BAPTIST HISTORY LESSON 5

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BAPTIST HISTORYLESSON 5

• RISE OF PARTICULAR BAPTISTS

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Elizabeth 1558-1603
James I 1603-1625
Charles I 1625-1649
English Commonwealth 1649-1653
Elizabethan Settlement
Failure of Hampton Ct. Conf.
Arch Wm. Laud
Dismissed Part. 29
Puritans
Book of Sports
Separatists
War on Scotland 40
1609 Smyth Church in Amsterdam/ 1612 Helwys in
Spitalfields GENERAL BAPTIST
Cromwell 1653-1658
Charles II 1660-1685
James II 1685-1688
William Mary 1688-1702
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RISE OF PARTICULAR BAPTISTS
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
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The Church became two by mutual consent just 1640
half being with Mr. P. Barebone, the other
half with Mr. H. Jessey Mr. Richard Blunt with
him being convinced of Baptism yet also it ought
to be by dipping the Body into the Water,
resembling Burial and rising again. 2 Col 2.12.
Rom 6.4. had sober conference about in the
Church, then with some of the forenamed who
also were so convinced And after Prayer
conference about their so enjoying it, none
having then so so sic practised in Enland to
professed Believers, hearing that some in the
Netherlands had so practised they agreed sent
over Mr. Richard Blunt (who understood Dutch)
with Letters of Commendation, who was kindly
accepted there, returned with Letters from them
John Batte a Teacher there, from that Church to
such as sent him. They proceed on therein, viz,
Those Persons yet were persuaded 1641 Baptism
should be by dipping the Body had met in two
Companies, did intend so to meet after this,
all these agreed to proceed alike together.
And then Manifesting (not by any formal Words a
Covenant) which word was scrupled by some of
them, but by mutual desires agreement each
Testified. Those two Companies did set apart one
to Baptize the rest So it was solemnly performed
by them. Mr Blunt Baptized Mr. Blacklock yet was
a Teacher amongst them, Mr. Blunt being
Baptized, he Mr. Blacklock Baptized the rest
of their friends that ware so minded, many
being added to them they increased much.
But the greatest number of the English Baptists,
and the more judicious, looked upon all this as
needless trouble, and what proceeded from the old
Popish Doctrine of right to administer sacraments
by an uninterrupted succession, which neither the
Church of Rome, not the Church of England, much
less the modern dissenters, could prove to be
with them. They affirmed, therefore, and
practiced accordingly, that after a general
corruption of baptism, an unbaptized person might
warrantably baptize, and so begin a
reformation. Thomas Crosby The History of the
English Baptists, Vol. I, pg 101
1. Were there no other churches practicing
believers baptism in 1640?
2. Did Blunt travel to Holland to merely consult
w/ Mennonites or to receive baptism from them?
3. Did Blunt baptize Blacklock, who then
baptized Blunt?
The church voluntarily split in two Jessey
congregation Praise-God Barebone (Barbon)
congregation
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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
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BAPTISTS 1640-1660
I. Period of Revolution 1640-1648
II. Period of Protectorate 1649-1659
III. Baptist Highlights During Entire Period
A. Political Characteristics
Archbishop William Laud
Dismissed Parliament expanded law of
prerogative
Force Book Common Prayer on Scotland They answer
by raising army
Had to recall Parliament for money surprise!
Parliament raises army Oliver Cromwell
Civil War 1642-1648
Cavalier army Charles defeated
Parliament attempts to restore Charles under
strict guidelines
Charles resists goes to France returns with
army and is soundly defeated
Charles II (1625-1649)
April 1, 1649 Charles is beheaded
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B. Religious Characteristics of this period
To the Kings most Excellent Maiesty, and the
Honourable Court of Parliament. The humble
Petition of many his Maiesties loyall and
faithfull subiects, some of which having beene
miserably persecuted by the Prelates and their
Adherents, by all rigorous courses, for their
Consciences, practicing nothing but what was
instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ, who was Lord
of all Administrations, Math. 28.19. and
practiced by the Primitive Christians submitting
to his Maiestie and his Lawes, so farre as
concernes our Estates, Libertie, and Lives and
so, as we conceive, give to Cæsar the things that
are Cæsars, and to God those things that are his.
1. High Baptist Visibility
a. Pamphlet Warfare
Baptism 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!)
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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

1. The Faith and Practice of Thirty Congregations
   (1651)
2. The Standard Confession (1660)
3. The Orthodox Confession (1678)

(2) Particular Baptists

1. The First London Confession (1644)
2. The Midland Confession (1655)
3. The Somerset Confession (1656)

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John Spilsbury (c. 1596-c. 1662/64)
Also one Spilsbery rose up of late (Who doth, or
did dwell over Aldersgate) His office was to
weigh Hay by the Trusse (Fit for the pallat of
Bucephalus) He in short time left his
Hay-weighing trade, And afterwards he Irish
Stockings made He rebaptizd in Anabaptist
fasion One Eaton (of the new found separation) A
zealous Button-maker, grave and wise, And gave
him orders, others to baptize Who was so apt to
learn in one day Heed dot as well as Spilsbery
weighd Hay.
Though few men may legitimately be called
pioneers, John Spilsbury deserves that
title James Renihan John Spilsbury in The
British Particular Baptists, Vol. 1, p 21
1643 A Treatise Concerning the Lawfull subject of
Baptisme
1646 Gods Ordinance, The Saints Priviledge
What constitutes a true church? 1. The right
preaching of the Word of God fit..for matter and
form
2. Confession of personal faith
3. Voluntary covenant constituting the church
4. Proper use of the ordinances
1642 10 articles of faith
1644 signer of the First London Confession of
Faith