The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-12-03
For the Central Presbyterian.
Brief Reply to "Querist. u

MeSSrS. E0ltorS,-On my return from
vacation, l found copy of the Central
of August 18th last, sent me with an
article on the second page by "Querist,
entitled The History Of Pre-millenarian
ism.
"Querist' says Its persistently as
serted by the advocates'of this doctrine
that it was the doctrine of the Church
until the time of Whitby, about $50
years ago, and the drift of his article
IS to refute their assertion; but this
Is precisely what he does not do
They assert that Post-millenarianism was
unknown to the Church, previous to the
publication of Whitbys Treatise; that
Pre-millenarianism was the doctrine OF
the Church for the first $50 years of the
Christian era; that down thence to $780,
false Chihanism was more or less preya-
lent through heretical teachers, when, in
that year having been overwhelmed by
the rising tide Of Popery, Pre-millena-
rianism was condemned as" heresy' by
Pope DamasusI l. who held himself to be
the wear ot.s4rist, and the Millennium to
Pie the happy reign of Popery throughout
the world. This is what we assert and
can prove.
Outside of Romarism, whatever was
held by any party as the truth upon the
subject none believed in a golden Mil
lennial age previous to the second advent
of Christ, except a few heretics who made
some noise in the advocacy of that opin-
ion. "Querist" says: " We challenge our
Pre-milIenarian brethren to produce a
single creed adopted by the Church in
which their doctrine is taught" l ac-
cept, and point him to the Nicene Council
of 318 Bishops from all parts of Christen-
dom. point to the Reformation period,
and to the Augsburg Confession, A. D.
1880, in the 18th article of which Post
millenarianism is condemned, as held and
taught by the few heretics above referred
to- in the following language:
" Damna11t ct aloS, gu 1a1t1ac Spagg1l't
JtdQicaa opinjonas quOd ante resource
tionena mortuor7en pr reg1'un' @''c''d5
oecupatagl, albique oPPresSl8 In.plls.
'They condemn also others who now
scatter Judaical opinions that before the
resurrection of the dead, the righteous
shall possess the kingdom of the world
and the wicked shall be everywhere de-
stroyed.
I point also to the second, or later
Helyetic Conf ssion, A. D. 1866, in the
800. n, o,.ts,1o IS ,rb,cb - tbic Ion cr1orra
"DumnuD1ltS praeterjo J3lda1ca Son17'1a
gllod ante judjcjj diem, alre,ln1 M terT1S
SIT f,etsujnl Secui,tn1, ct pjl regina n1l9ld,
occupat,sIj oppresSiS SlliS hoStib1lS iall as.
Nam eUangcljca yez5tas { Not. "A ct 25.
Luc item l0) ct ApOStohca doct17na o.
THess. Il ct IN Tim. i@ ct ~ capite)
Jonge aliud perhibere jnvenjlnt1r."
I'VE condemn moreover the Jewish
dreams that before the Judgment day, a
golden age will be established on the
earth and the righteous possess the king
doms of the world, all their impious enc
mics being destroyed. For gospel truth
Mat. "a and %: Luke also l8), and
Apostolic doctrine q Thess ?, and in 2
Tim. Sd and 4th chaps) are found to
teach far otherwise.
Here then we find those opinions brand
ed as Jewish fables and dreams which
Daniel Whitby made the warp and woot
of our Post-millenarianism In the intro
duction to his Treatise on the Millen-
mum" he says " l am strongly inclined
to conceive this glorious period which st.
Paul saith shall be even to the Gentle
life from the dead, and which is by the
prophets frequently represented as the
new birth, reyiyescence, resurrection OF
the dead Church and nation might be
the very resurrection intended by st.
John; and the Aourishing condition and
union of both the Jewish and Gentle
Church thus raised from the dead, and
Ne.,4v j lou / -