1689 London Baptist Confession
The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, also known as the Second London Baptist Confession, is a Reformed Baptist confession closely modelled on the Westminster Confession of Faith with key differences on baptism, church government, and the covenant.
All Sections
The authority, sufficiency, and perspicuity of Scripture
1.1
The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving Knowledge, Faith and Obedience; Although the …
1.2
Under the Name of Holy Scripture or the Word of God written; are now contained all the Books of the …
1.3
The Books commonly called Apocrypha not being of Divine inspiration, are no part of the Canon (or rule) of the …
1.4
The Authority of the Holy Scripture for which it ought to be believed dependeth not upon the testimony of any …
1.5
We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church of God, to an high and reverent esteem …
1.6
The whole Councel of God concerning all things necessary for his own Glory, Mans Salvation, Faith and Life, is either …
1.7
All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are …
1.8
The Old Testament in Hebrew, (which was the Native language of the people of God of old) and the New …
1.9
The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture it self: And therefore when there is a question about …
1.10
The supream judge by which all controversies of Religion are to be determined, and all Decrees of Councels, opinions of …
The being, attributes, and persons of the Godhead
2.1
The Lord our God is but one only living, and true God; whose subsistence is in and of himself, infinite …
2.2
God having all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself: is alone in, and unto himself all-sufficient, not standing …
2.3
In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father the Word (or Son) and Holy Spirit, of …
God's eternal decrees, including predestination and election
3.1
God hath Decreed in himself from all Eternity, by the most wise and holy Councel of his own will, freely …
3.2
Although God knoweth whatsoever may, or can come to passe upon all supposed conditions; yet hath he not Decreed anything, …
3.3
By the decree of God for the manifestation of his glory some men and Angels, are predestinated, or fore-ordained to …
3.4
These Angels and Men thus predestinated, and fore-ordained, are particularly, and unchangeably designed; and their number so certain, and definite, …
3.5
Those of mankind that are predestinated to life, God before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his …
3.6
As God hath appointed the Elect unto glory, so he hath by the eternal and most free purpose of his …
3.7
The Doctrine of this high mystery of predestination, is to be handled with special prudence, and care; that men attending …
The creation of all things by God
4.1
In the beginning it pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for the manifestation of the glory of his …
4.2
After God had made all other Creatures, he Created man, male and female, with reasonable and immortal souls, rendring them …
4.3
Besides the Law written in their hearts, they received a command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of …
God's most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing
5.1
God the good Creator of all things, in his infinite power, and wisdom, doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all …
5.2
Although in relation to the foreknowledge and Decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and …
5.3
God in his ordinary Providence maketh use of means; yet is free to work, without, above, and against them at …
5.4
The Almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in his Providence, that his determinate …
5.5
The most wise, righteous, and gracious God, doth oftentimes, leave for a season his own children to manifold temptations, and …
5.6
As for those wicked and ungodly men, whom God as a righteous judge, for former sin doth blind and harden; …
5.7
As the Providence of God doth in general reach to all Creatures, so after a most special manner it taketh …
The fall, original sin, and the punishment of sin
6.1
Although God created Man upright, and perfect, and gave him a righteous law, which had been unto life had he …
6.2
Our first Parents by this Sin, fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and we in them, whereby …
6.3
They being the root, and by Gods appointment, standing in the room, and stead of all mankind; the guilt of …
6.4
From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to …
6.5
The corruption of nature, during this Life, doth remain in those that are regenerated: and although it be through Christ …
The covenant of works and the covenant of grace
7.1
The distance between God and the Creature is so great, that although reasonable Creatures do owe obedience unto him as …
7.2
Moreover Man having brought himself under the curse of the Law by his fall, it pleased the Lord to make …
7.3
This Covenant is revealed in the Gospel; first of all to Adam in the promise of Salvation by the seed …
The person and offices of Christ as Mediator
8.1
It pleased God in his eternal purpose, to chuse and ordain the Lord Jesus his only begotten Son, according to …
8.2
The Son of God, the second Person in the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, the brightness of the …
8.3
The Lord Jesus in his humane nature thus united to the divine, in the Person of the Son, was sanctified, …
8.4
This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake, which that he might discharge he was made under the Law, …
8.5
The Lord Jesus by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself, which he through the Eternal Spirit once offered up …
8.6
Although the price of Redemption was not actually paid by Christ, till after his Incarnation, yet the vertue, efficacy, and …
8.7
Christ in the work of Mediation acteth according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to …
8.8
To all those for whom Christ hath obtained eternal redemption, he doth certainly, and effectually apply, and communicate the same; …
8.9
This office of Mediator between God and Man, is proper onely to Christ, who is the Prophet, Priest, and King …
8.10
This number and order of Offices is necessary; for in respect of our ignorance, we stand in need of his …
The state of man's will in its various conditions
9.1
God hath indued the Will of Man, with that natural liberty, and power of acting upon choice; that it is …
9.2
Man in his state of innocency, had freedom, and power, to will, and to do that which was good, and …
9.3
Man by his fall into a state of sin hath wholly lost all ability of Will, to any spiritual good …
9.4
When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of Grace he freeth him from his natural bondage …
9.5
The Will of Man is made perfectly, and immutably free to good alone, in the state of Glory only.
God's effectual calling of His elect
10.1
Those whom God hath predestinated unto Life, he is pleased in his appointed, and accepted time, effectually to call by …
10.2
This Effectual Call is of God's free, and special grace alone, not from any thing at all foreseen in man, …
10.3
Elect Infants dying in infancy, are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit; who worketh when, and where, and …
10.4
Others not elected, although they may be called by the Ministry of the word, and may have some common operations …
Justification by faith alone
11.1
Those whom God Effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth, not by infusing Righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, …
11.2
Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ, and his Righteousness, is the alone instrument of Justification: yet it is not …
11.3
Christ by his obedience, and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are justified; and did by …
11.4
God did from all eternity decreeto justifie all the Elect, and Christ did in the fulness of time die for …
11.5
God doth continue to Forgive the sins of those that are justified, and although they can never fall from the …
11.6
The Justification of Believers under the Old Testament was in all these respects, one and the same with the justification …
The grace of adoption as children of God
The renewal of the whole man after the image of God
13.1
They who are united to Christ, Effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new Spirit created in …
13.2
This Sanctification is throughout, in the whole man, yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption …
13.3
In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail; yet through the continual supply of strength …
The grace of faith wrought by the Spirit of God
14.1
The Grace of Faith, whereby the Elect are enabled to beleive to the saving of their souls, is the work …
14.2
By this Faith, a Christian believeth to be true, whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the Authority of God …
14.3
This Faith although it be different in degrees, and may be weak, or strong; yet it is in the least …
The evangelical grace of repentance
15.1
Such of the Elect as are converted at riper years, having sometimes lived in the state of nature, and therein …
15.2
Whereas there is none that doth good, and sinneth not; and the best of men may through the power, and …
15.3
This saving Repentance is an evangelical Grace, whereby a person being by the Holy Spirit made sensible of the manifold …
15.4
As Repentance is to be continued through the whole course of our lives, upon the account of the body of …
15.5
Such is the provision which God hath made through Christ in the Covenant of Grace, for the preservation of Believers …
Good works as the fruit of faith and obedience
16.1
Good Works are only such as God hath commanded in his Holy word; and not such as without the warrant …
16.2
These good works, done in obedience to Gods commandments, are the fruits, and evidences of a true, and lively faith; …
16.3
Their ability to do good works, is not at all of themselves; but wholly from the Spirit of Christ; and …
16.4
They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height which is possible in this life, are so far from …
16.5
We cannot by our best works merit pardon of Sin or Eternal Life at the hand of God, by reason …
16.6
Yet notwithstanding the persons of Believers being accepted through Christ their good works also are accepted in him; not as …
16.7
Works done by unregenerate men although for the matter of them they may be things which God commands, and of …
The perseverance of the elect in the state of grace
17.1
Those whom God hath accepted in the beloved, effectually called and Sanctified by his Spirit, and given the precious faith …
17.2
This perseverance of the Saints depends not upon their own free will; but upon the immutability of the decree of …
17.3
And though they may through the temptation of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, …
The assurance of salvation grounded on God's promises
18.1
Although temporary Believers, and other unregenerate men, may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes, and carnal presumptions, of being in …
18.2
This certainty is not a bare conjectural, and probable perswasion, grounded upon a fallible hope; but an infallible assurance of …
18.3
This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith, but that a true Believer, may wait long …
18.4
True Believers may have the assurance of their Salvation divers ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted; as by negligence in preserving …
The moral law and its uses under the covenant of grace
19.1
God gave to Adam a Law of universal obedience, written in his Heart, and a particular precept of not eating …
19.2
The same Law that was first written in the heart of man, continued to be a perfect rule of Righteousness …
19.3
Besides this Law commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel Ceremonial Laws, containing several …
19.4
To them also he gave sundry judicial Laws, which expired together with the state of that people, not obliging any …
19.5
The moral Law doth for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof, and that …
19.6
Although true Believers be not under the Law, as a Covenant of Works, to be thereby Justified or condemned; yet …
19.7
Neither are the forementioned uses of the Law contrary to the Grace of the Gospel; but do sweetly comply with …
The gospel of grace and its universal offer
20.1
The Covenant of Works being broken by Sin, and made unprofitable unto Life; God was pleased to give forth the …
20.2
This Promise of Christ, and Salvation by him, is revealed only by the Word of God; neither do the Works …
20.3
The Revelation of the Gospel unto Sinners, made in divers times, and by sundry parts; with the addition of Promises, …
20.4
Although the Gospel be the only outward means, of revealing Christ, and saving Grace; and is, as such, abundantly sufficient …
The liberty purchased by Christ for believers
21.1
The Liberty which Christ hath purchased for Believers under the Gospel, consists in their freedom from the guilt of Sin, …
21.2
God alone is Lord of the Conscience, and hath left it free from the Doctrines and Commandments of men, which …
21.3
They who upon pretence of Christian Liberty do practice any sin, or cherish any sinfull lust; as they do thereby …
The regulation of worship and the Christian Sabbath
22.1
The light of Nature shews that there is a God, who hath Lordship, and Soveraigntye over all; is just, good, …
22.2
Religious Worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to him alone; not to …
22.3
Prayer with thanksgiving, being one special part of natural worship, is by God required of all men. But that it …
22.4
Prayer is to be made for things lawful, and for all sorts of men living, or that shall live hereafter; …
22.5
The reading of the Scriptures, Preaching, and hearing the word of God, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms, Hymns …
22.6
Neither Prayer, nor any other part of Religious worship, is now under the Gospel tied unto, or made more acceptable …
22.7
As it is of the Law of nature, that in general a proportion of time by Gods appointment, be set …
22.8
The Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering …
The lawfulness and right taking of oaths and vows
23.1
A lawful Oath is a part of religious worship, wherein the person swearing in Truth, Righteousness, and Judgement, solemnly calleth …
23.2
The Name of God only is that by which men ought to swear; and therein it is to be used, …
23.3
Whosoever taketh an Oath warranted by the Word of God, ought duely to consider the weightiness of so solemn an …
23.4
An Oath is to be taken in the plain, and common sense of the words; without equivocation, or mental reservation.
23.5
A Vow which is not to be made to any Creature, but to God alone, is to be made and …
The authority and duties of the civil magistrate
24.1
God the supream Lord, and King of all the World, hath ordained Civil Magistrates to be under him, over the …
24.2
It is lawful for Christians to Accept, and Execute the Office of a Magistrate when called thereunto; in the management …
24.3
Civil Magistrates being set up by God, for the ends aforesaid; subjection in all lawful things commanded by them, ought …
The institution, purposes, and regulation of marriage
25.1
Marriage is to be between one Man and one Woman; neither is it lawful for any man to have more …
25.2
Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of Husband and Wife, for the increase of Man-kind, with a legitimate issue, …
25.3
It is lawful for all sorts of people to Marry, who are able with judgment to give their consent; yet …
25.4
Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity, or Affinity forbidden in the word; nor can such incestuous …
The visible and invisible church and its Head
26.1
The Catholick or universal Church, which (with respect to the internal work of the Spirit, and truth of grace) may …
26.2
All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the Gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ, according unto it; …
26.3
The purest Churches under heaven are subject to mixture, and error; and som have so degenerated as to become no …
26.4
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, in whom by the appointment of the Father, all power …
26.5
In the execution of this power wherewith he is so intrusted, the Lord Jesus calleth out of the World unto …
26.6
The Members of these Churches are Saints by calling, visibly manifesting and evidencing (in and by their profession and walking) …
26.7
To each of these Churches thus gathered, according to his mind, declared in his word, he hath given all that …
26.8
A particular Church gathered, and compleatly Organized, according to the mind of Christ, consists of Officers, and Members; And the …
26.9
The way appointed by Christ for the Calling of any person, fitted, and gifted by the Holy Spirit, unto the …
26.10
The work of Pastors being constantly to attend the Service of Christ, in his Churches, in the Ministry of the …
26.11
Although it be incumbent on the Bishops or Pastors of the Churches to be instant in Preaching the Word, by …
26.12
As all Believers are bound to joyn themselves to particular Churches, when and where they have opportunity so to do; …
26.13
No Church-members upon any offence taken by them, having performed their Duty required of them towards the person they are …
26.14
As each Church, and all the Members of it are bound to pray continually, for the good and prosperity of …
26.15
In cases of difficulties or differences, either in point of Doctrine, or Administration; wherein either the Churches in general are …
The fellowship of believers united to Christ
The nature and efficacy of the sacraments
The sacrament of baptism and its administration
29.1
Baptism is an Ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party Baptized, a sign …
29.2
Those who do actually professe repentance towards God, faith in, and obedience, to our Lord Jesus, are the only proper …
29.3
The outward element to be used in this ordinance is water, wherein the party is to be baptized, in the …
29.4
Immersion, or dipping of the person in water, is necessary to the due administration of this ordinance.
The sacrament of the Lord's Supper and its right use
30.1
The Supper of the Lord Jesus, was instituted by him, the same night wherein he was betrayed, to be observed …
30.2
In this ordinance Christ is not offered up to his Father, nor any real sacrifice made at all, for remission …
30.3
The Lord Jesus hath in this Ordinance, appointed his Ministers to Pray, and bless the Elements of Bread and Wine, …
30.4
The denyal of the Cup to the people, worshiping the Elements, the lifting them up, or carrying them about for …
30.5
The outward Elements in this Ordinance, duely set apart to the uses ordained by Christ, have such relation to him …
30.6
That doctrine which maintains a change of the substance of Bread and Wine, into the substance of Christs body and …
30.7
Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible Elements in this Ordinance, do then also inwardly by faith, really and indeed, …
30.8
All ignorant and ungodly persons, as they are unfit to enjoy communion with Christ; so are they unworthy of the …
The state of the soul after death and the resurrection
31.1
The Bodies of Men after Death return to dust, and see corruption; but their Souls (which neither die nor sleep) …
31.2
At the last day such of the Saints as are found alive shall not sleep but be changed; and all …
31.3
The bodies of the unjust shall by the power of Christ, be raised to dishonour; the bodies of the just …
The appointed day of the last judgment
32.1
God hath appointed a Day wherein he will judge the world in Righteousness, by Jesus Christ; to whom all power …
32.2
The end of Gods appointing this Day, is for the manifestation of the glory of his Mercy, in the Eternal …
32.3
As Christ would have us to be certainly perswaded that there shall be a Day of judgement, both to deter …
Section of the Day
Of Good Works
Good Works are only such as God hath commanded in his Holy word; and not such as without the warrant thereof, are devised by men, out of blind zeal, or upon any pretence of good intentions.
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