The document provides information about early Anabaptist leaders and theology as well as the origins and history of Baptists in England. It discusses key Anabaptist beliefs including believer's baptism, separation of church and state, and clergy being equal to laity. It also outlines the persecution Puritans faced under acts requiring conformity to the Church of England and the beginnings of the General Baptist movement under John Smyth and Thomas Helwys. Finally, it notes the decline of both General and Particular Baptists in England by the 1750s, with Generals falling to bad theology and Particulars to lack of evangelism.

1. Baptist History

2. ANABAPTISTS
PART ONE – ANABAPTIST LEADERS
- Conrad Grebel (evangelist)
- George Blaurock (preacher)
- Felix Manz (OT Scholar)
- Balthasar Hubmaier (theologian)
- Michael Sattler (writer – Schleitheim Confession)
- Menno Simmons (Father of Mennonites)

3. PART TWO – ANABAPTIST THEOLOGY
A. TWO METHODS OF REFORMATION
B. THEOLOGY OF VARIOUS MOVEMENTS
C. ANABAPTIST CONFESSIONS
D. EIGHT ESSENTIAL ANABAPTIST DISTINCTIONS
1. Believer’s baptism
2. Separation of church and state
3. NO swearing of oaths
4. Clergy equal with laity
5. Separation from world
6. Believer’s church
7. Missions and evangelism done by all
8. Centrality of Preaching

4. E. ANABAPTISTS’ INFLUENCE ON BAPTISTS
1. Anabaptists and Separatists (Estep)
2. Anabaptists and Baptists (historically/theologically)

5. BAPTIST HISTORY

6. PART ONE: BACKGROUND
PART TWO: PURITANS
1. Corporation Act (1662) – Conformity to the Church of England
required for those desiring to hold public office
2. Act of Uniformity (1662) – All ministers had to use the same liturgy
and conduct worship services in same manner (Anglican)
3. Conventicle Acts (1664) – No gatherings are allowed that involved
five or more or worship outside of Anglican gatherings.
4. Five Mile Acts (1665) – Ministers removed from their churches could
not preach, teach, or live within five miles of their former place of
ministry.
PART THREE: SEPARATISTS
PART FOUR: BEGINNING OF GENERAL BAPTISTS (Smyth & Helwys)

7. GENERAL BAPTIST LEADERS
1. John Smyth (1570 – 1612)
2. Thomas Helwys (1550 – 1616)
a) Background
b) Personal
c) Theology
- Against other religious groups
(Catholics, Anglicans, Puritans, Separatists)
- Words back to Smyth’s group in Holland
- Short Declaration of the Mystery of Iniquity

8. PART FIVE: ORIGIN OF PARTICULAR BAPTISTS
2 Veins of Baptists in England:
- General (Smyth and Helwys) – Arminian theologically
- Particular Baptists (JLJ, Kiffin, Knollys)
A.ORIGINS
A. Henry Jacob (J)
B. John Lathrop (L)
C. Henry Jessey (J)
D. John Spillsbury (author of 1st London Confession)
B.LEADERS

9. BAPTIST HISTORY

10. RISE AND FALL OF A DENOMINATION
 ENGLISH BAPTISTS AFTER THE GLORIOUS
REVOLUTION
 GENERAL BAPTISTS FALL TO BAD THEOLOGY
 PARTICULAR BAPTISTS FALL TO IMPOTENT
EVANGELISM
Summary: From a combination of no message (General) and no
evangelism (Particular), the whole Baptist movement in England
was in serious decline by the 1750’s.