A Confession of Faith of seven congregations or churches of Christ in London, which are commonly, but unjustly, called Anabaptists; published for the vindication of the truth and information of the ignorant; likewise for the taking off those aspersions which are frequently, both in pulpit and print, unjustly cast upon them. Printed in London, Anno 1646.

But this I confesse unto thee, that after the way which they call heresie 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 unjust. - Acts xxiv. 14, 15.

For we cannot but speak the things that we have seen and heard. - Acts iv. 20.
If I have spoken evill, bear witnesse of the evill; but if well, why smitest thou me? - John xviii. 23.
Blessed are yee when men revile you, and say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake. Rejoice, etc. - Matth. v.11, 12. & xix. 29.

1.

That God as He is in Himself, cannot be comprehended of any but himself,(1) dwelling in that inaccessible light, that no eye can attain unto, whom never man saw, nor can see; that there is but(2) one God, one Christ, one Spirit, one Faith, one Baptism;(3) one rule of holiness and obedience for all Saints, at all times, in all places to be observed.

1) 1 Tim. 6:16
2) 1 Tim. 2:5; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Cor. 12: 4-6,13; John 14
3) 1 Tim. 6:3,13,14; Gal. 1:8-9; 2 Tim. 3:15

2.

That God is(1) of Himself, that is, neither from another, nor of another, nor by another, nor for another: (2) But is a Spirit, who as his being is of Himself, so He gives(3) being, moving, and preservation to all other things, being in Himself eternal, most holy, every way infinite in(4) greatness, wisdom, power, justice, goodness, truth, etc. In this Godhead, there is the Father, the Son, and the Spirit; being every on of them one and the same God; and therefore not divided, but distinguished one from another by their several properties; the(5) Father being from Himself, the(6) Son of the Father from everlasting, the(7) Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son.

1) Isa. 43:11; 46:9
2) John 4:24
3) Exod. 3:14
4) Rom. 11:36; Acts 17:28
5) 1 Cor. 8:6
6) Prov. 8:22-23
7) John 15:16; Gal. 4:6

3.

That God has(1) decreed in Himself from everlasting touching all things, effectually to work and dispose them(2) according to the counsel of His own will, to the glory of His name; in which decree appears His wisdom, constancy, truth, and faithfulness;(3) Wisdom is that whereby He contrives all things;(4) Constancy is that whereby the decree of God remains always immutable;(5) Truth is that whereby He declares that alone which He has decreed, and though His sayings may seem to sound sometimes another thing, yet the sense of them does always agree with the decree;(6) Faithfulness is that whereby He effects that He has decreed, as He has decreed. And touching His creature man,(7) God had in Christ before the foundation of the world, according to the good pleasure of His will, foreordained some men to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of His grace,(8) leaving the rest in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His justice.

1) Isa. 46:10
2) Eph. 1:11
3) Col. 2:3
4) Num. 23:19-20
5) Jer. 10:10; Rom. 3:4
6) Isa. 44:10
7) Eph. 1:3-7; 2 Tim. 1:9; Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:29-30
8) Jude 4,6; Rom. 9:11-13; Prov. 16:4

4.

(1) In the beginning God made all things very good, created man after His own(2) image and likeness, filling him with all perfection of all natural excellency and uprightness, free from all sin.(3) But long he abode not in this honor, but by the (4) subtlety of the Serpent, which Satan used as his instrument, himself with his angels having sinned before and not(5) kept their first estate, but left their own habitation; first(6) Eve, then Adam being seduced did wittingly and willingly fall into disobedience and transgression of the Commandment of their great Creator, for the which death came upon all, and reigned over all, so that all since the Fall are conceived in sin, and brought forth in iniquity, and so by nature children of wrath, and servants of sin, subjects of(7) death, and all other calamities due to sin in this world and for ever, being considered in the state of nature, without relation to Christ.

1) Gen. 1; Col. 1:16; Heb. 11:3; Isa. 45:12
2) Gen. 1:26; 1 Cor. 15:45-46; Ecc. 7:31
3) Psa. 49:20
4) Gen. 3:1, 4, 5; 2 Cor. 11:3
5) 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; John 8:44
6) Gen. 3:1, 2, 6; 1 Tim. 2:14; Ecc. 7:31; Gal. 3:32
7) Rom. 5:12, 18, 19; 6:23; Eph. 2:3

5.

All mankind being thus fallen, and become altogether dead in sins and trespasses, and subject to the eternal wrath of the great God by transgression; yet the elect, which God has(1) loved with an everlasting love, are(2) redeemed, quickened, and saved, not by themselves, neither by their own works, lest any man should boast himself, but wholly and only by God of(3) His free grace and mercy through Jesus Christ, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, that as it is written he that rejoices, let him rejoice in the Lord.

1) Jer. 31:2
2) Gen 3:15; Eph. 1:3, 7; 2:4, 9; 1 Thes. 5:9; Acts 13:38
3) 1 Cor.5:21; Jer. 9:23, 24

6.

(1) This therefore is life eternal, to know the only true God, and whom He has sent Jesus Christ.(2) And on the contrary, the Lord will render vengeance in flaming fire to them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1) John 17:3; Heb. 5:9; Jer. 23:5, 6
2) 2 Thes. 1:8; John 3:36

7.

The rule of this knowledge, faith, and obedience, concerning the worship and service of God, and all other Christian duties, is not mans inventions, opinions, devices, laws, constitutions, or traditions unwritten whatsoever, but only the word of God contained in the Canonical Scriptures.

John 5:39; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Col. 21:18, 23; Mat. 15:9

8.

In this written Word God has plainly revealed whatsoever He has thought needful for us to know, believe, and acknowledge, touching the nature and office of Christ, in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen to the praise of God.

Acts 3:22, 23; Heb. 1:1, 2; 2 Tim 3:15-17; 2 Cor. 1:20

9.

Touching the Lord Jesus, of whom(1) Moses and the Prophets wrote, and whom the Apostles preached, is the(2) Son of God the Father, the brightness of His glory, the ingrave form of His being, God with Him and with His Holy Spirit, by whom He made the world, by whom He upholds and governs all the works He has made, who also(3) when the fullness of time was come was, was made man of a(4) woman, of the Tribe of(5) Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David, to wit, of Mary that blessed Virgin, by the Holy Spirit coming upon her, and the power of the most High overshadowing her, and was also in(6) all things like unto us, sin only excepted.

1) Gen. 3:15; 22:18; 49:10; Dan. 7:13; 9:24-26
2) Prov. 8:23; John 1:1-3; Col. 1:1, 15-17
3) Gal. 4:4
4) Heb. 7:14; Rev. 5:5 with Gen. 49:9-10
5) Rom. 1:3; 9:5; Mat. 1:16; Luke 3:23, 26; Heb. 2:16
6) Isa.53:3-5; Phil. 2:8