Chap. 3. For, if these be counted from the Edict of Queft16 Conftantin an. 312; they will end in the fourteenth Century an. 1312. At which Time the Ottoman, or Turkish Empire had stood only eleven or twelve Years: as Mr, Whiston obferves [in his Efay on the Revelation pag. 181, 185.] But it is perhaps more probable, that they ought to be reckon'd from the Fall of Babylon. For this Fall, and the Confequences of it, are defcrib'd by S. John, in the three precedent Chapters, xviith, xviiith, xixth. Now if the thoufand Years be reckon❜d from this Fall, an. 500; they will end in the Year fifteen hundred. And we are fenfible, what Tragedies in Religion have been acted fince, And if Gog and Magog, Apoc. xx, v. 8, are Lr and Cn who knows, how far their Reformations may be yet pufh'd, before the Coming of Anti-Christ in the End of the World, tho' we have no Reafon to think it to be very far off? IV. But whether the thousand Years of S. John be counted from the Year 312, or from the Year 500; thefe Confequences will follow: First, that the Reign of Antichrift did not begin in the firft thoufand Years from the Birth of Chrift. For till then, and for fome Centuries afterwards, Satan was bound, Apoc. XX. V. 2. Secondly, that thofe were happy, who were living Members of the Catholick Church in the first thirteen Centuries. Because they liv'd and reign'd with Chrift, Apoc. xx. v. 4. This is the first Refurrection, v. 5, to wit from Sin. Blef fed and Holy is he, who has Part in the first Refur Refurrection on fuch the fecond Death [to wit, Chap. 3. Hell] bas no Power, v. 6. Quest 16 Thirdly, that those are still happy, who are living Members of the Catholick Church. For fince the Year thirteen hundred, her Faith has not been Chang'd. Fourthly, that Mr. (5) Whifton's Dream of the Antichriftian State, beginning in the Year of Chrift 456, is contrary to Scripture. As his (6) nine whimsical Demonftrations, that the Papacy was to expire in the Year of Chrift 1716, are contrary to Experience. And he has liv'd to see himself fairly confuted, after all the Nicety of his Calculations from the Apocalypfe, and from the Tyranny of the little Horn. V. But, if the thousand Years of S. John regard this mortal State, either from the Year 312, or from the Year 500; why does he fuppofe, that the Souls of the Martyrs only, and of other Saints who had not ador'd the Beast, liv'd and reign'd with Chrift in the thousand Years Apoc. xx. v. 4, 5? Because none reign with Chrift over the Earth at present, but either his mortal, or his bleffed and immortal Servants. Of whom the words of (7) Grotius are very remarkable. As Chrift, fays he, from Heaven reigns over the Earth, fo do the Martyrs under bim reign over it, as appears by the miraculous Cures done at their Shrines, and by the publick Honour, (5) In his Effay on the Revelation, pag. 82. (6) Ib. p. 271,272, Sc. (7) Sicut Chriftus ex coelo in terras regnat, fis & Martyres fub Chrifto: nempe per dona fanationum que confpiciebantur apud ipforum Memorias, & per bonorem, quem ipfis Ecclefiæ palam habuere. Grot, in Apoc XX. V. 4. Chap. 3. Honour, which the Church gave them. Nor does Queft17 Grotius wholly exclude the other Saints. For upon the following Verfe [THE REST OF THE DEAD LIVED NOT, till the thousand Years were over] Except the Martyrs, fays (8) he, and fuck as the Grace of God made equal to them. Seventeenth QUESTION. Does not the Spirit fay exprefly, that in the latter Times fome fhall depart from the Faith, giving ear to feducing Spirits,and to the Do&trines of Devils, forbidding to Marry and commanding to abftain from Meats, which God has created to be receiv'd with Thanksgiving, 1 Tim. iv. v. 1.3? YES ANSWER. ES. But did the Apostles teach Did the great and general Council of Calcedon, an. 451, teach the Doctrine of Devils; when (8) Præter Martyres fcilicet, aut fi quos Deigratia Mar Byribus æquavit. V. 5. it it decreed,(1) that it is NOT LAWFUL for a Nun Chap. 3, confecrated to God, or for a Monk TO MARRY. Quelt 17 And if found to do this, they shall be EXCLUDED FROM COMMUNION? And that (2) if a Diaconiffa married, and by fo doing affronted the Grace of God, both She and her Husband SHOULD BE EXCOMMUNICATED? Did the first Parliament of Queen Elizabeth, when it receiv'd the 4 firft general Councils, one of which is this very Council at Calcedon, approve a Synod, which teaches the Doctrine of Devils? If not; the Catholick Church does not teach the DoEtrine of Devils, when the forbids Nuns, Monks, and others, who have vow'd Chastity, to marry. Did S. Paul teach the Doctrine of Devils, I Tim. v. v. 11, 12, when he faid of Widows, confecrated to God, they will marry, having DAMNATION, because they have cast off their firft Faith given to the Church? Let us hear Dr. (3) Hammond; They will relieve themselves BY MARRYING: which IS A GREAT CRIME in them, to wit, that of violating their Faith to the Church (a kind of conjugal Tie) that they would attend it alone, and not forfake it; which when they do, and return again to the World, what is it but giving the Church A BILL OF DIVORCE, AND MARRYING ANOTHER HUSBAND? I will not afk, whether (1) Παρθένον ἑαυτὴν ἀναθεῖσαν τῷ δεσπότῃ θεῷ, ὡσαύ πως δὲ καὶ μονάζοντα, μὴ ἐξει αι γάμῳ προσομιλείν. εἰ δέ γε ευρεθεῖεν τῖτο ποιόντες, ἔκωσαν ακοινώνητοι. Conce Calced. Can. xvi. pag. 763. B. Tom. 4. Conc. Labb. (2) εἰ δέ γε · ἑαυτὴν ἐπιδῷ γάμῳ ὑβείσασα τὴν τὸ θεῖ χάριν ἡ τοιάυτη ἀναθεματιζέσθω, μετά το αυτῇ συνα 1. Ibid. Can. xv. A. (3) Paraph. on 1 Tim. v. v. 11, 12. pag. 737. ... Chap. 3. whether this Divine of the Church of England Queft17 taught the Doctrine of Devils, or not? But did the Apostle, whom he comments, do it, because he would not fuffer thofe Widows to marry? If not, this Impeachment of the Catholick Church is wholly groundless, and void. II. But before we come to more particulars, let us fee, what the learned Grotius thought of it. He tells us, that S. Paul 1. Tim. iv, inftructs his Disciple, (4) efpecially against the PYTHAGOREAN PHILOSOPHERS, the chief of whom were addicted to Magick. A famous Man of this Sect, and one whom S. Paul deftribes, was Apollonius Tyanaus. For he came to Ephefus, whilft S. Timothy was living. S. Clement of Alexandria fays, 'Tis a Doctrine of the MAGICIANS [as well as of Tatian, and the Encratites]" to abftain from the Ufe of Wine, of Creatures " which had Life, and from the Ufe of Mar"riage". Nor did they diffwade from Marriage, by giving the Preference to a fingle Life; for in this Senfe Chriftians may do it but they held Wedlock UTTERLY UNLAWFUL, and that marry'd Perfons COULD NOT BE SAV'D. Thus the learned Grotius, Dr. (4) Pythagoricos maxime indicat, quorum præcipui erant Magi, & cum Dæmonibus babebant commercium. Inter hos infignis fuit Appollonius Tyaneus, qui eximie denotatur. Venit enim Ephefum vivente adhuc Timotheo. S. Clemens Alex. Strom. iii, duines N perti♪ isi, καὶ τοῖς Μάγοις ὄινε τε ὁμε, καὶ εμψύχων, καὶ ἀφροδιοίων anexesa. Non dehortabantur a Nuptiis, ideo quod coelibatum præferrent; id enim Chriftianis convenit: Sed plane dicebant illicitas effe nuptias, alienos esse a falute qui in Conjugio funt, Grotius, in 1 Tim. iv. v. 1. 3. |