- Appendix 1-4

Appendix 1: The View of a Signer of Both the First and the Second London Baptist CoF.

William Kiffin gathered the Particular Baptist Church in Devonshire Square in 1638 and served it as pastor for the next 61 years. William Kiffin was a signer of the 1644 (First) London Confession and also signed the 1689 (Second) London Confession. As a signer of both of the London Confessions, he should throw about as much weight (and more) on the subject of justification as anyone that could be named. Surely an original signer of the document should speak with more authority about what was their meaning than some modern “reformed” teachers who would deny what Kiffin said on the subject.

Surely a man who helped to frame the Confessions would have understanding of what was being meant by the wording of the various chapters and sections. I am convinced that Kiffin’s address appended below should prove, beyond doubt, that the position I have advocated above is indeed the position of those early Baptists on the subject of justification. I believe Kiffin is more qualified than any ‘modern’ reformed man to inform us what the Confession has summarized on the doctrine of justification.


Kiffin wrote the following introduction to Samuel Richardson’s long article on Justification (1647). Richardson was a signer of the First London Confession (1644). All emphases are original. Richardson’s article on Justification can be downloaded at www.LetGodBeTrue.com. All who claim themselves to hold to the 1689 LBCoF would do well to take careful note of what Kiffin says here.

THE HOLY SPOUSE OF JESUS CHRIST, WHO ARE Subject to Him in the Obedience of the Gospel. Grace and Peace be multiplied.


Dearly beloved brethren;

Only The Power of God Can Correct Man’s Mistakes About Justification

As there is nothing that frail man is more liable to than to mistake in the things of God and call darkness light and light darkness, so that by how much the more spiritual any Truth is, by so much the more men are apt to fall short of the knowledge of the glory of it and to intermingle with it something of their own as that which may make it commendable and beautiful in their eyes. That which this final ensuing Treaty speaks of, namely, Justification by Christ Alone, suffers from this above all others. Without having respect either to any thing in the creature, or done by the creature, this favoring so much of pure grace in respect of the love of God, and that Covenant which lies between Christ and God, as that poor creature, man, knows not how to own or receive it. Truly, it must be no less nor no other power put forth by God to cause the soul to believe this, than was put forth in raising up Christ from the dead, Eph. 1:18.

Justification By Christ Alone Sets Forth the True Place of Faith in Salvation As An Evidence of Interest In Christ But Not A Joint-Partner With Christ

Truly amongst those who are the beloved ones of our Lord Jesus, who have a like share and interest in Him as their life and peace, there is an aptness in men to miscarry in the knowledge of this rich grace of God. Some being apt to conceive that there is no Justification of a creature in no sense before and without faith, and so make Faith a joint-partner with Christ in the business of Justification. For, indeed, this is to me a certain truth, that whatsoever gives a being to a thing must needs be a part of that thing which it gives being to, and therefore, if there be no Justification in no sense considered, but as it has respect to faith. It is much to be feared, that that opinion claimed a great share of that glory which is peculiar to Christ Jesus alone. That the Scripture holds forth justification by faith in a sense is very clear, but yet under no other consideration, but by way of evidence, Heb. 11:1, 2. As it respects the taking away of sin from off the Conscience: For indeed the debt is paid by the blood of Christ alone, and we are therefore said to be justified by His blood, Rom. 5:9. For indeed, as Christ Jesus our Lord has paid the debt, “The Lord having laid upon him the iniquities of us all,” so does He declare this satisfaction and acceptation of us in Christ by faith. Faith is the eye of the understanding whereby the soul comes to see the great things which God the Father has prepared for them who love Him.

Pray For the Glory of God to Be Manifested In the Justification of His People

Beloved, these are the last times wherein it behooves you to beg with much earnestness, strength from the Lord that He may put straight steps to your feet so that you may walk to His praise, exalting Him alone as your life and glory. This was the main end of the Author presenting these few lines to your consideration. Wherefore, read it carefully and noble Berean-like, “try all things, and hold fast that which is good.” It shall be his desire, who desires nothing more in this world than your growth in the knowledge of Christ Jesus, and your walking as the children of the light, that the God of all grace may cause all grace to abound in you to His own glory: So prays he that is yours in the Lord, in all services of duty and love. William Kiffin

Appendix 2: The View of One Signer of the First London Baptist Confession of Faith (1644)

Samuel Richardson was a close friend of William Kiffin. He was one of the principal signers of the First London Confession (1644). He did not live to sign the Second London Confession (1689). I give a brief quote from his lengthy article on Justification. [All emphases original]

Is A Sinner To Believe He is Justified When He Is Not Justified?
If I am to believe I am justified and that all my sins are forgiven me, is it true or false? If it be true that I am to believe, Isa. 40:1, 2, then I was a justified man and free from all sin before I believed it. Therefore, I am to believe it because it’s true. If it be not true, and so is false, then it seems I am to believe a lie. For me to believe I am justified when I am not is to deceive my self in believing that which is false. Also if I am to believe I am justified, when I am not justified, so I may be justified, this is to believe that which is false that it may be true, which is unreasonable. Because neither faith nor unbelief can make any thing true or false, nor cause the being of that which had no being before. Faith Is the Means of Our Receiving the Knowledge and Comfort Of Our Justification.

Therefore, when Christ, by His Spirit and Word of truth, declares and reveals to a soul that all his sins are forgiven and washed away in the blood of Christ, etc., it is a certain truth, and it is “the Holy Spirit Who bears witnesses because the Spirit is truth,” 1 John 5:6. Therefore, seeing we are justified by Christ before we believed it, may we not believe that faith in us was either a cause or a means, or any instrument of it, but only a means of our receiving the knowledge of it, and of our enjoying the comfort of it?
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Appendix 3: When Were You Saved? The Five Phases of Salvation

[I wish to acknowledge that this short article is most helpful in helping us to understand the glorious and dazzling multifaceted jewel called ‘Salvation.’ I encourage all to read this ‘simple’ but most profound article. It provides the key to rightly divide the word of truth on the order of salvation. Sing]

This common question tries to pin eternal life down to some act at some point in time. Is this Biblical? Did the apostles ever ask this question? How would they answer such a question? Were not we all saved at the cross?

Let’s ask Paul the question. Paul said he was saved before the world began (2Tim 1:9), when Jesus came into the world (1Tim 1:15), when the Spirit regenerated him (Titus 3:5), when he took heed to himself and the doctrine (I Tim 4:16), and would be saved sometime in the future (Rom 13:11). Can you believe it? Paul clearly mentions five different stages or phases of salvation. And this is the key to understanding our wonderful salvation in Jesus Christ. Since God saves sinners in stages, or phases, we must not limit salvation to just one idea or one event at one time. Paul saw his own salvation occurring in five phases.

It used to be called the Ordo Salutis of salvation, which means the order of salvation; but it is not studied or preached much any more. We live in the perilous times of the last days, when men no longer want sound doctrine preached to them (2Tim 3:1-4:4). They prefer fables instead of truth, so the true doctrine of salvation has been almost lost from the earth.

Everyone talks about “getting saved,” but no one can explain it from the Bible. There are “invitations” and “decisions” and “methods” for salvation, but none of these words or ideas is from the Bible. Paul clearly taught five phases of salvation. Let us learn the five phases briefly, and then study two charts with the Bible proof and explanation. If you love understanding, you will love the charts.

The ETERNAL PHASE is God’s plan and choice from eternity to allow sin into the world and to save His elect from it. Since He is eternal and sovereign, God planned in eternity all that He does in time. There are no surprises to God. He planned to allow sin, so that He could display His glorious grace in saving His elect from it and displaying His power and wrath on the rest.

The LEGAL PHASE is God’s work to satisfy His holy nature and perfect justice for the salvation of His elect. Because every sin must be punished, He sent a Substitute to die for their sins. His perfect holiness and justice cannot overlook sins and acquit wicked men. He must punish their sins in Another, even Jesus Christ. And this He did at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago.

The VITAL PHASE is God’s application of these benefits to us personally and individually. Though He planned to save us from eternity and legally did so with Christ’s death on the cross, we still have a depraved and wicked nature at enmity with Him. So He regenerates us into a new life by His Spirit and gives us a new heart that loves Him and righteousness. This is being born again, and it is done entirely by the power of God sometime during our lives.

The PRACTICAL PHASE is our response to His salvation. He sends His Spirit into our hearts, and we cry “Abba, Father.” With new hearts from regeneration, we seek the truth and love it when we hear it. We hear the gospel, and we believe it. We want to be baptized to show Him our love. We want to know more of what we can do to please Him, and we gratefully cherish all His promises, which give us comfort and peace now.

The FINAL PHASE is that great day in the future when we shall be declared the sons of God to the whole universe and enter heaven for eternity. Our bodies will be raised from graves and glorified into new spiritual bodies, and we will be thoroughly purged from all sin to be perfectly holy in His presence forever. This great conclusion to the plan of salvation is yet in the future.

With this brief explanation, look at Chart #1, which divides the work of God into five phases. You will see that God operates in five phases, and even sin and condemnation occur in these five different stages. Please read the descriptions and see the many Bible proofs and explanations for these phases of salvation. (Chart #1 & #2 are at the end of the book)

If you will study this chart and search the Scripture references to prove each phase, you will find an explanation and description of your salvation that will bless your heart. God has intended to save you from the very beginning, and He is faithfully working all the operations of grace to bring you to your predestinated end.God has also chosen several different words to describe our salvation, like justification, sanctification, and adoption among others. By looking at Chart #2, you will see that the various components of salvation are also easily understood by these five phases.

For example, sanctification means to be made holy for the use of God. We are sanctified, or made holy, in five stages. First, God chose us to be holy before the world began. Second, Jesus died to make us holy legally, or positionally. Third, the Spirit gives us a new holy nature that loves holiness. Fourth, we obey the gospel to live active holy lives. And fifth, we shall be made wholly holy, even with holy bodies, in the last day.

By reading Chart #2 for the line called sanctification, you will know more about sanctification than 99% of Christians today. What should you do? Thank the Lord with your whole heart and live a holy life for Him.

Now, when someone asks you, “When were you saved?” you should ask him which phase he is asking about! You were saved before creation in God’s elective plan; you were saved at the cross in His legal provision; you were saved at an unknown time in your life by the Spirit’s regeneration; you were saved to knowledge and assurance of the truth by the gospel; and you will yet be saved at our Lord’s coming. Glory!

If you love this glorious plan of salvation, then it is your duty to find a church where this wonderful doctrine is taught, cherished, and obeyed; for the Father is seeking worshippers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Jonathan Crosby, Minister of Greenville Church, an independent Baptist Church, Greenville, South Carolina, USA. The church’s web site address is www.letgodbetrue.com


Appendix 4: The Five-fold Justification

Here is a quote from Dr. Joel Beeke – speaking of the five-fold justification.

“Justification (a judicial term) takes place by the sovereign grace of a triune God in the courtroom of the conscience of God’s people when the Holy Spirit may lead them deeper into the further exercises of graces. It is something few children of God experience in our day, yet something all children of God are commanded to beg of the Lord. They can never be satisfied with less with respect to their state before God. They desire to hear from the Lord’s own mouth that their sins are forgiven eternally, to receive from the First Person of the Holy Trinity a receipt of such forgiveness as well as a right to eternal life, and to have personal justification sealed with the sevenfold seal of the heavenly Recorder – the Holy Spirit.

There is much confusion concerning this experience and justification in general, even among God’s people. Justification itself may be defined as the act of God’s sovereign grace whereby He imputes to the elect sinner, who is in himself guilty and condemned, the perfect righteousness of God in Christ, acquits him on the ground of Christ’s merit of all guilt and punishment, and gives him a right to eternal life.

This justification is FIVEFOLD:
(1) in and from eternity, for the Lamb was slain already from before the foundation of the world (with respect to God’s eternal decrees) on behalf of His elect.

(2) in the resurrection of Christ, for that resurrection was the Father’s judicial stamp of approval upon the work of Christ on Calvary’s cross, so that in His resurrection Christ was not only justified as Mediator by the Father in time, but His entire elect church was also justified in Him: “Christ Jesus was raised again for our justification.” (Rom 4:25)

(3) in the moment of regeneration, where justification becomes reality in time from God’s side, who transfers the elect sinner from the state of condemnation into the state of reconciliation with God in and through Christ;

(4) in the consciousness and assurance of this personal justification for the soul itself, which takes place when the soul is justified in the court of his own conscience, where the First Person of the Holy Trinity (acting on behalf of the injured divine essence) hands the elect sinner an acquittal of all his transgressions and an eternal life receipt on the basis of the Second Person who demands such acquittal as Mediator and Advocate, which is then sealed to the soul by the Holy Spirit (so that each of the Divine Persons has His own economy with respect to this type of justification also): and

(5) in the public justification when the Lord Jesus Christ comes again on the clouds of heaven to judge the living and the dead. [End quote]

Joel Beeke, professor of Systematic Theology, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids.

"He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not,
is a fool...shun him.
He who knows not, and knows that he knows not,
is willing...teach him.
He who knows, and knows not that he knows,
is asleep...awaken him.
He who knows, and knows that he knows,
is wise...follow him.”
A Chinese proverb.