Page:1644 Anabaptist Confession of Faith.djvu/4

 or purse in any of their lawfull Commands, doing acts unseemly in the dispensing the Ordinance of Baptisme, not to be named amongst Christians: All which Charges wee disclaime as notoriously untrue, though by reason of these calumnies cast upon us, many that feare God are discouraged and forestalled in harbouring a good thought, either of us or what wee professe; and many that know not God incouraged, if they can finde the place of our meeting, to get together in Clusters to stone us, as looking upon us as a people holding such things, as that wee are not worthy to live: Wee have therefore for the cleering of the truth wee professe, that it may be at libertie, though wee be in bonds, briefly published a Confession of our Faith, as desiring all that feare God, seriously to consider whether (if they compare what wee here say and confesse in the presence of the Lord Jesus and his Saints) men have not with their tongues in Pulpit, and pens in Print, both spoken and written things that are contrary to truth; but wee know our God in his owne time will cleer our Cause, and lift up his Sonne to make him the chiefe corner-stone, though he has been (or now should be) rejected of Master Builders. And because it may be conceived, that what is here published, may be but the Judgement of some one particular Congregation, more refined then the rest; Wee doo therefore here subscribe it, some of each body in the name, and by the appointment of seven Congregations, who though wee be distinct in respect of our particular bodies, for conveniency sake, being as many as can well meete together in one place, yet are all one in Communion, holding Jesus Christ to be our head and Lord; under whose government wee desire alone to walke, in following the Lambe wheresoever he goeth; and wee beleeve the Lord will daily cause truth more to appeare in the hearts of his Saints, and make them ashamed of their folly in the Land of their Nativitie, that so they may with one shoulder, more studie to lift up the Name of the Lord Jesus, and stand for his appointments and Lawes; which is the desires and prayers of the contemned Churches of Christ in London for all Saints.

Subscribed in the Names of seven Churches in London.

William Kiffen.

Thomas Patience.

John Spilsbery.

George Tipping.

Samuel Richardson.

Thomas Skippard.

Thomas Munday.

Thomas Gunne.

John Mabbatt.

John Webb.

Thomas Killcop.

Paul Hobson.

Thomas Goare.

Joseph Phelpes.

Edward Heath.