History of Our Confession

The question is often asked regarding why we use a confession of faith that is over 300 years old. A quick investigation into the history and the unique circumstance surrounding its writing is helpful in understanding the answer to this question. Here is a brief time line of the events leading up to the writing of the 1689 Baptist Confession. The unique environment in which it was written will help in understanding why our Baptist forefathers wrote in such a manner. The document was written not only to show our similarities with other Christian denominations but to define the doctrinal differences as well. This also helps us better understand why religious freedom was such an important issue in the formation of the United States Constitution.

During the 1630’s and 1640’s – Baptists & Congregationalists began to leave the state church of England, the Anglican Church, which was the established religion of the King and Parliament, due to religious persecution.

1644/46 Out of fear of this persecution seven Baptist congregations of London anonymously drew up a confession of their faith in 1644 – This confession was to prove their similarities and doctrinal soundness to the Presbyterian Church and other Christian groups and to distinguish them from the Arminian Baptist groups in England.

1646 – The Westminster Confession was issued by the Presbyterian Church as a statement of their faith.

1642–1648, – English civil war, Between King Charles I of England the Parliamentarians otherwise called “Roundheads”, ended in the defeat and execution of the king and the establishment of a republican commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell till his death in 1658. King Charles previous to his execution sent his son to France with his mother where he remained until 1660.

1658 The Congregationalist Church issued their own confession of faith called The Savoy Confession

1658-1660 – Richard Cromwell.(Oliver Cromwell’s son) assumed his father position for a very short period of time. Baptists and Congregationalists both enjoyed a measure of religious freedom under both Oliver and Richard Cromwell’s administrations.

In 1660 – King Charles II ascended to the throne and the infamous Clarendon Code was adopted in the 1660’s to crush all dissent (Baptists, Congregationalists and Presbyterians) from the official religion of the state.

The Clarendon Code was a series of four legal statutes passed between 1661-1665 which re-established the supremacy of the Anglican Church ending any toleration for dissenting religions ( Baptist & Congregationalist).

Corporation Act (1661) – Required all municipal officials to take Anglican communion. The Act was to exclude Nonconformist (Baptist and Congregationalists) from public office.
Act of Uniformity (1662) – The Book of Common Prayer was made mandatory in religious service. Over 2000 ministers refused to comply and were forced to resign their churches.
Conventicle Act (1664) – Forbid meetings for unauthorized worship of more than 5 people who were not members of the same household. The purpose was to prevent small dissenting church groups from meeting. This was aimed directly at Baptists and Congregationalists.
Five-Mile Act (1665) – This final act of the Clarendon Code was aimed at Nonconformist ministers (Baptist & Congregational) , who were forbidden from coming within 5 miles of incorporated towns or the place of their former livings. They were also forbidden to teach in schools. This act was not rescinded until 1812.

1689 The Baptists issued a 2nd London Confession that was consciously modeled after the Presbyterian’s confession of faith (Westminster Confession of Faith) and was approved and published. It has ever since born the name of the Second London Confession,
IN AMERICA

1742 The Philadelphia Association of Baptists formally adopted the 1689 confession with two minor changes

1743 – The First edition of the “Philadelphia Confession of Faith” was printed by Benjamin Franklin under the name of “The Philadelphia Confession the 1689 confession became the definitive doctrinal statement of Baptists throughout the colonial and early United States period and became known in America as “The Baptist Confession”.

We have adopted the Second London Baptist Confession and hold it to be the best expression of our faith. In 1855 Charles Haddon Spurgeon had the 1689 Baptist Confession reprinted and a copy was given to his church members, here is his preface to this confession.

“This little volume is not issued as an authoritative rule, or code of faith, whereby you are to be fettered, but as an assistance to you in controversy, a confirmation in faith, and a means of edification in righteousness. Here the younger members of our church will have a body of divinity in small compass, and by means of Scriptural proofs, will be ready to give an account for the hope that is in them. Be not ashamed of your faith; remember it is the ancient gospel of martyrs, confessors, reformers and saints. Above all, it is “the truth of God”, against which the gates of Hell cannot prevail. Let your lives adorn your faith, let your example adorn your creed. Above all live in Christ Jesus, and walk in Him, giving credence to no teaching but that which is manifestly approved of Him, and owned by the Holy Spirit. Cleave fast to the Word of God which is here mapped out for you.”