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Pre-millennialism and The Early New Testament Church

The most striking point in the eschatology of the ante-Nicene age is the prominent chiliasm, or millenarianism, that is the belief of a visible reign of Christ in glory on earth with the risen saints for a thousand years, before the general resurrection and judgement. It was indeed not the doctrine of the church embodied in any creed or form of devotion, but a widely current opinion of distinguished teachers, such as Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Methodius, and Lactantius, while Caius, Origen, Dionysius the Great, Eusebius (as afterwards Jerome and Augustine) opposed it.
Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church

Pre-millennialism & The Westminster Divines

This article has been updated slightly [Saturday 5th January 2013].
Mention has already been made on this Blog about Dr William Cunningham's* impression of the Pre-millennialist views of a number of the Westminster Divines.

Further evidence of the prevalence of Pre-millennialism among the Westminster Divines is to be found in the writings of Robert Baillie, one of the Scottish Commissioners to the Assembly. Robert Baillie was the Principal of Glasgow University in his day.

In his writings, entitled 'The Letters and Journals of Robert Baillie' he writes on his observations of the Assembly's proceedings.

Spiritualising Scripture

This article was published in the October - December, 1983 edition of Watching and Waiting, the magazine of the Sovereign Grace Advent Testimony. 

The Rise and Fall of A-Millennialism

by James Payne 

Gibbon, the Roman historian tells us that for the first three centuries of the Christian era, the assurance of the Millennial reign of our Lord Jesus Christ was the general belief of orthodox Christians. Justyn Martyr, early in the 2nd century says, “I and as many as are orthodox Christians in all respects do acknowledge that there shall be a resurrection of the body and 1000 years reign in Jerusalem”.

For the first two and a half centuries Pre-Millennialism was the universal doctrine of the Church as it had been of the Apostles. No other doctrine was so much as known, far less received. A-Millennialism was not heard of in the Church during this period.

Quotable Quote - The Greatness of God

The entire indivisible essence of God is at every moment of time contemporaneously present to every point of infinite space.

Archibald Alexander Hodge, 1823 – 1886. He was the Principal of Princeton Seminary between 1878 and 1886, the son of Charles Hodge. He was named after the first Principal of Princeton Seminary, Archibald Alexander.

C H Spurgeon on The Millennium

In his Morning & Evening devotions today C H Spurgeon has the following to say upon the text in Isaiah 40:5: The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

We anticipate the happy day when the whole world shall be converted to Christ; when the gods of the heathen shall be cast to the moles and the bats; when Romanism shall be exploded, and the crescent of Mohammed shall wane, never again to cast its baleful rays upon the nations; when kings shall bow down before the Prince of Peace, and all nations shall call their Redeemer blessed. 

Rank Hypocrisy on Abortion

A real media frenzy has been stirred up as the result of a local election candidate, belonging to the United Kingdom Independence Party [UKIP], calling for an National Health Service review to look at compulsory abortion of unborn children with Down's Syndrome or Spina Bifida.

Mencap, the learning disability charity, said that it was disgusted and horrified at Geoffrey Clark's comments. Mark Goldring, chief executive of Mencap, said:

Much has been written about the Paralympics this summer changing attitudes towards disabled people for the better. Yet in the very same year, a council candidate has proposed forced eugenics against disabled people. It is abhorrent that Geoffrey Clark sees disabled people solely as a burden when people with a learning disability lead full lives and make valuable contributions to their communities and families. We question if he is fit for public office.

Why no outrage at those in society who every week, willingly and freely, abort the unborn child in the womb for no other reason than it has one of these same disabilities? It is rank hypocrisy to criticise one and not the other! Is it only the 'eugenics' that are 'disgusting and horrifying'? What about the basis principle of life and the killing of a child for no other reason that it will be born with a disability? All the pretended outrage at this case and the pretended interest in disability issues and disabled people by those who in other circumstances see absolutely nothing wrong with killing a disabled unborn child is pure humbug. 

The Literal Interpretation of Scripture

Rev William de Burgh records the following conversation between a Christian minister and a Jew in a sermon of his on the second advent of Jesus Christ:

Quotable Quote - Beware whom you listen to!

Take heed whom you listen to! It is our dear Saviour’s counsel, ‘Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves’ (Matthew 7:15). Let me tell you, the Devil has his ministers - as well as Christ. There are some, who by the subtlety of their wit have learned the art of mixing error with truth, and to give poison in a golden cup.

Attributed to the Puritan Thomas Watson

The Sodomite Bible!!

It would seem that those who have done so, have either ignored some very important verses or more likely are ignorant of them:
Revelation 22:18,19: For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Augustus Toplady on the 'Millennium'

I am one of those old-fashioned people, Mr President, who believe the doctrine of the Millennium: and that there will be two distinct resurrections of the dead, first, of the just, secondly, of the unjust; which last resurrection, of the reprobate, will not commence till a thousand years after the resurrection of the elect. In this glorious interval of one thousand years, Christ, I apprehend, will reign, in person, over the kingdom of the just…
Augustus Toplady, Volume 3 of his Works, page 470.

Horatius Bonar on 'Israel' in prophecy

The prophecies concerning Israel are the key to all the rest. True principles of interpretation in regard to them will aid us in disentangling and illustrating all prophecy. False principles as to them…that is Israel…will most thoroughly perplex and overcloud the whole Word of God

I am one of those who believe in Israel’s restoration and conversion, who receive it as a future certainty, that all Israel shall be gathered and that all Israel shall be saved. As I believe in Israel’s present degradation, so do I believe in Israel’s coming glory and preeminence. I believe that God’s purpose regarding our world can only be understood by understanding God’s purpose as to Israel.

I believe that all human calculations as to the earth’s future, whether political or scientific, or philosophical, or religious, must be failures if not taking for their data or basis God’s great purpose regarding the latter day standing of Israel. 

J C Ryle's comments on the "Throne of his father David"

In J C Ryle's commentary on Luke's Gospel chapter 1 verses 32 and 33, which reads: He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end; he makes the following comments:

Matthew Henry on the creation of Eve, the first woman

Further to the posts relating to Women Bishops and The position and role of women in the Church I was reminded this morning of what Matthew Henry had to say in his excellent commentary about the creation of Eve as recorded in Genesis 2:18-25: 

Over a dozen reasons why the argument for Exclusive Psalmody doesn't stand up, Part 12

12. The Westminster Divines did not believe in Exclusive Psalmody. 

From around the time of the compiling of the Westminster Confession of Faith [1643-46] there is abundant evidence to be gleaned that the term 'psalm' in the chapter 21 section 5 is not referring exclusively to the Psalter. This section of the Confession reads:
The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear; the sound preaching and conscionable hearing of the Word, in obedience unto God, with understanding, faith, and reverence; singing of psalms with grace in the heart; as also, the due administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ; are all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God: beside religious oaths, vows, solemn fastings, and thanksgivings, upon special occasions, which are, in their several times and seasons, to be used in a holy and religious manner.

The men who compiled these worthy documents of the Westminster Standards could not be shoehorned into the exclusive psalmist camp.

A poignant reminder of the past!

Border Trail of IRA Slaughter

During the Troubles in South East Fermanagh 42 Protestants were cruelly murdered by IRA/Sinn Fein. A tour has now been organised, by the relatives, in memory of these 42 individuals who were brutally murdered. The South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF) Border Trail allows people to pay tribute to the memory and walk respectfully in the footsteps of some of those individuals who were murdered.

A fuller report can be read in The Belfast Newsletter

The position and role of women in the Church

A great furore has arisen in recent weeks over the Church of England's decision not to permit women bishops. Much fury and annoyance has been directed towards those who have resisted this further departure from the truth. Calls have come from various quarters for pressure to be brought to bear upon the Church of England to change the decision. Democracy is a great thing until it brings about the wrong decision! Then the outcome must be changed to one more palatable to those who are in positions of influence or power.

In the light of this decision and subsequent comment it is worthwhile taking a look at what the Scriptures have to say about the position and role of women in the Church. 

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