General Features of Baptist Life in 17th-Century England

7/30/2019 General Features of Baptist Life in 17th-Century England

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Name 1644first use of Baptistby enemiesrelated

to practice of immersionnot used by Baptiststhemselves until 1650s and even then notgenerally accepted for another century

Baptists preferred to be known as Brethren,Brethren of the Baptized Way, or the Baptized

Churches


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Worship early Baptist services in England were long,

sometimes with several sermonsit was notuncommon to meet from 8-12 a.m., then againfrom 2-5 or 6 p.m.meetings usually in privatehomes, public halls, or outdoors

weekly Lords Supper not unusual

baptisms in rivers, lakes or baptismal cisterns foot washingpersisted longer among General

Baptists than among Particulars

spontaneity, audience participation valued


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Worship (cont.) music a point of controversy:

General Baptists opposed hymn-singing, groupsinging, and instrumental music for over a century

(possible influence of John Smyth) Particular Baptists more openevidence of hymn-

singing by mid-17th centuryBenjamin Keach(1640-1704), who moved from Generals toParticulars after arriving in London in 1668,encouraged hymn-singing in his Horsleydownchurch in Southwark, Londonhe published 2hymnals, Spiritual Melody (1691) and SpiritualSongs (1696)


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Benjamin Keach


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Worship (cont.) role of women:

Smyth accepted women deacons but did not permitthem to preachsimilar pattern found in some General

Baptist confessions McBeth, Baptist Heritage, p. 77, claims that some

women preached among General Baptists, butstatement is not footnoted

1679account of setting aside of deaconesses at

Broadmead Church (Particular Baptist) in Bristolduties of visiting/caring for the sick and It is theire dutyalsoe to speake a word to their soules, as occasionrequires, for support or consolation, to build them up ina spirituall lively faith in Jesus Christ. . .


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Associations 16245 General Baptist churches in London came

together to distance themselves from Mennonites(e.g., on oaths, military service)group met againin 1630result was not a formal association butan expression of cooperation and commonidentitythese meetings foreshadowedassociations

by 1650 the Baptist association was fairly wellestablished as a regional fellowship of like-minded churches


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Associations (cont.) the term (and geographical concept) probably

came from political units that were organizedduring English civil war of the 1640sCromwellsNew Model Army organized English counties intoassociations for raising money & troopsBaptists modified and transferred this plan to suittheir own purposes


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Associations (cont.) associations provided:

1. fellowship opportunities

2. forums for discussing issues of concern 3. a means to spread Baptist ideas, teachings

4. a way to safeguard Baptist doctrines (most earlyconfessions came out of associations)

5. a means of working for common causes likereligious liberty


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Associations (cont.) differences between General and Particular

associations: General Baptist associations were more

centralizedGeneral Baptists pushed fororganizational structure beyond the associationmuch earlier than ParticularsGeneral Baptistassociations and their General Assembly (perhapsorganized as early as 1653) exercised some authority

over local churches, even to point of discipliningindividual church membersGenerals even viewedconvening of their General Assembly as a meetingof the General Baptist Church


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Associations (cont.) Particular Baptists content with a looser

organizationthey did not allow associations orgeneral assemblies to become The Churchthey

were more concerned to protect freedom &autonomy of local churchesParticulars developeda sense of denominational consciousness, but theydid not want denomination to interfere in affairs of

local churchesno Particular Baptist GeneralAssembly until 1689


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Baptist Confessions General Baptist:

1609John SmythA Short Confessionlongerversion included in Propositions & Conclusions

(1610) 1611Thomas HelwysA Declaration of Faith of

English People Remaining at Amsterdamdistinguished between his small church andSmythalso noted where Smyth was yielding toMennonites

1651The Faith and Practice of ThirtyCongregationsGeneral Baptists in Midlands(Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, adjoining counties)


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Confessions (cont.) 1660Standard Confessionto answer false

charges of their enemies and to convince new king(Charles II) that Baptists were law-abiding citizens

1678Orthodox Creedto unite and confirm alltrue Protestants against the errors and heresies ofRometoned down General BaptistArminianismalso aimed at errors re: person &

work of Christ being taught by some GeneralBaptist preachersconfession included full textsof Apostles Creed, Nicene Creed, and AthanasianCreed


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Confessions (cont.) Particular Baptist:

16441st London Confessionto clarify doctrine,distinguish Particulars from both General Baptistsand Mennonitesto identify with mainstream ofEnglish Protestantism (influence of PresbyterianWestminster Assembly of 1640s)first Baptistconfession issued by a group of churches, first to

stipulate immersion as proper mode of baptismconsidered most influential of all Baptistconfessions


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Confessions (cont.) 1656Somerset Confession16 Particular Baptist

congregations in Somerset Associationbasicagreement with London Particular Baptist churches

16772nd London Confessioninitially adopted byLondon Particular Baptistsaffirmed by newlyorganized Particular Baptist General Assembly in 1689with minor changesvery similar to WestminsterConfession of Presbyterians (McBeth, Sourcebook, p. 45,

see 2ndLondon marred by hyper-Calvinism)Particulars wanted a united front with other Protestantdissenters at a difficult time


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Confessions (cont.) purposes:

1. serve as basis of fellowship for Baptistorganizations beyond local church

2. maintain doctrinal purity and indicate doctrinalconsensus

3. clarify Baptist positions over against others

4. settle controversies or disciplinechurches/members (e.g., withdrawing of fellowshipfrom those whose doctrines, practices consideredharmful)


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Confessions (cont.) a difference between confessions and creeds?

confessiona formal statement of religious beliefs:creed

creed1. a brief authoritative formula of religiousbelief. 2. a set of fundamental beliefs; a guidingprinciple


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The English Baptist Struggle for

Religious Liberty pre-1640grim situationno toleration, let alone

liberty

1640-1660civil war, Commonwealth: Baptists in a position to work on behalf of religious

freedommany Baptists saw hope in OliverCromwell as a political leader who could improvethe status of those outside of the Church ofEnglandthus Baptists generally supported theParliamentary side in the civil war vs. King CharlesImany Baptists served in Cromwells army andviewed the war as a battle for both religious and

political freedom


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Religious Liberty (cont.) Presbyterians, who also supported Cromwell

wanted to replace Episcopalian establishment witha Presbyterian onePresbyterians would probably

have repressed Baptists & other dissenters if theyhad not needed their help vs. the king

with Cromwells victory and beheading of Charles Iin 1649, some Baptists accepted govt. positions at

appointment of Cromwell or Parliament in 1650s Cromwell became more authoritarian,

leading to criticisms of him by some Baptistssome of these Baptists were dismissed from army,

govt.


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Religious Liberty (cont.) 1650s also saw growth of radical sects like Levellers,

Diggers, Quakers, most of whom turned vs.Cromwellsome Baptists (e.g., Hanserd Knollys)

were drawn into 5th Monarchy Men (named becauseof their belief that they were to establish the 5thmonarchy of the Book of Danielthey came to seeCromwell as the little horn and worked to bring

down his govt. in anticipation of Christs imminentreturn to establish the Rule of Saints)mostBaptists were quick to disassociate themselves from5th Monarchy Menmovement collapsed in 1661with unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Charles II,

the Restoration monarch


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Religious Liberty (cont.) General and Particular Baptists presented An

Humble Apology to Charles II, claiming that theyhad not been part of this revolt (some enemies were

trying to associate Baptists with violence &anarchy)

during Cromwell years some Baptist pastorsaccepted govt.-supported appointments in state

church (e.g., Henry Jessey)this created problemsduring Restoration

overall, period of 1640-60 represented significantgrowth for Baptistsby 1660 there were 115 General

Baptist churches and 131 Particular churches


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Religious Liberty (cont.) Restorationrenewed persecution with royal

disfavor, public prejudiceat one point in 1661,400 Baptists were in Newgate PrisonnewParliament passed several laws aimed at restoringtotal conformity to Church of Englandlawspassed between 1661 and 1665 became known asClarendon Code:

1661Corporation Actexcluded nonconformistsfrom public office

1662Act of Uniformity (a.k.a. the Great Ejection)


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Religious Liberty (cont.) Act of Uniformity affected clergy in state-paid

positions like professors, tutors, schoolmastersoath had to be taken on Book of Common Prayer,

which demanded conformity to Church ofEnglands liturgyabout 20 Baptists lost positions

1664Conventicle Actpenalties for unauthorizedworship, which made Baptist meetings dangerous

(an earlier version of this bill was used to put JohnBunyan in a Bedford jail for 12 years)

1665Five Mile Actejected, nonconformist clergynot allowed to teach or conduct worship within 5

miles of any town where they had previously served


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Religious Liberty (cont.) 1673Test Act (not part of Clarendon Code)

required all those serving the Crown to take LordsSupper according to Anglican ritethus Catholics,

Baptists, others kept from naval, military, civil, ormunicipal service


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Religious Liberty (cont.)James II (1685-88):

Catholic brother of Charles II (Charles himselfprofessed Catholicism on his deathbed)

1687Declaration of Indulgence for Catholics,nonconformiststhey could now worship in publicand accept govt. positions

1688Glorious RevolutionJames forced out, fledto Francehis Protestant daughter Mary and herDutch husband William of Orange, became newmonarchs


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Religious Liberty (cont.) 1689Act of Toleration:

compromise that gave Protestant dissenters somerelief but did not grant full religious freedom

dissenters had to declare faith in the Trinity andinspiration of Scripture

Baptist (and other) ministers had to affirm 39Articles of Church of England, with someexemptions (e.g., infant baptism)

places of worship allowed for dissenters ifregistered with local Anglican bishop


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Religious Liberty (cont.) church courts could still enforce tithes to state

church

universities still closed to dissenters

McBeth, Baptist Heritage, p. 121: Act of Tolerationnonetheless allowed the most generous measureof religious freedom then known in England.

still, there is a distinction between toleration and

libertytoleration usually implies a state church

Documents

General Features of Baptist Life in 17th-Century England