Right Honorable and most Noble Patriots:
Inasmuch as there has been a book lately presented to you, in whose dedicatory epistle many heinous accusations have been unjustly and falsely laid against us, we thought it necessary to make some declaration of our innocence, and to that end humbly to present this Confession of Faith for your consideration. Here we sincerely declare what we judge in our hearts and what we teach; and according to this rule we desire and endeavor, through the grace of God, to lead our lives. We send out this Confession to speak the truth for us and make our innocence apparent, desiring that the same light may also guide others in the way of truth and obedience both to God and to the magistrate, who is God’s minister to us for good. We hope you will permit us to speak modestly in our just defense.
When anyone provokes you to act against us, we ask you to consider seriously the counsel of Gamaliel in Acts 5.
We take no thought for ourselves, for the Lord our God is all-sufficient. But we desire and pray that you do nothing against Christ, either in his members or in his ordinances, lest the Lord’s wrath come upon you; rather, knowing and protecting the innocent according to God’s will, may you be honored by generations to come, and may the memory of your names be precious among the saints until the coming of King Jesus.