English Baptist Decline (1689-1750)

7/30/2019 English Baptist Decline (1689-1750)

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bleak situation after 1689 for mostreligious groups in EnglandUnderwood,A

History of the English Baptists, p. 117: Acold fog of religious indifference descendedupon the nation which for a century hadbeen preoccupied with religious questions.

dawning of the Age of Reasonrationalism, Deism

low state of morality in England


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spiritual lethargy affected both Church ofEngland and Dissenter groups

on the whole, Baptists shared in this

lethargyoutreach, expansion did not matchnew opportunities created by the Act ofTolerationin 1689 there were about 300Baptist churches in England with total of20,000-25,000 membersby 1750 there were120 congregations with total of about 10,000memberstoo much focus on putting upbuildings in large towns with little outreach tooutlying communities (Michael Haykin)


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General Baptists developed strongconnectionalism in church polity and

preferred unity over doctrinal orthodoxythey also put little emphasis on theologicaltraining of their clergythese factorsallowed Arianism and Socinianism to makeinroads (Anglicans and Presbyterians hadsimilar theological problems affecting theirclergy)


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doctrinal softness on the deity of Christcaused a General Baptist split in 1696 whensome of their churches in the Midlandswithdrew from the General Assembly toprotest theological laxitythose who leftformed a General Associationthis schism

was not healed until 1704, when a newconfession affirming the full deity of Christwas approved by both the GeneralAssembly and the General Association


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1708another rift when a small group thatsupported the Arian/Socinian views ofMatthew Caffin departed

overall, General Baptists waffled ondoctrine, and this weakened theirevangelistic zealinability to agree on so

basic a point of doctrine as the Person ofChrist caused problemssome churcheseither dwindled down to almost nothing orbecame Unitarian


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General Baptists also fought over issueslike marrying outside of the General Baptist

community (some who did wereexcommunicated) and hymn singing in thechurches (some continued to oppose thispractice)


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unlike General Baptists, Particulars continuedto prefer decentralized denominationalstructures to protect local church autonomy

and freedom of consciencethey organized aGeneral Assembly in 1689 but there were clearlimits to its authority

Particulars showed more interest in trainingtheir clergya will drawn in Bristol in 1679provided funds for this, which led to foundingof Bristol Baptist College in 18th century (1720)


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Particulars debated communion andmembershipthere was some tolerance for

open communion (non-Baptists could beserved the Lords Supper) but not openmembership (Particular churches usuallyaccepted only those who had beenbaptized as believersclosed membership)


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some Particular Baptists showed tendenciestoward hyper-Calvinism and/or

antinomianism: supralapsarianismbelief that Gods decrees of

election were before the Fallled to doctrine ofeternal justification, which cut into evangelistic

zeal by removing urgency of repentance and faith overemphasis on graceantinomian Particulars

argued that believers were not bound by moral law


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trend toward abstract doctrinal preaching

without applications or invitationsa denial of

the universal offer of the gospel (e.g., John

Skepp of Curriers Hall Church at Cripplegate,London, and his successor, John Brine)


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John Gill (1697-1771):

dominant Particular Baptist figure of mid-18th

centuryseen by some as example of hyper-Calvinist excess (McBeth, Baptist Heritage,pp.

176-78)others like Timothy George have been

more favorable (Baptist Theologians, chap. 4)

Gill served Horsleydown church in Southwark,London, for 51 yearshis only pastorate


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Gills major writings:

1731Doctrine of the Trinity Stated and

Vindicated 1746-48An Exposition of the NT, 3 vols.

1748-63An Exposition of the OT, 6 vols.

1767A Body of Doctrinal Divinity59 chaps.

on the doctrine of God

1770A Body of Practical Divinity


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Gill (cont.): he battled with John Wesley, believing that

Wesleys denial of perseverance showed a

misunderstanding of the covenant of grace

he allegedly denied that preachers had the rightto offer Christ to unbelievershe apparentlythought that the word offer could bemisleading when applied to preaching thegospel to the unsavedGill affirmed that onlythe Holy Spirit could offer Christ and salvationto sinners


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T. George argues that Gill disparaged neither

the means God had ordained to effect the

conversion of the elect nor the evangelical

mandate to proclaim the good news of Godsgracious provision to all the lost. (BaptistTheologians, p. 94)

English Baptist Decline (1689-1750)

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