BAPTIST HISTORY LESSON 4 Rise and history of the General Baptists: Part 2

RISE OF THE GENERAL BAPTISTS John Smyth (c ) I Early life and educationCambridge Frances Johnson Polemic against Calvinism 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 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 Worship Treasury Paralleles [sic] Censures, Observations (1609)

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) 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 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 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 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

Elizabeth James I Charles I English Commonwealth Cromwell Charles II James II William & Mary 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 them up and made them more sympathetic. He was of low moral character which served to discredit him Declaration of Sports Failed to support Protestants in 30 years War

King Charles I

Elizabeth James I Charles I English Commonwealth Cromwell Charles II James II William & Mary 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 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

During the Civil War Parliament abolished the Episcopal framework of church government The called together the Westminster Assembly to establish new church order 121 clergy 30 laymen Directory of Worship Westminster Confession of Faith Larger & Shorter Catechism Archbishop Laud is executed Charles is executed

Oliver Cromwell Lord Protector

Elizabeth James I Charles I English Commonwealth Cromwell Charles II James II William & Mary Interregnum Religious Freedom – Baptist Quakers, Anglicans, Jews & Roman Catholics Presbyterian Puritans continued to fight for a state church Cromwell’s son Richard unable to continue Protectorship Restoration of 1660 Presbyterians and Anglicans join to bring Charles II from France

King Charles II

Elizabeth James I Charles I English Commonwealth Cromwell Charles II James II William & Mary 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

King James II

Elizabeth James I Charles I English Commonwealth Cromwell Charles II James II William & Mary 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

William & Mary

Elizabeth James I Charles I English Commonwealth Cromwell Charles II James II William & Mary 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

General Baptist development in 17 th 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 faith1651 The Faith and Practice of Thirty Congregations, Gathered according to the Primitive Pattern 1654 The True Gospel Faith article confession 1678 An Orthodox Confession Thomas Grantham ( ) The Ancient Christian Religion in Its Nature, Certainty, Excellence, and Beauty