This book contains six confessions of faith which are of great importance to Baptist history. These six confessions, beginning with John Smyth's (the founder of the Baptist religion), encapsulate the faith and doctrine of the General Baptists.

Creeds and confessions perform an important function in the life of the Church. Confessions are historical boundary markers of orthodoxy and orthopraxy. Arminian confessionalism presents Baptists with a historical and theological alternative to both Calvinism and Traditionalism. This expanded second edition includes 5 additional confessions and introductions by Baptist historians William McGlothlin and David Montgomery, as well as Christian historian Phillip Schaff. Another 5 confessions have been added as an appendix. These confessions are of historical importance for the General Baptist tradition, but either contain problematic doctrinal statements or are Arminian but not theologically Baptist.

Here in modern English is the most famous of Baptist Confessions containing the heart and soul of the Reformation in terms of clear Biblical truth. Here is a Confession of faith for churches to be founded upon, a faith for church members to know, love, defend and propagate, a faith that church officers can hand on to future generations. The Introduction which forms a preface to this Confession explains its origin and discusses several particularly relevant issues contained in the chapters, thereby increasing the usefulness of the whole.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1911 edition. Excerpt: ... Postscript. that we do own a Magistratical power for the governing of this our English Nation, to be determined in a just Parlia-mentary way; and that we ought to pray for good Governors, and good Govern-ment; that we may live a peaceable and godly life in all honesty; standing ready at all times, as necessity may require, to vindi-cate such a Magistracy or Magistrates, not only with arguments of sound reason, but also with our Estates and Lives; that Righteousness may reigne, and Vice may be overthrown, without respect of persons. finis. 2. The Standard Confession of 1660 The standard Confession of the English General Baptists was drawn up in March, 1660, in the midst of the calumnies and persecutions of the Restoration. It is supposed to have been composed by Thos. Grantham (Taylor, "His. Eng. General Baptists," I, 466), and was subscribed by certain elders, deacons, and brethren from various parts of the kingdom, met in London and composing the General Assembly of the General Baptists and representing, they claim, upwards of twenty thousand members. It was formally presented to King Charles ii July 26, 1660, along with an address (Crosby, ii, igl; Taylor, I, 186f). It was at once published and was often reprinted. It was also "printed on a sheet to be hung up in a frame," and in this form adorned many homes. It was reaffirmed by the General Assembly, 1663, edited by Thos. Grantham in 1678, with " a few explanatory supplements, and the testimony of many ancient writers of Christianity," "to shew, that though the composition of these articles be new, yet the doctrine contained therein is truly ancient." The changes were numerous but unimportant. In 1691 the General Assembly approved its republication "with Brother Grantham's explication...

A modern exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith. In this extensive exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, Sam Waldron shows that this work is a masterly statement of the historic Christian faith. His direct and lucid style will help ministers, students and laymen alike to a clear understanding of the Confession and to see its relevance and application to our modern age. Modern Christianity is awash in a flood of doctrinal relativity. Satan and his forces love the imprecision and ambiguity which are rampant in our day. As C. H. Spurgeon observed, 'The arch-enemy of truth has invited us to level our walls and take away our fenced cities'. This exposition was originally published in 1989 to mark the 300th anniversary of the publication of the Second London Confession, which also became known as the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith. Today, reformed Baptists world-wide hold this Confession in high esteem and many churches continue to regard it as their official statement of faith. Included in this publication is a helpful introduction on the legitimacy and use of confessions by Dr R. P. Martin, currently Pastor of Emmanuel Reformed Baptist Church in Seattle, Washington.