p. 146 | Avenging of the Elect

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 7, 1862

Avenging of the Elect.

(Continued.)

A REVOLUTION IN THE PRIMITIVE PROTESTANT FAITH.

Dr. Twiss, who was President of the Westminster Assembly, was an admiring disciple of Dr. Mede, often expressing his profound respect and admiration, and saying at one time, "O, Mr. Mede, I would willingly spend my days in hanging upon your lips, to hear you discourse upon the glorious kingdom of Christ here on earth, to begin with the ruin of anti-christ," &c.

Archbishop Usher at first appears to have clung to the millennial views of the middle ages; but subsequently, as it would seem, was converted to the primitive millennial faith by the writings and personal influence of Mr. Mede, of whose comment on the Apocalypse he says, "I cannot sufficiently commend it."

Dr. Thomas Goodwin, another eminent member of the Westminster Assembly, was a powerful advocate of the primitive millennial faith, the principal distinguishing feature of which was the pre-millennial advent of Christ. He was looking for the coming of the Lord to renew the earth, and to set up his kingdom here, according to the literal interpretation of the millennial prophecies.

Milton, "the English Homer," gloried in the pre-millennial faith. Bishop Jeremy Taylor, without subscribing in full to the primitive faith, nevertheless, contended for the literal interpretation of the texts according to the primitive method, which, of necessity, makes the coming of the Lord to be pre-millennial.

Richard Baxter, the mention of whose name suggests all necessary eulogisms, lived in continual longing and looking for the appearing of the Lord Jesus. Writing on this subject, he thus gives expression to his millennial faith: "Would it not rejoice your hearts if you were sure to live to see the coming of the Lord, and to see his glorious appearing and retinue? If you were not to die, but to be caught up thus to meet the Lord, would you be averse to this? For my own part, I must confess to you, that death, as death, appeareth to me an enemy, and my nature doth abhor and fear it. But the thoughts of the coming of the Lord are most sweet and joyful to me, so that if I were but sure that I should live to see it, and that the trumpet should sound, and the dead should rise, and the Lord appear before the period of my age, it would be the joyfulest tidings to me in the world. Oh, that I might see his kingdom come!" "Whether he will come before the general resurrection, and reign on the earth a thousand years, I shall not presume to pass my determination: I am sure it is the work of faith and character of his saints to love his appearing, and to look for that blessed hope. The Spirit and the Bride say come: even so, come, Lord Jesus, come quickly, is the voice of faith, and hope, and love. But I find not that his servants are thus characterized by their desire to die. It is the presence of the Lord that they desire, but it is death that they abhor, and therefore, though they can submit to death, it is the coming of Christ that they love and long for." "Though I have not skill enough in the exposition of hard prophecies, to make a particular determination about the thousand years' reign of Christ on earth before the final judgment, yet, I may say, that I cannot confute what such learned men as Mr. Mede, Dr. Twiss, and others (after the old fathers) have hereof asserted." "We daily behold the forerunners of his coming foretold by himself. We see the fig-tree putteth forth leaves, and therefore know that summer is nigh. Though the riotous would say, My Lord delayeth his coming, yet the saints lift up their heads, for their redemption draweth nigh. Alas! fellow Christians, what should we do if our Lord should not return?" Is this the manner in which the admirers of Baxter are accustomed to express themselves now?

Joseph Alleine, the celebrated author of "Alleine's Alarm," was accustomed to express himself similarly with Baxter. While in prison for preaching the gospel, he thus wrote to his bereaved flock: "But now, my brethren, I shall not so much call upon you to remember the resurrection of Christ, as the return of Christ. Behold he cometh in the clouds, and every eye shall see him—your eyes and mine eyes—and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn because of him. But we shall lift up our heads because the day of our redemption draweth nigh. This is the day I look for and wait for, and have laid up all my hopes in. If the Lord return not, I profess myself undone: my preaching is vain, and my suffering is vain, and the bottom in which I have intrusted all my hopes is forever miscarried. But I know whom I have trusted; we are built upon the foundation of his sure word, and how fully doth that word assure us that this same Jesus, who is gone up into heaven, shall so return! Oh, how sure is the thing! How near is the time! How glorious will his appearing be!" And there is much more in the same strain. Excepting the few in these last times, is this the way in which ministers and churches are now accustomed to encourage one another?

It would swell this volume to ten times its intended size, to give even such short extracts from the writings of those great lights of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Nearly all the men of eminence, whose writings, preaching, and personal influence built up the various departments of the Protestant church, after its separation from the Romish, have left such intimations and demonstrations of their belief in the pre-millennial coming of the Lord, that it may be affirmed just as confidently of the primitive Protestant church, in all its departments, as of the primitive and apostolic church at the beginning, that primitive Protestantism, like primitive Christianity, was decidedly millennialist in its faith, and looked for no general improvement in the world until the second coming of Christ.

The Westminster Assembly, that was called in 1648 for the purpose of settling the government, liturgy, and doctrines of the church of England, was composed of Episcopalians, Dissenters, Independents, &c., and numbered about one hundred and fifty of the most eminent divines then living. The well-known and extensively-used Confession of Faith, and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, were framed by this celebrated and august assembly of divines.

Now, concerning the peculiar views of all that assembly, it is impossible to ascertain with certainty. But several things are especially worthy of note: 1. The times were characterized by biblical controversies, and especially between the Protestants and Roman Catholics. 2. The millennial views of the two great parties were, among other subjects, the topics of earnest disputation; and the doctrines of the reformers on this prominent question seem to have been decidedly anti-Romish. 3. So far as it would appear from the history of that assembly, and from what they said and agreed upon, there seems, in the first place, to have been nothing said or done against the millennial doctrines; and, in the second place, all that was agreed upon easily—some think necessarily—admits of the millennial sense. In the third place, it is known, beyond a doubt, that many of the most conspicuous members of that assembly were decided and outspoken millennarians of the primitive pattern. In the fourth place, the moderator of the assembly was the celebrated Dr. Twiss, who was such an enthusiastic admirer of Mr. Mede, the great champion for primitive millennialism, or Chiliasm, as some term it from the Greek. 4. Finally, as if to make assurance doubly sure, there is still preserved a letter which Robert Baillie, President of the University of Glasgow, and a prominent member of the assembly—and an anti-millenarian withal—wrote to William Spang, in respect

to the millennarian character of the Westminster Assembly, in which he says, after speaking of other matters: "The most of the chief divines here [in the assembly] not only independents, but others, such as Twiss, Marshall, Palmer, and many more, are express Chiliasts."

What would that eminent assembly now think, if they should once more be assembled, and should understand how generally, and, in many cases, how bitterly, the primitive millennarian doctrines are ignored or assailed by the present generation of Christians who receive the Westminster Assembly's Confession of Faith as their standard exposition of doctrine? Let those who are best acquainted with the facts in the case, give an honest answer to the two following questions: First. From the several circumstances previously mentioned, is it, or is it not, likely that the prevailing views of the Westminster Assembly were millennarian? Second. Supposing the ascendancy of the millennarian views, has there, or has there not, been a wide departure from primitive Protestantism in respect to this important question?

So important is it that we should understand our true position in reference to this great subject of the millennial kingdom of Christ, and so evident to the author is the fact, that, in respect to this matter, the churches now existing have generally swerved from the primitive Protestant faith, that it is necessary to still continue the examination of this point.

In the seventeenth century it would seem that the Baptist churches in England were nearly, if not entirely, unanimous in their reception of the true primitive millennarian doctrines. And they were settled immovably in their belief in these views. In 1660 they found it necessary or expedient to present to king Charles II, their Confession of Faith. It was signed by John Bunyan, and by forty others, and approved by twenty thousand more. The following is quoted from their article on the coming and kingdom of Christ:

"ART. 22. We believe that the same Lord Jesus who showed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs, Acts i, 3, which was taken up into heaven, Luke xxiv, 51, shall so come in like manner as he was seen to go into heaven, Acts i, 9–11; 'And when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, we also shall appear with him in glory.' Col. iii, 4. 'For the kingdom is his, and he is the governor among the nations,' Ps. xxii, 28, and King over all the earth, Zech. xiv, 9, 'and we shall reign with him on the earth.' Rev. v, 10. The kingdoms of this world [which men so mightily strive after here to enjoy] shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ. Rev. xi, 15. 'For all is yours' (ye that overcome the world), 'for ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's.' 1 Cor. iii, 22, 23. 'For unto the saints shall be given the kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom, under the whole heaven.' Dan. vii, 27. Though, alas! now many men be scarce content that the saints should have so much as a being among them, but when Christ shall appear, then shall be their day—then shall be given unto them power over the nations, to rule them with a rod of iron. Rev. ii, 26, 27. 'Then shall they receive a crown of life, which no man shall take from them, nor they by any means be turned or overturned from; for the oppressor shall be broken in pieces, Ps. lxxii, 4, and their vain rejoicings be turned into mourning and lamentations, as it is written. Job xx, 5–7.

"We believe that there will be an order in the resurrection; Christ is the first fruits, and then next, or after, they that are Christ's at his coming; then, or afterward, cometh the end. Concerning the kingdom and reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we do believe that he is now in heaven at his Father's right hand, so we do believe that at the time appointed of the Father, he shall come again in power and great glory; and that at, or after, his coming the second time, he will not only raise the dead, and judge and restore the world, but will also take to himself his kingdom, and will, according to the Scriptures, reign on the throne of his father David, on mount Zion, in Jerusalem forever.

"We believe that the kingdom of our Lord will be a universal kingdom, and that in this kingdom the Lord Jesus Christ himself will be alone, visible, supreme Lord and King of the whole earth.

"We believe that as this kingdom will be universal, so it will be also an everlasting kingdom that shall have no end, nor cannot be shaken; in which kingdom the saints and faithful in Christ Jesus shall receive the end of their faith, even the salvation of their souls; where the Lord is, they shall be also.

"We believe that the New Jerusalem that shall come down from God out of heaven, when the tabernacle of God shall be with them, and he will dwell among them, will be the metropolitan city of this kingdom, and will be the glorious place of residence of both Christ and his saints forever, and will be so situated as that the kingly palace will be on mount Zion, the holy hill of David, where his throne was."

They also expressed their determination to abide by these doctrines in such language as this: "We are not only resolved to suffer persecution to the loss of our goods, but also life itself, rather than decline from the same."

The "Prince of Dreamers" was a bold, outspoken millennarian, as we may learn from various places in his works. Take the following from his notice of Zech. xiv, 4: "His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives;" arguing against the spiritualists he says, "This is the day of his second coming;" and then asks, "Where is the mount of Olives? Not within thee; but that which is without Jerusalem, before it, on the east side." "In the seventh thousand years of the world will be that Sabbath when Christ shall set up his kingdom on earth, according to that which is written: 'They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.'" Of course Bunyan and the Baptists of his times had no expectation of any millennium until the second coming of the Lord. And this great event they were continually looking for, and comforting themselves with the expectation. How is it with the descendants and admirers of Bunyan and his pious and courageous associates, now? Is the Baptist church still remaining upon the primitive foundation, or has this church departed from the original faith, just like the others?

What has been shown in respect to the departure from the primitive faith of the churches represented in the Westminster Assembly, is equally apparent in respect to nearly all, if not all, of the other branches of the great Protestant family. Luther, and the eminent men associated with him in this great work, appear not to have had the faintest expectation of the world's conversion before the coming of the Lord. On the other hand the very wickedness of the world, and especially the audacious depravity of the papal government, led them to expect the speedy destruction of the man of sin by the personal coming of Christ to judge the world, according to the plain teachings of the Scriptures.

From Luther's writings and sayings it would be easy to fill a volume of proofs of his expectations and longings for the speedy coming of Christ to judge the world. The world has grown very stubborn and headstrong since the revelation of the word of the gospel. It begins to crack sorely; and I hope soon will break and fall on a heap through the coming of the day of judgment, for which we wait with yearning and sighs of heart.

Maitre Phillipe having said that the emperor Charles would live to be eighty-four, Luther replied, "The world itself will not live so long." Ezekiel tells us to the contrary. And, again, "if we drive forth the Turks, the prophecy of Daniel will be accomplished, and then, you may rely upon it, the day of judgment is at hand." "I know more than thou dost about the destiny of our world. That destiny is destruction; it is evidently so—seeing how triumphantly the Devil walks about, and how mankind grow daily worse and worse. There is one consolation, that the day of judgment is quite close at hand." "I pray the Lord to come forthwith and carry me hence. Let him come above all with his last judgment. I will stretch out my neck, the thunder will burst forth, and I shall be at rest." Some one observing that if the world were to subsist another fifty years, a great many things would happen which they could not then foresee, Luther replied, "Pray God it may not exist so long: matters would be even worse than they have been. There would rise up infinite sects and schisms, which are at present hidden in men's hearts, not yet mature. No; may the Lord come at once! Let him cut the whole matter short with the day of judgment, for there is no amendment to be expected." This will be sufficient to show what Luther's individual faith was in respect to the coming of the Lord Jesus.

Melancthon, Luther's right hand in the Reformation, agreed with Luther in respect to the nearness of the judgment day. Neither he nor Luther looked for any long interval of holiness and peace to precede the coming of Christ. Says Melancthon, "God showed to Daniel a series of monarchies and kingdoms, which it is certain has already run to the end. Four monarchies have passed away. The cruel kingdom of the Turks, which arose out of the fourth, still remains, and as it is not to equal the Roman power, and has certainly therefore already nearly reached its height, must soon decline, and then will dawn the day in which the dead shall be recalled to life."

Melancthon regarded the term anti-Christ as denoting both the Mahometan power and the papacy, and held that they were not to be overthrown till the time of the resurrection of the dead and personal advent of Christ, who would then destroy anti-Christ and set up his kingdom.

In 1530, at the Augsburg Diet, Melancthon drew up the Augsburg Confession of Faith, which is the acknowledged standard of faith for the Lutherans throughout the world. This celebrated confession, says Dr. Duffield, "Disowns altogether a spiritual millennium before the coming of Christ." The Protestant churchman remarks that "Rome and Augsburg agree to condemn the doctrines of the golden age in this world." What else could we expect of the associates and followers of Martin Luther at the beginning of their history? The Latin translation of article 17th reads thus: "In like manner they [our churches] condemn those who circulate the judaising notion, that prior to the resurrection of the dead, the pious will establish a separate temporal government, and all the wicked be exterminated."

Now, it must be admitted that this was aimed at those who believed in some kind of millennium previous to the coming of Christ, and the resurrection of the dead. There were those in that day, as there are many now, who so egregiously misinterpreted the Scriptures, as to look for an ante-advent millennium in some form or other. But the Augsburg confession condemned the doctrine as a "judaising notion," and unmistakably indicated the belief that the millennium will not be "prior the resurrection of the dead." Do the thirty millions of the followers of Luther still remain in the faith of their primitive fathers, and in agreement with their original confession of faith? Or are they, in common with other Protestant churches, now looking for some kind of millennium "prior to the resurrection of the dead," at the coming of the Lord?

Bullinger, who succeeded Zwingle in the pastorate at Zurich, and was one of those who framed the Helvetic Confession, likewise, with the English and German reformers, was a disbeliever in the "judaising notion" of a millennium before the coming of Christ. He regarded the only millennium that this world would enjoy as being already accomplished, and was looking for the immediate termination of the present state of things. Speaking of the seventh trumpet, he said, "It must soon come, therefore our redemption draweth nigh." "Christ swears that there is but one trumpet remaining; therefore let us lift up our heads, because our redemption draweth nigh." The bridal, in Rev. xix, he understood to co-incide with the resurrection of the saints [the true millennarian view.] The vision of Christ and his army on white horses, he understood as symbolizing the judgment advent. The new heavens and new earth he understood to be this world in a renovated state. Although his view of the millennium was the view of Wickliffe, and others who lived previous to the full dawn of the Reformation, yet the successor of Zwingle says he "objects not if any prefer to follow the Chiliasm of Papias."