Particular Pilgrims

"Liberty of conscience was a significant doctrine of the Reformation. The reformers argued that the Roman church forced men to believe and practice things not taught in Scripture, often by implicit faith or by using forms of political, ecclesiastical, or economic coercion."For more information visit CBTSeminary.org

"Coxe’s death and the coming of toleration didn’t immediately end the Particular Baptist differences over the scope of religious liberty. A letter by William Kiffen from September 1688 and a document from the General Assembly of 1689 shows that there was divided opinion over the Repeal campaign for several years. And yet there was at bottom, a fundamental agreement about liberty of conscience as evidenced by the 1689 Confession." - Ron MillerFor more information, visit CBTSeminary.org

"A study of the individual signer’s writings and personal histories shows that there were differences concerning how far freedom of conscience should extend. John Spilsbury confessed a simple, broad belief in soul liberty. Samuel Richardson argued for full religious liberty for everyone. The four events we examined last time from William Kiffen’s life shows that he believed that there were limits to freedom of religious expression. Now let’s look at more cases of conscience from the life of William Kiffen."-Ron MillerFor more information, visit CBTSeminary.org

"That there was not a uniform position on the subject of religious liberty, can be demonstrated by an examination of the writings and lives of three of the signers: John Spilsbury, Samuel Richardson, and William Kiffen. These men illustrate the fact that although there was basic agreement about liberty of conscience, there were significant differences among them, especially as to liberty’s limits." - Ron MillerFor more information, visit CBTSeminary.org

"Roger Williams worked strenuously and at great personal expense to put his belief in freedom of conscience into practice. In his mind, liberty was not an Englishman’s right only, but belonged to everyone, including the Indians."For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org

"Roger Williams’ most important work on liberty of conscience caused a sensation when first published in London in 1644 and has had an enduring impact in the debate on that subject ever since. It was entitled “The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution, for Cause of Conscience, Discussed."

"Williams deeply hated the idea of forced conversions or government-imposed religious rituals, like infant baptism, which placed the name Christian on people. He likened pressuring unconvinced men to worship God to a man forcing a woman into bed. He said in the true religion, Jesus Christ compels by the mighty persuasion of his preachers, but that he never used earthly weapons to compel a conscience."

"Williams had been convinced for some time from Scripture that the church was to consist of regenerate members only. He shared this view with many of the Puritan and Separatist ministers in England and New England. But he pushed this to its logical and Biblical conclusion and applied the principle without compromise. And this is where the Baptist teaching began to convince him. If the church was to be made up of believing saints, then they alone had a right to baptism. And if the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches were corrupt and not true churches, then their baptism was invalid. If their worship was false, so must their baptism be. And so he embraced believer’s baptism."For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org

"Roger Williams was one of the most important formative figures for the doctrine of religious liberty in the 1600s. Williams believed in the absolute authority of the Word of God and it was his source book for faith and life. He did not ground his views of soul liberty in Enlightenment ideals or a general liberalism, like Thomas Jefferson would do in the next century. He was not a rationalist or utilitarian but a man possessed by the Scriptural doctrine of a regenerate church, headed by Jesus Christ."For more information about CBTS, go to CBTSeminary.org

"We don’t follow Murton in his Arminianized theology. But all who believe in a regenerate church, including Particular Baptists, have been rightly influenced by his arguments for freedom of conscience and liberty of religious belief and practice."-Ron MillerFor more information about CBTS visit: https://cbtseminary.org

"Baptist churches arose in a 17th century England where church was joined to state. The governmental and religious institutions were not separate but existed as one establishment. The king acted as the supreme governor of both spheres. He headed the government and the Church of England, the officially established religion of the nation, and so he held both political and religious authority. The result was a fusion which declared religious dissent to be treasonous, enforced uniformity in religion, and penalized non-conformists."For more information visit: https://cbtseminary.org

"The Particular Baptists were orthodox, Protestant, Reformed, and Puritan Christians. But they were also more than that. They were distinguished from other churches by a set of distinctives, a number of interconnected doctrines and practices that set them apart."For more information about CBTS visit CBTSeminary.org

"Hann’s pastorate in Loughwood ran from 1730 to 1758, during which time he had several helpers. Fifteen people are recorded as being baptized by him. His helpers sometimes did the baptisms, perhaps because of his absence or old age. At the end of his time there, the membership was 34, a few more than when he came."For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org

"This study of the Loughwood Baptist church has brought to our attention a number of interesting early members. But the Hugenots, Fifth Monarchy men, and woman author weren’t the entire congregation. There were in fact several hundred believers making up the church even in its earliest years." For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org

William Allen and John Vernon appear in history as two believing men “of one heart and soul”.They were the closest of friends in religion, family, the Army, and politics. For more information about CBTSeminary, visit CBTSeminary.org

John Vernon and his wife Anne had five known children. There names are uncertain but probably were John, Deborah, Caleb, Anne (or as she was called, Nancy), and Mary. Caleb has special interest to us because his father wrote a spiritual biography of him that is the only book I am aware from the 1600s that gives an account of the conversion, baptism, and partaking in the Lord’s Supper by someone under the age of 16. This account was entitled, “The Compleat Scholler or a relation of the life, and the latter-end especially, of Caleb Vernon who died in the Lord on the 29 th of the 9 th month, 1665, aged 12 years and 6 months”.

"Vernon frequently preached against Cromwell’s Protectorate. William Kiffen and others wrote him urging to support it, but his understanding of the relationship between Christ and the English government wouldn’t allow it."

As Samuel Richardson wrote, “there is no form of civil government in Christ’s testament”. We are reminded that it’s often easy to give ourselves to a human kingdom than Christ’s without even noticing.For more information about CBTSeminary, visit CBTSeminary.org

Some of the earliest members of the Loughwood Baptist church were colorful characters, a few of which we’ll look at next episode. Others were quite unexpected. Who would guess that several prominent families in the early years of the church were Huguenots, French protestants escaping persecution?For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org

In some ways, John Ash is reminiscent of Thomas Llewelyn, our previous pilgrim. Both men lived during the same years, were educated at Bristol, became moderately well off, and exercised academic gifts and pastoral heart. But the differences brought into their lives by providence, help us understand the variety of life in the Particular Baptist churches of mid-18th century England.For more information about CBTS, visit CBTSeminary.org