onlie head of his Kirk our just Lawgiuer our onlie hie Priest Advocate Mediator In quhilk honoures and offices gif man or angel presume to intruse themself we vtterly detest and abhorre them as blasphemous to our Soveraigne and supreame Governour Christ Jesus 12 Faith in the holy Ghost THIS our Faith and the assurance of the same proceeds not fra flesh and blude that is to say fra na natural powers within vs Mat. 16.17 Ioh. 14 26 Ioh. 15.26 Ioh. 14.11 Act. 5 4. Ioh 16.113 Col. 2.13 Ephes 2.1 Ioh 9.39 Revel 3.17 Mat. 17.17 Mat. 9.19 Luk. 9.41 Ioh. 6 6â— Mic. 7. â— 1 King â— 58 Psa 100 3 Rom. 5.10 Ioh. 3.5 Titus 3 5 Rom. 5 8 Phil. 3 9 Phil 1.6 2 Cor. 3.5 Eph. 1.6 bot is the inspiration of the holy Ghost whome we confesse GOD equall with the Father and with his Sonne quha sanctify is vs and brings vs in al veritie be his awin operation without whome we sulde remaine for ever enimies to GOD and ignorant of his Sonne Christ Iesus For of nature we are so dead so blind and so peruerse that nether can we feil when we ar pricked see the licht when it shines nor assent to the will of God when it is reueiled vnles the Spirit of the Lord Iesus quicken that quhilk is dead remoue the darknesse from our myndes and bowe our stubburne hearts to the obedience of his blessed will And so as we confesse that God the Father created vs when we were not as his Sonne our LORD IESVS redeemed vs when wee were enimies to him so also do we confesse that the holy Ghost doth sanctifie and regenerat vs without all respect of ony merite proceeding from vs be it before or be it after our regeneration To speak this ane thing Èit in mair plaine words As we willingly spoyle our selues of all honour and gloir of our a win creation and redemption so do we also of our Regeneration Sanctification for of our selues we ar not sufficient to think one gude thocht bot he quha hes begun the wark in vs is onlie he that continewis vs in the same to the praise and glorie of his vndeserued grace 14 The cause of gude warkes SA that the cause of gude warks we confesse to be not our free wil Eph. 2.10 Phil. 2.13 Iohn 15.5 Rom. 8.9 bot the Spirit of the LORD IESVS who dwelling in our hearts be trewe faith bringis furth sik warkes as God has prepared for us to walke in For this wee maist boldelie affirme that blasphemy it is to say that Christ abydes in the heartes of sik as in whome there is no Spirite of sanctification And therefore we feir not to affirme that murtherers oppressers cruel persecuters adulterers huremongers filthy persouns Idolaters drunkards thieues and all workers of iniquity haue nether trew faith nether ony portion of the Spirit of the LORD IESVS so long as obstinatlie they continew in their wickednes For how soone that euer the Spirit of the Lord Iesus quhilk Gods elect children receiue be trew faith taks possession in the heart of ony man so soone dois he regenerate renew the same man So that he beginnis to hait that quhilk before he loved begins to love that quhilk befoir he hated fra thine cummis that continuall battell Rom. 7.15 16 17 c. Gal. 5.17 quhilk is betwixt the flesh and the Spirit in Gods Children till the flesh and natural man according to the awin corruption lustes for things pleisand and delectable vnto the self and grudges in adversity is lyfted up in prosperity and at euery moment is prone reddie to offende the maiestie of God Bot the spirite of God Rom. 8.16 Rom. 7.24 Rom. 8.22 Rom. 6.12 Eph. 4.17 18 19. quhilk giues witnessing to our Spirite that we are the Sonnes of God makis vs to resist filthie plesures and to groane in Gods presence for deliuerance fra this bondage of corruption And finally to triumph ouer sin that it reigne not in our mortall body is This battell hes not the carnal men being destitute of Gods Spirite but dois followe and obey sinne with greedines and without repentance euen as the Devill and their corrupt lustes do prick them Bot the sonnes of God 2 Tim. 2.26 as before wes said dois fecht against sinne dois sob and murne when they perceive themselues tempted in iniquitie gif they fall they rise againe with earnest and vnfained repentance and thir thingis they do not be their awin power Ioh. 15.5 bot be the power of the Lord IESVS without whom they were able to do nothing 15 What warkes are reputed gude befoir God Exod. 20.3 c. Deut. 4.7 c. WE confesse and acknawledge that God hes given to man his holy Law in quhilk not only ar forbidden all sik warkes as displeis and offend his godly Majestie but alswa ar commanded al sik as pleis him and as he hes promised to rewaird And thir warks be of twa sortes The ane are done to the honour of God the vther to the profit of our Nichtbouris and both haue the reveiled will of God for their assurance To haue ane God to worschip and honour him to call vpon him in all our troubles reverence his holy name Luk. 2.75 Mic. 6.11 to heare his word to beleue the same to communicate with his holy Sacraments are the warkes of the first Tabill To honour Father Mother Princes Eph. 6.1.7 Ezech. 22.1 c. 1 Cor. 6.19 20. 1 Thes 4.4 5 6. Iere. 22.3 9 c. Esay 50.1 c. 1 Thes 4.6 Rulers and superiour powers to loue them to support them Èea to obey their charges not repugning to the commaundement of God to saue the liues of Innocents to represse tyrannie to defend the oppressed to keep our bodies cleane and halie to liue in sobernes and temperance to deall justlie with all men both in word and deed and finally to represse all appetite of our Nichtbouris hurt are the gude warkes of the secund Tabill quhilk are maist pleising and acceptabill unto God as thir warkes that are commanded be himselfe The contrary quhairof is sinne maist odious quhilk alwayes displeisis him and provokes him to anger As not to call upon him alone when we haue need nor to hear his word with reverence to contemne and despise it to haue or worschip Idols to maintene and defend Idolatrie lichtlie to esteeme the reverend name of God to prophane abuse or contemne the Sacraments of Christ Iesus to disobey or resist ony that God hes placed in Authoritie quhill they passe not over the boundes of their office to murther Rom. 13.2 Ezech. 22.13 c. or to consent thereto to beare hatred or to let Innocent blude bee sched gif wee may withstand it And finally the transgression of ony vther commandement in the first or secund Tabill 1 Ioh. 3.4 we confesse and affirme to be sinne by
the quhilk Gods anger and displeisure is kindled against the proud vnthankful warld Rom. 14.23 Heb. 11.6 1 Sam. 15.22 1 Cor. 10.31 1 Ioh. 3.4 Esay 29.13 Mat. 15.9 Mark 7.7 So that gude warkes we affirm to be thir onlie that are done in saith and at Gods commandement quha in his Lawe hes expressed what the thingis be that pleis him And evill warkis we affirme not only thir that expressedly ar done against Gods commaundement bot thir alswa that in matteris of Religioun and worschipping of God hes na vther assurance but the inventioun and opinioun of man quhilk God fra the beginning hes ever rejected as be the Prophet Esay and be our Maister CHRIST IESVS we ar taught in thir words In vain do they worschip me teaching for doctrines the precepts of men 16. The perfectioun of the Law and the imperfectioun of Man THe Law of God we confesse and acknawledge maist just maist equal maist halie and maist perfite commaunding thir thingis Leuit. 1â— Gal. 3. â— 1 Tim. 1. â— Rom. 7. â— Psal 19 â— 8 9 c Deut. 5. Rom. 10 1 Kin. 8. â— 2 Chr. 6. â— Eccl. 7. â— Prov. 2â— 1 Joh. 1â— Rom. 1â— Gal. 3. â— Deu. 27. â— Phil. 2. â— Esay 64 Luke 17 quhilk being wrocht in perfectioun were abill to give life and abill to bring man to eternal felicitie Bot our nature is sa corrupt sa weake and sa unperfite that we are never abill to fulfil the warkes of the Law in perfectioun Èœea gif we say we have na sinne evin after we are regenerated we deceive ourselues the veritie of God is not in us And therefore it behoovis vs to apprehend Christ Jesus with his justice and satisfaction quha is the end and accomplishment of the Law bequhome we ar set at this libertie that the curse and malediction of God fall not upon us albeit we fulfil not the same in all pointes For God the Father beholding us in the bodie of his sonne Christ Jesus acceptis our imperfite obedience as it were perfite and couers our warks quhilk ar defiled with mony spots with the justice of his Sone We do not meane that we ar so set at libertie that we awe na obedience to the Law for that before we have plainly confessed bot this we affirme that na man in earth Christ Jesus onlie except hes given gives or sall give in work that obedience to the Law quhilk the Law requiris Bot when we have done all things we must fall downe unfeinedly confesse that we ar unprofitable seruands And therefore quhosoever boastis themselues of the merits of their awin warks or put their trust in the warks of supererogation boast themselues in that quhilk is nocht and put their trust in damnable Idolatry 17. Of the Kirk AS we beleeue in ane God father sonne and halie Ghaist sa do we maist constantly beleeue that from the beginning there hes bene now is Mat 28 to the end of the warld sall be ane Kirk that is to say Eph â— Col 1â— Eph 5â— 24 25 â— ane companie multitude of men chosen of God who richtly worship and imbrace him be trew faith in Christ Jesus quha is the onlie head of the same Kirk quhilk alswa is the bodie spouse of Christ Jesus quhilk Kirk is Catholike that is universal because it conteinis the Elect of all ages of all Realmes Nations and tounges be they of the Jewes Apoc â— or be they of the Gentiles quha haue communion and societie with God the father and with his sonne Christ Jesus throw the sanctifitatioun of his halie Spirit and therefore is it called the communion not of prophane persounes bot of sancts quha as Citizenis of the heavenly Jerusalem have the fruition of the Maist inestimable benefites to wit of ane God Eph 2 â— ane Lord Iesus ane Faith and ane Baptisme out of the quhilk Kirk there is nouther life nor eternal felicitie And therefore we vtterly abhorre the blasphemie of them that affirme that men quhilk live according to equitie and justice sall be saved quhat religioun that ever they have professed For as without Christ Jesus there is nouther life nor salvation Eph. 4 Iohn 5 Iohn â— so sall there nane be participant thereof bot sik as the Father hes given unto his sonne Christ Jesus and they that in time cum unto him avowe his Doctrine and beleeve into him we comprehend the Children with the faithful Parentes this Kirk is invisible knawn onlie to God quha alane knawis whome he hes chosen Tim. 2.19 â—hn 13.14 â—ph 1.10 â—â—l 1.10 â—â—b 12.4 and comprehends aswell as said is the Elect that be departed commonlie called the Kirk Triumphant and they that Èit live and fecht against sinne and sathan as sall live hereafter 18. The immortalitie of the Saules â—â—o 14.13 â—â—y 25.8 〈◊〉 7.16 17 â—o 21.4 〈◊〉 16.10 11 â—ay 66.24 â—â—rk 9.44 〈◊〉 48. â—â—k 23.43 â—â—k 16. 〈◊〉 25. 〈◊〉 6.9 10. THE Elect departed are in peace and rest fra their labours not that they sleep and come to a certaine oblivion as some Phantastickes do affirme but that they are delivered fra all fear and torment and all temptatioun to quhilk we and all God his elect are subject in this life and therefore do beare the name of the Kirk Militant As contrariwise the reprobate unfaithfull departed have anguish torment and pain that cannot be expressed sa that neither are the ane nor the vther in sik sleep that they feele not their torment as the parable of Christ Jesus in the 16. of Luke his words to the thiefe and thir words of the saules crying under the altar O Lord thou that art righteous and just how long sall thou not revenge our blude upon thir that dwellis in the earth dois declair 19 Of the notes be the quhilk the trewe Kirk is dicerned fra the false and quha sall be judge of the doctrine BECAUSE that sathan from the beginning hes laboured to deck his pestilent synagoge with the title of the Kirk of GOD and hes inflamed the heartes of cruell murtherers to persecute trouble and molest the trewe Kirk and Members thereof â—â—n 4.8 â—â—n 21.9 â—â—n 27.41 â—â—t 23.34 〈◊〉 5.18 19 〈◊〉 1.35 〈◊〉 â— 20 â— as Cain did Abell Ishmael Isaac Esau Jacob the haill priesthead of the Jews Christ Jesus himself and his apostles after him It is ane thing maist requisite that the trewe Kirk be decerned fra the filthie synagogues be clear and perfite notes least we being deceiued receiue and imbrace to our awin condemnatioun the ane for the vther The notes signes 〈◊〉 4. c. 〈◊〉 5.17 and assured takens whereby the immaculate spouse of Christ Iesus is knawen fra the horrible harlot the Kirk malignant we affirme are neither antiquitie â—â—n 4.1 〈◊〉 48.1 2 â—â—t 5.35 〈◊〉 12.42 â—â—h 2.20 â— 2.42 â—â—h 10.27 â—â—h 18.37
1 Cor 11 24 1 Cor 10 16 AS the fatheris vnder the law besides the veritie of the Sacrifices had twa chiefe Sacramentes to wit Circumcision the Passeover the despisers and contemners whereof were not reputed of Gods people sa do we acknawledge and confesse that we now in the time of the evangell haue twa chiefe Sacramentse onlie instituted be the Lord Jesus and commanded to be used of all they that will be reputed members of his bodie To wit Baptisme and the supper or Table of the Lord Jesus called the Communion of his body and blude And thir Sacramentes asweel of auld as of New Testament now instituted of God not onlie to make an visible difference betwixt his people and they that wes without his league but also to exerce the faith of his children and be participation of the same Sacramentes to seil in their hearts the assurance of his promise and of that most blessed conjunction vnion and societie quhilk the elect haue with their head Christ Iesus And this we vtterlie damne Rom 6 3 4 5 Gal 3 27 the vanitie of they that affirme Sacramentes to be na thing els bot naked and baire signes No we assuredlie beleeve that be Baptisme we are ingrafted in Christ Iesus to be made partakers of his Iustice be quhilk our sinnes are covered and remitted And alswa that in the Supper richtlie used CHRIST IESUS is so joyned with us that he becommis very nurishment and fude of our saules Not that we imagine anie transubstantiation of Bread into Christes bodie and of Wine into his Natural blude as the Papistes haue perniciouslie taucht and damnable beleeved bot this vnioun and conjunction quhilk we haue with the body blude of Christ Iesus in the richt vse of the Sacraments wrocht be operatioun of the haly Ghaist who by trew faith caryis us above all things that are visible carnal and earthly and makes us to feede upon the body and blude of Christ Iesus quhilk wes anes broken and shed for us quhilk now is in heaven Mar 16 19 Luk 24 51 Act 1 11 Act. 3 21 1 Cor 10 and appearis in the presence of his Father for vs And Èit notwithstanding the far distance of place quhilk is betwixt his body now glorified in heaven and us now mortal in this earth Èit we man assuredlie beleue that the bread quhilk we break is the communion of Christes bodie and the cupe quhilk we blesse is the communion of his blude So that we confesse and undoubtedlie beleeue that the faithful in the richt use of the Lords Table do so eat the bodie and drinke the blude of the Lord Iesus that he remains in them and they in him Èœea they are so maid flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones that as the eternal God-head hes given to the flesh of Christ Iesus quhilk of the awin conditioun of nature wes mortall and corruptible life and immortalitie so dois Christ Iesus his flesh and blude eattin and drunkin be us Eph. 5 30 Mat 2 50 Mar. 15 37 Luk 23.46 Ioh 19 30 Ioh 6 51 â— 53 54 55 56 57 58 give vnto us the same prerogatiues Quhilk albeit we confesse are neither given unto us at that time onelie nether Èit be the proper power and vertue of the Sacrament onlie Èit we affirm that the faithfull in the richt use of the Lords Table hes conjunction with Christ Iesus as the naturall man can not apprehend Èea and farther we affirme that albeit the faithful oppressed be negligence and namelie infirmitie dois not profite sa meikle as they wald in the verie instant action of the Supper Èit sall it after bring frute furth as liuelie seid sawin in gude ground For the haly Spirite quhilk can neuer be diuided fra the richt institutioun of the Lord Iesus wil not frustrat the faithfull of the fruit of that mystical action bot all thir we say cummis of trew faith qohilk apprehenkis Christ Iesus who only makis this Sacrament effectual vnto us And therefore whosoeuer sclanders us as that we affirme or belevis Sacraments to be naked and bair Signes do injurie vnto vs and speaks against the manifest trueth But this liberallie and franklie wee confesse that we make ane distinctioun betwixt Christ Iesus in his eternal substance and betuixt the Elements of the Sacramentall Signes So that we will nether worship the Signes in place of that quhilk is signified be them 1 Cor 11 28 29 nether Èit doe we dispise interpret them as unprofitable and vaine bot do vse them with all reverence examining our selves diligentlie before that so we do Because we are assured be the mouth of the Apostle that sik as eat of that bread and drinke of that cupe vnworthelie are guiltie of the bodie and blude of Christ Iesus 23 Of the richt administration of the Sacraments THAT Sacraments be richtlie ministrat we Iudge twa things requisite The ane that they be ministrat be lauchful Ministers whom we affirme to be only they that ar appoynted to the preaching of the word into quhaiâ— mouthes God hes put sum Sermon of exhortation they being men lauchfullie chosen thereto be sum Kirk The vther that they ministrat in sik elements and in sik sort as God hes appointed else we affirm that they cease to be the richt Sacraments of Christ Iesus And therfore it is that we fly the doctrine of the Papistical Kirk in participation of their sacraments first because their Ministers are na Ministers of Christ Iesus Èea quhilk is mair horrible they suffer wemen whome the haly Ghaist will not suffer to teache in the Congregatioun to Baptize and secundly because they haue so adulterated both the one Sacrament and the vther with their awin inuentiouns that no part of Christs action abydes in the originall puritie For Oyl Salt Spittill and sik lyke in Baptisme ar bot mennis inuentiouns Adoration Veneration bearing throw streitis and townes keiping of bread in boxes or buistes ar prophanatioun of Christs Sacraments Mat. 26.26 c. Mar. 14.22 c. Luk. 22.19 c. 1 Cor. 11.24 and na vse of the same For Christ Iesus saide Take eat c. do Èe this in rememberance of me Be quhilk word charge he sanctifyed bread and wine to the Sacrament of his halie bodie and blude to the end that the ane suld be eaten and that all suld drink of the vther and not that they suld be keiped to be worshipped honoured as God as the Papistes haue done heirtofore Who also committed Sacrilege steilling from the people the ane parte of the Sacrament to wit the blessed cupe Moreover that the Sacraments be richtly vsed it is required that the end cause why the Sacramentis were institute bee vnderstand and observed asweil of the minister as of the receiueris For gif the opinion be changed in the receiuer the richt vse ceassis quhilk is maist evident be the