THe Confession of Faith, subscribed at first by the Kings Majestie and his Houshold, in the yeare of God 1580. Thereafter, by Persons of all rankes, in the yeare 1581, By ordinance of the Lords of the Secret Counsell, and Acts of the generall Assembly. Subscribed againe by all sorts of Persons in the yeare 1590, By a new Ordi­nance of Counsell, at the desire of the generall Assembly: With a generall Band for maintenance of the true Reli­gion and the Kings Person. And now subscribed in the yeare 1638. By Ʋs, Noblemen, Barrons, Gentle­men, Burgesses, Ministers, and Commons, vnder sub­scribing: Together, with our resolution and promises for the causes after specified, To maintaine the sayd true Religion, and the Kings Majestie, according to the Confession foresayd, and Acts of Parlament. The Tenor whereof heere followeth.

WEE All, and every one of Us underwritten, Pro­test, that, after long and due Examination of our owne Consciences, in matters of true & false Re­ligion, are now throughly resolved of the Trueth, by the Word and Spirit of God, & therefore we believe with our hearts, confesse with our mouths, subscribe [Page 4]with our hands, and constantly affirme before God, and the whole World: that this onely is the true Christian Faith and Religion, pleasing God, and bringing Salvation to man, which now is by the mercie of God revealed to the world, by the preaching of the blessed Evangell.

And received, believed, and defended, by many and sundry notable Kirkes and Realmes, but chieflie by the Kirk of Scot­land, the Kings Majestie, and three estates of this Realme, as Gods eternall Trueth, and only ground of our Salvation: as more particularlie is expressed in the Confession of our Faith, stabli­shed, and publicklie confirmed by sundry Acts of Parliaments, and now of a long time hath beene openlie professed by the Kings Majestie, and whole body of this Realme, both in Burgh and Land. To the which Confession and forme of Religion, wee willinglie agree in our consciences in all points, as unto Gods undoubted Trueth and Veritie, grounded onely upon his written Word. And therefore, we abhorre and detest all contrarie Religion, and Doctrine: But chieflie, all kinde of Papistrie, in generall and particular heads, even as they are now damned and confuted by the Word of God, and Kirk of Scot­land: but in speciall wee detest and refuse the usurped au­thoritie of that Roman Antichrist upon the Scriptures of God, upon the Kirk, the civill Magistrate, and consciences of men. All his tyrannous lawes made upon indifferent things against our Christian libertie. His erroneous Doctrine, against the sufficiencie of the written Word, the perfection of the Law, the office of Christ, and his blessed Evangell. His corrupted Doctrine concerning originall sinne, our naturall inabilitie and rebellion to Gods Law, our Iustification by faith only, our imperfect Sanctification and obedience to the Law, the nature, number and use of the Holy Sacraments. His five bastard Sa­craments, with all his Rites, Ceremonies, and false Doctrine, added to the ministration of the true Sacraments without the [Page 5]Word of God. His cruell judgement against Infants, depar­ting without the Sacrament: his absolute necessitie of Bap­tisme: his blasphemous opinion of Transubstantiation, or reall presence of Christs body in the Elements, and receiving of the same by the wicked, or bodies of men. His dispensations with solemne Oathes, Perjuries, and degrees of Marriage forbid­den in the Word: his crueltie against the innocent divorced: his divellish Masse: his blasphemous Priesthood: his profane Sacrifice for the sinnes of the dead and the quicke: his Canoni­zation of men, calling upon Angels or Saints departed, wor­shipping of Imagerie, Relicts, and Crosses, dedicating of Kirks, Altars, Dayes, Vowes to creatures; his Purgatorie, Pray­ers for the dead, praying, or speaking in a strange language, with his Processions and blasphemous Letanie, and multi­tude of Advocates or Mediators: his manifold Orders, Auri­cular Confession: his desperate and uncertaine Repentance; his generall and doubtsome Faith; his satisfactions of men for their sinnes: his Iustification by works, opus operatum, works of Supererogation, Merits, Pardons, Peregrinations, and Sta­tions: his holy water, baptising of Bells, conjuring of Spi­rits, crossing, saning, anointing, conjuring, hallowing of Gods good creatures, with the superstitious opinion, joyned there­with: his wordlie Monarchie, and wicked Hierarchie: his three solemne vowes, with all his shavellings of sundrie sorts, his erroneous and bloudie decres made at Trent, with all the subscribers and approvers of that cruell and bloudie Band, conjured against the Kirk of God: and finallie, wee detest all his vaine Allegories, Rites, Signes and Traditions, brought in the Kirk, without, or against the Word of God, and Do­ctrine of this true reformed Kirk; to the which wee joyne our selves willinglie, in Doctrine, Faith, Religion, Discipline, and use of the Holy Sacraments, as lively members of the same, in Christ our Head: promising, and swearing by the [Page 6] Great Name of the Lord our God, that wee shall continue in the obedience of the Doctrine and Discipline of this Kirk, and shall defend the same according to our Vocation and Po­wer, all the dayes of our lives, under the paines contained in the Law, and danger both of Body and Soule, in the day of Gods fearefull Iudgement: and seeing that many are stir­red up by Sathan, and that Roman Antichrist, to promise, sweare, subscribe, and for a time use the holy Sacraments in the Kirk, deceitfullie, against their owne consciences, mind­ing thereby, first, under the externall cloake of Religion, to corrupt and subvert secretlie Gods true Religion within the Kirk, and afterward, when time may serve, to become open enemies and persecutors of the same, under vaine hope of the Popes dispensation, devised against the Word of God, to his greater confusion, and their double condemnation in the day of the LORD IESUS.

Wee, therefore, willing to take away all suspition of hy­pocrisie, and of such double dealing with God and his Kirk, Protest, and call The Searcher of all hearts for witnesse, that Our mindes and hearts, doe fully agree with this our Confes­sion Promise, Oath and Subscription, so that Wee are not mooved for any wordly respect, but are perswaded onely in our Con­sciences, through the knowledge and love of Gods true Reli­gion, printed in Our hearts, by the holy Spirit, as wee shall answeer to him in the day, when the secrets of all hearts shall bee disclosed. And because wee perceave, that the quietnes and stabilitie of our Religion and Kirk, doth depend upon the sasetie and good behaviour of the Kings Majestie, as upon a comfortable instrument of Gods mercie; graunted to this Countrey, for the maintaining of his Kirk, and ministration of Iustice amongst us, wee protest and promise with our hearts under the same Oath, Hand-writ, and paines, that wee shall defend his Person and Authoritie, with our goods, bodies, [Page 7]and lives, in the defence of Christ his Evangell, Liberties of our Countrie, ministration of Iustice, and punishment of ini­quitie, against all enemies within this Realme, or without, as wee desire our God to bee a strong and mercifull Defender to us in the day of our death, and comming of our Lord Jesus Christ: To whom with the Father, and the holy Spirit, bee all Honour and Glorie Eternallie.

LIKE as many Acts of Parlament not onely in generall doe abrogate, annull, and rescind all Lawes, Statutes, Acts, Constitutions, Canons, civill or municipall, with all other Or­dinances and practique penulties whatsoever, made in preju­dice of the true Religion and Professours thereof: Or, of the true Kirk discipline, jurisdiction, and freedome thereof: Or, in favours of Idolatrie and Superstition: Or, of the Papisti­call Kirk: As, Act. 3. Act. 31. Parl. 1. Act. 23. Parl. 11. Act. 114. Parl. 12. of King lames the sixt, That Papistrie & Supersti­tion may bee utterly suppressed, according to the intention of the Acts of Parlament reported in the 5. Act. Parl. 20. K. James 6. And to that end they ordaine all Papists & Priests to bee punished by manifolde Civill and Ecclesiasticall paines, as adversaries to Gods true Religion, preached, and by Law established within this Realme, Act. 24. Parl. 11. K. Iames. 6. as common enemies to all Christian government, Act. 18. Parl. 16. K. James 6. as rebellers and gainstanders of our Sou­veraigne Lords Authoritie, Act 47. Parl. 3. K. Iames 6. and as Idolaters, Act. 104. Parl. 7. K. Iames 6. but also in particu­lar (by and attour the Confession of Faith) doe abolish and condemne the Popes Authoritie and Iurisdiction our of this Land, and ordaines the maintainers thereof to be punished, Act. 2. Parl. 1. Act. 51. Parl. 3. Act. 106. Parl. 7. Act. 114. Parl. 12. K. James 6. doe condemue the Popes erroneous doctrine, or any other erroneous doctrine repugnant to any of the Ar­ticles [Page 8]of the true & Christian religion publickely preached, and by law established in this Realme: And ordaines the spreaders and makers of Bookes or Libells, or Letters, or Writts of that nature to be punished, Act. 46. Parl. 3. Act. 106. Parl. 7. Act. 24. Parl. 11. King Iames 6. doe condemne all Baptisme conforme to the Popes Kirke and the Idolatrie of the Masse, and ordaines all sayers, willfull hearers, and con­cealers of the Masse, the maintainers and resetrers of the Priests, Iesuites, traffiquing Papists, to bee punished with­out any exception or restriction, Act. 5. Parl. 1. Act. 120. Parl. 12. Act. 164. Parl. 13. Act. 193. Parl. 14. Act. 1. Parl. 19. Act. 5. Parl. 20. K. Iames 6. doe condemne all erroneous bookes and writtes conteining erroneous doctrine against the Religion presentlie professed, or conteining superstitious Rites and Ce­remonies Papisticall, whereby the people are greatly abused, and ordaines the home bringers of them to be punished, Act. 25. Parl. 11. K. Iames 6. doe condemne the monuments and dregs of bygane Idolatrie, as, goeing to the Crosses, observing the Feasticall dayes of Saincts, and such other superstitious and Papisticall Rites, to the dishonour of God, contempt of true Religion, & fostering of great errour among the people, and ordaines the users of them to be punished for the second fault as Idolaters, Act. 104. Parl. 7. K. Iames 6.

Like as many acts of Parliament are conceaved for mainte­nance of Gods true and Christian Religion, and the puritie thereof in Doctrine and Sacraments of the true Church of God, the libertie and freedome thereof, in her Nationall, Sy­nodall Assemblies, Presbyteries, Sessions, Pollicie, Disci­pline and Jurisdiction thereof, as that puritie of religion and libertie of the Church was used, professed, exercised, preach­ed, and confessed according to the reformation of Religion in this Realme. As for instance, the 99. Act. Parl. 7. Act. 23. Parl. 11. Act. 114. P. 12. Act. 160. Parl. 13. of K. Iames 6. Ratified [Page] by the 4. Act of K. Charles. So that the 6. Act. Parl. 1. and 68. Act. Parl. 6. of K. Iames 6. in the yeare of God 1579. declares the Ministers of the blessed Evangell, whom God of his mercie had raised up, or hereafter should raise, agreeing with them that then lived in Doctrine, and administration of the Sacra­ments, and the people that professed Christ, as he was than offered in the Evangell, and doth communicate with the ho­ly Sacraments (as in the reformed Kirkes of this Realme they were publicklie administrate) according to the Confession of Faith, to bee the true and holy Kirk of Christ Iesus within this Realme, and decerns and declares all and sundrie, who either gaine sayes the Word of the Evangell, received and approved as the heads of the confession of Faith, professed in Parla­ment, in the yeare of God 1560. specified also in the first Par­lament of K. Iames 6. and ratified in this present Parlament, more particularlie doe specifie, or that refuses the administra­tion of the holy Sacraments, as they were then ministrated, to bee no members of the said Kirk within this Realme and true Religion, presentlie professed so long as they keep them­selues so devyded from the societie of Christs body: And the subsequent, Act 69. Parl. 6. of K. Iames 6. declares, That there is no other face of Kirk, nor other face of Religion, then was pre­sentlie at that time, by the favour of God established within this Realm, which therefore is ever styled Gods true Religion, Christs true Religion, the true & Christian Religion, & a per­fect Religion. Which, by manifold acts of Parlamēt, all within this Realme, are boūd to professe to subscribe the articles ther­of, the Confession of Faith, to recant all doctrine and errours, repugnant to any of the said Articles, Act. 4. and 9. Parl. 1. Act. 45.46.47. Parl. 3. Act. 71. Parl. 6. Act. 105. Parl. 7. Act. 24. Parl. 11. Act. 123. Parl. 12. Act. 194. & 197. Parl. 14. of K. Iames 6. And all Magistrates, Shirefs, &c. On the one parte are or­dained to search, apprehend, and punish all contraviners, for [Page 10]instance, Act. 5. Parl. 1. Act. 104. Parl. 7. Act. 25. Parl. 11. R. Iames 6. And that notwithstanding of the Kings Majesties licences on the contrarie which are discharged and declared to bee of no force, in so farre as they tend in any wayes, to the prejudice and hinder of the execution of the Acts of Parla­ment against Papists and adversaries of true Religion, Act. 106. Parl. 7. K. James 6. On the other part in the 47. Act. P. 3. K. James. 6. It is declared and ordained, seeing the cause of Gods true Religion, and his highnes Authority are so joyned, as the hurt of the one is common to both: & that none shall be repu­ted as loyall & faithfull subjects to our Soveraigne Lord, or his Authority, but be punishable as rebellers & gainstanders of the same, who shall not give their Confession, and make their profession of the said true Religion, & that they who after de­fection shall give the Confession of their Faith of new, they shall promise to continue therein in time comming, to main­taine our Souveraigne Lords Authority, and at the uttermost of their power to fortifie, assist, and maintaine the true Prea­chers and Professors of Christs Evangell, against whatsoever enemies and gainestanders of the same: and namelie, against all such of whatsoever nation, estate, or degree they bee of: that have joyned, and bound themselves, or have assisted, or assists to set forward, and execute the cruell decrees of Trent, contrary to the Preachers and true Professors of the Word of God, which is repeated word by word in the Articles of Pa­cification at Perth the 23 of Februar. 1572. approved by Parlament the last of Aprile, 1573. Ratified in Parlament, 1587. and related, Act. 123. Parl. 12. of K. Iames. 6. with this addition, that they are bound to resist all treasonable uproares and hostilities raised against the true Religion, the Kings Maje­stie, and the true Professors.

Like as all liedges are bound to maintaine the K. Majesties Royall Person, and Authority, the Authoritie of Parlaments, [Page 11]without the which neither any lawes or lawfull judicatories can be established, Act. 130. Act. 131. Parl. 8. K. James 6. & the subjects liberties, who ought onely to liue & be governed by the Kings lawes, the common lawes of this Realme allanerlie, Act. 48. Parl. 3. K. Iames the first. Act. 79. Parl. 6. K. Iames the 4. repeated in the Act. 131. Parl. 8. K. Iames 6. Which, if they bee innovated or prejudged, the cōmission anent the union of the two Kingdoms of Scotland & England, which is the sole Act. of the 17. Parl. of K. Iames 6. declares such confusion would en­sue, as this Realme could bee no more a free Monarchie, be­cause by the fundamentall lawes, ancient priviledges, offices and liberties of this Kingdome, not onely the Princelie Au­thority of his Majesties Royall discent hath been these many ages maintained, but also the peoples securitie of their Lands, livings, rights, offices, liberties, and dignities preserved, and therefore for the preservation of the said true Religion, Lawes, and Liberties of this Kingdome, it is statute by the 8. Act. Parl. 1. repeated in the 99. Act. Parl. 7. Ratified in the 23 Act Parl. 11. and 114. Act. Parl. 12. of K. Iames 6. and 4. Act. of K. Charles. That all Kings and Princes at their Coronation & reception of their Princely Authoritie, shall make their faithfull promise by their solemne oath in the presence of the Eternall God, that, endu­ring the whole time of their liues, they shall serve the same Eternall God to the uttermost of their power, according as he hath required in his most holy Word, contained in the old and new Testament. And according to the same Word, shall maintaine the true Religion of Christ Iesus, the preaching of his holy Word, the due & right ministration of the Sacramēts now receaved and preached within this Realme (according to the Confession of Faith immediatelie preceeding) and shall abolish and gainstand all false Religion contrarie to the same, & shall rule the people, committed to their charge, according to the will and command of God, revealed in his Foresaid [Page 12]Word, and according to the laudable lawes and constitutions received in this Realme, no wayes repugnant to the said will of the Eternall God, and shall procure, to the uttermost of their power, to the Kirk of God, & whole Christian people true and perfit peace in all time comming; and that they shall bee carefull to roote out of their empire all Heretickes, and enemies to the true Worship of God, who shall bee convi­cted by the true Kirk of God, of the foresaid crimes, which was also observed by his Majestie, at his Coronation in Eden­burgh, 1633. as may be seene in the order of the Coronation.

In obedience to the Commandement of GOD, con­forme to the practise of the godlie in former times, and accor­ding to the laudable example of our Worthy and Religious Progenitors, and of many yet living amongst us, which was warranted also by act of Counsell, commanding a generall band to bee made and subscribed by his Majesties subjects of all ranks, for two causes: one was, for defending the true Re­ligion, as it was then reformed, and is expressed in the Con­fession of Faith, aboue written, and a former large Confes­sion established by sundrie acts of lawfull generall assem­blies, and of Parlament, unto which it hath relation sett downe in publicke Catechismes, and which had been for ma­ny yeares with a blessing from Heaven, preached, and profes­sed in this Kirk and Kingoome, as Gods undoubted trueth, grounded onely upon his writtin Word. The other cause was, for maintaining the Kings Majestie his Person and E­state: the true Worship of God, and the Kings authoritie beeing so straitlie joyned, as that they had the same friends and common enemies, and did stand and fall together. And final­lie, being convinced in our mindes, and confessing with our mouthes, that the present and succeeding generations in this Land, are bound to keep the foresaid nationall Oath and sub­scription inviolable. Wee Noblemen, Barrons, Gentlemen, [Page 13]Burgesses, Ministers, and Commons under subscribing, con­sidering divers times before, and especially at this time, the danger of the true reformed Religion, of the Kings honour, and of the publick peace of the Kingdome: By the manifold innovations and evills generallie conteined and particularlie mentioned in our late supplications, complaints, and prote­stations: Doe heereby professe, and before God, his Angels, and the World solemnelie declare: That, with our whole hearts wee agree and resolve all the dayes of our life con­stantlie to adhere unto, and to defend the foresaid true Re­ligion, and (forbearing the practise of all novations, alreadie introduced in the matters of the worship of GOD, or apro­bation of the corruptions of the publicke Governement of the Kirk or civill places and power of Kirkmen, till they be tryed and allowed in free assemblies, and in Parlaments) to labour by all meanes lawfull to recover the puritie and libertie of the Gospell, as it was established and professed before the Foresaid novations: and because after due examination, wee plainelie perceave, and undoubtedlie believe, that the Inno­vations and evils conteined in our Supplications, Complaints, and Protestations have no warrant of the Word of God, are contrarie to the Articles of the Foresaid Confessions to the intention and meaning of the blessed reformers of Religion in this Land, to the above writtin Acts of Parlament, and doe sensiblie tend to the re-establishing of the Popish Reli­gion and tyrannie, and to the subversion and ruine of the true Reformed Religion, and of our Liberties, Lawes and Estates. Wee also declare, that the Foresaid Confessions are to be interpreted and ought to be understood of the Foresaid novations and evils no lesse than if every one of them had beene expressed in the Foresaid confessions, and that wee are obliged to detest and abhore them amongst other particular heads of Papistrie abjured therein. And therefore from the [Page 14]knowledge and consciences of our duetie to God, to our King and Countrey, without any wordly respect or inducement, so farre as humane infirmitie will suffer, wishing a further measure of the grace of God for this effect. We promise, and sweare by the Great Name of the Lord our GOD, to con­tinue in the Profession and Obedience of the Foresaid Reli­gion: That we shall defend the same, and resist all these con­trarie errours and corruptions, according to our vocation, and to the uttermost of that power that GOD hath put in our hands, all the dayes of our life: and in like manner with the same heart, wee declare before GOD and Men, That wee have no intention nor desire to attempt any thing that may turne to the dishonour of GOD, or to the diminution of the Kings greatnesse and authoritie: But on the contrarie, wee promise and sweare, that wee shall, to the uttermost of our power, with our meanes and lives, stand to the defence of our dread Soveraigne, the Kings Majestie, his Person, and Autho­ritie, in the defence and preservation of the foresaid true Religi­on, Liberties and Lawes of the Kingdome: As also to the mu­tuall defence and assistance, every one of us of another in the same cause of maintaining the true Religion, and his Majesties Authoritie, with our best counsell, our bodies, meanes, and whole power against all sorts of persons whatsoever. So that whatsoever shall be done to the least of us for that cause, shall bee taken as done to us all in generall, and to every one of us in particular. And that wee shall neither directly nor indirectly suffer our selves to bee divided or withdrawn by whatsoever suggestion, allurement, or terrour from this blessed and loyall Conjunction, nor shall cast in any let or impediment, that may stay or hinder any such resolution as by common consent shall be found to conduce for so good ends. But on the contrarie, shall by all lawfull meanes labour to further and promove the same, and if any such dangerous and divisive motion be made [Page 15]to us by Word or Writ, We, and every one of us, shall either suppresse it, or if need bee shall incontinent make the same known, that it may be timeously obviated: neither do we fear the soule aspersions of rebellion, combination, or what else our adversaries from their craft and malice would put upon us, seeing what we doe is so well warranted, and ariseth from an unfeined desire to maintaine the true worship of God, the Ma­jestie of our King, and peace of the Kingdome, for the common happinesse of our selves, and the posteritie. And because wee cannot look for a blessing from God upon our proceedings, ex­cept with our Profession and Subscription wee joine such a life and conversation, as beseemeth Christians, who have renewed their Covenant with God; Wee, therefore, faithfully pro­mise, for our selves, our followers, and all other under us, both in publick, in our particular families, and personall carriage, to endevour to keepe our selves within the bounds of Christian libertie, and to be good examples to others of all Godlinesse, Sobernesse, and Righteousnesse, and of every duetie we owe to God and Man, and that this our Union and Conjunction may be observed without violation, we call the living GOD, the Searcher of our Hearts, to witnes, who knoweth this to be our sincere Desire, and unfained Resolution, as we shall answere to JESVS CHRIST, in the great day, and under the paine of Gods everlasting wrath, and of infamie, and losse of all ho­nour and respect in this World, Most humbly beseeching the Lord, to strengthen us by his holy Spirit for this end: and to blesse our desires and proceedings with a happie successe, that Religion and Righteousnesse may flourish in the Land, to the glory of GOD, the honour of our King, and peace and comfort of us all. In witnesse whereof wee have subscribed with our hands all the premisses, &c.