The 1646 edition altered several of the articles in syntax and shortened others due to prolixity. These were not substantial theological alterations. Some of the shifts in presentation were clarifications due to criticism by opponents to the 1644 edition. Article I in the 1646 discusses elements of the attributes and actions of God and includes several lines from article II of the 1644. The corresponding article in the 1644, number I, invoked trinitarian divine singularity to support singularity of faith, baptism, the rule of holiness and obedience “for all Saints, at all times, in all places to be observed.” Did this seem to imply that Baptists alone were true Christians, or at least, the only obedient and orderly Christians?
Article II is condensed significantly employing only five lines from the middle of article II in the 1644. The 1646 incorporated several of the lines from 1644 II in article I. The 1644 retains several lines from “A True Confession,” about the eternal inter-relations between the three persons of the Trinity omitted in 1646. Article III, 1646, omits a middle section of the 1644 that describes the impact of divine wisdom, constancy, truth, and faithfulness on revelation and covenantal certainty. Article IV on the fall of Adam and Eve omits several 1644 lines that describe the fall of Satan and his angels as well as several verbal expansions of the implications of the fall into sin. The phrase in article IX—“was also in all things like unto us, sinne only excepted” emphasized freedom from intrinsic corruption of original sin. The 1646 edition said, “He was also tempted as we are, yet without sin,” highlighting Christ’s freedom from actual transgression.
Article XXXI, after affirming the special privileges enjoyed through faith, adds a statement of civil liberty for unbelievers: “outward and temporal things are lawfully enjoyed by a civil right by them who have no faith.” The 1646 moves the second half of article XXXIV into the first half of article XXXV. An excellent theological exercise for each reader would be to carefully compare the two confessions.
Both editions set forth the importance of confessional integrity, the full and sole authority of Scripture (e.g., VIII and each article’s dependence on Scripture texts), theological orthodoxy (e.g., II, IX), evangelical soteriology (e.g., VI, XIII, XXVIII, imputed righteousness implied but not explicitly stated), and Baptist ecclesiological distinctives (XXXIII, XXXIX, XL, XLII). A rich biblical expression of Calvinistic distinctives finds pervasive support throughout (III, VI, XII, XXII, XXIII, XXXII). Some articles consist of a catena of Scripture references (XII on Christ as Mediator) theologically summarized by an affirmation of its applicability to the elect (“all of mere free and absolute grace towards God’s elect”). Others concur: “All the elect being loved of God with an everlasting love” (VI), “Faith is the gift of God wrought in the hearts of the elect” (XXII), “Suffered all things God required for the salvation of His elect (XVII), “Jesus Christ by His death did purchase salvation for the elect that God gave unto Him . . . to them and none else” (XXI).
