1646 London Confession of Faith
PDF Version of the Original Confession
A
CONFESSION OF FAITH
Of seven congregations or churches of Christ in London,
which are commonly {but
unjustly}
called Ana-baptists.
PUBLISHED
FOR THE VINDICATION OF THE TRUTH, AND INFORMATION OF THE IGNORANT;
LIKEWISE FOR THE TAKING OFF OF THOSE ASPERSIONS WHICH ARE FREQUENTLY BOTH
IN PULPIT AND PRINT UNJUSTLY CAST UPON THEM.
“But this I confess unto thee, that after the way
which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my Fathers, believing all
things that are written in the Law and the Prophets, and have hope towards
God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection
of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.” {Acts 24: 14,15}
“For we cannot but speak the things that we have
seen and heard.” {Acts 4: 20}
“If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil;
but if well, why smitest thou me?” {Jn.18: 23}
THE SECOND
IMPRESSION CORRECTED AND ENLARGED.
PUBLISHED ACCORDING TO ORDER
LONDON
PRINTED BY
MATTHEW SIMMONS,
AND ARE TO BE SOLD BY
JOHN HANCOCK IN POPES-HEAD ALLEY,
1646
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE
LORDS,
KNIGHTS, CITIZENS
AND
BURGESSES IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED.
Right Honorable and most Noble
Patriots,
Inasmuch as there hath been a Book {Doctor Featley's Book dedicated to the
Parliament} lately presented unto you, in whose Dedicatory Epistle there
are many heinous accusations unjustly and falsely laid against us, we
conceived it necessary to make some declaration of our innocency, and {to
that end} humbly to present unto your view this our
Confession of Faith. Here we
unfainedly declare, what in our hearts we judge, and what we teach, and
according to this Rule we desire and endeavour, through the grace of God,
to lead our lives. This Confession
of our Faith we send forth to speak the truth for us, and so to make
our innocency to appear; desiring that the same light may guide others
also to the same way of truth and of obedience both to God and to the
Magistrate, who is the Minister of God to us for good. We hope your
Honours will permit us to speak with modesty in our just defence. And when
any shall provoke you to lift up a hand against us, we desire you may
seriously consider Gamaliel’s counsel in Acts 5. We take no thought for
ourselves, for the Lord our God is all-sufficient; but we desire and pray
that you may do nothing against Christ, neither in His members, nor in His
ordinances, that there may be no wrath upon you from the Lord, but that
you knowing the innocent, and protecting them according to the will of
God, may for the same be famous unto all generations, and the memorial of
your names may be precious among the Saints till the coming of King Jesus.
(PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION)
To the judicious and impartial
Reader.
COURTEOUS READER;
It is no wonder if it
seem strange to thee, that we should publish a confession of our faith,
who are frequently termed to be heretics and schismatics, and what not,
though unjustly; neither is it any discouragement unto us, though this
sect {as they call the Anabaptists} is
everywhere spoken
against, Acts xxviii. 22; and in that we are charged {for Christ’s name
sake} with the same things our Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles were
accused of. It is a mercy, an honor, and a comfort unto us, rejoice and be
exceeding glad, for great is
your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets that were
before you. Matt. v. 11,12. The disciple is not above his master, nor the
servant above his Lord; it is enough for the disciple that he be as his
master, and the servant as his Lord.
If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much
more shall they call them of his household? Matt.x.24,25. If the world
hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you; if ye were of the
world, the world would love her own, but because ye are not of the world,
but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore, the world hateth you.
The servant is not greater than the Lord; if they have persecuted me, they
will also persecute you, &c.
All these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they
know not him that sent me; yea, and all that will live godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution; but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers
of Christ’s sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be
glad also with exceeding joy.
John xv. 18, 19, 20, 21; see Acts xxi. 28, 30, 31; and xiv. 22;
II Tim. iii. 12; I Pet. iv. 13.
Our Lord Jesus was
accused to be a seditious and mutinous fellow; Luke xxiii. 25.
Paul was called a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition, and a
ringleader of the sect of Nazarenes,
Acts xxiv. 1,5,6,8; xviii. 13; saying, Away with such a fellow, for
it is not fit he should live; saying, This fellow persuadeth men to
worship God contrary to the law. And our Lord Jesus Christ was accused of
perverting the people, and forbidding to give tribute to Ceaser;
and that He and His disciples did teach novelties, and brake the
traditions of the elders. Luke
xxiii. 2,14; Matt. xv. 1-9. Christ was accused to have a devil, and to be
mad; saying to the people, Why do ye hear him? John x. 20.
Paul was esteemed to be mad: also they said, What will this babler
say and that he taught a new doctrine, Acts xxvi. 24, 25; xvii.18,19. And
Christ was accused to speak blasphemy, and they all condemned him to be
guilty of death, Mark xiv. 64.
So some are offended at us for meeting in houses to preach, and would have
us punished for it; notwithstanding, it was Christ's and His apostles'
practice to do so, whose example we are to follow.
Christ taught upon a mountain,
and in a ship. Paul
preached from house to house. Also the church met together in an upper
room, where Peter preached; and Paul preached, and converted Lydia by the
river side; the disciples met together in the night in an upper room; Paul
preached two years in an hired house, and received all that came unto him.
Matt.v. 1, 2; and xiii. 2; Acts xx.20; i.13,15,16; ii.2; xvi.13,14;
xx.7,8,9; xxviii. 30,31. If he had lived in these days and done so, it is
to be feared some would have petitioned against him. So some accuse us to
be disturbers of the peace of the commonwealth; yet all that know us can
testify for us, that we meet together and depart in a
peaceable manner. And from Acts xvii. 5,6,7, it will appear, what
person they were that disturbed the public peace; it is fit such persons
should be taken notice of and accordingly punished.
So we are blamed, because we frequent not their temples. We dare not trust
in lying words, saying, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the
Lord, are these. We know the Most High dwelleth not in temples made
with hands; and that we are the temple of the living God; and that our
bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost; and that Christ's church is not
built with dead stones. Acts
vii. 48; xvii.24,25; I Cor. iii. 16; vi. 3, 19; I Pet. ii. 4,5; John iv.
20, &c. And because there are
but a few of us, some conceive we are in an error, and that the least
number should yield to the greater; then it seems, if the number of the
papists or atheists exceed the number of the protestants, they must
forsake their religion. God in times past suffered all nations to walk in
their own ways; and there was but one true prophet to four hundred false.
Acts xiv. 16; Exod. xxiii.2;
King xxii. 6,7, &c. After three years' preaching and working miracles by
Christ, there was but a small number. Christ calls His, a little flock:
the scripture declares the greatest number followed after the beast.
Acts i. 14, 15; Luke xii. 32; Matt. vii. 13, 14; Rev. xiii. 7, 16,
17. Also those that preach amongst us are esteemed, as the apostles were,
to be unlearned and ignorant men. Apollos was instructed more perfectly in
the way of God by Aquila, a tradesman, and Priscilla his wife; Acts iv.
13; xviii. 1 ,2, 3, 26. But the scripture saith; As every man hath
received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good
stewards of the manifold grace of God. I Pet. iv.10, 11; see I Cor. xiv.
3, 26, 31. Also some say of us, that we be of several sects, and that we
cannot agree among ourselves. Pilate and Herod agreed together to crucify
Christ; we dare not agree as the Jews did, that if any did confess that
Jesus was the Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
Luke xxiii. 12; John ix. 22; see I Cor. i.10,11.
The union Christ prayed for, we desire; for such an agreement as
agreeth not with the truth, we may not agree unto; therefore we desire it
not. John xvii. 21; Eph.
iv.3-17. Yet the paedobaptists differ more among themselves than we do,
and if this their reason have any strength in it, it is against
themselves; the several sects of paedobaptists be Papists, Arians,
Nestorians, Pelagians, Donatists, Eutychians, Grecians, Lutherans,
Arminians, Episcopalians, Nicolaites, Calvinists, Zuinglians, Hussites,
and above twenty other several sects, which are all baptizers of infants;
and notwithstanding, for other points, are all asunder, and have all rent
one from another; therefore we send them to follow the counsel of Christ.
Matt. vii. 3, 4, 5.
As the watchman dealt with the spouse of Christ, in her seeking her
beloved, so they deal with us. Song iii. 2, 5; v. 7.
They finding us out of that common and broad way themselves walk
in, they smite us, and take away our veil, and veil us with reproaches and
odious names; to incense all,
both good and bad, against us, that we may appear vile in the eyes and
ears of all that behold us, or shall hear of us,
Acts xvi. 19. Which
they endeavor to do, both in pulpit and print, not fearing to charge us
with holding free-will, falling from grace, denying election, original
sin, children's salvation, the Old Testament, and men's property in their
estates, and censuring all to be damned that are not of our judgment and
practice; all which we disclaim, because they are untrue. And as for the
other things where of we are accused, we refer those who desire further
satisfaction to the answers of them. {In a small treatise, entitled, Brief
Considerations on Dr. Featley’s Book, entitled, The Dipper Dipt, by
Samuel Richardson; London, 1645.}
Yet by reason of the many accusations that are cast upon us,
although they cannot prove the things whereof we are accused, yet the
generality of the people are incensed against us, and are encouraged, and
set on by such, to seek out the peace of our meetings, which are the more
private, not because they are private, but because we have not any more
public places; but if any shall please to procure us more larger places to
meet in, we are willing to embrace them with thankfulness and joy,
although no man should speak for us to those in authority, from whom one
word were enough to protect us from the violence we should be subject
unto. But as it was then, Acts xvii. 5,6.7, so it is now; yet must we bear
all the blame. But our God
will in His time clear our innocency, although now many stand looking upon
us as a people {holding such things} not worthy to live, and are in danger
by the rude multitude gathering together to stone us.
And had it been against our persons only, we would have held our
peace, and committed our cause to God; but considering it is the truth
that we profess that suffers, we may not, nor dare not be neuters in
matters of so high a nature, but come in and speak to the help of the Lord
against the mighty.
Therefore, to free
ourselves and the truth we profess from such unjust aspersions, that it
may be at liberty, though we be in bonds, we have published a brief
confession of our faith; {which we conceive most void of contention in
these sad and troublesome times.} The thoughts of our hearts as in the
presence of God we here
declare, that it may appear to the consciences of them that fear God, what
wrong we suffer from some who have ability to cast mists, and dark clouds,
which overshadow the glory of the truth, and them that profess it. Jude,
14, 15. And although they
acknowledge with us that the truth is not fully discovered, yet they will
tie all future discovery to a former light, and conceive they do well in
so doing. But God will by His truth show their error, and exalt Jesus
Christ, the chief cornerstone, which the builders so much reject.
And lest this should be thought to be the judgment of some
particular persons, this is done by the consent and appointment of seven
congregations or churches in London, with the names of some of each of
them subscribed in the behalf of
the whole. And although
we be distinct in our meetings, for convenience; yet are we one in faith,
fellowship, and communion, holding Jesus Christ for our Head and Lawgiver,
under whose rule and government we desire to walk, and to follow the Lamb
wheresoever he goeth, that when our Lord and King shall call us to
account, we may be found ready and worthy to be received into our Master’s
joy. Until which time we desire to spend these few days we have here to
remain, to the glory of God, the honor of the gospel, the saints' comfort,
and our country’s good, to our own account at the great day when Christ
shall come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God,
and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
II Thess. i. 8.
Thomas Gunne, Thomas Munden, John Mabbit, George Tipping, John Spilsbery,
William Kiffen, Samuel Richardson, Thomas Patient, Paul Hobson, Hanserd
Knollys, Thomas Goare, Thomas
Holms, Benjamin Cockes, Denis Le Barbier, Thomas Kilikop, Christoph
Le Duret.
A
C O N F E S S I O N O F
F A I T H
.1.
The Lord our God is but one God, whose subsistence is in Himself; whose
essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself; who only hath
immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; who is
in Himself most holy, every way
infinite, in greatness,
wisdom, power, love; merciful and gracious, long-suffering and
abundant in goodness and truth, who giveth
being, moving,
and preservation to all creatures.
I Cor.8:6; Isa.44:6, 46:9; Exod.3:14; I Tim.6:16; Isa.43:15; Psal.147:5;
Deut.32:3, Job 36:5, Jer.10:12; Exod.34:6,7; Acts 17:28; Rom.11:36.
.2.
In this divine and infinite Being, there is the Father, the Word, and the
Holy Spirit; each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence
undivided; all infinite, without any beginning, therefore but one God, who
is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several
peculiar relative properties.
I Cor.1:3; Jn.1:1, 15:26; Exod.3:14; I Cor.8:6.
.3.
God hath decreed in Himself before the world
was, concerning all things, whether necessary, accidental, or
voluntary, with all the circumstances of them, to work, dispose, and bring
about all things according to the counsel of His own will, to His glory;
{yet without being the author of sin, or having fellowship with any
therein} in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things,
unchangeableness, power and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree; and
God hath before the foundation of the world foreordained some men to
eternal life, through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of His grace;
leaving the rest in their sin to their just condemnation,
to the praise of His justice.
Isa.46.10; Eph.1:11; Rom.11.33; Psa.115:3, 135:6, 33:15; I Sam.10: 9,26;
Prov.21:1; Exod.21:13; Pro.16:33; Psa.144; Isa.45:7; Jer.14:22; Matt.
6:28-30; Col.1:16,17; Num.23:19,20; Rom.3:4; Jer.10:10; Eph.1:4,5; Jude
4,6; Pro.16:4.
.4.
In the beginning God made all things very good; created man after His own
image, filled with all meet perfection of nature, and
free from all sin; but
long he abode not in this honor, Satan using the subtilty of the serpent
to seduce first Eve, then by her seducing Adam; who without
any compulsion, in eating the forbidden fruit
transgressed the command of God, and fell, whereby
death came upon all his posterity, who now are conceived in sin,
and by nature the children of wrath, the servants of sin, the subjects of
death, and other miseries in this world, and for ever, unless the
Lord Jesus Christ set them free.
Gen.1:1; Col.1:16; Isa.45:12; I Cor.15:45,46; Eccles.7:29; Gen.3:1,4,5; II
Cor.11:3; I Tim.2:14; Gal.3:22; Rom.5:12,18,19; chap.6:2; Eph.2:3.
.5.
God in His infinite power and wisdom, doth dispose all things to the
end for which they were created, that neither good nor evil befalls
any by chance, or without His providence; and that whatsoever befalls the
elect, is by His appointment, for His glory, and their good.
Job 37:10-13; Isa.56:10,11; Eccles.3:14; Matt.10:29-32; Exod.21:13;
Prov.16:33; Rom.8:28.
.6.
All the elect being loved of God with an everlasting love, are redeemed,
quickened, and saved, not by themselves, nor their own works, lest any man
should boast, but only and wholly by God, of His free grace and mercy
through Jesus Christ, who is made unto us by God, wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, and redemption, and all in all, that he that rejoices
might rejoice in the Lord.
Jer.31:3; Ephes.1:3-7; Ephes. 2:8,9; I Thess.5:9; Acts 13:38;
II Cor.5:21; Jer.9:23,24; I Cor.1:30,31; Jer.23:6.
.7.
And this is life eternal, that we might know Him the only true God, and
Jesus Christ whom He hath sent. And on the contrary, the Lord will render
vengeance in flaming fire, to them that know not God, and obey not the
Gospel of Jesus Christ.
John 17:3; Heb.5:9; II Thess.1:8; John 3:36.
.8.
The rule of this knowledge, faith, and obedience, concerning the worship
of God, in which is contained
the whole duty of man, is {not men's laws, or unwritten traditions, but}
only the Word of God contained in the holy Scriptures, in which is plainly
recorded whatsoever is needful for us to know, believe, and practice,
which are the only rule of holiness and obedience for all saints, at all
times, in all places to be observed.
Col.2:23; Matt.15:9,6; John 5:39; II Tim.3:15,16,17; Isa.8:20; Gal. 1:8,9;
Acts 3:22,23.
.9.
The Lord Jesus Christ, of whom Moses and the prophets wrote, the apostles
preached, He is the Son of God, the brightness of His glory, &c., by whom
He made the world, who upholdeth and governeth all things that He hath
made; who also when the fulness of time was come, was made of a woman, of
the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David; to wit, of the
virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her, the power of the Most
High overshadowing her; and He was also tempted as we are, yet without
sin.
Gen.3:15; chap.22:18, and 49:10; Dan.7:13, and 9:24,25,26. Pro. 8:23, John
1:1,2,3; Heb.1:8; Gal.4:4;
Heb.7:14; Rev.5:5, with Gen.49:9,10; Rom.1:3 & 9:5; Matt.1:16, with Luke
3:23-26; Heb.2:16;
Isa.53:3,4,5; Heb.4:15.
.10.
Jesus Christ is made the Mediator of the new and Everlasting Covenant of
Grace between God and man, ever to be perfectly and fully the Prophet,
Priest, and King of the Church of God for evermore.
I Tim.2:5; Heb.9:15; John 14:6; Isa.9:6,7.
.11.
Unto this office He was appointed by God from everlasting, and in respect
of His manhood from the womb called, separated, and anointed most fully
and abundantly with all gifts necessary, God having without measure poured
out His Spirit upon Him.
Prov.8:23; Isa.42:6, & 49:15; Isa. 11:2-5 & 61:1,2, with Luke 4:17, 22;
John 1:14,16, & 3:34.
.12.
Concerning His Mediatorship, the Scripture holds forth Christ's call to
His office; for none takes this honour upon him, but he that is called of
God, as was Aaron, it being an action of God, whereby a special promise
being made, He ordains His Son to this office; which promise is, that
Christ should be made a sacrifice for sin, that He should see His seed,
and prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His
hand, all of mere free and absolute grace towards God’s elect, and without
any condition foreseen in them to procure it.
Heb.5:4-6; Isa.53:10-11; John 3:16; Rom.8:32.
.13.
This office to be Mediator; that is, to be Prophet, Priest, and King of
the Church of God, is so proper to Christ, that neither in whole, nor any
part thereof, can it be transferred from Him to any other.
I Tim.2:5; Heb.7:24; Dan.7:14; Acts 4:12; Luke 1:33; John 14:6.
.14.
This office to which Christ is called, is threefold, as a Prophet, Priest,
and King; this number and order of offices is necessary; for in respect of
our ignorance, we stand in need of His Prophetical office. And in respect
of our great alienation from
God, we need His Priestly office to reconcile us; and in respect of our
averseness and utter inability to return to God, we need His Kingly
office, to convince, subdue, draw,
uphold, and preserve us to His heavenly Kingdom.
Deut.18:15, with Acts 3:22,23; Heb.3:1, and 4:14,15; Psal.2:6; II
Cor.5:20; Acts 26:18; Col.1:21; John 16:8; Psal.110:3; Cant.1:4; John
6:44; Phil. 4:13; II Tim.4:18.
.15.
Concerning the prophecy of Christ, it is that whereby He hath
revealed the will of God, whatsoever is needful for His servants to
know and obey; and therefore He is called not only a Prophet and Doctor,
and the Apostle of our profession, and the Angel of the Covenant,
but also
the very Wisdom of God, in Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge, who forever continueth revealing the same truth of the
gospel to His people.
John 1:18, & 12:49,50, and 17:8; Deut.18:15; Matt.23:10; Heb.3:1; Mal.3:1;
I Cor.1:24; Col.2:3.
.16.
That He might be a Prophet every way complete, it was necessary He should
be God, and also that He should be man; for unless He had been God, He
could never have perfectly understood the will of God; and unless He had
been man, He could not suitably have unfolded it in His own person to men.
John 1:18; Acts 3:22, with Deut.18:15; Heb.1:1,2.
.17.
Concerning His Priesthood, Christ having sanctified Himself, hath appeared
once to put away sin by that one offering of Himself, a sacrifice for sin,
by which He hath fully finished and suffered all things God required for
the salvation of His elect, and removed all rites and shadows, &c., and is
now entered within the veil into the Holy of Holies, which is the presence
of God. Also He makes His people a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to
offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through Him. Neither doth
the Father accept, or Christ offer to the Father,
any other worship or worshippers.
John 17:19; Heb.5:7-9; 10:12; Rom.5:19; Eph.5:2; Col.1:20; Eph.2:14-16;
Rom.8:34; Heb.9:24, & 8:1; I Pet.2:5; John 4:23,24.
.18.
This priesthood was not legal or temporary, but according to the order of
Melchisedec, and is stable and perfect, not for a time, but
forever, which is suitable to Jesus Christ, as to Him that ever liveth;
Christ was the Priest, sacrifice, and altar; He was a Priest according to
both natures; He was a sacrifice according to His human nature; whence in
Scripture it is attributed to His body, to His blood; yet the
effectualness of this
sacrifice did depend upon His divine nature, therefore it is called the
blood of God. He was the
altar according
to His divine nature,
it belonging to the altar to sanctify that which is offered upon it, and
so it ought to be of greater dignity than the sacrifice itself.
Heb.5:6, 7:17; Heb.7:16-25; Heb.10:10; I Pet.1:18, 19; Col. 1:20,22;
Heb.9:13; Acts 20:28.
Heb.9:14, & 13:10, 12,15;
Matt.23:19; John 17:19.
John 1:18; Acts 3:22 with Deut.18:15; Heb.1:1.
Note
That Jesus Christ is God is wonderfully and clearly expressed in the
Scriptures: He is called, The mighty God; Isa.9:6; That Word was God, John
1:1; Christ Who is God over all, Rom.9:5; God manifested in the flesh, I
Tim.3:16; The same is very God, I John 5:20; He is the first, Rev.1:8; He
gives being to all things, and without Him was nothing made, John 1:3; He
forgives sins, Matt.9:6; He is before Abraham, John 8:58; He was, and is,
and ever will be the same, Heb.13:8; He is always with His to the end of
the world, Matt.28:20; which could not be said of Jesus Christ if He were
not God. And to the Son He saith, Thy Throne, O God is for ever and ever,
Heb.1:8; John 1:18; Acts 20:28;
Also, Christ is not only perfectly God, but perfect Man, made of a
woman, Gal.4:4; made of the seed of David, Rom.1:3; Coming out of the
loins of David, Acts 2:30, of Jesse and Judah, Acts 13:23; in that the
Children were partakers of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise took part
with them, Heb.2:14; He took not on Him the nature of Angels, but
the seed of Abraham, verse 16.
So that we are bone of His bone, and
flesh of His flesh, Eph.5:30; So that He that sanctifieth, and they
that are sanctified, are all of one, Heb.2:11; See Acts 3:22; Deut. 18:15;
Heb.1:1.
.19.
Concerning His kingly office, Christ being risen from the dead, and
ascended into heaven, and having all power in heaven and earth, He doth
spiritually govern His church, and doth exercise His power over all
angels, and men, good and bad, to the preservation and salvation of the
elect, and to the over-ruling and destruction of His enemies.
By this kingly power, He applies the benefits, virtues, and fruits
of His prophecy and priesthood to His elect, subduing their sins,
preserving and strengthening them in all their conflicts against Satan,
the world, and the flesh, keeping their hearts in faith and filial fear by
His Spirit; by this His mighty power He ruleth the vessels of wrath,
using, limiting, and restraining them as it seems good to His infinite
wisdom.
I Cor. 15:4; I Pet.3:21,22; Matt.28:18,19; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:2, &
5:30,31; John 20:17; Rom.14:9; John 5:26,27; Rom.5:6-8, 14, 17;
Gal.5:22,23; Mark 1:27; Heb.1:14; John 16:15; Job.1:8, 2:6;
Rom.9:21,17,18; Eph.4:7,8; II Pet.2:9.
.20.
This His kingly power shall be more fully manifest
when He shall come in glory to reign among His saints, when He
shall put down all rule and authority under His feet, that the glory of
the Father may be perfectly manifested in His Son, and the glory of the
Father and the Son in all His members.
I Cor.15:24,28; Heb.9:28; II Thess. 1:9,10; I Thess.4:15-17; John
17:21,26.
.21.
Jesus Christ by his death did purchase salvation for the elect that God
gave unto him; these only have interest in him, and fellowship with him,
for whom He makes intercession to His Father in the behalf of, and unto
them alone doth God by his Spirit apply this redemption, as also the free
gift of eternal life is given to them, and none else.
Eph.1:14; Heb.5:9; Matt.1:21; John 17:6; Heb.7:25; I Cor.2:12;
Rom.8:29,30; I John 5:12; John 15:13; John 3:16.
.22.
Faith is the gift of God wrought in the hearts of
the elect by the Spirit of God; by
which faith they come to know and believe the truth of the Scriptures, and
the excellence of them above all other writings, and all things in the
world, as they hold forth the glory of God in all His attributes, the
excellency of Christ in His nature and offices, and of the power and
fulness of the Spirit in its workings and operations, and so are
enabled to cast their souls upon this truth thus believed.
Eph.2:8; John 6:29; & 4:10; Phil.1:29; Gal.5:22; John 17:17; Heb.4:11,12;
John 6:63.
.23.
All those that have this precious faith wrought in them by the Spirit, can
never finally nor totaly fall away, seeing the gifts of God are without
repentance; so that he still begets and nourisheth in them faith,
repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit into
immortality; and though many storms and floods arise, and yet they shall
never be able to take them off that foundation and rock, which by faith
they are fastened upon; not withstanding, though unbelief, and the
temptations of Satan, the sensible sight of this light and love be clouded
and overwhelmed for a time; yet God is still the same, and they shall be
sure to be kept by the power of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy
their purchased possession, they being engraven upon the palms of his
hands, and their names having been written in the book of life from all
eternity.
Matt.7:24,25; John 13:10; John 10:28, 29; I Pet. 1:4-6; Isa.49:13-16.
.24.
Faith is ordinarily begotten
by the preaching of the gospel, or word of Christ; without respect to any
power or agency in the creature; but it being wholly passive, and dead in
trespasses and sins, doth believe,
and is converted by no less power than that which raised Christ
from the dead.
Rom.10:17; I Cor.1:21; Rom.9:16; Ezek.16:6; Rom.3:12; Rom.1:16;
Eph.1:19,20; Col.2:12.
.25.
The preaching of the gospel to the conversion of sinners is absolutely
free; no way requiring as absolutely necessary, any qualifications,
preparations, or terrors of the law, or preceding ministry of the law; but
only and alone the naked soul, a sinner and ungodly, to receive Christ
crucified, dead, and buried, and risen again, who is made a Prince and a
Saviour for such sinners as through the gospel shall be brought to believe
on Him.
John 3:14,15; & 1:12; Isa.55:1; John 7:37; I Tim.1:15; Rom.4:5, & 5:8;
Acts 5:30, 31, & 2:36; I
Cor.1:22,24.
.26.
The same power that converts to faith in Christ, carrieth on the
soul through all duties, temptations, conflicts, sufferings; and
whatsoever a believer is, he is by grace, and is carried on in all
obedience and temptations by the same.
I Pet. 1:5; II Cor.12:9; I Cor.15:10; Phil.2:12,13; John 15:5;
Gal.2:19,20.
.27.
All believers are by Christ
united to God, by which
union God is one with them, and they are one with him; and that all
believers are the sons of God, and joint heirs with Christ, to whom belong
all the promises of this life, and that which is to come.
I Thess.1:1; John 17:21 & 20:17; Heb.2:11; I John 4:16; Gal.2:19,20.
.28.
Those that have union with Christ, are justified from all their sins by
the blood of Christ; which justification is a gracious and full
acquittance of a guilty sinner from all sin, by God, through the
satisfaction that Christ hath made by His death for all their sins. And
this applied through faith.
I John 1:7; Heb.10:14; & 9:26; II Cor.5:19; Rom.3:24; Acts 13:38, 39;
Rom.5:1, & 3:25,30.
.29.
All believers are a holy and sanctified people, and that sanctification is
a spiritual grace of the New Covenant, and an effect of the love of God
manifested in the soul, whereby the believer presseth after a heavenly and
evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ, as Head and King
in His new covenant, hath prescribed to them.
I Cor.1:2; I Pet.2:9; Eph.1:4;
I John 4:16; Matt.28:20.
.30.
All believers, through the knowledge of that justification of life given
by the Father, and brought forth by the blood of Christ, have as their
great privilege of the New Covenant, peace with God and reconciliation,
whereby they that were afar off are made nigh by
that blood, and have peace passing all understanding; yea, joy in
God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the atonement.
II Cor.5:19;Rom.5:1,9,10; Isa.54:10, & 26:12; Eph.2:12,13; Phil.4:7;
Rom.5:10,11.
.31.
All believers in the time of this life are in a continual warfare and
combat against sin, self,
the world, and the
devil; and are liable to all manner of afflictions, tribulations, and
persecutions, being
predestinated and appointed thereunto, and whatsoever the saints possess
or enjoy of God spiritually, is by faith; and outward and temporal things
are lawfuly enjoyed by a civil right by them who have no faith.
Rom.7:23,24; Eph.6:10-13; Heb.2:9,10; II Tim.3:12; Rom.8:29; I Thess.3:3;
Gal.2:19,20; II Cor.5:7; Deut.2:5.
.32.
The only strength by which the saints are enabled to encounter with all
oppositions and trials, is only by Jesus Christ, who is the Captain of
their salvation, being made perfect through sufferings, who hath engaged
His faithfulness and strength to assist them in all their afflictions, and
to uphold them in all their temptations, and to preserve them by His power
to His everlasting kingdom.
John 16:33; John 15:5; Phil.4:11; Heb.2:9,10; II Tim.4:18.
.33.
Jesus Christ hath here on earth a spiritual kingdom, which is His church,
whom He hath purchased and redeemed to Himself as a peculiar inheritance;
which church is a company of visible saints,
called and separated
from the world by the Word and Spirit of God, to the visible profession of
the faith of the gospel, being baptized into that faith, and joined to the
Lord, and each to other, by mutual agreement in the practical enjoyment of
the ordinances commanded by Christ their Head and King.
Matt.11:11; II Thess.1:1, & I Cor.1:2; Eph.1:1; Rom.1:7; Acts 19:8,9, &
26:18; II Cor.6:17; Rev.18:4;
Acts 2:37, with 10:37;
Rom.10:10; Matt.28:19,20; Acts
2:42; Acts 9:26;
I Pet.2:5.
.34.
To this church He hath made His promises, and given the signs of His
covenant, presence, acceptation, love, blessings, and protection.
Here are the fountains and springs of his heavenly graces flowing
forth to refresh and
strengthen them.
Matt.28:18-20; I Cor.11:24 & 3:21; II Cor.6:18; Rom.9:4-8; Gal.3:8,9;
Rom.8:35-39; Ezek.47:2.
.35.
And all His servants of all estates, are to acknowledge Him to be their
Prophet, Priest, and King; and called thither, to be enrolled among His
household servants, to present their bodies and souls, and to bring their
gifts God hath given them, to be under His heavenly conduct and
government; to lead their lives in this walled sheepfold, and watered
garden; to have communion here with His saints, that they may be
assured that they are made meet to be partakers of their inheritance in
the kingdom of God; and to supply each other's wants, inward and outward;
{and although each person hath a
property in his own estate, yet
they are to supply each other's
wants, according as their necessities shall require, that the name
of Jesus Christ may not be blasphemed through the necessity of any of the
church;} and also being come, they are here, by Himself, to be bestowed in
their several order, due place, peculiar use, being fitly compacted and
knit together according to the
effectual working of every part, to the edifying of itself in love.
Acts 2:41,47; Isa.4:3; Isa.40:9; Rom.12:1; I Cor.12:6,7,12,18;
Ezek.20:40,37; Can.4:12;
Eph.2:19; Rom.12:4, 4, 6; Col. 1:12, and 2:5,6,19; Acts 20:32; Acts 4:4;
Acts 2:44,45, and 4:34,35; Rom.12:13; I John 3:17;
Eph.4:16.
.36.
Being thus joined, every church hath power given them from Christ, for
their well-being, to choose among themselves meet persons for Elders and
Deacons, being qualified according to the Word, as those which Christ hath
appointed in his Testament, for the feeding,
governing, serving, and building up of His church, and
that none have any power
to impose on them
either these or any other.
Acts 6:3, with 15:22,25;
Rom.12:7,8; I Tim.3:2,6,7,8; I
Cor.12:8, 28; Heb.13:7,17; I Pet. 5:1,2,3; I Pet.4:15.
.37.
That the ministers lawfully called, as aforesaid, ought to continue in
their calling and place, according to God’s ordinance, and carefully to
feed the flock of God committed to them, not for filthy lucre, but of a
ready mind.
Heb.5:4; John 10:3,4;
Acts 20:28,29; Rom.12:7,8;
Heb.13:7,17; I Pet.5:1-3.
.38.
The ministers of Christ ought to have whatsoever they shall need supplied
freely by the church; according to Christ’s ordinance, that they that
preach the gospel, should live of the gospel, by the law of Christ.
I Cor.9:7,14; Gal.6:6; Phil.4:15,16.
.39.
Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, given by Christ, to be
dispensed upon persons professing faith, or that are made disciples; who,
upon profession of faith, ought to be baptized, and after to partake of
the Lord’s Supper.
Matt.28:18,19; John 4:1; Mark 16:15,16; Acts 2:37,38; and 8:36,37,38, and
16.
.40.
That the way and manner of
dispensing this ordinance, is dipping or plunging the body under water;
it, being a sign, must answer the thing signified, which is, that interest
the saints have in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
And that as certainly as the body is buried under water, and risen
again, so certainly shall the bodies of the saints be raised by the power
of Christ, in the day of resurrection, to reign with Christ.
Matt.3:6,16; Mark 1:9, reads {into Jordan} in Greek; John 3:23; Acts 8:38;
Rev.1:5; and 7:14, with Heb.10:22; Rom.6:3, 4 ,5, 6; I Cor.
15:28,29. The word Baptizo signifies to dip or plunge {yet so as
convenient garments be both upon the administrator and subject with all
modesty.}
.41.
The person designed by Christ to dispense baptism, the Scripture holds
forth to be a disciple; it being nowhere tied to a particular church
officer, or person extraordinarily sent; the commission enjoying the
administration, being given to them considered as disciples, being men
able to preach the gospel.
Matt.28:19; (Mark 16:15,16); John 4:2; (Acts 8:4,5,12,38; Acts 10:48;
16:3,15,29,33, and 18:1, 5, 8,
compared with I Cor.1:16,17).
.42.
Christ hath likewise given power to his Church to receive in and cast out
any member that deserves it; and this power is given to every
congregation, and not to one particular person, neither member or officer,
but in relation to the whole body, in reference to their faith and
fellowship.
(Acts 9:26; 18:27); Rom.16:2; (Rom.14:1; II Cor.7:2;
III John 9,10); Matt. 18:17; I Cor.5:4, 11, 12, 13, with 6:2, 3;
II Cor.2:6,7; II Thess. 3:6;
I Pet. 5:3; II John 10.
.43.
And every particular member of each church, how excellent, great, or
learned soever, is subject to this censure and judgment; and that the
church ought not without great care and tenderness, and due advice, but by
the rule of faith, to proceed against her members.
Matt.18:16,17,18; Acts 11:2,3; I Tim.5:19; Col.4:17; Acts 15:1,2,3.
.44.
Christ for the keeping of this church in holy and orderly communion,
placeth some special men over the church, who by their office, are to
govern, oversee, visit, watch; so likewise for the better keeping thereof,
in all places, by the members, he hath given authority, and laid duty upon
all to watch over one another.
Acts 20:17, 28; Heb.13:17,24; Matt.24:45; I Thess.5:12-14; Jude 3, 20;
Heb.10:34, 35, and 12:15.
.45.
Also such to whom God hath given gifts in the church, may and ought to
prophesy, according to the proportion of faith, and so to teach publicly
the word of God, for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the
church.
I Cor.14:3; Rom.12:6; I Pet.4:10,11; I Cor.12:7; I Thess.5:19,20.
.46.
Thus being rightly gathered, and continuing in the obedience of the gospel
of Christ, none are to
separate for faults and corruptions, {for as long as the church consists
of men subject to failings, there will be difference in the true
constituted church} until they have in due order, and
tendernes, sought redress thereof.
Rev. 2 and 3 chap.; Acts 15:1,2; I Cor.1:10; Heb.10:25; Jude 19;
Rev.2:20,21,27; Rom.14:1, and 15:1,2,3.
.47.
And although the particular congregations be distinct and several bodies,
every one as a compact and knit city within itself; yet are they all to
walk by one rule of truth so also they {by all means convenient} are to
have the counsel and help one of another, if necessity require it, as
members of one body, in the common faith, under Christ their Head.
I Cor.4:17; 14:33, 36; 16:1; Psa.122:3; Eph.2:12,19, with Rev.21; I
Tim.3:15; I Cor.4:17; Acts 15:2,3; Song of Sol.8:8,9; II Cor.8:1,4,13,14.
.48.
A Civil magistracy is an ordinance of God, set up by Him for the
punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well; and
that, in all lawful things, commanded by them, subjection ought to be
given by us in the Lord, not only for wrath, but for conscience’s sake;
and that we are to make supplications and prayers for kings, and all that
are in authority, that under them we may live a quiet and peaceable life,
in all godliness and honesty.
Rom.13:1-7; I Pet.2:13,14; I Tim.2:1,2,3.
.49.
But in case we find not the magistrate to favour us herein; yet we dare
not suspend our practice, because we believe we ought to go on in
obedience to Christ, in professing the faith which was once delivered to
the saints, which faith is declared in the Holy Scriptures, and this our
Confession of Faith a part of them, and that we are to witness to the
Truth of the Old and New Testament unto the death, if necessity require,
in the midst of all trials and afflictions, as His saints of old have
done; not accounting our goods, lands, wives, children, fathers, mothers,
brethren, sisters; yea, and our own lives, dear unto us, so we may finish
our course with joy, remembering always that we ought to obey God rather
than men, who will, when we have
finished our course, and kept the faith, give us the crown of
righteousness; to whom we must give an account of all our actions, and no
man being able to discharge us of the same.
Acts 2:23,40, and 4:19; 5:28, 29, and 20:23; I Thess.3:3; Phil.1:28, 29;
Dan.3:16,17, and 6:7,10, 22, 23.
I Tim.6:13, 14, 15.
Rev.2:10; II Tim.4:6,7,8; Rom.14:10,12; II Cor.5:10; Psa.49:7; Psa.50:22.
.50.
It is lawful for a Christian to be a magistrate, or civil officer; and
also it is lawful to take an oath, so it be in truth, and in judgment, and
in righteousness, for confirmation of truth, and ending of all strife; and
that by rash and vain oaths the Lord is provoked, and this land mourns.
Acts 8:27-38, and 10:1,2,35,44; Rom.16:23; Deut.6:13; Rom.1:9; II
Cor.1:23;11:31; Jer.4:2; Heb.6:16; Matt.5:34-37; Jam.5:12.
.51.
We are to give unto all men whatsoever is their due, as their place, age,
estate, requires; and that we defraud no man of anything, but to do unto
all men as we would they should do unto us.
I Thess.4:6; Rom.13:5,6,7; Matt.22:21; I Pet.2:15,17, and 5:5;
Eph.5:21,23, and 6:1-9; Tit.3:1,2,3.
.52.
There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust,
and every one shall give an account of himself to God,
that every one may receive the things done in his body, according
to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Acts 24:15; II Cor.5:10;
Rom.14:12.
THE
CONCLUSION
Thus we desire to give unto Christ that which is His, and unto all lawful
authority that which is their due, and to owe nothing to any man but love;
to live quietly and peaceably, as it becometh saints, endeavouring in all
things to keep a good conscience, and to do unto every man {of what
judgment soever} as we would they should do unto us, that as our practice
is, so it may prove us to be a conscionable, quiet, and harmless people
{no ways dangerous or troublesome to human society,} and to labour and
work with our hands, that we may not be chargeable to any, but to give to
him that needeth, both friends and enemies, accounting it more excellent
to give than to receive. Also
we confess that we know but in part, and that we are ignorant of many
things which we desire and seek to know; and if any shall do us that
friendly part to show us from the Word of God that we see not, we shall
have cause to be thankful to God and them. But if any man shall impose
upon us anything that we see not to be commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ,
we should, in his strength, rather embrace all reproaches and tortures of
men, to be stript of all outward comforts, and if it were possible, to die
a thousand deaths, rather than to do anything against the least tittle of
the truth of God, or against the light of our own consciences. And if any
shall call what we have said heresy, then do we with the apostle
acknowledge, that after the way they call heresy, worship we the God of
our fathers, disclaiming all heresies {rightly so called} because they are
against Christ, and to be stedfast and immoveable, always abounding in
obedience to Christ, as knowing our labour shall not be in vain in the
Lord.
Arise, O God, plead
thine own cause. Remember how the foolish man blasphemeth thee daily.
O let not
the oppressed return, but let the poor and needy praise thy name.
Psalm 74:21, 22.
Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.