BAPTIST HISTORYLESSON 4

Rise and history of the General Baptists: Part 2

RISE OF THE GENERAL BAPTISTSJohn Smyth (c. 1565-1612)

I Early life and education CambridgeFrances Johnson

Polemic against Calvinism

II Lecturer at Lincoln (1600)

III Move to SeparatismFailure of Hampton Court Conference (1604)

Principles and Inferences concerning the Visible Church (1607)

Formation of the church at Gainsborough by covenant

IV Move to Amsterdam (1608)

“Some people take the prick when the prick were not in all the minister’s disposition but they are pricked in the Lord’s disposition!”

“to walk in the Lord’s ways made known by him…whatsoever shall the cost may be”

The Differences of the Churches of the Seperation [sic]

Officers

WorshipTreasury

Paralleles [sic] Censures, Observations (1609)

V Move to BaptismThe Character of the Beast (1609)

1. No scriptural command or example of infant baptism

2. Theological framework of Old Covenant moving to New Covenant

Practices ‘se-baptism’

VI Move to Anabaptist Views (1610)

Congregation divides

60 remain with Smyth12 go with Thomas Helwys

The Last Booke of John Smith, Called the Retraction of His Errours, and the Confirmation of the Truth

‘That the magistrate is not by virtue of his office to meddle with religion, or matters of conscience, to force or compel men to this or that form of religion, or doctrine; but to leave Christian religion free, to every man’s conscience, and to handle only civil transgressions…., injuries and wrongs of man against man, in murder, adultery, theft, etc., for Christ only is the king, and lawgiver of the church and conscience…’

A Short Confession (1611) contained 20 articles

Thomas Helwys (c. 1550- c.1616)

1612 church settles in Spitalfields

•Cultural barriers between the two groups•Many disagreed with Mennonite position of Christians not serving as magistrates•All disagreed with Mennonite position on ‘the heavenly flesh of Christ’

Docetism: the heretical Christology that Jesus did not exist as a real man but merely appeared to be so

A Declaration of Faith in English People Remaining at Amsterdam in Holland (1611)

A Short Declaration of the Mistery of Iniquity (1612)

“the king is a mortal man, and not God therefore hath not power over ye immortal souls of his subjects, to make laws and ordinances for them, and to set spiritual lords over them. If the king have authority to make spiritual lords and laws, then he is immortal God, and not a mortal man.”

Helwys imprisoned in 1614; dies there c. 1616

Objections: Answered by Way of Dialogue 1615

“It is a sure rule in divinitie [sic], that God loves not to plant his church by violence and bloodshed”

King James I

Elizabeth1558-1603

James I1603-1625

Charles I1625-1649

EnglishCommonwealth

1649-1653

Cromwell1653-1658

Charles II1660-1685

James II1685-1688

William & Mary1688-1702

King of ScotlandRC, Presb., Anglicans all had high hopes for him.Presbyterians appealed to James at Hampton Conf of 1604

He rejected Presby. & PuritansKing James BibleBeginning of the New World

He ineffectually persecuted Puritans, but he only stirred themup and made them more sympathetic.

He was of low moral character which served to discredit himDeclaration of SportsFailed to support Protestants in 30 years War

King Charles I

Elizabeth1558-1603

James I1603-1625

Charles I1625-1649

EnglishCommonwealth

1649-1653

Cromwell1653-1658

Charles II1660-1685

James II1685-1688

William & Mary1688-1702

More moral than father, but less politically savvyMarried a Catholic Queen – Henrietta Maria of FranceAppoints William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, RC & ArminianConflict with Parliament – disbanded it from 1629-1640

Immigration to the New World Begins – 1620 Plymouth – Bradford; 1630 Mass. Bay Colony - Winthrop

Charles Blundered in Scotland that leads to WarDue to need for money he calls Parliament back – Short ParliamentScotland wins and forces Long Parliament

Civil War 1642 – 1648 – Cavaliers and Roundheads

During the Civil War 1642-1648

Parliament abolished the Episcopal framework of church government

The called together the Westminster Assembly to establish new churchorder

121 clergy 30 laymenDirectory of WorshipWestminster Confession of FaithLarger & Shorter Catechism

Archbishop Laud is executedCharles is executed

Oliver CromwellLord Protector

Elizabeth1558-1603

James I1603-1625

Charles I1625-1649

EnglishCommonwealth

1649-1653

Cromwell1653-1658

Charles II1660-1685

James II1685-1688

William & Mary1688-1702

Interregnum

Religious Freedom – Baptist Quakers, Anglicans, Jews & Roman CatholicsPresbyterian Puritans continued to fight for a state church

Cromwell’s son Richard unable to continue Protectorship

Restoration of 1660Presbyterians and Anglicans join to bring Charles II from France

King Charles II

Elizabeth1558-1603

James I1603-1625

Charles I1625-1649

EnglishCommonwealth

1649-1653

Cromwell1653-1658

Charles II1660-1685

James II1685-1688

William & Mary1688-1702

Parliament passed a new Prayer Book and Act of Uniformity

This led to Puritan persecutionBaxter, Manton, Owen, Goodwin, etc. expelled

Charles II was quiet about his Roman Catholic leanings, but declaredhimself a Roman Catholic on his deathbed

King James II

Elizabeth1558-1603

James I1603-1625

Charles I1625-1649

EnglishCommonwealth

1649-1653

Cromwell1653-1658

Charles II1660-1685

James II1685-1688

William & Mary1688-1702

Openly sought to return England to Roman Catholicismbrought in Jesuits and monks, appointing Catholics to high office

James II wife presented him a son which insured him an heir to the throne and Roman Catholic line

His overt Roman Catholicism lead to Protestants & Parliament to rebel

The Glorious Revolution of 1688

William & Mary

Elizabeth1558-1603

James I1603-1625

Charles I1625-1649

EnglishCommonwealth

1649-1653

Cromwell1653-1658

Charles II1660-1685

James II1685-1688

William & Mary1688-1702

Religious Toleration – The Toleration Act of 1689

James land in in Ireland with a French ArmyDefeated by English Army and North Irish in 1690

General Baptist development in 17th century

Theologically fluid

Gathered churches around a formal church covenant

Congregational church polity

1620’s Associations/ 1660 General Assembly

Third ecclesiastical office messenger

Four Confessions of faith 1651 The Faith and Practice of Thirty Congregations, Gathered according to the Primitive Pattern

1654 The True Gospel Faith

1660 25 article confession

1678 An Orthodox Confession

Thomas Grantham (1634-1692)

The Ancient Christian Religion in Its Nature, Certainty, Excellence, and Beauty