William Kiffin

William Kiffin
William Kiffin

May 7, 2012

Infant baptism . . . to attend or not to attend, that is the question

In 1644, Particular Baptist, Christopher Blackwood, wrote the highly controversial work, The Storming of Antichrist, in his two last and strongest Garrisons; of  Compulsion of Conscience, and Infant Baptisme. At the close of his work, Blackwood adds A briefe Catechism Concering Baptisme, in which he gives nine reasons why a Baptist is not permitted to attend an infant baptism or sprinkling ceremony.

If only contemporary Baptists would heed the counsel of Blackwood.

Here is his argument.

Quest. Whether is it lawfull for a person that is convicted of the unlawfullnesse of Infants baptisme, doubteth thereof, to be present at it?

Answ. No, in no wise, for these reasons.
1. Because the inward man and outward man must not bee divided in worship, 1Cor. 6.20, Glorifie God both with body and spirit, which are his. Its grosse hypocrisie, when the outward man is at a worship which the heart doth not love.

2. Because by our presence at such a worship, we strengthen and embolden others at a false worship, wiles they look on us, as those that worship the same kinde of worship, 1Cor. 8.10. If any man see thee which hast knowledge, sit at meat in the Idols temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be imbouldened to eat those things which are offred to Idols?

3. Because the person that is present at such a worship, is not able to make any apologie to God, why hee or she is present at such a worship in bodily presence, though he or she reserve their hearts to God: As a mans wife that is taken in an adulterous bed with another man, can give no excuse for her presenting her body there, though she say she keep her heart and affection to her husband.

4. Because in false worship we are not so much as to touch the unclean thing: 2Cor. 6.17. Come out from among them, and touch not the unclean thing. Now this being an unclean thing in my conscience, I cannot not must not touch it any way, neither with my affections nor with my bodily presence; but that as soon as any preacher begins to pray for any such thing, I must instantly depart, though it be in his prayer after his sermon.

5. Because the Martyrs would not give their bodily presence at any such worship as they disallowed; they might have put and end to their sufferings would they have done so, but they durst not: But one of them being at such a worship, cried out; If there be any of the servants of God here, bear me witnesse at the day of judgement, that I do not worship at this idolatrous service. Or words to this effect.

6. Its unlawfull for any Christian, either to allow himself in that which condemnes, or to condemne himself in that which he allowes: Rom. 14.2. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that things which he alloweth. But by my presence at such a worship, I condemn myself in that which I allow; my bodily presence allowes that which my conscience condemnes, and my conscience condemnes that which my bodily presence allowes.

7. The end and scope of Christian actions, should be spirituall edification, and not the destruction of any; but herein  I do not edifie, but cast a stumbling block and an occasion of falling, in my brothers way; condemned Rom. 14.13.

8. The actions of Christians ought to be done in faith, that what they do, they may have good grounds that it is pleasing unto God; but to be present at such worship, cannot be done in faith, but with a doubting conscience; contrary to Rom. 14.23. Nay which is worse, with a condemning conscience, therefore its unlawfull.

9. In all worship, we must be able to answer that question, Esa.1. Who hath required these things at your hands? But in this worship we must acknowledge that Antichrist or humane traditions, not any precept nor example of Gods word, hath required this: Therefore its unlawfull for us to be present at it.

February 7, 2012

Gospel Principles, Gospel Practices

"Wheresoever this Doctrine of grace is received and retained in the love and power of it, it works these five things in the soul, viz. Faith, Love, Fear, Willingness and Chearfulness, and from these five things, as from five Springs, doth all obedience arise." Robert Purnell, A Little Cabinet, (1657)

Christ Our Covenant

17th century Particular Baptist, Robert Purnell, wrote A Little Cabinet, in 1657. In this piece, Purnell describes the typical 17th c. Baptist view of Christ as our Covenant. It's a warm and exalting statement of faith.

"To close up all as to the nature of this Covenant. Let me tell thee the main substance of the Covenant is in these words, I will be their God, and they shall be my people, but sprinkling with clean water, taking away the stony heart, and giving a heart of flesh, all these are nothing but the fruits of the Covenant. So Christ is given for a Covenant to the people: that is the Covenant of Grace takes its being from Christ to us: Adam was all mankind, as all mankind was in Adam, in the loyns of Adam; so Christ is the Covenant, and all the Covenant is as it were in the loins of Christ, and springs to us out of him; in this sense he is the Covenant-maker, he is the Covenant-undertaker, he is the Covenant-manager, he is the Covenant-dispenser, he doth everything in the Covenant, he makes the articles, he draws God the Father to an agreement unto the articles, Psal. 110.3. thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power, and God is in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself: 2Cor.5.9 Hence Christ is also called the Mediator of the Covenant, that is, he is one that hath the managing of it on both sides, and he alone is able to bring both sides together, and make up a conclusion, and thus Christ is the Covenant, and the Mediator of the Covenant, &."

April 17, 2011

No Fine Print, No Conditions!

"It appears, in that it [the new covenant] was a free covenant, in respect of the subjects thereof; there was no Condition put into it, the performance whereof doth entitle to the Blessings therein contained. It's their Union with Christ entitles, and not any thing done by them, 1 Cor.3.22,23. Gal.3.29. You can't find one Condition put into the Covenant, with respect to the subjects thereof, in all the places where it is most largely described: All the Conditions were to be, and are performed by Christ. Now if this be granted, that the New Covenant contains nothing but Conditions on Christ's part, and nothing but Promises on the Father's part, it will follow, that such as have no interest in the Merits of Christ, that have no Interest in the Promises of the Father, have no Interest at all in the New Covenant."

  Anonymous. Truth Vindicated (London: Printed for the Author, 1695), p.266

April 10, 2011

Christ our Covenant

"For as it is Christ, alone that is given for a Covenant of the People: So it is by his Blood alone that all the Promises of the Gospel Covenant are Confirmed unto us. It is evident therefore that the Promises of the Gospel Covenant do all of them run to Christ the Inheriting Seed; to him they are made; In him do they all Center; And by him alone to be Communicated to all his Members."

Philip Cary. A Solemn Call (London: Printed for John Harris, 1690), p.211.

April 1, 2011

Reformed View of the Covenant of Grace Destroys Justification by Faith!

Thomas Patient says, "Fifthly, this opinion [believing the covenant of circumcision to be the covenant of grace, aka Reformed view] destroys the doctrine of Justification by faith in Christ, only seeing that it doth hold out another way than by faith, to come to Justification, which is by carnal birth of beleeving parents; for if a soul be admitted into a Covenant of life, I hope you are not ignorant, that Justification is a great privilege in the new covenant, and really the portion of all that are in that covenant."

Thomas Patient, The Doctrine of Baptism and the Distinction of the Covenants (London, Henry Hills, 1654), 80.

March 31, 2011

Christ a Covenant, declaring Grace!

"As the Father thus gives forth Christ a Covenant, in whom he declares grace, doing all in him, for us, without us, so he comes to soules by the same spirit that he was in Christ; so that Christ comes not onely as a Covenant to us, but in us, and the same law of spirit and life takes possession of us; and this is the law written in the heart, which will occasion soules in whom it is, never to depart from God."

Thomas Collier, A Second Generall Epistle to all the Saints (London: Printed for Giles Calvert, 1649), preface.