Download PDF - Affinity

58* A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*and*Its*Relationship*to*Evangelism**The* doctrine* of* the* church* had* been* subject* to* constant* debate* for*decades,*prior*to*Smyth’s*innovations.*The*crux*of*the*issue*revolved*around*where* the* locus* of* congregational* authority* should* rest,* to* replace* the*assumed*Anglican*Episcopal*system.*Matthew*18:15:17*was*the*heartbeat*of*much*of*the*discussion.*The*phrase*“tell*it*to*the*church”*in*Matt*18:17*was*understood*by*the*Reformed*church*to*mean*“tell*the*elders”,*however*for*Smyth,*he*strongly*advocated*that*the*“final*seat*of*church*authority*was*the*congregation”. 30 *Ecclesiology*was*“in*the*mix”*but*Smyth*moved*away*from*his* contemporaries,* such* as* Robinson,* Richard* Clifton* and* Governor*Bradford.*Smyth* demonstrated* discontinuity* from* the* Separatist* tradition* on* a*number* of* inter:connected* fronts.* He* adopted* his* own* ideas* for* baptism,*church* government,* liturgy* and* theology.* Smyth* arrived* in* Amsterdam*during* a* “time* of* theological* ferment* concerning* the* theology* of* Jacobus*Arminius*(1560:1609)”*and*this*was*prior*to*the*Synod*of*Dort’s*(1618:19)*theological* settlement.* Walter* H.* Burgess* observed* that* he* abandoned* the*Calvinistic* scheme* of* particular* redemption,* unconditional* election* and*predestination,* in* favour* of* the* Arminian* framework* of* a* universal* atone:ment*and*partial*depravity. 31 *His*democratic*church*polity*led*him*to*bring*the*ministry*of*pastors*and*elders*“under*full*subjection*to*the*mind*and*will*of*the*congregation”. 32 *This*opened*the*way*for*a*weakness*in*church*order*because* the* authority* of* elders* became* one* that* was* conferred* by* the*congregation,*instead*of*being*derived*from*the*Lord,*as*confirmed*by*other*elders.*However,*he*is*most*remembered*for*forging*new*paths*in*radically*changing*his*doctrine,*practice*and*constitution*of*baptism,*and*this*we*now*address.*A* two:pronged* influence* probably* accounted* for* his* reorganised*baptism:*a*rejection*of*Church*of*England*practices,*including*the*baptism*of*infants;*and*the*influence*of*the*Arminian*Anabaptists*in*Amsterdam.*Smyth*rejected* paedobaptism* and* he* provocatively* preached* that* the* baptism* of*infants*was*anti:Christian*and*that*it*led*to*a*false*constitution*of*the*church.*Therefore* we* now* understand* that* Spurgeon’s* comments* which* open* this*article*have*had*a*long*and*unfortunate*polemic*history.*The*fountainhead*of*English*Baptists*arose*from*the*theology,*pen*and*preaching*of*Smyth,*and*few*Baptists*and*Christians*know*this.*For*the*Separatist*tradition,*according*to*Stephen*Brachlow,*there*was*laid*“considerable*stress*on*the*conditional*********************************************************************30*Bidwell,*“The!Church!as!the!Image!of!the!Trinity”,*66.*31*Walter*H.*Burgess,*John!Smyth!the!SeYBaptist,!Thomas!Helwys!and!the!First!Baptist!Church!in!England*(London:*James*Clarke,*1911),*175:76.*32*Bidwell,*“The!Church!as!the!Image!of!the!Trinity”,*68.*