ACT Ratifying the CONFESSION of FAITH And Settling PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH-GOVERNMENT Edinburgh the Seventh Day of June 1690. EDINBVRH Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson Printer to the King and Queens most Excellent Majesties Anno. Dom. 1690. ACT Ratifying the Confession of Faith and Setting Presbyterian Church-Government Edinburgh the seventh day of June 1690. OUR Soveraign Lord and Lady the King and Queens Majesties and three Estates of Parliament Conceiving it to be their bound duty after the great deliverance that God hath lately wrought for this Church and Kingdom in the first place to settle and secure therein the true Protestant Religion according to the truth of GODS Word as it hath of a long time been professed within this Land as also the Government of Christ's Church within this Nation agreeable to the Word of God and most conducive to the advancement of true Piety and Godliness and the establishing of peace and Tranquility within this Realm And that by an Article of the Claim of Right it is Declared that Prelacy and the Superiority of any Office in the Church above Presbyters is and hath been a great and insupportable Grievance and Trouble to this Nation and contrary to the Inclinations of the generality of the people ever since the Reformation they having reformed from Popery by Presbyters and therefore ought to be Abolished Likeas by an Act of the last Session of this Parliament Prelacy is Abolished Therefore their Majesties with Advice and Consent of the said three Estates do hereby Revive Ratifie and perpetually Confirm all Laws Statutes and Acts of Parliament made against Popery and Papists and for the maintainance and preservation of the true reformed Protestant Religion and for the true Church of Christ within this Kingdom in so far they Confirm the same or are made in favours thereof Likeas they by these presents Ratify and Establish the Confession of Faith now read in their presence and Voted and Aproven by them as the publick and vowed Confession of this Church containing the sum and substance of the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches which Confession of Faith is subjoyned to this present Act. As also They do Establish Ratify and Confirm the Presbyterian Church-Government and Discipline That is to say the Government of the Church by Kirk-Sessions Presbyteries Provincial Synods and General Assemblies Ratified and Established by the 114 Act Ja. 6. Parl. 12. anno 1592. Intituled Ratification of the Liberty of the true Kirk c. And thereafter received by the General consent of this Nation to be the only Government of Christ's Church within this Kingdom Reviving Renewing and Confirming the foresaid Act of Parliament in the whole Heads thereof except that part of it relating to Patronages which is hereafter to be taken into Consideration and Rescinding Annulling and making void the Acts of Parliament following viz. Act anent Restitution of Bishops Ja. 6. Par. 18. Cap. 2. Act Ratifying the Acts of the Assembly 1610. Ja. 6. Par. 21. Cap. 1. Act anent the Election of Arch-bishops and Bishops Ja. 6. Par. 22. Cap. 1. Act Intituled Ratification of the five Articles of the General Assembly at Perth Ja. 6. Par. 23. Cap. 1. Act Intituled For the Restitution and Re-establishment of the Antient Government of the Church by Arch-bishops and Bishops Cha. 2. Par. 1. Sess 2. Act 1st Act anent the Constitution of a National Synod Ch. 2. Par. 1. Sess 3. Act 5. Act against such as refuse to Depone against Delinquents Ch. 2. Par. 2. Sess 2. Act. 2. Act Intituled Act Acknowledging and asserting the Right of Succession to the Imperial Crown of Scotland Ch. 2. Par. 3. Act 2. Act Intituled Act anent Religion and the Test Ch. 2. Par. 3. Act 6. With all other Acts Laws Statutes Ordinances and Proclamations and that in so far allanerly as the saids Acts and others generally and particularly above mentioned are contrary or prejudicial to inconsistent with or derogatory from the Protestant Religion and Presbyterian Government now Established and Allowing and Declaring That the Church Government be Established in the hands of and exercised by these Presbyterian Ministers who were Outed since the first of January 1661. for Non-conformity to Prelacy or not complying with the Courses of the Time and are now Restored by the late Act of Parliament and such Ministers and Elders only as they have admitted or received or shall hereafter admit or receive And also that all the said Presbyterian Ministers have and shall have Right to the Maintainance Rights and other Priviledges by Law provided to the Ministers of Christ's Church within this Kingdom as they are or shall be Legally admitted to particular Churches Likeas In pursuance of the Premisses Their Majesties Do hereby appoint the first meeting of the General Assembly of this Church as above Established to be at Edinburgh the third Thursday of October next to come in this instant year 1690. And because many Conform Ministers either have deserted or were removed from Preaching in their Churches preceeding the thirteenth day of April 1689. And others were Deprived for not giving Obedience to the Act of the Estates made the said 13 of April 1689 Intituled Proclamation against the owning of the late King James and Appointing Publick Prayers for King William and Queen Mary Therefore Their Majesties with Advice and Consent foresaid do hereby Declare all the Churches either Deserted or from which the Conform-ministers were Removed or Deprived as said is to be Vacant and that the Presbyterian Ministers exercising their Ministry within any of these Parishes or where the Last Incumbent is dead by the Desire or Consent of the Paroch shall continue their Possession and have Right to the Benefices and Stipends according to their Entry in the year 1689 and in time coming ay and while the Church as now Established take further Course therewith And to the Effect the Disorders that have hapned in this Church may be Redressed Their Majesties with Advice and Consent foresaid do hereby allow the General Meeting and Representatives of the foresaid Presbyterian Ministers and Elders in whose hands the Exercise of the Church Government is Established either by themselves or by such Ministers and Elders as shall be Appointed and Authorized Visitors by them according to the Custome and Practice of Presbyterian Government throughout the whole Kingdom and several parts thereof to try and purge out all Insufficient Negligent Scandalous and Erroneous Ministers by due course of Ecclesiastical Process and Censures and likewayes for Redressing all other Church-Disorders And further it is hereby provided that whatsoever Minister being Conveened before the said General-Meeting and Representatives of the Presbyterian Ministers and Elders or the Visitors to be Appointed by them shall either prove Contumacious in not appearing or be found Guilty and shall be therefore Censured whether by Suspension or Deposition they shall Ipso Facto be Suspended from or Deprived of their Stipends and Benefices And Ordains this Act to be Printed and Published Extracted forth
be performed with the like faithfulness VI. It is not to be made to any Creature but to God alone and that it may be accepted it is to be made voluntarly out of Faith and Conscience to Duty in way of thankfulness for mercy received or for the obtaining of what we want whereby we more strictly bind our selves to necessary duties or to other things so far and so long as they may fitly conduce thereunto VII No man may vow to do any thing forbidden in the Word of God or what would hinder any duty therein commanded or which is not in his own power and for the performance whereof he hath no promise of ability from God In which respects Popish Monastical Vows of perpetual single life professed Poverty and regular obedience are so far from being degrees of higher perfection that they are superstitious and sinful snares in which no Christian may intangle himself CHAP. XXIII Of the Civil Magistrat GOD the Supream Lord and King of all the World hath ordained Civil Magistrates to be under him over the people for his own Glory and the publick good and to this end hath armed them with the power of the Sword for the Defence and Encouragement of them that are good and for the punishment of evil doers II. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the Office of a Magistrate when called thereunto In the managing whereof as they ought specially to maintain Piety Justice and Peace according to the wholsome Laws of each Common-wealth so for that end they may lawfully now under the New Testament wage War upon just and necessary occasions III. The Civil Magistrat may not assume to himself the administration of the Word and Sacraments or the power of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven yet he hath Authority and it is his duty to take order that Unity and Peace be perserved in the Church that the truth of God be kept pure and intire that all Blasphemies and Heresies be suppressed all corruptions and abuses in Worship and Discipline prevented or reformed and all the Ordinances of God duely settled administred and observed for the better effecting whereof he hath power to call Synods to be present at them and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the mind of God IV. It is the duty of People to pray for Magistrates to honour their Persons to pay them Tribute and other Dues to obey their lawful commands and to be subject to their Authority for conscience sake Infidelity or difference in Religion doth not make void the Magistrates just and legal Authority nor free the People from their due obedience to him from which Ecclesiasteal persons are not exempted much less hath the Pope any power or jurisdiction over them in their Dominions or over any of their people and least of all to deprive them of their dominions or lives if he shall judge them to be Hereticks or upon any other pretence whatsoever CHAP. XXIV Of Marriage and Divorce MArriage is between one Man and one Woman neither is it lawful for any Man to have more than one Wife nor for any Woman to have more than one Husband at the same time II. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of Husband and Wife for the increase of Mankind with a legittimat Issue and of the Church with an holy seed and for preventing of uncleanness III. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry who are able with judgement to give their consent Yet it is the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord. And therefore such as profess the true reformed Religion should not marry with Infidels Papists or other Idolaters Neither should such as are godly be unqually yoked by marrying with such as are notoriously wicked in their life or maintain damnable Heresies IV. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of Consanguinity or Affinity forbidden in the Word Nor can such incestuous Marriages ever be made lawful by any Law of Man or consent of Parties so as those Persons may live together as Man and Wife The Man may not marry any of his Wifes kindred nearer in blood than he may of his own nor the Woman of her Husbands kindred nearer in Blood than of her own V. Adultery or Fornication committed after a Contract being detected before Marriage giveth just occasion to the innocent Party to dissolve that Contract In the Case of Adultery after Marriage it is lawful for the innocent Party to sue out a Divorce and after the Divorce to marry another as if the offending Party were dead VI. Although the corruption of Man be such as is apt to study Arguments unduely to put asunder those whom God hath joyned together in Marriage yet nothing but Adultery or Civil Magistrat is cause sufficient of dissolving the Bond of Marriage wherein a publick and orderly course of proceeding is to be observed And the persons concerned in it not left to their own wills and discretion in their own case CHAP. XXV Of the Church THe Catholick or Universal Church which is invisible consists of the whole number of the Elect that have been are or shall be gathered into one under Christ the Head thereof and is the Spouse the Body the fulness of him that filleth all in all II. The visible Church which is also Catholick or Universal under the Gospel not confined to one Nation as before under the Law consists of all those throughout the World that profess the true Religion together with her Children and is the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ the House and Family of God out of which there is no ordinary possibility of Salvation III. Unto this Catholick Visible Church Christ hath given the Ministry Oracles and Ordinances of God for the gathering and perfecting of the Saints in this life to the end of the World and doth by his own presence and Spirit according to his promise make them effectual thereunto IV. This Catholick Church hath been sometimes more sometimes less visible and particular Churches which are Members thereof are more or less pure according as the Doctrine of the Gospel is taught and imbraced Ordinances administred and publick Worship performed more or less purely in them V. The purest Churches under Heaven are subject both to mixture and error and some have so degenerated as to become no Churches of Christ but Synagogues of Satan Nevertheless there shall be always a Church on Earth to Worship God according to his will VI. There is no other Head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ Nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be Head thereof but is that Antichrist that Man of Sn and Son of Perdition that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ and all that is called God CHAP. XXVI Of the Communion of Saints ALL Saints that are united to Jesus Christ their Head by his Spirit and by Faith have fellowship with him in his graces sufferings death resurrection and glory
of the Records of Parliament by me TH. BURNET Cls. Reg. Follovvs the foresaid Confession of Faith CHAP. I. Of the Holy Sripture ALthough the Light of Nature and the Works of Creation and Providence do so far manifest the Goodness Wisdom and Power of God as to leave men inexcusable yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and of his will which is necessary unto Salvation Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal himself and to declare that his will unto his Church and afterward for the better preserving and propagating of the Truth and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruptions of the flesh and the malice of Satan and of the world to commit the same wholly unto writing which maketh the holy Scripture to be most necessary those former ways of Gods revealing his Will unto his people being now ceased II. Under the name of holy Scripture or the Word of God written are now contained all the Books of the Old and New Testament which are these Of the Old Testament GEnesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth I. Samuel II. Samuel I. Kings II. Kings I. Chronicles II. Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes The Song of Songs Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Abadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi Of the New Testament The Gospels according to MAtthew Mark Luke John The Acts of the Apostles Paul's Epistles to the Romans I Corinthians II Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians I Thessalonians II Thessalonians I To Timothy II To Timothy To Titus To Philemon The Epistle to the Hebrews The Epistle of James The first and second Epistles of Peter The first second and third Epistles of John The Epistle of Jude The Revelation of John All which are given by inspiration of God to be the Rule of Faith and Life III. The Books commonly called Apocrypha not being of Divine Inspiration are no part of the Canon of the Scripture and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of than other humane Writings IV. The Authority of the holy Scripture for which it ought to be believed and obeyed dependeth not upon the testimony of any man or Church but wholly upon God who is Truth it self the Author thereof and therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God V. We may be moved and induced by the Testimony of the Church to an high and reverend esteem of the holy Scripture and the heavenliness of the Matter the efficacy of the Doctrine the Majesty of the Stile the consent of all the parts the scope of the whole which is to give all glory to God the full discovery it makes of the only way of mans Salvation the many other incomparable Excellencies and the intire perfection thereof are Arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence it self to be the Word of God yet notwithstanding our full perswasion and assurance of the infallible truth and Divine authority thereof is from the inward work of the holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts VI. The whole Counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own Glory mans Salvation Faith and Life is either expresly set down in Scripture or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture unto which nothing at any time is to be added whether by new Revelations of the Spirit or Traditions of men nevertheless we acknowledge the inward Illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word and that there are some circumstances concerning the Worship of God and Government of the Church common to humane Actions and Societies which are to be ordered by the Light of Nature and Christian Prudence according to the general Rules of the Word which are alwayes to be observed VII All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themseles nor alike clear unto all yet those things which are necessary to be known believed and observed for Salvation are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other that not only the learned but the unlearned in a due use of the ordinary means may attain to a sufficient understanding of them VIII The Old Testament in Hebrew which was the native language of the people of God of old and the New Testament in Greek which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the Nations being immediatly inspired by God and by his singular care and providence kept pure in all ages are therefore Authentical so as in all controversies of Religion the Church is finally to appeal unto them But because these Original Tongues are not known to all the people of God who have right unto and interest in the Scriptures and are commanded in the fear of God to read and search them therefore they are to be Translated into the vulgar Language of every Nation unto which they come that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all they may worship him in an acceptable manner and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope IX The infallible Rule of Interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture it self and therefore when there is a Question about the true and full sense of any Scripture which is not manifold but one it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly X. The Supream Judge by which all Controversies of Religion are to be determined and all Decrees of Councils Opinions of Ancient Writers Doctrines of men and privat Spirits are to be examined and in whose sentence we are to rest can be no other but the holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture CHAP. II. Of God and the Holy Trinity THere is but one only living and true God who is infinite in Being and Perfection a most pure Spirit invisible without body parts or passions Immutable Immense Eternal Incomprehensible Almighty most wise most holy most free most absolute working all things according to the Counsel of his own immutable and most righteous Will for his own glory most loving gracious merciful long suffering abundant in Goodness and Truth forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin the rewarder of them that diligently seek him and withal most just and terrible in his Judgments hating all sin and who will by no means clear the guilty II. God hath all Life Glory Goodness Blessedness in and of himself and is alone in and unto himself All-sufficient not standing in need of any Creatures which he hath made nor deriving any glory from them but only manifesting his own Glory in by unto and upon them He is the alone Fountain of all Being of whom through whom and to whom are all things and hath most Soveraign Dominion over them to do by them for them or upon
faith really and indeed yet not carnally and corporally but Spiritually receive and feed upon Christ crucified and all benefits of his death The Body and Blood of Christ being then not corporally or carnally in with or under the Bread and Wine yet as really but Spiritually present to the Faith of Believers in that Ordinance as the Elements themselves are to their outward senses VIII Although ignorant and wicked men receive the outward Elements in this Sacrament yet they receive not the Thing signified thereby but by their unworthy coming thereunto are guilty of the Body and the Blood of the Lord to their own damnation Wherefore all ignorant and ungodly persons as they are unfit to enjoy communion with him so are they unworthy of the Lord's Table and cannot without great sin against Christ while they remain such partake of these Holy Mysteries or be admitted thereunto CHAP. XXX Of Church-Censures THe Lord Jesus as King and Head of his Church hath therein appointed a Government in the hand of Church-Officers distinct from the Civil Magistrat II. To these Officers the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are committed by vertue whereof they have power respectively to retain and remit sins to shut that Kingdom against the impenitent both by the Word and Censures and to open it unto penitent sinners by the Ministry of the Gospel and by Absolution from Censures as occasion shall require III. Church-Censures are necessary for the reclaiming and gaining of offending Brethren fordeterring of others from the like offences for purging out of that Leaven which might infect the whole Lump for vindicating the honour of Christ and the holy profession of the Gospel and for preventing the wrath of God which might justly fall upon the Church if they should suffer his Covenant and the Seals thereof to be prophaned by notorious and obstinat offenders IV. For the better attaining of these ends the Officers of the Church are to proceed by Admonitions Suspension from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for a season and by Excommunication from the Church according to the nature of the Crime and demerit of the person CHAP. XXXI Of Synods and Councils FOr the better Government and further Edification of the Church there ought to be such Assemblies as are commonly called Synods or Councils II. As Magistrats may lawfully call a Synod of Ministers and other fit persons to consult and advise with about matters of Religion So if Magistrats be open Enemies to the Church the Ministers of Christ of themselves by vertue of their Office or they with other fit persons upon delegation from their Churches may meet together in such Assemblies III. It belongeth to Synods and Councils Ministerially to determine Controversies of Faith and Cases of Conscience to set down Rules and Directions for the better ordering of the publick Worship of God and Government of his Church to receive complaints in cases of Male-administration and authoritatively to determine the same which Decrees and Determinations if consonant to the Word of God are to be received with reverence and submission not only for their agreement with the Word but also for the power whereby they are made as being an Ordinance of God appointed thereunto in his Word IV. All Synods or Councils since the Apostles times whether general or particular may err and many have erred Therefore they are not to be made the Rule of Faith or Practice but to be used as an help in both V. Synods and Councils are to handle or conclude nothing but that which is Ecclesiastical and are not to intermeddle with Civil Affairs which concern the Common-wealth unless by way of humble Petition in Cases extraordinary or by way of Advince for satisfaction of Conscience if they be thereunto required by the Civil Magistrat CHAP. XXXII Of the state of Men after death and of the Resurrection of the Dead THe Bodies of Men after Death return to dust and see corruption but their souls which neither die nor sleep having an immortal subsistence immediatly return to God who gave them the Souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness are received into the highest Heavens where they behold the Face of God in Light and Glory waiting for the full Redemption of their Bodies And the Souls of the wicked are cast into Hell where they remain in torments and utter darkness reserved to the Judgment of the great Day Besides these two places for Souls separated from their Bodies the Scripture acknowledgeth none II. At the last Day such as are found alive shall not die but the changed and all the dead shall be raised up with the self same Bodies and none other although with different qualities which shall be united again to their Souls for ever III. The Bodies of the Unjust shall by the power of Christ be raised to dishonour the Bodies of the just by his Spirit unto honour and be made conformable to his own Glorious Body CHAP. XXXIII Of the Last Judgement GOD hath appointed a Day wherein he will judge the World in Righteousness by Jesus Christ to whom all power and judgement is given of the Father in which day not only the Apostate Angels shall be judged but likewise all Persons that hath lived upon the Earth shall appear before the Tribunal of Christ to give an account of their Thoughts Words and Deeds and to receive according to what they have done in the body whether good or evil II. The end of God's appointing this day is for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy in the eternal Salvation of the Elect and of his Justice in the damnation of the Reprobate who are wicked and dilobedient For then shall the Righteous go into everlasting Life and receive that fulness of Joy and Refreshing which shall come from the presence of the Lord But the Wicked who know not God and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ shall be cast into eternal Torments and be punished with everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power III. As Christ would have us to be certainly perswaded that there shall be a Day of Judgement both to deterr all men from Sin And for the greater Consolation of the Godly in their Adversity so will he have that Day unknown to Men that they may shake off all carnel security and be alwayes watchful because they know not at what hour the Lord will come and may be ever prepared to say Come Lord Jesus come quickly AMEN FINIS Extracted forth of the Records of Parliament by me TH. BURNET Cls. Reg.