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Comparison of 1644 Chapter 23
With 1689 Chapter 17
Of The Perseverance
of the Saints
London Baptist Confessions of Faith
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It is well known that the 1689 Confession of Faith
is a Baptist version of the Presbyterian 1646 Westminster Confession
of Faith. It is also generally regarded that the 1644
Confession of Faith is of strict Baptist origin. While it is
admitted that the Westminster Confession was used as the format for
the 1689 Baptist Confession, it is important to see the influence
the 1644 Confession maintained over the 1689.
This influence is especially seen in Chapter 23 Of
the Perseverance of the Saints, specifically in section 1. The
color coded words display the obvious influence of the older 1644
over the 1689.
By examining the influence of the older 1644 upon
the 1689, the impact of the older purely Baptist confession becomes
evident and reveals several key differences in sentiment and
thinking between the Baptists and Presbyterians. Likewise, it
reveals the perpetuity of like thinking between the older and newer
Baptist confessions. Major differences between the
1689 Baptist and 1646 Westminster
confessions are given in Red. Minor differences
between the 1689 Baptist and 1646 Westminster confessions
in either word order or spelling are given in Blue.
Text in Bold Red indicates agreement between the
1644 and 1689 Baptist but disagreement with the 1646 Westminster.
It also interesting to note that in Section 3, the 1689 Baptists added the
phrase, "yet shall they renew their repentance and be
preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end." This
is another example of the fact that the 1689 Confession is more than just a
"Baptized" version of the 1646 Westminster. Since the phrase is not found
in the 1646 Westminster it is an indication of just how strong their personal
beliefs were regarding the "Perseverance of the Saints."
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1644 London Baptist Confession |
1689 London Baptist Confession |
1646 Westminster Presbyterian Confession |
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XXIII.
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Chapter 17: Of the Perseverance of the Saints |
Chapter 17: Of the Perseverance of the Saints |
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All those
that have this precious faith wrought in them by the Spirit,
can never finally nor totally fall away;
seeing the gifts of God are without
repentance; so that He still begets and nourisheth in them faith,
repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit unto
immortality; and though many storms and floods arise, and beat
against them, yet they shall never be able to take them off that
foundation and rock, which by faith they are fastened upon; not
withstanding, through unbelief, and the temptations of Satan, the
sensible sight of this light and love, be clouded and overwhelmed
for a time; yet God is still the same, and they shall be sure to be
kept by the power of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy
their purchased possession, they being engraven upon the palms of
His hands, and their names having been written in the book of life
from all eternity. |
1.
Those whom God hath accepted in
the beloved, effectually called and
sanctified by his Spirit, and given the precious
faith of his elect unto, can neither totally nor finally fall
from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the
end, and be eternally saved, seeing the gifts
and callings of God are without repentance, whence he still begets and
nourisheth in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the
graces of the Spirit unto immortality; and though many storms and floods
arise and beat against them, yet they shall never be able to take them
off that foundation and rock which by faith they are fastened upon;
notwithstanding, through unbelief and the temptations of Satan, the
sensible sight of the light and love of God may for a time be clouded
and obscured from them, yet he is still the same, and they shall be sure
to be kept by the power of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy
their purchased possession, they being engraven upon the palm of his
hands, and their names having been written in the book of life from all
eternity. |
1.
They whom God hath accepted in
his Beloved, effectually called and
sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from
the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end,
and be eternally saved. |
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2.
This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will,
but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the
free and unchangeable love of God the Father, upon the efficacy of the
merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union
with him, the oath of God, the abiding of
his Spirit, and the seed of God within
them, and the nature of the covenant of grace; from all which ariseth
also the certainty and infallibility thereof. |
2.
This perseverance of the saints depends, not upon their own free-will,
but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the
free and unchangeable love of God the Father; upon the efficacy of the
merit and intercession of Jesus Christ; the abiding of
the Spirit and of the seed of God within
them; and the nature of the covenant of grace; from all which ariseth
also the certainty and infallibility thereof. |
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3.
And though they may, through the
temptation of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption
remaining in them, and the neglect of means of their
preservation, fall into grievous sins,
and for a time continue therein, whereby they incur God's displeasure
and grieve his Holy Spirit, come to have their
graces and comforts impaired, have
their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded, hurt and
scandalize others, and bring temporal judgments upon themselves,
yet shall they renew their repentance and be
preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end. |
3.
Nevertheless they may, through the
temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevelancy of corruption
remaining in them, and the neglect of the
means of their perseverance, fall into
grievous sins; and for a time continue therein: whereby they incur God's
displeasure, and grieve his Holy Spirit; come to
be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts; have
their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded; hurt and
scandalize others, and bring temporal judgments upon theselves. |
Elder James Taylor
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