Thoughts on the Second London Baptist Confession
Introduction to the
Second London Baptist Confession
Part 2
By Brian Pendleton
Last time we looked at three reasons why the Second London Baptist Confession was formed. The first reason the 2LBCF was formulated was to show commonality and orthodoxy. The second reason was to show their distinctives from their Reformed paedobaptist brethren. Third, it was formed to distance Particular Baptists from the Anabaptists. This month we will finish up our introduction by looking at how it was formed, why they made a second, and finally a very brief history of the confession in America.
How was the Confession formed? Picture with me a room with a stack of papers and books, opened, on a table. Among the materials you see a Bible and several confessions. Among the confessions you see the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Savoy Declaration, Savoy Platform of Polity, First London Baptist Confession 1644/1646, and couple other documents you are unable to identify. It is believed that a few godly pastors sat with these documents and formed the document we call the Second London Baptist Confession. True Confessions: Baptist Documents in the Reformed Family, Edited by Dr. James Renihan is a great resource to show you where the writers borrowed from various documents and what they added themselves.
Why a second London Baptist Confession? The first one had gone into disuse and was no longer readily available. The writers of the 2LBC saw the substance of the Second being the same as the First. Here is the answer the writers of the confession give in the introduction to the 2LBC: “And forasmuch as that Confession (1LBC) is not now commonly to be had, and also that many others have since embraced the same truth which is owned therein, it was judged necessary by us to join together in giving a testimony to the world of our firm adhering to those wholesome principles by the publication of this which is now in your hand. And forasmuch as our method and manner of expressing our sentiments in this doth vary from the former (although the substance of this matter is the same), we shall freely impart to you the reason and occasion thereof...”
The 2LBC was first published in 1677 and then in 1689 was adopted by the General Assembly of Particular Baptist in London, England (made up of representatives from 100 churches). In America the first baptist association adopted the 2LBC confession with the addition of two new chapters (‘Of Singing Psalms’ & ‘Laying on of Hands’). This confession became known as the Philadelphia Confession of Faith (1742). In the south, the Charleston Association adopted the Philadelphia Confession of Faith in 1767 (minus the chapter on ‘Laying on of Hands’). The 2LBC has become the doctrinal standard for most Reformed Baptist Churches.
My plan for the months ahead is to spend some time in this wonderful document and hit some highlights of each chapter. If you never done so, I would like to encourage you to read the introduction & appendix to the 2LBC. SDG.