ought not to be wise above what is written And that a human Tradition or Custom ought not to be regarded but that it is sinful and abominable We believe also that Baptism is only rightly administred by Immersion or dipping the whole Body in Water into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit according to Christ's Institution and the Practice of the Apostles and not by sprinkling or pouring of Water or dipping some part of the Body in Water after the Tradition of Men. And that it is the indispensible Duty of such who are baptized to give up themselves to some particular orderly Church of Jesus Christ and to walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless Baptism being an initiating Ordinance Of a true Church XXII WE believe a true Church of Christ is not National nor Parochial but doth consist of a number of godly Persons who upon the Profession of their Faith and Repentance have been baptized and in a solemn manner have in a Holy Covenant given themselves up to the Lord and to one another to live in Love and to endeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace Among whom the Word of God is duly and truly preach'd and Holy Baptism the Lord's Supper and all other Ordinances are duly administred according to the Word of God and the Institution of Christ in the Primitive Church watching over one another and communicating to each other's Necessities as becometh Saints living Holy Lives as becomes their sacred Profession and not to forsake the assembling themselves as the manner of some is or to take leave to hear where they please in other Places when the Church is assembled but to worship God and feed in that Pasture or with that Church with whom they have covenanted and given up themselves as particular Members thereof Of Laying on of Hands XXIII WE believe that laying on of Hands with Prayer upon baptized Believers as such is an Ordinance of Christ and ought to be submitted unto by all such Persons that are admitted to partake of the Lord's Supper and that the end of this Ordinance is not for the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit but for a farther Reception of the Holy Spirit of Promise or for the Addition of the Graces of the Spirit and the Influences thereof to confirm strengthen and comfort them in Christ Jesus it being ratified and established by the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit in the Primitive Times to abide in the Church as meeting together on the first Day of the Week was Act. 2. 1. that being the Day of Worship or Christian Sabbath under the Gospel and as Preaching the Word was Acts 10. 44. and as Baptism was Mat. 3. 16. and Prayer was Acts 4. 31. and singing Psalms c. was Acts 16. 25 26. so this of laying on of Hands was Acts 8. ch 19. For as the whole Gospel was confirmed by Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost in general so was every Ordinance in like manner confirmed in particular Of the Lord's Supper XXIV WE believe that the Holy Ordinance of the Lord's Supper which he instituted the Night before he was betrayed ought to be observed to the end of the World and that it consisteth only in breaking of Bread and drinking of Wine in remembrance of Christ's Death it being appointed for our spiritual Nourishment and Growth in Grace and as a farther Engagement in and to all Duties we owe to Jesus Christ and as a Pledg of his eternal Love to us and as a Token of our Communion with him and one with another And that due Preparation and Examination is required of all that ought to partake thereof and that it cannot be neglected by any approved and orderly Member without Sin Of Church-Officers XXV WE do believe that every particular Church of Christ is Independent and that no one Church hath any Priority or Super-intendency above or over another and that every Church ought to be Organical that an Elder or Elders a Deacon or Deacons ought to be elected in every Congregation according to those holy Qualifications laid down in the Word of God and that the said Elders and Deacons so chosen ought solemnly to be ordained with Prayer and laying on of Hands of the Eldership That such Churches as have not Officers so ordained are disorderly there being something still wanting Of Prayer XXVI WE believe Prayer is a holy Ordinance of God and that it ought to be performed by the Help and Assistance of the Holy Spirit and that not only the Prayer Christ taught his Disciples but the whole Word of God is to be our Rule how to pray and pour forth our Souls unto God and that it is the indispensible Duty of all godly Families and others also as well as private Christians daily to pray for all things they need and to give Thanks every Day for all good things they receive and that the Omission of this Duty is a great Scandal to Religion and a great Evil when it is carelesly or negligently performed Of singing of Psalms c. XXVII WE believe that singing the Praises of God is a holy Ordinance of Christ and not a part of Natural Religion or a moral Duty only but that it is brought under Divine Institution it being injoined on the Churches of Christ to sing Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs and that the whole Church in their Publick Assemblies as well as private Christians ought to sing God's Praises according to the best Light they have received Moreover it was practised in the great Representative Church by our Lord Jesus Christ with his Disciples after he had instituted and celebrated the Sacred Ordinance of his Holy Supper as a commemorative Token of Redeeming Love Of the Christian Sabbath XXVIII WE believe that one Day in seven ought to be solemnly observed in the Worship of God and that by Moses's Law the Jews and proselyted Strangers were to keep the seventh Day but from the Resurrection of Christ the first Day of the Week ought by all Christians to be observed Holy to the Lord that being called the Lord's Day and the first time the Church met together after Christ's Ascension was on the Day of Pentecost which was the first Day of the Week as Tradition hath handed it down and on that Day the Church also met together to break Bread and make Collections for the poor Saints and no mention is made that any one Gospel-Church kept the Jewish Sabbath in all the New Testament And we believe that an Apostolical Precedent is equivalent to an Apostolical Precept in this case Of Ministers and their Maintenance XXIX WE do believe that every Brother that hath received a Gift to preach having first pass'd the Probation of the Church and being regularly called by the same
Confession of FAITH Containing the Substance Of all the Fundamental ARTICLES IN THE Larger Confession put for t 〈…〉 the Elders of the Bapti 〈…〉 Churches Owning Personal Electio 〈…〉 Final Perseverance Acts 24. 14. After the way 〈…〉 Heresy so worship we the Go 〈…〉 ther 's believing all things wh 〈…〉 in the Law and the Prophets 〈…〉 LONDON Printed in the 〈…〉 THE ARTICLES OF THE FAITH OF THE. CHURCH of CHRIST OR Congregation meeting at Horsley-down BENJAMIN KEACH Pastor As asserted this 10th of the 6th Month 1697. LONDON Printed in the Year 1697. To the Congregation with whom I am a Member and the unworthy Overseer who are in God the Father and in our Lord Jesus Christ Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied Most Dear and Beloved in Christ I Hope I can say with the holy Apostle that you are by me dearly beloved my Joy and my Crown yea you are my Honour and in you I would rejoice being the Ornament of my poor Ministry by which the most of you have through the Blessing of God been converted to Jesus Christ and if you stand fast in the Faith in one Spirit striving together for the Faith of the Gospel and do adorn your Profession living in Love and endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace you will cause my latter days to be most sweet and comfortable to me after all those Troubles Sorrows and Reproaches I have met with both from within and from without Evident it is God hath most eminently appeared to strengthen your hands tho the Archers have sorely grieved you and shot at you yet your Bow abideth in strength and that the Arms of your Hands may still abide strong by the Arm of the mighty God of Jacob shall be my continual Prayers My Brethren I here present you with that which you have so long waited for and desired me to endeavour to do viz. to state an account of the most concerning Articles of your Faith which you have heard read and have approved of and which I thought good no longer to delay the doing of 1. Not knowing how soon I may put off this Tabernacle and therefore would leave behind me an account of that holy Doctrine and Order in which through Grace you are established for at your desire also I have drawn up the whole Rules of your holy Discipline which you may have added unto this and bound up together 2. And the rather I have done this because the General and more Large Confession of the Faith of our Churches is now out of Print but that is not all for that being 12 d. price some cannot well purchase it 3. And also that all Men may see what our Faith is and that we differ not from our Brethren who bear other Names in any Fundamental Point or Article of Faith and that they may discern the difference between you and some that bear the same Name with you 4. Tho you agree in the general with all other Churches of the same Faith in all those Articles there inserted yet therein your whole Faith is not comprehended viz. that of Imposition of Hands upon baptized Believers as such and singing of God's Praise c. because some of our Churches dissent from us therein yet my desire is you would nevertheless shew all Tenderness Charity and Moderation to such as differ from you in those Cases and not refuse Communion with them and indeed your late sweet Temper appears to be such that I need not press you to this All that I shall say more is to entreat you to labour after Holiness and to awake out of sleep that you may adorn your sacred Profession and prepare to meet the Lord that as you have a good Doctrine you may also have a holy and good Conversation and then we need not fear who can harm us whilst we are followers of that which is good O let us bear one with another and if in any thing we differ let us avoid all Animosities Brethren great things are near watch and pray look out and be ready But at present I shall conclude with the words of the Apostle Finally Brethren farewel be perfect be of good comfort be of one Mind live in peace and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you So prays your unworthy Brother Pastor Overseer and Servant who earnestly desires your Prayers also From my House in Freemans-lane by Horsley-down Southwark Aug. 16. 1697. B. Keach That the following Articles contain what the foresaid Church believes concerning those Truths asserted therein we whose Names are hereunto subscribed do testify in the Name and by the Appointment of the whole Congregation the 10th day of the 6th Month commonly called August 1697. BEnjamin Keach Pastor Benjamin Stinton Teacher John Roberts Edward Foley Joshua Farrow Tho. Stinton John Valley Isaac Ballard Deacons John Hoar sen Edward Newbury Tho. Turner John Seamor Ephraim Wilcocks James Wilmott Daniel Dines Richard Thoubals John Weston John Clark Tho. Ayers John York George Starkey sen Benj. Harris George Starkey jun. John Beavis Tho. Hill Joseph Berry William Farmworth Joseph Jennings John Fowle sen Tho. Fowle John Fowle jun. Henry Skeer John Greensmith Jeremiah Lions William Putman Nath. Holden William Cattrel Tho. Harvey Tho. Richford Joseph Worley Peter Carter William Forister Sam. Cox John Sparke James King William Deale Simon Agars John Hoar jun. Tho. Gunning William Mais The Articles of Faith of the Church of Christ meeting at Horsley-Down Of God and of the Holy Trinity I. WE do believe declare and testify that there is but One Only Living and True God who is a Spirit Infinite Eternal Immense and Unchangeable in his Being Wisdom Power Holiness Justice Goodness Truth and Faithfulness II. That there are three Persons in the Godhead the Father the Son and Holy Spirit and that these three are One God the same in Essence equal in Power and Glory Of the Decrees of God III. THat the Decrees of God are his Eternal Purpose according to the Counsel of his Will whereby for his own Glory he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass even those Evils that his Wisdom and Justice permits for the manifestation of the Glory of those his Attributes And that God executes his Decrees in the Works of Creation and Providence Of Creation IV. THat the Works of Creation are God's creating all things of nothing by his Word of Power in six days and all very good That God created Man Male and Female after his own Image in Knowledg Righteousness and Holiness with Power and Dominion over the Creatures Of God's Providence V. WE believe that God's Works of Providence are his most holy wise and powerful preserving and governing all his Creatures and their Actions Of the holy Scriptures VI. WE believe the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God and are the only Rule of Faith and Practice all things being contained therein
ought to exercise the said Gift to the Edification of the Church when desired and that no Brother ought to take upon him to preach until he has a lawful Call so to do Moreover we believe that it is the indispensible Duty of every Church according to their Ability to provide their Pastor or Elders a comfortable Maintenance as God hath ordained that he that preaches the Gospel should live of the Gospel and not of his own Labour but that he should wholly give himself up to the Work of the Ministry and to watch over the Flock being to be freed from all secular Business and Encumbrances of the World and yet that it is abominable Evil for any Man to preach the Gospel for filthy lucre sake but he must do it of a ready mind Of the First Covenant XXX WE believe that the first Covenant or Covenant of Works was primarily made with Adam and with all Mankind in him by virtue of which he stood in a justified state before the Fall upon the condition of his own perfect and personal Obedience But by the Fall he made himself uncapable of Life by that Covenant That the Law God gave by Moses to Israel was of the same nature of that given to Adam being a second Ministration of it but not given for Life but to make Sin exceeding sinful and to shew how unable Man was in his fallen state to fulfil the Righteousness of God and so with the Ceremonial Law it was given in subserviency to the Gospel as a Schoolmaster to bring Sinners to Christ Of the New and Second Covenant XXXI WE believe the Covenant of Grace was primarily made with the second Adam and in him with all the Elect who as God-man or Mediator was set up from everlasting as a Common Person or as their Head and Representative who freely obliged or ingaged himself to the Father for them perfectly to keep the whole Law in their Nature that had sinned and to satisfy Divine Justice by bearing their Sins upon his own Body i. e. the Guilt of all their Sins which were laid upon him and that he sustain'd that Wrath and Curse in his Body and Soul that was due to them for all their Transgrestions and having received their discharge from Wrath and Condemnation he gives it out to all that believe in him and obtain Union with him who are thereby brought actually into the said New Covenant and have a personal Right to all the Blessings thereof Of Election XXXII WE do believe that God from all Eternity according unto the most wise and holy Counsel of his own Will freely and unchangeably decreed and ordained for the manifestation of his own Glory some Angels and some of the lost Sons and Daughters of Adam unto eternal Life and that their number is so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished and that others are left or passed by under a Decree of Preterition And that those of Manking that are predestinated and fore-ordained are particularly and personally design'd unto eternal Life and these God according to his eternal and immutable Purpose and good pleasure of his Will did chuse in Christ the Head of this Election unto everlasting Glory of his meer free Grace without any foreseen Faith or Obedience and Perseverance therein or any thing in the Creature as a Condition or Cause moving him thereunto and all this only to the Praise of his own glorious Grace Of final Perseverance XXXIII WE believe all those whom God hath chosen and who are effectually called justified and sanctified in Jesus Christ can neither totally nor finally fall away from a state of Grace but shall certainly persevere therein unto the end and eternally be saved and this by virtue of their Election or the immutable Decree of God and the unchangeable Love of God the Father and by virtue of their Union with Christ together with his Death Resurrection and Intercession as also from the nature of the Covenant of Grace and Suretyship of Christ and through the indwelling of the holy Spirit who abideth in them for ever Of the Resurrection XXXIV WE believe that the Bodies of all Men both the Just and Unjust shall rise again at the last day even the same numerical Bodies that die tho the Bodies of the Saints shall be raised immortal and incorruptible and be made like Christ's glorious Body and that the dead in Christ shall rise first Of Eternal Judgment XXXV WE believe that God hath appointed a Day in which he will judg the World in Righteousness by Jesus Christ or that there shall be a general Day of Judgment when all shall stand before the Judgment-seat of Christ and give an account to him for all things done in this Body and that he will pass an eternal Sentence upon all according as their Works shall be Of Marriages XXXVI WE believe Marriage is God's holy Ordinance that is to say between one Man and one Woman and that no Man ought to have more than one Wife at once and that Believers that marry should marry in the Lord or such that are Believers or Godly Persons and that those who do otherwise sin greatly in violating God's holy Precept and that Ministers as well as others may marry for Marriage is honourable in all Of Civil Magistrates XXXVII WE do believe the supream Lord of Heaven and Earth hath ordained Magistrates for the good of Mankind and that it is our Duty in all civil and lawful things to obey them for Conscience sake nay and to pray for all that are in Authority that under them we may live a godly and peaceable Life and that we ought to render unto Cesar the things that are Cesar's and to God the things that are God's Of lawful Oaths XXXVIII WE do believe it is lawful to take some Oaths before the Civil Magistrate an Oath of Confirmation being to put an end to all Strife nay and that it is our Duty so to do when lawfully called thereunto and that those that swear ought to swear in Truth in Righteousness and in Judgment Of Personal Propriety XXXIX WE do believe that every Man hath a just and peculiar Right and Propriety in his own Goods and that they are not common to others yet we believe that every Man is obliged to administer to the poor Saints and to the publick Interest of God according to his Ability or as God hath blessed him FINIS POSTSCRIPT THere is something contained in the 13th Article that may seem to want some Explication in these words speaking of a Man actually and personally justified that his Sins past present and to come are all forgiven We believing that if any Sins of a justified Person were afterwards charged upon him it must of necessity make a breach in