning it stretches back into antiquity so remote and obscure, that it is impossible to fix its origin. * * The tradition that the earth, as well as the moral and religious state of its inhabitants, were to undergo a great change at the end of 6,000 years, has been detected in the writings of Pagans, Jews and Christians. It is found in the most ancient of those commentaries of the Old Testament, which we owe to the learning of the Rabbinical school; and although the arguments by which it is recommended to our belief will not make a deep impression upon any intelligent reader, this will nevertheless leave no room for doubt that the notion of the millennium preceded by several centuries the introduction of the Christian faith.” Rabbi Elias, a Jewish Doctor of high antiquity — lived, says Bishop Russell, about two hundred years before Christ. His opinion is called by the Jews “A tradition of the house of Elias.” He taught that the world would be “2000 years void of the law; 2000 years under the law, and 2000 years under the Messiah.” He limited the duration of the world to 6000 years, and held that in the seventh millennary “the earth would be renewed and the righteous dead raised; that these should not again be turned to dust, and that the just then alive should mount up with wings as the eagle: so that in that day they would not fear though the mountains be cast into the midst of the sea. Psalm 46:3” on which Russell observes, “That by this resurrection he meant a resurrection prior to the millennium is manifest from what follows.” David Gregory, a learned mathematician and astronomer of Oxford, Eng., who died in 1710, says: “In the first verse of the first chapter of Genesis, the Hebrew letter Aleph, which in the Jewish arithmetic stands for 1000, is six times found. From hence the ancient Cabalists concluded that the world would last 6000 years. Because also God was six days about the creation, and a thousand years with him are but as one day; Psalm 90:4. Peter 3:8, therefore after six days, that is 6000 years duration of the world, there shall be a seventh day, or millennary sabbath of rest. This early tradition of the Jews was found also in the Sibylline Oracles, and in Hesiod, as we have seen; in the writings of Darius Hystaspes, the old king of the Medes, derived probably from the Magi; and in Hermes Trismegistus, among the Egyptians; and was adopted by the early Christian fathers, Clemens, Timotheus and Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch.” Baal Katturim, a Rabbi, observes” There are six millenniums in the first verse of the first of Genesis, answering to the 6000 years which the world is to continue.” Rabbi Gedaliah says: “At the end of 6000 years the world shall return to its old state, without form and void, and after that it shall wholly become a Sabbath.” The author of Cespar Mishna, in his notes on Maimonides, writes: “At the end of 6000 years will be the day of judgment, and it will also be the Sabbath, the beginning of the world to come. The Sabbath year, and year of jubilee, intend the same thing.” In the Gemarah, or comment on the Mishna, we read: — “Rabbi Ketina has said in the last of the thousands of years of the world’s continuance, the world shall be destroyed; of which period it is said, ‘the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.’ Isaiah 2. And tradition agrees with Rabbi Ketina; for even as every seventh year is a year of release, so of the seventh thousand years of the world, it shall be the thousand years of release.” Henry D. Ward says: “This view of the course of time in six days of a thousand years, appears not to have been confined to Jews. The Chaldeans, according to Plutarch, believed in a struggle between good and evil for the space of 6000 years; ‘and then Hades is to cease, and men are to be happy, neither wanting food nor making shade.’ Zoroaster taught the same. Plutarch assigns no reason for these opinions; but Daubuz from whom I extract them, supposes they are of patriarchal origin. He adds: The Tuscans had an opinion which the Persians still hold, that ‘God has appointed twelve thousand years to his works, the first 6,000 were employed in creation, the other six are appointed for the duration of mankind.’ Theopompus, who flourished 340 B.C., relates that the Persian Magi taught the present state of things would continue 6000 years, after which Hades or death, would be destroyed, and men would live happy. Bishop Russell, from whom we extract, adds, that the opinion of the ancient Jews on this point may be gathered from the statement of a Rabbi who said, “The world endures 6000 years, and in the 1000, or millennium that follows, the enemies of God will be destroyed.” Mr. Faber also affirms it to have been the doctrine of the ancient Persians and Etruscans, particularly the latter, who taught that “The world was formed in the course of six periods; each period comprehending a millennary; while 6000 years are allotted for a seventh period, viz., that of its duration.” Zoroaster, an ancient Persian philosopher, and founder of the Megians: whom Dr. Prideaux supposes to have been a student of the Hebrew prophets, taught that in the last times after much evil of every kind had afflicted the earth, two beings of supernatural powers appear and extensively reform mankind. In the end another superior personage, viz., Sosioch — a name resembling in sound the Hebrew Messiah — makes his appearance, under whose reign the dead are raised, the judgment takes place, and the earth is renovated and glorified. And finally, a still superior righteous judge, Ormuzd, from an elevated place commands Sosioch to render to all men their deserts, and takes the pure to his own presence. He also taught the sex-millennial duration of the world. Dr. Hengstenberg thinks he stole and adulterated the truths of revelation. Dr. Gill, commenting on 2 Peter 3:8, observes, “The Jews interpret days, millenniums; the seventh is the Sabbath and the beginning of the world to come.” Joseph Mede remarks, “The divine institution of a sabbatical or seventh years solemnity among the Jews, has a plain typical reference to the seventh chiliad, or millennary of the world, according to the well known tradition among the Jewish Doctors, adopted by many in every age of the Christian Church, that this world will attain to its limit at the end of years. Mede informs us that the whole school of Cabbalists call the seventh millennium ‘the great day of judgment’ because then they think God will judge the souls of all men; and he quotes many of their Rabbis to prove it.” Prof. Bush, though denying the authoritative nature of this ancient tradition says: — “At the same time it is but fair to admit that as there is nothing in the Scriptures which directly contradicts it, the tradition may be well founded. It has perhaps more of an air of internal probability than most of the Rabbinical fancies which have laid a tax upon human credulity.” Dr. Cumming writes: — “I state the very remarkable fact, that dating time from the commencement of the globe, and on the supposition that the Jewish idea is a right one, that as there are six days in the week and the seven this the sabbath, so there will be six millennaries or periods of a thousand years in the lapse of time, and the seventh will be the millennium! It will follow from that interpretation that we are now at the close of the thousand years that constitutes the world’s Saturday, and on the very dawn of the seventh thousand years that shall constitute the world’s Sabbath.” In “The Investigator and Expositor of Prophecy,” a writer says: — “There is another event apparently at hand, viz., the conclusion of the sixth millennary of the world. The expectation indeed that at the end of the six thousand years the millennium should commence, is not supported by any direct testimony of Scripture with which we are acquainted; but it is so very ancient and general a tradition in the church, having been maintained by the Jews anterior to Christ’s advent, by the Christians of the first centuries, and by the most judicious of our reformers; that we cannot help regarding it ourselves with feelings of great interest. We look at no particular year, but are persuaded that the true position of the Christian church should be that of expecting the coming of the Bridegroom in any and every year, and to stand with the loins girt and the lights burning ready to receive Him.” “Thus,” in the language of Dr. Cumming, “all fingers point to this rapidly approaching crisis. All things indicate that the moment that we occupy is charged with intense and inexhaustible issues. Never was man so responsible! Never, in the prospect of what is coming on the earth, was man’s position so solemn! But evil shall not gain the day. Truth and love will emerge from every conflict, beautiful, and clothed with victory. The days of Infidelity and Popery are numbered. The waters of evil will soon ebb from the earth they have soiled. The approaching genesis will surpass in beauty and in glory the old. The church of Christ will lay aside her soiled garments, her ashen raiments, and put on her bridal dress, her coronation robes; and the nations will look up to her in admiration, earnest as the waves of the ocean rise up-to the bright full moon enthroned above them. The sunrise of approaching day will soon strike the earth, and awaken its long silent hymns, and clothe creation’s barest branches with amaranthine blossoms. Poor Nature, that has so long moaned like a stricken creature to its God from its solitary lair, shall cease her groans, and travail, and expectancy; for God will wipe away her tears, and on her fair, and beautiful and holy brow, crowned and kingdomed, other orbs in the sky, her handmaidens, will gaze in ecstacy, and thankfulness, and praise. ‘And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain. And there shall be no more night, there. For these sayings are faithful and true.’” THE SIBYLLINE ORACLES. As certain also of your own poets have said. Acts 17:28. One of themselves even a prophet of their own said, etc. Titus 1:12. These are rare and ancient writings, and come to us in the form of Greek verses, comprising fourteen books in all. They seem to be written by various authors, embracing Heathen, Jewish, and Christian, and are of different ages; some being written before Christ and some after. “The Sibyls,” says Dr. Burnet, “were the Prophetesses of the Gentiles, and the Romans thought they had the fates of their empire in their books, which were kept by their magistrates as a sacred treasure.” Some of the early Fathers frequently quoted them. We abridge them on the points in question from Stuart’s Commentary on the Apocalypse. The First Book commences with a description of the creation of the world by the Supreme Being, mostly modeled after Genesis 1. The Sibyl then describes the fall of man, the antediluvian age, the flood, the building of Babel, etc. She then predicts a future Messiah, his miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension, and finally, the dispersion of the Jews by the Romans. The Second Book , which appears to be a continuation of the first, commences with fearful woes on the “seven hilled city,” followed by great slaughter and distress. A crown is held out for all who enter the lists against sin, especially will the crown be given to martyrs. The Sibyl then predicts the disastrous times which will precede the final judgment, in which war, famine, pestilence, etc., will rage. Elijah will come from benyen and fiery flames will consume all things. the resurrection of the body will take place and the judgment by the Eternal on his throne, and Christ at his right hand. The Sibyl concludes by a prayer that she may obtain mercy in that tremendous day. Book Third begins with a description of Belias, (or Belial) who with pretended miracles will deceive many and lead them astray; after which comes the judgment. The Sibyl proceeds with threatenings against all countries — then predicts the Messianic age, which is always preceded by wars, tumults, and distresses. When these end, the “Prince of Peace” shall come and wars shall cease. “He will fill the earth with blessings, and set up a perpetual kingdom among all men. The holy king of all the earth shall come, who shall wield the sceptre during all the ages of swiftly moving time.” In Book Fourth the Sibyl begins by declaring herself to be the “Prophetess of the great God, the creator of all things.” She then describes his empire, and recommends obedience to him. Wars, pestilences, famines, earthquakes are as usual threatened to many countries. The Romans destroy the Jews. An Antichrist appears, and great persecution arises, then the destruction of the earth, the resurrection and judgment follow. After this comes the millennial stage upon the earth. “Again the friends of piety shall live on the earth, God giving life and breath and support to all the pious — most blessed the man who shall live at such a time.” Book Fifth represents the Antichrist as “whetting his sharp teeth” and destroying many men, princes, and laying waste all the world. Great horror is excited, and all the elements join in the battle which finally ends for want of victims. Then comes the reign of peace, when the “divine Jewish race inhabit a great city in mid earth.” Jesus, the crucified, shall return and speak words of consolation and peace to its inhabitants. He is “the man from the heavenly heights” who restores all things, subdues all enemies, rebuilds the city beloved of God, and makes it more splendid than stars, or sun, or moon; builds its tower so that it reaches to the clouds; the east and west celebrate the honor of God, and no more evils shall come. Book Sixth contains but twenty-eight verses, which are in the form of a hymn to the Son of God “to whom the most High has given a throne.” It describes his universal dominion and the peaceful state of the earth under his reign. In Book Seventh the Sibyl introduces the Messiah as creator of the stars: He will be King of all and King of peace: all shall be completed by the Davidic house; for God has given him — the Messiah — the throne, and angels sleep at his feet. To a time of general destruction shall succeed the renovation of the earth, which shall then spontaneously produce all that is needed, and God shall dwell with men and teach them. The Eighth Book . The Sibyl announces her intention of disclosing the wrath of God against the whole world. Every thing shall be consumed. Rome shall first, fall. The Antichrist — whom she supposes was Nero — comes, and nothing shall stand before him. Then comes the end of all things and the judgment of God. Rome shall be plunged into a lake of fire and brimstone, and her wailings be heard by all; Antichrist loses his sceptre, and goes down to Hades. “Then shall a pure King reign over all the earth forever, raising the dead.” A millennial season, says Stuart, is described as following after the resurrection. Books IX and X are wanting. They remain as yet undiscovered, or at least unpublished. Books XI, XII, XIII, XIV, resemble the others in tone and manner. The Sibyls all limit the world’s duration to 6,000 years. Such are their predictions with regard to the advent and millennial Kingdom, many of them being in perfect harmony with the Sacred Scriptures. THE BOOK OF ENOCH. This work is apocryphal, it was first found in Ethiopia by James Bruce. The author is unknown, but is supposed to have been a Hebrew. It was written previous to the Christian era, and is often alluded to and quoted by the early Fathers. It is supposed to be the work from which Jude quotes, though many doubt it. It is certainly antique. Its dedication is, “the blessing of Enoch upon the elect and the righteous who are to exist in the time of trouble.” Enoch says that what he sees has reference to a distant period — i.e. the days of the Messiah — and that God will hereafter reveal himself on earth: the earth be burned and all things in it perish: but to the righteous peace and mercy will be given; they shall all be blessed and glorified, and the martyrs obtain a rich reward: the time of judgment and separation is coming; that the elect One, clothed with power to subdue the rebellious kings, shall dwell among his people, changing the face of heaven and earth, rejecting the wicked, and a new heaven and earth will appear. Enoch describes a millennial period as coming for the righteous subsequent to the destruction of the wicked. Jude’s quotation in Enoch, chap. 2d, reads thus: — “Behold, He the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon them and destroy the wicked, and reprove all the carnal for every thing which the sinful and ungodly have done, and committed against Him.” The quotation, if from this work, is doubtless paraphrastic. Enoch ends with a benediction on the good. THE TESTAMENT OF THE 12 PATRIARCHS. This, too, is an apocryphal work, and probably written during the first century. Prof. Stuart thinks the author was a Christian Jew. It teaches that a King of the race of Judah is coming who will restore all things and reign forever: that God will appear dwelling among men on earth, and save the race of Israel, and gather the just from all nations. “The Most High will visit the earth, and coming as a man eating and drinking with men in quiet, He shall crush the head of the dragon: the saints shall rise from the dead and each worship on his sceptre the King of the heavens. His kingdom is an eternal Kingdom which shall not pass away.” THE FOURTH BOOK OF EZRA. This is an apocryphal work; author and date unknown. It is quoted by Clement and others of the early writers. It teaches the coming of more corrupt times; that man’s evil heart still blinds and perverts him, and will do so till the time of harvest come, i.e. when the number of the wicked is completed; that great changes will take place and strange things happen; that the earth will have its old age, which will bring many evils with it. The consummation will be preceded by great commotions of the natural elements and nations — the end will follow; a new age shall come; the earth shall give up the dead; sinners shall be plunged into the bottomless abyss; and Paradise shall appear in all its glory. In chapter 6, a millennial period of bliss is described, when evils shall cease. THE ASCENSION OF ISAIAH. This work is also apocryphal. It was probably written during the first century by a Christian Jew. It was found in London. and brought before the world in 1819, by D. Laurence, Professor of Hebrew at Oxford. In it we are taught that the Messiah will come take the form of a man, suffer, be crucified, rise again, and commission his disciples to preach; and that afterwards some will forsake the doctrine of the apostles respecting the second advent of Christ, and contend much about the proximity of his approach; that there will be great defections in doctrine and practice in the church; but few faithful teachers will be left, and a lying, worldly, ambitious and avaricious spirit will prevail. Then the Berial (Satan) in the form of an impious monarch, will much oppress the saints; claim divine honors; overturn all the usual and established course of things; be worshiped as a God, and erect his image every where — only a few believers will be left waiting for the coming of their Lord. Soon the Lord and his saints will descend from heaven and dwell in this world; Berial and his powers shall be dragged into Gehenna, and the saints enjoy the promised rest on earth in great splendor. The wreck of the material world will ultimately follow, and this will be the forerunner of the general resurrection and judgment, in which the ungodly will be devoured by fire from the Beloved. “The writer,” says Prof. Stuart, “appears to have been a decided millennarian.” We gather these testimonies from Stuart’s Commentary on the Apocalypse. THE SECOND BOOK OF ESDRAS. This apocryphal writer says: “How much the world shall be weaker through age, so much the more shall evils increase upon them that dwell therein.” In the thirteenth chapter, through a dream, Esdras teaches that after a time, the days will come when the Most High will begin to deliver them that are upon the earth, he coming to the astonishment of all. The latter time comes, signs shall happen — the Son of God shall be declared, and a great battle will ensue, in which all the wicked will be rebuked and destroyed, and when this is accomplished, He will defend his people that remain who are a peaceable multitude, and will show them great wonders. Chapter 1l, verse 46, describes a millennial season as occuring at the destruction of the fourth monarchy. THE CONFLAGRATION OF THE EARTH. “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and His elements shall melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” 2 Peter 3:12-13. Josephus gives a singular tradition concerning Seth, who he says having found out the knowledge of the celestial bodies, and having received from Adam a prophecy that the world should have a double destruction, one by fire and the other by water, raised two pillars with inscriptions upon them to survive the fire, and so transmit their astronomical knowledge to posterity — “which,” says Burnet , “seems to imply a foreknowledge of this fiery destruction even from the beginning.” Dr. Burnet, in his Theory of the Earth on the conflagration, says, “We find little in antiquity contrary to this doctrine.” He then quotes Plato as admitting a general conflagration and ultimate succession of worlds. The Stoics also made this doctrine a part of their philosophy. The school of Democritus and Epicurus made all their worlds subject to destruction, and by a new concourse of atoms restored them again; and the Ionic philosophers who had Thales for their master, and were the first naturalists among the Greeks, taught the same doctrine. Origen in his answer to Celsus, tells him that his own (the heathen) authors did believe and teach the renovation of the world after certain ages or periods Among the Greeks not only the Stoics but Heraclitus and Empedocles also, more ancient than Zeno the master of the Stoics, taught the final conflagration. Among the Romans, Tully, Lucretius, Lucan, and Ovid have spoken openly of the conflagration. Says Ovid : — “A time, decreed by fate at length will come, When heavens, and earth and sea shall have their doom; A fiery doom; and nature’s mighty frame, Shall break, and be dissolved into a flame.” As for Seneca, he being a Stoic, we need not doubt of his opinion on this subject. The eastern nations, the Egyptians, the Persians and Phoenicians all taught the final catastrophe of the world by fire. Fire was the God of the Persians, and they made it at length to consume all things. The eastern fable of a species of bird, the Phoenix, which appeared at the and of a great year making herself a nest, which being set on fire by the sun consumed her in the flames, and then out of her ashes there arose a second Phoenix — Burnet regards as an emblem of the world which after a long age will be consumed in the last fire, and from its ashes will arise another world or a new heavens and earth. The Scythians, the Celts, the Chaldeans, the Indian Philosophers, all say that the world will be renewed after a general conflagration. The Druids as Strabo tells us, gave the world a kind of immortality by repeated renovations, the destroying principle being always fire or water. Hesiod and Orpheus, authors of the highest antiquity, sung of this last fire in their philosophic poetry. The heathen all speak of an Annus Magnus, or great year, at the expiration of which the world would be renovated, particularly after the conflagration, and use the same words in describing it that the Scriptures do. Chryssippus calls this golden age apokatastasiv apokatastasis or “restitution,” as Peter does Acts 3:21. Marcus Antoninus, in his “Meditations,” several times calls it paliggenesipalingenesia or ‘regeneration,” as our Savior does Matthew 19:28. And Numenius has two Scripture words “resurrection” and ‘restitution” to express this renovation of the world. In Adam Clarke in his commentary, testifies that: — “It was an ancient opinion among heathens, that the earth should be burned up with fire; so Ovid, Met. 1. 5, 256. Minucius Felix tells us 34:2, that it was a common opinion of the Stoics, that the moisture of the earth being consumed, the whole world would catch fire. The Epicureans held the same sentiment. And indeed it appears in various authors, which proves that a tradition of this kind has pretty generally prevailed in the world. But it is remarkable that none have fancied that it will be destroyed by water. The tradition founded on the declaration of God was against it; therefore it was not received.” Gibbon in his “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,” testifies as follows: “In the opinion of a general conflagration, the faith of the Christian very happily coincided with the tradition of the East, the philosophy of the Stoics, and the analogy of nature; and even the country, which, from religious motives, had been chosen for the origin and principal scene of the conflagration, was the best adapted for that purpose by natural and physical causes: by its deep caverns, beds of sulphur, and numerous volcanoes, of which those of Etna, of Vesuvius, and of Lipari, exhibit a very imperfect representation. The calmest and most intrepid skeptic could not refuse to acknowledge that the destruction of the present system of the world by fire, was in itself extremely probable. The Christian, who founded his belief much less on the fallacious arguments of reason than on the authority of tradition and the interpretation of Scripture, expected it with terror and confidence as a certain and approaching event.” Dr. Hitchcock, of Amherst College, remarks: “Some author has remarked that, from the earliest times, there has been a loud cry of fire. We have seen that it began with the ancient Egyptians, and was continued by the Greeks. But in recent times it has waxed louder and far more distinct. The ancient notions about the existence of fire within the earth were almost entirely conjectural, but within the present century the matter has been put to the test of experiment. Wherever, in Europe and America, the temperature of the air, the waters, and the rocks in deep excavations has been ascertained, it has been found higher than the mean temperature of the climate at the surface; and the experiment has been made in hundreds of places. It is found, too, that the heat increases rapidly as we descend below that point in the earth’s crust to which the sun’s heat extends. The mean rate of increase has been stated by the British Association to be one degree of Fahrenheit for every forty-five feet. At this rate, all known rocks would be melted at the depth of about sixty miles. Shall we hence conclude that all the matter of the globe below this thickness (or, rather, for the sake of round numbers, below one hundred miles) is actually in a melted state? Most geologists have not seen how such a conclusion is to be avoided. And yet this would leave only about one-eight hundredth part of the earth’s diameter, and about one-fourteenth of its contents, or bulk, in a solid state. How easy, then, should God give permission, for this vast internal fiery ocean to break through its envelope, and so to bury the solid crust that it should all be burnt up and melted! It is conceivable that such a result might take place even by natural operations. And certainly it would be easy for a special divine agency to accomplish it.” Pliny the Elder, the celebrated Roman Naturalist, born A.D. 23, in contemplating the abundant existence of fire, so devouring an element, in the earth, air, and all the terrestrial universe, both in a latent and active state, made the following startling remark: “It exceeds all miracles, in my opinion that one day should pass without setting the world all on fire!!” THE ADVENT AND RESTITUTION. “The Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing, and his kingdom.” — <550401>2 Timothy 4:1. The London Quarterly Journal of Prophecy testifies that: “All classic myths relative to the expected era of bliss announce a Mighty One to come. Sibylline verses, deriving their name from a Chaldee word, which signifies ‘to prophecy,’ are traditional predictions, and as we have them presented by Virgil, they point us to an ‘age to come,’ and ‘a new birth of nature,’ and at the same time link the glorious kingdom they depict with an exalted Personage, who would, they say, ‘reduce all mankind into a single empire.’” The Encyclopaedia of Religious Knowledge informs us that the Mohammedans all believe in a general resurrection and future judgment, adding: “The time of the resurrection they allow to be a perfect secret to all but God alone — however, they say the approach of that day may be known from certain signs which are to precede it.” Sir Paul Ricaut, in his work on the “Ottoman Empire,” published in the seventeenth century, says: “There is a sect of Mohammedans called Haictites, who believe that the Messiah took a true natural body; and that being eternal, he became incarnate, as the Christians believe.” “Wherefore,” says Ricaut, “they have inserted this article into their confession of faith, that Christ shall come to judge the world at the last day. For the proof whereof, they cite a text out of the Koran, in these words, ‘O Mahomet! thou shalt see thy Lord, who shall come again in the clouds!’ They affirm that this is foretold of the Messiah, and confess that this Messiah can be no other than Jesus, who is to return into the world with the same flesh which he assumed.” Robert Hort, A. M., in the seventeenth century, in a sermon on the millennium, wrote as follows: “In Plato’s dialogue, the philosopher having spoken of the first happy condition of the world and its fall, adds: ‘But in the end, lost the world should be plunged into an eternal abyss of confusion, God, the author of the primitive order, will appear again, and resume the reins of empire; then he will change, embellish, and restore the whole frame of nature; and put an end to decay of age, sickness and death.” Hort again continues: “Plutarch having related, the doctrine of the ancient Persians concerning the evil introduced into the world by Arimanius, concludes it thus: ‘But there will come a time, appointed by fate, when Arimanius shall be entirely destroyed and extirpated; the earth shall change its form, and become plain and even; and happy men shall have one and the same life, language, and government.’ According to the authority of Strabo, the ancient Gymnosophists had a similar tradition, and believed in a time when ‘the ancient plenty shall be restored.’ All the heathen nations believed that the renovation would be brought about by some divine hero. Virgil in his fourth eclogue describes the renovation both of the physical and moral world, in a manner very little differing from the sacred writings; and the Chinese philosophers entertain the same notions concerning the corruption, and the future renovation of the world.” The Karens . — This nation exists in Tavoy, a province near Siam, in Asia, and number about five thousand. From the “Memoir of Mrs. Mason;” we gather the following beautiful tradition among them concerning a coming deliverer. Fifty years ago one of their number, to whom a white man presented a copy of the Psalms, was thrown into jail on the charge of “praying, and teaching others to pray for the arrival of the white foreigners.” He was a religious teacher and had much influence over the natives of Tavoy and Mergui, and went every where, making his followers assemble for the worship of God, exhorting them to remember their ancient tradition, “that God once dwelt among them, and that he had departed to the west, that they had the promise of his return, and though long delayed, he would assuredly reappear, and would come with the white foreigners, with whom he had departed, and whose ships were from time to time then seen on their coasts.” “When God comes,” said He, “the dead trees will bloom again; the tigers and serpents will become tame; there will be no distinction between rich and poor; and universal peace will bless the world.” The Aztecs. From the same “Memoirs” we learn that this ancient people of South America maintain a similar view. Among them a tradition existed concerning a demigod or superior intelligence of some kind, who had formerly reigned among them, but at length had departed westward with the promise of a return and a more brilliant reign, to which the natives looked forward as to a certain Millennium, and when the Spanish ships first reached their coast many of them believed it was their returning deity. Dr. Joseph Wolffe. From his travels in the east we gather the following traditions, current among the Asiatic nations. In Arabia the Jews of Yemen, the Rechabites, and the children of Israel, of the tribe ofDan, expect the speedy arrival of the Messiah in the clouds of heaven. The children of Rechab say: “We shall one day fight the battles of the Messiah and march towards Jerusalem.” Rabbi Alkaree, one of the Jews of Yemen, said: “We do expect the coming of the Messiah. * * There is war in the wilderness unprecedented in our memory.” In Thibet , one of their chiefs said: “When you shall see corn growing upon my grave, then the day of resurrection is nigh at hand.” The people of Cashmere assured me that corn had begun to grow upon his grave, and therefore they considered my words to be true, that Jesus will come. The Jews In Persia say the world is to exist six thousand years, and that the Messiah will appear, and the sabbatical: year shall have its commencement. One of their Rabbis read to Mr. Wolffe, from Maimonides, that “The King Messiah shall rise to make the kingdom of David return to its former condition and power,” that “whosoever does not hope in his coming denies the words of the prophets and the law of Moses,” that “in his days the Messiah shall rule alone, and only he,” that “on his arrival the battle of Gog and Magog shall be ‘fought,” that “we must wait for his coming,” and that, “at that time there shall be hunger and war no more, and envy and anger shall cease among us.” The Geubers of India and Persia who worship fire are acquainted with the history of the fallen angels, and believe in the deluge, and that a time is coming when this world will pass away and another will be created. The Musselmans, the worshippers of All and Mahammedan Jews and Mullahs, many of them believe in the coming of a deliverer called “Mohde,” (translated from Shiloh) who shall restore all things before the day of judgment, and be proclaimed sovereign: a messenger going on before him. They told Wolffe that they were glad to find he expected the speedy arrival of the Messiah Jesus; for the signs of the times prove that Mohde must soon come, one stating to him that she had discovered by the book called “Khorooj Namah,” that Christ will come again in the year 1861. “They derive,” says Wolffe, “most of this from their Hadees or traditional prophecies.” The Hindoos have a tradition thatVISHNOO is to come to destroy the world for a season, a belief analogous to the advent of Christ to judgment. They have also a record of the submersion of the world by a deluge. The following dialogue occurred between Mr. Wolffe and a Persian Dervish. Wolffe — What will become of this world? Dervish. — The world will become so good that the lamb and the wolf shall feed together, and there shall be general peace and fear of God upon the earth; there shall be no more controversy about religion, all shall know God truly; there shall be no more hatred, etc. Wolffe. — Who then shall govern the earth? Dervish. — JESUS. Dr. Wolffe says they got this from their Hadees; and he adds, that in his opinion more light is to be found among them than among the most learned neologists and infidels in Europe. In Yemen (Teman of Scripture) a Rabbi told Mr. Wolffe that his tribe did not return to Jerusalem after the Babylonish captivity. When Ezra by letters invited their princes in Tanaan to return, they replied, “Daniel predicts the murder of the Messiah, and another destruction of Jerusalem and the temple; therefore we will not go up until He shall have scattered the power of the holy people — till the 1290 days (meaning years) are over. * * * But we do expect the coming of the Messiah,” etc. Seiler a German spiritualist opposing the faith of the ancient Jews in relation to a personal reign of the expected Messiah, makes the following admission: — “Concerning many things they formed erroneous conceptions, some of the prophets themselves not excepted. * * * They expected it — the kingdom of God — to arrive earlier than it did. They fancied that God would subdue the heathen by miraculous punishments. They believed that they should continue to live forever on earth in this kingdom. They expected a new state of paradise on earth and an abundance of the pleasures of sense. They had no conception of supersensuous or heavenly happiness, and therefore as being persons whose notions were entirely sensuous, they could not conceive of a kingdom of God otherwise than as possessing a visible king, ruling on earth in splendid majesty.” Nevertheless this kingdom will come. It will be a literal kingdom. Immanuel will reign on David’s throne “in splendid majesty” forever, He will be a “visible King,” making “all things new.” O those will be happy times! We are confidently expecting them, and they are at hand: “These eyes shall see them fall, Mountains and skies and stars; These eyes shall see them all Out of their ashes rise; These lips his praises shall rehearse Whose nod restores the universe.” So read we the Scriptures. So we believe. So taught the eminent Stephen Charnock, and so the lamented Thomas Chalmers, who writes, “The object of the administration we are under is to extirpate sin, but it is not to sweep away materialism. There will be a firm earth as we have at present, and a heaven stretched out over it as we have at present. It is not by the absence of these, but by the absence of sin that the abodes of immortality will be characterized. It will be a paradise of sense, but not of sensuality. It is then that heaven will be established upon earth, and the petition of our Lord’s prayer be fulfilled,THY KINGDOM COME.” “The world to come, redeemed from all The miseries which attend the fall, New made and glorious shall submit At our exalted Savior’s feet.” — DR. WATTS. CHAPTER 3. THE EARLY CHURCH, FROM HERMAS TO ORIGEN “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” — Revelation 20:6. THE early church was eminently pre-millennial in her cherished expectations of the Lord’s advent, His coming and kingdom was her constant hope, and she deemed it, says Massillon, “one step in apostacy not to sigh after his return.” And this faith and hope, with her, was practical: even Gibbon admitting it to be “an opinion which may deserve respect, from its usefulness and antiquity.” With her, too, Millennarianism was connected with all that is orthodox. On this point Mosheim is somewhat unfair. He places Chiliasm among the heresies of Cerinthus, in the first century, and yet affirms it had “met with no opposition till the third.” The infidel saw and rebuked this unfairness. Says Gibbon, this “learned divine is not altogether candid on this occasion.” We have introduced Hermas into this catalogue, who, while he may be apocryphal, is still antique. Like Paul, he writes of a “world to come.” Clement, too, advocates a future kingdom at the Redeemer’s advent. Of Barnabas, we observe in the language of Professor Bush: “the genuineness of this epistle is disputed, but as far as the present argument is concerned, it is immaterial who the real author was. There is sufficient testimony that it is the production of a very early period of the Christian church.” Ignatius says nothing of the millennium. His hope lay in the better resurrection. So also Polycarp, who was a strenuous advocate of the personal advent of Christ. Papins’ testimony is both interesting and credible. Of Justin Martyr, the following testimony is borne by Semisch: “Justin dwells with deep emotion on this hope. It was in his esteem a sacred fire, at which he kindled afresh his Christian faith and practice. That this hope in its pure millenniarian character and extent might possibly be vain, never entered his thoughts. He believed that it was supported by scripture. He expressly appealed to the New Testament Apocalypse, and such passages in the Old Testament as Isaiah 65:17, in evidence of the personal reign of Christ in Jerusalem. From the Apocalypse, and Isaiah 65:22, in connection with Genesis 2:17; Genesis 5:5, and Psalm 90:4, he deduced the millennial period. How could he doubt it?” And Irenaeus — how explicit and weighty his testimony. In the language of Edward Winthrop:, we ask, “Is it credible that that excellent and pious father, with the advantage of being instructed by Polycarp, who was himself instructed by St. John, did not know what the beloved disciple held, as to the fact, whether the second coming of Christ would usher in the millennium, or be delayed to its close. We think not.” Still, it is said by Post-millennialists, that the Hebrew church believed the same, and that the early Christians drew their Chiliasm from this source. “It is, therefore,” writes Bishop Russell, “a Rabbinic fable.” “No mistake,” says David N. Lord, “could be greater. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Laetantius, expressly found their doctrines of the millennium on the twentieth chapter of the Apocalypse, and the prophecies of Isaiah 65th, Zecheriah 14th, and other pasages of the Old Testament, that are alleged by millennarians as foreshowing the reign of Christ and the saints on the earth. Not a hint is uttered by them that they were led to their belief in that reign by Jewish interpretations, or traditions; or that they drew their notions of it in any manner from the opinions that were entertained by the Jews of the reign of the Messiah.” Such are the men to whose authority and writings we are about to refer. The opponents of pre-millennialism cannot quote them without being condemned. “Jerome never mentions Justin Martyr,” says Mede, “being afraid of the antiquity and authority of the man.” In the midst of these early Christians we love to linger, while as yet the dark cloud of apostasy had not come over the path of the church. But we give place to permit the early Christian Fathers to speak for themselves. Let us listen with patience and candor to the voice of the Church. HERMAS, ABOUT A.D. 100. Says Dr. A. Clarke: “This writer is generally allowed to be the same that Paul salutes, Romans 16:14.” Dr. Hagenbach remarks that his work, “The Shepherd or Pastor,” “enjoyed a high reputation in the second half of the second century, and was even quoted as a part of Scripture.” According to Eusebius, this book was regarded as a part of the sacred canon by some in the days of Irenaeaus. Dr. Burton and Prof. Stuart date its production about A.D. 150. Dr. Elliott allows the same and pronounces it a spurious publication, but as Irenaeus calls it a useful book, and both Jerome and Eusebius say it was read in the churches, we give a few extracts for what they are worth, remarking, that the real Hermas mentioned by Paul, is supposed to have died about A.D. 81. Hermas predicts great tribulation for the church, and says: “Happy ye as many as shall endure the great trial that is at hand.” He says: “This world is as the winter to the righteous men, because they are not known but dwell among sinners; but the world to come is as summer to them.” Again he says: “The Great God will remove the heavens and the mountains, the hills and the seas: and the end will be accomplished that all things may be filled with his elect, who will possess the world to come.” “This age,” he says, “must be destroyed by fire, but in the age to come the elect of God shall dwell.” Hermas no where describes a millennial era or rest for the church till the end of time. CLEMENT, A.D. 96. The third Bishop of Rome, and “fellow laborer” of Paul, whose name is “in the book of Life.” Philippians 4:3. Says Eusebius, “Of this Clement there is one epistle extant, acknowledged as genuine, of considerable length, and of great merit. This we know to have been read for common benefit, in most of the churches, both in former times, and in our own.” Nor does he deny the genuineness and authenticity of the second Epistle, though he does not speak of it so approvingly. Clement wrote about A.D. 95. In his first Epistle, he says, “Let us be followers of those who went about in goat skins and sheep skins, preaching the coming of Christ. Such were the Prophets.” Again, alluding to some who scoff at the apparent delay of the advent, he says, — “ You see how in a little while the fruit of the trees comes to maturity. Of a truth, yet a little while and His will shall be accomplished suddenly, the Holy Scripture itself bearing witness that He shall quickly come and not tarry; and the Lord shall suddenly come to his temple, even the Holy One whom ye look for.” In his second Epistle he says, “If therefore we shall do what is just in the sight of God, we shall enter into his kingdom, and shall receive the promises, which neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man. Wherefore let us every hour expect the kingdom of God in love and righteousness, because we know not the day of God’s appearing.” He uses the phoenix to demonstrate the possibility of the resurrection. Dr. Duffield, says “there is not in Clement’s writings the most remote hint of a millennium of religious prosperity before the coming of Christ.” Roman Catholics count him a saint. Clement of Alexandria calls him “an Apostle,” which Jerome qualifies by styling him “an Apostolic man.” If a companion of Paul, how valuable his testimony — he plainly putting the kingdom at the coming of Christ. Clement was martyred A.D. 100, by being drowned in the sea, under the reign of the Emperor Trajan. BARNABAS, A.D. 71. He was the companion of St. Paul. He was a Levite, and was born on the Island of Cyprus. He was brought up with Paul at the feet of Gamaliel, and is declared by Clement to have been one of the seventy sent out by the Savior. He first introduced Paul to the other Apostles ( Acts 9:27.) “He was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and faith.” An Epistle is extant bearing his name, in which the writer speaks as though he were Barnabas the Apostle. It was read in the churches at an early period, and was cited by Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and others, the latter styling it,” The Catholic Epistle of Barnabas.” Jerome and Eusebius pronounce it Apocryphal. Vossius, Dapuis, Dr. Mill, Dr. Cave, Dr. Barrier, Dr. S.Clarke, Archbp. Wake, Bishop Fell, Whiston, and many others esteemed it genuine. Barnabas recognizes the Abrahamic covenant as surviving and superseding the Mosaic, and as yet to be perfected by Christ, who is the covenant pledge of its fulfillment. He uses the style of Peter in speaking of the Advent, and says, “The day of the Lord is at hand, in which all things shall be destroyed, together with the wicked one. The Lord is near and his reward is with him.” On the creation-week he says, “Consider, my children, what this signifies, he finished them in six days. The meaning of it is this; that in six thousand years the Lord God will bring all things to an end. For with him one day is as a thousand years; as himself testifieth, saying, Behold, this day shall be as a thousand years Therefore, children, in six days (i. e. 6000 years) shall all things be accomplished. And what is that he saith, ‘and he rested the seventh day;’ he meaneth this, that when his Son shall come and abolish the wicked one, and judge the ungodly; and shall change the sun, and moon and stars; then He shall gloriously rest on that seventh day,” i.e. millennium. He taught the “restitution,” or “renewing of all things,” and said that we should “call to our remembrance day and night the future judgment.” Mr. Brooks and Dr. Duffield esteem this extract as of good authority, and the Fathers who call his Epistle apocryphal, do not deny that Barnabas wrote it. If this be so, and if he was the associate of the apostle Paul, was not the latter very likely to have been a pre-millennialist? and is not this testimony overwhelming? Barnabas is supposed to have been martyred about A.D. 75 by being stoned to death by the Jews. IGNATIUS, A.D. 100, He was Bishop of Antioch. Of his parentage and birth, nothing is known. Greek and Syriac writers affirm that he was the little child the Savior took in his arms and sat in the midst of his disciples, as a model of innocency and humiliation. Chrysostom, Mosheim, Chalmers, Fox, and others affirm, that he was the disciple and familiar friend of the apostles, and was educated and nursed up by them. He wrote about A.D. 100. Dr. Elliot highly commends him, and says, his seven Epistles are almost universally acknowledged to be genuine. To the Ephesians, Ignatius expresses his faith thus: “The last times are come upon us; let us therefore be very reverent and fear the long suffering of God, that it be not to us condemnation.” He also bids them “stop their cars” when one shall speak contrary to the evangelical record of Jesus Christ. To Polycarp he wrote: “Be every day better than another; consider the times, and expect Him who is above all time, eternal, invisible, though for our sakes made visible.” To the Smyrnians he says, that Peter and the other disciples did actually prove by the sense of touch, the real presence and resurrection of Christ, “being convinced both by his flesh and spirit.” And being thus assured of his personal resurrection, and consequently their own at his coming, for this cause they despised death and were found to be above it.” To the Romans, he expressed his hope that all the churches would “suffer him to be food for wild beasts; to encourage them that they might become his sepulchre and leave nothing of his body; may I enjoy the wild beasts; I wish they may exercise all their fierceness on me; to this end I will encourage them that they may be sure to devour me; I would rather die for Christ’s sake than to rule to the utmost ends of the earth; for I am the wheat of God, and being ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, I shall be found the pure bread of Christ.” His reason for this thirst for martyrdom was this, “If I suffer, I shall then become the free man of Jesus Christ, and shall rise free,” evidently in the first resurrection, He was devoured by lions in the amphitheatre at Rome, courting death, and dying in great triumph, A.D. 107. Not one word of a temporal millennium or spiritual reign, but instead the advent of the Redeemer and resurrection of the body, appears to have been his blessed hope. And if, as Eusebius says, he succeeded Peter at Antioch, they were doubtless of the same faith. POLYCARP, A.D. 108. This eminent man was born, it is supposed, in Smyrna. Spanheim says, he was ordained Bishop over the church in that city by John; and Usher and others affirm that John in the Apocalypse addresses him as the “angel of the church of Smyrna.” He was the disciple and familiar friend of John the revelator, and contemporary with Ignatius, Papias, and Irenaeus. Eusebius bears the highest testimony concerning him, and makes him a pattern of orthodoxy. His epistle is both authentic and genuine. Polycarp taught in this epistle that God had raised up our Lord Jesus from the dead, and that he will come to judge the world and raise the saints, and that if we walk worthy of him we shall reign together with Him. He alludes to the other life, or world to come, and asks, Who of you are ignorant of the judgment of God? “Every one,” he adds, “that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is Anti-Christ; and he who doth not acknowledge his martyrdom on the cross, is of the devil; and whosoever shall pervert the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts, and shall say that there is neither resurrection nor judgment to come, that man is the first born of Satan.” Polycarp taught no spiritual reign, but otherwise. Dr. Burnet pronounces him a decided millennarian, and Irenaeus hints the same. He must have received the doctrine from St. John. Duffield, Brooks, and Ward, quote him as confirming millennarian views. Who has not read of the sainted Polycarp? He was burned at the stake about A.D. 167. His tormentors urging him to blaspheme Christ, he thus nobly answered, “Four score and six years have I served Him, and he never did me any harm; how then can I blaspheme my King, and my Savior?” When further urged, his answer was, “I am a Christian” Being threatened with wild beasts, he cried, “Bring them forth!” PAPIAS, A.D. 116. He was Bishop of Hierapolis, where he was probably born. Eusebius and Jerome, both anti-millenarians, pronounce him to have been the disciple and friend of John the Revelator. Irenaeus testifies he was one of John’s auditors, and being a staunch millennarian, he doubtless obtained his views from John. He was also the intimate friend and companion of Polycarp, who was as we have seen, another of John’s disciples. He taught the millennium in all the churches. His writings, consisting of five books, entitled “A narrative of the sayings of our Lord,” are not extant, but they come to us through Eusebius. He seems to have been a personal acquaintance of the apostles. He drew his Chiliasm from the Apocalypse, and Irenaeus intimates that he claimed the sanction of John for it. Eusebius denies him talent for interpreting the prophecies, because he interpreted them literally, but on other points speaks of him as being “eloquent and learned in the Scriptures.” Papias in his preface, says that “He did not follow various opinions, but had the apostles for his authors; and that he considered what Andrew, what Peter said, what Phillip, what Thomas, and other disciples of the Lord; as also what Aristion, and John the senior, disciples of the Lord, what they spoke; and that he did not profit so much by reading books, as by the living voice of those persons which resounded from them.” Jerome who did not believe in the millennium, gives this account of Papias. Eusebius thus records the words of Papias. “Nor will you be sorry, that, together with our interpretations, I commit to writing those things which I have formerly learned from the elders, and committed to memory. For I never (as many do), have followed those who abound in words, but rather those who taught the truth; not those who taught certain new and unaccustomed precepts, but those who remembered the commands of our Lord, handed down in parables, and proceeding from truth itself, i.e. the Lord. If I met with any one who had been conversant with the elders, from him I diligently enquired what were the sayings of the elders. * * The elders who had seen St. John, the disciple of our Lord, taught concerning those times, (the millennium), and said, ‘The days shall come when the vine shall bring forth abundantly, * * and all other fruits, * * and all animals shall become peaceful and harmonious, one to the other, being perfectly obedient to man. But these things are credible only to those who have faith.’ Then Judas, the betrayer, not believing, and asking how such fertility should be brought about, our Lord said,’They shall see who come to those times.’ And of these very times Isaiah prophesying said, ‘The wolf and the lamb shall dwell together.’ “ This is recorded by Papias as a discourse of our Lord, handed down by John the Evangelist. Eusebius himself thus speaks of Papias: “Other things also, the same writer has set forth, as having come down to him by unwritten tradition, some new parables and discourses of the Savior. Among these, he says, that there will be a certain thousand years after the resurrection of the dead, when the kingdom of Christ,will be established visibly on this earth.” Daniel Whitby admits that Papias taught “It shall be a reign of Christ bodily on earth;” and Eusebius affirms that “most of the ecclesiastical writers” believed with Papias. Such are the admissions made by the opponents of pre-millennialism. Such their testimony concerning the faith of the Apostolic Fathers. Dr. Elliot says that “Papias’ millennary doctrine was founded in part on the Apocalyptic Book, as well as on the many other Scriptures well agreeing therewith: both in the Old and New Testaments.” Dr. Burton admits that Papias’ “proximity to the apostolical times, if not his personal acquaintance with some of the apostles, would put him in possession of many facts;” and the learned Greswell oberves, that “Papias’ honesty has never been impeached, and his antiquity makes his testimony to the millennium so much the more valuable.” JUSTIN MARTYR, A D. 150. He was a learned writer of Greek origin, born at Neapolis or Sichem, in the province of Samaria, in Palestine, A.D. 89; some say later. He was converted to Christianity, A.D. 132-3, and flourished as a writer A.D. 140- 160. He was in part contemporary with Polycarp, Papias and Irenaeas. Eusebius says his works stood in high credit among the early Christians. His “Dialogue with Trypho,” the Jew, is considered authentic and genuine. Justin was a real convert to Chiliasm, of a pure character, and looked for no millennium in this world. He speaks of these as “destitute of just reason who did not understand that which is clear from all the Scriptures, that two comings of Christ are announced.” He argued that the millennium would be beyond the resurrection, and in the restitution of all things, quoting Isaiah 65, and others of the Prophets as proof especially these verses, “Behold I create new heavens and a new earth, etc.” When questioned by Trypho in regard to this faith, he answered, “I am not; such a wretch, Trypho, as to say one thing and mean another. I have before confessed to thee that I, and many others, are of their opinion (the millennial reign) so that we hold it to be thoroughly proved that it will come to pass. But I have also signified unto thee on the other hand that many, even those of that race of Christians who follow not godly and pure doctrine — do not acknowledge it. For I have demonstrated to thee that these are indeed called Christians, but are atheists and impious heretics, because that in all things they teach what is blasphemous, ungodly, and unsound.” Then after saying that he will commit his dialogue to writing that others may know his faith, because it is of God, he continues, “If therefore you fall in with certain who are called Christians, who confess not this truth, but dare to blaspheme the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, in that they say there is no resurrection of the dead, but that immediately when they die, their souls are received up into heaven — avoid them and esteem them not Christians, etc. But I and whatsoever Christians are orthodox in all things, do know that there will be a resurrection of the flesh, and a thousand years in the city of Jerusalem, built, adorned, and enlarged according to the Prophets.” The foregoing is according to the original of Justin’s printed copies. The reader is referred to Brooks and Duffield for the argument in relation to Justin’s writings having been interpolated by Romish writers. Justin thus continues: “For thus hath Isaiah spoken of this thousand years; ‘For there will be a new heaven,’ etc. He then quotes Isaiah 65, making the “tree” of verse 22, the tree of life, and adds: “We believe a thousand years to be figuratively expressed. For as it was said to Adam, ‘In the day that he should eat of the tree he should surely die.’ Genesis 2:17. So we know that he did not live a thousand years. We believe, also, that this expression,’The day of the Lord is a thousand years.’ Psalm 90:4, and 2 Peter 3:8, relates to this. Moreover a certain man among us whose name is John, being one of the twelve Apostles of Christ, in that revelation which was shown to him, prophesied that those who believe in Christ, should live a thousand years in Jerusalem; and after that there would be a general, and in a word, an universal resurrection of every individual person, when all should arise together with an everlasting state and a future judgment.” And in proof that he looked for no carnal millennium, but a pure state, he immediately quotes the Savior’s prediction in Luke 20:35-36. Justin taught that the Abrahamic promise of land would be fulfilled at the resurrection, in the renovated or new earth. He also says: “We may conjecture from many places in Scripture that those are in the right who say six thousand years is the time fixed for the duration of the present frame of the world.” Milner highly lauds the character of Justin, and Semisch, a German writer, remarks, that “Chiliasm constituted in the second century so decidedly an article of faith, that Justin held it up as a criterion of perfect orthodoxy,” and Dr. Burnet calls Justin “a witness beyond all exception.” Dr. Cave, though seemingly opposed to his faith, admits that “Justin expressly asserts, that after the resurrection of the dead is over, our Savior, with all the holy patriarchs and prophets, the saints and martyrs should visibly reign a thousand years,” and also adds, that Justin and Irenaeus held the millennium in “an innocent and harmless sense.” Dr. Elliott calls him a man to whose learning and piety testimony has been borne by nearly all the succeeding Fathers.” Dr. Adam Clark declares that “he abounds in sound, solid sense, the produce of an acute and well cultivated mind.” Let the reader weigh well the testimony of Justin in favor of the pro-millennial advent. Farther comment is unnecessary. He was crowned with martyrdom at Rome, A.D. 163 or 165, by being beheaded. IRENA EUS, A.D. 178. Irenaeus was Bishop of Lyons. He was born, it is supposed, at Smyrna, not far from the beginning of the second century; and flourished as a writer about A.D. 178. Basil styles him “one near the apostles.” He was pupil to and trained up under the tutorage of Papias and Polycarp, both of whom were disciples of John the Revelator. The words and memory of Polycarp were deeply graven upon his mind, and by him preserved fresh and lively to his dying day. We give his language on this point both for its interest and to confirm his testimony. Writing to Florinus he says: “When I was very young, I saw you in the lower Asia with Polycarp. I can remember circumstances of that time better than those which have happened more recently; for the things which we learn in childhood grow up with the soul and unite themselves to it; insomuch that I can tell the place in which the blessed Polycarp sat and taught, and his going out and coming in, the manner of his life, the form of his person, and the discourses he made to the people; and how he related his conversation with John, and others who had seen the Lord; and how he related their sayings, and the things which he heard of them concerning the Lord, both concerning his miracles and doctrine, as he had received them from the eye witnesses of the Lord of Life; all of which Polycarp related agreeable to the Scriptures.” For learning, steadfastness and zeal, he was among the most renowned of the early Fathers. Milner highly commends him, and calls him a man of exquisite judgment. His works now extant, and which Mosheim calls “a splendid monument of antiquity,” are five books on the Heresies of his times. He says that certain heretical opinions had arisen, proceeding from ignorance of the arrangements of God, and the mystery of the resurrection and kingdom of the just; and it therefore became needful to speak of them. Then he proceeds: “For it is fitting that the just, rising at the appearing of God, should in the renewed state receive the promise of the inheritance which God covenanted to the fathers, and should reign in it. * * It is but just that in it they should receive the fruits of their suffering, so that where for the love of God they suffered death, there they should be brought to life again, and where they endured bondage, there also they should reign. For God is rich in all things, and all things are of him; and therefore, I say, it is becoming, that the creature being restored to its original beauty, should without any impediment or drawback be subject to the righteous.” Quoting Romans 8:19 and Romans 8:22, in proof, he continues — “The promise likewise of God, which he made to Abraham, decidedly confirms this, for he says, — ‘Lift up now thine eyes.’” Quoting farther, Genesis 13:14-17, he adds, — “For Abraham received no inheritance in it, — not even a foot-breadth, but always was a stranger and a sojourner in it. And when Sarah, his wife, died, and the children of Heth offered to give him a piece of land for a burial place, he would not accept it, but purchased it for four hundred pieces of silver, from Ephron, the son of Zohar, the Hittite; staying himself on the promise of God, and being unwilling to seem to accept from man what God had promised to give him, saying to him, ‘To thy seed will I give this land, etc.’ Thus therefore as God promised to him the inheritance of the earth, and he received it not during the whole time he lived in it, it is necessary that he should receive it, together with his seed, that is, with such of them as fear God, and believe in him, in the resurrection of the just.” He then shows that Christ and the church are the true seed, and partakers of the promises, and concludes the chapter by saying, — “Thus, therefore those who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham and the same are the children of Abraham. For God repeatedly promised the inheritance of the land to Abraham and his seed; and as neither Abraham nor his seed — that is, not those who are justified — have enjoyed any inheritance in it, they will undoubtedly receive it at the resurrection of the just. For true and unchangeable is God; wherefore also he said, ‘Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.’” He supports his statements by numerous quotations from the old Testament, reference to which we give that the student of prophecy may know what was the method of ap plying and expounding the prophetical Scriptures in times so near to the apostles. We give his texts in his own order. Isaiah 26:19. Ezekiel 37:12-14; Ezekiel 38:25-26; Jeremiah 23:7-8; Isaiah 30:25-26; Isaiah 58:14; Luke 12:37-40; Revelation 20:6; Isaiah 6:11; Daniel 7:27; Jeremiah 31:10-15; Isaiah 31:9; Isaiah 32:1; Isaiah 54:11-14; also Isaiah 65:18-28. Irenaeus gives a famous hyperbolic tradition concerning the marvellous fertility of the earth in its renewed state, referring it to the kingdom or millennial era, and says it was related by those clergy — Papias and Polycarp — who saw St. John, the disciple of Christ, and heard from him what our Lord had taught concerning those times “which,” observes Burnet , “goes to the fountain head.” He relates it as from John, and John from our Lord. Irenaeus, like Justin, calls those “heretics” who expected the saints glorification to follow immediately after death, and before their resurrection. He also made the Roman kingdom to be the fourth described in Daniel 7th chapter, and on the duration of the world, he says, “In as many days as this world was made, in so many thousand years it is perfected; for if the day of the Lord be as it were a thousand years, and in six days those things that are made were finished, it is manifest that the perfecting of those things in the six thousandth year, when Anti-Christ having reigned 1260 years * * then the Lord shall come from heaven in the clouds, with the glory of his Father, casting him and them that obey him, into a lake of fire; but bringing to the just the times of the kingdom, that is, the rest, or Sabbath, the seventh day sanctified, and fulfilling to Abraham the promise of the inheritance.” He thus identifies the millennium with the Kingdom of God, placing both at the end of the sixth chiliad. Thus have we quoted this great man at length, but we trust not without profit. Chillingworth says that Irenaeus made the doctrine of Chiliasm apostolic tradition. Eusebius and Jerome both affirm that he believed in the thousand years reign of Christ on earth according to the letter of the Revelations of John; and Whitby allows that he taught “Christ will be every where seen,” his proof being Matthew 26:29, and adding, “this cannot be done by him while he remains in the celestial regions.” Irenaeus scaled his testimony with his blood by being beheaded under the reign of Severus, about A.D. 203-5. How copious and scriptural is the testimony and voice of Irenaeus! And will not the beheaded ones live pre-millennially? The Seer of Patmos answers “I saw them live and reign a thousand years!” THE CHURCHES OF VIENNE AND LYONS, A.D. 177. Their Epistle, which Eusebius has inserted at length in his Ecclesiastical History, was written about A.D. 177, to the churches in Asia and Phrygia. Dr. Elliott says it was penned by one of the Lyonese Christians, and Prof. Stuart thinks that not improbably Irenaeus wrote it himself. We give an extract exhibiting the hope of the early church. After describing the tortures and modes of martyrdom of the Christians during their persecution under Marcus Aurelius, the epistle proceeds to narrate the death of Ponticus, a youth of fifteen, and Blandina, a Christian lady, and says: “The bodies of the martyrs having been contumeliously treated and exposed for six days, were burned and reduced to ashes, and scattered by the wicked into the Rhone, that not the least particle of them might appear on the earth any more. And they did these things as if they could prevail against God, and prevent their resurrection, and that they might deter others, as they said, ‘from the hope of a future life, relying on which they introduced a strange and new religion, and despise the most excruciating tortures, and die with joy. Now let us see if they will rise again, and if their God can help them and deliver them out of our hands.’” Here from the lips of their enemies we have evidence of the practical bearing of the doctrine of the resurrection of the body as held by the primitive martyrs. Mr. Faber on this point observes, that “The doctrine of the literal resurrection of the martyrs prior to that epoch certainly prevailed to a considerable extent throughout the early church, and often animated the primitive believers to seal the truth with their blood,” — and on the same subject, the learned Dodwell writes: — “The primitive Christians believed that the first resurrection of their bodies would take place in the kingdom of the millennium; and as they considered that resurrection to be peculiar to the just, so they conceived the martyrs would enjoy the principal share of its glory. Since these opinions were entertained, it is impossible to say how many were inflamed with the desire of martyrdom.” From this it is demonstrably evident that the martyrs’ hope lay in the first resurrection of Revelation 20:6. Ignatius craving death that he might “rise free,” Ponticus and Blandina hoping for “a future life,” Cyprian attesting that those who suffered expected a prior resurrection and “a more prominent place in God’s kingdom,” and to crown all, Tertullian affirming that the martyr’s express prayer was that he “might have a part in the first resurrection.” Let the honest reader compare this Epistle with the testimony of Ignatius, Cyprian, Tertullian, Gibbon, and Bush, and then decide whether it be not highly probable that the three millions of martyrs put to death by Pagan Rome were mostly pre-millennialists. HIPPOLYTUS, A.D. 220. He was Bishop of Porto. He flourished, according to Dr. Cave and Lardner, about A.D. 220. Photius says he was in early life a disciple of Irenaeus, and eulogizes his style as being clear, grave, and concise. Jerome and Andreas say he wrote a treatise on the Revelation, but if so, it has perished. His treatise now extant, on Antichrist, bears every mark of genuineness. So remarks Elliott, from whom we give all abstract. Hippolytus was evidently a pre-millennialist. He declared, none of the mysteries of the future, foreshown by the prophets, will be concealed from God’s servants. He gives a full exposition of Daniel’s prophecies of the four kingdoms, which, with all the other fathers, he pronounces to be Babylon, Persia, Macedon, and Rome, then existing, “and what then,” he adds, “remains for accomplishment but the division of the iron image into its ten toes — the growing out of the fourth Beast’s head of its ten horns?” And though Rome should fall, and Antichrist arise out out of the ten horns or kingdoms, he being the two horned lamb-like beast, and “being a man of resource would heal and restore it, so that it shall revive again through the laws established by him,” and would on this account be called “The Latin man,” a name containing the fatal number, 666; Antichrist, he says, would reign his predicted time, greatly persecuting the saints, whose only hope will be in Christ crucified, and that then and thereupon would take place Christ’s coming, personal, in glory, for, as Elliott observes, “no other coming ever entered the minds of the early Christians” — Antichrist be destroyed by its brightness; the first resurrection of the saints follow; the just take the kingdom prepared for them (Matthew 25) and shine forth as the sun; the judgment of the conflagration being meanwhile executed on the wicked. Following the Septuagint, he fixed the termination of the six thousand years and end of the world about A.D. 500. He suffered martyrdom under Alexander Severus. No millennium, until Christ comes, is the voice of Hippolytus. MELITO, A.D. 177. He was Bishop of Sardis. He was born in Asia, and was contemporary with Justin Martyn. He was bishop of one of the apocalyptic churches, and was so eloquent and deeply pious, that Tertullian affirms, “he was by most Christians considered a prophet,” and Polycrates says of him, “he was in all things governed by the Holy Ghost.” He made extracts from the scriptures respecting the Messianic prophecies, and wrote a treatise on the Apocalypse, and also made out a complete list of the canonical books of the Old Testament, but his works are not now extant. He was a Chiliast. In regard to his views of that period, he probably followed Papias: Jerome and Gennadius both affirming that he was a declared millennarian. And even Neander admits that Polycarp, Papias, Irenaeus, and Melito, “endeavored to maintain the pure and simple apostolic doctrine, and defend it against corruption.” The time and manner of his death is unknown, but he lies buried at Sardis, waiting with his “name in the book of life,” for the first resurrection, at the coming of our Lord. TERTULLIAN, A.D. 200. He was born at Carthage, in Africa, about A.D. 150, and flourished as a writer, A.D. 199-220. Jerome reckons him among the first Latin millennarians, and Vincentius as the “Prince of those writers.” Prof. Stuart calls him “a truly eloquent writer of extensive information.” Mosheim says of him, “which were the greater, his excellencies or defects, it were difficult to say.” Neander says of him, “This great Father united great gifts with great faults.” Milner speaks harshly of him, but allows him to have been “an orator and a scholar.” Spanheim calls him “one of the first of the Fathers,” and Cyprian thought much of Tertullian, and never passed a day without reading some portion of his works, thus showing his high estimation of them. Dr Elliott commends him, and on Tertullian’s view of the Apocalypse, says, that with one or two exceptions, “there is but little in it on which we might not join hands in concord with the venerable and sagacious expositor.” He also says that Tertullian’s view of the New Jerusalem was, that it was of heavenly fabric, and would descend from heaven to be the abode of resurrection saints during the millennium, etc., which he said would come from heaven on the destruction of Antichrist. He was a rough writer, but was a Christian, and his testimony in regard to the faith of the church in his day is plain and interesting. He says, “We confess that a kingdom is promised us on earth, before that in heaven, but in another state — namely — after the resurrection; for it will be one thousand years in a city of divine workmanship, viz., Jerusalem brought down from heaven; and this city Ezekiel knew, and the Apostle John saw, etc. This is the city provided of God to receive the saints in the resurrection, wherein to refresh them with an abundance of all spiritual good things, in recompense for those which in the world we have either despised on lost. For it is both just and worthy of God, that his servants should there triumph and rejoice, where they have been afflicted for His name’s sake. This is the manner of the heavenly kingdom.” He was a decided pre-millennialist, and affirms it was customary for Christians in his times, “to pray that they might have part in the first resurrection.” In regard to the triumph of truth in this world, he refers to their persecutions, and thus eloquently writes: “Truth wonders not at her own condition. She knows that she is a sojourner upon earth; that she must find enemies among strangers: that her origin, her home, her hopes, her dignities, are placed in heaven.” Tertullian died about A.D. 245, where or how it is not known. MONTANISTS, A.D. These were the followers ofMONTANUS: a sect which flourished in the second century. As we have said, Tertullian leaned towards the faith of this sect. They are reputed by some to have been “heretics,” and by others as “real Scriptural Christians.” Being all of them decided millennarians and somewhat rigorous and ultra in other views cherished by them, they have doubtless been misrepresented by their opponents, through whose hands most of their writings have reached us. Says Mr. Brooks, “What is Montanism? According to some, it is an error comprehending every species of indefinable theological evil that the imagination of man can apprehend; but according to others it was more immediately the heresy of “commanding to abstain from meats,” as being unlawful to be eaten.” Bishop Jeremy Taylor says, that “Epiphanious put Montanus and his followers into the catalogue of heretics for commanding abstinence from meats, as if they were unclean and of themselves unlawful. Now the truth was, Montanus said no such thing; but commanded frequent abstinence, enjoined dry diet, and an ascetic table, not for conscience sake, but for discipline; and thus Epiphaneous affixes that to Montanus which Epiphaneous believed a heresy, and yet which Montanus did not teach.’” Tertullian affirms that it was because Moutanus urged such abstinence by the way of discipline, and no more, that the primitive church disliked him, thinking his views came too near Judaism. Mr. Brooks farther remarks, that “the apologies of the Montanists (excepting what is contained favorable to them in Tertullian,) have not been permitted to come down to us; and we may well pause before we brand them with the name of heretics.” The eminent John Wesley observes, “by reflecting on an old book which I have read in this journey, (The general delusion of Christians, etc.,) I was fully convinced of what I had long suspected, that the Montanists in the second and third centuries were real Scriptural Christians.” In regard to other errors imputed to Montanus, Mr. Lee, in his History of Montanism, shows that he was grossly aspersed and misrepresented. Munscher, a German neologian, and no friend to the Millennarians, makes the following statement: “How widely the doctrine of millennarianism prevailed in the first centuries of Christianity, appears from this, that it was universally received by almost all teachers; and even some heretics agreed with them referring we presume to the Montanists. This is partly true, but we deny that, in general, Chiliasm has been the associate of heresy. Prof. Stuart says of the Montanists, they were all Chiliasts, and, at the same time, justly admits that Chiliasm existed apart from Montanism. It is yet to be proved by unprejudiced witnesses, that the Montanists were real heretics. And if they were Montanism but hung itself upon Chiliasm, as more subsequently Munzerism hung itself upon Protestantism. Antimillennarianism, on the other hand, has been all along the associate and ally of heresy. The heretics were the opponents of Millennarianism. The Gnostics could not tolerate it. The unsound and mystical Origenists opposed it. The whole Alexandrian School with the Arian Dionysius took weapons against it. The Alogi hated it. Platonism and heathen philosophy set itself with zeal to overthrow it. Socineus, of later date, attacked it, and Rome has ever been its enemy. “The Millennarian Fathers,” says the London Journal of Prophecy, “were the great upholders of orthodoxy. They fought the battle with the Gnostics, and most vigorously condemned and confuted Corinthianism; that very Corinthianism which they have been not seldom identified with, but which they ably opposed. Millennarianism and orthodoxy went hand in hand; Millennarianism and heresy were resolute and irreconcilable foes.” But we must leave the Montanists. We admit in doing so, it is possible they had errors which connected with the Millennial truth, tended at last to bring it into disrepute. THE ALOGIANS. CAIUS, A.D. 212. The name or word Alogi signifies without Logos, or Word. This sect, with Caius, flourished about the end of the second century. Both opposed the Montanists and the Millennium. Dr. Lardner says the Alogi are not mentioned by contemporary writers, and intimates that they were not numerous. They complained that the Apocalyse was dark, enigmatical, unintelligible, and unreasonable, and rejected it together with John’s gospel. “These,” says Prof. Stuart, “are subjective reasons, and belong to their understanding and judgment, rather than to the book itself.” Lucke also affirms that “The Alogi rejected the Apocalyse not on historical ground, etc., but only and simply because of their exegetical ignorance of it.” They evidently denied the canonical authority of John’s gospel, because it taught that Christ was the Logos, or Word, and did the same with the Revelations because of its Chiliasm. Mede says that Caius “did his best to undermine the authority of the Apocalyse.” “Nor,” he adds, “did any one know of such Caius, but from his relation; and if there were any such, he should seem to be one of the heretics called Alogi.” Mosheim admits that “the first open opposer of Chiliasm that he met with was Caius, a teacher of Rome, toward the end of the second century. On this ground he denied that the Apocalypse was written by John, and ascribed it rather to Corinthus. But he effected very little.” Dr. Burnet says that Caius called the visions of John, “monstrous stories.” He ascribed a gross sensualism to the Millennium of the Revelations, which John never taught. Prof. Stuart says “the ground of his opposition is merely, and only his antipathy to Chiliasm,” and also remarks that “his judgment has very little claim to our respect or consideration. The fact that he palmed a carnal Millennium upon the Apocalyse is enough to show how little he understood the book, and indeed how little he had studied it.” Here we have the character of that opposition which, still in embryo, began to develop itself against the Millennium. What was its character? Readers, “Judge ye!” CLEMENT, A.D. 192. Clement, Bishop of Alexandria, was born at Athens, and flourished, A.D. 192, and he himself affirms that he had heard those preach whose doctrines had been immediately received from the Apostles. Eusebius calls him an “incomparable master of the Christian philosophy.” Clement was contemporary with Tertullian. Neander attributes to him ‘great knowledge about divine matters;” but Dr. Murdoch, while allowing the same, declares that “he construed the Bible allegorically, and fancifully.” H. D. Ward affirms that Clement “takes no notice of the Millennium:” he does not directly, but still he hints at it. Dr. Burnet says, “He has not said any thing that I know of, either for or against the Millennium’ but he takes notice ‘that the seventh day has been accounted sacred both by the Hebrews and Greeks, because of the revolution of the world, and the renovation of all things.’” Giving this as a reason for keeping that day, Burnet remarks, that “it can be in no other sense than that the seventh day represents the seventh Millennium, in which the kingdom and renovation are to be.” G.H. Wood, of England, seems to put Clement among the Millennarians, but it may be for the same reason that Jeremy Taylor reckons Origen as one, because he believed in the consummation at the end of six chiliads. Clement addresses the heathen thus: “Therefore Jesus cries aloud, personally urging us, because the kingdom of heaven is at hand: he converts men by fear,” etc. “This,” says Dr. Duffield, “is Peter’s argument, ( 1 Peter 4:7) and it proves that he regarded the kingdom of heaven, as the prophets testify, to be introduced by judgment; his ideas of that kingdom must have been radically different from those of the spiritualists.” The place, time, and manner of Clement’s death is unknown. CYPRIAN, A.D. 220. He was Bishop of Carthage, which was his birth-place. In early life he was a heathen teacher of rhetoric, but afterward became a zealous Christian, and flourished as a writer, A.D. 220-250. Laetantius says of him, “Cyprian alone was the chief and famous writer;” and Erasmus declares that he spoke the purest Latin of any of the Latin Fathers. Mosheim calls him “a prelate of eminent merit;” and both Milner and Neander highly laud his character. He was a sincere admirer of Tertullian and professed to be his disciple, calling him “master.” Mede regarded him as a decided believer in the Millennium. Cyprian said to his Christian brethren, “Christ is coming to avenge our sufferings;” and Mr. Ward remarks of him that “He appeared to have been waiting for the coming of the Lord to overthrow Antichrist and to give his saints the kingdom.” Cyprian writes as follows: “It were a self-contradictory and incompatible thing for us, who pray that the kingdom of God may quickly come, to be looking for long life here below. * * Let us ever in anxiety and cautiousness be awaiting the sudden advent of the Lord, for as those things which were foretold are come to pass, so those things will follow which are yet promised; the Lord himself giving assurance and saying, ‘When you see all these things come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.’ Dearest brethren, the kingdom of God has begun to be nigh at hand; reward of life, joy, eternal salvation, perpetual happiness, and possession of Paradise, lately lost, are already coming nigh while the world passes away.” He certainly looked for no Millennial kingdom prior to the advent of Christ. Dr. Burnet says that with the other Fathers he fixed the period of 6000 years, and made the seventh Millennium “the consummation of all,” and Dr. Elliott confirms the same. Cyprian informs us that the thirst for martyrdom which existed among Christians, arose from their supposing that those who suffered for Christ would obtain a more distinguished lot in his kingdom, and which expectation is ia perfect keeping with Hebrews 11:35-40. He coveted martyrdom, and when his sentence of death was read to him, he said, “I heartily thank Almighty God.” He was led to the block, A.D. 258, amid the weeping and lamentations of the people who loved him, and who cried, “Let us also be beheaded with him.” Reader, are you with the pious Cyprian, awaiting “the sudden advent of the Lord?” METHODIUS, A.D. 260. He was first Bishop of Olympus, and afterwards of Tyre. This Christian writer flourished about A.D. 260-290, and is allowed by Neander to have been a Chiliast. He was the firm opponent of Origen, and charged that fanciful interpreter with heresy. His work is not known to be extant, but the following passage from it is quoted by Proclus in Epiphanius. He says: “It is to be expected that, at the conflagration, the creation shall suffer a vehement commotion, as if it were about to die: whereby it shall be renovated, and not perish: to the end that we, then also renovated, may dwell in the renewed world free from sorrow. Thus it is said in Psalm 104: ‘Thou wilt send forth thy Spirit, and they shall be created, and thou wilt renew the face of the earth.’ For seeing that after this world there shall be an earth, of necessity there must be inhabitants; and these shall die no more, but be as angels, irreversibly in an incorruptible state, doing all most excellent things.” He was evidently a Pre-millennialist, and Whitby at antipodes with his sentiments, allows that “Methodius held to a pure Millennium — free from every thing sensual.” He was crowned with martyrdom under the reign of Decius, A.D. 312. NEPOS AND CORACION, A.D. 250. These both flourished about A.D. 250, the former being a learned Egyptian Bishop, We have none of their writings. Prof. Stuart says that Nepos was a strong Millennarian, and Coracion joined him. Nepos wrote a book against the Allegorists, and in defence of his Millennarian views; in which he everywhere appeals to the Apocalypse in support of them.” Says Mr. Brooks,”he wrote a book entitled ‘The Reprehensions of Allegorizers,’ which was specially directed against who now began to explain the Millennium figuratively.” Moshiem says, “Nepos attempted to revive its (the Millennium’s) authority in a work written against the Allegorists, as he contemptuously styled the opposers of the Millennium.” Dr. Cave says “he was a man skilled in the Holy Scriptures, and also a poet, and that he had fallen into the error of the Millennarians, and had published books to show that the promises made in the Scriptures to good men were according to the sense and opinions of the Jews to be literally understood.” Nepos’s views have been denominated sensual, but like many others of the Millennary Fathers, he has probably been misrepresented and misunderstood. That he was a Pre-millennialist is most certain, even Whitby allowing that Nepos taught “after this (first) resurrection the Kingdom of Christ was to be upon earth a thousand years, and the saints were to reign with him.” Such was the Scriptural faith of Nepos; but the reader can perceive by this testimony the sad departure from the faith of the earlier Christians, and the exhibition of that blighting spiritualism which had begun imperceptibly to creep into the church of God through the influence of OriGen CHAPTER 4. FROM ORIGEN TO AUGUSTINE. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; * * and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned into fables.” — 2TIMOTHY 4:3-4. UP to this period, we meet with no writer of reputed soundness in the faith, or of distinction in the church, who opposed the doctrine of Christ’s millennial reign. The most that can be said of some of them, is, that they do not mention the doctrine in their writings, but at the same time, all that do refer to it adopt the Pre-millennial view, and do not even appear to dream of any other. We have traced the doctrine back through the Hebrew church for many centuries prior to the Lord’s first advent. We have traced it through the early Church back to the inspired apostles, and forward to times of apostacy. And for the first time in the whole history of Chiliasm, it now began to be strenuously opposed. Would that ,we could speak well of the soundless of its opposers. But we cannot. Truth forbids it. We are obliged in some instances at least, to rank them among the most unreliable and spiritualizing interpreters of God’s sacred Word. And we begin with ORIGEN, A.D. 250. Origen had his birth at Alexandria, A.D. 185. He was unquestionably a man of great talents, an indefatigable student, and the well known champion of Anti-millennarianism. But what shall we say of him? He was certainly a strange professor of Christianity. He circulated two books on magic attributed to Jannes and Jambres, representing those two prime magicians of the court of Pharaoh as inspired prophets. He taught that magic was a true and lawfulscience. From his master Ammonius, he learned the art of communicating with the demons. “He went so far,” says Hagenbach, “that contrary to general opinion, he did not even take from Satan all hope of future pardon.” Dr. Clarke says, that according to his plan of interpretation, “The sacred writings may be obliged to say anything, everything, or nothing, according to the fancy, peculiar creed, or caprice of the interpreter.” Glassius says that “it was from the allegorical system of Origen that Porphyry, his pupil, drew the strength of his arguments, as well as the point of his ridicule against Christianity.” Origen taught that “the Scriptures were of little use, if we understand them as they are written;” that “words in many parts of the Bible convey no meaning at all;” that “the Scriptures are full of mysteries, and have a three-fold sense, viz., a literal, a moral, and a mystical, and that the literal sense was worthless.” He also taught the preexistence of human souls previous to the creation, and perhaps from eternity; their condemnation to animate mortal bodies in order to expiate faults committed in their pre-existent state; a spiritual or ethereal resurrection of the body; the universal restoration of the damned, after a limited punishment, to a state of probation, etc., etc. The Universalists have usually claimed Origen as one of their faith. He brought in a torrent of allegory on the church which, according to Mosheim, Dufield, and other good authority evidently laid the foundation for the rise of the Papal hierarchy; the monks being his enthusiastic admirers. Church historians speak of Origen as follows: Spanheim says, “The genius of Origen was too luxuriant, and inclined to allegory; and he fell into several doctrinal errors, which afterward supplied fuel for the flames of discord, and produced deplorable effects in the church.” Mosheim observes: “After all the encomiums we have given to Origen, * * it is not without deep concern, we are obliged to add that he also, by an unhappy method of interpretation, opened a secure retreat for all sorts of errors, which a wild and irregular imagination could bring forth.” He then alludes to Origen’s system of interpretation, and calls it “wild, fanciful, chimerical, mystical, licentious.” He says again on the doctrine of the Millennium: “Now its credit began to decline, principally through the influence and authority of Origen, who opposed it with the greatest warmth, because it was incompatible with some of his favorite sentiments.” Milner declares that, “No man, not altogether unsound and hypocritical, ever injured the church of Christ more than Origen did. From the fanciful mode of allegory introduced by him, uncontrolled by Scriptural rule and order, arose a vitiated method of commenting on the Scriptures, which has been succeeded by a contempt of types and figures altogether, just as his fanciful ideas of letter and spirit tended to remove from men’s minds all right conception of genuine Christianity. A thick mist for ages pervaded the Christian world, supported by his absurd allegorical mode. The learned alone were looked at as guides implicitly to be followed, and the vulgar, when the literal sense was hissed off the stage, had nothing to do but to follow the authority of the learned. It was not till the days of Luther and Melancthon that this evil was fairly and successfully opposed.” “He was famous,” says Saurin, “for the extent of his genius, and at the same time for the extravagance of it; admired on the one hand for attacking and refuting the errors of the enemies of religion, and blamed on the other for injuring the very religion that he defended, by mixing with it errors monstrous in their kind, and almost infinite in their number.”... “In spite of all his Greek and Hebrew, he was a sorry philosopher, and a very bad divine. The Church has condemned his doctrine in the gross. All his philosophy was taken from the ideas of Plato.” Dr. A. Clarke justly observes, that “every friend of rational piety and genuine Christianity, must lament that a man of so much learning and unaffected godliness, should have been led to countenance, much less to recommend a plan of interpreting the Divine Oracles, in many respects the most fittile, absurd, and dangerous that can possibly be conceived.” No orthodox Bible student will for a moment admire the soundness of his system of Biblical interpretation. The great Martin Luther wrote, “Origen is to be avoided.” But, the Emperor patronized him, and finally Origen and his fellows prepared the way of Mystery, Babylon. Well may the London Quarterly Journal of Prophecy, ask, “Are we to call Origen a Christian?” At least his opposition to Chiliasm should by the church be accounted as nothing, and those who mention his name in such connection, get to themselves no honor. We are aware that Origen died a martyr, but his principles of Scripture interpretation we deplore and condemn. “Origen, Augustine, and Jerome,” observes the critical author of the Theological and Literary Journal, “do not deny that the prediction of the restoration of the Israelites, the rebuilding of Jerusalem, the first resurrection, and the reign of the Messiah, teach, if taken in their literal sense, what the Chiliasts ascribe to them. They admit it; but they maintain that that is not their true sense.” How could they do otherwise, we ask, when Origen had “laid down the broad principle,” writes President Porter, “that the scriptures are of little use to those who understand them as they are written!” Still the Anti-millennarian Fathers held to the earth’s renovation. “God will make new heavens and a new earth,” wrote Jerome, “not other heavens and another earth, but the former ones changed into better;” and even as late as Gregory the Great, we find him saying, “others are not to be created, but these same renewed.” Again, on Ecclesiastes 3:14, he thus comments — “They will pass as to their present figure or appearance, but as to their substance, they will remain for ever.” This doctrine, like that of the world’s sex-millennial duration, seems never to have been utterly abandoned, even during the middle ages, when the millennial reign was laid aside or deemed in the past. ORIGEN’S ADMISSIONS. Origen was an Anti-millennarian, but still we do not give him to the modern Post-millennialists. He allows a first and second resurrection, and we have yet to learn that he postpones the advent of Christ till the end of the seventh thousand years; “on the contrary,” says Mr. Brooks, “he states his expectation of the renovation of all things in the seventh millennary of the world,” and for this declaration of faith, Bishop Jeremy Taylor ranks Origen among the decided Millennarians, as also some others have done. Origen also denied, says Bishop Taylor, the reception of pious souls into heaven, immediately at death, but places their reward at the resurrection. Origen himself says in the thirteenth book of his work, against Celsus, “We do not deny the purging fire of the destruction of wickedness, and the renovation of all things,” and the “Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge’ states that he taught “that the earth, after its conflagration, shall become habitable again, and be the mansion of men,” and as this “renovation by fire” was to take place in the seventh millennium, he gives no support to the modern Whitbian system, but was virtually a Pre-millennialist. In his thirteenth Homily on Jeremiah, he says: “If any man shall preserve the washing of the Holy Spirit, he shall have his part in the first resurrection; but if any man be saved in the second resurrection only, it is the sinner that needeth the baptism of fire. Let us lay the Scriptures to heart, that we may be raised up with the saints, and have our lot with Jesus Christ.” To admit two resurrections, is to admit a cardinal point in Millennarian doctrine. It is but just to say of Origen, that unlike Caius, he received the Apocalypse as genuine and canonical. In being an Anti-millennarian, he seems simply to have laid aside the Millennium as being the seventh thousand Years, and expected an eternal age to commence at the coming of the Lord. Had he been a literalist he would not have done so, for he admits that “they who deny the millennium, are they who interpret the sayings of the prophets by a trope; but they who assert it are styled disciples of the letter of scripture only.” Says Mr. Brooks, “The majority of Christians did nevertheless continue some time after Origen, to maintain the Millennarian view.” VICTORINUS, A.D. 280-290. He was the Bishop of Pettaw and the author of an Apocalyptic Commentary, which is mentioned by Jerome, who speaks of it as one of Millennarian views. From Dr. Elliott, who has published an abstract of the same, we give the following items on the points under consideration. Victorinus made the twenty-four elders mean the twelve patriarchs and twelve apostles seated on thrones of judgment; the voices and thunderings from the throne he made notices of Christ’s threats and of his coming to judgment. He speaks of the last times, and mingled with the continuous persecution of the saints, alludes to wars, pestilences, and famines which would precede Christ’s coming. The earthquake of the sixth seal meant the last one, and the silence of the seventh seal he made to be the eternal rest. He contended that chronological order was not followed in the Apoctalypse, but the Holy Spirit when He came to the end, returns, often, and repeats. He, with all the Fathers, who had not as yet adopted the yearday theory, made Antichrist’s time three years and a half; and taught that he was at hand. The first beast meant Rome; the ten horns ten kings that would rise, three of whom would be plucked up by Antichrist; the woman was the city of Rome. The rider on the white horse was Christ, who will come and take the kingdom, a kingdom extending from the river to the world’s end — the greater part of the earth being cleansed introductorily to it; and, finally, the last judgment and the eternity of the kingdom; the millennium itself not ending it.” Mede asserts that the writings of Vietorinus and Sulpicious, who maintained Millennarian opinions, were authoritatively suppressed by Pope Damasus. Victorians was martyred during the persecution by Dioclesian, being faithful unto death, and evidently expecting a part in the first resurrection. LACTANTIUS, A.D. 300. Lactantius was born about A.D. 250, and flourished as a writer A.D. 310. He was tutor to Constantine’s heir, and the purity of his Latinity gained for him the title of “the Christian Cicero.” Mosheim styles him “the most eloquent of the Latin Fathers.” He often quotes the Sibylline verses and probably for the same reason that Paul quotes the Pagan poets. ( Acts 17:28.) Says Stuart, “that he makes such appeals for the sake of the heathen seems very evident.” Stuart allows hhn to have been “a zealous Chiliast.” Jerome, the Anti-millennarian, charges him with the error of the Manichees, but Dr. Lardner, in his “Credibility of the gospel history,” has satisfactorily vindicated him from this charge. Says Dr. Lardnet: “It is well known that Lactantius expected a terrestrial reign of Christ for a thousand years before the general judgment. Jerome has ridiculed his millennary notions, and took the same freedom with Irenaeus, Tertullian, and other Christians who held the same sentiment.” Lactantius taught a mixed Millennium, as do many now, but Dr. Duffield and Mr. Brooks have vindicated him from the charge of sensualism preferred against him by Jerome. He asserted two resurrections according to the Revelation, and speaks at large upon the Millennial period, which he denominates “the thousand years of the heavenly empire, when righteousness shall reign on earth.” In his Book of Divine Institutions, he says: “Let philosophers know, who number thousands of years since the beginning of the world, that the six thousandth year is not yet concluded or ended. But that number being fulfilled, of necessity there must be an end, and the state of human things be transformed into that which is better. Because all the works of God were finished in six days, it is necessary that the world should remain in this state six ages; that is, six thousand years. Because having finished the works he rested on the seventh day and blessed it, it is necessary that at the end of the six thousandth year all wickedness should be abolished out of the earth, and justice should reign for a thousand years. When the Son of God shall have destroyed injustice, and shall have restored the just to life, he shall be conversant among men a thousand years, and shall rule with a most righteous government. At the same time the Prince of Devils shall be bound with chains, and shall be in custody for a thousand years of the heavenly kingdom, lest he should attempt anything evil against the people of God. When the thousand years of the kingdom, that is, seven thousand years, shall draw toward a conclusion, Satan shall be loosed again; and then shall be that second and public resurrection of us all, wherein the unjust shall be raised.” Having enlarged on this topic, he thus concludes: “This is the doctrine of the holy prophets which we Christians follow, this is our wisdom.” Whitby allows that Lactantius taught “this Millennium belongs to all the just which ever were from the beginning of the world.” Following the erroneous chronology of the Septuagint, as did other of the carly Christians, Lactantius supposed the Millennium or consummation would commence about 200 years from his time. Dr. Elliott gives an abstract of the Apocalyptic scheme of Lactantius. It is interesting, and we refer the reader to it for a better understanding of the views of this eloquent Chiliast, who, in his time, nobly endeavored to sustain the Millennial truth. Lactantius died at Treves about A.D. 325. DIONYSIUS, A.D. 250. Dionysius was Bishop of Alexandria. He was a disciple of Origen, and of course an Anti-millennarian. He opposed Nepos, his contemporary, and won over Coracion to his faith, but iu his opposition questioned the cannonical authority of the Apocalyse, and denied it was written by John the apostle: “From which,” says Brooks, “a fair inference may be drawn that he found himself hard pressed by passages in that book,” and Dr. Duffield has shown that he only received the book at all from mere motives of policy. Prof. Stuart intimates that his object in denying that John wrote it was to take away from the Montanists their apostolic authority for the Millennial doctrine; and says, “It may well be doubted, I think, whether he would have thought of assailing the Apocalypse if he had never heard of Nepos’ book,” and Dr. Elliott declares that “It was in the act of writing against Millennarians that he pronounced judgment against it.” Here again we have the character of the opposition, and it amounts to this: that if the Revelation is to be received as canonical, the primitive doctrine of the Millennium is of God. The Chiliastic party were still strong after this; and therefore as Burnet remarks, “We do not find that Dionysius’ opposition had any great effect,” though doubtless the doctrine had begun to be corrupted by its advocates. Dionysius charged his opponents with persuading men “to hope for only small and mortal things in the kingdom of God (i.e. the Millennium), even such as are visible now,” on which Henry D. Ward justly remarks: “From this it appears how little he regarded the Millennium of time.” As yet we observe the Augustinian Millennial theory had not been broached, and both Origen and Dionysius, instead of locating the Millennium in the past, simply laid it aside, commencing an eternal unbroken age at Christ’s coming. THE RELATIVES OF OUR LORD. A.D. Hegesippus, a converted Jew, who flourished A.D. 150, relates that in the fifteenth year of Domitian, while he was engaged in persecuting the church of God, there were yet living the grandchildren of Judas, called the brother of our Lord according to the flesh. Upon the Emperor’s issuing an edict that all the descendants of David should be slain, on account of his fear that Christ would appear, these persons were brought before Domitian. In his presence they witnessed the following “good confession.” “He put the question whether they were of David’s race, and they confessed that they were. He then asked them what property they had, or how much money they owned. And both of them answered that they had between them only nine thousand denarii, and this they had not in silver, but in the value of a piece of land, containing only thirty-nine acres; from which they raised their taxes and supported themselves by their own labor. Then they also began to show their hands, exhibiting the hardness of their bodies, and the callousity formed by incessant labor on their hands, as evidence of their own labor. When asked also, respecting Christ and his kingdom, what was its nature, and when and where it was to appear; they replied that it was not a temporal nor an earthly kingdom, but celestial and angelic: that it would appear at the end of the world, when, coming in glory, he would judge the quick and the dead, and give to every one according to his works. Upon which Domitian, despising them, made no reply, but treating them with contempt, as simpletons, commanded them to be dismissed, and by a decree ordered the persecution to cease. Thus delivered, they ruled the churches both as witnesses and relatives of the Lord. When peace was established, they continued living even to the times of Trajan.” MANY NAMES, A.D. 125-430. Proceeding, we notice Commodian, a Latin author, who flourished A.D. 270, of whom Dr. Lardner writes: “He heartily embraced the doctrine of the expected Millennium;” Gregory, of Nyssa, who died A.D. 389; Sulpicius, of the 4th century; Paulinus, Bishop of Antioch, who died 431; and also Apollinaris had not entirely renounced Chiliasm; Quadrayus, Bishop of Athens, A.D. 125, also, Aristides, his contemporary; Pantaenus, who flourished A.D. 150; Theophilus, who died 182; Hermias and Athenagoras, of the 2d century; also, the names of’ Seraphion, Agrippa Castor Claudius Apollinarius, Philip, of Gortyra, Miltiades Modestus, and Apollonius, the most of whose writings are lost; others of whom do not mention the subject, but when they do revert to it, says Brooks, they support Chiliastic views. COUNCIL OF NICE. A.D. This first general Church Council was called by Constantine the Great, (who was present,) and was, according to Eusebius, composed of Bishops; Socrates says 318. Mosheim affirms we know very little about their acts and doings. It assumed authority over the conscience, expelled Arius, and framed what is called the Nicene Creed, which Gelasius Cyzicenus has given in his history of this Council. “We quote from these acts,” says Dr. Duffield, “because it furnishes incidentally, some valuable testimony as to what continued to be at that period the method of interpretation most prevalent.” On the resurrection state, the Council says: “We expect new heavens and a new earth, according to the Holy Scriptures, at the appearing of the great God, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. And then, as Daniel says, ‘the saints of the Most tIigh shall take the kingdom,’ and there shall be a pure earth, holy, a ‘land of the living and not of the dead,’ which David foreseeing by the eye of faith, ‘I believe to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living’ — the land of the meek and humble. Christ says, ‘Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth,’ and the prophet says, ‘the feet of the meek and humble shall tread upon it.” Says Mr. Brooks: “The majority of the churches must, at the period of this Council, have still held to the primitive method of interpretation.” Mede remarks: “Judge by this (notwithstanding fifty years’ opposition,) how powerful the Chiliastic party yet was at the time of this Council. By some of whom, if this formula were not framed and composed, yet was it thus moderated as you see, that both parties might accept it as being delivered in the terms and language of Scripture.” The London Quarterly Journal of Prophecy says: “It is obvious that nearly a century after the days of Origen and Dionysius, Chiliastic doctrine was still truly the creed of the church, or at least of the greater part of it. In this Council it stands before us, not only dissociated from heresy, but opposed to it; nay, not only opposed to heresy, but united to what was sound and. holy.” And Dr. Burnet writes as follows: “the Millennial kingdom of Christ was the general doctrine of the primitive church from the times of the Apostles to the Council of Nice, inclusively. According to the opinion of these Fathers, there will be a kingdom of Christ upon earth, and moreover in the new heavens and new earth.” Such is the testimony of the Nicene Fathers. Still the Millennial truth which received their sanction was crushed to death at last under the iron heel of Antichrist. But it died hard! EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF CAESAREA. A. D. 325. He was born A.D. 267, and died A.D. 340. He was the first writer of ecclesiastical history, and we are indebted to him for many things concerning the early church, but as Burnet observes, “he was a back friend to the Millennary doctrine, and represented every thing to its disadvantage;” and Brooks affirms that “his statements on this head are contradictory and absurd.” He represents Irenaeus as having obtained his Millennary views from Papias, whereas we know from the writings of Irenaeus that his faith in this doctrine was founded on the Scriptures. He also sets forth Papius as having received the doctrine solely by the way of “oral tradition,” as though Papius knew nothing of the Apocalypse, nor received his Millennial views from it, which, says Elliott, is not true, farther remarking, that “his un-trustworthiness and tendencies to inaccuracies on any Millennary subject, are sutficiently apparent.” Jerome pronounces him a learned man, but not a catholic, (i.e. as then understood, not orthodox,) and also calls him the “Prince of the Arians.” Dr. Elliott, (who gives his language,) Mr. Brooks, and Prof. Stuart, affirm that he disparaged the authority of the Apocalypse, and insinuated that perhaps it was the work of Cerinthus. Jeremy Taylor suspects him of having endeavored to corrupt and falsify the Nicene creed, and Dr. Duffield accuses him of time serving, having boasted of his conversations with the Emperor Constantine. Eusebius was moreover a miserable expounder of the Bible, for he quotes Psalm 46:9-10, Isaiah 35, also Revelation 21, and other Millennial prophecies as being fulfilled in the Constantinian glory of the church, which he affirmed at that time “looked like the very image of the kingdom of Christ.” The city built by the Emperor, at Jerusalem, with the church of the Holy Sepulchre, he suggested, was the New Jerusalem of Revelation; which was indeed, as Burnet exclaims, “A wonderful invention!” And to sum up all, at the very time when, as Elliott declares, intimations were every where given, that the great apostacy had begun, the splendor-blinded Eusebius, in the language of Dr. Cumming, “dreamed the Apocalyptic Millennium had commenced!” CYRIL, A.D. 350. Cyril was Bishop of Jerusalem. He was born A.D. 315. Though an Antimillennarian, as Mosheim observes, he “is justly celebrated for his Catechetical Discourses,” in which he is often truly eloquent. Cyril was of the age of Julian, the apostate, who reviled the Christians of his day for expecting the kingdom of God. This kingdom Cyril looked for, insisting much upon its eternity, and teaching no temporal Millennium. He, says Elliott, like the Fathers before him, explained the four wild beasts of Daniel 7th to be the Babylonian, Persian, Macedonian, and Roman empires, and thought that whcn Rome fell it would be dissolved into ten contemporaneous kingdoms, and then Antichrist, — whom he called “some great man raised up by the Devil “ — at first mild, etc., — would come and eradicate three of the ten kings, and subjugate the other seven, and reign three years and a half, persecuting the church; then Christ would destroy him. Dropping the Millennium or seventh chiliad, he looked for Christ to come, and renovating the earth, introduce an eternal state. Cyril says, “Do thou look for the true Christ, the Son of God, the only Begotten, who is henceforth to come not from the earth, but from heaven, appearing to all more bright than any lightning, or other brilliance, with angels for his guards, that he may judge quick and dead, and reign with a kingdom heavenly, eternal, and without end. Be sure to settle your belief in this point also, since there are many who say that Christ’s kingdom has an end.” Again he says, “Adam received the doom, ‘cursed be the ground — thorns and thistles, etc.’ For this cause Jesus wears the thorns that he might cancel the doom; for this cause also was he buried in the earth, that the cursed earth might receive, instead of the curse, the blessing. Our Lord Jesus Christ then comes from heaven with glory at the end of this world, in the last day. For this world shall have an end, and this created world shall be made anew; for since corruption and theft and adultery, and every sort of sins have been poured forth over the earth, and blood has been mingled with blood in the world, therefore that this wondrous dwelling place may not remain filled with iniquity, this world shall pass away that that fairer world may be made manifest.” He then quotes Isaiah 34:4, also Matthew 24:29, and adds that the Lord will roll up the heavens, not that he may destroy them, but that he may raise them up again more beautiful. He also bids us “venture not to declare when these things shall be, nor on the other hand abandon thyself to slumber, for he saith, ‘Watch, etc.’ But it behoveth us to know the signs of the end, and we are looking for Christ.” He says nothing about a spiritual reign, but as Mr. Ward observes, reproves those sentiments advocated by Post-millennialists. He died A.D. 386. EPIPHANIUS, A. D. 375. Epiphanius was Bishop of Salamasis. He was born A.D. 322, and died in 403. Epiphanius was a Millennarian, and testifies that the doctrine was held by many of his time. Quoting the words of Paulinus, Bishop of Antioch, concerning one Vitalius, whom he highly commends for his piety, orthodoxy, and learning, he says: “Moreover, others have affirmed that the venerable man would say, that in the first resurrection we shall accomplish a certain Millennary of years:” on which Epiphanius observes: “And that indeed this Millennary term is written of in the Apocalypse of John, and is received of very many of them that are godly is manifest.” Here are one or two more voices on the Millennium in the fourth century, but it had evidently become corrupted and unpopular, and was dying away. Still the Fathcrs of this century, though Anti-millennarian, looked for no blissful era for the church this side the resurrection of the just. And they believed a pure and unmixed age would then commence. So we believe. AMBROSE, A.D. 400. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, was born in A.D. 333, and died 420. We do not know as this Father says any thing about the Millennium. Dr. Elliott says that “he explained the apostacy of St. Paul, to mean an apostacy from true religion, and that Antichrist would come and seize on the kingdom, claiming for himself divine authority, and that he referred to the strife between the Goths and Romans, as well as other rumors of war, pestilence, etc., as evidences that the world was near its end.” He looked for no restoration of the Jews prior to the resurrection of the dead, and with Cyril made the Sabbath a type of an endless age. He cannot be regarded as at all favoring the Whitbian system of postponing the advent till the end of the seventh chiliad, and the completion of the world’s conversion, for he says, “The gospel is preachcd that the world may be destroyed; for the preaching of the gospel has gone out into the whole world, and therefore we see the end of the world approaching, etc.” Thus his voice is virtually Premillennial. CHRYSOSTOM, A.D. 400. Chrysostom was Bishop of Constantinople. He was born A.D. 354. He was learned and eloquent, and is styled the Homer of orators; and though an ecclesiastical writer, as Dr. Duffield observes, he is silent with regard to the Millennium. Elliott says that he explains the four kingdoms of Daniel as did Cyril, and made the fourth, or Roman empire, to be the let or hindrance to Antichrist’s manifestation alluded to by St. Paul. He also regards the “mystery of iniquity” as being the persecuting spirit working in Nero, in Paul’s time, and the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, he made the Roman armies under Titus. With his cotemporaries, he looked for no glad era for the church before the advent, but concerning the approaching future, out of which loomed up the dark form of Antichrist, he says: “We are now at the twelfth hour: the purity of justice is leaving the world; the sun is gathering in his rays, and darkness is covering the whole earth;” and again he truly sketches the dispensation, when he observes that, “As Rome succeeded Greece, so Antichrist is to succeed Rome, and Christ our Savior Antichrist.” Though he was a monk, and, perhaps, an Antimillennarian, still this testimony affords no support to the spiritual view. And he confirms it still more by quoting Matthew 24:14; making its fulfillment a sign of the “last day,” saying, “Attend with care to what is said. He said not when it hath been believed by all men, but when it hath been preached to all. For this cause, he also said for a witness to the nations to show that he doth not wait for all men to believe, and then for him to come: since the phrase, ‘for a witncss,’ hath this meaning, — for accusation, for reproof, for condemnation of them that have not believed.” So speaks Chrysostom, who died A.D. 404. HILARY, A.D. 350. Hilary, Bishop of Poictiers, flourished in the 4th century, and wrote on the Apocalypse. He understood the reign of Christ, and the final judgment to be introduced at his second coming, when, as he thought, the 6th and 7th seals were to be broken. He also attached a Christian sense to the Jewish symbols of the Old Testament, such as Zion, Jerusalem, Israel, the Temple, etc., and looked for the Antichrist to be developed within the professing Christian church. While commenting on the transfiguration, (“after six days, etc.,”) Hilary refers to the old idea of a seventh sabbatical Millennary; saying that as Christ was transfigured in glory after the six days, so after the world’s 6000 years there would be manifested the glory of Christ’s eternal kingdom. He constantly insisted that the day and hour of the consummation was a secret with God, but knowing the doubtfulness of our world’s chronology, he still maintained the idea of the world’s sexmillennial duration. He died A.D. 367. JEROME, A.D. 380. Jerome was born in Dalmatia, A.D. 330. Died A.D. 420. He was a learned and voluminous writer, but was a bitter Anti-millennarian, and decidedly a monk and a Roman Catholic. The Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge informs us that he founded a convent at Bethlehem, and through his exhortations many fashionable ladies there and at Rome became nuns. Mosheim affirms that he with many other Fathers of the fourth century were tinctured with the corrupt principle of the two monstrous errors of the age, namely, “It is an act of virtue to deceive and lie, when by that means the interests of the church may be promoted; second, Errors in religion when maintained and adhered to after proper admonition are punishable with civil penalties and corporeal torture,” and in everything, while he applauds his labor and genius, he gives Jerome a miserable character. The London Quarterly Journal of Prophecy, says of this century: “Jerome, in whose works the seeds of most every Popish error may be found, led the opposition against the Millennium.” And the learned Elliott has shown that Jerome virtually advocated saint and martyr worship, veneration of relics, the well nigh infallibility of the Bishop of Rome, practiced penance, etc., etc. Such were the principles of Jerome, and with regard to the form of his opposition, as Dr. Duffield justly observes, “He teems with abuse and ridicule in relation to the Millennium, and by his general character for fierceness, acrimony, and ribaldry, toward all who differ from him, has forfeited all claims upon our respect.” All Millennial historians represent him as harsh and unfair. Brooks calls him “a vehement adversary of the doctrine.” H. D. Ward, “an unmerciful scoffer, not always regarding fairness.” Mede, “a most unequal relator of the opinions of his adversaries,” and the Journal of Prophecy calls him one of the most resolute enemies of the doctrine that ever wrote.” Dr. Burnet styles him, “a rough and rugged saint, and an unfair adversary, that usually ran down with heat and violence what stood in his way,” and that “he always represents the Millennary doctrine after a Judaical rather than a Christian manner.” He held the Origenistic system, and says Elliott, he taught that “the Apocalypse was all to be spiritually understood, because otherwise Judaic fables would have to be acquiesced in; such as the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and the renewal in its temple of carnal ceremonies;” a false conclusion obvious to every Bible student. But perhaps the Millennium was made carnal by its advocates, thus giving some occasion for Jerome’s laughter, and the more we presume did he wish to oppose it, it being now unpopular, and he being secretary to Pope Damasus, (who used every means to suppress it,) and desiring like many now to keep in with public opinion. Said Luther, “Jerome is to be avoided!” But Jerome made some capital admissions, and held much truth, and we cannot give him to Post-millennialists. He taught the doctrine of the redemption of the earth and its renovation by fire, with which he believed its interior filled and held, says Elliott, to only the conversion, not the national restoration of the Jews. On the prayer “Thy kingdom come,” he says: “They ask for the kingdom of the whole world, that Satan may cease to reign in the world.” His views of the metalic image; the four wild beasts; the man of sin, his origin, etc., were similar to those of Cyril, Hippolytus and other Fathers, and he makes a twofold destruction of the Roman Empire: the one its desolation and dissolution by a breaking up into ten kingdoms, introductory to Antichrist’s manifestation; the other its total and final destruction, to take place on account of Antichrist’s blasphemies at “the triumphant advent of the Great God,” and “we are perfectly sure,” he says, “that after the second advent of our Lord nothing will be base, nothing terrestrial; but then will be the celestial kingdom whichwas first promised in the gospel,” which, observes Henry Ward, is “sound doctrine.” He also taught that the world would endure but 6,000 years, and at their termination (which he placed A.D. 500,) the consummation would occur:, and Christ come: thus giving no support to Post-millennialism, but was virtually a Pre-millennialist, while like many others an Anti-millennarian. Jerome used to say, that it seemed to him as if the trumpet of the last day was always sounding in his ear, saying, “Arise, ye dead, and come to judglnent!” And now we call the reader’s attention to Jerome’s admission, where he is constrained to allow the truth, and by which we may learn that if the Chiliasts of A.D. 400 were really in the minority, they were still a great multitude in spite of opposition. On Jeremiah 19:10, he says, that “he durst not condemn the (Millennial) doctrine, because many ecclesiastical persons and martyrs affirm the same.” And again, speaking of the Millennarian Apollinarius, he remarks: “An author whom not only the men of his own sect, but most of our people likewise, follow on this point (Chiliasm) so that it is not difficult to prove what a multitude of persons will be offended with me.” So much for Jerome. We have been particular that the reader may know through whose opposition the Millennium fell. Rev. Henry Morris, a Post-millennialist, in his work entitled “Modern Chiliasm Refuted,” truly says, “Jerome and other writers of this period were great scoffers at the doctrine, and the consequence was, that it fell into disrepute, and entirely dwindled away, so that we hear scarcely no more of it, until the tenth and a portion of the eleventh century, the Reformation and the present time.” But this admission of Mr. Morris every close thinker will at once see is prejudicial, nay, even fatal to Post-millennialism! It allows that Rome banished the true Millennium, and more even than this! AUGUSTINE. A.D. 390. Augustine was Bishop of Hippo. Born A.D. 358, and died in 434. He was contemporary with Jerome, and is acknowledged to have been a great and justly celebrated divine. Though not thoroughly free from the superstitious of his times, yet with regard to the doctrines of free grace in Christ, as Dr. Cureming says, “Augustine was a brilliant exception, and continued evangelical,” and Milner also states that “the light from his writings glimmered through many ages, down even to the Reformation,” Gibbon hinting that Rome had a secret repugnance to them on this account, He was once a Chiliast, but abandoned that view through the influence and misrepresentations of his enemies, particularly Eusebius, as Mr. Brooks argues. He then developed what is usually called the Augustinian view of the Millennium, which afterwards became very prevalent, and which constitutes a new era in its history. On the first view he expresses himself: “Those who have supposed from these words, Revelation 20:6, that there shall be a first corporeal resurrection, have been moved among other things chiefly by the number of the thousand years; as if there ought to be among the saints a sabbatism, as it were in a holy vacation after their six thousand years of trouble; which opinion would indeed be tolerable if it should be believed that spiritual delights should redound to the saints in that Sabbath, by the presence of the Lord, for we also were ourselves formerly of that opinion.” Augustine’s objection does not militate against us, for we hold to a pure Millennium of spiritual delights by the personal presence of the Lord, and his admission is that such an one can be tolerated. The abuse of Millenial truth evidently caused him to reject it as of carnal tendency; so Elliott supposes. On the four kingdoms of Daniel’s prophecy, Augustine made the first three to be Babylon, Chaldea, and Macedon, and the fourth to be Rome, as did, according to Jerome, all the previous Fathers. He identifies the little horn of the fourth beast with St. Paul’s man of sin, and St. John’s Antichrist; the Roman empire he thought hindering the revelation of the latter, who would bring in a great religious apostacy, pretended miracles, etc. On the question of the Jews, “Augustine,” says Elliott, “only speaks of their conversion, never, I believe, of their national restoration in Palestine.” In this he agreed with Jerome, who held that the local Jerusalem would never be rebuilt, but remain in ruins to the end of the world. He thus describes the character of the virgins of Matthew 25th: “But men continually say to themselves, ‘Lo the day of judgment is coming now, so many evils are happening; so many tribulations thicken; behold all things which the prophets have spoken have well nigh fulfilled, the day of judgment is already at hand.’ They who speak thus and speak in faith, go out as it were, with such thoughts, to meet the bridegroom.” He represcented the world as “old and full of troubles; distressed by the heavy breathing of old age,” and taught the earth’s renovation at Christ’s coming, saying on the Lord’s prayer, Matthew 6:10, “His kingdom will come when the resurrection of the dead shall have taken place; for then He will come himself. And when the dead are raised, he will divide them, as he himself says, and he shall set some on the right hand and some on the left. To those who shall be on the right hand he will say, ‘Come ye blessed.’ This is what we wish and pray for when we say, ‘Thy kingdom come,’ that it may come to us. For if we shall be reprobate, that kingdom will come to others but not to us. But if we shall be of that number who belong to the members of his only begotten Son, his kingdom will come to us and will not tarry. For are there as many ages yet remaining as have already passcd away? The apostle John hath said, ‘My little children, it is the last time.’ Let us watch now, etc.” On the earth’s renovation, he writes: “By the change of things the world will not entirely perish or be annihilated. Its form, or external appearance, will be changed, but not its substance. The figure of’ this world will pass away by the general conflagration. The qualities of the corruptible elements of which our world is composed, which were proportioned to our corruptible bodies,will be entirely destroyed by the fire; and the substance of those elements will acquire ncw qualitics which will be suitable to our immortal bodies, and thus the world by becoming more perfect, will be proportioned to the then improved state of the human body.” So taught Augustine. The world’s duration he made sex-millennial, and says:Dr. Elliott, “with the other Anti-millennarian Fathers of the fourth and fifth centuries, explained the Sabbatical seventh day, not of a seventh Sabbatical Millennium of rest, but an eternal Sabbath — a view generally adopted afterwards.” In viewing the advent and end of the world, as occurring on the termination of 6000 years, Augustine negatives a Post-millennial advent. CONFIRMATORY TESTIMONY TO THE PRE-MILLENNIAL FAITH OF THE EARLY CHURCH. Nathaniel Lardner, d. d. Born in Kent, England, 1684. Died 1768. An erudite, voluminous author, and a name — says Dr. Clarke — never to be mentioned but with respect. An Anti-m. he is, but of the early church, and Chiliasm he thus testifies: “The Millennium has been a favorite doctrine of some ages, and has had the patronage of the learned as well as the vulgar among Christians.” “It must be owned that the orthodox Millennarians do speak of one thousand years reign of Christ before the general resurrection; which good then, having been raised front the dead should spend on this earth, when there shall be extraordinary plenty of the fruits of the earth.” “They certainly grounded their sentiments upon the Revelation and upon other books of the Old and New Testament universally received.” Such is the testimony of one who, like Bishop Russell, denies the theory we advocate. William Chillingworth. Born at Oxford, England, 1602. Died a captive, 1644. He was Chancellor of Salisbury, and a powerful theologian. On the early catholicity of Chillssin, he writes as follows, while controverting Romanism: “That this doctrine is by the present Romish Church held false and heretical, I think no man will deny. That the same doctrine was by the church of the next age after the Apostles (mark this!) held true and catholic, I prove by these two reasons: First, whatever doctrine is believed and taught by the most eminent Fathers of any age of the church, and by none of their contemporaries opposed or condemned, that is to be esteemed the catholic doctrine of the church of those times; but the doctrine of the Millennaries was believed and taught by the most eminent Fathers of the age next after the Apostles, and by none of that age opposed or condemned; therefore, it was the catholic doctrine of those times.” Quoting the Fathers in proof, He continues: “And Second, whatever doctrine is taught by the Fathers of any age, not as doctors, but as witnesses of the tradition of the church, that is, not as their own opinion, but as the doctrine of the church of their time, neither did any contradict them in it: ergo , it is undoubtedly to be so esteemed.” Again, he says: “It appears manifest out of this book of Irenaeus, that the doctrine of the Chiliasts was in his judgment Apostolic tradition, as also it was esteemed (for aught appears to the contrary) by all the doctors, and saints, and martyrs of, or about his time, for all that speak of it, or whose judgments in the point are any way recorded, are for it; and Justin Martyr professeth that all good and orthodox Christians of his time believed it, and those that did not, he reckons among heretics.” John Laurence Mosheim, D. D. Born 1695. Died 1755. He was a celebrated German Protestant theologian, and writer of a well known and valuable Ecclesiastical History. He was a Post m. Under the “Third Century,” he says: “Long before this period, an opinion had prevailed that Christ was to come and reign a thousand years among men, before the entire and final dissolution of this world. This opinion, which had hitherto met with no opposition, was variously interpreted by different persons, etc. But in this century its credit began to decline, principally through the influence and authority of Origen, who opposed it with the greatest warmth, because it was incompatible with some of his favorite sentiments.” Bishop Russell, Professor of Eccl. History of the Scottish Episcopal Church, writing on the Millennium, says: — “The Jews and their followers in primitive times, understood the Millennium literally: the word had no double sense in their creed; it was not in their estimation the emblem or shadow of better things to come; on the contrary, it denoted the actual visible appearance of the Messiah, and the establishment of his kingdom upon earth as the Sovereign of the elect people of God.” * * “The hope of such a consumation was not superseded by his (Christ’s) residence on earth. The first Christians, on the contrary, looked with a more earnest desire for the new heavens and new earth promised to their fathers, and connected their expectations, too, with the ancient opinion that this globe was to undergo a material change at the end of 6000 years, throwing off all the imperfections which had arisen front the guilt of its inhabitants, and being fitted for the habitation of justice, benevolence, and purity, during a blessed Millennium — the Sabbath of this terrestrial globe. * * So far as we view the question in reference to the sure and certain hope entertained by the Christian world, that the Redeemer would appear on earth, and exercise authority during a thousand years, there is good ground for the assertion of Mede, Dodwell, Burnet and other writers on the same side, that down to the beginning of the fourth century, the belief was universal and undisputed.” Such is the testimony of an extreme Anti-millennarian, and one who styles the doctrine a “Rabbinacal fable which had no connection with the Gospel.” Professor George Bush, of New York city, the justly celebrated Hebrew scholar. An Anti-m. He admits that “There is ample evidence that the doctrine of the Chiliasts was actually the catholic faith of more than one century,” that even “during the first three centuries it was very extensively embraced. Again, “During the first ages of the church, when the style of Christianity was ‘to believe, to love, and to suffer,’ this sentiment seems to have obtained a prevalence so general, as to be properly entitled to all but absolute catholic,” and that “the belief of it was calculated to produce, and did produce results of a most auspicious character, which, under the circumstances, a difficult and even a more correct construction of the Sacred Oracles would have failed to effect.” Such is the language of one who commences the Apocalyptic Millennium with the Constantinian epoch. Dr. Burton, Regius Professor of Theology at Christ’s church, Oxford, England, whom the late Dr. Welsh styles “the learned and excellent.” Though a decided Post-m., he says: “Papias, who heard the apostle John, and was a companion of Polycarp, held that there would be a period of a thousand years after the resurrection of the dead, when the kingdom of Christ would be established on the earth.” Again, “It cannot be denied that Papias, Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, and all the other ecclesiastical writers, believed, literally, that the saints would rise in the first resurrection, and reign with Christ upon earth previous to the general resurrection,” but he observes, “Upon the whole, we may safely conclude that after the middle of the third century, the doctrine was not received as that of the catholic church, though it continued to be held by a few who were called Milliarri, Millenarri, Chiliastae,” etc. John Wm. Augustus Neander, D.D. born 1789. A late distinguished German Protestant Theologian, of Jewish origin, Professor of the University at Berlin, a member of the Lutheran church, and author of an Ecclesiastical History. He is doubtless of the school of Post-m’s. Though he affirms that “the minds of some took a fanciful turn, and they propagated a gross and sensual Chiliasm,” yet he bears the following noble testimony to the Premillennial faith of the early church: “They were accustomed to consider the church only in its opposition to the heathen state, and it was far from entering their thoughts, that by the natural development of circumstances, under the guidance of Providence, this opposition should hereafter cease. They believed that the struggle of the Christian church with the heathen state would continue on, until the victory should be conceded to it, through the immediate interposition of God, and through the return of Christ. It was natural enough that the Christians should willingly employ their thoughts in the prospect of this victory, during the seasons of persecution. It was thus that many formed a picture to themselves which had come to them from the Jews, and which suited with their condition. This was the idea of a Millennial reign, which the Messiah should establish on earth at the close of the whole career of the world, during which all the saints of all ages, were to live together in holy communion with each other. As the World was created in six days, and according to Psalm 90:4, a thousand years in the sight of God is but as one day, so the world was supposed to endure six thousand years in its present condition; and as the Sabbath day was the day of rest, so this Millennial reign was to form the seventh thousand year period of the world’s existence, at the close of the whole temporal dispensation connected with the world. In the midst of persecution it was an attractive thought for the Christians to look to a period when their church, purified and perfected, should be triumphant even on earth, the theatre of their present sufferings. In the manner in which this notion was conceived by many, there was nothing unchristian in it. They imagined the happiness of this period, in a spiritual manner, and one that corresponded well with the real nature of Christianity; for they conceived under that notion only the general dominion of God’s will, the undisturbed and blessed union and intercourse of the whole communion of saints, and the restoration of harmony between man as sanctified, and all nature as refined and ennobled.” Edward Gibbon. — Born at Putney, England, 1737. Died 1794. He was very learned, and is accounted as one of the greatest of the English historians. Was at first a Papist, but afterwards settled into a confirmed Infidel. He sneers at the doctrine of the Millennium, and also misrepresents it, as he does the entire Christian system, but contributes his testimony relating to the Pre-millennialism of the early church in the following language: “the ancient and popular doctrine of the Millennium was intimatcly connected with thc second coming of Christ.” Then stating the early views with his own gloss, etc., he continues: “the assurance of such a Millennium was carefully inculcated by a succession of Fathers from Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, who conversed with the immediate disciples of the apostles down to Lactantius, who was preceptor to the son of Constantine. Though it might not be universally received, it appears to have been the reigning sentiment of the orthodox believers; and it seemed so well adapted to the desires and apprehensions of mankind, that it must have contributed in a very considerable degrce to the progress of the Christian faith. But when the edifice of the church was almost completed, the temporary support was laid aside. The doctrine of Christ’s reign on the earth was first treated as a profound allegory, was considered by degrees as a doubtful and useless opinion, and was at length rejected as the absurd invention of heresy and fanaticism. A mysterious prophet, which still forms a part of the sacred canon, but which was thought to favor the exploded sentiment, has very narrowly escaped the proscription of the church.” We suppose He means the Apocalypse. From THE AMERCAN ENCYCLOPEDIA We give the following extracts. “Chiliasm, or the expectation of a blessed Millennium, became a universal belief among the Christians of the first centuries, which was strengthened by the prophecies contained in Revelations of the times which were to precede and indicate the happy times of the Millenuium.” “Before it began, human misery, according to their opinion, was to rise to the highest degree; then the overthrow of the Roman empire would follow, and from its ruins would proceed a new state of things, in which the faithful who had risen from the dead, with those still living would enjoy ineffable happiness * * * and the blessed reside in the heavenly Jerusalem, which would descend from heaven in extraordinary splendor and grandeur to receive them in its magnificent habitations.” “This faith the Christian teachers of the first centuries were unanimous in adopting and promulgating. * * * When Christianity became the predominant religion of the Roman Empire, it lost its interest for the multitude; victory, liberty, and security, which the Millennium was expected to bring, being now actually enjoyed,” The Encyclopaedist is careful to notice the fact, as do the others, that they regarded the Apocalyptic Millennium as being the seventh Chiliad of the world’s existence. Quotations to any amount like the foregoing, might be made. We will abridge a few others thus: — Giesseler says of the first centuries, “Millcnnarianism became the general belief of the time.” Dr. Kitto remarks that “the Millennial doctrine may be regarded as generally provident in the second century.” Bp. Newton says, “Thc doctrine of the Millennium was generally believed in the three first and purest ages.” Mede, “This was the opinion of the whole orthodox Christian church in the age immediately following St. John.” Maitland, of the first two centures, says: — “As far as I know no one, except such as were notoriously out of the pale of the church, had impugned the doctrine of the Millennium, as hehd by Justin, or taught any doctrine contrary to it.” Bishop Russell admits that” The Apostles clung to the expectation of the Millennium during their whole lives.” of the days of Nepos, a German historian of Chiliasm, says: “At that time the number and respectability of its supporters was not small.” Whitby, on the Pre-millennial views of the early church, says: “They held that this (first) resurrection was not confined to the martyrs only, but that all the just were then to rise and reign with Christ.” Jeremy Taylor admits that “The doctrine of the Millennium was in the best ages esteemed no heresy, but true Catholic doctrine.” Stuart affirms that Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, etc., regarded the descriptions of the thousand years reign on earth, of the first resurrection of the dead, and of the New Jerusalem, as designed to be literally interpreted in order to elicit the true meaning of the Apocalypse.” Milner on the Pre-millennarian faith of the early church, says: “This fact is not disputed,” and we would add in conclusion that he who doubts it after perusing these pages thus far, would not believe though one rose from the dead. Says the London Quarterly Journal of Prophecy: “Thus, by the testimonies of men, many of whom are wholly unfriendly to our doctrine, we have established this point, that, during the first two centuries and a half, Pre-millennialism, or Chiliasm, as it was then called, was the faith of the church. We can distinctly trace it back to the days of the Apostles, nay, to the very lips of the Apostles.” THE SEPTUAGINT CHRONOLOGY. The chronological calculus of the early church, leading them to expect the termination of the 6000 years in their day or later, the reader will perceive is incorrect. Says Gibbon, “The primitive church of Antioch, computed almost 6000 years from the creation of the world to the birth of Christ.” Their calculations were founded on the Septuagint, i.e., the ancient Greek version of the Old Testament, which was universally received during the first six centuries, on which Dr. Burnet says: “The reason why so many of the Fathers were mistaken in supposing the end at hand was because they rcckoned the 6000 years according to the chronology of the Septuagint; which, setting back the beginuing of the world many ages beyond the Hebrew, the six thousand years were nearly expired in the times of those Fathers; and this made them conclude the world was very near an end.” Prof. George Bush thus observes of the primitive Christians: — “Owing to a radical error in their chronological calculus, they conceived themselves as actually having arrived at the eve of the world’s seventh Millennary, or in other words, as having their lot cast on the Saturday of the great anti-typical week of the creation.” Dr. Elliott also affirms the same, and exhibiting a vast discrepancy of hundreds of years between the chronology of the Hebrew and Septuagint text, there being then extant different copies of the latter, he instances, Clement of Alexandria, as terminating from then the 6000 years about A.D. 374; (others earlier), Eustathius, Lactantius, Hillarion, Jerome, and perhaps Hippolytus, in A.D. 500; Sulpitius Severus, in A.D. 581; Augustine, in A.D. 650; and Cyprian, about A.D. 243; this being, he says, the earliest application of the world’s supposed nearness to its seventh Millennary in proof of the nearness of the consummation, save the Sibylline Oracles, Book seventh which fix on A.D. 196. As proof of the incorrectness of the chronology of the Septuagint, he observes that it makes Methuselah to have lived till fourteen years after the flood! And now taking our leave of the early church, after noticing more at length the decline of the primitive doctrine of the Millennium, and the introduction of anew Millennial theory, we plunge into the ages of darkness. CHAPTER 5. FROM AUGUSTINE TO LUTHER. “In the latter times some shall depart from the faith.” 1 Timothy 4:1. “Others were tortured not, accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.” — Hebrews 11:35. PRE-MILLENNIALISM, we hold, is Apostolic; but in reviewing the testimony of the early church on the question of Chiliasm, it is of course admitted that they mixed errors with the doctrine. We remember that “the mystery of iniquity” worked in Paul’s day, and we have read his solemn prediction in his farewell charge given to the church at Ephesus. An English writer has well observed, “I do not appeal to the writings of the early Christians as authority; so far from it, I regard their writings as the history of truth perverted; so that while on the one hand I should be surprised to find any truth taught by the apostles, unnoticed in the Fathers, I should be almost equally surprised to find it taught Scripturally and unincumbered by human additions, so early did the apostacy begin to work.” Above antiquity, tradition or human opinion, in the words of Burnet, “we should always require a higher witness, viz: the Bible.” This is the first. But we highly esteem the faith of that church whose characteristics, says Milner, were “to believe, to love, and to suffer.” “Whatever is first,” says Tertullian, “is true, whatever is later is adulterate,” and Mr. Faber has truly said: “If a doctrine totally unknown to the primitive church, which reccived her ideology immediately from the hands of the apostles, and which continued long to receive it from the hands of the disciples of tho apostles, springs up in a subsequent age, let that age be the fifth century, or let it be the tenth century, or let it be the sixteenth century, such doctrine stands on its very front, impressed with the brand of mere human invention.” Such, we argue, is Post-millennialism, and such also Anti-millennialism, of which we are now to speak, after first giving the character of the times. Having now arrived in our history of Millennarianism at the commencement of the fifth century, when the great apostacy had begun, and this Apocalyptic truth was deemed a heresy and accounted unpopular, we here purpose giving, through the combined testimony of many voices, a brief but fuller account of its decline. Paganism was fallen, but the Papacy was hastening to its birth, and even in its embryo was hung all over with idolatry. From Gibbon, Neander and Mosheim, we learn that in the fourth century monks, monasteries, convents, penance, church councils, with church control of conscience, excommunication, the perfume of flowers, the smoke of incense, wax tapers in the churches at noon day, prostrate crowds at the altar drunk with fanaticism or wine, imprinting devout kisses on the walls and supplicating the concealed blood, bones, or ashes of the saints, idolatrous frequenting martyrs’ tombs, pictures and images of tutelar saints, veneration of bones and relics, gorgeous robes, tiaras, croises, pomp, splendor and mysticism, were seen everywhere, and were the order of the day; and says Mosheim: “The new species of philosophy imprudently adopted by Origen and many other Christians. was extremely prejudicial to the cause of the gospel, and to the beautiful simplicity of its celestial doctrines,” and Gibbon writes that “if in the beginning of the fifth century Tertullian or Lactautius had been suddenly raised from the dead to assist at the festival of some popular saint or martyr, they would have gazed with astonishment and indignation at the profane spectacle which had succeeded to the pure and spiritual worship of a Christian congregation.” Martyr worship was very common, and Eunapius the Pagan, A.D. 396, exclaimed, “These are the gods that the earth now-a-days brings forth, these the intercessors with the gods — men called martyrs: before whose bones and skulls, pickled and salted, the monks kneel and lay prostrate, covered with filth and dust.” The mystery of iniquity worked like leaven, and to use the words of Coleridge, “the Pastors of the Church had gradually changed the life and light of the gospel into the very superstitions they were commissioncd to disperse; and thus paganized Christianity in order to christen Paganism.” Dr. Cumming remarks that “the great multitude consisted of embryo papists, and what we call Pusyism in the nineteenth century, was the predominating religion of the fourth.” Milner says that “while there was much outward religion the true doctrines of justification were scarcely seen.” All of this Dr. Duffield does not hesitate to affirm was the genuine offspring of the allegorical system and Platonic philosophy of Origen, who made the church on earth the mystic kingdom of heaven. “Vigilantius,” says Elliott, “remained true, and was the Protestant of his times,” but Jerome, remarks Dr. Cumming, “became utterly corrupted,” and Augustine, as Elliott has shown, scarcely escaped the universal contagion. Eusebius said “the church of the fourth century looked like the very image of the kingdom of Christ,” but it was not the Millennium, as he dreamed, says Cumming, but the mystery of iniquity, ripening and maturing. It rapidly approached its predicted maturity, and Antichrist loomed into view. Such was the character of the times, and need we wonder that the true Millennium was laid aside, and with it the Apocalypse that taught it? “Rome,” says Burnet, “always had an evil eye on the Millennium!” Truly spoken! Says Newman, the Roman Catholic writer: “Whereas at first certain texts were inconsistently confined to the letter, and a Millennium was in consequence expectcd; the very course of events, as time went on, interpreted the prophecies about the church more truly,” etc., i.e. in a mystical or anagogical manner. Continuing our quotations on this point, we give the testimony of Bishop Russell, of Scotland, a strong Anti-millennian, who writes as follows: “It is worthy of remark, that so long as the prophecies regarding the Millennium were interpreted literally, the Apocalypse was received as an inspired production, and as the work of the apostle John; but no sooner did theologians find themselves compelled to view its annunciations through the medium of allegory and metaphorical description, than they ventured to call in question its heavenly origin, its genuineness, and its authority. Dionysius, the great supporter of the allegorical school, gives a decided opinion against the authenticity of thc Revelation.” Joseph Mede truly says of the Anti-millennarians of the fourth century, “They denied the Apocalypse to be Scripture, nor was it readmitted till they thought they had found some commodious interpretation of the thousand years.” Dr. Cureming observes, “Some divines of the fourth century rejected the Apocalypse, on the ground that it contained, as they alleged, prophecies of what they erroneously believed to be a carnal Millennium; just in the same way as some persons still argue that the Bible cannot be God’s word, because it contains truths that cross their prejudices.” Dr. Elliott testifies, that from the Constantinian revolution in the eastern empire, with but few exceptions, we find the Apocalypse “passed over in silence by the great Greek Fathers of the remainder of the fourth century;” and he also shows that nearly all who rejected it, were evidently under prejudices against, and misconceptions of the Apocalyptic doctrine of a Millennium. The pointed testimony of Prof. Stuart is as follows: “In the end of the fourth century to guard against Chiliasm, quite a number doubted the genuineness of the Apocalypsc, — did not rcccivc it as canonical, and carefully abstained front appealing to it, but after this period we find only here and there a solitary voice raised against it, until at length the reception became all but universal. When the question of Chiliasm had ceased to excite any special interest in the churchcs * * * all opposition to the Apocalypse either ceased or became quite inactive and indifferent.” Gibbon, too, adds his testimony to this remarkable fact, and says: “In the Council of Laodicea; A.D. 360, the Apocalypse was tacitly excluded from the sacred canon, by the same churches of Asia to which it was addressed; and we may learn from the comlaint of Sulpicius Severus, that their sentence had been ratified by the greater number of Christians of his time.” And to sum up this array of evidence with regard to the Millennimn, as held by the church up to this period, together with its rejection, as also that of the Apocalypse, we give the following striking and truthful language of Horatius Bonar. On Revelation 20th chapter, he writes: — “In the first centuries great stress was laid upon this passage. It was considered the stronghold of Chiliasm — so strong and decided was its testimony deemed, that the Anti-chiliasts deemed their only escape from it, was the total denial of the Apocalypse. Chiliasm, and the Apocalypse, were deemed inseparable. They could only get rid of the former, by rejecting the latter. They never thought it possible to deny that the Apocalypse taught Chiliasm. This was not disputed; and hence those who disliked Chiliasm could not tolerate the Apocalypse. It was not till the church had learned to Platonize, or had taken lessons in the school of Origen, that they could condemn Chiliasm without disputing the inspiration of the Revelation.” Such is the voice of History, with regard to the doctrine of the millenium, and its subsequent depression. We have been sufficiently copius, so that the intelligent and candid reader might know both the character of its advocates and opponents — its final adherents, and its ultimate destroyers. Orthodoxy had sided with it, but heterodoxy waged war against it. The true church believed in it, but the apostate church crushed it. If this be true, ought not the church of Christ in the nineteenth century to unanimously maintain Chiliasm? We think so. Rome, with those in her employ, rose up against it. Brooks affirms that the works of Papias and Nepos, and Mede adds those of Victorinus and Sulpicius, containing Millennarian views, were authoritatively suppressed by Pope Damasus, The extraordinary admission of Gibbon is that, “as long as for wise purposes this error was permitted to subsist in the church, it was productive of the most salutary effects on the faith and practice of Christians, who lived in the awful expectation of that moment when the globe itself, and all the various races of mankind, should tremble at the appearance of their divine Judge,” but now the great Antichrist was at hand, and the way must be prepared for him to reign, and be worshipped. That which Chillingworth, Lardner, Taylor, Russell and others affirm to have been orthodox in the first centuries, began to be deemed heretical. The Council of Rome under Pope Damasus, in A.D. 373, formally denounced Chiliasm, and so cruciual was the condemnation that Baronius, a Roman Catholic historian of the sixteenth century observes that, “the heresy, however loquacious before, was silenced then, and since that time has hardly been heard of. And of the fifth century he writes, “Moreover the figments of the Millennaries being now rejected everywhere, and derided by the learned with hisses and laughter, and being also put under the ban, were entirely extirpated !” Says Bush — “through the dreary tract of the ages of darkness, scarcely a vestige of Millennarian sentiment is to be traced!” Thus have we seen that through the rejection of the Apocalypse by Caius, Dionysius, and finally the church in general; through the Platonism and allegorizing of Origen and his numerous followers; through the misrepresentations of Eusebius; through the scoffing of the monk Jerome; through the hatred and opposition of a great church of embryotic Papists; through the denunciations of church councils; through the comminations and bitterness of Popes; through the laughter and hisses of Popish doctors; through the influence of an onward creeping and awful apostacy; through perhaps, the abuse of Millennarian truths by their advocates; and, finally, through the presentation and final reception of a new and erroneous Millenial theory more suited to the times, the true Apocalyptic doctrine of the Millennium, as held by the primitive church, wasted away, and ultimately well, nigh died — died, not at the hands of orthodox Christians, but at the hand of men noted for their unsoundness in the faith — died at the hands of the infant harlot, Rome! And, alas! how much truth died with if — how much error lived when it died! But it did not die utterly, for “Truth crushed to earth shall rise again, The eternal years of God are hers!” Resuming our history of the doctrine under consideration, we now give from Elliott’s Horae Apocalypticae, the Augustinian view of the Millennium, a belief which, when the primitive views were silenced, generally prevailed for nearly a thousand years afterwards. That Millennial scheme was: — That the Millennium of Satan’s binding, and the saints’ reigning, dated from Christ’s ministry, when he beheld Satan fall like lightning from heaven; it being meant to signify the triumph over Satan in the hearts of true believers; and that the subsequent figuration of Gog and Magog indicated the coming of Antichrist at the end of the world — the 1000 years being a figurative numeral, expressive of the whole period intervening. It supposed the resurrection taught, to be that of dead souls from the death of sin to the life of righteousness; the beast conquered by the saints, meant the wicked world; its image, a hypocritical profession; the resurrection being continuous, till the end of time, when the universal resurrection and final judgment would take place. This view, says Dr. Elliott, prevailed froin Augustine’s time, among certain writers throughout the middle ages, down to the Reformation. He then instances Primasius, Andreas, Bede, Ambrose, Ansbert, and other Catholic divines as holding it, and even after the Reformation, with some modifications, various Protestant doctors, Luther, Bullinger, Bale, Pareus. etc., it being held by them more ecclesiastical than by Augustine and the Constantinian era being made a commencing epoch; and, finally, in the language of Professor Stuart, — and as Elliott also affirms — (Stuart erroneously attributing its origin to Andreas) — This view ultimately originated the crusades, and the monstrous deception and consternation, into which the whole Roman world was betrayed in regard to the conting of Christ in the year 1000. Comment or refutation is unneccessary. For the purpose of exhibiting to the minds of our readers in a fuller and clearer manner, the character of the tide of Millennial views now setting in upon the Romish church, in the advancing establishment of the Papacy, to be received by her, never to be abandoned, we give one more testimony, that of her own expounder, ANDREAS, A.D. 550 OR 600, Andreas was Bishop of Cesarea. Drs. Cave and Lardner say he flourished about A.D. 550. Dr. Elliott argues for A.D. 550 or 612-615. “In his Apocalyptic Commentary,’ says Stuart, “he took a mystical view, and commenced the 1000 years from the first institution of the Christian church.” Dr. Clarke speaks of Andreas’ Commentary, as one of “mystical interpretations.” Elliott says, “The Millennium he explains anagogically, as Augustine.” But we will let Andreas speak for himself. On Revelation — “Some confine this thousand years to the short period of our Lord’s ministry, from his baptism to his ascension to heaven, being no more than three years or three years and a half. Others think that after the completion of six thousand years shall be the first resurrection from the dead, which is to be peculiar to the saints alone; who are to be raised up that they may dwell again on this earth, where they had given proofs of patience and fortitude; and that they may live here a thousand years in honor and plenty, after which will be the general resurrection of good and bad. But the\parCHURCH receives neither of these interpretations. * * By the thousand years we understand the time of the preaching of the gospel, or the time of the gospel dispensation.” Antichrist, says Stuart, was to appear, and the end of the world immediately follow their termination. This was the Millennial scheme now adopted by the church, though it is manifestly evident from the words of Andreas, that some, even as late as his day, held to the primitive view. Albert Bengal writes: “When Christianity, in the age of Constantine, was made the religion of the empire, a notion began to be entertained that the Millennium must have already commenced; men dated its commencement from Christ’s nativity or crucifixion; and dismissing the opinion that Antichrist had come, they regarded this event as still future, and expected the appearance of Antichrist to take place at the termination of their own imaginary Millennium.” “Mistaking,” says Dr. Cumming, “the spiritual character of the church of Christ, and identifying its earthly grandeur with its real success, they believed that the Millennium had at last dawned upon the world — and even in more modern times, such writers as Grotius and Hammond, and the venerable martyrologist, Fox, have expressed their conviction that the reign of Constantine was the realization of the Millennium of the Apocalypse!” Dr. Burnet , who possessed a thorough knowledge of the Millennial history, says — “I never yet met with a Popish doctor that held the Millennium; Baronius would have it pass for an heresy, with Papius for its author; whereas, if Irenaeus may be credited, it was received from St. John, and by him from the mouth of our Savior. It never pleased, but always gave offence to the church of Rome; because it did not suit that scheme of Christianity which they have drawn. The Apocalypse of John supposed the true church under hardships and persecutions, but the church of Rome supposing Christ reigns already, by his vicar, the Pope, hath been in prosperity and greatness, and the commanding church in Christendom for a long time. And the Millennium being properly a reward and a triumph for those that come out of persecution, (i.e. the martyrs,) such as have lived always in pomp and prosperity, can pretend to no share in it, or be benefitted by it. This has made the church of Rome always have an ill eye upon this doctrine, because it seemed to have an ill eye upon her; and as she grew in splendor and greatness, she eclipsed and obscured it more and more; so that it would have been lost out of the world, as an obsolete error, if it had not been revived by some at the Reformation.” Bishop Newton thus wisely and truely speaks: “In short, the doctrine of the Millennium was generally believed in the three first and purest ages; and this belief, as the learned Dodwell has justly observed, was one principal cause of the fortitude of the primitive Christians; they even coveted martyrdom, in hopes of being partakers of the privileges and glories of the martyrs in the first resurrection. Afterwards this doctrine grew into disrepute for various reasons. Some, both Jewish and Christian writers, have debased it with a mixture of fables; they have described the kingdom more like a sensual than a spiritual kingdom, and thereby they have not only exposed themselves; but what is infinitely worse, the doctrine itself to contempt and ridicule. It hath suffered by the misrepresentations of its enemies, as well as by the indiscretions of its friends; many, like Jerome, have charged the Millennarians with absurd and impious opinions, which they never held; and rather than they would admit the truth of the doctrine, they have not scrupled to call in question the genuineness of the book of the Revelation. It hath been abused even to worse purposes; it hath been made an engine of faction, and turbulent fanatics, under the pretext of saints, have aspired to dominion, and disturbed the peace of civil society. Besides, wherever the influence and authority of the church of Rome have extended, she hath endeavored by all means to discredit this doctrine, and indeed, not without sufficient reason, this kingdom of Christ, being founded on the ruins of the kingdom of Antichrist. No wonder, therefore, that this doctrine lay depressed for many ages; but it sprang up again at the Reformation, and will flourish together with the study of the Revelation. All the danger is on one side, of pruning and lopping it too short; and on the other, of suffering it to grow too wild and luxuriant. Great caution, soberness, and judgment are required to keep the middle course. We should neither with some, interpret it into an allegory, nor depart from the literal sense of Scripture without absolute necessity for so doing. Neither should we with others indulge an extravagant fancy, nor explain too curiously the manner and circumstances of this future state. It is safest and best faithfully to adhere to the words of Scripture, or to fair deductions from Scripture; and to rest content with the general account till time shall accomplish and eclaircise all the particulars.’” With all of these facts before us, how true and impressive is the language of Mr. Cox, of England, when he observes that, — “The great chasm in the history of Chiliasm, seems to be those awful centuries of Rome’s supremacy when almost every truth was hidden.” ANTI-MILLENNARIANISM. It is obviously seen that the singular theory of the Apocalyptic Millennium, being in the past, is Romish in its origin and nature. With regard to this view, we present but one argument, and that from Dr. Gill. He says: “The continuance and duration of the reign of Christ and the saints together, will be a thousand years. It is expressly said, “The rest of the dead lived not again till the thousand years were finishcd.” Revelation 20:5. It may be inquired, “Whether these thousand years are past or to come? To the solution of which, this observation is necessary, that the binding of Satan, and the reign of Christ, are contemporary. These thousand years have been dated from the birth of Christ, who came to destroy the works of the devil, and before whom Satan fell as lightning from heaven; yet this falls short of the binding and casting him into the bottomless pit. Others date these thousand years of Satan’s binding from the resurrection of Christ; but Satan was not then bound. Others begin these thousand years of Satan’s binding at the destruction of Jerusalem; but in these times, the devil could never be said to be bound, when he had a synagogue of corrupt men. — Revelation 2:9. “Others begin the date of Satan’s binding, and Christ’s reigning, from the times of Constantine; and reckoning the thousand years from hence, they will reach to the beginning of the fourteenth century. But that the devil was not then bound, appears by the flood he cast out of his mouth to destroy the woman, the Church, who was obliged to disappear and flee into the wilderness, the remnant of whose seed he pcrsecuted. — Revelation 12:13-17. Some begin the thousand years reign, and the binding of Satan, at the reformation from Popery; but whether the date is from Wickliff, John Huss, and Jerome of Prague, or of Luther, they all of them either suffered death or met with great inhumanity and ill treatment, from the instruments of Satan, and therefore he could not be bound. Satan will not be bound till Christ, the mighty Angel, descends from heaven to earth, which will not be till the end of the world.” We pass over this period almost in silence. The Man of Sin had come, and stretching his magic wand over the whole church, the “heresy of the Chiliasts” was silenced, and Popish error and Millennial darkness reigned supreme. The Romish Church silenced it; but when in the burning light of history we consider her character, we regard Post and Anti-millennarians as getting to themselves no honor by referring to the fact. Will our Protestant brethren of the other view look at this? Tichonius, of the 4th century; Primasius, of the 6th; Andreas, of the 6th or 7th; Ambrose, Ansbert and probably Bede, of the 8th; and Berengaud in the 9th century; all either Romish or Greek Apocalyptic writers, expound the Millennium on the Augustinian system, but in doing so they predict trouble for the church till the end of the world; frequently limiting its duration to 6,000 years. Andreas, one of the most distinguishcd of these, makes six ages or Millenniums for the world’s duration, and argues that at their conclusion, and in the days of the Seventh trumpet, all would end, and the saints’ rest begin; Indeed this idea seems never to have been abandoned even during the dark ages. Then, as before and since the world’s duration, has generally been made to be sex-millennial. JOACHIM ABBAS, A.D. 1190. Joachim Abbas. He was born at Calabria, and was an Apocalyptic writer of much celebrity, Dr. Elliott affirming that, as a prophetic expounder, he had “a greater influence than any other man in the middle ages.” Joachim lived in the times of Richard Coeur d’Lion, before whom he lectured on the Apocalypse at Messina, while the latter was on his way in a crusade to the Holy Land. His prophetic scheme in regard to the Millennium, etc., Elliott calls bold, original and new for his times, and regards it as an innovation of the Augustine and Romish view. We condense from Elliott his thoughts on the subject in question. Great troubles were to come on Rome — “the proud city” — he thought, on the pouring out of the sixth vial, his own church (the Romish) would be scourged for its sins. Much tribulation would occur under the reign of the Antichrist, but at the end of his rule, and the treading down of the witnesses, Christ would appear and take to himself the earth’s dominion, as in Psalm 2nd. The angel’s oath, Revelation 10, he supposed indicated “a proclamation of the last time, and day of judgment as near at hand;” which warning cry however, the wicked world would not hear: the cessation of time predicted meaning the final Sabbath. The seventh trumpet he makes to correspond with the “sabbath state” of Revelation 20: the voices in heaven meaning preachers on earth announcing that coming good; and the judgments of that trump as accomplishing the extermination of the Beast, the false Prophet, and Antichrist. The blessing of Revelation 14:13, meant, he thought, the glorious Sabbath awaiting the church at last. The song of exultation on the fall of Babylon given in Revelation 19, Joachim expounds as the rejoicing of the Church on her liberation and triumph; and so, he says, “will begin that kingdom for which we continually pray ‘Thy Kingdom come.’ — O, how good will it be for us to be there! Christ being our shepherd, king, meat, drink, light, life!” On the advent of Revelation 19:11, etc., remarking that it was a point in dispute among doctors, as to whether it would be personal or providential, he decided on the former, and gives his own opinion that it would be personal: the sword from the rider’s mouth, he says, corresponding with St. Paul’s prediction in 2 Thessalonians 2:8. He made six periods, or ages, for the duration of the world, and regarded Revelation 20, as treating of that great Sabbath which is to be at the end of time: i.e. the Millennium, (which he says would be longer or shorter, as God pleased.) He commences this Millennium with the personal advent of the Redeemer. The binding of Satan, he says, which began incipiently to have its fulfillment at Christ’s resurrection, would now have its perfect fulfillment in this Sabbath time, after the Beast’s destruction. The first resurrection, which He makes identical with Daniel’s prophecy of the saints possessing the kingdom, Daniel 7, — and also Ezekiel’s, of the resuscitation of Israel — Ezekiel 37 — Joachim intimates may be literal — “Perhaps,” he says, “the saints are then to rise and enter at once on life eternal.” The battle of Gog, or Antichrist, would follow the Millennium. The new heavens and earth is “the final blissful state when the tares shall have been gathered from the wheat, and the just shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The voice of Joachim is decidedly Pre-millennial; harmonizing measurably in its sentiments with that of the Church in earlier and purer times. Anselm , Bishop of Havilburg, A. D. 1145, in a Treatise on Revelation, advocated a similar view, making six ages for the world, and these followed by a seventh, which would be the “Saint’s Rest.” Almeric , Professor of Logic and Theology at Paris, and Jean Pierre D’olive , a leader in the church, were disciples, and followed in the footsteps of Joachim, whose views — says Elliott — exercised an influence on subsequent interpreters. JEWISH RABBIS. Saadias Gaon. A Jewish Rabbi, who died in A. D. 943. He was eminent as an expositor, and wrote a book on the Belief of the Jews. On Daniel 7:18, he thus comments: “Because Israel have rebelled against the Lord, their kingdom shall be taken from them, and shall be given to these four monarchies, which shall possess the kingdom in this age, and shall lead captive, and subdue Israel to themselves, in this age, until the age to come, until Messiah shall reign.” The celebrated Spanish Rabbi, Abraham Aben Ezra , who died in 1174, and whose commentaries are so highly valued as to win for him the title of “wise, great, and admirable,” is said to have looked for the end, resurrection, and restitution, at the expiration of the 6000 years. Ben- Israel Menasse , a Portuguese Rabbi of the sect of the Pharisees, who died in 1660, thus expresses his own faith, and also speaks of Aben Ezra . He says: “As for my opinion, I think that after six thousand years the world shall be destroyed, upon one certain day, or in an hour; that the arches of heaven shall make a stand, as immovable; that there will be no more generation or corruption; and all things by the resurrection shall be renovated, and return to a better condition.” He then adds that “this, out of doubt, is the opinion of the most learned Aben Ezra ,” who looked for it in the new earth of Isaiah 65:17. And Moses Maimonides , a Spanish Rabbi, called “The eagle of the Doctors,” held and taught similar views. He died about A. D. 1201. Cunninghame says that Isaac Abarbanel, Saadias Gaon, Solomon Jarchi, Hannaneel, Bechay, Laban, Ben Nachman, Rashi , and Ben Abraham , all Jewish Rabbis, adopt the year-day theory thus according with the majority of Protestant expositors. THE PAULIKIANS, A. D. 600, AND LATER. These were an ancient sect of Christians declaring themselves to be followers of the doctrines of Paul, and suffering with the Waldenses persecution by the church of Rome. They were quite numerous in the middle ages, and though charged with heresy and Manicheism by their persecutors, Dr. Elliott vindicates them entirely from every charge, and styles them “A line of true witnesses for the Lord Jesus.” Among other things, for which they were anathematized, was the charge of holding that “God has no authority in this world, but in that which is to come; and that the Maker of this world is another, and has authority over this present,” or as their Abjuration reads, “God, the Heavenly Father, has merely authority over the world to come; inasmuch as that the present state (aiwn i.e. age) and the world were not made by Him but by his adversary, the Evil One, the ruler of the world.” Dr. Elliott says that their peculiar doctrine, on this head, appears to have related not to the original creation, but to the present constitution and the present ruling authority in the world: the wording of the charge, especially in the Formula of Anathema in Photius and in Cedrenus, the use of the word age, and the contrast of this age, or world, not with another cotemporaneous, but with that of the “age to come.” With Elliott, we accord the Scripturalness of this view, it agreeing well with Romans 8:20-23; John 14:30; 2 Corinthians 4:4; John 5:19; Job 9:24, and Luke 4:6. The Paulikians called themselves Christians and their enemies Romans, and there was in this view of the present subordinate rule of the Evil One, so plainly taught in the above Scriptures, something so decidedly alien from the then — and alas! too much now — prevalent belief of an ecclesiastical reign and Millennial era — a faith so antagonistical to Rome as to be apparent to all, and call down the maledictions of the great Antichrist. We would that all Christians would draw a lesson from these humble, yet faithful witnessing Protestants of the middle ages, as also from the folly of the Corinthian church, so ironically rebuked by Paul, in 1 Corinthians 4:7,8, etc. The Paulikians spoke of Christ, says our informant, as Him whose footsteps they wished to follow in this world, Him who was their forerunner to the heavenly Jerusalem, and as their king, marked them from his meditorial throne in heaven. And as the great object of their hopes, they looked, as we have before seen, to His introduction of the age to come; in which age the usurper should have no more authority, but all the power and all the authority be with the Lord Christ. They saluted each other when they met us “fellow-pilgrims, or fellow-exiles,” and their home was in “THE WORLD TO COME.” We would here observe, that the evidence in confirmation of Premillennialism, derived from the voice of the church during the dark ages, and even at the opening of the Reformation, as seen in the testimonies of the Paulikians, the Waldenses, Wickliff, etc., is of a negative character, and comes to us in the form of a constant expectation of the end of the world and the coming of Christ; precluding the faith of an intervening Millennium of blessedness, a doctrine totally unknown to the martyrs and reformers. Thus, while there be nothing in their testimonies clearly affirming Millenarianism, the grand fact therein presented, of the true church waiting for the Lord, and him only, and even of fixing dates making his advent proximate, is, we affirm, decidedly at variance with the faith of every Postmillennialist of the modern school of Whitby. THOMAS AQUINAS, A. D. 1250. Thomas Aquinas was born A. D. 1224. Died A. D. 1274. He was a learned doctor of the Romish Church, and was canonized A. D. 1323. Expounding the Millennium, Elliott says of him: “Of the Millennial binding of Satan he in one place gives the old Augustinian explanation, as having reference to time past, and commencing from Christ’s ministry; yet seems elsewhere to apply it to a judgment on the Devil after Antichrist’s destruction. It was another step in the track of Joachim Abbas to the abandonment of the so long received Millennial theory of Augustine.” Almeric, before mentioned, declared that Rome was Babylon, and the Roman Pope Antichrist, for which he was pronounced a heretic, and his bones dug up and publicly burnt, in the year 1209. Both Almeric and his disciples proclaimed the approach of an era of light and reformation, or as Joachim had called it, “a third Age, the Age of the Holy Spirit.” The passing away of the Millennial year 1000 without the expected awful mundane catastrophe, tended to make men earnestly reason and question, both on the long received Millennial theory, and also on that of the prophetic Antichrist, Tissington, a writer of the 14th century, calling the developed Augustinian scheme, as cherished by Berenger, a “day dream!” Dr. Elliott says, even of the 11th century, that as it wore away everything prepared for, and symptoms very significantly betokened that a new era of prophetic interpretation was approaching. Thank God, the morning of this long night dawned at last! The Reformation came and light came with it. “After ages of superstition, and the reign of ignorance,” says Milner, the historian, “we see the Sun of Righteousness rising over Europe, with healing under his wings.” THE WALDENSES, A. D. 314, TILL NOW THE WALDENSES,VALDENSES,VAUDOIS or “People of the Valleys.” “Who has not heard,” says Elliott, “of the Waldenses?” “this most ancient stock of religion,” to use the words of the great Milton. In the language of Dr. Cheever, “They are an unconquered community of Protestant Christians, who have always existed directly at the doors of the Romish court, and beneath the reverberating thunders of the Vatican.” Romish and Protestant writers of the best authority have demonstrated their existence since the time of Pope Sylvester, and perhaps even from the days of the Apostles, and it is well known that they acknowledge no founder. But we need not stop to eulogize them, for their praise is in every mouth. We come to notice their faith, and on this we remark that, “They have always regarded the Papal Church as the Antichrist: the Babylon of the Apocalypse.” ‘They condemned fine mystical or allegorical interpretations of Scripture.” If the latter be true, could they have been anything else than Literalists? Their “Treatise on Antichrist,” and “Noble Lesson,” written in the 12th century, are both pronounced by the best judges to be genuine and authentic. The latter (translated by Faber and quoted by Brooks, Elliott, etc.) is originally in the form of a Poem. Elliott pronounces it to have been written among the Cottian Alps, about A. D. 1150 or 1160, and thinks Peter Waldo was its author. The Poem is very beautiful, and in its style and sentiment resembles the Epistles of the early Chiliastic Fathers. We give extracts. THE NOBLE LESSON. “O Brethren, hear a Noble Lesson. “We ought always to watch and pray; for we see that the world is near to its end. We ought to strive to do good works; since we see that the world approaches to its termination. “Well have a thousand and a hundred years been entirely completed, since it was written that we are in the last times. “We ought to covet little; for we are at what remains. Daily, we see the signs coming to their accomplishment, in the increase of evil, and in the decrease of good. These are the perils which the Scripture speaks of; which the gospels have recounted, and which St. Paul mentions; that no man who lives can know the end. Therefore ought we the more to fear; since we are not certain whether death will overtake us today or tomorrow. But when the day of Judgment shall come, everyone shall receive his entire payment; both those who have done ill and those who have done well. For the Scripture saith, and we ought to believe it, that all men shall pass two ways; the good to glory, the wicked to torment. But if anyone shall not believe this dipartition, let him attend to Scripture from the commencement. Since Adam was formed, down even to the present time, there may he find, if he will give his attention to it, that few are the saved in comparison with those that remain. “We ought to love our neighbor, for God hath commanded it: not only those who do good to us, but likewise those who do evil. We ought, moreover, to have a firm hope in the Celestial King, that at the end he will lodge us in his glorious hostelry.” Referring at length to their persecutions, the writer says “But he who is thus persecuted strengthens himself greatly through the fear of the Lord; for the kingdom of heaven shall be given to him at the end of the world.” After writing about many things and repeating sound doctrine and good instruction, the lesson ends thus: — “Many signs and great wonders shall be from this time forward to the day of judgment. The heaven and the earth shall burn; and all the living shall die. Then all shall rise again to life everlasting. Every building shall be laid prostrate; and then shall be the last judgment; when God shall separate his people according as it is written. Then shall he say to the wicked, depart from me ye accursed, into the infernal fire, which shall have no end. There shall they be straightened by three grievous conditions; namely, by multitude of pains, and by sharp torment, and by an irreversible damnation.” “From this may God deliver us, if it be his pleasure, and may he give us to hear that which He will say to his people without delay: when He shall say, come unto me ye blessed of my Father, and possess the kingdom which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world. In that place you shall have delight, and riches, and honor.” “May it please the Lord who formed the world, that we may be of the number of his elect to stand in his courts! Thanks unto God! Amen!” Such is the tone of “the noble lesson,” emphatically a Protestant voice from the ages of darkness, coming from the cherished and martyred Waldenses, of whom the Congregational Journal says “they preserved alive the teachings of the primitive church,” and in which, in the language of Elliott, is simply and beautifully drawn out, “the world’s near ending and the hope of coming glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” We pronounce it as decidedly favoring Pre-millennialism, and giving no sanction to an opposite theory. The shortness of time, the advent of the “Celestial King,” the signs of the times, perils and wonders till the judgment, the fires of the last day, a heavenly kingdom when the world ends, and not before, are the themes of the Noble Lesson. There is not one hint even of a temporal Millennium, such as many have looked for, since the time of Whitby, but instead, it harmonizes beautifully in its Pre-millennial tone with the faith of the Fathers and Reformers. Even Rome admits the Waldenses’ warm attachment to the Scriptures, and if in interpreting them they condemn the mystical and anagogical system, they strike a blow and lift a voice against the wide spread Origenistic, and more modern Whitbian method of Biblical interpretation that should be felt and heard, throughout Christendom. Rev.Mr. Morris, in his work against Pre-millenarianism, says, that “The seed of Chiliasm has always remained in the church.” We believe it. We have found it among the Paulikians, the Waldenses and others of the dark ages, and are happy to trace our credo genealogy back through this “noble army of martyrs” to the church of the purest age — nay, to the Seer of Patmos himself, and we are neither ashamed of the antiquity and apostolicity of our doctrine, or of our theological lineage, or of our company. WICKLIFF, A. D. 1350. John Wickliff, D. D., was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1324. He was the zealous antagonist of Rome, the “Morning star of the Reformation,” and, says Mosheim, “a man of an enterprising genius and extraordinary learning.” In 1856 he put forth to the world a small tract, entitled “The Last Age of the Church.” The occasion of its production was the frequent occurrence of terrible earthquakes and the ravages of a fearful pestilence, which is supposed to have swept away full one-third of the population of Europe. Did Wickliff hail this fearful sign as a harbinger of an approaching temporal Millennium? Nay, the idea seemed farthest from his mind. Adopting the sentiments afterward echoed by Wesley, “Whatever ills the world befall, A pledge of endless good we call — A sign of Jesus near;” he thought that the plagues with which the nations had recently been scourged, were indications that the great designs of God were hastening to a close; and that with the fourteenth century, the world would come to an end. He supposed, on the authority of Bede and St. Bernard, that four periods of heavy tribulation were to intervene between the first and second advent of Christ, and that two of these visitations were being passed, and that the last two would take place during that century, which was accordingly styled by him as “The Last Age of the World.” The above tract has never been printed, but exists only in MS. in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. Albert Bengel in his writings, intimates that Wickliff put the thousand years in the past. From the foregoing we gather the following conclusions: That this celebrated Reformer, whose intimate acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures gained for him the title of the “Gospel Doctor,” looked for no intervening period of Millennial blessedness to occur prior to the second advent of Christ, but instead regarded the Redeemer’s appearing as the object of the hope and constant expectation of the church of God. So shone this “Morning Star,” who faded from time’s sky in 1384. The Waldenses, the Lollards, Walter Brute, the martyrs, Huss and Jerome of Prague, and the lamented Lord Cobham, were all either followers of, or intimately associated with, Wickliff. Here, for the present, we pass from the ages of darkness. When the great Reformation came, and the Man of Sin was discovered, with it came the solemn impression on the mind of the true church, that she was nearing the end of the world. “The first Christians,” says President Lord, “expected the return of Christ, and the setting up of his kingdom almost in their own time. Paul corrected them. He testified prophetically to the longer probation of the Gentile church; to its falling away, and the revelation of the Man of Sin. That prophetic apostasy is now a matter of history, or of present observation. . . . Rome attained its climacteric, and God sent Luther to announce that the day of redemption would not be long delayed. Another testimony, another shorter experiment, said the confessors of Germany, the Calvinists and the Puritans generally of Europe, and the last revolution cometh!” And Luther thus speaks, “The great day is drawing near, in which the kingdom of abominations shall be overthrown.” “This aged world is not far from its end,” said Milancthon, as he counted the numbers in the great creation-week of time. If the elder Reformers said the day was near in their time, what should we say who have entered the stream three centuries after them? And if the only Apostolic argument against the proximity of the last advent, be now obsolete and invalid, what look we for? If “that prophetic apostasy be now history,” where are we? A master spirit anticipates the coming crisis. Surveying the Reformation he says: “The first day was the battle of God, the second the battle of the priest, the third the battle of reason. What will be the fourth? In our opinion, the confused, the deadly contest of all these powers together, to end in the victory of Him to whom triumph belongs.” We are past the ages of darkness. A mighty voice began three centuries ago to “proclaim the hour of God’s judgment at hand.” It waxeth louder and louder. The Lord cometh! CHAPTER 6. THE ERA AND CENTURY OF THE REFORMATION. “I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High: and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” DANIEL 7:21, 22. THE period when Luther entered upon the labors of a reformer, and which is generally adopted as the era and century of the Reformation, is A. D. 1517. Rev. Henry Morris admits that the doctrine of Millenarianism, as held by the early church, though it fell into disrepute, and was lost during the dark ages, was revived again “at the Reformation.” “At the Reformation,” observes Spaulding, “this doctrine was revived, and we may judge from the unreserved manner in which the Millenarian sentiments are expressed by many Protestant writers, that they were not thought new or doubtful.” The London Quarterly Journal of Prophecy testifies that, “Millennarianism during the first century after the Reformation rose again into notice, and was held by several learned and godly men, and in the second it rose into still greater eminence, being taught by great numbers among all denominations who had no participation in the fanaticism of the ‘Fifth Monarchy Men.’ “ “Whilst,” says Mr. Brooks, “the single tenet of the thousand years was by the generality of the early reformers avoided; still |
