General or Arminian Baptists
The roots of the early English General Baptists are still
unclear. They may have developed from returning exiled separatist
congregations from Holland after 1612. The Helwys-Murton congregation
during 1612-1626 has some spin-off congregations which may have contributed to other possible groups. Helwys-Murton would seem to share a parallel development with the early General Baptist Churches.
The term General or Arminian Baptist seems to have come into common
usage about 1625. Documented history of this group before 1625
demands more research. The early General Baptists congregations were
not a large community of believers by the standards of the day.
General Baptists were known for their strong anti-Calvinist message.
They preached a strong Arminian or "free will" message of universal
salvation. Also called "general redemption" this is sometimes cited
as the origin of the name. Sometimes referred to as Arminian Baptists,
or "rustic Pelagianism" they found much of their support among the poorer
classes of London and in the rural areas of England.
General Baptists embraced salvation by good works, and the separation
of Church and State. They incorporated the church administrative structure
of Elders and Deacons as expounded earlier by John Smyth and the Helwys-Murton
congregations. They practiced adult baptism by immersion with its
quasi-Anabaptist overtones. There was a strong anti-clerical bent that
authority proceeded from the Bible rather than the congregation. There
was also a strong emphasis on individual personal salvation.
From the mid-1620's to the 1640's, General Baptist congregations had
spread throughout England. In 1641, a General Meeting was held in
Whitechapel (London). This meeting attracted large crowds resulting
in many arrests and imprisonment for those attending the meeting.
There are estimates of some fifty congregations in place by 1650.
General Baptists were more open and less structured congregations
than other Independent congregationss. The doctrinal beliefs within the General
Baptists congregations could be rather broad from semi-Anabaptist to more
traditional separatist views. This was a dual edged sword for them in attracting
new members, and than keeping hold of them afterwards.
General Baptist's suffered from its own radical fringe elements. Their traveling
itinerant preachers were considered trouble makers by most local civil
and church authorities throughout England, but they were very popular among the common folk.
A certain Mrs. Attaway (Attoway) (fl. 1643-46), a member of Thomas Lamb's (d. 1686) General Baptist congregation in London. She was a female tub preacher (i.e. the tub was
used as a movable pulpit), and was notorious in London during the mid-1640's. In 1646, he
believed that she had been called to be a prophet to the Jews. She
with a Mr. William Jenner, as a companion and fellow saint, travelled to Jerusalem to meet Christ, other Old Testament saints,
to usher in a new Golden Age for the Jews.
General Baptists were challenged from the mid-1640's by others sects including
the Particular Baptists, a pro-calvinist sect. There was little theological agreement between these two divergent points of view: Predestination
and Free Will. There were other issues of disagreements between the two.
Both groups became increasing involved with the political movement
of the Levellers, and the New Model Army. Baptist membership among
the rank and file of the New Model Army was high. Many regiments had
their ministers in the ranks, sometimes either General or Particular. With the downfall of the
Levellers movement and its New Model Army support in 1650, the General
Baptists' center of influence shifted to the more rural areas from London with less visibility.
The General Baptist have been credited with developing the doctrine
of the "inner light" which was later embraced by Fox and the early Quakers.
The General Baptist survived the Restoration (1660), but were kept
under careful watch by the Crown due to a few radicals and potential trouble makers.
Particular or Calvinistic Baptists
The origins of the Particular Baptists are also unclear. Some have contended
that they developed from Continental Calvinistic congregations who
migrated to England in the 1630's. Some have argued for pro-Calvinists
English separatist congregations who migrated back to England. Members
of John Robinson's congregation at Leyden are often mentioned as possible
sources.
Another theory has its supporters that the Particular Baptist's developed directly
from dissident radical congregations in London during the 1630's.
The Jacob-Lathrop-Jessey congregation in London is often cited as
the mother congregation of the early Particular Baptists. Some of its splinter congregations may have
formed the basis of the original Particular Baptist movement. [Ed. Note: See English Dissenters Index: Jacobites.]
Being stern Calvinists, the Particular Baptists reject any relationship
with John Smyth, or the early General Baptists who advocated Arminian
or "free will" theology with its popish overtones. Some early Baptist authors even postulated
a historical tradition in Britain dating as far back as the New Testament.
This is part of historical problem with pre-1660 English protestant
sects. Good historical
information on religious groups especially outside of the Greater London Area is still sketchy. Small
groups of individuals might establish a new congregations that might
merger with some other group or just dissolve, or disappear. We might be talking
of congregations of under twenty individuals, or just a few families. People
were known to move about looking for a good preacher, or the "right" theology.
There were early Independent congregation with baptist leanings.
Among these were: Mr. Hubbard ca. 1621 at Deadman's Place (London),
they left for Ireland and returned about 1630. John Canne was their
pastor on their return to London ca. 1630-33. Canne left the congregation
under unspecified conditions for Amsterdam, Holland about 1633. Samuel
Howe (d. 1640) became their new pastor until his death.
A number of small quasi-Baptist or primitive Baptist congregations
developed in London between 1630-1645. Among these early congregations
were: Samuel Eaton (d.1639) from 1633-36; John
Spilsbury(1593-ca.1668) by 1638; Praise-God Barebon(e)
(1596-1679) all have been cited as possible sources for the original
union of London Particular Baptist congregations.
John Spilsbury has been cited as the first of the Particular Baptist
congregations. The usage of the designation "Particular Baptist" before
1643 is subject to interpretation. The history of early Baptist congregations outside of London is unclear.
Kiffin Manuscript
Early Calvinist Baptists felt a special need to establish a valid
independent succession of baptism from the Smyth-Helwys and the General Baptist
tradition with all of its implications and overtones. Some of these
early historical writings have been called more faith than history.
The Kiffin Manuscript was often cited as an historical document to
support that particular argument.
These primitive baptist congregations seems to have practiced varied
forms of baptism. According to the Kiffin Manuscript, attributed to
William Kiffin (1616-1701), during the early 1640's
a certain Robert Blount, a Dutch speaking member of a local
London congregations, was sent to Holland to consult with a prominent
radical sect regarding the proper form of baptism. Blount came into contact
with the Dutch Collegiants (ca. 1620-1780), a Remonstranten sect,
quasi-calvinistic with Arminian tendencies, based around Rinjsberg
(Holland). They practiced "believer's or adult baptism" by immersion.
According to the Kiffin Manuscript document Blount was duly baptized, he returned
to England and baptized another. These two individuals than began
to baptized other members of their congregation, and so on according
to the Kiffin Manuscript.
The historical authenticity of the Kiffin Manuscript has been called
into question by some historians. There is even disagreement among
some Baptists scholars regarding the document. Except for the manuscript narrative itself, there
would appear to be little factual historical verification of the text, the specific
incidents or the individuals cited, i.e. Mr. Blount appear questionable.
There is another related document of the same period, called the
Gould Kiffin Manuscript which relates some of the same information of this period.
The Gould Kiffin Manuscript is at variance with the original Kiffin Manuscript. The information presented there would appear to be more historically factual than
the original Kiffin Manuscript.
The question of baptism by immersion before 1641 was a major topic
of concern among the early Calvinistic Baptists. By 1641, adult baptism
by immersion was becoming the prevailing practice for many Baptists
congregations. Labeled as "Dippers", they too often suffered from allegations
of Anabaptist roots.
William Kiffin (1616-1701) was a prominent London
merchant in London. He left the Jacob-Lathrop-Jessey Independent congregation
ca. 1638 with five other members including Thomas Wilson and joined
a splinter congregation headed by John Spilsbury. Kiffin disagreed
with Spilsbury over pulpit rights and then returned back to Lathrop's Independent
congregation. About 1639, a disagreement developed in Lathrop's congregation
over "paedobaptism" or infant baptism. Kiffin espoused a
belief in "believers baptism" but remained in the congregation.
About 1639/40, the issue of "believers baptism" was again raised
in the Lathrop Independent congregation. The new issue was the baptism of the infant child of Hanserd Knollys (Knollis)(ca.1599- 1691), a former clergyman. Knollys had recently returned to England from his New England congregation, ca. 1641. Hanserd Knollys would later start his own Baptist congregation in 1645 in London. Knollys would permit a policy of mixed communion with Independents and presbyterians.
As a member of the Lathrop congregation, Hanserd Knollys refused to allow his infant child to
be baptized even at the assistance of the congregation. Infant baptism
was considered a requirement tenet under Calvinism. William Kiffin, a prominent merchant, and a member of the same congregation supported
Knollys right not to submit his infant child to baptism even if it was against congregational policy.
In May 1640, a Council of Independent congregations in London was called to
adjudicate the question of child baptism. The result of the Council vote was the establishment
a new Baptist congregation in London. In May 1640, a new London Baptist
congregation was created under the leadership of William Kiffin.
William Kiffin has often been credited in large measure with helping to
organize the original seven London congregations which issued the
First London Confession of Faith (1644). These initial seven
congregations formed the basis of the new Particular Baptist assembly
in London.
The signatories to the Confession of Faith of 1643 were: William
Kiffin(1616-1701), Thomas Patience, John Spilsbury or Spilsbery (1593-ca.1668) , George Tipping, Samuel Richardson (fl. 1637-1658),
Thomas Skippard, Thomas Munday,Thomas Gunn,John Mabhatt, John Webb,
Thomas Kilcop (fl.1642-1648), Paul Hobson(d.1666), Thomas Goare, Joseph Phelpes and Edward
Heath. These were demonstrably some of the major Particular Baptist leaders of
the period.
The designation of "Particular Baptist" as an organized body before 1643 is subject to additional
research. Before 1643 there were only individual congregations, after
1643 there was a common Confession of Faith with seven member congregations.
The First London Confession of Faith (1644) became the
religious statement for the newly organized London Particular Baptists.
A pro-Calvinist statement of doctrine, it is a clear refutation of
any possible Anabaptist influences. It is one of the first published
documents of its type in England. This document predates the
Westminster Confession of Faith (1646). A second edition was
issued as the London Confession of Faith (1649).
The Particular Baptist embraced a Calvinistic doctrine of predestination,
a "particular" atonement, or salvation for a particular few. This
is one theory for the possible derivation of its name. Particular
Baptists congregations could be Independent or Congregational in polity.
Particular Baptists congregations were noted for their very strict administration
of their congregations.
During the Interregnum (1649-1660), the Particular Baptists with
their strong Calvinist message attained large memberships throughout
Great Britain, and Ireland. By 1644 there were some forty-seven
congregations outside of London. They vied for power within the New
Model Army and became associated with the Levellers
political movement.
Particular Baptists competed with other radical sects of the period including the
early Quakers and the Presbyterians. They influence declined with the New Model Army in 1649, and the
Levellers political power base. They survived the Restoration (1660), and were carefully watched by the Crown.
Particular Baptists also sought the freedom of the New World.
There they were able to multiply and grow in the new English Colonies.
Seventh Day Baptists
Seventh Day Baptists may have existed as early as 1640
and were common by 1650. They espoused an old belief known as Sabbatarianism.
The seventh Day of the week was Saturday, and the Sabbath for the
early Christians, and the Jews.
Sabbatarianism was the belief that the Sabbath was to be worshiped on the last day of
the week, namely Saturday or the Jewish Sabbath, in accordance with
the Old Testament tradition rather than on Sunday the first day of
the week. Some groups even advocated following those Jewish customs
associated with the Mosaic dietary laws. Sabbatarianism
was practiced within different sects, and other congregations including puritans, presbyterians, Calvinists, and the Church of England.
The Seventh Day Baptists were considered more radical congregations comprised
of former General and Particular Baptists including other non-Baptists.
Some of these radical Baptists congregations were closely linked with
the Fifth Monarchy Men, [Ed. Note: See English Dissenters Index: Fifth Monarchy Men.] a radical Millennium group popular from 1650-1660.
John James (d.1661) was a Seventh Day Baptist preacher and an Elder of his London congregation.
James and his congregation were arrested on 19 Oct. 1661 for their dissident views. Following Venner's Uprising , he was tried for treason and preaching sedition against the Government. He was accused of being a
militant Fifth Monarchy Men. Not being a militant Fifth Monarchy Man, James indicated he would now join Venner and his cause if he could. He was hanged, disemboweled and quartered at Tyburn on 29 Nov. 1661. His head was
placed on a pole/pike in Whitechapel (London) near his congregation in Bulstake Alley. James was martyred as an example to others.
There are indications that individual Seventh Day General Baptists, and Seventh
Day Particular Baptists congregations also existing during this period.
Seventh Day Baptist congregations survived the Restoration(1660),
and many of these prospered in the New World.
All Baptist groups faced some form of persecution after the Restoration (1660)
and were watched. Lingering Anabaptist connections persisted, and
their earlier associations with former radical sects such as the Fifth Monarchy Men, and a few fire
brands among the faithful added to their radical reputation to the
Crown.
The English Baptists made a major contribution to toleration, free will, and the "inner spirit" that found expression in the Quakers during the 17th century. Baptists would make their way to the British colonies. They would grow and prosper in the New World, and worldwide into the 21st century.
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