# First Confession.

Date not assigned · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: First Confession.



Drawn up at Amsterdam, the 27th of September,
1627, called “Scriptural Instruction,” concerning
who the people are, on whom the peace of God rests,
and how they are bound to peace and unity; given
in answer to the following several questions, of which
the first is:

What are the fundamental and unmistakable
marks by which the children of God and members
of Jesus Christ (being the church of God) can and
must be known, according to the testimony of the
word of the Lord?

In order to answer this question correctly, we
must consider what the means are, by which men
become children of God, members of Jesus Christ,
and the church of God. For although the blessed
Lord Jesus Christ is the only meritorious cause of
the justification of man, their adoption by God as
his children, and the foundation of their eternal
salvation (Rom. 3:24,25; 1 Cor. 1:30; Tit. 3:7;
Heb. 5:12; Eph. 1:5; Col. 3:11; Acts 4:12);
God, the heavenly Father, of whom all things are,
1 Cor. 8:6; and who is the true Father of the whole
family in heaven and earth, Eph. 3:14,15, has
nevertheless been pleased to impute the merits of
his Son Jesus Christ to man, and make him partaker
of the same, through the means of faith in his beloved,
only, and only begotten Son (Rom. 3:25;
Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8; John 3:15,36; 6:40);
whereby he owns them as children, and adopts them
as heirs of everlasting life, according to the testimony
of John, who says: “He” (that is, Christ)
“came unto his own, and his own received him
not. But as many as received him, to them gave
he power to become the sons of God, even to them
that believe on his name: which were born, not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God.” John 1:11–13. Paul confirms
this with these words: “Ye are all the children of
God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Gal. 3:26. Through
this means—faith—apprehended from the word of
God, and confirmed by the Holy Spirit, men are
born of God; hence, the appellation, children of
God, truly belongs to them, since they have God
for their father, and Christ for their brother. God
the Father acknowledges them as his sons and
daughters; and Christ, for this reason, is not ashamed
to call them his brethren. (Rom. 10:17; 2 Cor.
4:13; Rom. 8:16; John 1:12; 1 John 5:1; James
2:18; 1 Pet. 1:23; Matt. 5:45; John 1:12,13;
3:2; 20:17; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6; Matt. 12:50;
2 Cor. 6:18; Heb. 2:11,12). These children of
God and brethren of Jesus Christ, are heirs of God,
yea, joint heirs in the inheritance of their brother
Jesus Christ, as has been promised to them by God
the Father, through the means of faith, all the acquired
benefits of our Savior Jesus Christ, which
are, chiefly: forgiveness of sins, justification, and
peace with God; and, because they are children of
the resurrection, they shall not come into condemnation,
but are passed from death unto life; they
shall enjoy salvation, eternal life, and unspeakable
happiness, yea, possess all things that the Lord
Christ possesses. Rom. 8:17; Eph. 1:11; John
27
7:3; Acts 10:43; Rom. 3:26; 4:5; 5:1; Gal. 2:16;
Luke 20:26; John 5:24; Matt. 16:16,17; Mark
16:16; Rom. 10:9; 1 Pet. 1:9; John 3:16;
6:47; 17:3; 20:31; 1 John 5:11; 1 Pet. 1:8;
Luke 22; Rev. 21:7.

Hence, we reply, in conclusion to the question
presented: That the fundamental, certain mark of the
children of God and members of Jesus Christ, is that
by virtue of which this appellation belongs to them
in truth according to the promise of God, namely,
the only saving faith which worketh by love; upon
which God himself looks with gracious eyes, and
which alone avails before him (Gal. 5:6; Jer. 5:3;
Hos. 2:2; Jer. 5:1; Acts 8:37; 15:11; Is. 26:2)
wherefore we, being one or unanimous with God,
must have respect to it alone, seeing that the Lord
Christ himself, promising Peter salvation upon his
faith and confession, adds: “Thou art Peter, and
upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates
of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matt. 16:18.

We shall now briefly show, what faith in Christ is,
what is to be believed, what its design is, and what
are the internal and external operations of faith.

This faith in Christ, by which men become partakers
of all the acquired benefits of Jesus Christ, is
neither an uncertain opinion nor merely a bare confession
of the mouth, but a firm and sure confidence
of the heart, which doubts not the things promised
by God in Christ; but has a firm assurance that he
who has promised them is able also to perform them.
Heb. 11:13; 3:6; Rom. 10:10; 4:20,21. By this
firm and sure confidence the believer in the promises
of God is established in Jesus Christ his Savior, because
he knows that all the promises of God are yea
and amen in him; on which he lays firm hold, as on
an anchor of his soul, both sure and steadfast. Acts
10:43; 1 Pet. 1:10,11; John 8:56; Heb. 11:26;
2 Cor. 1:20; Heb. 6:18,19. He believes with his
heart that God,—for the fulfilling of his gracious
promises, willing to show his great love toward mankind
who, through sin, had fallen into death and
manifold corruptions, by redeeming them,—sent into
this world for this purpose, when the time of all
prophecies was fulfilled, his only, dear and beloved
Son, who from eternity was with his Father in great
glory and beloved by him before the foundation of
the world, possessing great riches and being equal
with God his Father, by whom all things were made,
and without whom not anything was made of all that
was made in heaven or upon earth, and in whom
they all stand, since he upholds all things by the
word of his power. Gen. 22:18; Deut. 8:15; Is.
7:15; 9:6; 11:1; 40:9; Micah 5:2; John 3:16;
Rom. 5:8; 9:31; 1 John 4:9,10; Gen. 3:19; Wis.
2:24; 4 Esdr. 7:48; Rom. 4:5,12; 1 Cor. 15:21;
Rom. 5:16; 4 Esdr. 3:7; Gen. 3:17; Rom. 1:2;
8:3; Col. 1:13; Eph. 1:7; Gal. 4:4; Mark 12:6;
1:11; Matt. 17:5; 3:17; Heb. 1:8; 7:3; 13:8;
1:3; John 16:28; 17:5,24; 2 Cor. 8:9; Phil. 2:6;
Rev. 1:18.

He left his divine glory, form, and riches, went
out from God, his Father, and came down from
heaven into this world, so that he was conceived by a
virgin, and she brought forth this Son at Bethlehem,
where God brings his first-born Son into the world
in the likeness of sinful flesh. John 13:3; 3:13,31;
6:38,51,62; Eph. 4:9,10; Is. 7:14; Matt. 1:23;
Luke 2:21; Is. 9:6; Luke 3:6; Gal. 4:4; Micah
5:2; Matt. 2:6; Heb. 1:6; Rom. 8:3. For the
Word became flesh; that which was from the beginning,
which the apostles saw, which they heard with
their ears, and which their hands handled, of the
Word of life; for the life was manifested, so that
there was seen that eternal life, which was with the
Father. John 1:14; 1 John 1:1,2; John 1:9;
20:25,27; Is. 40:5,9. Therefore, all true believers
must show and ascribe to their Savior, not as to a
creature, but as to the Creator, all divine honor,
even as they do unto the Father. John 5:23; 3:30,31;
20:28. For, although, for a little while, he was
made lower than the angels, yet all the angels of
God must worship him. Phil. 2:10; Matt. 14:33;
Heb. 1:6; For he is worthy of this who hath so
loved us that he purchased us with his death, and
washed us from our sins in his own blood; who died
for our sins and rose for our justification; who destroyed
the power of the devil, hell, and death; who
abolished the sinful hand-writing of the law, and has
forgiven all sins, reconciling to God the Father all
things that are in heaven and earth, in that he made
peace through the blood of his cross; who brought
life and immortality to light, and unto whom we are
appointed by God, to inherit eternal salvation. Rev.
5:9; 1:5; Rom. 5:10; Acts 20:28; Col. 1:14;
1 Pet. 1:19; Rom. 4:25; 5:6,8; Col. 2:13,14,19,20;
Heb. 2:14; 1 Cor. 15:54,55; Rev. 20:14;
Is. 25:8; 2 Tim. 1:10; Eph. 1:10; 2:13; 1 Thess.
5:9.

Thus the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living
God, is the true corner-stone, the way and door to
eternal life, and there is no other name given unto
man, either in heaven or on earth, whereby he can
be saved, and become a child or heir of God, than
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Is. 28:16; Rom.
9:33; Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:6; John 14:6; 10:9;
Acts 4:12.

The believer, seeing, by faith, that God in his
weightiest and unspeakably great promises is not
mutable, but does, in truth, fulfill them through the
giving of his only, dear, and beloved Son, feels assured
by this, that there is nothing with God, which
he shall not also give us with his Son. He, therefore,
has firm confidence, that the benefits which
God has promised in and through the suffering,
death, shed blood, resurrection and ascension of his
Son, belong to the believer, and that he shall in
truth receive them. Heb. 6:17,18; Ps. 33:4; John
3:16; 1 John 4:9; Eph. 1:6; Col. 1:12–14; 2
Tim. 4:8; Eph. 1:11–13; Rom. 8:32,34,38;
2 Pet. 1:3; Gal. 2:21; Eph. 2:17; 2 Cor. 4:6,7.

This faith begets in the heart of the believer an inward
taste of the kindness of God, and of the powers
of the world to come; which is followed by gladness,
joy, and a firm security of the Father’s favor in the
soul, whereby, in every time of need, he is enabled
to say, confident that he will be heard, “Abba,
Father;” and doubts not, though the thing promised
be not apparent to human eyes, nay, seem contrary
to nature, and transcends the comprehension,
understanding and capability of man (Ps. 34:8;28
1 Pet. 2:3; Eph. 2:7; Heb. 6:5,19; 2 Cor. 4:17;
Rom. 12:12; 14:17; 2 Cor. 6:10; John 8:56; Rev.
19:7; Rom. 8:31,38; Ps. 32:1; 1 Pet. 5:7; Ps.
55:22; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6; Rom. 4:20; James
1:6; Heb. 11:1; Rom. 4:18,19; Heb. 11:11;
Heb. 11:29), for the believer, by faith, looks not
only at the things which, through the creation and
government of God, exist in nature (which man
may comprehend and understand), but to the goodness
and omnipotence of the Promiser, unto whom
nature and all creatural power in heaven, earth and
sea, nay, death itself, must bow. Upon this ground
the believer stands fast, even when, with Abraham,
the father of the faithful, and with many of the pious,
he is tried of God by things seemingly contradictory;
for he is assured that God cannot lie. Ps. 52:9;
Rom. 4:21; Heb. 11:19; Ps. 135:5; Is. 40:26;
4 Esdr. 3:21,23; Josh. 10:13; Heb. 3:10,11;
Matt. 27:44; Is. 40:12; Rev. 20:11; Prov. 8:29;
Jer. 5:22; Ex. 14:22; Heb. 11:10,35; 2 Cor.
1:10; Gen. 22:1; 1 Pet. 1:7.

But this faith of the heart is known the very best
unto God, who also, being the only discerner of the
intents and thoughts of the heart, will judge the internal
signs of the faith of the heart, according as he
finds it to be upright or dissembling. Jer. 17:10;
Acts 1:24; Rev. 2:23; Heb. 4:12. But to man,
who has no other way of judging this faith of the
heart, than by the fruits of the same, which he hears
and sees, there are given as signs by which to distinguish
it, the confession of it with the mouth, and
the obedience of faith as manifested in outward
works. Therefore the believer, according to the
command of Christ, must confess openly before
men, to the honor of his Creator and Redeemer,
what he believes and experiences in his heart, no
matter, what sufferings may result to him on that
account. He can not do otherwise, for he must
hearken unto God more than unto men (Mark 16:16;
John 3:36; 1 Cor. 2:11; John 3:11; Rom.
10:10; 1:5,16,25; Acts 4:19,20); for the Lord
Christ hath said: “Whosoever therefore shall confess
me before men, him will I confess also before my
Father which is in heaven.” Matt. 10:32; Luke
9:26. John says: “Every spirit that confesseth
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.”
1 John 4:2, and Paul explains: “We having the
same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed,
and therefore have I spoken;44 we also believe,
and therefore speak.” 2 Cor. 4:13.

That, therefore, oral confession proceeding from
sincere faith conduces to salvation, Paul testifies
with these words: “If thou shalt confess with thy
mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth
unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation.” Rom. 10:9,10.

This faith exhibits also its outward fruits of love
worthy of the faith; wherefore the believer, according
to the teaching of the apostle Peter, must give
all diligence to show forth from his faith, virtue,
knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly
love, and charity; and walk in the Spirit, whose
fruits, as love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, are seen on
them outwardly. 2 Pet. 1:5–7; Gal. 5:16,22,23;
6:1; Eph. 5:9. By these good fruits, and by
brotherly love, as external signs of the true faith,
they are known as good trees, the salt of the earth,
the light of the world, a light which is put on a candlestick,
to give light unto all that are in the house,
a city set on a hill which cannot be hid. And thus
they let their good works so shine before men, that
they, seeing them, may glorify God, the heavenly
Father. Matt. 7:17,20; 12:35; 5:13–16.

For, as children who in their appearance and deportment
show forth their father’s form and qualities,
are thereby judged and known to be the children
of such parent, even so the believers, having,
through the new birth, become partakers of the
divine nature (inasmuch as they pattern after God
in virtues), are thereby judged or known to be his
children; and, in order that they might well express
this image, they are abundantly admonished by
Christ and his apostles in regard to it. So, for instance,
with these words: “Be ye therefore perfect,
even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye
holy in all manner of conversation;” “And every
man . . . purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”
“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is
merciful.” Forgive one another, as God hath forgiven
you. 2 Pet. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:23; John 3:6;
1 John 4:7; 5:1; James 1:18; John 1:13; Rom.
8:16; Matt. 5:48; 1 Pet. 1:15; 1 John 3:3; Luke
6:36; Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:13.

Again: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they
shall be called the children of God.” Matt. 5:9.
The Lord says further: “Love your enemies, bless
them that curse you, do good to them that hate
you, and pray for them which despitefully use you,
and persecute you; that ye (show that ye) are the
children of your Father which is in heaven: for he
maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good,
and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Wherever, then, such similarity with God appears,
through the putting on of the new man, which after
God is created in righteousness and true holiness,
these show forth the image of Christ in their mortal
flesh. Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10; Gal. 2:20; 2 Cor.
5:17. They are an epistle of Christ, in which Christ
can be seen, and read by all men; and they are
justly called Christians; and, consequently, are true
children of God, and members of Jesus Christ:
therefore they must be recognized and accepted by
all those who truly fear God, as belonging to one
body, which is the church of the living God; and as
having through this fruitful faith, fellowship with
God the righteous Judge, with Jesus the mediator
of the new covenant, with the church of the firstborn,
which are written in heaven, with an innumerable
company of angels, and with all the spirits of
just men made perfect. 2 Cor. 3:2; Acts 11:26;
Rom. 12:5; Eph. 4:4,16; 1 Cor. 12:13; Acts
20:28; 1 Tim. 3:15. Of this church Christ is the
foundation, Head, King, Shepherd, Leader, Master
29
and Lord. 1 Cor. 3:11; Eph. 4:15; Jer. 33:15;
Luke 1:33; John 10:11,14; 13:14. She
alone is his body, adorned bride, dove, flock, and
people, spiritual flesh of his flesh, and bone of his
bones. Rom. 12:5; Rev. 21:2; Sol. Song 2:14;
4:1.

Now, although this fruitful faith is the only certain
fundamental mark by which the children of God
and members of Jesus Christ shall be known, and
through which alone they are also, by grace, made
partakers of the (by us unmerited) benefits of Christ,
God has notwithstanding been pleased to set forth
and confirm to believers, by external, visible signs,
the benefits and merits of his Son Jesus Christ,
which, as has been said, are received only by faith,
and retained by obedience, in order that the things
signified (of the promises of the grace of God),
might shine forth the more clearly by the external
signs, partly to assure the consciences of the believers,
in the new covenant of the grace of God, and
partly to bind the members of Jesus Christ together
in unity, as members belonging to one body. For
this purpose he has instituted in the church of the
New Testament especially two such ordinances or
signs suited to the things signified, in which all true
believers find great benefit and comfort. These are
the Holy Baptism, and the Holy Supper. Eph. 2:7;
John 1:16; Mark 16:16; Luke 22:19; Acts
2:38; 1 Cor. 11:24; Jer. 31:31; 1 Pet. 3:21;
1 Cor. 12:13; 10:17; Rom. 6:5; Matt. 28:19,26.





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