12 13. thankfullness strengthen their e 1 Joh. 2 3. 5. 2 Pet. 1. 5-11 assurance edifie their f Mat. 5. 16. brethren adorn the profession of the Gospel stop the mouths of the adversaries and glorifie g 1 Tim. 6. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 15. Phil. 1. 11 God whose workmanship they are created in Christ Jesus h Eph. 2. 10. thereunto that having their fruit unto holiness they may have the end i Rom. 6. 22. eternal life 3. Their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves but wholly from the Spirit k Joh. 15. 4. 6. of Christ and that they may be enabled thereunto besides the graces they have already received there is necessary an l 2 Cor. 3. 5. Phil. 2. 13. actual influence of the same Holy Spirit to work in them to will and to do of his good pleasure yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent as if they were not bound to perform any duty unless upon a special motion of the Spirit but they ought to be diligent in m Phil. 2. 12. Heb. 6. 11 12. Isa 64. 7. stirring up the Grace of God that is in them 4. They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height which is possible in this life are so far from being able to superrogate and to do more then God requires as that n Job 9. 2 3. Gal. 5. 17. Luk. 17. 10. they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do 5. We cannot by our best works merit pardon of Sin or Eternal Life at the hand of God by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come and the infinite distance that is between us and God whom by them we can neither profit nor satisfie for the debt of our o Rom. 3. 20. Eph. 2. 8 9. Rom. 4. 6. former sins but when we have done all we can we have done but our duty and are unprofitable servants and because as they are good they proceed from his p Gal. 5. 22 23. Spirit and as they are wrought by us they are defiled q Isa 64. 6. Ps 143 2. and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection that they cannot endure the severity of Gods judgement 6. Yet notwithstanding the persons of Believers being accepted through Christ their good works also are accepted in r Eph. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 5. him not as though they were in this life wholly unblameable and unreprovable in Gods sight but that he looking upon them in his Son is pleased to accept and reward that which is s Mat. 25. 21. 23. Heb. 6. 10 sincere although accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfections 7. Works done by unregenerate men although for the matter of them they may be things which God commands and of good use both to themselves and t 2 King 10. 30. 1 King 21. 27 29 others yet because they proceed not from a heart purified by u Gen. 4. 5. Heb. 11 4. 6. faith nor are done in a right manner according to the w 1 Cor. 13. 1. word nor to a right end the x Mat. 6. 2. 5. glory of God they are therefore sinful and cannot please God nor make a man meet to receive grace from y Amos 5 21 22. Rom. 9. 16 Tit. 3. 5. God and yet their neglect of them is more sinful and z Job 21. 14 15. Mat. 25. 41 42 43 displeasing to God CHAP. XVII Of Perseverance of the Saints 1. THose whom God hath accepted in the beloved effectually called and Sanctified by his Spirit and given the precious faith of his Elect unto can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace a Joh. 10. 28. 29. Phi. 1. 6. 2 Tim. 2. 19. 1 Joh. 2. 19. but shall certainly persevere therein to the end and be eternally saved seeing the gifts and callings of God are without Repentance whence he still begets and nourisheth in them Faith Repentance Love Joy Hope and all the graces of the Spirit unto immortality and though many storms and floods arise and beat against them yet they shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock which by faith they are fastned upon notwithstanding through unbelief and the temptations of Satan the sensible sight of the light and love of God may for a time be clouded and obscured from b Psal 89. 31 32. 1 Cor. 11. 32. them yet he is still the same c Mal. 3. 6 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 palm of his hands and their names having been written in the book of life from all Eternity 2. This perseverance of the Saints depends not upon their own free will but upon the immutability of the decree of d Rom. 8. 30. ch 9. 11. 16. Election flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ e Rom. 5. 9 10. John 14. 19. and Union with him the f Heb. 6. 17 18. oath of God the abiding of his Spirit the g 1 Joh. 3. 9. seed of God within them and the nature of the h Jer. 32. 40. Covenant of Grace from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof 3. And though they may through the temptation of Satan and of the world the prevalency of corruption remaining in them and the neglect of means of their preservation fall into grievous i Mat. 26. 70 72. 74. sins and for a time continue therein whereby they incur k Is 64. 5. 9. Eph. 4. 30 Gods displeasure and grieve his holy Spirit come to have their graces and l Psal 51. 10. 12. comforts impaired have their hearts hardened and their Consciences wounded m Psa 32. 3 4. hurt and scandalize others and bring temporal judgements n 2 Sam. 12 14. upon themselves yet they shall renew their o Luk. 22. 32. v. 61 62. repentance and be preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end CHAP. XVIII Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation 1. ALthough temporary Believers and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God and state of salvation a Job 8. 13. 14. Mat. 7. 22 23. which hope of theirs shall perish yet such as truely believe in the Lord Jesus and love him in sincerity endeavouring to walk in all good Conscience before him may in this life be certainly assured b 1 Joh. 2. 3. ch 3. 14 18 19. 21. 24. ch 5. 13. that they are in the state of Grace and may rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God which hope shall never make them c Rom. 5. 2. 5. ashamed 2. This certainty is not abare conjectural and
doth oftentimes leave for a season his own children to manifold temptations and the corruptions of their own heart to chastise them for their former sins or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitsulness of their hearts p 2 Chro. 32. 25 26. 31. 2 Sam. 24 1. 2 Cor. 12. 7 8 9. that they may be humbled and to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon himself and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin and for other just and holy ends So that whatsoever befalls any of his elect is by his appointment for his glory q Rom. 8. 28. and their good 6. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God as a righteous judge for former sin doth r Rom. 1. 24. 26. 28. ch 11. 7 8. blind and harden from them he not only withholdeth his s Deut. 29. 4. Grace whereby they might have been inlightned in their understanding and wrought upon in their hearts But sometimes also withdraweth t Mat. 13. 12. the gifts which they had and exposeth them to such u Deut. 2. 30. objects as their corruptions makes occasion of sin and withall x Psal 81. 11 12. 2 Thes 2. 10 11 12. gives them over to their own lusts the temptations of the world and the power of Satan whereby it comes to pass that they y Exod. 8. 15. 32. Is 6. 9 10. 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. harden themselves even under those means which God useth for the softning of others 7. As the Providence of God doth in general reach to all Creatures so after a most special manner it taketh care of his z 1 Tim. 4. 10. Amos 9. 8 9. Isa 43. 3 4 5. Church and disposeth of all things to the good thereof CHAP. VI. Of the fall of Man of Sin and of the Punishment thereof 1. ALthough God created Man upright and perfect and gave him a righteous law which had been unto life had he kept it a Gen. 2. 16 17 and threatned death upon the breach thereof yet he did not long abide in this honour b Gen. 3. 12 13. 2 Cor. 11 3. Satan using the subtilty of the serpent to seduce Eve then by her seducing Adam who without any compulsion did wilfully transgress the Law of their Creation and the command given unto them in eating the forbidden fruit which God was pleased according to his wise and holy Councel to permit having purposed to order it to his own glory 2. Our first Parents by this Sin fell from their c Rom. 3. 23. original righteousness and communion with God and we in them whereby death came upon all d Rom 5. 12. c. all becoming dead in Sin and wholly defiled e Tit. 1. 15 Gen. 6. 5. Jer. 17 9. Rom. 3. 10-19 in all the faculties and parts of soul and body 3. They being the f Rom. 5. 12-19 1 Cor. 15 21 22 45. 49. root and by Gods appointment standing in the room and stead of all mankind the guilt of the Sin was imputed and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation being now g Ps 51. 5. Job 14. 4. conceived in Sin and by nature children h Eph. 2. 3. of wrath the servants of Sin the subjects i Rom. 6. 20. ch 5. 12. of death and all other miseries spiritual temporal and eternal unless the Lord Jesus k Heb. 2. 14. 1 Thes 1. 10. set them free 4. From this original corruption whereby we are l Rom. 8. 7. Col. 1. 21. utterly indisposed disabled and made opposite to all good and wholly inclined to all evil do m Jam. 1 14 15. Mat. 15. 19. proceed all actual transgressions 5. This corruption of nature during this Life doth n Rom. 7. 18. 23. Eccles 7. 20. 1 Joh. 1. 8. remain in those that are regenerated and although it be through Christ pardoned and mortified yet both it self and the first motions thereof are truely and properly o Rom. 7. 24. 25. Gal. 5. 17 Sin CHAP. VII Of Gods Covenant 1. THE distance between God and the Creature is so great that although reasonable Creatures do owe obedience unto him as their Creator yet they could never have attained the reward of Life but by some a Luk. 17. 10. Job 35. 7. 8. voluntary condescension on Gods part which he hath been pleased to express by way of Covenant 2. Moreover Man having brought himself b Gen. 2. 17. Gal. 3. 10. Rom. 3. 20 21. under the curse of the Law by his fall it pleased the Lord to make a Covenant of Grace wherein he freely offereth unto Sinners c Rom. 8. 3. Mark 16. 15. 16. Joh. 3. 16. Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ requiring of them Faith in him that they may be saved and d Ezek. 36. 26 27. Joh. 6. 44 45. Ps 110. 3. promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto eternal Life his holy Spirit to make them willing and able to believe 3. This Covenant is revealed in the Gospel first of all to Adam in the promise of Salvation by the e Gen. 3. 15. seed of the woman and afterwards by farther steps untill the full f Heb. 1. 1. discovery thereof was compleated in the new Testament and it is founded in that * 2 Tim. 1. 9. Tit. 1. 2. Eternal Covenant transaction that was between the Father and the Son about the Redemption of the Elect and it is alone by the Grace of this Covenant that all of the posterity of fallen Adam that ever were g Heb 11. 6. 13. Rom. 4. 1 2 c. Act. 4. 12. Joh. 8. 56. saved did obtain life and a blessed immortality Man being now utterly uncapable of acceptance with God upon those terms on which Adam stood in his state of innocency CHAP. VIII Of Christ the Mediator 1. IT pleased God in his eternal purpose to chuse and ordain the Lord Jesus his only begotten Son according to the Covenant made between them both a Is 42. 1. 1. Pet. 1. 19 20. to be the Mediator between God and Man the b Act. 3. 22. Prophet c Heb. 5. 5 6. Priest and d Ps 2. 6 Luk. 1. 33 Eph. 1. 23 Heb. 1. 2. Act. 17. 31 King Head and Saviour of his Church the heir of all things and judge of the world Unto whom he did from all Eternity e Is 53. 10. Joh. 17. 6. Rom. 8. 30. give a people to be his seed and to be by him in time redeemed called justified sanctified and glorified 2. The Son of God the second Person in the Holy Trinity being very and eternal God the brightness of the Fathers glory of one substance and equal with him who made the World who upholdeth and governeth all things he hath made did when the fullness of time was come take
and callings in the Exercise of their Gifts and Graces so the Churches when planted by the providence of God so as they may injoy opportunity and advantage for it ought to hold e Rom. 16. 1 2. 3 Joh. 8 9 10. communion amongst themselves for their peace increase of love and mutual edification 15. In cases of difficulties or differences either in point of Doctrine or Administration wherein either the Churches in general are concerned or any one Church in their peace union and edification or any member or members of any Church are injured in or by any proceedings in censures not agreeable to truth and order it is according to the mind of Christ that many Churches holding communion together do by their messengers meet to consider f Act. 15. 2 4 6. 22 23. 25. and give their advice in or about that matter in difference to be reported to all the Churches concerned howbeit these messengers assembled are not entrusted with any Church-power properly so called or with any jurisdiction over the Churches themselves to exercise any censures either over any Churches or Persons or g 2 Cor. 1. 24. 1 Joh. 4. 1 to impose their determination on the Churches or Officers CHAP. XXVII Of the Communion of Saints 1. ALL Saints that are united to Jesus Christ their Head by his Spirit and Faith although they are not made thereby one person with him have a 1 Joh. 1. 3. Joh. 1. 16. Phil. 3 10 Kom 6. 5 6. fellowship in his Graces sufferings death resurrection and glory and being united to one another in love they b Eph. 4. 15 16. 1 Cor. 12. 7. 1 Cor. 3 21 22 23. have communion in each others gifts and graces and are obliged to the performance of such duties publick and private in an orderly way c 1 Thes 5. 11. 14. Rom. 1. 12. 1 Joh. 3. 17. 18. Gal 6. 10. as do conduce to their mutual good both in the inward and outward man 2. Saints by profession are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God and in performing such other spiritual services d Heb. 10 24 25. with ch 3. 12 13. as tend to their mutual edification as also in relieving each other in e Act. 12. 29. 30. outward things according to their several abilities and necessities which communion according to the rule of the Gospel though especially to be exercised by them in the relations wherein they stand whether in f Eph. 6. 4. families or g 1 Cor. 12. 14. -27. Churches yet as God offereth opportunity is to be extended to all the houshold of faith even all those who in every place call upon the names of the Lord Jesus nevertheless their communion one with another as Saints doth not take away or h Act. 5. 4 Eph. 4. 28 infringe the title or propriety which each man hath in his goods and possessions CHAP. XXVIII Of Baptism and the Lords Supper 1. BAptism and the Lords Supper are ordinances of positive and soveraign institution appointed by the Lord Jesus the only Law-giver to be continued in his Church a Mat. 28 19 20. 1 Cor. 11. 26. to the end of the world 2 These holy appointments are to be administed by those only who are qualified and thereunto called according b Mat. 28. 19. 1 Cor. 4. 1. to the commission of Christ CHAP. XXIX Of Baptism 1. BAptism is an Ordinance of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ to be unto the party Baptized a sign of his fellowship with him in his death c Rom. 6. 3. 4 5. Col. 2. 12. Gal. 3. 27. and resurrection of his being engrafted into him of d Mar. 1. 4. Act. 26. 16. remission of sins and of his e Rom 6. 2 4. giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to live and walk in newness of Life 2. Those who do actually professe f Mar. 16. 16. Act. 8. 36 37 repentance towards God faith in and obedience to our Lord Jesus are the only proper subjects of this ordinance 3. The outward element to be used in this ordinance g Mat 28. 19 20. with Act. 8. 38. is water wherein the party is to be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit 4. Immersion or dipping of the person h Mat. 3. 16. Joh. 3 23. in water is necessary to the due administration of this ordinance CHAP. XXX Of the Lords Supper 1. THE Supper of the Lord Jesus was instituted by him the same night wherein he was betrayed to be observed in his Churches unto the end of the world for the perpetual remembrance and shewing forth the sacrifice of himself in his death a 1 Cor. 11. 23 24. 25 26. confirmation of the faith of believers in all the benefits thereof their spiritual nourishment and growth in him their further ingagement in and to all duties which they owe unto him b 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. 21. and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with him and with each other 2. In this ordinance Christ is not offered up to his Father nor any real sacrifice made at all for remission of sin of the quick or dead but only a memorial of that c Heb. 9. 25 26. 28. one offering up of himself by himself upon the crosse once for all and a spiritual oblation of all d 1 Cor. 11. 24. Mat. 26. 26 27. possible praise unto God for the same so that the Popish sacrifice of the Mass as they call it is most abominable injurious to Christs own only sacrifice the alone propitiation for all the sins of the Elect. 3. The Lord Jesus hath in this Ordinance appointed his Ministers to Pray and bless the Elements of Bread and Wine and thereby to set them apart from a common to an holy use and to take and break the Bread to take the Cup e 1 Cor. 11. 23 24 25 26 c and they communicating also themselves to give both to the Communicants 4. The denyal of the Cup to the people worshiping the Elements the lifting them up or carrying them about for adoration and reserving them for any pretended religious use f Mat 26. 26 27 28. Mat. 15. 9. Exod. 20. 4 5. are all contrary to the nature of this Ordinance and to the institution of Christ 5. The outward Elements in this Ordinance duely set apart to the uses ordained by Christ have such relation to him crucified as that truely although in terms used figuratively they are sometimes called by the name of the things they represent to wit the g 1 Cor. 11. 27. body and Blood of Christ albeit in substance and nature they still remain truly and only h 1 Cor. 11. 26. v. 28. Bread and Wine as they were before 6. That doctrine which maintains a change of the substance of Bread and Wine into the substance of Christs
body and blood commonly called Transubstantiation by consecration of a Priest or by any other way is repugnant not to Scripture i Act. 3. 21. Luk. 24. 6. v. 39. alone but even to common sense and reason overthroweth the k 1 Cor. 11. 24 25. nature of the ordinance and hath been and is the cause of manifold superstitions yea of gross Idolatries 7. Worthy receivers outwardly partaking of the visible Elements in this Ordinance do then also inwardly by faith really and indeed yet not carnally and corporally but spiritually receive and feed upon Christ crucified l 1 Cor. 10. 16. ch 11. 23 26. all the benefits of his death the Body and Blood of Christ being then not corporally or carnally but spiritually present to the faith of Believers in that Ordinance as the Elements themselves are to their outward senses 8. All ignorant and ungodly persons as they are unfit to enjoy communion m 2 Cor 6 14 15. with Christ so are they unworthy of the Lords Table and cannot without great sin against him while they remain such partake of these holy mysteries n 1 Cor. 11. 29. Mat. 7. 6. or be admitted thereunto yea whosoever shall receive unworthily are guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord eating and drinking judgement to themselves CHAP. XXXI Of the State of Man after Death and of the Resurrection of the Dead 1. THE Bodies of Men after Death return to dust a Gen. 3. 19. Act. 13. 36. and see corruption but their Souls which neither die nor sleep having an immortal subsistence immediately b Eccles 12. 7. return to God who gave them the Souls of the Righteous being then made perfect in holyness are received into paradise where they are with Christ and behold the face of God in light c Luk. 23. 43. 2 Cor. 5. 1 6 8. Phil. 1. 23 Heb. 12. 23. and glory waiting for the full Redemption of their Bodies and the souls of the wicked are cast into hell where they remain in torment and utter darkness reserved to d Jud. 6 7. 1 Pet. 3. 19. Luk. 16. 23 24. the judgement of the great day besides these two places for Souls separated from their bodies the Scripture acknowledgeth none 2. At the last day such of the Saints as are found alive shall not sleep but be e 1 Cor. 15. 51 52. 1 Thes 4. 17. changed and all the dead shall be raised up with the self same bodies and f Job 19. 26 27. none other although with different g 1 Cor. 15. 42 43. qualities which shall be united again to their Souls for ever 3. The bodies of the unjust shall by the power of Christ be raised to dishonour the bodies of the just by his spirit unto honour h Act. 24. 15. Joh. 5. 28 29. Phil. 3. 21 and be made conformable to his own glorious Body CHAP. XXXII Of the Last Judgement 1. GOD hath appointed a Day wherein he will judge the world in Righteousness by a Act. 17. 31. Joh. 5. 22. 27. Jesus Christ to whom all power and judgement is given of the Father in which Day not only the b 1 Cor. 6 3. Jud. 6. Apostate Angels shall be judged but likewise all persons that have lived upon the Earth shall appear before the Tribunal of Christ e 2 Cor. 5. 10. Eccles 12 14. Mat. 12. 36. Rom. 14. 10. 12. Mat. 25. 32. c. to give an account of their Thoughts Words and Deeds and to receive according to what they have done in the body whether good or evil 2. The end of Gods appointing this Day is for the manifestation of the glory of his Mercy in the Eternal Salvation of the Elect d Rom 9. 22 23. and of his Justice in the Eternal damnation of the Reprobate who are wicked and disobedient for then shall the Righteous go into Everlasting Life and receive that fulness of Joy and Glory with everlasting reward in the presence e Mat. 25. 21. 34. 2 Tim. 4. 8. of the Lord but the wicked who know not God and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ shall be cast into Eternal torments and f Mat. 25. 46. Mar. 9. 48. 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9 10. punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 3. As Christ would have us to be certainly perswaded that there shall be a Day of judgement both g 2 Cor. 5. 10 11. to deter all men from sin and for the greater h 2 Thes 1. 5 6 7. consolation of the godly in their adversity so will he have that day unknown to Men that they may shake off all carnal security and be always watchful because they know not at what hour the i Mar. 13. 35 36 37 Luk. 13. 35 36. Lord will come and may ever be prepared to say k Rev. 22 20. Come Lord Jesus Come quickly Amen AN APPENDIX WHosoever reads and impartially considers what we have in our forgoing confession declared may readily perceive That we do not only concenter with all other true Christians on the Word of God revealed in the Scriptures of truth as the foundation and rule of our faith and worship But that we have also industriously endeavoured to manifest That in the fundamental Articles of Christianity we mind the same things and have therefore expressed our belief in the same words that have on the like occasion been spoken by other societies of Christians before us This we have done That those who are desirous to know the principles of Religion which we hold and practise may take an estimate from our selves who jointly concur in this work and may not be misguided either by undue reports or by the ignorance or errors of particular persons who going under the same name with our selves may give an occasion of scandalizing the truth we profess And although we do differ from our brethren who are Paedobaptists in the subject and administration of Baptisme and such other circumstances as have a necessary dependence on our observance of that Ordinance and do frequent our own assemblies for our mutual edification and discharge of those duties and services which we owe unto God and in his fear to each other yet we would not be from hence misconstrued as if the discharge of our own consciences herein did any wayes disoblige or alienate our affections or conversation from any others that fear the Lord but that we may and do as we have opportunity participate of the labors of those whom God hath indued with abilities above our selves and qualified and called to the Ministry of the Word earnestly desiring to approve our selves to be such as follow after peace with holyness and therefore we alwaies keep that blessed Irenicum or healing Word of the Apostle before our eyes if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you nevertheless
A CONFESSION OF FAITH Put forth by the ELDERS and BRETHREN Of many CONGREGATIONS OF Christians baptized upon Profession of their Faith in London and the Country With the Heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation Rom. 10. 10. Search the Scriptures John 5. 39. Printed in the Year 1677. TO THE Judicious and Impartial READER Courteous Reader IT is now many years since divers of us with other sober Christians then living and walking in the way of the Lord that we professe did conceive our selves to be under a necessity of Publishing a Confession of our Faith for the information and satisfaction of those that did not throughly understand what our principles were or had entertained prejudices against our Profession by reason of the strange representation of them by some men of note who had taken very wrong measures and accordingly led others into misapprehensions of us and them and this was first put forth about the year 1643. in the name of seven Congregations then gathered in London since which time diverse impressions thereof have been dispersed abroad and our end proposed in good measure answered inasmuch as many and some of those men eminent both for piety and learning were thereby satisfied that we were no way guilty of those Heterodoxies and fundamental errors which had too frequently been charged upon us without ground or occasion given on our part And forasmuch as that Confession is not now commonly to be had and also that many others have since embraced the same truth which is owned therein it was judged necessary by us to joyn together in giving a testimony to the world of our firm adhering to those wholesome Principles by the publication of this which is now in your hand And forasmuch as our method and manner of expressing our sentiments in this doth vary from the former although the substance of the matter is the same we shall freely impart to you the reason and occasion thereof One thing that greatly prevailed with us to undertake this work was not only to give a full account of our selves to those Christians that differ from us about the subject of Baptism but also the profit that might from thence arise unto those that have any account of our labors in their instruction and establishment in the great truths of the Gospel in the clear understanding and steady belief of which our comfortable walking with God and fruitfulness before him in all our ways is most neerly concerned and therefore we did conclude it necessary to expresse our selves the more fully and distinctly and also to fix on such a method as might be most comprehensive of those things which we designed to explain our sense and belief of and finding no defect in this regard in that fixed on by the assembly and after them by those of the Congregational way we did readily conclude it best to retain the same order in our present confession and also when we observed that those last mentioned did in their confession for reasons which seemed of weight both to themselves and others choose not only to express their mind in words concurrent with the former in sense concerning all those articles wherein they were agreed but also for the most part without any variation of the terms we did in like manner conclude it best to follow their example in making use of the very same words with them both in these articles which are very many wherein our faith and doctrine is the same with theirs and this we did the more abundantly to manifest our consent with both in all the fundamental articles of the Christian Religion as also with many others whose orthodox confessions have been published to the world on the behalf of the Protestants in divers Nations and Cities and also to convince all that we have no itch to clogge Religion with new words but do readily acquiesce in that form of sound words which hath been in consent with the holy Scriptures used by others before us hereby declaring before God Angels Men our hearty agreement with them in that wholesome Protestant Doctrine which with so clear evidence of Scriptures they have asserted some things indeed are in some places added some terms omitted and some few changed but these alterations are of that nature as that we need not doubt any charge or suspition of unsoundness in the faith from any of our brethren upon the account of them In those things wherein we differ from others we have exprest our selves with all candor and plainness that none might entertain jealousie of ought secretly lodged in our breasts that we would not the world should be acquainted with yet we hope we have also observed those rules of modesty and humility as will render our freedom in this respect inoffensive even to those whose sentiments are different from ours We have also taken care to affix texts of Scripture in the margin for the confirmation of each article in our confession in which work we have studiously indeavoured to select such as are most clear and pertinent for the proof of what is asserted by us and our earnest desire is that all into whose hands this may come would follow that never enough commended example of the noble Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily that they might find out whether the things preached to them were so or not There is one thing more which we sincerely professe and earnestly desire credence in viz. That contention is most remote from our design in all that we have done in this matter and we hope the liberty of an ingenuous unfolding our principles and opening our hearts unto our Brethren with the Scripture grounds on which our faith and practise leanes will by none of them be either denyed to us or taken ill from us Our whole design is accomplished if we may obtain that Justice as to be measured in our principles and practise and the judgement of both by others according to what we have now published which the Lord whose eyes are as a flame of fire knoweth to be the doctrine which with our hearts we must firmly believe and sincerely indeavour to conform our lives to And oh that other contentions being laid asleep the only care and contention of all upon whom the name of our blessed Redeemer is called might for the future be to walk humbly with their God and in the exercise of all Love and Meekness towards each other to perfect holyness in the fear of the Lord each one endeavouring to have his conversation such as becometh the Gospel and also suitable to his place and capacity vigorously to promote in others the practice of true Religion and undefiled in the sight of God and our Father And that in this backsliding day we might not spend our breath in fruitless complaints of the evils of others but may every one begin at home to reform in the first place our own hearts and wayes and then