The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 3

II. Bulkeley—Kingdom Established at Seventh Trump

PETER BULKELEY, or Bulkley (1583-1659), founder and minister of Concord, New Hampshire, in 1636, was born in Bedfordshire, England. His father was also a minister, and author of the supplement to Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. Peter was educated at St. John’s College, Cambridge, receiving his M.A. in 1608. He was soon after admitted to the Anglican priesthood, and was university preacher in 1610, and rector of Odell, 1620-1635. Though a nonconformist, he was not molested by the Bishop of Lincoln during this long pastorate. Then he was accused by Archbishop Laud, and fled to America in 1635. Settling for a short time at Cambridge, he went out into the “wilderness” and founded Concord, New Hampshire, in 1636. Here he gathered a church about him and became its pastor until 1659. PFF3 66.4

A distinguished scholar, especially in Latin, he contributed part of his personal library to serve as a nucleus in establishing the library of Harvard College. He was known for his extreme Puritanism, his austere looks, and his brevity of hair. His ponderous Gospel-Covenant; or the Covenant of Grace Opened., with Introduction by Thomas Shepard, was published in London in 1646, and passed through several editions. It exemplified the intellectual robustness of the age. ³⁹ In this he states that only at the sounding of the seventh trumpet shall Christ’s kingdom be established and Jerusalem become the throne of glory. PFF3 67.1

Bulkeley refers to the stone kingdom that is to fill the earth (Daniel 2:35), and speaks of Rome as the stumbling block to that fulfillment. Upon its removal “then shall that be fulfilled, that all the kingdomes of the earth shall be the kingdomes of the Lord Christ, Apoc. 11:15.” ⁴⁰ Such is the essence of his teaching. PFF3 67.2