BAPTIST HISTORYLESSON 6

Rise of Particular Baptists, Pt. 2

Elizabeth1558-1603

James I1603-1625

Charles I1625-1649

EnglishCommonwealth

1649-1653

Cromwell1653-1658

Charles II1660-1685

James II1685-1688

William & Mary1688-1702

Puritans

Elizabethan Settlement

Separatists

Arch Wm. LaudFailure of Hampton Ct. Conf.

Book of SportsDismissed Part. ‘29

War on Scotland ‘40

1609: Smyth Church in Amsterdam/ 1612 Helwys in SpitalfieldsGENERAL BAPTIST

I. Founding of Jacob, Lathrop, Jessey Church

1. Henry Jacob-(1616-1622)2. John Lathrop-(1622-1634)3. Henry Jessey-(1634-1637)

II. 1630- Mr. Dupper seceded; baptism by parish clergy invalid

III. 1633-Samuel Eaton received a “Further Baptism”

IV. 1638-Group of six men

“being convinced that Baptism was not for Infants, bur professed Believers joyned with Mr. Jo. Spilsbury”

V. Jessey, Blunt and the Kiffen Manuscript

RISE OF PARTICULAR BAPTISTS

VI. Different Particular Baptist Churches arising from JLJ Church

1. Spilsbury 1638

2. Eaton/Blunt 1640

3. Hanserd Knollys 1643

4. William Kiffen 1643

5. Henry Jessey 1645

“God had more light yet to break forth from his word”

BAPTISTS 1640-1660

I. Period of Revolution: 1640-1648

II. Period of Protectorate: 1649-1659

III. Baptist Highlights During Entire Period

A. Political Characteristics

Charles I (1625-1649)

1641-Long Parliament

Full of Puritans!

B. Religious Characteristics of this period

1. High Baptist Visibility

a. Pamphlet WarfareBaptism by dipping

Local churches right to its own minister

“making the presses sweat and groan under the load of their great blasphemies”

b. Public Disputations

1641-1700: 109 public disputations (79 between 1641-1660!)

c. Baptists in the Army

“almost to a man they were supporters of the Parliamentary cause, which was the cause of liberty, religious as well as civil. Large numbers of Baptists took service in the armies of Parliament, some of whom rose to high rand, and were much trusted by the Lord Protector, Cromwell.” H.C. Vedder A Short History of the Baptist, p. 219

d. Confessions of Faith

(1) General Baptists

(a) The Faith and Practice of Thirty Congregations (1651)(b) The Standard Confession (1660)(c) The Orthodox Confession (1678)

(2) Particular Baptists

(a) The First London Confession (1644)(b) The Midland Confession (1655)(c) The Somerset Confession (1656)

London Baptist Confession of FaithA.D. 1644

The CONFESSION OF FAITH,

Of those CHURCHES which arecommonly (though falsly)

called ANABAPTISTS;

Subscribed in the Names of seven Churches in London. William Kiffin. Thomas Patience.------------------------John Spilsbery. George Tipping. Samuel Richardson. ------------------------Thomas Skippard.Thomas Munday. -------------------------Thomas Gunne.John Mabbatt.-------------------------John WebbThomas Killcop.-------------------------Paul Hobson.Thomas Goare.-------------------------Joseph Phelpes.Edward Heath.

Presented to the view of all that feare God, to examine by the touchstone of the Word of Truth: As likewise for the taking off those

aspersions which are frequently both in Pulpit and Print, (although unjustly) cast upon them.

London Baptist Confession of FaithA.D. 1644

The CONFESSION OF FAITH,

Of those CHURCHES which arecommonly (though falsly)

called ANABAPTISTS;

The Purpose of this confession:

1. To distance themselves from the Anabaptists movement

2. To distance themselves from General Baptists

3. To distance themselves from Reformed evangelicals who still embraced paedobaptist and endorsed the concept of a state church

Sources of the 1644 confession

1596 A True Confession

1616 Aberdeen Confession

That Christ Jesus by his death did bring forth salvation and reconciliation only for the elect, which were those which God the Father gave him; and that the Gospel which is to be preached to all men as the ground of faith, is, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the ever blessed God, filled with the perfection of all heavenly and spiritual excellencies, and that salvation is only and alone to be had through the believing in his Name.

That Baptism is an Ordinance of the new Testament, given by Christ, to be dispensed only upon persons professing faith, or that are Disciples,

or taught, who upon a profession of faith, ought to be baptized.

The way and manner of the dispensing of this Ordinance the Scripture holds out to be dipping or plunging the whole body under water: it being a sign,

must answer the thing signified, which are these: first, the washing the whole soul in the blood of Christ:

1646 Revision signed by all plus Hanserd Knollys

Being thus joined, every church hath power given them from Christ, for their wellbeing, to choose among themselves meet persons for elders and deacons, being qualified according to the word, as those which Christ hath appointed in His testament, for the feeding, governing, serving, and building up of His Church; and that none have any power to impose on them either these or any other.

(1646) XXXVI

That being thus joined, every Church has power given them from Christ for their better well-being, to choose to themselves meet persons into the office of Pastors, Teachers, Elders, Deacons, being qualified according to the Word, as those which Christ has appointed in his Testament, for the feeding, governing, serving, and building up of his Church, and that none other have power to impose them, either these or any other

(1644) XXVI

Daniel Featley, a Calvinistic Anglican, brought charges to Parliament against them

Dedicated to Parliament

Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, given by Christ, to be dispensed upon persons professing faith, or that are made disciples; who upon profession of faith, ought to be baptized, and after to partake of the Lord's Supper.

(1646) XXXIX

That the tenders of the Gospel to the conversion of sinners, is absolutely free, no way requiring, as absolutely necessary, any qualifications, preparations, terrors of the Law, or preceding Ministry of the Law, but only and alone the naked soul, as a sinner and ungodly to receive Christ, as crucified, dead, and buried, and risen again, being made a Prince and a Saviour for such sinners.

(1644) XXVSource of controversy today

The preaching of the gospel to the conversion of sinners, is absolutely free; no way requiring as absolutely necessary, any qualifications, preparations, or terrors of the law, or preceding ministry of the law, but only and alone the naked soul, a sinner and ungodly, to receive Christ crucified, dead and buried, and risen again; who is made a prince and a Savior for such sinners as through the gospel shall be brought to believe on Him.

(1646) XXV

1. High Baptist Visibility

2. Establishment Mentality

a. Westminster Assembly/Confession (1646)

b. Blasphemy Ordinance (1648)

c. Ended by “Pride’s Purge”

II. Period of the Protectorate (1649-1659)

A. Commonwealth: governed by House of Commons 1649-1653

B. Protectorate 1653-1660

1. Political Arrangement

•Cromwell dismisses House of Commons

•Appoints new council; develops “An Instrument of Government” making him Lord Protector

2. Religious Arrangement

a. Board of Tryers

•High moral character•Communicate the gospel clearly

C. Baptists and Sectarian Religion

1. Levellers

2. Diggers

3. Seekers

•Does a true church presently exist?•Shouldn’t we expect apostolic gifts to continue?

4. Quakers

5. Fifth Monarch

”It is good to read the lives of holy men; and the more holy they have been the better. Some readers, it is true, are not satisfied unless they discover in others the same low, groveling, half-hearted kind of life which they find in themselves. But satisfaction of this sort is better missed than found. It is good to be reproved, and stirred up to labour after greater degrees of spirituality than any which we have hitherto attained” Andrew Fuller

Hanserd Knollys ( c. 1599-1691)

1629 pensioner Catharine Hall, Cambridge

1631 marries Anne Cheney

‘a holy, discreet woman, and a meet help for me in the ways of her household, and also in the way of holiness’

1638-1641 New England

Between March, 1644 & June 1645 installed as Pastor of a new Baptist Church

1645 A Moderate Answer unto Dr Bastwicks book

Dec 1645 A Declaration concerning the Publicke Dispute…concerning Infant Baptism

1648 The rudiments of Hebrew grammar in English

1650’s •Worked as Evangelist•Worked in government-Navy

1667 Apocalyptical Mysteries

1670 Imprisoned in the Compter at Bishopsgate

1677 joined with other Particular Baptist Churches to anonymously publish a new confession

Spring 1684 imprisoned at Newgate: remained there 16 months!

1688 Exposition of the Book of the Revelation

CONTROVERSIES

Congregational hymn singing

1691 An Answer to I. [saac] M. [arlow] “A brief discourse concerning singing in the public worship of God in the Gospel-Church”

A small piece in defence of Singing ye Praises of God

Doctrine of salvation or more particularly Antinomianism