THE RESTORATION OF IMMERSION BY THE ENGLISH

ANABAPTISTS AND BAPTISTS (1640-1700)

CHAMPLIN BURRAGE, B. LrrT.

Oxford, England

I. THE PROCEDUREOF THE FIRST CONGREGATION

OF ENGLISH
PARTICULAR
IMMERSIONIST AND THE
ANABAPTISTS,
PROBLEMSINVOLVED THEREIN
A year ago I published an article concerning the rise of the
Collegiants or Rynsburgersof Holland.' From them it has been
supposed in recent years that the earliest congregationof English
Particular Immersionist Anabaptists originally procured their
baptism. In the article mentioned above I intentionally did not
venture farther than to suggest that the Rynsburgersco-operated
with the English congregation. In the present article I desire
to give my reason for so doing, to show to what extent, in my
opinion, the Rynsburgers co-operatedwith the English, and also
to attempt to elucidate certain other obscurepoints in the history
of baptism among the English Anabaptists and Baptists between
1640 and 1700.
During the last few years it has been thought by students, that
Richard Blunt went over to Holland in 1640 or 1641 and was there
immersedby one John Batte [Batten], a Collegiant; that after his
return to Englandin 1641, having himselfbeen baptizedin Holland,
he immersedMr. Samuel Blacklock, a teacher of the London con-
gregation; and then, that these two baptized the rest of the church,
thus maintaining such a succession in their immersion as the
situation seemed to them to demand.
At the outset it should be admitted that it was most natural for
this view to have been adopted, since there appearedto be so much
in its favor. Nevertheless, though I think it beyond doubt that
z"The Collegiants or Rynsburgers of Holland: Through Whose Co-operation
the Members of the First Immersionist English Anabaptist Congregation in London
Procured Their Baptism in z641."--Review and Expositor (Louisville, Ky.), October,
1910, 526-47.

70
 THE RESTORATIONOF IMMERSION 71

immersion was restoredby the English Particular Anabaptists in,

or about, 1641, I now feel equally certain that some features of
the theory as expressed above are utterly wrong. There is, for
instance, in my opinion, no good evidence to show that the Eng-
lish Anabaptists derived their immersion by succession from the
Dutch Rynsburgersor Collegiants,or that Richard Blunt was ever
immersed by John Batten, while there is the best of proof that
no such succession existed, and that Blunt was not immersed in
Holland. That this opinion is true, it is hoped the followingpages
will satisfactorily demonstrate.
As is well known, the main foundationfor the view now generally
held on this subject is a portion of the so-called Kiffin manuscript"
which reads as follows:
3dMo:[nth.Frommargin:" 164o"] The Churchbecametwo by mutuall
consentjust half beingwt Mr P. Barebone,& ye otherhalfewith MrH.
Iessey. Mr Richard Blunt wl him being convinced of Baptism yt also it ought
to be by dipingye Bodyinto ye Water,resembling Burial& riseingagain.
2 Col:2. 12. Rom.6.4. hadsoberconferanceabout in ye Church,&thenwth
some of the forenamed who also ware so convinced: And after Prayer & con-
feranceabouttheirso enjoyingit, nonehaveingthenso so [sic]practisedin Eng-
Believers,& hearingthat somein ye NetherLandshadso
landto professed
practisedthey agreed& sent over MrRich.Blunt (whounderstoodDutch) wt
Letters of Commendation,who was kindly acceptedthere, & returnedwth
Lettersfromthem Io: Batte a Teacherthere, & fromthat Churchto such as
sent him.
[Frommargin:"1641"]Theyproceedon therein,viz, ThosePersonsyt ware
persuadedBaptismshouldbe by dippingye Body had mett in two Companies
& did intendso to meet after this, all these agreedto proceedalike togeather.
And then Manifesting(not by any formalWordsa Covenant)wh wordwas
scrupledby some of them,but by mutualdesires& agreementeach Testified.:
Those two Companyesdid set apart one to Baptize the rest; so it was
solemnlyperformedby them.
Mr Blunt Baptized Mr Blacklockyt was a Teacheramongstthem, & M"
Blunt beingBaptized,he & Mr BlacklockBaptizedye rest of theirfriendsthat
wareso minded,& manybeingaddedto them they increasedmuch[.]
If we scrutinize this rather crudely expressed passage, we may
be surprised to notice that in the first paragraph there is no direct
statement that Blunt was baptized by Batten, but merely an asser-
2Containedin the Gould transcript of Benjamin Stinton's lost "Repository,"
documentNo. 2, Regents'Park College,London.
?
72 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY

tion to the effect that Blunt went over to Holland with letters of
commendationand returnedapparentlywith answersfrom Batten's
church (in Leyden) to the congregation in London. The last
paragraphis likewise very loose in expressionand in fact ambigu-
ous, since it may quite warrantablybe interpreted to mean either
that Blunt (having already been immersed in Holland) baptized
Blacklock, and then with him baptized the rest; or that Blunt
(while still unimmersed,since the Rynsburgers'plunging baptism
had not been found entirely satisfactory from the Englishman's
standpoint) baptized Blacklock, and that after Blunt had in turn
been immersed by Blacklock, these two baptized the rest. This
latter interpretation I believe to be the correct one.
Under these circumstances,in order to reach any definite con-
clusion in the matter, it will be necessary for us to supplement our
knowledge of this event from other sources. Fortunately for our
purposes, there are several referencesto the restorationof immer-
sion by the English Anabaptists in the printed literaturepreceding
1700. Of these accounts the followingare the most important that
I rememberto have seen. In the first place, we may cite what the
author of "Anti-Quakerism, or, A Character of the Quakers
Spirit, ... ." ["London. 1659."], has to say:
Thenhe turnedAnabaptist
Thenyou togethertookin hand,
To buildChristhouseupontheSand,
And still youwanttheCornerstone,
I meanJesus thatis Christalone.
His wordyou knowyou did promise,
And thereyoufoundthewordbaptize,
Yousaid themeaningof'tmustbe
Needsmeantof water,Baptisme.
Thendid you museand castyourcare
All for an Administrator,
But herein Englandnonewas seen,
Thatusedoughtbutsprinkling.
At lengthyou heardmensay,
Thattherewas Saintsin Silesia,
WhoeversincetheApostlestime
Had keptthisOrdinance pure,divine.
 THE RESTORATIONOF IMMERSION 73
Thitheralas you sentin haste,
And thusyou did sometreasurewaste,
But whenyourmessengers camethere,
They were as
deceiv'd we are here.
But this theytoldyou in gooddeed,
Thattheyof baptismstoodin need,
Andfor a presentremedy,
Withprayerstheyto Heavendid cry.
Thendid theywithajoynt consent
Do thatof whichyou nowrepent,
Authorizeonethemto baptize,
Thusthisfine cheattheydid devise.
The Original of the Anabaptists
Theysaid thatyou shouldthusdo,
And Godwouldownit theydid know,
And you theircouncelsimplytook,
BecauseBaptizewas writin Book.
He turned Seeker and Ranter
And thusat lengthyou yourselvesbaptiz'd,
Tell [Till]you anothersectdevis'd;
Youwill say nowOrdinances arelow,
Goddothnotownthemyou do know.
Thenyou Assembliesquiteforsook,

They sent up and down the world for a Man to baptize them, but they
found none, but such as had baptized themselves.
In England there was some in the practise of sprinckling, but those the
Dippers, to my knowledge, did reject from Communion with them on this very
ground. They forsook Assemblies, and lay dormant ....
This story in verse of the restoration of immersionin England,
when converted into plain prose, seems to teach that the English
Anabaptists sent messengers over to Silesia (perhaps the Polish
Anabaptists are intended, but Holland undoubtedlywas the precise
country),?hoping thus to secure from foreign parts an ordinance
that had been lost in England. When, however, the messengers
sI knowof no evidenceto showthat the "plunging"
baptismof the Collegiants
fromthe PolishAnabaptists,
wasderiveddirectly,or evenindirectly, thoughthathas
longbeenthoughtto havebeenthe case.
74 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY

reached the country to which they had been sent, they found they
had only wasted their money in traveling thither, because no
satisfactory immersion could be procured there. The foreign
Anabaptists are accordinglyrepresentedas praying for "a present
remedy," and finally as "authorizing" someone to administer
immersion. They are then said to have advised the English
messengersto do likewise,but these hesitated, and only "at length"
(i.e., probably after their return to England) followed the example
of the foreign Anabaptists by appointing someone to administer
baptism to them. Later, after they had thus been immersed,they
began to doubt the validity of their baptism, and became Seekers.
This is the substance of the narrative, it appears to me, and it
will be well for us to keep the details in mind.
Thomas Wall, in his book entitled, "Infants Baptism from
Heaven, of Divine Institution" (London,1692), gives the following
account.4 Unfortunately, I have not yet been able to find a copy
of his earlierwork to which he refers:
AndwhereasH. CollinssaithI falslyassert,viz. That the EnglishAnabap-
tistsreceivetheirBaptismfromhim,I shewedin a smallTreatiselong ago
on that Subject,Printed1669[i.e., ten yearslaterthan "Anti-Quakerism"
mentioned above].P.45.in whichI alsoinsertedwhatI heard,that oneMr.
[John]Spilsbury shouldgo to Hollandto be Baptisedof this Smith,and so
broughtit into England....
This version contains a very apparent anachronism,and conse-
quently cannot be regardedas strictly historical. However, in its
hint that those who meditated procuringimmersionfrom Holland
had been membersof Spilsbury'scongregation,the account is evi-
dently not far from correct.
EdwardHutchinson, who was a Baptist, and might be supposed
to have received perfectly accurateinformation on such an impor-
tant matter, presents a very similar version.s However, it should
be rememberedthat he also was obliged to rely on report, and that
he wrote about thirty-five years after the event to which he refers
occurred:
Whenthe professors[of religion,or church-members] of theseNations had
beena longtimewearied
with the yokeof superstitiousceremonies,traditionsof
4 P. 22.
s In "A Treatise Concerningthe Covenantand Baptism" (London,z676), sig.
As rectoand verso.
 THE RESTORATIONOF IMMERSION 75

men, and corrupt mixtures in the worship and service of God; it pleased the
Lordto breaktheseyokes,andbya verystrongimpulseof his spirituponthehearts
of his people,to convincethemof thenecessityof Reformation.Diverspious and
verygraciouspeoplehavingoftensoughtthe Lordbyfasting and prayer,thathe
wouldskewthemthepaternof his house,thegoingsout,and comeingsin thereof,
&c. Resolved(by the graceof God)not to receive or practise any piece of positive
worship, which had not precept or Example from the word of God. Infant-
Baptismcomingof courseunderconsideration, afterlongsearchandmanydebates
it wasfound to haveno footingin theScriptures(the only rule and standardto
try doctrinesby) buton thecontrarya meerinnovation,yeatheprophanation of an
ordinanceof God. And thoughit was purposedto be laid aside, yet whatfears,
tremblings,and temptationsdid attendthemlesttheyshouldbemistaken,consider-
ing how many learnedand Godlymen were of an oppositeperswasion:How
gladlywouldtheyhavehad therestof theirbrethren gonealongwith them? But
whentherewas no hopes,theyconcluded thata Christiansfaith must not stand
in the wisdom of men, and that every one must give an account of himself to
God, and so resolvedto practiseaccordingto theirligkt: Thegreatobjectionwas,
the wantof an Administrator,which(as I haveheard)was removedby sending
certainmessengersto Hollandwhencetheyweresupplyed....
More reliance, fortunately, can be placed upon the testimony of
Francis Bampfield,an early Seventh-Day Baptist. He apparently
made a prolongedstudy of the problem as to how immersionmight
satisfactorilybe restored, and gathered all the informationhe could
with regard to the various methods employed toward this end by
the earliest English ImmersionistAnabaptists. Fortunately, in an
account contained in one of his works6relating to the subject, he
clearly' though anonymously mentions Blunt's congregation, and
although, as will be noticed, his book was published forty years
after the event heredescribed,and althoughhe makes an alternative
statement as to the method adopted by this churchin recovering
"
"6* IA NAME, an After-pne; I oR, I Ovoga Katdv, IA NAME, a New
One, I. . ." (London, i68i), i6.
7The passagewhich undoubtedlyidentifiesthe church referredto by Bampfield
as that of RichardBlunt is the followingfrom Thomas Edwards'"The ThirdPart of
Gangrxena" (London, 1646), 112-13:
"A woman who sometimeswas a Member of a Church of the Anabaptists,
acquainted me in June fifth [1646], she was of one Blunt, Emmes,and Wrigkters
Church,one of the firstand primeChurchesof Anabaptistsnow in these latter times:
This womanthought there was somthingmore excellentin this company, and that
way, then in othermen, and that she mighthave trusted her life with them; but after
awhile she found them a wretched people; The Churchbrokeinto peeces,and some
went one way, some another,diversfell off to no Churchat all ."
....
76 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY

baptism by immersion,he nevertheless gives such information as,

supplementedby the statements of other early and reliablewriters,
makes it perfectly certain that Blunt, after all that has been said and
written in recent years, was not immersedin Holland. Bampfield's
version runs as follows:
He [ShemAcher,i.e., FrancisBampfield] has beencrediblyinformed by
twoyet alivein thisCityof London, whowereMembers of thefirstChurchof
Baptized[i.e.,immersed] here,that theirfirstAdministrator
Believers wasone
whobaptizedhimself,or elsehe and anotherbaptizedone another,and so
gathered a Church;whichwasso opposedin Publickandin Private,thatthey
weredisputedoutof theirChurch-State andConstitution, out of theirCallto
Office;thatnotbeingableto justifytheirPrinciple andPracticeby theWord,
theywerebrokenandscattered.. . . .
Now we have absolutely no reason to believe that Blunt bap-
tized himself, for if he had done so there would certainly have been
a far more definite tradition of such a remarkableperformance,if
not an extended record. Accordingly we may fall back on
Bampfield's alternative, and conclude that Blunt and Blacklock
"baptized one another, and so gathered a Church." This con-
clusion is amply supported by the fact that it would have been
absolutely impossiblefor Blunt, who was a Particular (Calvinistic)
Anabaptist, ever to have accepted immersion at the hands of the
ArminianCollegiants,or Rynsburgers.
Finally, we may bring in such hitherto unnoticed primary
evidence as, I think, will make our view perfectly conclusive even
to the most skeptical mind. In the first place, we will appeal to
the direct and definite printed statement by Henry Jessey, who, as
is well known, was intimately acquaintedwith all the circumstances
connected with the restorationof immersionin the first congrega-
tion of English Particular ImmersionistAnabaptists. In his book
entitled, "A Storehovse Of Provision" (London, 1650),8 he says:
3d. Answ. If none but Baptizedones, are own'dto be Disciples; then, the
firstRestorers,of Baptisme[i.e.,immersion]werenot own'dto be Disciples[i.e.,
evidently,becausetheir first administratorof immersionhad not himselfbeen
immersed,when he began to administerthat ordinance].
In other words,Blunt had not been immersedbeforehe "dipped"
Blacklock, and consequentlyhad not been baptized by John Batten
in Holland.
8 P. :88.
 THE RESTORATIONOF IMMERSION 77

In the second place, we refer to the earlier and still more

explicit statement B.[arebone]'s"A I REPLY I To
in-P.[raise-C(od]
THEI Frivolous and impertinent ANSWERI of R. B.[arrow]to the
discourseof P. B.[arebone]I .... " (London, 1643):9
Certainlyhe is greatlymistaken, I have spoken for the ordinanceof Christ
whichhe hath peremptorilycondemned,andyet doth, denyingthe Baptismeof
all the reformedChurches&separ[at]edChurches,&also of all otherChristians
eitherReformed,or yet in defection,only thosetwo or threeexceptedthat have
within these two or three yeeres,or some such short time, bin totally dipped
for Baptisme,by personsat the beginningunbaptizedthemselves,An opinion
so rareand singular,so high and presumptuousas I supposeall personsgodly
wise will abhorrethe veriethinkingof it: . . . .
Surely no statement of the case could be more definite than this
made in 1643, or could come from a person better informed than
"P. B.," who is generally taken to be Praise-God Barebone. Ac-
cordingly,we are completely justified in once more reconstructing
the story of the restoration of immersion by the first congregation
of English Particular Anabaptists in 1640 and 1641. My version
would read as follows:
Some of the members of John Spilsbury's church, perhaps also
of Jessey's congregation,"' having become dissatisfied with the rebap-
tism or baptism by sprinkling or affusion previously received, decided
to organize a congregation of their own, in which baptism was only
to be administered to believers, or adults, by "dipping." At this
time, however, no Anabaptist could be found in London" who had
been immersed. In their dilemma the members of the church
may first have been reminded of the Dutch Mennonites and of
the Dutch-English congregation in Amsterdam. At any rate,
Richard Blunt was sent over with letters of recommendationto
Holland, and very likely, I think, may have passed throughAmster-
dam, in order that he might learn by every possible means what
9 Pp.
30-3I.
xoIt will be noticed that in this respectmy accountdoes not seem to agree with
that containedin the Kiffinmanuscript. My reasonfor this divergenceis given in my
book entitled The Early English Dissentersin the Light of RecentResearch,I912
(Vol. I., p. 330), whichis now about to be publishedby the Syndicsof the Cambridge
UniversityPress.
"xBut there evidently was at least one ImmersionistGeneralAnabaptistsome-
where in England about I635. (See my Early English Dissenters, 1912, Vol. I,
PP.378-79.)
78 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY

satisfactioncould be found in solving the problemswhich lay before

his congregation in London. No doubt he was kindly received,
but as is well known, the Mennonitesand Waterlandershave never
practiced immersion. Accordingly, Blunt went on to Leyden,
whereJohn Batten and other Collegiantswho administeredbaptism
by "plunging" held their meetings. Here Blunt seems to have had
a pleasant visit, and when he returned to England he brought with
him letters from Batten and his church in Leyden to the London
congregation. No doubt informationwas therein contained as to
how the Collegiantshad proceededin restoringbaptism by "plung-
ing," and also, perhaps, a descriptionof their mode of "plunging."
Blunt, who very likely had seen Batten or other Collegiants
administer baptism, was naturally chosen to immerse Blacklock.
Later Blacklock immersedBlunt, and then these two baptized the
rest of those who desiredto be "dipped." By January 9, 1641-42,
fifty-three persons had been thus immersed in the two companies
which had been formed. Of one of these Blunt appears to have
become the leader, while Sam.[?Laurence]Blacklock [Blaiklock]
evidently became the leader of the other. Both of these divisions
of the church, I judge, were unable to survive the attacks that
were made upon them in 1642 and 1643.
What were these attacks, and why were they so successful?
Francis Bamplield, in the citation given above, has practically
answeredthese questions,and we need here merely amplify to some
extent what he there says. The attacks chiefly centered around
two problems,namely, (i) Who is a sufficientlyauthorizedadmin-
istrator of this lost ordinanceof baptizing by immersion? and (2)
What is the true New Testament mode of administeringbaptism by
immersion? The opponents of the immersionistAnabaptists were
able without great difficultyto point out flaws in Blunt's procedure,
and hence arose a controversy, which lasted for some years, and
raised a doubt in the minds of many of the Anabaptists as to
whether they had been justified in their restoration of immersion,
and resultedin many of them finally becomingSeekersand Quakers.
NOTE.-A part of the following citation (from the "Epistle to the Reader" in
Nathanael Homes' "A I VINDICATION 1 oF 1 BAPTIZING 1BELLEVERS IN-
FANTS," [London, 1646], evidently refers to the first congregation of English Particular
 THE RESTORATIONOF IMMERSION 79
ImmersionistAnabaptistsin London. The passageis important,becauseit is unusually
explicit. The "Minister" mentioned I take to have been John Spilsbury, who
apparentlydid not join in Blunt's venture,but was the ministerof the congregation
from whichhe had separated. The citation gives us an unusuallyclear introduction
to the subjectof Baptist origins:
"But the insatisfactorycalling of the Anabaptists-Administrators of their pretended
betterbaptisme,upon a formerworse-conceited-baptisme; beingeithernot extraordinarily
called; or not havingthefirstSealethemselves;or beingSebaptists,thatis, self-baptizers;
or baptisedwiththeoldsortof Infant-baptisme:(in eitherof whichtheyaremostunliketo
John THE BAPTIST)hathjustly causedmany to holdofffrom them,and many to fall
awayfrom them. And many that are with them,to be at a losse whereto rest. One
Congregation at first addingto theirInfant-baptisme,the adult baptismeof sprinkling:
thennotrestingtherein,endeavoured toaddeto that,a dipping,ev'entothebreakingtopeeces
of their Congregation.Since that, the Ministerfirst dipped himselfe. Not contented
therewith,was afterbaptizedby one,thathadonelyhis Infant-baptisme. ThusdothGods
justiceleaveus tofind nothingin an ordinance,whenwe put toomuchuponan ordinance;
andfrom toomuck,tofall to nothing,buta cryingout, All Ordinances,Ministeries,&c.
are all polluted. So thatas beforethey couldnot tel whereto end, so now not whereto
begintoreform,. . . ."

II. THE SUBSEQUENT SOLUTION OF THESE BAPTISMALPROBLEMS

BY THE ENGLISH ANABAPTISTSAND BAPTISTS

a) As to the administrator of immersion.-P.[raise-God] B.[are-

bone] in "A Discourse tending to prove the Baptisme in, or under
The Defection" (London, 1642) indicates that for overcomingthe
difficulty concerningthe administratorof immersionthree methods
of procedurehad suggested themselves to the English Anabaptists
beforethat date, namely, (i) to have the first administratorbaptized
in Holland, (2) to have him baptize himself before he baptized
others, or (3) to have him baptize others'whilehe himself (at least
in the first instance) remained unbaptized. None of these three
ways appearedsatisfactory to their critics, if at first to themselves,
as is made sufficiently evident in the following words taken from
Barebone'spamphlet:
If they [the English Anabaptists] had questioned, as I have heard some,
going over the Sea, they may please to minde the example of our Lord, that
went over lordan to Iohn, but it is likely, they question their Baptisme that
went before them, whether it were true or no, it not being lineally descended,
and indeed so have they cause: there is no need of this new way never
.... .'
heard of in the word of God, namely of a persons Baptising of himselfe, and so
others afterward, or others before he himselfe being Unbaptised, ... .'3
" P. 9. '3 P. II.
80o THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY

Later in the seventeenth century the English Anabaptists them-

selves became less satisfied with the methods which had hitherto
been employedin the restorationof immersion,and more conscious
of the great, perhaps insurmountable,difficultieswhich loomed in
the way of attaining the satisfaction of their hopes. This spirit
of uncertaintyand unrestis well illustratedin the followingextended
passage (partially cited above in another connection), published
by the Seventh-Day Baptist, Francis Bampfield, in i68i. Herein
the whole problem of finding a satisfactory administrator of
immersion,and the varied means devised to solve the problem, are
clearly presented. Whether the difficultiesin the situation were in
reality successfully overcome the reader may judge for himself.
With this point, however, we are not at present concerned,and we
may accordingly turn at once to the passage from Bampfield:14
In the next place, his [Shem Acher's, i.e., Francis Bampfield's] perfecting of
Believers Baptism comes to be considered. Convictions about this also, did
quickly spread in the Prison, and from thence in other places. Having no
convenient Accommodations for Dipping, under close Confinement, he and two
more took up Resolutions to pass under that Ordinance,when the LORD should
give his Prisoner Liberty: when he was set free, he and the other being at a
time in London, two Brethren and one Sister, being throughly satisfied in each
other, took Boat and rowed down to Battersey near London, and having dis-
covereda convenientplaceof passinginto the ThamesRiver,intendedthereto
submit to this Appointment of their LORD the next Morning, if not prevented
or hindred. There they kept Sabbath: before the ending of which day,
somewhat providentially fell out by a difference in Judgment, which did put a
stop to that whole Action for that time. Thus the LORD wisely ordered, and
graciously over-ruled this Affair for Good. . . . .
Before, he [Shem Acher] therefore writes downright to the Case for matter
of Fact, he will set down, what both before and since, he hath met with for an
answer to this Question, Who shouldbethe Administrator,and whois fittestfor it ?
There were divers of the Perswasion and Practice for Believers Baptism,
some who had been his Fellow Prisoners, others of the same mind who gave
him Christian Visits: but, his Spirit was not satisfied with any one of them.
For, as for the Objection that has been made, that, a dead Man cannot bury
himself, as if therefore, a Man could not baptize himself: Such arguing from
some Similitudes are often mistaken and misapplyed, and recoil upon the
Objecter. As in this Case, a grown Believer, if in any circumstanced Case he
have a sufficient Call to baptize himself, yet is supposed to be not altogether
14"(Mi f IA NAME, an After-one;I oR, I"OvotaKatvbv,IA NAME, A New
One, . . . . " (London,
i68I), 14-17.
 THE RESTORATIONOF IMMERSION 8I

dead, but, alive both in Nature and in Grace too: and a living Person may do
such an Action, as may set out a dying, burial, and rising again..... Being
in London, and making enquiry there, his disatisfaction grew on: For, upon
search made concerning, either a First-or-After-Administrator of this Ordi-
nance, he was informed, either by printed Records, or by credible Witnesses,
that the Administrator, was, [sic]
Either, a Self Baptizer; such he knew not one lawfully authorized there-
unto: (which yet) he will not totally condemn, especially, if a Call can be
cleared up thereunto from the LORD. The Grounds and Reasons whereof are
not fit to be brought in here, particularly, tho the discerning Reader may
catch at Hints enough in what doth follow. There are Hebrew words, which
do set out some such Washings, that are in two Conjugations, .... But, he
knew no such Administrator to his satisfaction: For, if the Historian have not
wronged some of the first so baptized in Holland, which is too usual, one John
Smith [Smyth], a Member of Henry Ainsworth's Church there, being excom-
municated for some scandalous Offence, is reported to be one of the first, who
baptized himself first, afterwards baptized others: and this Story brought no
good report of such an Administrator to Shem Acher.
Or two Men according to their Principle in their Judgment altogether
unbaptized before, did baptize one another at the first, and afterwards did
baptize others; and so were many of the Baptizings in London, reported
originally to be in one if not in two Instances, where also no extraordinary Call
from God thereunto, that ever he yet heard of, is pretended or pleaded.
Or else a private baptized Brother, no lawfully called Minister of Christ,
nor rightly ordained Officer in a true Church, did baptize others: and so he
understands were some of the choicest and best accounted Baptizings in the
esteem of many, of several of the baptized ones in London, carried on by one
who always refused to be any Minister, or ordained Officerin the Church. He
has been credibly informed by two yet alive in this City of London, who were
Members of the first Church of Baptized Believers here, that their first Atmin-
istrator was one who baptized himself, or else he and another baptized one
another, and so gathered a Church; which was so opposed in Publick and in
Private, that they were disputed out of their Church-State and Constitution,
out of their Call to Office; that not being able to justify their Principle and
Practice by the Word, they were broken and scattered. This, together with
that which goes immediately before, he was and is dissatisfied about: because,
when he doth look into both the Typical Administrators in the Old Testament,
and Antitypical ones in the New, still they were in Both, Commissioned,
Ordained Ministers and Officers appointed thereunto, either extraordinarily
and immediately by the LORD thereunto; . . . .
Or else such one or more, whom such a company of Believers who had no
lawfully called, rightly ordained Minister or Church-Officer amongst them
before, nor any such Minister or Ministers, Officer or Officers, to ordain or
82 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY

commission such, and yet do chuse, and undertake to ordain by laying on of

hands, they being all private Brethren, some private Brother or Brethren into
the Ministerial Office, and to send him or them forth to preach and to baptize:
neither could this quiet his thoughts, or satisfy his spirit.
Or else some such one, who however pretending to be called and sent forth
by Men, yet is not gifted, graced, and qualified according to the Requirements
of Christ in his Word, for such an honourable Office, and weighty Work: here
also he was to seek, and could not so aquiesce.
Or otherwise, some such who say they were at their first passing under this
Ordinance, under an unavoidable necessity of doing somewhat this way beyond
and besides the ordinary-stated-Scripture-Ruleand Way, which they hope the
LORD did accept of, they giving to him the best they had according to their
then-understanding: whereunto Shem Acher has only this to desire of such at
present, that, they see well unto it, their pleaded necessity be such an indis-
pensible real urgent unavoidable necessity, as the holy Scriptures do warrant;
and that, they impose not that on him as a standing Rule to submit to, and
to walk by, who is under other manner of Circumstances, and doth derive all
his Satisfaction from an higher and purer Spring. And if that Necessity which
they plead, have led them into a private Path, which is besides the ordinary
beaten High-way of King Jesus in his Word, they have need to bring forth
somewhat extraordinary, which may carry along with it true- and self-evidence.
What other was there then yet left in this case, but only this one, to his
satisfaction; He having been before so quite taken off from all Men, and all
Creature-Authorities in these matters of Religion, and having given up himself
wholly and entirely to Christ as his one and only LORD and Lawgiver, and to
the Word of Christ as the one and only Rule of Faith, Worship and Life, and
compleat Summary of all useful Arts and profitable Sciences; and having had
so many sealing Experiences of Christ's more immediate and extraodinary [sic]
Teachings, Callings, Healings of Him by his holy Spirit from his Father in his
Word, and having passed before under a being baptized with the holy Spirit,
he with one more travelled from London to Salisbury, where, about the middle
of the Day, in the broad River of that City, which runs with living water, he
received his being baptized as by the Hand of Christ himself, in the Face of the
Heavens, and so passed under Water, and baptized another: and further also
received Imposition, or stretching out by laying on of Hands, as from this God
Man, from Christ, tho sitting in the higher Heaven in his glorified Humanity,
Christ being the Author of this both Water and Spirit-Baptism, and stretching
out and laying-on of Hands.
.... These two Parts are his [Shem Acher's] more than ordinary, both
Call to the Ministerial Office and Work, and way and manner of his Perfecting
of Baptism. Both which being more immediately derived from Christ, that
Head Officer of the Church he has the advantage and opportunity of holding
forth before others, this, as one of the great Truths of the present Age, the way
and means of Jehovah's bringing his People to measure all Administrations
 THE RESTORATIONOF IMMERSION 83

according to the Prophetical Pattern and promised Platform will be, by raising
up, by gifting, graceing, calling, and sending forth some extraordinary Messen-
ger, as from Heaven, to open, interpret, apply, and promote this revealed
Mystery, relating to the approaching Glory of the latter days. Do not now
over-hastily conclude, that, this is a rare Artifice, and a witty Invention, for
Shem [Francis Bampfield] hereby to point out himself to be this special Prophet,
by a new Name, which he assumes to himself; ... .xs
Besides, there may be divers of the Gentiles,who a little before God's thus
favouring of Sion, may be brought more throughly into a perfecting of their
Baptism, from among the Seekers, non-Church-Men, and several others; upon
some of whose Spirits this doth lye with pressing weight; ... .i6

b) As to the mode of immersion.--One may perhaps be somewhat

surprisedto learn that the mode of immersionemployed by modern
Baptists, which may be thought by some to have originatedin the
time of Christ, was in reality not in use even among the English
Anabaptists as early as 1641. Such, nevertheless, is the case, as
we hope will be amply manifestedin the followingpages.
Before proceedingwith this point, we may call attention to the
equally unexpected fact, that there were also English Anabaptists
who continued'7to administer baptism by sprinkling until 1656,
and very likely still later, as is suggested by the following citation
taken from Francis Howgill's "A 1LAMENTATION IFOR THE I
SCATTERED TRIBES, ..... ," which was published at Lon-
don in that year:18
Arenot someof you whoarecalledBaptizedpersons,differing
aboutthe
form? somebaptizinginto this, someinto that ? somesprinkling,somedipping,
some plunging: where is your example for these things ? nay, do not the most
of you concludeno salvationwithout it, althoughin words,some of you will
denie it ? .
Isp. 7. 6 P. I8.
7The earlier English General Anabaptists usually administered baptism by
sprinkling, as is indicated in the following well-known passage from "Mercurius
Rusticus" (1646), 22:
" . ... this Towne [Chelmsford] (as indeed most Corporations, as we finde by experi-
ence, are Nurceries of Faction and Rebellion) is so filled with Sectaries, especially
Brownists and Anabaptists, that a third part of the people refuse to receive the blessed
Sacrament, unlesse they may receive it in what posture they please to take it. They
have amongst them two sorts of Anabaplists; the one they call the Old men or Aspersi,
because they were but sprinkled: the other they call the New men, or the Immersi,
because they were overwhelmed in their Rebaptization."
8SP. 26.
84 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY

The varying modes of immersionemployed by the early English

ImmersionistAnabaptists may best be illustrated by citing a num-
ber of fairly well-authenticated contemporary baptismal descrip-
tions, of which a number fortunately exist, and also one or two
controversialpassages relating to the subject. We may begin with
the followingcitation from "The Anabaptists Catechisme,"1645:'9
Q.[uestion]In what mannerare they dippedwhen they are receivedinto
Church-fellowship ?
A.[nswer] After the personsto be dippedare examinedand have declared
a sufficienttestimonybeforethe Congregation, and takenthe Oath,the Pastor,
that is the Dipper,taketh the personthat is to be dipped,and goeth with him
or her whetherit be man or womaninto the water,and theresettingone hand
upon the backe,and the otherupon the head, dips the said personquite over
head and eares,and then leadethhim or her so dippedby the armeout of the
water,andpresenteththemto the Congregation, whoreceivethemas Members
of theirCongregation.

The preceding description is interesting since it is sufficiently

minute to enable us to understand that this mode of "dipping"is
quite distinct from the mode of immersionpracticedby the modern
Baptists. No doubt it is this method of "dipping"which is illus-
trated in the frontispiece of Dr. Daniel Featley's "The Dippers
Dipt," which was originallypublishedabout the same time that the
above-cited passage was written.
For the following expurgated baptismal descriptionz?one does
not need to apologize, since it has alreadybeen cited in extensoby
Dr. H. M. Dexter in "The True Story of John Smyth, the Se-
Baptist," Boston [Mass.], 1881.21 Evidently there is a good deal
of truth in the narrative,but I am not preparedto say that all the
details are perfectly historical. I judge, however, that the mode
of baptism described, in which washing, sprinkling (or rather
throwing water), and dipping are said to have been combined, is
worthy of consideration. For the rest, a more conventionalpicture
might have been just as useful for our purposes:
'9 pp. io-ii.
"Mercurius Civicus, Londons Intelligencer ....
20 From Thursday October.8. to
Thursday Octob.15. 1646", pp. 2414-16.
21
Pp. 6o-61.
 THE RESTORATIONOF IMMERSION 85

A Relationof the Rebaptizinga Womanat Hempsted in Hartfordshirein

September last past, 1646. by one James Brown a Sawyer.
In the parish of Hempstedin Hartfordshire,there liveth one James Browne,
by trade, a sawyer; by calling a converter of holy Sisters; by person, of a very
big and tall Stature; by Religion, formerly, a good Protestant, diligent in
hearing of Sermons, and alwayes seeking to heare the best men: Now of late
time, within these six or seven years, he hath quite left the Church: and
instead of hearing of Gods Ministers in publique, he is become a preacher and
teacher of others, (especially of women) going about from house to house
preaching and teaching, Instructing and Baptizing; (or Rebaptizing) doing
good as they say, to so many as adhere to his kinde of Teaching: and he is
either the second or third man of note for spirituall abilities (as the Brethren
are pleased there to call them) in all that part of the Country.
About the middle of Septembernow last past, 1646 .This James Browne,
having on a day Preached (or as they call it spoken) unto an assembly of the
Brethren, where he inveighed against Baptizing of Infants; affirmingit to be a
most damnable popish sinne: and that all true Christians ought more to mourne
and lament for that they were Baptized when they were Infants, then for all
the sinnes that ever they committed in the whole course of their lives; and
further shewing, how necessary and needfull it was to salvation (having
attayned unto a sufficient measure of Faith) to be rebaptized. One Mary
Halsey, wife of William Halsey, a holy woman of the company, desired to be
Baptized a new: shewing her selfe to be very sorrowfull for the blindnesse of
her Parents, that would have her Baptized in her Infancy, before she knew
what it meant, and she (being then without Faith) unworthy of it. Browne
having throughly examined this his new convert, and found her to have
attayned to a competent knowledge, the examination ended, This woman with
Brownewent into a River, neere-hand to the house of that dayes exercise, called
Bourn End River; and there neere unto Bourne End Mill, in a place of the
River somewhat deeper then the ordinary Channell, where having joyned
together they went down into the water: Browne went down in his leather
Breeches, in which he used to go to Sawing: And the woman went into the
water in a paire of Linnen Drawers, .... made of purpose for such like uses,
the rest of her body being quite naked.
In this water, Browne washed" her body all over from top to toe, rubbing
her with his hands, as men doe their sheep when they wash them; . . . . and
th[r]owing water upon her, used the words of Baptisme, I baptize thee, in the
"In his "Cata-Baptism: or New Baptism, waxing old," London, I655, John
Goodwinseemsto speakwith approvalof that modeof immersionby dippingto which
washingwas addedas a furtherceremony:
"If no kind of washing,properlyso called,be performedonely by the application
of the thing or personunto the water,but of the water,unto these, then is that admin-
istrationof Baptisme,whichis madeby dippingonely, Heterodoxand improper,there
being no washingof the body, in or by such an administration."(56).
86 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY

name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost: thrusting her
head three times into the water, because three persons in the Trenity [sic]:
and in this water I wash and purge away all thy sinnes; .... and thou art
now received into the number of Christs chosen Children; and made a member
of his mysticall body, and mayest be fully assured of the Kingdome of Heaven.
This being done, they departed out of the water, and went to the place of
that dayes exercise.
This was seene and heard by the Miller of Bourn End, and some others,
who got behind a hedge to heare and see the action. As they were going out
of the water, the Miller called to them, .... and they departed making no
answer, and a man with them, that the woman brought downe with her to
looke to her apparell, which she put off neere the River side, when she went
into the water: . . . .

Not only did some English Anabaptists continue the practice of

rebaptizingby sprinklingfor a numberof years after 1640, but even
among the immersionistAnabaptists in England for a long period
varying modes of immersionwere employed. This fact is clearly
to be noted in the pamphlet literature published after 1640, and is
partially illustrated (somewhat ridiculously no doubt, but yet in
some measure faithfully) in the curious frontispiece to Dr. Daniel
Featley's "The Dippers Dipt," 1645, and in the very scarcefrontis-
piece to John Cragge's "The Arraignment, and Conviction of
Anabaptism," 1656. The still earlier mode of plunging baptism
administeredby the Collegiantsin Holland is perhaps fairly repre-
sented in the rather late, but elaborate engraving to be found in
Dr. William Hurd's large work in folio entitled, "A New Universal
History of the Religious Rites, Ceremonies, and Customs of the
Whole World,"London [1802 ?].23
The passage previously cited from Francis Howgill's "A
Lamentationfor the Scattered Tribes," 1656, suggests that various
forms of immersionwere still being employed at that date among
the immersionistAnabaptists, as appearsin the words "some" use
"dipping, some plunging." Today these differentmodes are very
difficult to distinguish from one another, but we undoubtedly
obtain some idea of the character of the differences from the
frontispiecespreviously mentioned, and especially from the follow-
ing illuminating citation from John Goodwin's "Water-Dipping I
3 The
full-page illustration inserted between pp. 464 and 465.
 THE RESTORATION
OF IMMERSION 87

NO I Firm Footing for Church-Communion: .... ,,)24 London, 1653-

This shows that at that date at least three or four such varying
modes of "dipping" were in use:
Fifthly, Another thing of little less discouragement unto us then the
former, is, that there have been, and still are extant, three or four several
Editions, or man-devised modes, of Dipping, every latter pretending to correct
the insufficiency, irregularity, or inconvenience, of the former. In regard
whereof, some (we understand) in stead of being once baptized, have been
dipped three or four times over, thus committing that sin in Baptism, which
Christ prohibits in prayer, the sin, I mean, of vain repetitions. So that in case
our Consciences did lead us to a baptismal Dipping, yet should we be at a loss
concerning the particular mode or form, which is agreeable to the mind of
Christ, there being so many Competitors for this honour. And for the Mode
of the latest and newest Invention, and which (as we understand) is of greatest
esteem, it is, as far as we are able to conceive by the representation of it made
unto some of us, so contrived, and so to be managed, that the Baptist, who
dippeth according to it, had need be a man of stout limbs, and of a very able
and active body: otherwise the person to be baptized, especially if in any
degree corpulent or unwieldy, runs a great hazard of meeting with Christslatter
Baptism in stead of his former.2s And if this manner of Baptizing were in use
in the Apostles days, it is no great marvel that Paul, being a man little and low
of stature (as History reports him, and himself overtures, 2 Cor. o10. , io.)
cared so little and seldom to adventure upon the work. And yet should we
hesitate in our Consciences much more, where to find a competent person
amongst them authorized by God to administer such a kind of Baptism unto
4PP. 39-40.
25sIn his "Cata-Baptism: or New Baptism, waxing old" (London, I655), John
Goodwinagaindescribesthe advantagesof this extremelyludicrousmodeof immersion
with great satisfaction,as if he felt at last that he had discovereda method which he
could thoroughlyrecommend,because he felt certain that very few personswould
be able to administerit:
"If no part of the BaptismalAdministrationcan regularlybe performedby the
party himself,who is to be baptized,but the whole businesseof the Administrationis
to be the work, or act, of the Baptizeronely; then cannot dipping,or plungingthe
body all over in the water, be the regularform or mannerof this Administration.
The reasonis, becausehe that is baptismallydipt, dippeth a good part of his body
himself by going into the water, and by standingthere up to the knees, middle, or
neck, beforethe Baptist layeth handon him. So that that whichthe Baptist dippeth
of his body, is onely a part of it, and this (ordinarily,I suppose)but a small part
neither. He that properlydippeth,must of necessityhold somepart of that whichis
dippedin his hand, or with some instrumentin his hand. Thereforehe that is bap-
tized by dipping,cannotbe reasonablythoughtto be regularlybaptized,unlessehe be
with clean strengthheavedand lifted up into the air by the Baptist, and so gently let
downinto the water,the handof the Baptizernot takenofffromhimall the while." (50).
88 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY

us. For we are not yet baptized into the belief of either of these Doctrines;
either, i. That a person unbaptized, may, without a special call or warrant
from God, like unto that of John Baptist, Luke 3.2. undertake the Administra-
tion; Or, 2. That that was a case of necessity, wherein either Nicholas Stork
(with his three Comrades) in Germanyabout 1521. or whoever he was that first,
himself being in his own Judgment and Conscience unbaptized, presumed to
baptize others after that exotique mode in this Nation. Nor are we convinced
or clear in our Judgments, that any of those, who have been dipped amongst
us, have been rightly baptized, if it be supposed that true Baptism consists in
a total immersion, or submersion, by him that baptizeth; because the baptized
themselves are wont to submerge the greater part of their bodies, before the
Baptist comes at them; and so are rather se-baptized, then baptized according
to what the Scripture seems to speak concerning Baptism. Besides, we do
not read in the Scriptures of any Baptismal Boots, or Baptismal Breeches, or
of shifting garments to avoyd the danger of being baptized, or of encircling
women with women after their coming from the water to salve their modesty,
with some other devices now, or of late in frequent use amongst our new
Baptists in the way of their practise. All these things narrowly considered,
minister a ground of vehement suspition unto us, lest the whole story of Bap-
tismal Diping should prove Apocryphal.
The following narrative was written by an Anabaptist at the
request of Jeffry Watts. about 1656 or 1657.26 The citation is
instructive, though it does not contain exactly the details in which
we would here be most interested:
The Narration of their Dipping in a
Pond of Much-leighes.
Supplication within a House near the Pond, for Gods Presence and
AFterBlessing, the two VVomen, or Sisters, gave an account of their Faith, and
others, a testimony of their Life; and after suplicating again the two
VVomen, or Sisters, did privately strip themselves in a Chamber, and put on
other cloathes, that so they might have their own dry to put on again. And
so they came to the Pond, wherein the Brother, who is set apart by Fasting
and Prayer of the Church, to administer the Ordinances, stood in the water;
the VVomen, or Sisters, going into the water also above the knees, (but the one
afore the other about a minute) He took them one after another, fast by the
cloathes about the shoulders, and spake the words acccording [sic] to the Insti-
tution, severally to each of them, at the instant time, immediately before the
Dipping, and so dipped them severally all over head and ears, body and
cloathes, (having first tyed their cloaths together with a string, above and about
their knees) He dipped either of them but once, and then raised them up again,
6Jeffry Watts' "A Scribe, Pharisee,Hypocrite" (London,1657),sig. [*3]recto
and verso, about three-fourthsthrough the book. These unnumberedpages just
precedethe sectionentitled "The DipperSprinkled."
 THE RESTORATION
OF IMMERSION 89
and so they went againto the Houseand shiftedthemselvesin a Chamberby
themselves,with the help of some women; and they supplicatedagain,That
God wouldencouragetheir Souls,and increasetheirFaith,and the rest of the
day was spent in prayer,preaching,and participatingthe Lords Supper.
As the modernstudent reads one or two of these descriptions,or
other passages in the baptismal controversy, wherein petty or
coarse expressionsoccur, he may be surprisedthat the Anabaptists
would have thought it necessary to pay any attention to them, but
the extent to which they seem to have felt obliged to go in devising
and defending the various modes of immersionemployed by them,
shows the really serious spirit in which they met even ridiculous
attacks, while their opponents must often have been laughing in
their sleeves.
How long these differentmodes of immersion,and even how long
sprinkling, were employed among the English Anabaptists and
Baptists, it is at present impossible for me to say, but by 1700 a
good degreeof uniformityno doubt prevailed, as may be judged by
the following title of a tract.by Thomas Minge which appearedin
that year entitled, "Gospel-Baptism I oR, j PLAIN PROOF, IThat
the Mode of Dipping, Plunging or I Immersion,now commonlyused
by I the People called Anabaptists; is ac- I cording to the Primitive
Institution: . .. "
On p. i Mr. Minge has a diagram illustrating the method of
administering baptism generally employed by the Anabaptists or
Baptists of that day. It is described as, "A Plain Mathematical
Demonstration,that (accordingto the present Mode of Baptizing,
commonlyused by the People calledAnabaptist) the Person Baptized
is plunged,or dipt, by the hands of the Administrator;evenfrom the
Crownof the Head to theverySoles of theFeet."
The title of this work and a part of its contents are very impor-
tant in our present inquiry, since they show, I think, that the mode
of immersion employed among the Baptists of today had by this
time not only been devised, but also had already come into very
general use. Whether this niode was and is the exact mode of
baptism employed by John the Baptist when he baptized Jesus, or
the mode employed by Jesus himself, as many no doubt suppose
to be the case, is in my opinion by no means clear. That question
would seem to deserve further investigation by the Baptists.