Off God.

VVE CONFES And acknawledge ane only God, to quhome onelye we muste cleaue,Deut. 6. Esay. 44. Deut. 4. quhome onlye we must [...] serue, quhome onlye we muste wors [...]hipe, and in quhome only we put our traist. Quhoo is Eternale, infinyte, vnmeasu­rable, incomprehensible, omnipotent, inuisable, ane in substance, and ʒit distinct into three perso­nis. The Father, the Sone, and the holy Gaist.Math. 28. genesis. 1. Be quhome we confesse and beleue, all thngis in heuin and earth, alsweill visible, as inuisible to haue bene created, [Page] to be reteanit in thair being, and to be rewlit and gydit be his inscrutable prouidence, to sic end as his eternale wysedome,Prover. 16. gubnes, and iustice, hes appoyntit thaim, to the manifestatioun of his awin glorie.

OF THE CREATION OF MAN.

VVE CONFES and acknawledge this our GOD, genesis. 1. &. 2. &c. to haue creatit man (to witt oure first father Adame) to his awin Ymage, and similitude. To quhome he gaif wy­sedome, Lordschipe, Iustice, fre wyll, and cleare knawledge of him self. So that in the hole na­ture of mā, thair culde be notit no imperfection.

genesis. 3.Frome quhilk honour and perfectioun, man and Woman did baith fall, the womā being desauit be the Serpent: And man obeying the voice off the woman: baith conspiring aganis the Soue­rane Maiestie of GOD, quho in expressit wordis had before threatned deth, geue thay presumit to eate of the forbiddin tre.

❧ OF ORIGINALL SYN.

BE QVHILK Transgressioun commoun­lye callit Originall synne: wes the Ymage of GOD vterlie defaceide in Man. And hee and his Posteritie of Nature became Innimeis to GOD, Ephe. 2. Roma. 5. slaues to Sathan, and ser­uādis to sinne. In samekle that deth euerlesting [Page] hath had, and sal haue, power, and domination. ouer all that haue nocht bene, ar nocht, or sal not be, regenerat frome abuse.Iohane. 3. Ro. 5. &. 6. Quhilk regeneratiō is wrocht be the power of the haly Gaiste, wyrk­ing in the hartis of the elect of GOD, ane assurit faith in the promeis of GOD, reuelit to ws in his word. Be quhilk faith thay apprehend CHRIST IESVS, with the graces and benefites promissis in him.

OF THE REVELATION OF THE PROMIS.

FOR THIS We cōstantlie beleue that GOD efter the fearfull and horrible defectioun of man frome his obedience, did seil [...]e Adame agane, call vpon him, rebuke his synne,Genesis. 3. cō­uict him of ye sam, and in the end maid vnto him ane maist Ioyefull promis: to wit, that the seide of the Woman sulde break down the Serpentis heade. That is, he sulde distroye the workis off the Deuyll. Quhilk promis as it wes reapetid,genesis. 12.15 &c. Esaye. 7.8. &c. and maid more cleare from tyme to tyme: so wes it embrased with Ioye, and maist constantlie re­teanit of all the faithfull, frome Adam to Noye, frome Noye to Abraham, from Abraham to Dauid, and so furth to the incarnation of Christ Ie­sus. Quho all (we mene the faithfull fatheris) vnder the law, did se the Ioyfull dayis of Christ Iesus, and did reioyse.

THE CONTINVANCE, ENCRES AND PRESERVATION OF THE KIRK.

VVe maiste constantlie beleue, that GOD preserued, instructed, multipled, honoured decored,Ezech. 16. and from death, called to lyfe, his kirk in all agis: frome Adam tyll the cumyng of Christe Iesus in the flesche.genesi. 12. Ex. 1. & 2. & 13. For Abraham, hee called frome his fatheris countre, him he instructed, his seid he multipyed, y^e sā he mualously pre­serued, and mair merualouslie delyuered frome the bondage,Exod. 20. Ios [...]e 1.2.3. &c. 1. Sam. 16. and tyrannie of Pharo. To thaim he gaue his lawis, constitutionis, and Ceremo­nies. Thaim he possessed in the land of Canaan, to thaim efter Iudgis, and efter Saule, he ga­ue Dauid to be king, to quhome he maid promis that of y^e frute of his loynes sulde one sit for euer vpon his regall seat. To this sam people frome tyme to tyme, he send Prophetis, to reduce tham to the rycht way of thair God,2. Reg. 17 2. Reg. 7.24. & 25 Deut. 29. Iereme. 39. Esdras 1. Hag. 1. & 2 Zacha. 3. from y^e quhilk of­tentymes thay declyned by Ydolatrie. And albe­it y^e for thair stubbourne {con}tempt of iustice, he wes cōpellit to geue thaim in y^e hādis of thair enimeis as before wes threatnid by the mouth of Moses in samekle, y^t the holye Cietie wes distroyed, the temple brynt with fyre, and the hole land left de­solate the space of 70. ʒeris: ʒit of mercy did hee reduce thaim agane to Ierusalem. Quhare the citie, and temple, war reedified, and thay against all temptationis and assaultis of Sathan, did a byd, tyll the Messias cam according to y^e {pro}mis.

OF THE INCARNATION. OF CHRIST IESVS.

QVHEN The fulnes of tyme cam,Gala. 4. God send his Sone, his eternall wysedome, the substance off his a win glorie, in this warld, quho tuke the nature of manhede of ye substāce of a woman, to wit, of a Virgine,Luc. 1. &. 2 and that be operation of the haly gaist and so wes borne the iuste seid of Dauid, the Angell of the gret counsale of GOD, Esaye. 7. the veray Messias promissed. Quhome we acknaledge and cōfesse, Immanuel, veray GOD, and verray mā. Twa perfite Naturis vnited and Ioyned in ane {per}sone. By quhilk our confession, we dampne ye dampnable & pestilent Hereseis of Arius, Mac­cion, Eutiches, Nestorius, & sic vtheris, as ather denye the Eternitie of his Godheade, eythir the veritie of his humane nature, eythir confounde thaim, eythir ʒit denyid thame.

QVHY IT BEHOVID THE MEDIATOR, TO BE VERAY GOD AND VERAY MAN.

VE Acknawledge and confesse, thate this moste wounderous Coniunctioun betuir the Godhede, and ye māhede in CHRIST IESVS, did proceid from the eternall and inmutable decrie of GOD. Whense also oure Saluatioun spryngeth and dependeth.

¶ Electione.

FOR THAT sam eternale GOD and father quho of mear grace electit vs in Christ Ies{us} his Sone before the fundation of the warld was laid,Ephe. 1. appoyntit him to be our head, our brother,Hebre. 2. our pastour, and gret Byschope of oure saulis.Ioan, 10. But because that the inimitie betuix y^e Iustice of God, and our synnis was sick that no fle­sche bye it selfe, coulde or mycht haue atteaned vnto God. It behouid that y^e sone of GOD, suld discend vnto vs, and take him self a body, of our body, flesche of our flesche, and bones of our bo­nes:Ioan. 1. and so become the perfyte mediatour betuix God and man: geuin power to sa mony as beleif in him to be the sonnis of God. As him self doth wytnes. I passe vp to my Father, & vnto ʒoure father,Ioan. 20. to my God, & vnto ʒour God. By quhilk maist haly Fraternitie, quhat soeuer we haue lost in Adam, is restored to vs againe. And for this cause ar we nocht effrayit to call God our father, not so mekle y^t he hes created vs (quhilk we haif commoun with the reprobat) as for that. that he hes geuin to vs his only Sone to be our brother and geuin vnto vs grace, to acknawledge & em­brace him for our onlye Mediatour, as before is said. It behoued farther the Messeas, and rede­mer to be veray God,Esaye. 53. and veraye man, because, he wes to vnderly the punismēt dew for our transgressionis, [Page] and to present him self in the presens of his fatheris Iugementis, as in oure persoun, to suffer for our transgressioun, and inobedience by death, to ouercū him that wes auctor of deth. But because the onlie godhede, coulde nocht suf­fer deth, nother ʒit could the onlie māhede ouer­cum the same: he ioyned baith together in one {per}­son, that the Imbecilitie of the one, sulde suffer & be subiect to death, (quhilk we hade deseruit) & the infinyte and inuinsable power of the vther, to wit, of the godhede sulde tryumphe and purches tyl vs lyfe, libertie, and perpetuall victorie. And so we confes and most vndoutedlie beleue.

CHRISTIS DETH, PAS­SIOVN, BVRIALL. &c.

THAT OVR LORD IESVS, of­ferit him self,Hebre. 10. a voluntarie Sa­crifice vnto his Father for vs, y^t he sufferit contradictioun of sin­naris, that he wes woundit,Esai. 53. and plaigid for our trasgressionis.

That he being the cleane and innocent Lambe of GOD, was dampnit in the pre­sens of a erthlye Iuge: that we suld be absoluit before y^e tribunal sait of our GOD. That he suf­ferit nocht onlye the creuell death off the Croce, (quhilk was accursed by the sentence of GOD) but also y^t he sufferit for a seassone,Deut. 21. y^e wraith of his father, quhilk sinnaris had deserued.Gala. 3. But ʒit [Page] we auow, y^e he remanit ye only weilbelouit & blyssed sone of his father, euin in the myddis off his anguische, and tormēt, quhilk he sufferit in body & saule, to mak y^e ful satisfactiō, for y^e sinnis of his peple.Hebre. 10. After the quhilk we cōfes & auow, thate thair remanis no vther sacrifice for sinne, quhilk geue ony affirme, we na thing dout to auow, that thay ar blasphemous aganist Christis deth, and the euerlasting purgation, & satisfaction, purche­ssed tyll vs by the same.

RESVRREXTION.

VVE Vndoutedlie beleue, that in samekle as it was Impossible that the dolouris off death,Act. 2. & 3 sulde reteane in bondage, the auc­thor of lyfe: that our Lorde Iesus crucifeit, dede and bureit,Roman. 6. quho discendit into hell, did ryse a­gaine, for our Iustification, and distroying him quho wes aucthor of death, brocht lyfe agane tyl vs, that war subiect to deth, and to the bondage of the same.Math. 28. We knaw that his resurrection wes confirmit by the testimonye of his veraye Enni­meis. By the resurrectioun of the deade, quhose Sepulchres did opin, & thaye did aryse, and ap­peier to mony within the Cietie of Ierusalem.Math. 27. It was also confirmit by the testimony off Angelis, and by the sensis and iudgementis of his Apostolis,Ioan. 20. & 21. and of vtheris. Quho had conuersatioun, & did eate and drynke with him after his resurrec­tioun.

Ascentioun.

VE NA thing dout, but that the same self body, quhilk wes borne of y^e virgine, wes crucified dead, & buried, and quhilk did ryse agane,Actum. 1. did ascend into the heauinnis: for the accomplis­ment of all thingis: quhare in our names, and for oure comforte,Math. 28. he haith reseauit all power in hea­uin and earth, quhare he sittis at the rycht hande of the Father Inaugurat in his kingdome,1. Ioan. 2. 1. Temo. 2. Psalm. 110 Ad­uocat, and only Mediatour for vs. Quhilk glo­rie, honour, and prerogatiue, he allone amangis the brerhren sall possesse tyll that all his enimeis be maid his fute stule. As that we vndoutidlye beleue thay salbe in the finall Iudgement: to the executioun quhairof we certaynelie beleue, that y^e same our LORD Iesus, sall visiblie returne, as y^e he was sene to ascende.Actum. 1. Ioan. 19. Actum. 3. And than we firmelie be­leue, that the tyme of refresching, and restitution of all thingis sal cum, in sa mekle that those that frome the beginning haue sufferit violence, In­iurye, and wrang for rychteousnes saik, sal inhe­rite that blyssit Immortalitie: promissit from the beginning. But contrariwyse the stubburne, inobedient, crewell oppressouris, filthy personis,Apcal. 20. Isay. 66. I­dolatouris, and all sortis of vnfaithfull, salbe caste in the [Page] Dungeoun of vter darknes. Quhair thair wor­me sall not dee, neythir ʒit thair fyre be extinguis­sid. The remembrance of quhilk day, and of the Iudgemēt to be executed in the same, is not only tyll vs a bridell, quhairby oure carnale lustis are refreynid: but also sicke inestimable confort, that nother maye the threatning of wardlye Princes, neyther ʒit the feare of temporale death, and pre­sent dainger, moue vs to renunce, and forsaike, that blyssid societie quhilk we the membris haue with oure head, and onlye Mediatour CHRIST IESVS. Quhome we confes and auow, to be ye Messias promissed, the onlye heade of his kirk, our iuste law geuar,Esaye. 7. Colloss. 1. hebre. 6. & 10. our only hie preist, aduocate and mediatour. In quhilk honouris, and offi­ces, yf man, or Angell, presume to intruse thaim selfes, we vterlie detest and abhor thaim, as blas­phemous to oure souerane and supreme gouernour Christe Iesus.

FAIHT IN THE HOLY GAIST.

Math. 10. THIS OVR Faith, and the assurance off the same, proceidis nocht frome flesche & blude, that is to say frō no naturall poueris within vs,Ioan. 14.15. & 16. but is the inspiratioun off y^e holy Gaist: quhōe we confes GOD, equale w^t the Father, and with the Sone, quho sanctifieth vs, and bringeth vs in all veritie, by his awin o­peratioun, without quhome, we sulde remane for [Page] euer [...] to God, and ignorant [...] of h [...]s [...]ure Christ Iesus. For of nature we are so dede, so blynde, and so peruerst, y^t nother can we feil quhē we are prekid, see the lycht quhē it schynis, nor assent to the wyll of GOD, quhen it is reueled.

Onles the spirite of the LORD Iesus, quhickin that quhilk is dede, remoue thee darknes frome our myndis, and bow our stuburne hartes to the obedience of his blyssit wyll. And so as we cōfes that God the Father created vs, quhen we ware not. As his Sonne our lord Iesus, redemit vs,Roman. 5. quhen we war enimeis to him. So also do we cō­fes that the holy Gaiste dois sanctifie, and rege­nerat vs, without all respect of ony merite proce­ding from vs, be it before, or be it efter our regeneratioun. To speik this one thing, ʒit in more plaine wordis, as we willinglie spoile oure selfis of all honour, and glorie, of our awin creatioun, and redemptioun, so do we also of our Regeneratioun, and sanctificatioun, for of our selfis we ar nocht sufficient to thynke ane gude thocht.2. Corin. 3 But he quho hes begoun the gude worke in vs, is on­ly he that cōtinueth vs in the same to the prayse & glorie of his vndeseruit grace.

THE CAVS OF GVDE VVORKIS

SO that y^e cause of gude workis, we {con}fes to be nocht our fre wyll,Ioan. 15. Ephe. 2. bot the spirite of thee lorde Iesus, quhoo dweling in our hartis be trew faith, bryngis furth sic gude workis, as GOD hes preparit for vs, to walk into. For this we most baldlie affirme, that blasphemye it is to saye, that CHRIST Iesus abydis in the harte of sic, as in quhome thair is na spirite of Sanctifi­catioun. And thairfore we feare not to affirme, y^e Murtheraris, Oppressouris, creuel Persecutaris, Adulteraris, Huremongaris, fylthie perso­nis, Ydolatourts, drounkardis, Theauis,, and al wyrkars of Iniquitie, haue nother trew faith, nother ony portioun of the spirite of the LORDE Iesus: so lang as obstinatly that {con}tinew in thair wickednes. For how sune that euer the Spirite of the Lord Ies{us} (quhilk Goddis elect Children resaue by trew faith) takis possession in the hart of ony man, sa sune dois he regenerat and renew the same man, so that he beginnis to haite that, quhilk before he louid, and beginnis to loue yat quhilk before he hatid. And frome thense cuinis that continewal battell, quhilk is betuix the fle­sche, and the spirite, in goddis childrene. Quhill the flesche and naturall man,Gala. 3. (according to thee awin corruptioun) lustis for thingis pleasing, & delectable, vnto the self, grudgis in aduersitie, is lyftit vp in prosperitie, and at euerye moment, is prone, and ready, to offend the maiestie of god. But the spirite of GOD, quhilk geuis witnessing [Page] tyl our spirite, that we ar the sonnis of god,Roman 8. ma­kis ws to resist the deuyll, to abhorr [...] fylthie pleasouris, to grone in goddis presens for delyuerāce frome this bondage of corruption, and finalie so to tryumphe ouer Syn, that it reigne not in oure mortall bodeis. This battell hes not the carnel men, being destitute of goddis spirite: but do follow, and obey syn with gredines, and without repentance, euin as the deuyl and thair corrupt lu­stis do prick thame. But the sonnes of GOD, (as before is said) dois fecht against syn, do sobe and murne, quhen thay persaue thaim selfis temptid to iniquitie, and geue thay fall, thay ryse agane, with erneste and vnfeanid repentance, and these thingis thay do, not by thair awin power, but by the power of the lorde Iesus, withoute quhome,Ioan. xv. thay war able to do no thing.

QVHAT VVORKIS AR REPVTED GVDE BEFORE GOD.

VVE Confesse and ackawledge, that GOD hes geuin to mā, his holy lawe: in quhilk,Exod. 20. Deut. 4. & 5. &c. nocht onely are forbiddin all sic wordis as displeis, & offende, his Godlye Maiestie, but al­so ar commandit al sick, as pleisse him, and as he haith promissed to rewarde.

And these workis be of two sortis. The ōe ar do­ne to the honour of god: the vther to the proffect of oure nychtbouris: and baith haue the reuelid wyll of GOD, for thair assurance. To haue one God, to worschipe and honour him, to call vpone him in all our troublis, reuerence his haly name, to heir his worde, to beleue the same, to cōmu­nicat with his holy Sacramentis: ar the workis of the first table.Ephe. 6. Roman. 13. 1. Timo. 2. &. 6. Ezech. 22 Iereme. 22 Esai. 58. 1. Tessa. 4 Luc. 2. To honour Father, Mother, Princes, Rewlars, and superiour poweris. To lufe thaim, to support thame, ʒea, to obey thare charges (not repugnyng to the cōmandiment of GOD) To saue the lyues of Innocentis, to re­presse tyrrannie, to defende the oppressed, to keip our bodeis clene, and haly to leue in sobrietie, & temperance, to deal iustlie with all man, baith in worde and deid, and finallye to represse all appe­tite of our nychtbouris hurte, ar the gude workis of the secunde table. Quhilk ar moste pleasinge and acceptable vnto GOD, as those workis that ar commandit by him self. The contrary quhair­of, is sin maist odious, quhilk alwayis displeasis him,Ephe. 5. and prouocke him to anger. As not to call vpon him alone, quhen we haue neid, not tyll heir his worde with reuerence, to contempne and dispyse it to haue or to worschipe Ydollis, to mainteane, and defende, Idolatrie, lychtlye to este­me the reuerēt name of GOD, to prophane abuse, or contempne the Sacramentis of Christ Iesus, To disobey or resist ony, that God hes placeid in [Page] authoritie (quhill thay passe not ouer the boun­dis of thair office.) To murthare,Roman. 13. to cōsent thair­to, to beir haitrent, or to suffer Innocent blude besched, geue we may gainstād it:Ezche 12 & finalie ye transgressioun of ony vther cōmandimēt, in the first, or secunde table. We confesse and affirme to bee Syn: by the quhilk Goddis hote dipleasoure is kendelid against the proude, & vnthākful warld.

So that gude workis we affirme to be these onelye, that ar done in faith, at goddis cōmandi­ment: Quho in his law hes expressed, quhat be the thingis that please him. And euyll workis, we affirme not only those that expressidlie ar done against goddis commandiment, but those also y^t in materis of religion, & wyrschopping of GOD, haue no vther assurance, but the Inuention and opinion of mā: quhilk God from the beginning, hes euer reiectid. As by the propheit I saye, & by our maister Christe Iesus, we ar taucht in these wordis. In vaine do thay wyrschipe me,Isay. 29. Mat. 13. teache­ing the Doctrynes, and preceptes of men.

THE PERFECTION OF THE LAVV, AND IMPERFEC­TION OF MAN.

THE LAVV of GOD we confesse, and ac­knawledge, maist iust, maist equale,Roman. 7. Psalme. 19. ma­ist haly, and maist perfect, commanding those thingis, quhilk being wrocht in perfectioun, war able to geue lyfe, and to bring man [Page] to eternal felicitie.Deuter. 5. Roman. 10. But our nature is so corrupt, so weake, and so imperfect, that we ar neuer able to fulfyl the workis of the law in perfection. Yea, geue we say we haue na syn (euin efter we ar regenerat) we desaue our selfis,1. Ioan. 1. & ye veritie of god is nocht into vs. And thairfore it behoueth vs too apprehend Christ Iesus with his Iustice, and sa­tisfactioun,Roman. 10. Gala. 3. Deut. 26. Ephe. 1. Roma. 4. quhoo is the end, and accomplische­ment of the law: by quhom we at set at this libertie, that the curse and malediction of the law, fall not vpon vs, albeit we fulfyll not the same in all poyntis. For GOD the father behalding vs in the body of his sonne Christ Iesus, acceptith our imperfyte obedience, as it war perfyte: and coue­reth our workis quhilk ar defylit, with mony spottis, with the iustice of his sonne. We do not mea­ne that we ar set so at libertie, that we awe no obedience to the law (for that before we haue plainlie confessed) But this we affirme,Luc. 10. thate noo Man in earth (Christ Iesus only excepted) hath geuin, geueth, or sall geue in worke, thate Obedience to the law, Quhilk the law requireth. But quhē we haue done all thingis, we mon fall doun, and vnfeanidlie confesse, that we ar vnprofitable ser­uādis, and thairfore, quhosoeuer boste thaim selfis of the meritis of thair awī workis, or put thar traist in the workis of supererogation, bost thaim seluis of that quhilk is not, and put thair traiste in Damnable Ydolatrie.

Of the Kirk.

AS VVE beleue in ane GOD father sone, & ha­ly Gaist. So do we maist constantlie bele­ue, that frome the beginning thair hes bene,Mat. 28. now is, and to the end of the warld salbe, a Kirk, that is to say,Ephe. 1. ane companye and multitude of mē chosin of GOD, Quho rychtlie worschipe and embrace him by trew faith, in Christ Iesus, quho is the only heade of the same Kirk,Colloss. 1. Ephe. 5. quhilk also is ye body and spousse of Christ Iesus. Quhilk kirk is catholick, that is vniuersal, because it cōtenis the Elect of all agis, all Realmes, Nationis,Apoca. 7. & tōngis, be thay of the Iowes, or be thay of y^e Gētiles: quho haue communioun & societie w^t GOD the father, & with his sonne Christ Iel{us}, throuch the sanctificattoun of his holy spirite, & thairfore is it callit the Cōmunioun (not of prophane per­sonis) but of Sanctis:Ephe. 2. Quho as Cietezanis off the heauinlye Hierusalem, haue the fruitioun off the maiste Inestimable benefites, to wit, of ane GOD, ane LORD Iesus, ane faith, and off ane Baptime. Outw^t the quhilk kirk thair is nother lyfe, nor eternall felicitie. And thairfore we vterlie abhore, the blasphemy of those, that affirme y^e men that lyue according to equitie and iustice, sal be sauid, quhat Religioun so euit thay haue pro­fessed. For as without Christ Iesus thair is no­ther lyue, nor Saluatioun, Soo sall thair nane [Page] be participant thairof, but sick as the Father hes geuin vnto his sonne Christ Iesus, [...] 5. & 6. and those in tyme cum vnto him, auow his doctryne, and be­leue into him (We cōprehend the childrene, with the faithfull parentis.) This Kirk is vnuisible, knawin only to GOD, quho alone knaw it, quhome he hes chosin, and comprehendis alswiel (as said is) the elect that be departed (cōmounlie callit the Kirk tryumphant) as those that ʒit leue, & fecht aganis syn, and Sathan, as sall leif Heir­efter.

THE IMMORTALITIE OF THE SAVLIS.

THE Elect departid ar in peace & rest frome thair laubours,Apoca. 14. nocht that thay sleipe, and cum to ane certane Obliuion,Apoca. 7. (as sum fan­tasticks do affirme) but that yat ar delyuerit frō all feare, all tor­ment, & al temtatioun, to quhilk we, and all goddis elect ar subiect in this lyfe, ād thairfore do beare the name of the Kirk militant. As {con}trarewyse, y^t re{pro}bate & ōfaithful de{per}tit, haif anguische, tormēt, and paine, that can not be ex­pressed. So that nother ar the one, nor the vther, in sicke sleip, that thay feill not Ioye, or torment, as the parable of Christ ies{us} in y^e 16. of Luc. His wordis to the Theif. And these wordis of y^e sau­les cryeing vnder the Aulter, O Lorde thou that art rychteous and iuste, how lang sall thow not [...] [Page] reuenge our blude vpon those that dwell one the earth?

OF THE NOTES BY THE QVHILK The trevv Kirk, is decerned frome the fals. And quhoo salbe Iudge of the Doctryne.

BECAVSE that Sathan, from the begin­ning hes laubourit to decke his pestilente Synagoge, with the tytle of the Kirk of GOD, and hes inflambid the hairtes off creuell Murtheraris, to persecute, trouble, & mo­lest, the trew Kirk, and membris thairof.Gene. 4.21. & 27. As Ca­in, did Abell, Ismaell, Isaac, Esaw, Iacob, and y^e hole presthed of y^e Iowis. Christ Ies{us} him self, & his Apostis after him.Math. 25. .Ioan. 11. Actu. 3. It is ane thing maist re­quisit, that the trew Kirk, be decernit frome thee fylthie Synagoge, be cleare and perfect notes, leste we being desaued, reseaue and embrace, to our awin condamnatioun, the one, for the vther. The notes, signes, and assurit taiknes, quhair­by the Immaculate spousse off Christe Iesus is knawin, frome that horrible harlot, the Kirk ma­lignnant: We affirme ar nother antiquitie, tytle vsurpid, lineal discence, place apoynted, nor multitude of men approuing ane errour. For Cain in age, and tytle, wes preferrit to Abell, and Seth. Ierusalem had prerogatiue abufe all places of y^e earth, quhair also war the preistes lineallie discen did from Aaron, and greater multitude followid [Page] the Scribis, Phariseis, & preistis, then vnfeanidlye beleuid & approuid Christ Ies{us}, and his doc­tryne, and ʒit as we suppose na man (of hole Iu­gemēt) wyll grant that ony of the fornamid, war the kirk of GOD. The notes thairfor of the trew kirk of God, we beleue, confesse, and auow, to be first, the trew precheing of the worde of God, in­to the quhilk God hes reuealid him self to vs,Ioa. 1 & 10 as the wryttingis of the Prophetis, and Apostlis do declair. Secundlie, the rycht administration of the Sacramentis of Christ Iesus, quhilk mon be annexid vnto the worde, and promissis of God, to seale, and confirme, the same in our hartis.

Roma. 4.Laste, ecclesiasticall disiplyne, vprychtlie minis­trid, as goddis worde prescribith, quhairby vice is repressed.1. Corin. 5. and vertew nurissed. Quhairsoe­uer than these formare notes ar sene, and of ony tyme continew (be the noumber neuer so few, a­bufe twa or three, (thair but all dout is the trew kirk of Christ, quhoo according to his promis, is in the myddis of thaim: not that vniuersall (off quhilk we haue before spokin) but particulare, sicke as was in Corinthus,Act [...]. 16.18. &c. 1. Corin. 1. Actu. 20. Galacia, Ephesus, & vtheris places, in quhilk the ministerie was plantid by Paule, & war of him self named the kirkis of God. And sicke kirkis, we the inhabitantis of the realme of Scotlande, professours of Christe Iesus, confesse our selfis to haue in our Cieties, tounis, and palces reformid. For the doctryne, taucht in our kirkis, is {con}tenit in the wryttin wor­de [Page] of GOD, to wit, in the Bukis of new and alde Testamentis: In those bukis we meane, quhilk of the ancient haue bene reputid Canonicall, in y^e quhilk we affirme that al thingis necessarie to be beleuid for the saluation of mankynde, is suffici­entlie expressed, y^e interpretatioun quhairof,Ioan. 21. we cōfesse neather apperteanith to priuat, nor publect persoun, neather ʒit to ony kirk, for onye preemi­nence, or prerogatiue, personall, or local, quhil [...] one, hes abufe another: but apperteanith to thee spirite of God, by thee quhilk also the Scripture was wryttin. ¶ Quhen controuersie than happeneth, for thee rycht vnderstanding of onye place or sentence of scripture, or for the reforma­on of ony abuse within the kirk of God, we aucht not so mekle to luke quhat men before vs haue said, or done, as vnto that quhilk the holy Gaiste vniformlie speakis, within the bodie of the scriptures, and vnto that quhilk Christ Ies{us} him self did, and cōmandit to be done.1 Corin. 11. For this is a thing vniuersalie grantit that the spirite of GOD (quhilk is the spirite of vnitie) Is in no thing cōtrarious vnto him self. Geue than the interpretation, determinatioun, or sentence of ony doctour, kirk or counsale, repunge to the plaine worde of God, wryttin in ony vther place of Scriptur: It is a thing maist certane, that thair is nocht the trew vnderstanding, and meaning of the holy Goste▪ supposing that counsales, Realmes, and Natio­nis, haif approuid, and reseauid the sam. For we dar not resaue, nor admit, ony interpretatiō quhilk directlie repugnith, to [Page] onye principall poynte of our faith, to ony vther plaine text of Scripture, or ʒit vnto the rewle of cheritie.

THE AVCTHORITIE Of the Scripturis.

2. Temo. 3. AS VVE Beleue and confesse the scriptu­re of GOD sufficient to instruct, and mak the man of GOD perfect: so do we affirme and auow the aucthoritie off the same, to be of GOD, and nother to depend of mē, nor An­gelis. We affirme thairfore, that sicke as alled­ge the scriptur to haif na authoritie, but y^e quhilk it resaueth frome the Kirk, to be blasphemous a­ganis GOD, and Iniutious to the trewe Kirk, quhilk alwayis heareth,Ioan. 10. and obeythe, the voce of hir awin Spousse, and Pastor, but taketh nocht vpoun hir to be Maistres ouer the same.

OF GENERALL COVNSALLES. Of thair pouer, Aucthoritie, and cause of thair conuentioun,

AS VVE Do not raschelie dampne y^e quhilk Godlie men assemblid together in Generall counsalles lauchfullie gathered, haue pro­ponit vnto vs, so withoute Iuste examinatioun, dar we nocht resaue, quhat soeuer is obtrusid vnto mē, vnder the name of generale cōsalles. For plaine it is, that as thay war mē, so haue sum off thaim manifestlie erred, and that, in materis off great weycht, and importance. So far than as [Page] the counsall proueth the determinatioun, and cō­mandimēt, that it geueth by the plane wourde of God, so far do we reuerence ād embrace the sam: But gyf men vnder the name of a counsale pre­tend to forge vnto vs, new artycles of our faith, or to make cōstitutionis repugning to y^e worde of God, than vterlie we mon refuse the same, as the doctryne of deuyllis, quhilk drawis our Saulis frō the voce of our only GOD, to follow y^e doctri­nes, and cōstitutionis of men.1. Timo. 4. The cause thane quhy generall counsalles conuenid, was nother to make ony perpetuall law (quhilk GOD befor had not maid) nother ʒit to forg [...] [...]ew artycles of our beleue, nother to geue y^e w [...]d of god authoritie, mekle les to make y^t to be his worde, or ʒit the trew interpretatioun of the same, quhilk was not before by his holy wyll, expressed in his worde.

But the cause of cōnsalles (we mene of, sic as meritit the name of counsalles) was partlie for con­futatioun of heresies, and for geuin publict con­fession of thair faith, to the posteriteis follouing, quhilk baith thay did by the aucthoritie of godis wryttin worde, and not by ony opinioun, or prerogatiue, that thay coulde not erre, be reasoun off thair generall assemble. And this we iuge to ha­ue bene the cheif cause of general counsalis. The vther was for gude polecie, and ordour, to be cō­stitute, and obseruit in the kirk. In quhilk (as in the hous of GOD) it becumis al thingis to be done decentlie, and into ordour.1. Cor. 14. Nocht that we think, that one polecy, and one ordour in ceremoneis, [Page] cā be aponytit for al ageis, tymes & places: for as ceremoneis (sic as mā hes deuisit) ar but tēporal, so may, & aucht thay, to be chengeit, quhē thay rather foster superstitioun, than that thay edifie the kirk vsing the same.

Of the Sacramentis

AS THE Fatheris vnder the law, (besydis the varitie of the Sacrifices) hade twa cheif Sacramentis to wit, Circumcisiō, and the Pasouer: the dispisaris, & con­tempnaris quhairof, war not reputed for goddis peple.Gene. 17. So do we accknawledge and cōfesse, that we now in the tyme of the Euāgell, haue twa Sacramentis only, Institute be the LORDE Iesus, ād cōmandit to be vsit of al those,Math. 26. &. 28. that wyl be re­putit membris of his body. To wit, Baptisme, and the suppar, or table, of the Lord Iesus, callit y^e cōmuniō of his body & of his blude. And these sacramētis (alsweil of y^e auld, as of the new tes­tament) war institute of GOD: not only to make ane visible difference betuix his peple, and those y^e war without his Leage: But also to exercise the faith of his Childrene, & by participation of y^e sa­me Sacramentis, to seale in thair hartis, the as­surance of his promeis,Roma. 4. and of that moste blyssed Coniunctioun, Vnioun, and Societie, quhilk ye Elect haue with thair heade CHRITE IESVS.

And thus we vterlie dampne, the vanitie of tho­se, that affirme Sacramentis to be na thyng el­lis but naked, & bair signes: No,Roma. 6. we assuredlye beleue, that by Baptisme, we ar ingraftid in Christe Iesus, to be maid partakaris of his Iustice, by the quhilk our Synnis ar couered and remit­tit. And also, that in the Suppar rychtlie vsit,1. Cori. 10 Ioan. 6. CHRITE IESVS, is so Ioyned with vs, that he becumis the veraye norischement, and fude, of our saulis: Nocht that we Imagine ony Trans­substanciatioun of bread, in Christis natural bo­dy: & of wine, in his natural blude (as y^e Papistis haue perniciouslye taucht, and dampnablie bele­uit) but this vnioun, and coniunction, quhilk we haue with the body, and blude, of Christe Iesus, in the rycht vse of the Sacrament, Is wrocht by operatioun of the haly Gaist. Quhoo bye trewe faith, caryis vs aboue all thingis that ar visible, carnell, and earthlie, and makis vs to feid vpon the body, & blude of Christ Ies{us}, quhilk was once brokin, and sched for vs, quhilk now is in heuin,Hebre. 6. &. 10. and apperith in the presens of his Father for ws: and ʒit, notwithstāding the far distance of place, quhilk is betuix his body now glorifeit in the he­uin, and vs now mortal in this earth, ʒit we most assuridlie beleue, that y^e bread that we break, is y^e Communioun of Christis body: and the Coupe,1. Cor. 10. quhilk we blys, is the Communioun [Page] of his blude. So that we confesse, and vndout­tidlie beleue, that the faithfull, in the rycht vse of the Lordis table, do so eat the body, and drink ye blude,Ioan 6. of y^e Lord Ies{us}, that he remaneth in thaim & thay in him, ʒea, y^e yai ar so made flesche of his flesche, ād bone of his bones, that as the eternall Godhede hath geuin to the flesche of Christe Ie­sus (quhilk of the awin conditioun and Nature,Ephe. 5. was mortall, and corruptable) lyfe, and immor­talitie, so dotih Christe IESVS, his flesche, and blude, eatin, and dronkin, by vs, geue to vs thee same prerogatiues:Ioan. 6. Quhilk albeit we confes, ar nother geuin vnto vs, at that only tyme, neythir ʒit by the proper power, and vertew of the Sacrament onelye, ʒit we affirme, that the faithfull, in the rycht vse of the lordis table, hes sick cōiunc­tioun with Christ Iesus, as the natural man can not apprehend, ʒea, and farther, we affirme, that albeit the faithfull oppressede by negligence, and manlie infirmitie, doith not proffeit sa mekle as thay wald in the veray instāt actioun of the Suppar, ʒit sal it after bryng furth frute as lyuelie se­id sawin in gude grounde. For the holie Spirite (quhilk can neuer be deuidit frome the rycht in­stitutioun of the LORD Iesus) wyll not frustrat the faithful, of the frute of that misticall actioun, but all this we say cumis be trew faith, quhilk apprehendith Christe IESVS, quhoo onelie, ma­kis his Sacramentis effectual vnto vs. And thairfore, quhosoeuer sclandereth vs, as that we affirmit, or beleuid. Sacramentis to be only na­kit, [Page] and bair signes, do iniurye vnto vs, & speike aganis a manifeste treuth. But this liberalie ād francklie we most confesse, that we make ane dis­tinctioun betuix Christ Iesus in his natural sub­stance, & betuix the Elimētis in the Sacramētall signes: So that we wyl nother wyrschipe the sig­nes in place of that, quhilk is signifeit by thaim, nother ʒit do we dispyse, and interprete thaim as vnproffitable and vaine, but do vse thaime with all reuerence, Examining our selfis diligently before that so we do, because we ar assured by thee mouth of y^e Apostil, that sicke as eate of y^e bread, and drynke of that Coup vnworthelye,1. Cori. 11. ar giltye of the body, and of the blude of the Lorde Iesus.

OF THE RYGHT ADMINIS­tiatioun of the Sacramentis.

THAT Sacramentis be rychtlie ministred we Iudge twa thing{is} requisit: the one, that thay be ministrid by lauchfull Ministeris, quhome we affirme to be onelye thay, y^e ar apoyntit, to y^e preche­ing of the worde, or into quhose mouthis GOD hes put sum sermon of exhortati­oun, thay being men lauchfullie chosin thairto, by sum kirk. The vther, that thaye be ministrid in sicke Elimentis, & in sicke sorte, as GOD, hath appoyntit, Ellis we affirme that thay cease to be rycht Sacramentis of Christ Iesus. And thair­fore [Page] it is that we flee y^e societie with y^e Papisticall Kirk, in {per}ticipatiō of thair sacramētis: First be­cause thair ministeris ar na ministeris of Christe Iesus (ʒea,1. Timo. 6. quhilk is mair horrible) thaye suffer Wemen, quhome the haly Gaist wyll not suffer, to teache in the congregatioun, to Baptise. And secūdlye, because thay haue sa Adulterate baith the one sacrament, and the vther, with thair awin Inuentionis, that na part of Christis action aby­dis in the Originall puritie. For oyle, salt, spat­tle, and sicke lyke in Baptisme, ar but mennis inuentionis, adoratioun, veneratiō, bering throuch stretis and tounis, and keping of breade in Box­is, or buistis, ar prophanatioun of Christis Sa­cramentis,Mat. 26. & & no vse of the same. For Christ Iesus said, take and eate, &c. Do ʒe this in remem­brance of me. By quhilk wordis, and charge, he sanctifeit bread, and wyne, to be the Sacrament, of his body and blude, to the end, that y^e one sulde be eatin, and that all, sulde drynke of the vther: And nocht that thay suld be keipt to be wyrschip­pid, and honoured as GOD, as the Papistis, ha­ue done heirtofore, quho also haif committit Sacriledge, stealing frome the peple, the one part of the Sacramente, to wit, the blyssed Coup. Mo­reouer, that the sacramētis be rychtlie vsit, It is requirit, that the end, and cause, quhy the Sacramentis war instititute be vnderstand, and obser­uit, alsweill of the Ministare, as the resauaris:

For geue the opinioun be cheangit in the resauer the rycht vse Ceasseth:

quhilk is maist euident by the Reiectioun of thee Sacrifices,Isay. 1. as also geue the teacher plainlye te­che fals Doctryne, quhilk war odious, and abhominable vnto GOD, (Albeit thay war his awin ordinance,) Because that wicked Men vsed thaim to one vther end, than GOD had ordenid. The same affirme we of the Sacramētis,Ierem. 7. Isaye. 66. In the Papistical Kirk, in quhilk we affirme, the hole actioun of the Lorde Iesus, to be Adulterate, als­weill in the externall forme, as in the end, and o­pinioun. Quhat Christe Iesus did, and commā­dit to be done, is euident, by three Euangelists,Math. 26. 1. Cori. 11. &c. & by Sanct Paule. Quhat y^e preist dois, at his aul­ter, We neid nocht rehearse. The end & cause off Christis institutioun, and quhy the self sam sulde be vsit, is expressit in these wordis: Do ʒe this, in remembrance of me. As oft as euer ʒe sall eat of this breade, and drynke off this Coupe, ʒe sall schaw furth (that is extoll, preache, magnifie, ād prayse) the Lordis death tyl he cū. But to quhat end, and in quhat opinioun, the preastis say thair Messis, Lat the wordis of thee same, thair a win Doctouris, & wryttingis wytnes. To wit, that thay as Mediatour{is}, be [...]uix Christe ād his Kirk, do offer vnto GOD, the Father, ane Sacrafice, Propiciatorie for the Synnis of the [Page] quick, and the dede. Quhilk doctrine as blasphemous to Christ Iesus, and making derogatioun too thee sufficientie of his onelye Sacrifice, on­ce offerit for purgation of al those that salbe sanctifeit, we vterlie we abhore, detest, and renounce.

TO QVHOME SACRAMEN­TIS APPETENE.

VVE Confesse and acknawledge that Baptisme apperteneth alsweill to the Infan­tis of the faithfull, as vnto those that bee of age and discritioun. And so we dampne thee errour of Anabaptistis. Quho denye Baptisme, to apperteine to Childrene, before that thay haue faith, and vnderstanding. But the Suppar off the LORD, We confesse to apperteane, to sic only as bene of the househaulde of faith, can trye and examyne thaim selfis, alsweill in thair faith, as in thair dewtie towardis thair nychtbouris. Sic as eate and drynk at that holie table, without fa­ith, or being at Discensioun, and diuisioun with thair brethren, do eate vnworthelie. And thairfor it is that in our Kirkis, our Ministeris takis pu­blict and particulare examinatioun of the knaw­ledge and cōuersation of sicke as ar to be admit­tit to the Table of the Lorde Iesus.

OF THE CIVILE MAGISTRAT.

VVE CONFES and acknawledge, Impy­ris, Kyngdomes, Dominionis, & Ceties, to be distinctid and ordened by GOD, Daniel. 1. & 2. &c. Esdr. 1. &c the poweris and aucthoritie in the same (be it of Emperouris, in thair Impyris, of Kyngis in thair realmes, Dukis, and Princes, in thair Dominionis, or of vtheris Magistrats in fre ceteis) to be Goddis haly ordinance:Roman. 13. Ordenid for mani­festatioun of his awin glorie, and for the singulare proffeit, and cōmoditie of mākynde. So that quhosoeuer gois aboute to take away, or to con­found the hole stait of Ciuile poleceis nowe lang establisched, We affirme the sā mē, not only to be enemeis to mankynde, but also wickedlie to fecht aganis Goddis expressed wyll.

¶ We farther confesse and acknawledge, yat sic {per}sonis as ar pleasit in aucthoritie, ar to be loued,Roman. 13. 1. Peter. 2. Psalme. 81. honourit, fearit, and haldin in maist reuerent estimatioun: Because thay ar the Liewtennentis of GOD, In quhose sessionis, God him self doith sitt & iuge (ʒea, ewin the Iudgis & Princes tha­me selfis) to quhome be God is geuin y^e sworde to the prayse and defencis of gude men, and to reuē­ge and puneis, all opin malifactours. To kin­ges moreouer, Princes, Rewlaris, and Magis­tratis, we affirme that cheifly and maist principallie the conseruation and purgation of the religi­oun appertenis: So that not only thay ar appo­yntit for ciuile polecie, but also for maintenāce of the trew Religioun, and for suppressing of Idolatrie, and superstitioun, quhatsumeuer, as in Dauid, [Page] Iosaphat, Ezechias, Iosias & vtheris hech­lie cōmēdit for thair zele, in y^e case may be aspied.

¶ And thairfore we confesse, and anow, that sic as resiste the supreme power (doing that thing quhilk ap{per}tenis to his charge) do resiste godis or­dinance,Roma. 13. & thairfore can not be giltles. And for­ther we affirme, that quhosoeuer denye vnto tha­me thair ayd, counsale, and comforte, quhill the princes and rewlaris vigilantlie trauell, in exicu­tioun, of thair office, y^t the sā mē deny thair help, supporte, and counsale, to GOD, quho by the presence of his Liewtennent, craueth it of thaim.

THE GYFTIS FRELY GEVIN TO THE KIRK.

ALBEIT that the worde of GOD, trewly precheit, the Sacramētis rychtlie ministerit, & disiplyne executed, according to the worde of God, be the certane, and infallible signes, of the trew kirk: ʒit do we not so meane, that euery particulare persone, ioyned w^t sic ane companie, bee ane elect mēber of Christe Iesus. For we ackna­wledge and cōfesse,Math. 3. &. 13. that Darnel, Cockle, & chaffe may be sawin, grow, and in gret aboundance, lye in the myddis of y^e quheit, y^t is, the reprobat may be ioyned in y^e societie of the elect, & may externallie vse with thaim the benefitis of the worde, & sa­cramentis, but sic being but temporall professou­ris in mouth, but not in harte, do fall back, & continew not to the end. And thairfor haue thay no [Page] frute of Christis death, resurrection, nor ascenti­on. But sic as w^t harte vnfenʒeitlie beleue,Roma. 10. and w^t mouth baldlie cōfes the LORD Iesus (as before we haue said) sal maist assuredly resaue these gyftis, first in this lyfe, remissione of synnis,Ioan. 3. Romo. 3.4.5. & 8. and yat be onlye faith in Christis blude, in sa mekle, that albeit synne remane, & cōtinewallie abyd, in these our mortal bodeis, ʒit is it not imputed vnto vs, but is remitit, ād couered w^t Christis iustice. Secūdarlie,Isaye. 66. Daniell. 12 1. Cori. 15. Ioq. 19. in the generall Iugemēt thair salbe ge­uin tyll euery man & woman, Resurrection of the flesche: for y^e see sall gif hir dede, the erth those y^e thairin be inclosit: ʒea, the Eternall oure GOD, sall streche out his hande vpon the duste, and the dede sall aryse incorruptable, and that in the sub­stāce of y^e self sā flesch, that euery mā now heris, To resaue accordīg to thair workis, glory,Roma. 2. or pu­nischemēt, for sic as now delyte in vanitie, cruel­tie, fylthines, superstition, or Idolatrie, salbe adiugit to y^e fyre inextinguible,Apoca. 20. &. 21. in quhilk thay salbe tormētit for ev, alsweill in yair awī bodeis, as in thair Saulis, quhilk now thay geue to serue the Deuyll, in al abomination. But sic as continew in weill doing to the end, bauldlie professing thee LORD Iesus, we constantlie beleue that thay sal resaue glory, honour, ād immortalitie, to reigne for euer in lyfe euerlasting with Christe Iesus: to quhose glorifeit body, all his elect,1 Ioan. 5. salbe maid ly­ke, Quhen hie sall appeir agane to Iugement, and sall rander vpe the Kinggome to GOD, 1 Cori. his Father, quho than salbe, and euer sal remane, al [Page] in all thingis, GOD Blyssed for euer. To quhōe with the Sone, & with the haly Gaist, be al hono­ure, and glory, now and euer.