APPENDIX F

A declaration to all the world of our faith and what we who are called Quakers believe Concerning God, Christ, and the Spirit.

First, we believe that there is only one true God who is a Spirit and his presence filleth heaven and earth. He is eternal and everlasting, the Creator and preserver of all things. Heaven and earth and all things therein by him were framed and brought forth and all things remain unto this day by his power, and whatsoever he willeth in heaven and earth, he bringeth to pass by his word and power.

And we believe that this God alone is and ought to be feared, loved, obeyed, and worshiped by all creatures and not any other thing besides him in heaven and earth.

And we believe that his worship and obedience, and fear and love is to be given in spirit, even in what his own Spirit moveth and leadeth his people unto.

And we believe that his true worship, required and accepted of him, is not by the tradition of men in outward observances, or set days or places, but he is worshiped only in spirit and truth, without respect of time, places, or things and that none can worship him in righteousness but his children who are born of his Spirit and are led and guided thereby.

And we believe that this God hath given his Son Christ Jesus into the world, a free gift unto the whole world, and that every man that cometh into the world is lighted by him so that every man might believe and be saved.

And we believe that he is given to the whole world, and no nation, country, or people is excepted, but unto all mankind is he given of God, and hath lightened them, and every man through the world that believeth in him and receiveth Christ, who is the wisdom and power of the Father, shall be saved with eternal salvation; and every one that believeth not in him shall be damned and shall possess everlasting misery.

And we believe that salvation, justification, and sanctification are only in him and wrought by him, and no other, for there is no other name given under heaven, but him alone, by which salvation is.

And we believe all who receive him and believe in him are reconciled to God and are made alive to God, to live to him in all things, and do receive the forgiveness of sins, and are set free from all unrighteousness and from the body of sin and death and have the witness of the Spirit in them. The Spirit of the Father they have received, and he witnesseth in them of the Father and of the Son, and of the things that belong unto their peace. He is the earnest of the inheritance and the seal of the promise of eternal life, and by him are the deep things of God revealed to mankind, and by him the Father and the Son dwell in the saints, and by him have they fellowship one with another; and the Father, Son, and Spirit are one. And this we faithfully believe.

Again, concerning Christ, we believe that he is one with the Father and was with him before the world was. And what the Father worketh it is by the Son, for he is the arm of God's salvation and the very power and wisdom of the Creator; and was, is, and is to come, without beginning or end.

And we believe that all the prophets gave testimony of him and that he was made manifest in Judea and Jerusalem and did the work of the Father, and was persecuted of the Jews and was crucified by his enemies, and that he was buried, and rose again, according to the Scriptures.

And we believe that he is now ascended on high and exalted at the right hand of the Father for evermore; and that he is glorified with the same glory that he had before the world was, and that even the same that came down from heaven is ascended up to heaven and the same that descended is he that ascended.

And we believe that he that was dead is alive and lives for evermore and that he cometh, and shall come again, to judge the whole world with righteousness and all people with equity, and shall give to every man according to his deeds at the day of judgment when all shall rise to condemnation or justification. He that hath done good shall receive life, and he that hath done evil everlasting condemnation.

And we believe that he is to be waited for in spirit to be known after the Spirit, as he was before the world was. This is the knowledge unto eternal life which all that believe in him do receive. He subdues death and destroys him that hath the power of it, and he restoreth from death to life and quickeneth by his Spirit all that the Father hath given him. We believe that such he justifieth and sanctifieth and such are taught of him but that he condemneth all that believe not, but continue in unbelief, and are not taught of him. And this we faithfully believe.

And we believe that unto all people upon the face of the whole earth is a time and day of visitation given that they may return and be saved by Christ Jesus, who is given of the Father to call the worst of men to repentance, and that the most ungodly of sinners are convinced by him of their ungodly deeds so that they might believe and be converted and saved.

And we believe that herein is the love of God manifested to all mankind and that none are shut out by him before they were born into the world but unto all men is a visitation given. He that doth perish, it is because he doth not believe in Christ. And his destruction is of a man's self, but his salvation is of God, through believing in his Son who takes away sin and reneweth into his own image, that they may become heirs with him.

And we believe that there is a crown of eternal glory and an inheritance of eternal life to be enjoyed for evermore by all that believe and are chosen of God and that there is an everlasting misery and destruction to be possessed by all that believe not, but continue in the state of reprobation and are not changed from the ways of sin and death but walk after the ways of their own hearts lusts. They fulfill the will of the flesh in the evil of this world and follow not Christ, the light of the world, that they may be saved. And we believe that upon all such the wrath of God abideth and that they have no part in the inheritance of God.

And we believe that it is only he that is born again of the Spirit and that walks after the Spirit, who is changed from death to life and who is redeemed out of the world and all its ways that must inherit the kingdom of God. They only have a right thereunto, and none besides, even they that are washed and cleansed from all unrighteousness by the blood of Jesus, by which their sins are remitted. For his blood cleanseth from all unrighteousness and sin, yea, all such that walk and abide in the light which Christ Jesus hath lightened the world withal.

And we believe that the saints upon earth may receive forgiveness of sins and may be perfectly freed from the body of sin and death, and in Christ they may be perfect and without sin and may have victory over all temptations by faith in Christ Jesus.

And we believe that every saint that is called of God ought to press after perfection and to overcome the devil and all his temptations upon earth. We believe they that faithfully wait for it shall obtain it and shall be presented without sin in the image of the Father. Such walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit and are in covenant with God, and their sins are blotted out and remembered no more, for they cease to commit sin, being born of the seed of God.

And we believe that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation and that it ought to be preached freely unto people, and Christ to be held forth unto all mankind by the ministry sent of him. We believe this ministry is received by the gift of the Holy Ghost and all they that receive it are lawfully called to the ministry and they may preach the Gospel of Christ freely, as they have received it freely. And this ministry is not of man, but of God, and is made powerful to the converting of sinners and to the bringing of people to God and to the knowledge of his ways. We do not believe that any man is a minister of Christ without the gift of the Holy Ghost or that the gospel can be received by natural learning or education.

And we believe that such as preach for hire and have hire for preaching are not the lawfully called ministers of the gospel of Christ, such as are proud, high-minded, and covetous men, who do not profit the people at all, such as have run and never were sent of Christ who calleth by his Spirit into the work of the ministry. As every one hath received the gift of the Holy Spirit, so he may administer to others.

Concerning rulers and governors, we believe that there ought to be rulers and governors in every nation, city, country, and town. They ought to be such men as fear God and hate every evil way, who will judge for God and not for man, and who will judge righteously, equally, and justly and will give true and sound judgment unto all men, without bribery or respect of persons, not regarding the rich above the poor; but being a praise unto all that do well and a terror to all evil-doers whatsoever; having knowledge in the pure law of God, and themselves continually exercised therein. We believe that every law of man ought to be grounded upon the law of God, pure reason and equity being the foundation thereof, that God's witness in every man may answer to it. The law ought to be known unto all people before transgression be charged or punished in any man.

We believe that every transgression ought to be punished according to its nature and that the punishment exceed not the greatness of the transgression, neither ought any transgressor to escape unpunished, neither ought any upon false suspicion or jealousies to be caused to suffer without the testimony of true men or the confession of the party. We believe that the executors of the law ought to be just men, and not given to pride, drunkenness, or any other evil whatsoever. They ought to be chosen every year or otherwise by the consent of the people, and that no man be stopped of his free choice, except justly taxed.

We believe that all governors and rulers ought to be accountable to the people and to the next succeeding rulers for all their actions, which may be inquired into upon occasion, and that the chiefest of the rulers be subject under the law and punishable by it if they be transgressors, as well as the poorest of the people. Thus true judgment and justice will be brought forth in the earth, and all that do well will have praise and live in rest and peace; and all evil doers whatsoever may stand in awe and be afraid of God and just men and the execution of just laws.

Concerning religion, we believe that it is only the Spirit of the Lord that makes men truly religious. No man ought to be compelled to, or from, any exercise or practice in religion, by any outward law or power, but every man ought to be left free, as the Lord shall persuade his own mind, in doing or leaving undone this or the other practice in religion. Every man, of what profession in religion soever, ought to be protected in peace, provided that he is a man of peace, not seeking the wrong of any man's person or estate.

We believe that to oppose false opinions and unsound doctrines and principles, seeking to convince them that oppose themselves by exhortation or sharp reproof, by word or writing, ought not to be counted a breach of the peace; or to strive about the things of the kingdom of God, by men of contrary minds or judgments. This ought not to be punishable by the magistrates and their laws. For we believe that the outward laws and powers of the earth are only to preserve men's persons and estates and not to preserve men in opinions. Neither ought the law of the nation to be laid upon men's consciences to bind them to or from such a judgment or practice in religion. We believe that Christ is, and ought only to be, Lord and exerciser of men's consciences and his Spirit only must lead into all truth.

And we believe that obedience and subjection in the Lord belongs to superiors and that subjects ought to obey in the Lord those that have rule over them, that children ought to obey their parents, and wives their husbands, and servants their masters, in all things which are according to God, which stand in the exercise of a pure conscience towards God. But where rulers, parents, or masters, or any other, command or require subjection in any thing which is contrary to God or not according to him, in such cases all people are free and ought to obey God rather than man. We believe that herein God will justify them, being guided and led by his Spirit into all that is good and out of all that is evil.

Again, we believe concerning election and reprobation that there is a state of election and a state of reprobation, a state chosen of God and a state rejected of God, and that all mankind are in one of these states. All that are elected, are elected in Christ and all that are out of him are in the reprobate state, bringing forth fruits of death and darkness, being children of wrath and disobedience, in the alienation and separation from God. They are in the transgression, unreconciled to God, and the enmity ruling in the heart, being in the fall and not restored to God again, but ignorant of his power and of his wisdom, having the understanding darkened so that they cannot see nor perceive the things that are eternal.

In this condition man's best works are sin, and whatsoever he doeth, he cannot be accepted of God for he is dead to God and alive to all evil, bringing forth all his works out of that ground which is cursed. This is the condition of all mankind upon the face of the earth in the first Adam, and this is the state of reprobation. And all that abide herein are rejected of God and shall never inherit eternal life, but go into perdition.

Yet have all such a day of visitation so that they may return out of the state of reprobation. But hating knowledge and despising the love of God, they continue in the reprobate state and the wrath of God abides upon them. But they that are chosen of God are delivered from wrath, for they believe in the light and become children of the light, and are renewed in mind and heart and receive the love of the Father and become planted into Christ, the second Adam. They are chosen in him to bring forth fruit unto the Father, and all their fruit springeth from that ground which is blessed, for they are led by the Spirit of the Father. And such are in the state of election, who are made heirs with Christ of the everlasting inheritance that never fades away. And this we faithfully believe, that mercy is not showed to the reprobate, nor judgment to them that are chosen of God.

Edward Burrough