Part 12

As the Fatheris under the Law, besydis the veritie of the sacrifices, had two cheaf Sacramentis, to witt, Circumcisioun and the Passover, the despysaris and contemnaris whairof war not reputed for Godis people; so [do] we acknawledge and confesse that we now, in the tyme of the Evangell, have two[248] Sacramentis onlie, institutit be the Lord Jesus, and commanded to be used of all those that will be reputed members of his body, to witt, Baptisme and the Supper, or Table of the Lord Jesus, called The Communioun of his body and bloode. And these sacramentis (alsweill of the Auld as of the New Testament) war institut[248] of God, not onlie to maik ane visible difference betwixt his people, and those that war without his league; but also to exercise the faith of his children; and by participatioun of the same sacramentis, to seall in thair heartis the assurance of his promeis, and of that most blessed conjunctioun, unioun, and societie, whiche the Elect have with thair head, Christ Jesus. And thus we utterlie dampne the vanitie of those that affirme Sacramentis to be nothing else but naked and bair signes. No, we assuredlie beleve, that by Baptisme we ar ingrafted in Christ Jesus to be maid partakaris of his justice, by the whiche our synes are covered and remitted; and also, that in the Supper, rychtlie used, Christ Jesus is so joyned with us, that he becumis the verray nurishement and foode of our saullis. Not that we ymagine any transsubstantiatioun of bread into Christis naturall body, and of wyne in his naturall bloode, (as the Papistis have perniciouslie taught and dampnablie beleved;) but this union and communioun whiche we have with the body and bloode of Christ Jesus in the rycht use of the sacraments, is wrocht by operatioun of the Holy Ghost, who by trew faith caryes us above all thingis that ar visible, carnall, and earthlie, and maikis us to feid upoun the body and bloode of Christ Jesus, whiche was ones brokin and schedd for us, whiche now is in the heavin, and appeareth in the presence of his Father for us. And yit, notwithstanding the far distance of place, whiche is betwix his bodye now glorifeid in the heavin, and us now mortall in this earth, yit we most assuredlie beleve, that the bread which we break is the communioun of Christis body, and the cupp which we bliss, is the communion of his bloode. So that we confesse, and undowttedlye beleve, that the faithfull, in the rycht use of the Lordis Table, so do eatt the body, and drynk the bloode of the Lord Jesus, that he remaneth in thame and thai in him: yea, that thai ar so maid flesche of his flesche, and bone of his bones, that as the Eternall Godheid hath gevin to the flesche of Christ Jesus (whiche of the awin conditioun and nature was mortall and corruptible) lyfe and immortalitie, so doeth Christ Jesus his flesche and bloode eatten and drunken by us, give to us the same prerogatives: Whiche albeit we confesse, are neather gevin unto us at that onlie tyme, neather yit by the propir power and vertew of the Sacramentis onlie; yit we affirme, that the faithfull in the rycht use of the Lordis Table hes sick conjunctioun with Christ Jesus, as the naturall man can not comprehend: yea, and farther we affirme, that albeit the faithfull oppressed be negligence, and manlie infirmitie, doeth not proffeitt so mekill as thei wold att the verray instant actioun of the Supper, yit shall it after bring furth frute, as livelie seid sawin in good ground; for the Holy Spreit, whiche can never be devided frome the rycht institutioun of the Lord Jesus, will not frustrat the faythfull of the frute of that misticall actioun. But all this, we say, cumis by trew fayth, whiche apprehendeth Christ Jesus, who onlie maikis his Sacramentis effectuall unto us; and, thairfoir, whosoever sclandereth us, as that we affirmed or beleved Sacramentis to be onlie naiked and bair signes, do injurie unto us, and speak against a manifest treuth. But this liberallie and francklie we most confess, that we maik ane distinctioun betwix Christ Jesus, in his naturall substance,[249] and betwix the elementis in the Sacramentall signes; so that we will neather wirschip the signes in place of that which is signifeid by thame; neather yit do we dispyse and interprete thame as unprofitable and vane; but do use thame with all reverence, examyning our selfis diligentlie befoir that so we do, becaus we ar assured by the mouth of the Apostle, "That sick as eat of that bread, and drynk of that cupp, unworthelie, ar guyltie of the body and bloode[250] of the Lord Jesus."

[248] In the old printed copies, "two chief;" and "now instituted."

[249] In the old printed copies, "in his eternall substance."

[250] In the editions 1561, "and of the blood of Christ Jesus."

OFF THE RYCHT ADMINISTRATIOUN OF THE SACRAMENTIS.--CAP. XXII.

[Sidenote: Christians may not participate with the Papists in their Sacraments.]

[Sidenote: Women may not Baptise.]

[Sidenote: The Papists commit sacriledge.]

[Sidenote: Such as think not rightly of the Lords Supper receive it not worthely.]

That Sacramentis be rychtlie ministred, we judge twa thingis requisit: the one, That thei be ministred be lauchfull ministeris, whome we affirme to be onlie thei that ar appointed to the preaching of the worde, or into whose mouthis God hes putt some sermoun of exhortatioun, thei being men lauchfullie chosin thairto by some Kirk. The other, That thei be ministred in sic elementis, and in sic sorte as God hath appointed. Ellis we affirme, that thei cease to be rycht Sacramentis of Christ Jesus. And, thairfoir, it is, that we flye the societie with the Papisticall Kirk, in participatioun of thair Sacramentis; first, becaus thair ministeris ar no ministeris of Christ Jesus; yea, (whiche is more horrible) thei suffer wemen, whome the Holy Ghost will not suffer to teache in the congregatioun, to Baptise. And, secoundlie, Becaus thei have so adulterat, both the one sacrament and the other, with thair awin inventionis, that na pairte of Christis actioun abydeth in the originall puritie; for oyle, salt, spattle,[251] and siclyk in baptisme, are but menis inventionis; adoratioun, veneratioun, bearing throcht streittis and townes, and keaping of bread in boxes or buistis, are prophanatioun of Christis Sacramentis, and no use of the same: For Christ Jesus said, "Tak, eat, &c.; Do ye this in remembrance of me." By which wordis and charge he sanctifeid bread and wyne to be the sacrament of his body[252] and blude; to the end, that the one should be eatten, and that all should drink of the other; and not that thei should be keapt to be wirschiped and honoured as God, as the blynd Papistis have done heirtofoir, who also have committed sacriledge, stealling frome the people the one parte of the Sacrament, to witt, the blissed cupp. Moreover, that the Sacramentis be rychtlie used, it is requyred, that the end and caus why the Sacramentis war institut, be understand and observed, alsweall of the minister as of the receaveris; for yf the opinioun be changed in the receavare, the rycht use ceasseth; whiche is most evident by the rejectioun of the sacrifices, (as also yf the teachar teache[253] fals doctrin,) whiche war odiouse and abominable unto God (albeit thei war his awin ordinances,) becaus that wicked men use thame to ane other end than God hath ordeaned. The same affirme we of the sacramentis in the Papisticall Kirk, in whiche we affirme the haill actioun of the Lord Jesus to be adulterat, alsweill in the externall forme, as in the end and opinioun. What Christ Jesus did, and commanded to be done, is evident by the three Evangelistis [quho speak of the Sacrament,][254] and by Sanct Paule: What the preast does at his altare we neid not to rehearse. The end and caus of Christis institutioun, and why the self same should be used, is expressed in these wordis,--"Do this in remembrance of me. As oft as ye shall eatt off this bread and drynk of this cupp, ye shall schaw furth, (that is, extoll, preache, and magnifie,[255]) the Lordis death till he come." But to what end, and in what opinioun the preastis say thair masses, lett the wordis of the same, thair awin doctouris and writtingis witness, to witt, that thei, as mediatouris betwix Christ and his Kirk, do offerr unto God the Father ane sacrifice propitiatorie for the synnes of the quick and the dead. Which doctrine, as blasphemous to Christ Jesus, and macking derogatioun to the sufficiencie of his onlie sacrifice, ones offered for purgatioun of all those that shalbe sanctified, we utterlie abhorr, detest, and renunce.

[251] In some copies, "spittle."

[252] In some copies, "his holy body."

[253] In the old printed copies, "gif the teacher plainly teach, &c. befoir God."

[254] Supplied from MS. G; but the old printed copies also read, "by the Evangelistis, and by Sanct Paule;" omitting the word "three."

[255] In the old printed copies, "preach, magnifie, and prayse."

TO WHOME SACRAMENTIS APPERTEANE.--CAP. XXIII.

We Confesse and acknawledge that Baptisme apperteaneth alsweall to the infantis of the faithfull, as to those that be of age and discretioun. And so we dampne the errour of [the] Anabaptistes, who deny baptisme to apperteane to children, befoir that thei have faith and understanding. But the Supper of the Lord, we confesse to apperteane onlie to sick as[256] have bene of the houshold of faith, [and] can try and examyn thame selfis, asweill in thair faith, as in thair dewtie towardis thair nychtbouris. Such as eat [and drink] at that holy table without fayth, or being at dissentioun and divisioun with thare brethren, do eat unworthelye: and thairfoir it is, that in our Kirkis our Ministeris tackis publict and particulare examinatioun of the knowledge and conversatioun of suche as are to be admitted to the table of the Lord Jesus.

[256] In the old printed copies, "to sic onlie as be of the houshald."

OF THE CIVILE MAGISTRAT.--CAP. XXIV.

We Confesse and acknawledge impyres, kyngdomes, dominiounis, and cities to be distincted and ordaned by God: the powers and authorities in the same (be it of Emperouris in thair impyris, of Kingis in thair realmes, Dukis and Princes in thair dominiounis, or of otheris Magistratis in free cities,) to be Godis holy ordinance, ordeaned for manifestatioun of his awin glorie, and for the singulare proffeit and commodite of mankynd. So that whosoever goes about to tack away or to confound the haill state of civile policies, now lang establisched, we affirme the same men not onlie to be ennemyes to mankynd, but also wickedlie to feght against Godis expressed will. We farther Confesse and acknawledge, that sic personis as are placed in authoritie are to be loved, honoured, feared, and holdin in most reverent estimatioun; becaus [that] thei are the lieutennentis of God, in whose sessioun God him self doeth sitt and judge, (yea evin the Judges and Princes thame selfis,) to whome by God is gevin the sweard, to the praise and defence of good men, and to revenge and puniss all open malefactouris. Moreover, to Kingis, Princes, Reullaris, and Magistratis, we affirme that cheiflie and maist principallie the reformatioun[257] and purgatioun of the Religioun apperteanes; so that not onlie thei are appointed for civile policey, bot also for mantenance of the trew Religioun, and for suppressing of idolatrie and superstitioun whatsomever, as in David, Josaphat, Ezechias, Josias, and otheris, heychtlie commended for thair zeall in that caise, may be espyed. And thairfoir we confesse and avow, that sick as resist the Supreme power, (doing that thing which apperteanis to his charge,) do resist Goddis ordinance, and thairfoir can not be guyltless. And farther, we affirme, that whosoever deny unto thame thair aid, counsall, and conforte, while the Princes and Reullaris vigilantlie travaill in the executing[258] of thair office, that the same men deny thair help, supporte, and counsall to God, who by the presence of his lieutennent craveth it of thame.

[257] In the old printed copies, "conservatioun."

[258] In the old printed copies, "in executioun."

THE GIFTIS FRELIE GEVIN TO THE KIRK.--CAP. XXV.

Albeit that the word of God trewlie preached, [and] the Sacramentis rychtlie ministred, and discipline executed according to the word of God, be the certane and infallible signes of the trew Kirk; yit do we nott so meane, that everie[259] particulare persone joyned with sick ane cumpany, be ane elect member of Christ Jesus. For we acknawledge and confesse, that darnell, cokle, and chaff, may be sawin, grow, and in great abundance lye in the myddis of the wheat; that is, the reprobat may be joyned in the societie of the elect, and may externallie use with thame the benefites of the word and sacramentis; but sic being butt temporall professouris in mouth, but not in heart, do fall back and continew not to the end: and thairfoir haif thei no fruit of Christis death, resurrectioun, nor assentioun. But sick as with heart unfeanedlie beleve, and with mouth boldlie confesse the Lord Jesus, (as befoir we have said,) shall most assuredly resave these giftis; first, In this lyfe, remissoun of synnes, and that by faith onlie in Christis blude, insamekle, that albeit syne remane and continuallie abyd in these our mortall bodyes, yit it is not imputed unto us, but is remitted and covered with Christis justice. Secondlie, In the generall judgement thair shalbe gevin to everie man and woman resurrectioun of the flesche; for the sea shall geve hir dead, the earth those that thairin be inclosed; yea, the Eternall, our God, shall stretche out his hand upoun the dust, and the dead shall aryse incorruptible, and that in the substance of the [self] same flesche that everie man now bearis, to resave, according to thair warkis, glorie or punishment: for sik as now delyte in vanitie, creueltye, filthynes, superstitioun, or idolatrie, shalbe adjudged to the fyre inextinguishable, in the whiche thei shalbe tormented for ever, alsweall in thair awin bodyes, as in thair saullis, whiche now thei give to serve the devill in all abominatioun. Butt sik as continew in weall doing to the end, boldlie professing the Lord Jesus, [we constantly beleve, that they sall receive glorie, honour, and immortalitie, to reigne for ever in life everlasting with Christ Jesus,][260] to whose glorifeid body all his Elect shalbe [made] lyke, when he shall appeir agane to judgement, and shall render up the kingdome to God his Father, who then shalbe, and ever shall remane all in all thingis, God blessed for evir: To whome, with the Sone, and with the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glorie, now and ever. AMEN.

[259] In the old printed copies, "the trew Kirk; we meane not that every."

[260] This clause, omitted by Knox's amanuensis, is not contained in Vautr. edit., or in the later MSS.

_Aryse, O Lord, and lett thy ennemyes be confounded: Lett thame flye frome thy presence that hait thy godlie name: Give thy Servandis strenth to speak thy word in boldnes; and lett all Nationis atteane to[261] thy trew knowledge._

[261] In the old printed copies of the Confession, "cleif," "cleve," or "cleave to."

THIE ACTIS AND ARTICLES WAR RED[262] IN FACE OF PARLIAMENT, AND RATIFIED BE THE THRE ESTAITIS OF THIS REALME, AT EDINBURGH, THE SEVINTENE DAY OF AUGUST,[263] THE YEAR OF GOD J^M. V^C. AND THRESCOIR YEARIS.

[262] In the Acts 1560 and 1567, "ar red."

[263] In the MSS. of Knox, and in Vautrollier's edition, the erroneous date, 17th July, is given instead of the 17th August, as the day when the Confession of Faith was ratified by Parliament. The same mistake occurs in the rare edition of the Confession, printed at Edinburgh by John Scott, 1561, 4to.--See Herbert's Typographical Antiquities, vol. iii. p. 1817.

[Sidenote: THE ERLE MERSCHELLIS VOTE IN PARLIAMENT]

THIS oure CONFESSIOUN was publictlie red, first in audience of the Lordis of Articles, and after in audience of the haill Parliament; whair war present, not onlie suche as professed Christ Jesus, but also a great number of the adversaries of our religioun, suche as the foirnamed Bishoppis, and some others of the Temporall Estate, who war commanded in Goddis name to object, yf thei could, any thing against that doctrine. Some of our Ministeris war present, standing upoun thair feit, reddye to have ansuered, in caise any wald haif defended the Papistrie, and impugned oure affirmatives: but whill that no objectioun was maid, thair was a day appointed to voting in that and other headis. Oure Confessioun was redd, everie article by itself, over agane, as thei war wryttin in ordour, and the vottis of everie man war requyred accordinglie. Of the Temporall Estate onlie voted in the contrair, the Erle of Atholl,[264] the Lordis Somervaill[265] and Borthwik;[266] and yit for thair disassenting thei produced no bettir reassone, but, "We will beleve as oure fatheris beleved." The Bischoppis, (Papisticall, we meane,) spack nothing. The rest of the haill thre Estaittis, by thair publict votes, affirmed the doctrine; and many, the rather, becaus that the Bischoppis wold nor durst say nothing in the contrair; for this was the vote of the Erle Merschell,[267]--"It is long since I have had some favour unto the trewth, and since that I have had a suspitioun of the Papisticall religioun; but, I praise my God, this day hes fully resolved me in the one and the other. For seing that my Lordis Bischoppis, who for thair learing can, and for the zeall that thei should bear to the veritie, wold, as I suppose, ganesay any thing that directlie repugnes to the veritie of God; seing, I say, my Lordis Bischoppis heir present speakis nothing in the contrair of the doctrine proponed, I can nott but hold it to be the verie trewth of God, and the contrarie to be deceavable doctrine. And thairfoir, so far as in me lyeth, I approve the one and dampne the other: And do farther ask of God, that not onlie I, but also all my posteritie, may enjoy the comforte of the doctrin that this day our earis have hearde. And yitt more, I man vote, as it war by way of protestatioun, that yf any persones ecclesiasticall shall after this oppone thame selfis to this our Confessioun, that thei have no place nor credite, considdering that thei having long advisement, and full knawledge of this oure Confessioun, none is now found in lauchfull, free, and quyete Parliament to oppone thame selfis to that whiche we professe: And thairfoir, yf any of this gencratioun pretend to do it after this, I protest he be repute rather one that loveth his awin commoditie and the glorie of the world, than the trewth of God, and the salvatioun of menis saullis."

[264] John Stewart, fourth Earl of Atholl. He succeeded his father in 1542. He enjoyed the favour of Queen Mary, and promoted her marriage with Darnley. He afterwards joined in the Association, and signed the warrant for the Queen's custody in Loch-Leven. In 1577, he became Lord Chancellor of Scotland, and died 24th April 1579.

[265] James sixth Lord Somerville, succeeded to the title in 1550. From Sadler's Correspondence it appears he was in England in 1543, as a hostage for his father, who had been taken prisoner at Solway. (State Papers, vol. i. pp. 182, 348.) His name occurs as signing the Bond in April 1560: (see page 63.) It may be questioned, therefore, whether Knox is quite correct in the names of the persons whom he mentions as having openly opposed the Confession in Parliament. See in the Appendix an extract from Randolph the English envoy's letter to Sir William Cecil, on the 19th of August, in which he says, "of the Temporal Lords, the Earl of Cassillis, and the Earl of Caithness, said Noe; the rest of the Lords, with common consent, allowed the same." (Tytler's Hist. of Scotland, vol. vi. p. 184, note.) Lord Sommerville, who continued his adherence to the Queen's party, at the battle of Langsyde, in May 1568, was severely wounded; and he died in the month of December following.

[266] John fifth Lord Borthwick, in 1543, was served heir of his father, William fourth Lord Borthwick, (his elder brother, the Master of Borthwick, having died without issue.) He assisted the Queen Regent in her contests with the Lords of the Congregation, and died in 1565.

[267] William Keith, fourth Earl Marischall, who succeeded his grandfather in 1530. In 1541 he was appointed Extraordinary Lord of Session. See vol. i. p. 251. note 2. He died 7th October 1581, having spent many of his latter years in retirement, in his Castle of Dunnottar.

After the voting and ratificatioun of this oure Confessioun, by the haill body of the Parliament, thair war also pronunced two Actis, the one against the Masse and the abuse of the Sacramentis, and the other against the Supreamacye of the Pape;[268] the tenouris whairof followis:--

[268] The Acts referred to were renewed in the Parliament, held by the Regent Earl of Murray, in December 1567. There was likewise another Act annulling all former Acts made for the maintenance of Idolatry, or "contrary to the Confession of Fayth, published in this Parliament." It was only by such ratifications that any proceedings of the Parliament in 1560 were recorded. The Acts alluded to were republished in a separate form, along with some of a subsequent date, connected with Religion.--1st, in an edition "Imprintit at Edinburgh, be Johne Ros, Anno Do. 1580," 4to; and 2dly, at "Edinburgh, prentit be Robert Waldegrave," 1593, 4to.

THE ACT AGAINST THE MESSE.[269]

IN the Parliament haldin at Edinburgh, the tent of Julij, the year of God J^m fyve hundreth threscoir yearis, the said Parliament being continewed to the first of August nixt thairafter following, with continewatioun of dayis, upoun the twenty-four day of the said moneth of August, the Thre Estaitis then being present: The whiche day, forsamekle as Almychtie God be his maist trew and blessed worde, hes declaired the reverence and honour quhilk should be gevin to him: and, be his Sone Jesus Christ, has declaired the trew use of the Sacramentis, willing the same to be used according to his will and worde: Be the quhilk it is notour and perfitlie knawin that the Sacramentis of Baptisme and of the body and bloode of Jesus Christ, hes bene in all tymes bygane corrupted be the Papisticall Kirk, and be thair usurpit ministeris; and presentlie, notwithstanding the Reformatioun allreaddy maide according to Goddis worde, yit nottheless thair is some of the same Papis Kirk that stubburnelie perseveris in thair wicked idolatrie, sayand Messe, and Baptizand conforme to the Papis Kirk, prophanand thairthrow the Sacramentis foirsaidis, in quyett and secreatt places, regardand thairthrow nowther God nor his worde: Thairfoir it is statut and ordeaned in this present Parliament, that na maner of persone nor personis, in ony tyme cuming, administrat ony of the Sacramentis foirsaidis secreatlie, or ony other maner of way, but thei that ar admitted and havand power to that effect; nor say Messe, nor yit hear Messe, nor he present thairat, under the paine of confiscatioun of all thair goodis, [movabill and unmovabill,] and punisheing of thair bodyis at the discretioun of the Magistrattis, within whais jurisdiction sick personis happynnis to be apprehended, for the first fault; banisching of the Realme, for the secound fault; and justifieing to the dead, for the thrid falt: And ordainis all Schireffis, Stewartis, Bailleis, and thair deputtis, Provestis, and Bailleis of Burrowis, and otheris judges whatsumever, within this Realme, to taik diligent suyt and inquisitioun within thair boundis, whair ony sick usurped ministerie is used; Messe saying, or thei that beis present at the doing thairof, ratifeand and apprevand the samyn, and tack and apprehend thame, to the effect that the panis above wrettin may be execut upon thame.