Regular or Primitive Baptist Church Polity/Government
by Elder Grigg M. Thompson
(From the Thompson-Burgess Debate, North Salem, Hendricks County, Indiana, 1867).
FIFTH PROPOSITION: "The government or church polity of the Regular Baptist church was set up by Christ, and administered by his apostles; and has existed on earth ever since." - Affirmative, Mr. Thompson. Negative, Mr. Burgess.
GENTLEMEN MODERATORS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
The question now before us for discussion, is one of great importance, and should elicit the attention of every christian. If Christ is the king and lawgiver of Zion, a strict observance, and an humble submission to his law, is the duty of all who profess to love and serve him. If he, as king, has established an executive body in his kingdom, to execute and administer the laws of the kingdom, that body, and that alone, is the church. I presume it will not be denied that Christ is a king, that he has a kingdom over which he reigns, and that his kingdom is called the kingdom of heaven. It is, therefore, not an earthly institution; was not set up by men, but by the God of Heaven. (Daniel 2:44.) Its laws and ordinances were all prescribed by the king himself; man had nothing to do with it, and has no power to alter, change, or amend any of the laws or ordinances established by the king. Will any say that it was through man's instrumentality, that this kingdom was set up? I deny it, and that denial is sustained by the declaration of God. (Daniel 2:34.) "Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands." "Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands." Then human instrumentalities are not employed in setting up this kingdom, or forming the code of laws that is to govern it. God may employ inspired men to publish or make known the laws, but the Word came from the Lord, was the Word of the Lord, and those inspired men dare publish nothing but what God prescribed. Those holy men spoke as God moved them to speak, hence it was God's Word, and not theirs. If the Lord Jesus Christ is the king, and the only king, if all power or legal authority is vested in him, or given to him, then every act of man to change, alter, or enlarge the laws of the kingdom, is an act of rebellion, and an attempt to dethrone the king. To say that Christ is a king, and has set up a kingdom, and has failed to establish the government, the laws and the ordinances of that kingdom, is to accuse Christ of weakness and folly. This kingdom is declared to be a heavenly kingdom, a spiritual kingdom, the kingdom of God, and that no man can enter into it, except he be born of the Spirit. As the natural birth brings us into this world, under the law and governments established by man, so the spiritual birth brings us into the kingdom of Christ, and makes us subject to the laws and government of that kingdom. But, being a member of the kingdom does not constitute us as a member of that executive body in the kingdom, ordained by the king himself, to administer the laws and ordinances of the kingdom. This executive body is called the church, by Christ himself, and also by his apostles. It will now be our duty to find the polity and government of the Regular Baptist church; for the question for discussion reads: "The government and polity of the Regular Baptist church was set up by Christ, and administered by his apostles, and has existed on earth ever since."
We have already stated that the spiritual birth, or regeneration, brings us into, and makes us citizens of the kingdom of Christ. For a proof of this, see John 3:3-7, "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he can not enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." In this text the Savior speaks of two births, that of the flesh and that of the Spirit. In the eighth verse, in speaking of the manner wherein this change is effected, the regenerate are distinguished solely by the words born of the Spirit. In speaking of this birth, Mr. Campbell says: "Unless a man be enlightened by the Spirit or born anew, not to the light of this world, but to that of the heavenly, he can not discern either the signs of the Messiah, or the nature of his government." Again he says: "The man who is not regenerated, or born again, is not in a capacity of perceiving the reign of God, though it were commenced. Though the kingdom of the saints, on the earth, were already established, the unregenerate would not discern it, because it is a spiritual, not a worldly kingdom, and capable of being no otherwise than spiritually discerned; and as the kingdom itself would remain unknown to him, he could not share in the blessings enjoyed by the subjects of it." Mr. Campbell says: "To see, is to enjoy, to enter into." The fleshly birth, therefore, does not qualify a man to see, enjoy, or enter into this spiritual kingdom; he can only enter it and enjoy it by a spiritual birth - by regeneration. This birth is not of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but is of God, and manifests us as the children of God, members of the spiritual family, and brings us under the special and spiritual reign of Christ, our king. Thus, considering the kingdom of Christ as purely spiritual, or invisible, it includes all that have been born of the Spirit, that are truly believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, and love him with all their heart. All christians, whether they have ever identified themselves or not, with any particular sect, are, in this sense, members of the kingdom of Christ, and joint-heirs with Christ to the inheritance promised. In Luke 17:20, he said to the Pharisee, when they demanded to know of him when the kingdom of God would come, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation." There is nothing about it to excite the attention and admiration of the unregenerate, for they can not see it. No one will exclaim, look there and see it! But the kingdom of God is within you. It is an interior soul-kingdom; and its reign is not one of outward pomp and power, but one of inward love and heart-yielding obedience. The subjects of this kingdom were visible subjects; men and women, in whom the kingdom had come with power, filling their souls and hearts with love to the king, and for his laws and ordinances.
The kingdom of Christ, being a spiritual kingdom, it is by a spiritual birth we enter into that kingdom, and come under the laws of the kingdom. To illustrate: baptism is an ordinance of the kingdom, and can be legally administered to none but believers in Christ - subjects that have been born of the Spirit, and are by that birth in the kingdom, and owe obedience to its laws and ordinances. Nowhere in the New Testament, is baptism enjoined upon any but believers; because none but believers belong to the kingdom of Christ, and are required to render obedience to the peculiar laws and ordinances of that kingdom. Christ is "head over all things;" and the world owes obedience to him as universal king, but he is "head to his church," and the members of his spiritual kingdom owe obedience to the laws and ordinances that belong peculiarly and especially to that kingdom. The work of John the Baptist was, "to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." John's baptism was not, therefore, an initiatory, or preparatory ordinance, but an ordinance to be administered to those who had already been "prepared for the Lord," and by a spiritual birth, were members of the spiritual kingdom; hence, owed obedience to its laws, and, by baptism, were made ready to receive their king, and enter into the executive department of his kingdom, the church, when the king should organize it, and prescribe to it the rules that were to govern it. John taught, that a fleshly birth did not bring them into that kingdom, or authorize him to administer the ordinances of the kingdom to them, for he says: "Think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father." Being Abraham's children, according to the flesh, did not bring them into this kingdom, or authorize him to administer the ordinances of the kingdom to them. "God is able, of these stones, to raise up children to Abraham." It is not the children of the flesh that are counted for the seed, but the children of promise - those born of the Spirit. (Galatians 4:28,29); hence, John required them to "bring forth fruits meet for repentance," or to give evidences of this spiritual birth, and that they were thus "prepared for the Lord." Philip said to the eunuch, "If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest." Faith in Christ is possessed only by those who have been born of God. (John 1:12,13). "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name; which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." It was, then, being born of God that made believers of them; by that birth they were made manifest, as the children of God, the members of his spiritual family, or kingdom, and, as such, owe obedience to its laws. Without an evidence of this spiritual birth, which manifests us as the children of God, and brings us into his kingdom, and under its laws, none were allowed to be baptized; hence, Peter says, (Acts 10:47,) "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?" have been born of God as well as we; are children of the same parent, subjects of the same spiritual kingdom, entitled to all its blessings and privileges, and under obligation to observe and obey all of its laws and ordinances? The child does not obey the laws of its father to make it a child, neither do the subjects of a king obey the laws of the kingdom to make them subjects; but because they are a child or a subject, they yield obedience to the laws of the parent, or the king, and it is the existence of this relation that establishes the obligation; hence, the obedience is the answer of a good conscience to none but such as owe the obligation, and the law imposes this service upon none but those who are born of God, are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, and members of the spiritual kingdom.
In this kingdom, Christ, the king, has established an executive body, and none can be members of it, until they have submitted to certain external ordinances, ordained and commanded by the king. They may be born of God, be children of God, and members of his spiritual, invisible kingdom, but not having submitted to the form required by the king, are not entitled to sit in his executive body, and administer the laws of the kingdom. This executive body we call the church. Christ calls it, the church, that the gates of hell are not to prevail against. That he has conferred on that body executive power, is clear, from the following scriptures: Matthew 18:15-17, "Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault, between thee and him, alone; if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established, and if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church, but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man, and a publican." Here Christ has directed the church, his executive body, how they are to deal with a refractory, disorderly or transgressing member. This truth was recognized by the apostles, for, when Paul heard that there were disorderly persons in the church at Corinth, he wrote to them "to deliver such an one unto Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." (I. Cor. 5:5.) Again, at the eleventh verse, he says: "If any man, that is called a brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one no not to eat." Withdraw from all such as walk disorderly.
These passages show that the church is an executive body - are to administer the laws of the kingdom upon all such as walk disorderly. In the New Testament, we read of no other organization or body having such powers given to them by the king of Zion. Presbyters, councils, conferences, conventions or associations, if they assume to themselves executive powers, or attempt to administer the laws of Christ's kingdom, are assumers, and are in open rebellion; for Christ has never organized any such bodies, or authorized any such bodies to act for him, or in his kingdom. The laws of the kingdom know nothing about such bodies. They are of human origin, and belong to the world, and not to the kingdom of Christ. Mr. Graves has spoken the truth, when he says of these conventions, boards, &c., "That they belong to the world, and are unknown to the gospel; that the sooner the church is rid of them, the better for the church and the world." If these things are not the beast himself, they are his image, and are striving to exercise all the powers of the beast. This is the doctrine of the New Testament - this is the doctrine of the Regular Baptists. In the New Testament, the right to administer the laws of Christ's kingdom is delegated to the church, and to no other body or organization. In II. Thessalonians 3:6, Paul says: "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the traditions which he received from us." That is according to the teachings of Christ. "Cut off the offending member." He that "is an heretic, after the first and second admonitions, reject." (Titus 3:10.) Or exclude, cut off, or sever from your body. This work of cutting, amputating, or severing from the body, is, by the king, committed to the church, and to no other body. It can not be done by a council, a presbytery, or even by a committee appointed by the church; but must be done by the church itself. This is the government established by Christ, and administered by the apostles; and this is the government of the Regular Baptist church. We acknowledge no other executive body in the kingdom of Christ -- we bow to the decisions of no council, presbytery, synod, conference, convention, board, or association. With us, no appeal can be taken from the decision of the church, to some higher tribunal in this world; for we esteem and hold the church to be the only and highest ecclesiastical court that can meet on earth. If there is any other, my brother, in his reply, will show it, and we will receive a light that the Regular Baptists have never been in possession of. While we hold that the church is the only executive in the kingdom of Christ, we hold that she is under the law of Christ - that her powers and duties are specified by her lawgiver - that she must act in obedience to the laws of her king, as published in the New Testament - that no council, synod, conference, convention or association has any right to enact, pass or publish any confession of faith, discipline, or system of government for the church, or to attempt to impose any rules or regulations upon the church. The church owes no allegiance to any such institutions, and loses her distinct individuality as the church of Christ, whenever she submits to the laws of these institutions, and becomes their instrument. Good, benevolent institutions may be gotten up among men, and great good may be effected by them. But they have no power to impose their laws upon the church of Christ, neither has the church any power to adopt their laws, or to form an alliance with them. For the church to become united with any of these worldly institutions, and to adopt their laws and government, changes her organization, and she ceases to be the church of Christ. This is the error of our Missionary Baptist brethren, and this is the reason why we can not recognize them as orderly churches. We find no fault with them for their benevolence, for benevolence is commanded by the laws of our king. We are to feed the hungry; we are to clothe the naked, and are to do good unto all men, and are to pray for our enemies. This is taught by the Regular Baptists. As I have said, the powers of the church are specific powers; they are to be taught to observe all things whatsoever Christ has commanded. It is a maxim in law, that when anything is specified, everything else is forbidden. The maxim of the law is, Expressio unius est exclusio alterius. If Christ has commanded them to preach the gospel, they are forbidden to preach anything else; it would be rebellion to preach the ceremonial law, the edicts of councils, or the institutions of men as the conditions of salvation. If they are to baptize "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," it would be rebellion to baptize in any other name. "He that believeth and is baptized." This is specific and positive, and limits baptism to believers and believers alone, because they are the only characters mentioned in connection with baptism. So, "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded," imperatively limits the teaching of the apostles and Christ's ministers in every age, to what Christ had commanded at that time, previous to his ascension. Here I plant a stake that my brother can never up root. It is our Gibraltar-rock, that will defy the attacks of popes or protestants. Let him be pope or protestant, let him bear what title he may, even if it should be a disciple, a Christian church, or if it should be an angel from heaven, that should teach the observance of anything else but the commands of Christ, let him be accursed - he is a rebel against the government of Christ, is anti-Christ, and all who follow them are partakers of their sin, and can not live in fellowship with Christ's church. The church is commanded to withdraw from all such, or in other words, to expel them from their fellowship and from their houses, and are positively forbidden to bid them God-speed. This is the government Christ has published for his church, and this is the government of the Regular Baptist church.
The Regular Baptist church has no published creed, or confession of faith but the New Testament. It is their rule of faith and practice, and by it they are governed in all they do. This peculiarity has distinguished our church from all others in all ages, from the apostolic age down to the present. It is true, some brethren and some associations have published creeds and confessions of faith; but they have never been adopted by our churches - have always been held by us as human productions, as simply the opinions of those who published them, and no more binding upon us than are the opinions of our brethren who have, upon their own responsibility, published books. I have published books, and I alone am responsible for what they teach. If my brethren believe what I have written, all is well; if they do not, the error is mine and not theirs. And so with all the confessions of faith that have been published; the brethren who published them are responsible for them, and not the church; for our church has never acknowledged any rule of faith and practice but the New Testament. This is a truth that will challenge contradiction, and is a distinguishing characteristic of the Regular Baptists.
With us, each church is a distinct, independent body, bound by no law but the law of Christ, the king. Each church does her own business, deals with her own members, &c. Each church, in her separate and distinct organization, receives members. (Romans 14:1.) "Him that is weak in the faith, receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations." Members are received by the act of the church, and not by a committee, or presbytery, or class-leader, or ruling elder. The church is to exercise discipline, and by her own act, expel transgressing members (I. Corinthians 5:5-13.) "Therefore, put away from among yourselves that wicked person." Read the whole of this chapter, and you will find that the apostle teaches that the church is to exercise discipline, and to expel from her body wicked and disorderly members. And upon repentance, the church can restore them again to her fellowship. (II. Corinthians 10:11.) "To whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also; for if I forgive anything, to whom I forgive it, for your sake forgive I it, in the person of Christ, lest Satan should get an advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices." The church holds her own keys, and can reject false teachers, and cast out those who hold false doctrine. (Titus 3:10.) "A man that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject." See, also, Rev. 2;14, 15, 20. The church can also elect its own officers. (Acts 6:1-11.) "And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the Word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the Word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and, when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them." Were I to attempt to give you a description of a Regular Baptist church in choosing and installing officers, I could not do it better than it is done in the above passage of Scripture. There are several things to be noted in this passage; and, first: The apostles did not assume the power of appointing, but left it with the church; and secondly: After telling what kind of persons they should be, they left the church to choose them out of her own body; and thirdly: Laid their hands on them and prayed, thus setting them apart, and clothing them with authority to discharge the duties of the office to which the church had chosen and appointed them. This passage shows plainly that the apostles were to teach and explain the laws of Christ, but it was the church that was to execute those laws. The church has power, also, to ordain ministers, and send them out to establish other churches, which, when established, shall be independent, distinct bodies of themselves, to administer the laws of Christ's kingdom, and do all things whatsoever Christ has commanded. (Acts 13:1.) "Now, there were in the church that was at Antioch, certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas and Simeon, that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said: Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." In this passage the Holy Ghost itself directs the church to act as the executive in the kingdom of Christ, and to set apart certain men to the work of the ministry, who had been specially called by the Holy Spirit to that work. This passage shows clearly that none have the right to go out and preach, and constitute churches, and administer the ordinances of the kingdom, but such as have been set apart to that work by the church. This is the government established by Christ for his church, and administered by the apostles; and this is the government of the Regular Baptist church. Each church, in and of itself, is independent of all other bodies, churches or federations; but while it is thus independent in the exercise of its functions, it owes obedience to Christ, and is absolutely dependent on him, so that it can make no laws, but only execute the laws which Christ has made; and it can exercise no authority but such as was specially delegated to it by Christ. "It is simply and only the executive body to which Christ has entrusted the administration of his kingdom, according to the constitution and laws which he made for its instruction and government." The church recognizes Christ as its only head and lawgiver. It is the executive, and must, of course, execute the laws of the king. Christ is the sole and only Lord. He makes the laws. The church can not make laws - she can only execute such as Christ, the king, has made; and in doing this, she must proceed in strict accordance with the requirements of the king. She is bound by the laws already made, and has no power to change or modify to suit the age or the opinions of the world. The church has no legislative power, no law-making power, but must act in strict accordance with the laws of her king. This is the teaching of the New Testament, and this is the teaching of the Regular Baptist church.
In the New Testament church, each member became such by their own voluntary act. They were not carried there, and forced into the church, while unconscious babes, by their parents, or forced there by human laws and governments. It was by their own act, their own choice, that they became members of the church. (Acts 2:41.) "Then they that gladly received his word, were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them, about three thousand souls." They gladly received the Word, and willingly, voluntarily, of their own choice, became disciples, and sought membership with the church. And after baptism, they were, the same day, added unto the church. This is the New Testament practice, and this is the practice of the Regular Baptist church.
In the New Testament, we have no account of councils, popes, synods or conferences. The church may consult with her elders and brethren, and get their advice and counsel, but she must act for herself, and is responsible to no power but Christ, for her actions. (Acts 15:22.) "Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company, to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas, surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren." Here a great doctrinal question had been sprung among the brethren, and was producing distress. The church at Jerusalem was convened, many of the apostles and elders were there, members of that church; the subject was brought before them, and, after several speeches were made, James suggested "That we trouble not them, which, from among the gentiles, are turned to God; but that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood." This pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church. It was by the action of the whole church, that the letter was adopted, and brethren chosen, to bear it to the gentile churches. The apostles and elders did not assume the power separate and apart from the church, as the executive of Christ's kingdom; they acted, not as a legislative body, but as the executive, and settled a doctrinal question. This is the New Testament practice, and this i the practice of the Regular Baptist church.
The Lord hath ordained that they that preach the gospel, shall live of the gospel. (I. Cor. 7:14.) The apostles taught, that the ox that treadeth out the corn, is not to be muzzled; that they which minister about holy things, live off the things of the temple; and that they which wait at the altar, are partakers with the altar; that they that sow unto the church spiritual things, shall reap of their carnal things. In I. Tim. 1:17-19, Paul says, "Let the elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in word and doctrine. For the Scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn;and the laborer is worthy of his reward." And examples are given where voluntary contributions were taken, and sent to Paul, to sustain him, while he was laboring with other churches. The church is to remember them that labor with them, in word and doctrine; and not forget to communicate to them, in temporal comforts. This is to be a voluntary act of each member, as God shall prosper them, and as they may purpose in their own hearts. Thus taught the apostles, and thus does the Regular Baptist church of this age teach.
In the New Testament we are taught that the minister or elder, is not to be greedy of filthy lucre; is not to take the oversight of the flock for filthy lucre's sake, but of a ready mind; that he is not to make merchandise of the gospel; that he is not to be like a horse or an ass,that is put up to the highest bidder, and possessed by him that has the most money. Such shepherds as these, that live upon the fat of the flock, and look not after the poor and the diseased, God has pronounced his curse upon. The Savior calls them hirelings, and the apostles call them greedy dogs, "clouds without water," "spots in our feasts of charity," and from them we are to turn away. Here, again, the teaching of the New Testament, and the Regular Baptist church, is identical.
I have now shown that the government set up by Christ, and administered by the apostles, is identical with the Regular Baptist church government and polity - that it is the same. The only question remaining, is, has that church organization continued in order ever since? This must be true, or Christ is convicted of error, for he has said of his church, that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. To admit that there has been a time since the church was set up, that it has ceased to exist in order, will be to admit that the gates of hell have prevailed against it. This would convict Christ of error, and falsify his word. In different ages, and different parts of the world, different names may have been given to the church, or those who maintained its purity, but the institution remained the same; its laws and government were the same; man has no power to alter or change them. New institutions may be invented, and may be called the church of Christ,, or the Christian church, but the assumption of that name does not make them that institution. The church of Christ has, in all ages, held Christ to be the only king and lawgiver, and has refused to adopt and be governed by creeds formed by men. In the New Testament they find the laws that are to govern them, and it is the rule of their faith and practice. Mr. Orchard tells us, in his Church History, page 32, That about the middle of the third century, Italy was full of dissenters, who never were in communion with Rome; these dissenters, or non-conformists as they were called, maintained the primitive church organization, and the purity of the faith. The religion of the New Testament commenced with dissent. John the Baptist, Jesus and his disciples were charged with innovations, both at Jerusalem and in other cities. (John 1:22; Luke 23:2-5; Acts 6:28, 17:7, and 28:13.) Their want of conformity was a crime in the eyes of the unthinking or secularizing multitude. The genuine spirit of religion, and the church polity set up in the New Testament, has been, and will be, preserved by those only, who dissent from all establishment devised by human policy. Liberty of soul is the breath, the element, the existence of that religion inculcated in the New Testament, of which liberty the Baptists have ever been the most open advocates. They acknowledge but one master, even Christ, and esteem each other brethren. The word of Christ and his apostles, is the law of their church, and by singleness of motives, and a strict obedience to these heavenly injunctions, the purity of their communion is preserved. In the beginning of the fourth century, the Donatists or Novationists are charged by Crispin, a French historian, with holding together in the following things: First. For purity of church members, by asserting that none ought to be admitted into the church but such as are visibly true believers, and real saints; Secondly. For purity of church discipline, because they take the New Testament alone for their guide; Thirdly. For the independence of each church, having no head but Christ; and Fourthly. They only baptize by immersion, and they baptize again those whose first baptism they had reason to doubt, and were consequently called Re-baptizers, and Anabaptists. Osiander says our modern Anabaptists were the same with the Donatists of old. Fuller, the English church historian, asserts that the Baptists in England in his days were the Donatists new dipped: and Robinson declares they were Trinitarian Anabaptists. The New Testament church polity existed in order in the fourth century, and was identical with the polity of the Regular Baptist church of this age. Mr. Orchard says on page 109: In those Christian congregations planted by the apostles, plurality of pastors was settled. To conduct their affairs with harmony and prudence, it was necessary they should often meet and consult together. These meetings, made up of pastors, deacons, and members, were properly a council of the congregation, or a church-meeting. Every thing regarding worship and discipline was settled among themselves. The whole church acted together in those meetings; the pastors and deacons had no more power than other members. The same still exists in the Regular Baptist church. The same historian, on page 117, in quoting from Robinson, says: "In reference to the Orientals, we observe, during the first three centuries, Christian congregations all over the East subsisted in separate, independent bodies, unsupported by government, and consequently without any secular power over one another. All this time they were Baptist churches. To this day those distinct bodies exist, and are now called Regular Baptist churches.
We are told "that in the sixth and seventh centuries the Paulicians established churches on a scriptural constitution, and that their standard of perfection was so high, in christian morals, that their increasing congregations were divided into two classes of disciples. These two classes can be traced through the Albigensian, Waldensian, German, and Dutch Baptist churches, from this old stock. They had not any ecclesiastical government, administered by bishops, priests, or deacons; they had no sacred order of men, distinguished by their manner of life, their habit, or any other circumstance, from the rest of the assembly. They had certain teachers, whom they called companions in the journey of life; among these there reigned a perfect equality, and they had no peculiar rights, privileges, nor external mark of dignity, to distinguish them from the people. They recommended to the people, without exception, and that with the most affecting and ardent zeal, the constant and assiduous perusal of the Scriptures, and expressed the utmost indignation against the Greeks, who allowed the priests alone access to these sacred fountains of divine knowledge." In these distinct congregations, where clerical power was not tolerated, the purity of the New Testament church is preserved. With them, as in the New Testament, there is no distinction made in the office of bishop and elder, and no power was given to the clergy to lord it over God's heritage. The same peculiarity is found to this day in the Regular Baptist church. They were, in those ages, called a headless people, because each church was a distinct, independent body of itself, and acknowledged no head but Christ; and it is so to this day with the Regular Baptist church.
In A. D. 1040 the Paterines became very numerous and conspicuous at Milan, which was their principal residence, and here they flourished, at least, two hundred years. They had no connection with the Roman church, or the fathers - considering them as corruptors of Christianity. They called the cross the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place; and they said it was the mark of the beast. Nor had they any share in the state; but the state clergy preached, prayed, and published books against them with unabated zeal. But they continued to prosper, and were irreproachable in their morals. Their churches were divided into sixteen compartments, such as the English Baptists would call associations. Each of these was subdivided into parts, which would be called churches, or congregations. Their bishops and officers were mechanics, weavers, shoe-makers, who maintained themselves by their industry. One of their principal churches was that of Concorezzo, in Milenese, and the members of churches in this association were more than fifteen hundred. They held no communion with the hierarchy. Mosheim sais it is difficult to "fix the precise period of time when the Paulicians began to take refuge in Europe." (Orchard's history, page 147.) These Dissenting Baptists were the only class in the kingdom, not given up to the corruptions of the times. And I venture the assertion, without fear of successful contradiction, that the church called Regular or Primitive Baptists, is the only church that has not partaken of the corruptions of the present day.
Often the church bears the name of the town or country where it is located; hence, those who resided near Albi, a city about forty-two miles north-east of Toulouse, were called Albigenses, and by Catholic councils were denounced and called heretics and schismatics, because they dissented from that church, and called it the mystery of iniquity, the mother of harlots, etc., and would rebaptize all Catholics before they would admit them to their communion. They denied the power of the pope to make laws for the church, or that even the church itself had power to make laws. They acknowledged no laws for the government of the church, but such as are found in the New Testament. They took the New Testament for the rule of their faith and practice, and received no members but such as were born of the Holy Spirit, and were baptized in the name of the Trinity. (Orchard's history, page 167.) Thus we see that, in their church polity and practice, they are identified with the Regular Baptist church.
If a New Testament Church is a local body of baptized believers, that have no king and lawgiver but Christ, and take the New Testament for the rule of their faith and practice, I think I have sufficiently shown that such a people have existed from the day of the apostles up to the present time; that, although they may have borne different names in different countries and different ages, yet they have maintained the New Testament marks of the church of Christ, and in whatever country or age I find them, they are identical with the Regular Baptists of this day. If they are in France, Germany, Italy, Scotland, Wales, or England, no odds where, they bear the same family marks. They bow to no creeds, or edicts published by councils or popes. They acknowledge no lawgiver but Christ, and have no rule of faith and practice but the New Testament. This is the church Christ built upon the rock, and said "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." It can not apostatize, for it has no power to change its laws or constitution. If it adopts any other laws or constitution than that given by the king, it is no longer a church; it is not an apostate church, for it is no church at all. It is just as easy to believe that "Mystery Babylon" is the church of Christ, as to believe the church of Christ can apostatize. No church can be the church of Christ but that church which Christ himself has set up. There is but one New Testament church, one body, even as we are called in one hope of our calling. This church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ, himself, being the chief corner-stone. For there is no other foundation, that any man can lay, than that which is already laid, which is Christ. Any society built upon any other foundation, or having any other laws or constitution, than that which Christ has prescribed and which was administered by the apostles, is not the church of Christ, neither is it a branch or part of that church, but is a worldly institution, and has no right to administer the laws of the kingdom, or to do anything that Christ has committed to his church. I would not be understood to say that the church is infallible and can do no wrong. She has erred, and may err again, in administering the laws of the kingdom. But she can not change the law, adopt a new code, become a legislative body herself, and continue to be the church of Christ; for his church has no such powers. She is to hear him, and to observe all things whatsoever he has commanded. The church has nothing to do but obey the laws of her king.
John was the first Baptist. The Baptists have existed ever since, under some name or other, as the New Testament church - the church that the gates of hell are not to prevail against. Is it reasonable to suppose that a society that is not yet forty years old, and has changed its name and polity two or three times, is the church of Christ, the pillar and ground of the truth? Sir, such upstart institutions have been rising up ever since the man of sin has been revealed, and, perhaps, will continue to rise until the end of time; but no one of them is even a branch, or part, or particle of that church, no more than a self-constituted jury would be a branch, or part, or member of the lawful jury of any county. One is a lawful body, the other is a self-constituted body, without law or authority from the sovereign, the law-making power.
