Baptist succession: a handbook of Baptist history

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Preface

The Angel said to Daniel that, in the last days, " Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." This prophecy is especially being fulfilled as regards church history ; for a number of the ripest scholars of Europe and America are devoting their energies to this great work, with the prospect of much good as the result. It has ever been the policy of Rome to destroy, as far as possible, not only the true church itself, but every vestige of its history. This fell design has led Romish authors to make the effort to blacken the character of the Church of Christ, by accusing its members of almost every crime which Satanic malice could invent. And they have so far succeeded in their purpose, as to make the impression on the multitude, that there is no church succession independent of Rome, and that all other churches came out of the Catholic Church ! Baptists have with one voice denied any connection with the Romish apostacy, and claimed their origin as a church from Jesus Christ and the apostles. If this claim of the Baptists is true, they should ever be willing and able to furnish the evidence upon which they rest their claims to antiquity. But, owing to the scarcity and cost of old ecclesiastical histories and documents, the people are deprived of the means of knowing the facts of history which ought to be in the reach of every one. It is the design of this work to furnish, in a convenient shape, the leading facts of history which every Christian should know. I can see no reason why any child of God should be indifferent as to the history of the " martyrs of Jesus," upon whose blood the Romish harlot was drunk for so many ages. I know that the full details of the cruel sufferings of these witnesses for Christ is preserved alone in the archives of heaven, and will there be preserved till that glorious day when every hidden thing shall be brought to light.

Eager historians have ever been ready to rear monuments of fame to the memory of heroes and tyrants who have drenched the earth iv (Preface.

in human blood, and have arisen to greatness through treachery and crime; and the admiring multitudes are ready to shout the praises of these human butchers, that have shrouded nations in mourning and distress. But, how few are interested in the history • of those men and women of whom the world is not worthy, who forsook all for the kingdom of God, and became pilgrims and strangers on the earth. They were often clad in sheep-skins and goat-skins, and wandered in deserts and mountains ; they sometimes lived in caves and dens of the earth, or dragged out their wretched lives in filthy prison-dungeons; and, at last, thousands of them sealed their testimony at the stake, where they sang and shouted the praises of God, amidst the flames which devoured their bodies. Is it possible that God's children, who are more highly favored, feel no interest in the investigation of the history of the Bride of Jesus Christ, whose wanderings in the wilderness may be traced by her martyr blood, as seen in the gloomy light of the martyr fires? We have a number of valuable histories of the Baptists — such as those written by Crosby, Ivimey, Orchard, Benedict, Cramp, and others; but still there is a demand for the Hand-Book of Baptist History, arranged for convenient reference. This work will be found especially valuable to those who do not have access to historic libraries. Instead of being compelled to search for years through rare and musty volumes, the reader is here furnished with the facts, suitably arranged, to meet all ordinary demands. This collection has been prepared at great cost and labor, amidst the pressure of other cares and duties. The reader is left to judge for himself as to the merits of the present volume. It is my earnest desire to point sinners to Jesus Christ, as the only name given in heaven, or among men, whereby they can be saved. And I also wish to aid the people of God, by pointing them to the Church of Jesus Christ, which is the " pillar and ground of the truth."

Praying that the blessings of God may rest upon this effort to promote His glory, I dedicate this work to the Churches of Jesus Christ. D. B. R

Chapter I

1. The Visibility of the Church or Kingdom..... 9

2. The Nature of the Succession 15

CHAPTEE II.

THE " MISSIONARY " AND " OLD-SCHOOL " BAPTISTS.

1. The Regular Baptists and the Anti-Mission Baptists were once

associated together as One People 22

2. In the Separation, the "Hard-Shell, " or Anti-Mission Baptists,

were the Seceding Party, which withdrew from the Regular Baptists 24

3. " From the days of the Apostles to the present time, the true,

legitimate Baptist Church has ever been a Missionary body ".... 26

4. The Churches founded by Christ and the Apostles were Missionary

Churches 33

5. The Ancient Regular Baptists in favor of Ministerial Education... 37

CHAPTEE III.

AMERICAN BAPTISTS.

1. Roger Williams was never a Member of a true, legitimate Baptist

Church 42

2. The Newport, and not the present Providence First Church, the

oldest Baptist Church in America 51

3. No present Baptist Church or Minister has Baptism by Succession

from Roger Williams 58

4. Baptist Ministers from Europe who aided in planting the Early

American churches 62 vi Contents.

CHAPTEK IV.

ENGLISH BAPTISTS.

PAGE.

1. The English Baptists did not Originate with John Smith 76

2. The English Baptists are descended from the German Baptists 84

CHAPTEE V.

GERMAN BAPTISTS.

1. The German Baptists did not Originate with the Munster Riot 91

2. The German Baptists descended from the Ancient Waldenses 99

CHAPTER VI.

THE ANCIENT WALDENSES.

1. The Name Waldenses 107

2. The Charge of Drs. Miller and Rice against Jones, the Historian, 114

3. Ancient Waldenses Baptistr— Modern Waldenses Pedohaptists 121

4. The Origin of the Waldenses 138

CHAPTER VII.

THE NOVATIANS.

1. The Churches called " Novatian Churches " did not Originate

with Novatian 154

2. The Origin of the Novatians 159

, CHAPTER VIII.

BAPTIST PECULIARITY FIRST — JESUS THE FOUNDER AND HEAD:

1. Peculiarity First tested by the Bible 171

2. Peculiarity First identified in Present Baptist Teaching 178

CHAPTER IX.

BAPTIST PECULIARITY SECOND— -THE BIBLE AS THE RULE OF CONDUCT.

1. Peculiarity Second tested by the Bible 180

2. Peculiarity Second identified in Present Baptist Teaching 184

Contents. vii

CHAPTEE X.

BAPTIST PECULIARITY THIRD —ORDER OF THE COM- MANDMENTS.

PAGE.

1. Peculiarity Third tested by the Bible . 190

2. Peculiarity Third identified in Present Baptist Teaching 195

CHAPTEE XI.

BAPTIST PECULIARITY FOURTH — BURIAL IN BAPTISM OF THE DEAD TO SIN.

1. Baptist Peculiarity Fourth tested by the Bible 199

2. Peculiarity Fourth identified in Present Baptist Teaching 206

CHAPTEE XII.

BAPTIST PECULIARITY FIFTH —EQUALITY IN THE KINGDOM.

1. Baptist Peculiarity Fifth tested by the Bible 209

2. Peculiarity Fifth identified in Present Baptist Teaching ' 223

CHAPTEE XIII.

PECULIARITY SIXTH — RESTRICTED COMMUNION.

1. Objections to Restricted Communion answered 233

2. Baptist Peculiarity Sixth — Restricted Communion tested by the

Bible 239

3. Concessions to Baptist Views of Communion 250

4. Peculiarity Sixth — Communion in the Kingdom identified with

Present Baptist Teaching 262

CHAPTEE XIV. *

PECULIARITY SEVENTH — THE TRUE CHURCH PERSE- CUTED.

1. Peculiarity Seventh — the True Church Persecuted — tested by the

Bible 266

2. Peculiarity Seventh identified in Modern Baptist History 271 viii Contents.

CHAPTER XV.

PRIMITIVE CHURCHES — FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH TO THE NOVATIAN RUPTURE— A PERIOD OF ABOUT TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS.

PAGE.

1. Peculiarities applied to the Primitive Churches 285

2. Bishop and Elder the same Office 302

3. Errors which Originated in this Period 304

CHAPTER XVI.

THE NOVATIAN PERIOD — ABOUT TWO HUNDRED YEARS.

1. Peculiarities applied to the Novatians 313

2. The Great Apostacy ., 329

CHAPTER XVII.

THE WALDENSEAN PERIOD — TWELVE HUNDRED AND SIXTY YEARS.

1. Prophetic History of the Church during this Period 336

2. The Peculiarities applied to the Waldenses 347

3. False Churches which arose during this Period 393

CHAPTER XVIII.

MODERN BAPTIST PERIOD.

1. Peculiarities applied to Modern Baptists 409

2. Ancient and Modern Mennonites 431

CHAPTER XIX.

Conclusion 443

ABBREVIATIONS 459

BAPTIST SUCCESSION.

CHAPTER I.

THE KINGDOM.

1. The Visibility of the Church or Kingdom.

2. The Nature of the Succession.

Section I. — The visibility of the church or KINGDOM

The Visibility of the Kingdom. — "The law and the

prophets were until John: since that time _ _ _ _ ii-i n ax i • it i Lake 16: 16.

the kingdom of God is preached, and every

man presseth into it."

This text of itself is sufficient to establish the visibility of the kingdom of God. It is admitted by all parties that Jesus Christ has a kingdom on earth. I believe there are three theories concerning the government of Christ on earth : The first is, that God has two kingdoms on earth ; the one a visible organization, and the other the invisible reign of grace in the hearts of men. The tendency of this view is to the neglect of, and contempt for, the positive ordinances and requirements of Jesus Christ. The individual is made to believe that he has been baptized with the Holy Spirit, and is a member of the " invisible " church ; and he therefore regards the positive laws of the King in Zion as only types and shadows, of little or no consequence.

A second theory is, that there is no visible kingdom of Christ on earth ; that the real kingdom of God is in the hearts of his subjects, and those who embrace this position feel themselves at liberty to institute, change, or abolish laws and customs. They persuade themselves that God has made no laws to govern his kingdom; and hence they come to the rescue, and enact laws for the control of the people of God. This view has been the mother of the vast variety of church organizations in the land.

But the third theory is, that Jesus Christ established a visible church, or kingdom, during his ministry on earth ; and that the invisible kingdom is composed of that part of the church of the first born, that have entered heaven.

This last position we adopt. We do not believe that Jesus Christ organized an "invisible" church, or kingdom, on earth. "We freely admit, however, that there are some of God's visible children in Babylon, who are commanded to come out of her. For John said : " And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sin, and that ye receive not of her plagues."

Were these people of God in Babylon and in the kingdom of Christ at the same time?

The following Scriptures are often urged in opposition to the visibility of the kingdom :

1. "And when he was demanded of the Pharisees when

the kingdom of God should come, he an-

" ' swered them and said, The kingdom of God

cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say,

Lo here ! or, Lo there ! for, behold, the kingdom of God

is within you."

The Kingdom Visible. 11

The translation of this passage is evidently defective. For the words, " the kingdom of God is within you" were addressed, not to the disciples of Christ, but to the wicked Pharisees. It is certain that the kingdom of God was not in their murderous hearts. Some translate the Greek preposition entos, in this passage, among ; and this would make the Saviour say, "the kingdom of God is among you" or, in your midst. That is, the members of the kingdom were then in the presence of, and among, the Jews.

It came not with observation; that is, it was not established with carnal weapons, amidst the confusion of battles and victories over conquered armies.

2. "For the kingdom of God, is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Emn - 1 : U -

How this passage can be tortured to prove the invisibility of the kingdom on earth, I am unable to see. The apostle, no doubt, was talking in this chapter of the meats offered in sacrifice to idols ; and he thought it best not to eat such meat, lest the weak brother be made to offend. Does any one who holds the visibility of the kingdom, teach that the kingdom consists in meat and drink? Verily not. But what does the apostle mean when he says the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost f Does he teach the invisibility of the kingdom? No: For the very first element of the kingdom, named by the apostle, is righteousness, which certainly includes visible obedience to the ordinances of the kingdom. The baptism of Jesus was a part of the righteousness of the kingdom ; for he said, " thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness"

3. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Greeks, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."

This passage is relied on by some to support the notion that persons are now baptized by the Holy Spirit into the invisible church ! They talk very confidently of their baptism by the Holy Spirit, and membership in the Church of Christ, independent of all church organizations.

Such persons have certainly forgotten that the real baptism of the Holy Spirit always endowed the possessor with the gift of tongues or inspiration. And they have overlooked the fact, that regeneration is one thing, and baptism of the Holy Spirit quite another. But to the passage : " For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body," etc.

A better rendering of this passage would be, "In one spirit are we all baptized into one body." In is the primary meaning of the Greek preposition en — rendered, in our version, by. The meaning of the passage is, in one Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, we have all been baptized into one body — i. e., the visible kingdom or Church of Christ.

It is certain that Holy Spirit baptism is not referred to in this passage. If so, we would have the Holy Spirit both the administrator and element. It should be remembered, that the Scriptures nowhere represent the Holy Spirit as the administrator of baptism of any kind. Jesus Christ was the only administrator of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

We now proceed to introduce the Scriptures which teach the visibility of the kingdom or Church of Jesus Christ. It is freely admitted that the term church is usually

The Kingdom Visible. 13 applied in the New Testament to local bodies; as, the Church at Jerusalem, the Church at Antioch, the Church at Rome, etc.

But I am satisfied that the term church, or ecclesia, is also used by inspiration in the sense of kingdom. And such an example we have in Matt, xvi: 18; where the Savior said: "Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

I take this declaration of the Messiah as my first proof of the visibility of the church or kingdom. For if the Savior alluded to the reign of grace in the heart when he said, " I will build my church," this would contradict facts ; for the reign of grace had already been built in the hearts of men from the time of Abel. Therefore, as that something which men are pleased to call the invisible kingdom, had been set up about four thousand years in the past, it is certain that Jesus Christ did not allude to the reign of grace in the heart when he said, " I will build my church." And as the Scriptures teach that none but men and women, believers, are eligible to church membership, therefore it would be as appropriate to speak of invisible men and women on earth as to speak of an invisible church on earth composed of men and women !

2. " And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffer eth violence, and the violent take it by force"

Will it be said that violent men take the invisible kingdom by force ?

This is too absurd. But how could an invisible kingdom suffer violence ? The kingdom of Christ, as a visible body, has suffered violence from the days of John the Baptist even until now.

3. " Then shall the kingdom of heaven be liken unto M ok V iq ten virgins which took their lamps and went

# forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise and five were foolish," etc.

It is generally conceded that the foolish virgins represent false professors in the kingdom. But if it refers to the invisible kingdom of grace in the heart, then the doctrine of final apostacy is true. But the very fact that false professors, foolish virgins, are in the kingdom, shows that the kingdom must be a visible organization.

4. The Savior said, at the institution of the supper, " I

appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father ' hath appointed unto me ; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom," etc.

Here the Savior has fixed the Lord's table in the kingdom. Did he place the visible Communion in an invisible kingdom ? The very fact that he instituted the supper, a visible ordinance, in the kingdom, is positive proof that that kingdom is visible. Jesus Christ has but one kingdom on earth, and that is a visible organization, especially to those who have been born again. It has visible subjects: those who have exercised repentance and faith, and have been buried with Christ in baptism, and are walking in the ordinances of the Lord ; & house. It has visible laws, which are contained in the Word of God. And it has visible ordinances : baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Therefore, we conclude that the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a visible organization. Once more, it is certain that Jesus Christ set up a visible kingdom, from the fol-

Nature of the Succession. 15

lowing prediction of Daniel : " And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." The reign of grace had been up in the hearts of men long before this prophecy was uttered ; but the kingdom to be set up was still future ; therefore, this prediction could not refer to the reign of grace in the hearts of men. It is admitted that the term church is applied in the Scriptures to denote all the saints in heaven and on earth ; and that many of the children of God on earth do not belong to his true church ; and it may be that the term kingdom is used in the same way. But, I contend that when the term kingdom is used, in the New Testament, with reference to this earth alone, it always refers to what is known as the visible kingdom.

Section II. — The natuke of the succession

All well-informed Baptists are agreed in the belief that we, as a people, have continued from the time of Christ until the present. In other words, they hold and teach the perpetuity of the Church of Christ. They believe that the Baptist succession exists ; that there has been no period of time since the death of Christ when Baptists have not existed. But Baptists do not claim " apostolic succession" because they admit that the apostolic office expired with the death of John the beloved. There was no more necessity for the apostolic office when Christianity was fully established and the canon of revelation completed. Neither do we claim Popish succession, for this is only the succession of Antichrist. But while some agree* that the Baptist succession does exist, or that a succession of Baptists has continued from the time of Christ to the present, yet they, at the same time, deny that the succession can be proved. This is wholly inconsistent; for no one has the right to believe that which can not be proved. There can be no intelligent faith without evidence. If we have no evidence to prove a succession, it is out of the question to affirm that we believe in the existence of such succession. It appears that the taunts of our opponents have caused some of us almost to surrender our birthright. They tell us that this claim to succession is a " Popish principle," a "mark of the Beast," etc. But shall we reject a Bible doctrine because it has been perverted by the Church of Rome 4 ? Shall we reject the divinity of Christ because this is held by the Church of Rome? Shall we reject the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper because these have been perverted by the Church of Rome ? Or shall we give up our church organization because the Church of Rome, professing to be the Church of Christ, has become the most cruel ecclesiastical despotism which has ever disgraced the name of Christianity? Shall we reject all currency because of the counterfeit? And shall we surrender the perpetuity or succession of the " everlasting kingdom " of Jesus Christ because the Catholics have inaugurated the Popish succession of Antichrist?

But again, we are told that there is no importance whatever attached to the doctrine of succession ; that it makes no difference whether we are in the succession or not, if we hold the Bible doctrine at the present time! But no man can hold the Bible doctrine of church organ-

Nature of the Succession. 17

ization who denies the succession. No man can be in the church or kingdom of Jesus Christ who is not in that kingdom which has the succession from the apostolic age. Is it not important to know that the words of Jesus Christ have been verified which are recorded in Matt, xvi: 18: "Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it " ? Is it not important to know that the Church of Christ, which is the "pillar and ground of the truth," has been "kept by the power of God" as the beacon-light of the world through the dark ages, while the masses of mankind were wondering after the Beast? Is it not important to know that the more than fifty millions of martyred saints, whose blood has been poured forth like rivers, or whose bones have bleached upon the mountains and vales of Europe, and whose ashes have been scattered to the four winds of heaven, were members of the Church of Christ? Or shall we say, it makes no difference with us whether they fell as martyrs of Jesus Christ or died as members of Antichrist? It is no new doctrine among Baptists to claim the succession of the churches of Jesus Christ. The author of the Religious Encyclopedia says : " They [Baptists] think

that the Christian church, properly so _, _ _ called, was not visibly organized m the

family of Abraham nor in the wilderness of Sinai, but by the ministry of Christ himself and of his apostles. * * * * All this time there were Baptist churches. * * * * A succession of the Novatians, or the true church, has continued down to the Reformation."

Joseph Belcher says : " It will be seen that the Baptists claim the high antiquity of the com- Bd Dmom ^ in mencement of the Christian church. They E. & A. y p. 53.

can trace a succession of those who have believed the same doctrine and administered the same ordinances directly up to the apostolic age."

Mr. Benedict says: "The more I study the subject, the

stronger are my convictions, that if all the

en. is . ap ., f ac ^ g j n ^ cage cou \fi k e disclosed, a very

good succession could be made out."

Dr. Howell says : " I assert that from the days of the apostles to the present time the true, legitw . ' imate Baptist Church has ever been a

missionary body"

John L. Waller says : " Here we rest our cause ; the case is made out. The doctrine of reapissno ro- f orm j n g ^ e p a p a l Church is unwartestants, pp. 40-41. to r

ranted by Scripture and unsupported

by history.

The Church of Christ was persecuted, but never overthrown ; cast down, but not destroyed. It was built upon a rock, against which neither the powers of darkness nor the seductions of Satan, transformed into an angel of light, could prevail. Poor, persecuted, obscure, and despised, still the true friends of the Redeemer maintained the great truths of our holy religion, unterrified by opposition and unseduced by corruption. And the honor of being the witnesses for the truth and the word of God, when the civilized nations of the earth had bowed in blind and servile obedience to the authority of the Roman Pontiff, in sustaining in undiminished radiance and splendor the altar-fires of our holy religion during the long and drearv darkness of the world's midnight, belongs to the Baptists. This is confessed by their enemies; and thus in them is fulfilled the predictions of the prophets, and illustrated that promise of the Savior, 'that the gates of hell should not prevail against his church/ n

• The succession was also maintained by the Baptist martyrs of past ages. One important object in pointing out our denominational history is to stimulate the zeal of modern Baptists by the heroic examples of our ancient brethren and sisters, who sealed their testimony with their blood, by showing that they suffered the loss of all things earthly for the same principles which distinguish us as a denomination. In other words, our principles have been handed down to us at the cost of the lives of millions of our brethren and sisters who loved the Church of Christ more than life itself. Like Abel, being dead, they yet speak to us of the glorious things concerning the kingdom of Christ, and still continue to bear witness against every form of Antichrist.

Section III. — Baptist peculiaeities

Before following up our line of succession it becomes necessary to lay down some characteristic features which have distinguished Baptists from all others through the past ages.

It is said by Solomon that "Wisdom hath built her house ; she hath hewn out her seven pillars ; and I will here present seven pillars or peculiarities which distinguish Baptists from all others.

1. The Baptists, as a church or kingdom, recognize Jesus Christ alone as their founder and head.

2. The Baptists regard the Bible alone as their rule of faith and practice.

3. The Baptists perpetuate the Bible order of the commandments ; they teach repentance, faith, baptism, and the Lord's Supper.

4. Baptists immerse, or bury with Christ in baptism, only those who prof ess to be dead to, or freed from, sin.

5. Baptists recognize equal rights or privileges in the execution of the laws of the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

6. Baptists observe the Lord's Supper at his table in his kingdom.

7. Baptists have never persecuted others ; but have themselves always been peculiarly persecuted and every-where spoken against.

There is no denomination in all Christendom, except the Baptists, which holds any one of these seven peculiarities. They are, therefore, Baptist peculiarities. All Christians who hold and practice these principles may be regarded as belonging to the Baptist family, whether they are called Missionary, Old School, or Seventh-day Baptists. We are not contending for the succession of the name " Baptist," but for the perpetuity of the Church of Christ, which is now called " The Baptist Church." Baptists have never been sticklers about their name. They have been called by a multitude of names by their enemies. Even the name Baptist was not assumed by them. On this point Joseph Belcher remarks : " The name of

, _ k A Baptist originated, not with the party

so-called, but with their opponents.

Formerly they were called Anabaptists, or jRe-baptizers, which they rejected as involving what they deemed a misrepresentation ; because, in their view, none are baptized but the parties mentioned in the Scriptural law relating to the subject, and to whom it is administered in the only prescribed mode." But as the name Baptist is not a misrepresentation, we raise no objection to it. The first administrator of baptism was called the Baptist by inspiration ; and as Baptist churches administer the same ordinance through their ministers, therefore it is not unscriptural to call them Baptist churches.

The Baptist denomination of America numbers over a million members, and is the most influential and aggressive church on the continent. Our enemies are as much divided in their testimony in regard to our origin as were the witnesses who testified against Jesus. Some say that we sprang from the " Hard-Shell " or Anti-Mission Baptists ; others, that we originated with Roger Williams, or the Munster riot ; while all are agreed in saying, " Away with them."