perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Tim. iii. 15, 16, 17; John xx. 31; Isa. viii. 20. 24. That it is the will and mind of God (in these gospel times) that all men should have the free liberty of their own conscience in matters of religion, or worship, without the least oppression or persecution, as simply upon that account; and that for any in authority otherwise to act, we confidently believe is expressly contrary to the mind of Christ, who requires that whatsoever men would that others should do unto them, they should even so do unto others, Matt. vii. 12, and that the tares and the wheat should grow together in the field (which is the world), until the harvest (which is the end of the world), Matt. xiii. 29, 30, 38, 39. 25. We believe that there ought to be civil magistrates in all nations, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well, 1 Pet. ii. 14, and that all wicked lewdness and fleshly filthiness, contrary to just and wholesome (civil) laws, ought to be punished according to the nature of the offences; and this without respect of any persons, religion, or profession whatsoever; and that we and all men are obliged by gospel rules, to be subject to the higher powers, to obey magistrates, Tit. iii. 1, and to submit to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake, as saith Pet. ii. 13. But in case the civil powers do or shall at any time impose things about matters of religion, which we through conscience to God cannot actually obey, then we with Peter also do say, that we ought (in such cases) to obey God rather than men, Acts v. 29, and accordingly do hereby declare our whole, and holy intent and purpose, that (through the help of grace) we will not yield, nor (in such cases) in the least actually obey them; yet humbly purposing (in the Lord's strength) patiently to suffer whatsoever shall be inflicted upon us, for our conscionable forbearance. These things (O ye sons and daughters of men) we verily be lieve to be the Lord's willand mind, and, therefore, cannot but speak, and if herein we differ from many, yea from multitudes, from the learned, the wise, and prudent of this world, we (with Peter and John) do herein make our solemn and serious appeal, namely, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto men (of a contrary persuasion) more than unlo God? Oh, let the judicious judge righteous judgment ! Acts iv. 19, 20. And in the belief and practice of these things (it being the good old apostolical way), our souls have found that rest and soul-peace, which the world knows not, and which they cannot take from us. Of whom then should we be afraid? God is become our strength, our light, our salvation; therefore are we resolved (through grace), to seal the truth of these things in way of suffering persecution, not only to the loss of our goods, freedoms, or liberties, but with our lives also (if called thereunto). Moreover we do utterly, and from our very hearts, in the Lord's fear, declare against all those wicked and devilish reports, and reproaches, falsely cast upon us, as though some of us (in and about the city of London) had lately gotten knives, hooked knives, and the like, and great store of arms besides what was given forth by order of parliament, intending to cut the throats of such as were contrary minded to us in matters of religion, and that many such knives, and arms, for the carrying on some secret design, hath been found in some of our houses by search; we say, from truth of heart, in the Lord's fear, that we do utterly abhor and abominate the thoughts thereof, and much more the actions; and do hereby challenge both city and country (in our innocency herein) as being not able to prove the things whereof they accuse us; and do for evermore declare the inventors of such reports to be liars, and wicked devisers of mischief, and corrupt designs. God that is above all will justify our inno cency herein, who well knows our integrity, in what we here declare. The Lord lay it not to their charge. In the time of building the decayed house of God, Sanballat and Tobiah (wicked counsellors) hired Shemaiah to make good Nehemiah afraid, and laboured against him that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach him and hinder the building of the house of God, Neh. vi. 12. For I have heard (saith the prophet) the defaming of many: report, say they, and we will report it, Jer. xx. 10. Subscribed by certain elders, deacons, and brethren met at London, in the first month (called March, 1660), in the behalf of themselves, and many others unto whom they belong, in London, and in several counties of this nation, who are of the same faith with us. 1 Joseph Wright. Thomas Monk. John Wood. Thomas Stacy. Edward Stanley. Jonathan Gennings. 1 [Among the above names, Crosby inserts the name of Thomas Grantham, and also adds the following sen John Hammersly. Giles Browne. Stephen Torie. William Chadwel. William Raph. Heary Brown. William Paine. Richard Bowin. Thomas Smith.' tence:-" Owned and approved by more than twenty thousand."] AN ORTHODOX CREED, OR A PROTESTANT CONFESSION OF FAITH, &c., &c., &c. BEING AN ESSAY TO UNITE AND CONFIRM ALL TRUE PROTESTANTS IN THE FUNDAMENTAL ARTICLES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, AGAINST THE ERRORS AND HERESIES OF ROME. 1678. |