The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 3
IV. Historian Backus-Makes Second Beast Protestant
ISAAC BACKUS (1724-1806), distinguished Baptist historian and champion of religious liberty, 21 was born in Norwich, Connecticut. Without formal college graduation he received an honorary M.A. from Rhode Island College (Brown University) in 1797. In 1741, under the Great Awakening, he was soundly converted. He heard Whitefield preach in 1745, and, in 1746, feeling called to preach, he started out on a preaching tour. In 1748 he was ordained pastor of the Congregational church of Middlesboro, Massachusetts. In 1749 a number of his members accepted the doctrine of immersion. He at length joined in their beliefs, and in 1751 was immersed with them. PFF3 212.3
In 1756 they organized a Baptist church and installed him as their pastor, which position he held for fifty years. To his efforts the Baptists of America owe much of their success. He was a strong protagonist of religious liberty-protesting against civil control of religion. He was a member of the Continental Congress in 1774, and of the Massachusetts convention for the ratification of the Federal Constitution at Boston, in 1778. 22 His life was filled with controversies and voluminous literary activities, chiefest among which was A History of New-England, with particular Reference to the Denomination of Christians Called Baptists (1777-1796). (Portrait appears on page 144.) PFF3 213.1
1. CHURCH OF ROME MOTHER OF HARLOTS
In a discourse first published in 1767 23 under the title The Infinite Importance of the Obedience of Faith, and of Separation from the World, Backus, in stressing the principle of “separation of the church of Christ from the world”-not being unequally yoked together with unbelievers- declares: PFF3 213.2
“She [“the church of Rome”] is the mother of harlots, and all churches who go after any lovers but Christ, for a temporal living, are guilty of playing the harlot.” 24 PFF3 213.3
Her beginnings are put in the second and third centuries, when her teachers, carried away with vain philosophy, set them selves up as priests, and some of these above others as bishops. This fact was capitalized by Constantine, who used “secular force to support Christian ministers.” PFF3 213.4
“By removing the seat of the empire to Constantinople, and dividing it among his three sons, Constantine made way for the bishop of Rome to exalt himself above all men upon earth, and above the God of Heaven, who can never violate his promise or oath, or entice any into sin. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12.” 25 PFF3 213.5
2. OPPRESSION BY SECOND (PROTESTANT) BEAST
Of exceptional interest is the new application by Backus of the second beast of Revelation 13:11-18: “For the Protestant Beast hath carried blood and slavery round the world, in galleys and gallant ships, as far as the first beast ever did.” 26 Then he adds that “spiritual tyranny” had penetrated into “several of the United States of America,” 27 as illustrated by forcible public support of “public protestant teachers of piety, religion and morality” in Massachusetts. 28 PFF3 213.6
3. WITNESSES SLAIN BY PROPHESIED PAPACY
Backus introduces his Testimony of the Two Witnesses, Explained and Im proved (1786), by asserting that “the most important events, from the apostolic age to the end of time, are exactly described in this book [Revelation].” 29 And the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11 prophesy in sackcloth, when the holy city is trodden underfoot the forty-two months, at the close of which the beast from the pit slays them for three and a half days. 30 This beast of Revelation 13 is as “spotted as a leopard, as cruel as a bear, and as terrible as a lion.” 31 This beast is Rome, and its seven heads are different forms of government-kings, consuls, dictators, decemvirs, tribunes, emperors, and popes. 32 Then the “little horn, the bishop of Rome, assumed the command over all the churches, to whom the ten horns gave their power.” 33 PFF3 214.1
4. Two HORNS-CHURCH CENSURES AND TEMPORAL PUN ISHMENTS
No sooner had America been discovered than the head of the Church of Rome-which “arose out of the raging confusions of the Roman empire, by a mystical confounding of Jewish ceremonies with Christian worship” 34 -“presumed to dispose of it” by formal deed, under the assumed “power of dividing all the world among its votaries.” And “when temporal princes were set up as heads of the church, they exercised the same power”-the two horns being “church censures and corporal punishments.” 35 The “American charters were given from that power; and from thence came our late most cruel [Revolutionary] war.” 36 But God has promised to destroy the Man of Sin by the brightness of His appearing (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12), 37 and from the sorceries of the whore of Babylon. That is the testimony of the Baptist historian. PFF3 214.2