The SECOND LONDON CONFESSION OF FAITH (1689)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
- The Holy Scripture
- God and the Holy Trinity
- God’s Decree
- Creation
- Divine Providence
- The Fall of Man: Sin and its Punishment
- God’s Covenant
- Christ the Mediator
- Free Will
- Effectual Calling
- Justification
- Adoption
- Sanctification
- Saving Faith
- Repentance unto Life and Salvation
- Good Works
- The Perseverance of the Saints
- The Assurance of Grace and Salvation
- The Law of God
- The Gospel and its Gracious Extent
- Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience
- Religious Worship, and the Lord’s Day
- Lawful Oaths and Vows
- Civil Government
- Marriage
- The Church
- The Fellowship of Saints
- Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
- Baptism
- The Lord’s Supper
- The State of Man after Death and The Resurrection of the Dead
- The Last Judgment
About THE SECOND LONDON CONFESSION
The Second London Confession of 1689 (also known as The Second London Baptist Confession) was written by Reformed Baptists. It was based on the Westminster Confession of Faith (Presbyterian) and the Savoy Declaration (Congregationalist), with modifications to reflect Baptist views on baptism and church governing.
About Creeds & confessions
The Christian church has a rich heritage of creeds, catechisms, and confessions. These confessional standards are subordinate to the Bible, while striving to faithfully summarize its teachings. They are simply a way for the church to declare what it believes and write it down for others to read and confirm in scripture (2 Tim 1:13; Titus 1:9).
INTRODUCTION
“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 the scriptural proofs, will be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in them.”
—Charles Haddon Spurgeon
The Second London Confession (or The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith) is designed to present a clear outline of biblical truth to all interested persons. Since the Bible, the fully inspired Word of God, does not change from one age to another, the truths contained in the Confession, wholly based as they are upon Scripture, are as relevant today as the day they were compiled.
In 1677, Reformed (or Particular) Baptists anonymously published the Second London Confession of Faith. They chose to do so in anonymity because ministers who dissented from doctrine of England at the time were often persecuted for doing so. This written confession was largely based upon the Westminster Confession (1646, Presbyterian) and Savoy Declaration (1658, Congregationalist), which are both beautiful biblical articulations in their own right. The baptists chose to work from these respective confessions as a basis for their own to both (1) display ther unity with the reformed branch of the church and (2) as a gesture of appreciation for the faithful articulation of biblical doctrines contained within. Slight revisions were made to accomodate baptistic differences on important matters such as the nature of the gathered church, baptism, the Lord’s supper and church government. In 1689 greater freedom was given to dissenting ministers in England and the Second London Confession was republished and signed. It is called The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, or The Second London Confession as it was the second confession published by Reformed Baptists in London.
