Part 10

_Secundlie_, Seing that the Sacramentis of Jesus Chryst are maist schamefullie abusit and prophanit by that Romane harlot and hir sworne vassallis; and alssua because that the treu disciplyne of the ancient Kirk is utterlie now amangis that sect extinguischeit: for quha within the Realme are mair corrupt of lyff and maneris than are thay that are callit the Clergye, living in huredome, adultery, defloring virgeinis, corrupting matronis, and doing all abominatioun, without feir of punischement; We humbillie thairfoir desyre youre Honouris to fynd remedy against the ane and the uther.

_Thirdlie_, Because that Man of Syn often maist falslie clames to him self the titillis of "The Vicare of Chryst; the successour of Peter; the heid of the Kirk; that he can not err; that all power is grantit unto him," &c., by the quhilk usurpit authoratie, he taikis upoun him the distributioun and possessioun of the haill patrimony of the Kirk, quhairby the trew Ministeris of the word of God lang tyme hes bene altogidder neglectit, the godlie learning dispysit, the sculeis not providit, and the poore not onlie defraudit of thair portioun, but alssua tyrannouslie oppressit; We lykwise heirof desyre remedy.

And least that your Honouris sould dowt of any of thir premisses, we offer oure selfis evidentlie to prove, that in all the [rabill of the] Clergye thair is not ane lauchfull minister, gif Godis word, the practise of the Apostillis, and thair awin ancient Lawis, sall judge of lauchfull electioun. We farther offer oure selfis to prove thame all thevis and murtheraris, yea, rebellis and tratouris to the lauchfull authoritie of Empriouris, Kyngis, and Prenceis; and thairfor unworthy to be sufferrit in any Reformeit Commonwealth. Quhow malitiouslie thay have murtherit oure brethren, for na uther cause, bot for that thay offerrit to us the licht of Godis word, your Honouris can not be ignorant; and in quhat hasard thair tyrranie hes brocht this haill Realme, the ages after will considder. Gif ye luik of thame any uther fruit in tymeis cuming, than ye have sene in thame quham we accuse, we ar assurit ye sall be desavit. Now hes God, beyond all expectatioun of man, maid youre selfis, quha sum tymeis war suppliantis with us for Reformatioun, jugeis, as it war, in the caus of God. At least he hes subdewit your ennemeis unto you, that by violence thay ar nocht abill to suppress the veritie, as heirtofoir thay haif done.

We thairfoir, in the bowellis of Jesus Chryst, crave of your Honouris, that ather thay be compellit to answer to our former accusationis, and to sick uthiris as we justlie have to lay to thair chargeis, or ellis that, all affectioun laid asyde, ye pronunce thame be censement of this Parliament sick, and cause thame to be sua reputit, as by us maist justlie thay ar accusit; especiallie, that thay be decernit unworthy of honour, authoritie, charge, or cure within the Kyrk of God, and sa from hencefurth never to joy vote[207] in Parliament. Quhilk gif ye do not, than in the feir of God, and by the assurance of his word, We foirwairne you, that as ye haif ane grevouse yock, and ane burding intollerabill upoun the kyrk of God within this Realme, so sall thay be thornis in youre eyes, and pryckis in your sydis, quhom efter, quhen ye wold, ye sall have no power to remove. God the Father of our Lord Jesus Chryst give yow upricht hartis, seiking his glory; and trew understanding quhat this day he quha delyverit yow fra bondage, baith spirituall and temporall, cravis of yow by his servandis: And youre Honouris Answer maist humbly we requyre.

[207] In Vautr. edit. "to enjoy voice."

This oure Supplicatioun being red in audience of the haill assembly, dyverse men war of dyverse jugementis; for als sone thair war that uprichtlie favourit the cause of God, sa war thair many that for warldlie respectis abhorrit ane perfect Reformatioun, (for how many within Scotland that have the name of Nobilitie, ar not injust possessouris of the patrimony of the Kyrk.) And yitt war the Barronis and Ministeris callit, and commandement gevin unto thame, to draw, in playne and severall heidis, the summe of that Doctrine, quhilk thay wald menteyne, and wald desyre that present Parliament to establische, as hailsome, trew, and onlie necessarie to be beleivit, and to be resavit within that Realme: Quhilk thay willinglie acceptit, and within foure dayis presentit this CONFESSIOUN as it followis, without alteratioun of any ane sentence:--

THE CONFESSIOUN OF FAITH PROFESSIT AND BELEVIT BE THE PROTESTANTIS WITHIN THE REALME OF SCOTLAND, PUBLISCHEIT BY THAME IN PARLIAMENT, AND BE THE ESTAITIS THAIROF RATIFEIT AND APPROVIT, AS HAILSOME AND SOUND DOCTRINE, GROUNDIT UPOUN THE INFALLABLE TREWTH OF GODIS WORD.

MATHEI 24.

AND THIS GLAID TYDINGIS OF THE KYNGDOME SALL BE PRECHEIT THROUGH THE HAILL WARLD, FOR A WITNES UNTO ALL NATIOUNS, AND THEN SALL THE END CUM.

(_Title-page of the first printed edition._)

The Confessione of the fayht and doctrin beleued and professed by the Protestantes of the Realme of Scotland exhibited to the estates of the sam in parliament and by thare publict votes authorised as a doctrin grounded vpon the infallable wourd of God.

Matth. 24

And this glaid tydinges of the kingdom shalbe preached throught the hole world for a witness to all nations and then shall the end cum.

Imprinted at Edinburgh, be Robert Lekprewik.

Cum priuilegio.

1561.

THE PREFACE.

The Estaitis of Scotland, with the Inhabitants of the samyn, professing Chryst Jesus his Holy Evangell,[208] To thair naturall Cuntreymen, and to all utheris Realmeis and Natiouns, professing the samyn Lord Jesus with thame, wische grace, peace, and mercy from God the Father of our Lord Jesus Chryst, with the Spreit of rychteouse jugement, for Salutatioun.

[208] In Vautr. edit. &c., "Gospell."

LONG have we thristit,[209] deir Brethren, to haif notifeit unto the warld the summe of that doctrin quhilk we professe, and for the quhilk we haif sustenit infamy and daingear. Bot sik hes bene the rage of Sathan against us, and against Chryst Jesus his eternall veritie laitlie borne amangis us, that to this day na tyme hes bene grantit unto us to cleir our consciencis, as maist glaidlie we wald have done; for how we have bene tossit ane haill yeir past, the maist pairt of Europe (as we suppoise) dois understand. Bot seing that of the infinite gudnes of our God (quha never sufferris his afflictit to be utterlie confoundit) above expectatioun, we have obteinit sum rest and libertie, we could not bot sett furth this breve and playne Confessioun of sik doctrine as is proponit unto us, and as we beleif and professe, pairtlie for satisfactioun of oure Brethren, quhais hartis we dout not have bene and yitt ar woundit be the dispytefull railling of sik as yitt have not leirnit to speik weill; and pairtlie for stopping of the mouthis of impudent blasphemaris, quha baldlie condempne[210] that quhilk thay have neither hard nor yet understand. Not that we judge that the cankerit malice of sik is abill to be cured be this sempill Confessioun: Na, we knaw that the sweit, savour of the Evangell[211] is, and sall be death to the sonis of perditioun. Bot we haif cheif respect to our weak and infirme brethren, to quham we wald communicat the bottome of oure hartis, least that thay be trubillit or careit away be the diversiteis of rumouris quhilk Sathan sparsis contrar us,[212] to the defecting of this oure maist godlie interprise; Protesting, that gif any man will note in this oure Confessioun any article or sentence repugning to Godis holie word, that it wald pleis him of his gentilnes, and for Christiane cherities saik,[213] to admoneise us of the samyn in writt; and We of our honour and fidelitie do promeis[214] unto him satisfactioun fra the mouth of God, (that is, fra his holy Scriptures,) or ellis reformatioun of that quhilk he sall prove to be amyss. For God we taik to record in our conscienceis, that fra oure hartis we abhoir all sectis of heresye, and all techaris of erroneous doctrine; and that with all humylitie we embrace the puritie of Christis Evangell, quhilk is the onlie foode of our saullis; and thairfoir sua precious unto us, that we ar determinit to suffer the extremitie of warldlie daingear, rather than that we will suffer oure selvis to be defraudit of the same. For heirof we ar maist certainlie persuaidit, "That quhasoever denyis Chryst Jesus, or is eschameit of him, in presens of men, sall be denyit befoir the Father, and befoir his holie angellis." And thairfoir be the assistance of the mychtie Spreitt of the same, oure Lord Jesus, we firmlie purpoise to abyde to the end in the Confessioun of this oure Faith.[215]

[209] In the printed copies 1561, "thrusted;" and in the London edit. 1561, lines 5-6, of the title, "by their publicke voices authorised."--Some notices of the early editions of this Confession will be given in the Appendix to this volume.

[210] In the printed copies 1561, "dampne," and "damne."

[211] In Lond. edit. 1561, "Gospell."

[212] In Lond. edit. 1561, "spreads abrode against us."

[213] In Edinb. edit. 1561, "for Christes and cherites sake."

[214] In Lond. edit. 1561, several words are here omitted, and the passage reads: "repugnyng to God's holye worde, and do admonishe us of the same in writyng, we by God's grace do promesse," &c.

[215] In the printed copies 1561, "oure Faithe, as by articulis followeth."

OFF GOD.--CAP. I.[216]

[Sidenote: Deut. 6. Esai. 44.]

[Sidenote: Deut. 4. Mat. 28.]

[Sidenote: Gen. 1.]

[Sidenote: Esai.]

[Sidenote: Proverb. 16.]

WE confesse and acknawledge ane onlie God, to quhom onlie we must cleave, [quhom onlie we must serve,][217] quhom onlie we must wirschip, and in quhom onlie we must put our trust; quha is eternall, infinite, unmesurable, incomprehensible, omnipotent, invysible: ane in substance, and yit distinct in thre personis, the Father, the Sone, and the Holie Ghost: Be quhom we confesse and beleif all thyngis in hevin and in earth, alsweill visible as invisible, to haif bene creatit, to be reteanit in thair being, and to be rewllit and gydeit be his inscrutabill Providence, to sick end as his eternall wisdome, gudnes, and justice hes appointit thame, to the manifestatioun of his awin glorie.

[216] The numbers of the Chapters, and the marginal Scriptural references are not contained in any of the MS. copies of Knox's History. They are here supplied from the first edition of the Confession, printed by Lekprevik in 1561, compared with the Acts of Parliament of 1567, printed in 1568.

[217] These words, and such others as are inclosed within brackets, are omitted in the copies of Knox. By "the old printed copies," in the following notes to the Confession, is signified the editions printed in 1561, and the several editions of the Acts of Parliament 1567.

OFF THE CREATIOUN OF MAN.--CAP. II.

[Sidenote: Gen. 1. 2.]

[Sidenote: Gen. 3.]

We confesse and acknawledge this oure God to haif creatit Man, (to witt, our fyrst father Adam) of quhom also God formit the Woman to his awin image and similitude;[218] to quhom he gaif wisdome, lordschip, justice, fre-will, and cleir knawledge of him selff; sua that in the haill nature of man thair could be notit na imperfectioun: Frome quhilk honour and perfectioun man and woman did baith fall; the woman being desavit be the Serpent, and man obeying to the voice of the woman, baith conspyring against the Soverane Majestie of God, quha in expressit wordis of befoir had threatnit death, gif thay presumeit to eit of the forbiddin tree.

[218] The words, "of quhom also God formit the woman to his awin image and similitude," are omitted in the editions of the Confession 1561, and of the Acts of Parliament 1567: also in Adamson's Latin translation, 1572.

OFF ORIGINALL SYN.--CAP. III.

[Sidenote: Ephes. 3. Rom. 5. Joan. 3. Rom. 5. 8.]

By quhilk transgressioun, commonlie callit Originall Syn, was the image of God utterlie defaceit in man; and he and his posteritie of nature became ennemeis to God, slavis to Sathan, and servantis to syn; in samekill that death everlesting hes haid, and sall have power and dominioun over all that hes not bene, ar not, or sall not be regenerat frome above: quhilk regeneratioun is wrocht be the power of the Holy Ghost, wirking in the hartis of the elect of God ane assureit faith in the promeise of God, reveillit to us in his word; by quhilk faith thay apprehend[219] Chryst Jesus, with the graces and benefites promesit in him.

[219] In the old printed copies, "we apprehend."

OFF THE REVELATIOUN OF THE PROMEIS.--CAP. IV.

[Sidenote: Gen. 5. Gen. 12. 15. Esai. 7. 8.]

For this we constantlie beleif, that God, efter the feirfull and horribill defectioun of man frome his obedience, did seik Adam agane, call upoun him, rebuk his syn, convict him of the same, and in the end maid unto him a maist joyfull promeisse, to witt, "That the seid of the woman sould brek doun the serpentis heid;" that is, he sould destroy the warkis of the Devill. Quhilk promeis, as it was repeitit and maid mair cleir from tyme to tyme, sua was it embraceit with joy, and maist constantlie retenit[220] of all the faithfull, frome Adam to Noah, frome Noah to Abraham, from Abraham to David, and sua furth to the incarnatioun of Chryst Jesus: quha all (we mene the faithfull Fatheris under the law,) did se the joyfull dayis of Christ Jesus, and did rejoyse.

[220] In the old printed copies, "ressavit."

THE CONTINUANCE, INCREASE, AND PRESERVATIOUN OF THE KIRK.[221]--CAP. V.

[221] In the editions 1561, "Church."

[Sidenote: Ezech. 16.]

[Sidenote: Gen. 12. 13. Exod. 1. 2. Exod. 20.]

[Sidenote: Josu. 1. 2. 3. 1 Sam. 1. 23. 2 Reg. 17.]

[Sidenote: 2 Reg. 24. 25. Deut. 28. Jere. 39. Esdr. 1. Agg. 1, 2. Zach. 3.]

We maist constantlie beleif, that God preservit, instructit, multipleit, honourit, decoirit, and frome death callit to lyfe his Kirk in all aiges, fra Adam, till the cuming of Chryst Jesus in the flesche: for Abraham he callit frome his fatheris cuntrey, him he instructit, his seid he multipleit, the same he marvalouslie preservit, and mair marvelouslie delyverit frome the bondage [and tyranny] of Pharao; to thame he gaif his lawis, constitutiouns, and ceremoneis; thame he possessit in the land of Canaan; to thame efter Jugeis, and efter Saule he gaif David to be kyng, to quham he maid promeise, "That of the fruit of his loynis sould ane sitt for ever upoun his regall saitt." To this same pepill from tyme to tyme he send propheittis to reduce thame to the recht way of thair God, frome the quhilk often tymis thay declyneit by idolatrie. And albeit for thair stubburne contempt of justice, he was compellit to gif thame in the handis of thair ennemeis, as befoir was threatnit by the mouth of Moyses, in samekill that the halye citie[222] was destroyit, the tempill brynt with fyre, and the haill land left desolat the space of sevintie yeiris; yitt of mercy did he reduce thame agane to Jerusalem, quhair the citie and tempill war reedifeit, and they, against all temptatiounis and assaultis of Sathan, did abyde till the Messias came, according to the promeise.

[222] In the MSS. of Knox, "the haill citie."

OFF THE INCARNATIOUN OF CHRYST JESUS.--CAP. VI.

[Sidenote: Gal. 4.]

[Sidenote: Luc. 1, 2.]

[Sidenote: Esai.]

Quhan the fulnes of tyme came, God send his Sone, his Eternall Wisdome, the substance of his awin glory, in this warld, quha tuik the nature of manheid of the substance of ane woman, to witt, of ane Virgin, and that be the operatioun of the Holie Ghost: And sa was borne the just seid of David, the angell of the greit counsall of God; the verray Messias promesit, quham we acknawledge and confesse Emanuell; verray God and verray man, twa perfyte naturis unitit and joynit in ane persona. By quhilk oure confessioun we dampne[223] the damnabill and pestilent hereseyis of Arrius, Marcion, Eutiches, Nestorius, and sick utheris, as either deny[224] the eternitie of his Godheid, either the veratie of his human nature, either confound thame, either yit devyde thame.

[223] In the old printed copies, "condempne."

[224] In the old printed copies, "did deny;" and "or," instead of "either," in the two next lines.

QUHY IT BEHOVIT THE MEDIATOUR TO BE VERRAY GOD AND VERRAY MAN.--CAP. VII.

We acknawledge and confesse, that this maist wonderous conjunctioun betwix the Godheid and the Manheid in Chryst Jesus, did proceid frome the eternall and immutabill decree of God, quhence alssua oure salvatioun springis and dependis.[225]

[225] In the edition 1561, and MS. G, "whence also our salvation springeth, and dependeth;" in the Acts of Parliament 1567, "fra quhilk all our salvatioun springs and depends."

ELECTIOUN.--CAP. VIII.

[Sidenote: Eph. 1.]

[Sidenote: Heb. 2.]

[Sidenote: Joan. 10.]

[Sidenote: Joan 1.]

[Sidenote: Joan 20.]

[Sidenote: Esai. 53.]

For that samyn Eternall God, and Father, quha of mere mercy electit us in Chryst Jesus his Sone, befoir the fundatioun of the warld was laid, appoyntit him to be oure Heid, our Brother, our Pastoure, and greit Bishop of oure Saullis. Bot becaus that the enmitie betwix the justice of God and our synnes was sick, that no flesche by it self could or mycht have atteanit unto God, it behovit that the Sone of God sould discend unto us, and tak him selff ane body of oure body, flesche of oure flesche, and bane of oure baneis, and sua became[226] the perfyte Mediatour betwix God and man; giffing power to sa mony as beleif in him to be the sonis of God, as him selff dois witnesse--"I pas up to my Father and unto your Father, to my God and unto your God." By quhilk maist halie fraternitie, quhatsoever we have lost[227] in Adam is restoirit to us againe. And for this cause ar we not effrayit to call God our father, not samekill in that he hes creatit us,[228] (quhilk we have common with the reprobat,) as for that he hes gevin to us his onlie Sone to be our brother, and gevin unto us grace to [acknawledge and] embrace him for oure onlie Mediatour, as befoir is said. It behovit farther, the Messias and Redeemer to [be] verray God and verray Man, becaus he was to underly[229] the punishment dew for oure transgressiouns, and to present him selff in the presence of his Fatheris jugement, as in oure persone, to suffer for our transgressioun and inobedience, by death to ovircum him that was author of death. Bot becaus the onlie Godheid could not suffer death, neyther could the onlie Manheid ovircum the same; he joynit baith togidder in ane persone, that the imbecilitie of the ane sould suffer, and be subject to death, (quhilk we haid deservit,) and the infinite and invincible power of the uther, to wit, of the Godheid, sould tryumphe and purchese till us lyfe, libertie, and perpetuall victorie. And so we confess, and maist undowtedlie beleif.

[226] In the old printed copies, "become."

[227] In the Acts 1567, "have tint."

[228] In the editions 1561, "not so much because he hath created us."

[229] In the London edition 1561, "to beare upon him."

CHRYSTIS DEATH, PASSIOUN, BURYALL, &C.--CAP. IX.

[Sidenote: Heb. 12.]

[Sidenote: Esai. 53.]

[Sidenote: Deut. 21.]

[Sidenote: Gal. 3.]

[Sidenote: Heb. 10.]

That our Lord Jesus Chryst offerrit him self ane voluntarie sacrifice unto his Father for us; that he sufferrit contradictioun of synneris; that he was woundit and plaigit for our transgressiouns; that he being the clene and innocent Lamb of God, was dampnit in the presence of an earthlie juge, that we mycht be absolvit befoir the tribunall seat of our God; that he sufferit not onlie the creuell death of the croce (quhilk was accursit be the sentance of God,) bot alssua that he sufferrit for a seassone the wrath of his Father, whilk synnaris had deservit. Bot yitt we avow, that he remaneit the onlie and weilbelovit and blissit Sone of his Father, evin in the myddis of his anguysche and torment, quhilk he sufferrit in body and saull, to mak the full satisfactioun for the synnis of his pepill.[230] Efter the quhilk, we confesse and avow, that thair remaneis na uther sacrifice for synnis; quhilk gif any affirme, we nathing dowt to avow that thay are blasphemaris against Chrystis death, and the everlesting purgatioun and sattisfactioun purchessit till us by the same.

[230] In the old printed copies, "the people."

RESURRECTIOUN.--CAP. X.

[Sidenote: Act. 2. 3.]

[Sidenote: Rom. 6.]

[Sidenote: Mat. 28.]

[Sidenote: Mat. 27.]

[Sidenote: Joan. 20. 21.]

We undoutedlie beleif, that insamekill as it was impossibill that the dolouris of death sould reteane in bondage the Author of lyff, that our Lord Jesus Chryst crucifeit, deid, and buryit, quha discendit into hell, did raise agane for our justificatioun, and distroying [of] him who was [the] author of death, brocht lyfe agane to us that war subject to death and to the bondage of the same. We knaw that his resurrectioun was confirmit be the testimonye of his verray ennemeis; by the resurrectioun of the deid, quhais sepulturis did oppin, and thay did arise and apperit to many within the Citie of Jerusalem. It was alssua confirmit be the testimonie of [his] Angellis, and be the senses and jugementis of his Apostleis, and [of] utheris, quha had conversatioun, and did eit and drynk with him efter his resurrectioun.

ASCENSIOUN.--CAP. XI.

[Sidenote: Act. 1.]

[Sidenote: Mat. 28.]

[Sidenote: 1 Joan. 2.]

[Sidenote: 1 Tim. 2.]

[Sidenote: Psal. 110.]

[Sidenote: Apoc. 20.]

[Sidenote: Esai. 66.]

[Sidenote: Esai. 7.]

[Sidenote: Collos. 1.]

[Sidenote: Heb. 9. 10.]