|
|
The Origins of the 1689 London Baptist
Confession of Faith
Based on the available information, it is impossible to determine precisely
the origins of the Second London Confession. There are, however, some indications
which help us to narrow the field.
The first known reference to the Confession is found in the manuscript
Church book of the Petty France Church in London. On 26 August, 1677, this
note was entered, "It was agreed that a Confession of faith, wth the
Appendix thereto having bene read & considered by the Bre: should be
published." Joseph Ivimey, the English Baptist historian of the early
Nineteenth Century took this to imply that the Confession originated in
the Petty France Church, and this is probably an accurate supposition.
This church was one of the original seven London churches which together
published the First London Confession of 1644/46. In 1675, two men of immense
importance for Particular Baptist history, Nehemiah
Coxe and William Collins, were ordained
as co-pastors on the same day. Each of them was held in high regard by
their brethren, being asked to produce significant theological works(see
Coxe and Collins
biographies), and would thus have been well equipped to serve as editors
of the Confession of Faith. Coxe died in 1688, prior to the General Assembly
of 1689. Though his name was not appended to the Confession in 1689, it
deserves to be mentioned and remembered alongside that of his co-elder
in association with this great document.
A very interesting "advertisement" was appended to the fifth
edition of the Confession (1720) which states:
"This Confession of our Faith, together with the brief Instructions
of the Principles of Christian Religion, or the Catechisms, both with the
proofs in the margin, and also that with the words of the scriptures at
length; with this Confession, put forth by the ministers, elders, and brethren
of above one hundred congregations of Christians, baptized on profession
of their faith in England and Wales, denying Arminiainism, owning the doctrine
of personal election and final perseverance: having sold the property,
right and title of the printing thereof, to John Marshall, bookseller,
at the Bible in Gracechurch Street, by us, William Collins and Benjamin
Keach, it is desired that all persons desirous to promote such useful books,
do apply themselves to him".
Since both Collins and Keach
died by 1704, this note must have been appended to an earlier edition of
the Confession. It indicates that Collins and Keach owned the publishing
rights to these two documents, a circumstance that one might expect attending
authorship. Does this note imply that Collins owned the rights to the Confession
(Coxe having died many years before) and Keach those of the Catechism?
There is no evidence to tie Keach with the origins of the Confession, though
his name is often associated with the Catechism. While not certain, this
is one possible reading of the statement, and would explain why Keach's
name became attached to the Catechism.
Though it cannot be stated with certainty, circumstantial evidence seems
to point to Coxe and Collins
as the originators of the Confession. They were both qualified and respected
men, and the first mention of the document is found in their church book,
approving its publication. Each one of them was requested to take the lead
in theological writing, a fact that would be expected of such men. Until
other evidence is found, this seems to be the most likely scenario for
the origin of the Confession.
Compiled by
|
