▁without ▁equ iv ocation ▁that ▁the ▁earliest ▁Part icular ▁Bapt ists , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁General ▁Bapt ists , ▁established ▁their ▁churches ▁by ▁agreement ▁to ▁a ▁conf ession ▁of ▁faith . ▁ ▁Sp ils bury ▁considered ▁this ▁as ▁necessary , ▁not ▁just ▁convenient ▁and ▁for ▁the ▁well - be ing ▁of ▁the ▁church , ▁but ▁for ▁the ▁being ▁of ▁the ▁church . ▁ ▁Sp ils bury ▁declared ▁in ▁no ▁uncertain ▁terms ▁that ▁saving ▁faith ▁must ▁be ▁manifest ▁in ▁the ▁heart y ▁appro val ▁and ▁assertion ▁of ▁a ▁body ▁of ▁propos itional ▁truth s . ▁ ▁No ▁church , ▁and ▁thus ▁no ▁bapt ism , ▁could ▁exist ▁apart ▁from ▁submission ▁to ▁orth odox ▁evangel ical ism ▁emb od ied ▁in ▁a ▁conf ession ▁of ▁faith . ▁ ▁Sp ils bury ▁said ▁that ▁submission ▁to ▁such ▁constit uted ▁the ▁c oven antal ▁agreement ▁was ▁necessary ▁before ▁bapt ism ▁into ▁his ▁doctrine ▁of ▁the ▁church . ▁ ▁He ▁further ▁argued ▁that ▁this ▁union ▁must ▁first ▁exist ▁before ▁commun ion ▁in ▁any ▁other ▁privileges ▁may ▁be ▁enjoyed ▁for ▁the ▁" com fort ▁and ▁well ▁being " ▁of ▁the ▁body . ▁ ▁He ▁summar ises ▁the ▁content ▁of ▁a ▁true ▁" Conf ession ▁of ▁Christ " ▁in ▁part ▁one ▁of ▁God s ▁Ord in ance , ▁the ▁Sain ts ▁Priv ile ge . ▁ ▁The ▁conf ession ▁of ▁Christ , ▁including ▁all ▁the ▁bib lic al ▁truth s ▁about ▁him , ▁must ▁be ▁cul min ated ▁in ▁bapt ism . ▁ ▁He ▁wrote : ▁The ▁conf ession ▁that