The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 3
I. Layman Hutchinson-2300 Years Not Yet Run Out
SAMUEL HUTCHINSON (1618-1667), bachelor, layman, scholar, and author of one of the early avowedly premillennial volumes treating on the prophecies to be written in America, was “of Boston in New England,” as the title page of his treatise puts it. Biographical data is meager, but his life is summed up in this terse sentence: PFF3 98.2
“Samuel Hutchinson, the brother of William, lived in Boston, unmarried, until his death, 1667, and was accounted a scholar in his time, and published a work on the Millennium.” 1 PFF3 99.1
His book, in the form of a “Letter sent to a Friend,” 2 in England, was published by the “Friend,” who signed himself “T.T.,” and whose advent hymns adorn the work.” 3 Hutchinson was well read, and buttresses his positions with numerous citations from the early and Reformation churches. He also quotes freely from such seventeenth-century Old World writers as Mede, Archer, Caryl, Sterry, Alstead, Tillinghast, Holmes, Goodwin, Mercer, and the colonial John Davenport of New Haven. Hutchinson, however, has Christ and the saints on earth during the millennium, and at the close ascending to heaven to reign. Hutchinson rightly calls the details “tedious,” but the uniqueness and the importance of this treatise amply justify a survey of its laborious discussions. 4 Here is an overall concept of the last things. PFF3 99.2
1. CHANGES ATTENDANT UPON THE ADVENT
In the introduction “T.T.” tabulates in verse the “fifteen changes” believed to mark the second “Personal Appearance” of King Jesus, when the seventh angel sounds: PFF3 99.3
“1. The Saints deceased - Royal Jesus brings: PFF3 99.4
2. The rest released, - Mount on Angels Wings. PFF3 99.5
3. To Israel’s Mourning, - Sounds a glorious Call: PFF3 99.6
4. To Babels Burning, - An eternal Fall. PFF3 99.7
5. The World combined, - Hath a fatal Blow; PFF3 99.8
6. Satan confined - To his Den below. PFF3 99.9
7. The whole Creation - Findes a full Release; PFF3 99.10
8. And every Nation - Flourisheth with Peace. PFF3 99.11
9. The Mount asunder - Cleaves t’ enlarge the plain. PFF3 99.12
(That Vale of Wonder - Where the Lord must reign) PFF3 99.13
10. The glorious City - From Cods Throne doth glide: PFF3 99.14
11. The Nuptial Ditty - Ushers in the Bride. PFF3 99.15
12. Thus Saints regaining - An immortal state, PFF3 99.16
13. In glory reigning - While the Sun bears date. PFF3 100.1
14. The Nations bending, - Virgin Voices raise; PFF3 100.2
15. All Duties ending - In Joy, Love, and Praise. 5 PFF3 100.3
Number 9 is to be noted especially. PFF3 100.4
2. MILLENNIUM BOUNDED BY Two RESURRECTIONS
At the very outset Hutchinson expressly declares, “I do not approve of such Fifth-Monarchy-Men as taking up Arms against Commonwealths and Governments.” He supported only the true “Fifth-Monarchy-Men that Daniel prophesied of, Daniel 2:44, 45. and Daniel 7.13, 14. which will not be till Christ appear in the Clouds, for the Restitution of all things, according to Act. 3:20.” 6 The treatise proper begins with “A Letter sent to a Friend in Okl England,” in answer to a letter written in 1659. Noting opposite opinions held by good men, Hutchinson rightly places the two resurrections a thousand years apart, but with the ascension of the saints into the clouds to be forever in heaven at the end of the thousand years. The annihilation of all things is at the “ultimate Day of Judgment,” which he places at the millennium’s close. 7 The wicked dead are not raised till then, 8 and this will be followed by the eternal state. 9 PFF3 100.5
3. TAKES KINGLY OFFICE AT SECOND ADVENT
Referring to Christ’s prophetical and priestly offices, contingent upon His irst advent, Hutchinson observes, “But his Kingly Office per ally he would not then take, because that he reserved till his second coming.” 10 He looked for the conversion of the Jews during the thousand years. 11 This thought he frequently weaves into his treatise. PFF3 100.6
4. STONE NOT YET CUT Our OF MOUNTAIN
In the body of the work Hutchinson declares that the saints must reign with Christ on earth during the thousand years, as was held generally in primitive times. Approving the position in the catechism in the days of Edward VI, that they “saw not yet the little Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands, that should break to LAYMEN, GOVERNORS, AND EDUCATORS 101 pieces all the Kingdomes of the Earth,” 12 he declares the Davidic promise of a visible kingdom wherein the righteous dwell, will be fulfilled in the new earth and the New Jerusalem,” 13 during the thousand years. Then enmity shall cease and the Little Horn’s persecutions end forever. Though his phrasings are a bit tedious, it is highly desirable to follow his own words: PFF3 100.7
“For before this Neu Jerusalem come, there must be such troubles as never was upon the face of the Earth, for it is said in Daniel 7:21. That the Little Horn made War with the Saints, and prevailed against them; and if ye ask how long? he tells you in Vers. 22. Unltl the Ancient of Days came, and Judgement was given to the Saints of the most High; and the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom; and then, as in Vers. 26. The Judgement shall sit, and they shall take away his Dominion to consume and destroy it to the end. God shall then so destroy this little Horn, that it shall never rise again. And then, as in Vers. 27. The Kingdom and Dominion, and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven, shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High, whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all Dominions shall serve and obey him.” 14 PFF3 101.1
5. ANTICHRIST CONTINUES UNTIL SECOND ADVENT
Not till The second advent will Antichrist be destroyed. Note Hutchinson’s exact phrasing: PFF3 101.2
Now before this great Restitution of all things, we must expect Christ’s second coming, before which Antichrist will never utterly be destroyed, according to that in 2 Thessalonians 2:8. where it is said, He will destroy him with the brightness of his coming, that is, by his Personal Appearing, according that in Daniel 7:21. where it is said, The Little Horn made War with the Saints, and prevailed against them; then if you demand how long, he tells you in the next verse, till the Ancient of Days came, and Judgement was given to the Saints of the most High; and the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom.” 15 PFF3 101.3
“All this involves the great battle of Armageddon. 16 PFF3 101.4
6. WICKED DESTROYED AT THE ADVENT
Again, citing Tillinghast, Hutchinson stresses the approaching advent of Christ when He comes as a flaming fire to destroy the wicked. 17 So long as the church is in the world she shall have trouble. Only by the advent will she be delivered. The Little Horn is clearly identified: PFF3 101.5
“Thus we see, as in Daniel 7:21, 22. The Little Horn, which is the Papal Power, made war with the Saints, and prevailed against them, till Christ appeared for the delivering of them: But when they made war with the Lamb, as in Revelation 17:14. The Lamb overcame them, for He is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings; and they that are with him arc Called, Chosen, and Faithful. Thus we see the Church that shall never be delivered from all her troubles, till Christ appear in the Clouds for the Restitution of all things.” 18 PFF3 102.1
7. EXECUTIVE JUDGMENT AT MILLENNIUM’S CLOSE
What many look for as heaven, Hutchinson holds, will be “a Heaven upon earth,” because “they shall have no Devil to tempt them all that Thousand Years.” At the close of this period he will have power to tempt all for that “little season.” Hutchinson places the judgment during the thousand years. Then comes the “ultimate day of judgment.” 19 After a roll call of the “received opinion” of the advocates of Christ’s personal reign on earth, recorded in the early centuries-Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Cyprian, Methodius, and others, Hutchinson cites Holmes and Alstead and others to sustain the position that the wicked are raised at the close of the thousand years.” 20 He expressly states, concerning the thousand years, “I do not conceive that He [Christ] will be all that while upon the Earth.” 21 Head the saints “may ascend from Earth to Heaven, and descend from Heaven to earth.” The position of the Papacy over Europe is then discussed, and the assertion is made that the ruin of Rome will come when she is in her “full strength,” and seemingly “most secure.” 22 He appeals for a greater study of the doctrine of the kingdom.” 23 PFF3 102.2
8. “PROGNOSTICKS” OF APPROACHING GLORIOUS ESTATE
The various “Prognosticks” of the approach of the glorious estate are alluded to-the state of the Turk and the Papacy, the earth filled with wickedness, and the strange celestial signs of Matthew 24, with war and tribulations.” 24 The seals, trumpets, and vials he thinks are well fulfilled, 25 and the raising of the witnesses awaited. As to the time of the advent, Hutchinson says that from Daniel 12 “We may know the very year of Christ’s coming to judgment for the Restitution of all things,” a thousand years “before the ultimate day of the general Judgment by the Scriptures alone.” The prophetic day stands for a year, and the 1290 and 1335 are years. Thus he says, in the heavy style that characterizes his entire treatise: PFF3 102.3
“The Church, we know, was to remain in the Wilderness 1290 days, as appears in Daniel 12:11. that is, as Interpreters expound it, 1290 years: Now the Witnesses being once raised, it shews the expiration of those years in the which the Church was to remain in the Wilderness; and that 45 years after, Christ should appear in the Clouds, as you may see, Vers. 12. compared with 13. and therefore in Vers. 12. he saith, Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the 1335 days; that is years: And why blessed? Because then, as you may see in Vers. I.’5. Daniel must be raised again from the dead, and stand in (lie end of his Lot; this is the time that Christ will appear with all his Saints and Angels, for the judging those that are upon the Earth, for the Conversion of the Jews, and for the bringing in or the fulness of the Gentiles, a thousand years before the ultimate day of the general Judgement: So that though the day and hour of Christ’s coming is kept secret, yet the year is made manifest, beyond which it cannot be, according to Daniel’s accompt: Sooner it may be, because our Saviour tells us, in Matthew 24. That /or the Elects sake, those days shall be shortened; to teach us all to watch and pray, and wait continually for the appearing of Jesus Christ, lest that day come upon us unawares.” 26 PFF3 103.1
Citing Tillam, Hutchinson asserts that the last events of Daniel 11 and Revelation 16, involving the Turk and the drying up of the Euphrates, will be followed by the standing up of Michael and the deliverance of His ancient people by His glorious second advent. Then will occur the destruction of the Man of Sin. 27 The New Jerusalem as a literal city is to descend to the spacious plain created for it by the cleaving of the Mount of Olives. 28 PFF3 103.2
9. 2300 YEARS NOT YET RUN OUT
Hutchinson then discusses the relationship of the 2300 years to the 1290 and 1335 years, citing Mercer, and leaving this significant record: PFF3 103.3
“But in the number of years I do acknowledge that I cannot bring them to a just sum; for so much as the 2300 is not double as much as 1290: But this thing 1 shall leave to the all-seeing Providence, as all other things are to be left to him. But this, I conceive, is certain, that if we take that Idol of Desolation set up by Antiochus in the Temple, to be it, then the 2300 years are not yet out; and if we take the Desolation of Jerusalem by Titus, to be it, then the 1290 days, are much past; and if we take the polluting of the Ordinances to be it, then it is not yet fulfilled: However, I must leave it as a secret, touching the time, waiting when the Lord will deliver His People.” 29 PFF3 103.4
Stressing the special work given to each generation, Hutchinson quotes Tillinghast approvingly as saying, “To disobey then the visible Call of a Dispensation ... is to disobey the command of God.” 30 He then quotes Holmes to the effect that the work of this generation is to stand for Christ’s coming kingdom, which impends. 31 Such will have a hiding place from the coming storm. PFF3 104.1
In a bit of verse Hutchinson leads us to the gates of eternity and the “everlasting Day,” and closes his discussion: PFF3 104.2
“The Heavens and the Earth must fly away,
But that must be at the ultimate Day,
When Christ, his Saints and Angels all, shall be
In highest Heavens to Eternity.
Thus Christ delivers all up to his Father,
That God may be all in all, when together
All Saints and Angels are mounted on high.
To live with God and Christ Eternally.
To sing Hallelujah’s forever and aye,
And this is that great everlasting Day. S.H.” 32
PFF3 104.3
So spoke this interesting layman. PFF3 104.4