unto you even so do unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets He that loveth his neighbour fulfilleth the Law Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witnesse against thy neighbour Thou shalt not desire and so forth If there be any other Commandment all are comprehended under this saying Love thy neighbour as thy self He that loveth his neighbour keepeth all the Commandments of God Rom. 13. Gal. 5. He that loveth God loveth his neighbour 1 Joh. 4. Ergo He that loveth God keepeth all his Commandments He that hath the faith loveth God My Father loveth you because ye love me and believe that I came of God He that hath the faith keepeth all the Commandments of God he that hath the faith loveth God and he that loveth God keepeth all the Commandments of God Ergo He that hath faith keepeth all the Commandments of God He that keepeth one Commandment keepeth them all For without faith it is impossible to keep any of the Commandments of God and he that hath faith keepeth all the Commandments of God Ergo He that keepeth one Commandment of God keepeth them all He that keepeth not all the Commandments of God he keepeth none of them he that keepeth one of the Commandments of God he keepeth all Ergo He that keepeth not all the Commandments he keepeth none of them It is not in our power without grace to keep any of Gods Commandments Without grace it is impossible to keep one of Gods Commandments and grace is not in our power Ergo It is not in our power to keep any of the Commandments of God Even so may you reason concerning the holy Ghost and faith The Law was given us to shew us our sin By the Law cometh the knowledge of sin I knew not what sin meant but through the Law I knew not what lust had meant except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust Without the Law sin was dead that is It moved me not neither wist I that it was sin which notwithstanding was sin and forbidden by the Law The Law biddeth us do that which is impossible for us for it bids us keep all the Commandments of God and yet it is not in our power to keep any of them Ergo It biddeth us do that which is impossible for us Thou wilt say Wherefore doth God command us that which is impossible for us I answer To make thee know That thou art but evill and that there is no remedy to save thee in thine own hand and that thou maist seek remedy at at some other For the Law doth nothing but command thee Of the Gospel THe Gospel is as much to say in our Tongue as good Tydings like as every one of these Sentences be Christ is the Saviour of the world Christ is our Saviour Christ died for us Christ died for our sins Christ offered himself for us Christ bare our sins upon his back Christ bought us with his Blood Christ washt us with his Blood Christ came into the world to save sinners Christ came into this world to take away our sins Christ was the Price that was given for us and our sins Christ was made Debtor for our sins Christ hath paid our Debt for he died for us Christ hath made satisfaction for us and for our sins Christ is our Righteousnesse Christ is our Wisedom Christ is our Sanctification Christ is our Redemption Christ is our Satisfaction Christ is our Goodnesse Christ hath pacified the Father of Heaven Christ is Ours and all His. Christ hath delivered us from the Law from the devill and hell The Father of heaven hath forgiven us for Christs sake Or any such other as declare unto us the mercies of God The nature of the Law and of the Gospel The Law Sheweth us our sin Sheweth us our condemnation Is the word of ire Is the word of despair Is the word of displeasure The Gospel Sheweth us a remedy for it Sheweth us our Redemption Is the Word of Grace Is the Word of Comfort Is the Word of Peace A Disputation betwixt the Law and the Gospel The Law saith Pay thy Debt Thou art a desperate sinner Thou shalt die The Gospel saith Christ hath paid it Thy sins are forgiven thee Be of good comfort thou art saved The Law saith Make amends for thy sin The Father of heaven is wrath with thee Where is thy righteousnesse goodnesse and satisfaction Thou art bound and obliged unto me the devil and hell The Gospel saith Christ hath made it for thee Christ hath pacified him with his Blood Christ is thy righteousnesse goodnesse satisfaction Christ hath delivered thee from them all Of Faith FAith is to believe God like as Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse He that believed God believed his Word To believe in him is to believe his Word and accompt it true that he speaketh he that believeth not Gods Word he compteth him false and a lyar and believeth not that he may and will fulfill his Word and so he denieth both the might of God and himself Faith is the gift of God Every good thing is the gift of God Faith is good Ergo Faith is the gift of God The gift of God is not in our power Faith is the gift of God Ergo Faith is not in our power Without faith it is impossible to please God all that cometh not of faith is sin for without faith can no man please God Besides that he that lacketh faith he trusteth not God he that trusteth not God trusteth not in his Word he that trusteth not in his Word holdeth him false and a lyar he that holdeth him false and a lyar he believeth not that he may do that he promiseth and so denieth he that he is God O how can a man being of this fashion please God! No manner of wayes yea suppose he did all the works of man and Angel All that is done in faith pleaseth God Right is the Word of God and all his works in faith Lord thine eyes look to faith that is as much to say as Lord thou delightest in faith God loveth him that believeth in him how can they then displease him He who hath faith is just and good and a good tree bringeth forth good fruit Ergo all that is done in faith pleaseth God Moreover he that hath faith beleeveth God he that believeth God believeth his Word he that believeth his Word wotteth well that he is true and faithfull and cannot lie but knoweth well that he both may and will fulfill his Word How can he then displease him For thou canst do no greater honour unto God than to count him true Thou wilt then say That theft murder adultery and all vices please God No verily for they cannot be done in faith for a good tree beareth good fruit He that
or at least a Prelats Peere a true servant to the King of Love who upon a night after Supper asked of his Gentlemen by the faith that they ought to the king of Love that they truely declare how many sundry women every one of them had and how many of them were mens wives One answered He had lien with five and two of them were married The other answered I have had seven and three of them are married It came last to my Lord Abbot himself who making it very nice for a little space gave in the end a plain confession and said I am the youngest man and yet have I had the round dozen and seven of them are mens wives Now said the Frier This god and king of Love to whom our Prelates do homage is the master devill of hell from whom such fruits and works do proceed This Frier was known by his proper tokens to have been Prior Patrike Hepburne now Bishop of Murray who to this day hath continued in the profession that he hath made to his god and king of love It was supposed notwithstanding this kinde of preaching that this Frier remained Papist in his heart For the other Friers fearing to lose the Benediction of the Bishops to wit Their Malt and their Meale and their other appointed Pensions caused the said Frier to flie to England where for defence of the people and Papistry he was cast into prison at King Henries commandment But so it pleased God to open the mouth of Balaams own Asse to cry out against the vitious lives of the Clergie of that age Shortly after this new consultation was taken there that some should be burnt for men began liberally to speak A merry Gentleman named Iohn Lindsey familiar to Bishop Iames Betonne standing by when consultation was had said My Lord If ye burne any more except ye follow my counsell ye will utterly destroy your selves if ye will burne them let them be burnt in hollow Cellars for the smoke of Master Patrike Hammilton hath infected as many as it blew upon Thus it pleased God that they should be tanted in their own face But here followeth the most merry of all One Alexander Furrour who had been imprisoned seven yeers in the Tower of London Sir Iohn Dungwaill according to the charity of Church-men entertained his wife and wasted the poor mans substance for the which cause at his returning he spake more liberally of Priests then they could bear And so was he declared to be accused for heresie and called to his answer to Saint Andrewes he leapt up merrily upon the Scaffold and casting a gambade said Where are the rest of the Players Master Andrew Olyphant offended therewith said It shall be no Play to you Sir before ye depart and so began to reade his Accusation the first Article whereof was That he despised the Masse His answer was I heare more Maffes in eight dayes than three Bishops there sitting say in a yeare Accused secondly of the contempt of the Sacraments The Priests said he were the most common contemners of Sacraments and specially of Matrimony And that he witnessed by many of the Priests there present and named the mans wife with whom they had medled and especially Sir Iohn Dungwaill who had seven yeers together abused his own wife and consumed his substance and said because I complain of such injuries I am here summoned and accused as one that is worthy to be burnt For Gods sake said he will ye take wives of your own that I and others whom ye have abused may be revenged upon you Then Bishop Gawin Dumbar named the old Bishop of Aberdein thinking to justifie himself before the people said Carle thou shalt not know my wife The said Alexander answered My Lord ye are too old but with the grace of God I shall drink with your daughter or I depart and thereat was smiling of the best and loud laughter of some for the Bishop had a daughter married with Andrew Balfour in that Town Then the Bishop bade away with the carle But he answered Nay I will not depart this hour for I have more to speak against the vices of Priests than I can expresse this whole day And so after divers purposes they commanded him to burn his Bill And he demanding the cause they said Because ye have spoken these Articles whereof ye are accused His answer was The great devill beare them away that first and last said them and so he took the Bill and chawing it he spat it in Master Andrew Olyphants face saying Now burn it or drown it whether ye wil ye hear no more of me But I must have somewhat of every one of you to begin my pack againe which a Priest and my wife a Priests whore have spent And so every Prelat and rich Priest glad to be quit of his evill gave him somewhat and so departed he for he understood nothing of Religion But so fearfull it was then to speak any thing against Priests that the least word spoken against them yea albeit it was spoken in a mans sleep was judged Heresie and that was practised upon Richard Carmichell yet living in Fyfe who being young and Singer in the Chappel Royal of Sterelin happened in his sleep to say The devill take away the Priests for they are a greedy pack He therefore accused by Sir George Clapperton Dean of the said Chappel was compelled forthwith to burne his Bill But God shortly after raised up against them stronger Champions For Alexander Seton a black Frier of good learning and estimation began to blame the corrupt doctrine of Papistry For the space of a whole Lent he taught the Commandment onely ever beating in the ears of his auditors That the Law of God had of many yeers not been truely taught for mens Tradition had obscured the purity of it These were his accustomed Propositions 1. Christ Jesus is the end and perfection of the Law 2. There is no sin where Gods Law is not violated 3. To satisfie for sins lies not in mans power but the remission thereof cometh by unfained Repentance and by faith apprehending God the Father mercifull in Jesus Christ his Son While oftentimes he puts his auditors in minde of this and the like Heads he maketh no mention of Purgatory Pardons Pilgrimage prayer to Saints nor of such trifles The dumb Doctors and the rest of that forsworne rabble began to suspect him and yet said they nothing publikely till Lent was ended And he passed to Dundie And then one in his absence hired to that purpose openly condemned the whole Doctrine that before he had taught Which coming to the ears of the said Frier Alexander then being in Dundie without delay he returned to Saint Andrewes caused immediately to toll the Bell and to give signification that he would preach as that he did indeed in the which Sermon he affirmeth and that more plainly than at any other time whatsoever in all his
of the Church had been as forward as he was willing there had been a better Reformation then was in his time witnesse this instance The People desired freedome to read the Scripture the then Bishops refused this unto the People Whereupon the King was petitioned in the name of the People the King grants their Petition the Bishops hearing of the Kings grant thus limit it not daring to deny it flatly That all Gentlemen should have liberty to read the Scripture since it was the Kings pleasure but for others the permission was stopped As if Yeomen and Tradesmen had not as much interest in Gods Word as Gentlemen Then remarke all those that were put to death for the testimony of the Truth in Henry the eighth his dayes were persecuted by the Bishops of the time although the blame lieth upon the Prince for albeit they had in compliance to the King renounced the Pope by word of mouth yet in effect they kept up his tyranny by his doctrine with small alteration changed his Rites and Ceremonies Canons and Laws Prelacie or Hierarchie maintained And seeing the King so opposite to the Pope they condescended that the King should bear the blasphemous Title of the Pope Head of the Church although with reluctancy and so it proved for notwithstanding all the Statutes that were made in favour of this Title taken from the Pope and attributed to the King the Bishops with cunning and subtill proceedings kept a foot the power of the Pope and so soon as they saw the occasion of Queen Marie her Reigne they freely and easily brought all back again to Rome without Maske or Limitation and ever since their successors although by the course of affairs they have been obliged to disclaim the Pope his authority yea and his doctrine in some measure yet they ever since to this day have expressed their inclinations and done their endeavours to return thither again as we all know by dolefull experience But here it may be demanded What drift or policie can it be in the Bishops to desire to be subject to Rome rather then to their Prince and Laws of the Countrey The answer is The propensitie of us all to follow evill rather then good is known namely When the evill hath the mask of worldly dignitie pomp power and pleasure which hinders it to be seen in its own colours Now the Bishops and all the rabble of that corrupt Clergy are given to Temporall howsoever unlawfull advantages as their ambition avarice and lust from the very beginning hath shewn which exorbitant passions lead men headlong without measure when once way is given unto them unlesse they meet with some lett or stop which is both lesser and slower when it is a farre off namely when it cometh from one who is possessed with the same distempers and himself of the same order of men with the Delinquent and so the Bishops of this Island had rather have to do with the Pope then with the Prince First Because of mutuall infirmity the Pope proveth more indulgent then any Prince Next The Prince is too neer them and so it is best for them to be so free of the Prince his Jurisdiction that they may be able not onely to neglect him but also to oppose him For all let that example of the Canterbury-prelat serve who made the King for the time to hold the Stirrup when he gat up upon his horse The Story is known I called a little before the Title of Head of the Church used by the Pope and then given to Henry blasphemous To lay aside all other things that may be alleadged against this Title I shall onely say this The Church is the Spouse of Christ No Spouse can be said to have any other Head but him whose Spouse she is Now if the Church should acknowledge her self to be the Spouse of any other but of Christ she were a professed Whore and Adulteresse By no means then a Prince is to be called The Head of the Church For although the civill Magistrate is obliged according to his rank and place to see the Ministers of the Church do the work of the Lord truely diligently and carefully and to make them do it according to the Will of God declared in his Word yet for all this he is nothing but a servant overseer or grass and not the Head which is a Title belonging onely to Christ wherefore Princes or Magistrates that by slavish flatterers had this Title given unto them at the first had done well to reject it as their Successors who have followed had done well likewise according to God his Will if they had not suffered this Title to have been continued unto them namely in the publike prayers where the time-serving inconsiderate Minister prayeth in the name of the Church for her Head if the Head of the Church needs to be prayed for then the influences of the Head upon the Church will be but poor and weak c. But of this enough for this place Moreover The flattering Preachers unrequired in the publike prayers in the name of the Church call the Prince forsooth The Breath of our Nostrils taking for his ground the words of Ieremy in his Lamentations Chap. 4. vers 20. Which words by the Current of the Ancients and Septuagint are to be understood of Christ Jesus True it is The Rabbins have interpreted the words of one of the Kings of Iudah to wit Iosias or Zedekias and hence some of the later Expositors have explained these words That first and literally they may be applyed to one of the Kings of Judah who were all figures of Christ to come but principally and mainly the words are to be understood of Christ Iesus by the consent of all So to attribute these words to any Prince earthly cannot be without offense to Christ For who can be said properly and well To be the Breath of our Nostrils but he who inspireth into us life that is God In like manner the inconsiderate Ministers of the Gospel abusing the Text of the eightieth Psalm which by the consent of all is understood of Christ truely and of David as a figure of Christ to come call the King The man of thy right hand this in no wayes without Blasphemie can be attributed unto any earthly Prince for none is to be said a figure of Christ as David and his Successors were by a particular dispensation But if misapplying and mistaking of Texts of Scripture will do businesse since Magistrates are said to be gods you may as well call the Prince god as the Roman Emperour was of old by some so called and now the Pope by his Court-parasites which Titile of god no Prince will suffer to be given unto him Surely as it is a very great crime not to give due respect reverence and obedience unto him whom God hath set over us for our good according to his wise Ordinance so on the other side it is a huge sin to Idolize the Prince
heart and that without any respect of reward Faith pertaineth to God onely Hope to his reward and Charity to her neighbour Of good Works NO manner of works make us righteous We beleeve that a man shall be justified without works No man is justified by the deeds of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ and we beleeve in Jesus Christ that we may be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the deeds of the Law If righteousnesse come by the Law then Christ died in vain That no man is justified by the Law it is manifest for a righteous man liveth by his Faith but the Law is not of Faith Moreover since Christ the maker of heaven and earth and all that therein is behoved to die for us We are compelled to grant that we were so far drowned in sins that neither the deeds nor all the creatnres that ever God made or might make might help us out of them Ergo No deeds nor works can make us righteous No works make us unrighteous for if any work made us unrighteous then the contrary works would make us righteous But it is proved that no works can make us righteous Ergo No works make us unrighteous Works make us neither good nor evil IT is proved that works neither make us righteous nor unrighteous Ergo No works neither make us good nor evil for righteous and good are one thing and unrighteous and evil another Good works make not a good man nor evil works an evil man But a good man maketh good works and an evil man evil works good fruit maketh not the tree good nor evil fruit the tree evil But a good tree beareth good fruit and an evil tree evil fruit A good man cannot do evil works nor an evil man good works for an evil tree cannot bear good fruit nor a good tree evil fruit A good man is good before he do good works and an evil man is evil before he do evil works for the tree is good before it bear good fruit and evil before it bear evil fruit Every man is either good or evil either make the tree good and the fruit good also or else make the tree evil and the fruit likewise evil Every mans work is either good or evil for all fruit is either good or evil Either make the tree good and the fruit also or else make the tree evil and the fruit of it likewise evil A good man is known by his works for a good man doth good works and an evil evil works Ye shall know them by their fruits for a good tree bringeth forth good fruit and an evil tree evil fruit A man is likened to the tree and his works to the fruit of the tree Beware of false Prophets which come unto you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening wolves ye shall know them by their fruit None of our works either save us nor condemne us IT is proved that no works make us either righteous or unrighteous good or evil but first we are good before that we do good works and evil before we do evil works Ergo No work either saveth us nor condemneth us Thou wilt say Then maketh it no matter what we do I answer thee Yes For if thou do evil it is a sure argument that thou art evil and wantest Faith If thou do good it is an argument that thou art good and hast Faith for a good tree beareth good fruit and an evil tree evil fruit Yet good fruit maketh not the tree good nor evil fruit the tree evil So that man is good before he do good works and evil before he do evil works The man is the tree the works are the fruit Faith maketh the good tree Incredulity the evil tree Such a tree such a fruit such man works For all that is done in Faith pleaseth God and are good works And all that is done without Faith displeaseth God and are evil works Whosoever thinketh to be saved by his works denieth that Christ is our Saviour and that Christ died for him and finally all things that belongeth to Christ. For how is he thy Saviour if thou mightst save thy self with thy works Or to what end should he have died for thee if any works of thine might have saved thee What is this to say Christ died for thee Is it not that thou shouldst have died perpetually and that Christ to deliver thee from death died for thee and changed thy perpetuall death into his own death for thou madest the fault and he suffered the pain and that for the love he had to thee before ever thou wast born when thou hadst done neither good nor evil Now since he hath paid thy debt thou diest not no thou canst not but shouldest have been damned if his death were not But since he was punished for thee thou shalt not be punished Finally he hath delivered thee from condemnation and desireth nothing of thee but that thou shouldest acknowledge what he hath done for thee and bear it in minde and that thou wouldest help others for his sake both in word and deed even as he hath helped thee for nought and without reward O how ready would we be to help others if we knew his goodnesse and gentlenesse towards us he is a good and a gentle Lord and he doth all things for nought Let us I beseech you follow his footsteps whom all the world ought to praise and worship Amen He that thinketh to be saved by his works calleth himself Christ. FOr he calleth himselfe a Saviour which appertaineth to Christ onely What is a Saviour But he that saveth And thou sayest I save my selfe which is as much to say as I am Christ for Christ is onely the Saviour of the world We should do no good works to the intent to get the inheritance of heaven or remission of sins through them For whosoever beleeveth to get the inheritance of heaven or remission of sins through works he beleeveth not to get that for Christs sake And they who beleeve that their sins are not forgiven them and that they shall not be saved for Christs sake they beleeve not the Gospel for the Gospel saith Thou shalt be saved for Christs sake Sins are forgiven you for Christs sake He that beleeveth not the Gospel beleeveth not God And consequently they that beleeve to be saved by their works or to get remission of sins by their own deeds beleeve not God but account him a liar and so utterly deny him to be God Thou wilt say Shall we then do no good works I say not so But I say we should do no good works to the intent to get the kingdom of heaven or remission of sins for if we beleeve to get the inheritance of heaven through good works then we beleeve not to get it through the promise of God Or if we think to get remission of our sins by good works we believe not
sat downe upon his knees and rose againe And thrice he said these words O thou Saviour of the world have mercy on me Father of heaven I commend my spirit into thy holy hands When he had made this Prayer he turned him to the people and said these words having obtained leave to speak a little I beseech you Christian brethren and sisters that ye be not offended at the Word of God for the affliction and torments which ye see already prepared for me But I exhort you that ye love the Word of God for your salvation and suffer patiently and with a comfortable heart for the Words sake which is your undoubted salvation and everlasting comfort Moreover I pray you shew my brethren and sisters which have heard me oft before that they cease not nor leave off to learne the word of God which I taught them after the grace given unto me for no persecutions nor troubles in this world which last not And shew unto them that my Doctrine was no wives fables after the constitutions made by men And if I had taught mens doctrine I had gotten greater thanks by men But for the Words sake and true Gospel which was given to me by the grace of God I suffer this day by men not sorrowfully but with a glad heart and minde For this cause I was sent That I should suffer this fire for Christs sake Consider and behold my visage ye shall not see me change my colour This grim fire I fear not and so I pray you for to do if that any persecution come unto you for the Words â—ake and not to fear them that slay the body and have no power afterward to slay the soul. Some have said of me That I taught that the soul of man should sleep untill the last day But I know surely and my faith is such That my soul shall sup with my Saviour this night ere it be six hours for whom I suffer this Then he prayed for them which accused him saying I beseech the Father of heaven to forgive them that have of any ignorance or else of any evil minde forged lies upon me I forgive them with all my heart I beseech Christ forgive them that have condemned me to death this day ignorantly And last of all he said to the people on this manner I beseech you brethren and sisters to exhort your Prelats to the learning of the Word of God that they may be ashamed to do evil and learn to do good And if they will not convert themselves from their wicked errour there shall hastily come upon them the wrath of God which they shall not eschew Many faithfull words said he in the meane time taking no heed or care of the cruell torments which were then prepared for him Then the Executioner that was his tormentor sate down upon his knees and said Sir I pray you forgive me for I am not guilty of your death To whom he answered Come hither to me When he was come to him he kissed his cheek and said Lo here is a token that I forgive thee my heart do thy Office And then by and by the Trumpet sounding he was tyed to the stake and the fire kindled The Captain of the Castle for the love he bore to M. Wischarde drew so neer to the fire that the flame thereof did him harme he wished M. Wischarde to be of good courage and to beg from God the forgivenesse of his sins to whom M. Wischarde answered thus This fire torments my body but no wayes abates my spirit Then M. Wischarde looking towards the Cardinall said He who in such state from that high place feedeth his eyes with my torments within few dayes shall be hanged out at the same window to be seen with us much ignominy as he now leaneth there in pride Then with this the Executioner drawing the Cord stopt his breath presently after the fire being great he was consumed to powder The Prelats would not suffer any prayers to be made for him according to their Custome After the death of Master Wischarde the Cardinall was cryed up by his flatterers and all the rabble of the corrupt Clergie as the onely Defender of the Catholike Church and punisher of hereticks neglecting the authority of the sluggish Governour And it was said by them That if the great Prelates of latter dayes both at home and abroad had been so stout and zealous of the credit of the Catholike Church they had not onely suppressed all hereticks but also kept under the Lay-men who were so froward and stubborne On the other side when that the people beheld the great tormenting of that innocent they could not withhold from piteous mourning and complaining of the innocent lambs slaughter After the death of this blessed Martyr of God began the people in plaine speaking to damne and detest the cruelty that was used yea men of great birth and estimation and honour at open tables avowed That the blood of the said Master George should be revenged or else it should cost life for life and that in a short time they should be like hogs kept for slaughter by this vitious Priest and wicked Monster which neither minded God nor cared for man Amongst those that spake against the Cardinalls cruelty Iohn Lesley brother to the Earle of Rothes was chief with his Cozen Norman Lesley who had been a great follower of the Cardinall and very active for him but a little before fell so foule with him that they came to high reproaches one with another The occasion of their falling out was a private businesse wherein Norman Lesley said he was wronged by the Cardinall On the other side the Cardinall said he was not with respect used by Norman Lesley his inferiour The said Iohn Lesley in all companies spared not to say That that same dagger shewing forth his dagger and that same hand should be put in the Cardinalls brest These brutes came to the Cardinalls ears but he thought himselfe stout enough for all Scotland For in Babylon that is in his new Block-House he was sure as he thought and upon the fields he was able to match all his enemies And to speak the truth the most part of the Nobility of Scotland had either given unto him their Bands of Manred or else were in confederacy and promised amity with him and so he gave his bastard eldest daughter in Marriage to the Earl of Crawford his eldest son and heir and caused the Wedding to be celebrate with such State as if she had been a Princes lawfull daughter He onely feared them in whose hands God did deliver him and for them he laid his nets so secretly as that he made a full compt that their feet could not escape as we shall after hear And something of his former practices we may recompt After Easter he came to Edinburgh to hold the Seingnye as the Papists termed then their unhappy Assembly of Baals shaven sort It was bruted that
Scotland published by them in Parliament and by the Estates thereof Ratified and Approved as wholesome and sound Doctrine grounded upon the infallible Truth of God MATTH 24. And this glad Tydings of the Kingdom shall be preached thorowout the whole world for a Witnesse unto all Nations and then shall the end come The Preface The States of Scotland with the Inhabitants of the same professing Christ Jesus his holy Gospel To their naturall Countrey-men and unto all other Realmes and Nations professing the same Lord Jesus with them Wish Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with the Spirit of righteous Judgement for Salvation LOng have we thirsted dear Brethren to have notified unto the world the sum of that Doctrine which we professe and for the which we have sustained infamy and danger But such hath been the rage of Sathan against us and against Christ Iesus his Eternall Verity lately now again borne amongst us that to this day no time hath been granted unto us to clear our consciences as most gladly we would have done For how we have been tossed a whole yeer past the most part of Europe as we do suppose doth understand But seeing that of the infinite goodnesse of our God who never suffereth his afflicted utterly to be confounded above expectation have we obtained some rest and liberty we could not but set forth this briefe and plain Confession of such Doctrine as is proposed unto us and as we believe and professe partly for satisfaction of our Brethren whose hearts we doubt not have been and yet are wounded by the despightfull rayling of such as yet have not learned to speak well And partly for stopping the mouths of impudent blasphemers who boldly condemne that which they neither heard nor understood Not that we judge that the cankred malice of such is able to be cured by this simple Confession No we know that the sweet savour of the Gospel is and shall be death unto the sons of perdition But we have chief respect to our weak and infirme Brethren to whom we would communicate the bottom of our hearts lest that they be troubled or carried away by diversity of rumours which Sathan spreadeth against us to the defeating of this our most godly enterprise Protesting That if any man will note in this our Confession any Articles or sentence repugning to Gods holy Word that it would please him of his gentlenesse and for Christian charities sake admonish us of the same in writing and we upon our Honours and fidelity do promise unto him satisfaction from the mouth of God that is from his holy Scriptures or else Reformation of that which he shall prove to be amisse For God we take to Record in our consciences That from our hearts we abhorre all Sects of Heresie and all teachers of erroneous doctrine And that with all humility we embrace the purity of Christs Gospel which is the onely food of our soules and therefore so precious unto us that we are determined to suffer the extremest of worldly danger rather then that we will suffer our selves to be defrauded of the same For hereof we are most certainly perswaded That whosoever denieth Christ Iesus or is ashamed of him in presence of men shall be denied before the Father and before his holy Angels And therefore by the assistance of the mighty Spirit of the same our Lord Iesus we firmly purpose to abide to the end in the confession of this our Faith The first Article Of GOD. VVE confesse and acknowledge one onely God to whom onely we must cleave whom onely we must Worship and in whom onely we must put our trust who is Eternall Infinite Unmeasurable Incomprehensiâ—le Omnipotent Invisible one in Substance and yet distinct into three Persons The Father The Son And the holy Ghost by whom we confesse and believe all things in heaven and earth as well Visible as Invisible to have been Created to be Retained in their being and to be Ruled and Guided by his inscrutable Providence to such end as his eternall Wisedom Goodnesse and Justice hath appointed them to the manifestation of his own Glory II. Of the Creation of Man VVE confesse and acknowledge this our God to have Created man to wit our first Father Adam of whom also God formed the Woman to his own Image and Similitude To whom he gave Wisedom Lordship Justice free-Will and clear Knowledge of himself so that in the whole Nature of man there could be no imperfection From which Honour and Perfection Man and Woman did both fall the Woman being deceived by the Serpent and Man obeying to the voice of the Woman both conspiring against the Soveraigne Majesty of God who in expresse words had before threatned death if they presumed to eat of the forbidden Tree III. Of Originall Sin BY which transgression commonly called Originall Sin was the Image of God utterly defaced in Man and he and his Posterity of Nature became enemies to God slaves to Sathan servants to Sin insomuch that Death everlasting hath had and shall have power and dominion over all that hath not been are not or shall not be regenerate from above which Regeneration is wrought by the power of the holy Ghost working in the hearts of the Elect of God an assured Faith in the Promises of God revealed to us in his Word by which Faith they apprehend Christ Jesus with the Graces and Benefits promised in him IIII. Of the Revelation of the Promises FOr this we constantly believe That God after the fearfull and horrible defection of man from his obedience did seek Adam again call upon him rebuke his sin convince him of the same and in the end made unto him a joyfull Promise to wit That the Seed of the Woman should breake downe the Serpents head that is He should destroy the works of the devill which Promise as it was repeated and made more cleer from time to time so was it embraced with joy and most constantly retained of all the faithfull from Adam to Noah from Noah to Abraham and from Abraham to David and so forth to the Incarnation of Jesus Christ who all we mean the faithfull Fathers under the Law did see the joyfull dayes of Christ Jesus and did rejoyce V. The Continuance Encrease and Preservation of his Church VVE most constantly believe That God Preserveth Instructeth Multiplieth Honoureth Decoreth and from death called to Life his Church in all Ages from Adam till the coming of CHRIST JESUS in the Flesh For Abraham he called from his fathers Countrey him he instructed his Seed he multiplied the same he marvellously preserved and more marvellously delivered from the Bondage of Pharaoh to whom he gave his Lawes Constitutions and Ceremonies Them he possessed in the Land of Canaan to them after Judges and after Saul he gave David to be King to whom he made promise That of the fruit of his Loynes should one sit forever
which day and of the judgement to be executed in the same is not onely to us a Bridle whereby our carnall lusts are reserved but also such inestimable comfort that neither may the threatning of worldly Princes neither yet the feare of temporall death and present danger move us to renounce and forsake that blessed societie which we the members have with our Head and onely Mediatour Christ Jesus whom we confesse and avow to be the Messias promised the onely Head of the Church our just Lawgiver our onely High Priest Advocate and Mediator In whose honours and Offices if a man or Angell presume to intrude themselves we utterly detest and abhorre them as blasphemous to our Soveraigne Governour Christ Jesus XII Faith in the Holy Ghost THis our faith and the assurance of the same proceedeth not from flesh and blood that is to say from no naturall powers within us but is the inspiration of the Holy Ghost whom we confesse God equall with the Father and with the Sonne who sanctified us and bringeth us into all veritie by his own operation without whom we should remaine for ever enemies to God and ignorant of his Sonne Christ Jesus For of nature we are so dead so perverse and blinde that neither we can feel when we were pricked see the light when it shineth nor assent to the will of God when it is revealed onely the Spirit of the Lord Jesus quickeneth that which is dead removeth the darknesse from our mindes and boweth our stubborne hearts to the obedience of his blessed will and so as we confesse that God the Father created us when we were not as his Sonne our Lord Jesus redeemed us when we were enemies to him So also we confesse that the Holy Ghost doth sanctifie and regenerate us without all respect of any merit proceeding from us be it before or be it after our regeneration To speak this one thing yet in more plain words as we willingly spoile our selves of all honour and glory of our own Creation and Redemption so do we also of our regeneration and sanctification for of selves we are not sufficient to thinke one good thought but he who hath begun the good work in us is onely he that continueth us in the same to the praise and glory of his undeserved grace XIII The cause of good works SO that the cause of good Works we confesse to be not of free Will but the Spirit of the Lord Iesus who dwelling in our hearts by true faith bringeth forth such good works as God hath prepared for us to walke in for this we most boldly affirme that blasphemie it is to say that Christ Jesus abideth in the heart of such as in whom there is no spirit of sanctification and therefore we feare not to affirme that Murderres Oppressors cruell Persecutors Adulterers Whoremongers filthy Persons Idolaters Drunkards Theeves and all workers of iniquitie have neither true faith neither any portion of the Spirit of Sanctification which proceedeth from the Lord Jesus so long as they obstinately continue in their wickednesse For how soon so ever the Spirit of the Lord Jesus which Gods Elect Children receive by true faith taketh possession in the heart of any man so soon doth he regenerate and renew the same man so that he begins to hate that which before he loved and beginneth to love that which before he hated and from thence cometh to that continuall battaile which is betwixt the flesh and the Spirit in Gods Children while the flesh and naturall man according to their own corruption lusteth for things pleasing and delectable to it self grudgeth in adversitie is lifted up in prosperitie and at every moment is prone and ready to offend the Majestie of God but the Spirit of God which giveth witnessing unto our spirit that we are the sonnes of God maketh us to resist the Devill to abhorre filthie pleasures to groane in Gods presence for deliverance from this bondage of corruption and finally to triumph over sinne that it reigne not in our mortall bodies This battaile have not the carnall men being destitute of Gods Spirit but do follow and obey sinne with greedinesse and without repentance even as the Devill and their corrupt lusts do prick them But the Sons of God as afore is said do fight against sin do sob and mourn when they perceive themselves tempted to iniquity and if they fall they rise again with earnest and unfained repentance and these things they do not by their own power but the power of our Lord Jesus without whom they were able to do nothing worketh in them all that is good XIIII What works are reputed good before God VVE confesse and acknowledge That God hath given to man his holy Law in which not onely are forbidden all such works as displease and offend his godly Majesty but also are commanded all such as please him and as he hath promised to reward And these works be of two sorts the one are done to the honour of God the other to the profit of our neighbours And both have the revealed Will of God for their assurance To have one God To worship and honour him To call upon him in all our troubles To reverence his holy Name To hear his Word To believe the same To communicate his holy Sacraments are the works of the first Table To honour father and mother Princes Rulers and superiour Powers To love them To support them yea To obey their Charges not repugning to the Commandment of God To save the life of Innocents To represse tyranny To defend the oppressed To keep our bodies clean and holy To live in sobriety and temperance To deal justly with all men both in word and deed and finally To represse the appetite of our neighbours hurt are the good works of the second Table which are most pleasing and acceptable unto God as those works are commanded by himself The contrary thereof is sin most odious which always displeaseth him and provoketh him to anger as Not to call upon him alone when we have need Not to hear his Word with reverence To contemne and despise it To have or to worship Idols To maintain and defend Idolatry Lightly to esteem the reverent Name of God To profane abuse or contemne the Sacraments of Christ Jesus To disobey or resist any that God hath placed in Authority while they passe not over the bounds of their Office To murther or consent thereunto To bear hatred or to suffer Innocent blood to be shed if we may gainstand it and finally The transgressing of any other Commandment in the first or second Table we confesse and affirm to be sin by the which Gods hot displeasure is kindled against the proud and unthankfull world So that good works we affirme to be those onely that are done in Faith and at Gods Commandment who in his Law hath expressed what be the things that