Page 70 - Jesus is coming - Class version

FAITH OF THE EARLY CHURCH. 67

"The prevailing opinion that Christ was
Mosheim says:
to come and reign a thousand years among men before the
final dissolution of the world had met with no opposition
previous to the time of Origen." (Vol. 1, p. 89.)
"In
Geisler says: all the works of this period (the
first two centuries) Millenarianism is so prominent that we
can not hesitate to consider it as universal."*
Chillingworth, with his characteristic invulnerable logic,
argues: "Whatever doctrine is believed and taught by the
most eminent Fathers of any age of the Church and by
none of their cotemporaries opposed or condemned, that
is to be esteemed the Catholic doctrine of the Church of
those times. But the doctrine of the millenaries was be-
lieved and taught by the most eminent Fathers of the age
nezt after the Apostles, and by none of that age opposed
or condemned; therefore, it was the Catholic doctrine of
those times."**
Stackhouse, in his "Complete Body of Divinity" (Vol.
1, p. 597), says: "It cannot be denied but that this doc-
trine (Millenarianism) has its antiquity, and was once the
general opinion of all orthodox Christians."
Bishop Newton says: "The doctrine of the Millennium
(as held by Millenarians) was generally believed in the
first three and purest ages."^
Bishop Russell, though an anti-millenarian, says : "Down
to the beginning of the fourth century, the belief was
universal and undisputed."^.
Gibbon, who is at least an unprejudiced witness, says:
"The ancient and popular doctrine of the 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 the
preceptor of the son of Constantine. It appears to have
been the reigning sentiment of orthodox believers."
He also says: "As long as this error (as he calls it)
was permitted to subsist in the Church, it was productive
Geisler's Church History. Vol. 1, p. 215.
**Chillingworth's Works, Phila. Edit. 1844, p. 730.
tDissertatlons on the Prophecies, p. 527.
JDiscourse on the Millennium, p. 236.