BAPTIST HISTORY LESSON 4

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BAPTIST HISTORYLESSON 4

• Rise and history of the General Baptists Part 2

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RISE OF THE GENERAL BAPTISTS
John Smyth (c. 1565-1612)
I Early life and education
Cambridge
Frances Johnson
Polemic against Calvinism
Some people take the prick when the prick were
not in all the ministers disposition but they
are pricked in the Lords disposition!
II Lecturer at Lincoln (1600)
III Move to Separatism
Failure of Hampton Court Conference (1604)
Principles and Inferences concerning the Visible
Church (1607)
Formation of the church at Gainsborough by
covenant
to walk in the Lords ways made known by
himwhatsoever shall the cost may be
IV Move to Amsterdam (1608)
The Differences of the Churches of the Seperation
sic
Worship
Treasury
Officers
Paralleles sic Censures, Observations (1609)
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V Move to Baptism
The 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)
A Short Confession (1611) contained 20 articles
Congregation divides
60 remain with Smyth 12 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 mans
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
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Docetism the heretical Christology that Jesus
did not exist as a real man but merely appeared
to be so
Thomas Helwys (c. 1550- c.1616)

• 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

A Declaration of Faith in English People
Remaining at Amsterdam in Holland (1611)
1612 church settles in Spitalfields
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
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King James I
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Elizabeth 1558-1603
James I 1603-1625
Charles I 1625-1649
English Commonwealth 1649-1653
King of Scotland RC, Presb., Anglicans all had
high hopes for him. Presbyterians appealed to
James at Hampton Conf of 1604 He rejected
Presby. Puritans King James Bible Beginning
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 Sports Failed to
support Protestants in 30 years War
Cromwell 1653-1658
Charles II 1660-1685
James II 1685-1688
William Mary 1688-1702
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King Charles I
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Elizabeth 1558-1603
James I 1603-1625
Charles I 1625-1649
English Commonwealth 1649-1653
More moral than father, but less politically
savvy Married a Catholic Queen Henrietta Maria
of France Appoints William Laud, Archbishop of
Canterbury, RC Arminian Conflict 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
War Due to need for money he calls Parliament
back Short Parliament Scotland wins and forces
Long Parliament Civil War 1642 1648 Cavaliers
and Roundheads
Cromwell 1653-1658
Charles II 1660-1685
James II 1685-1688
William Mary 1688-1702
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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
laymen Directory of Worship Westminster
Confession of Faith Larger Shorter Catechism
Archbishop Laud is executed Charles is executed
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Oliver Cromwell Lord Protector
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Elizabeth 1558-1603
James I 1603-1625
Charles I 1625-1649
English Commonwealth 1649-1653
Interregnum
Religious Freedom Baptist Quakers, Anglicans,
Jews Roman Catholics Presbyterian Puritans
continued to fight for a state church Cromwells
son Richard unable to continue Protectorship
Restoration of 1660 Presbyterians and Anglicans
join to bring Charles II from France
Cromwell 1653-1658
Charles II 1660-1685
James II 1685-1688
William Mary 1688-1702
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King Charles II
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Elizabeth 1558-1603
James I 1603-1625
Charles I 1625-1649
English Commonwealth 1649-1653
Parliament passed a new Prayer Book and Act of
Uniformity
This led to Puritan persecution Baxter, Manton,
Owen, Goodwin, etc. expelled
Charles II was quiet about his Roman Catholic
leanings, but declared himself a Roman Catholic
on his deathbed
Cromwell 1653-1658
Charles II 1660-1685
James II 1685-1688
William Mary 1688-1702
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King James II
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Elizabeth 1558-1603
James I 1603-1625
Charles I 1625-1649
English Commonwealth 1649-1653
Openly sought to return England to Roman
Catholicism brought 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
Cromwell 1653-1658
Charles II 1660-1685
James II 1685-1688
William Mary 1688-1702
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William Mary
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Elizabeth 1558-1603
James I 1603-1625
Charles I 1625-1649
English Commonwealth 1649-1653
Religious Toleration The Toleration Act of 1689
James land in in Ireland with a French
Army Defeated by English Army and North Irish in
1690
Cromwell 1653-1658
Charles II 1660-1685
James II 1685-1688
William Mary 1688-1702
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General Baptist development in 17th century
Theologically fluid
Gathered churches around a formal church covenant
Congregational church polity
1620s 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