THE CONFESSION OF FAITH PROFESSED AND BELIEVED BY THE PROTESTANTS WITHIN THE REALM OF 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’S WORD.

mathei 24.

and this glad tidings of the kingdom shall be preached throuch the whole world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come.
(Title-page of the first printed edition.)

THE PREFACE.
The Estates of Scotland, with the Inhabitants of the same, professing Christ Jesus his Holy Evangel,†1 to their natural Countrymen, and to all others Realms and Nations, professing the same Lord Jesus with them, wish grace, peace, and mercy from God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Spirit of righteous jugement, for Salutation.
Long have we thirsted,†2 dear Brethren, to have notified unto the world the sum of that doctrine which we profess, and for the which we have sustained infamy and danger. But such hath been the rage of Satan against us, and against Christ Jesus his eternal verity lately born amongst us, that to this day no time hath been granted unto us to clear our [[sic]] consciences, as most gladly we would have done; for how we have been tossed one whole year past, the most part of Europe (as we suppose) does understand. But seeing that of the infinite goodness of our God (who never suffers his afflicted to be utterly confounded) above expectation, we have obtained some rest and liberty, we could not but set forth this brief and plain Confession of such doctrine as is proponed unto us, and as we belief and profess, partly for satisfaction of our Brethren, whose hearts we dout not have been and yet are wounded by the spiteful railing of such as yet have not learned to speak well; and partly for stopping of the mouths of impudent blasphemers, who boldly condemn†3 that which they have neither heard nor yet understand. Not that we judge that the corrupted malice of such is able to be cured by this simple Confession: No, we know that the sweet, savour of the Evangel†1 is, and shall be death to the sons of perdition. But we have chief respect to our weak and infirm brethren, to whom we would communicate the bottom of our hearts, lest that they be troubled or carried away be the diversities of rumors which Satan spreads contrary us,†2 to the defecting of this our most godly enterprise; Protesting, that if any man will note in this our Confession any article or sentence opposed to God’s holy word, that it would please him of his gentleness, and for Christian charities sake,†3 to admonish us of the same in writ; and We of our honor and fidelity do promise†4 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 amiss. For God we take to record in our consciences, that from our hearts we abhor all sects of heresy, and all teachers of erroneous doctrine; and that with all humility we embrace the purity of Christ’s Evangel, which is the only food of our souls; and therefore so precious unto us, that we are determined to suffer the extremity of worldly danger, rather than that we will suffer ourselves to be defrauded of the same. For hereof we are most certainly persuaded, “That whatsoever denies Christ Jesus, 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 Jesus, we firmly purpose to abide to the end in the Confession of this our Faith.†5

OF GOD.—CAP. I.†1
WE confess and acknowledge one only God, to whom only we must cleave, [whom only we must serve,†2] whom only we must worship, and in whom only we must put our trust; who is eternal, infinite, unmeasurable, incomprehensible, omnipotent, invisible: one in substance, and yet distinct in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: By whom we confess and belief all things in heaven and in earth, alsweill 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 eternal wisdom, goodness, and justice hath appointed them, to the manifestation of his own glory.

OF THE CREATION OF MAN.—CAP. II.
We confess 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;†3 to whom he gave wisdom, lordship, justice, free-will, and clear knowledge of himself; so that in the whole nature of man there could be noted no imperfection: From which honor 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 Sovereign Majesty of God, who in expressed words of before had threatened death, if they presumed to eat of the forbidden tree.

OF ORIGINAL SIN.—CAP. III.
By which transgression, commonly called Original Sin, was the image of God utterly defaced in man; and he and his posterity of nature became enemies to God, slaves to Satan, and servants to sin; in so much 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 promise of God, revealed to us in his word; by which faith they apprehend†1 Christ Jesus, with the graces and benefits promised in him.

OF THE REVELATION OF THE PROMISE.—CAP. IV.
For this we constantly belief, that God, after the fearful and horrible defection of man from his obedience, did sick Adam again, call upon him, rebuke his sin, convicted him of the same, and in the end made unto him a most joyful promise, to wit, “That the seed of the woman should break down the serpentis head;” that is, he should destroy the works of the Devil. Which promise, as it was repeated and made more clear from time to time, so was it embraced with joy, and most constantly retained†2 of all the faithful, from Adam to Noah, from Noah to Abraham, from Abraham to David, and so forth to the incarnation of Christ Jesus: who all (we mene the faithful Fathers under the law,) did see the joyful days of Christ Jesus, and did rejoice.

THE CONTINUANCE, INCREASE, AND PRESERVATION OF THE CHURCH.†3—CAP. V.
We most constantly belief, that God preserved, instructed, multiplied, honored, decorated, 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 father’s country, him he instructed, his seed he multiplied, the same he marvelously preserved, and more marvelously delivered from the bondage [and tyranny] of Pharaoh; to them he gave his laws, 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 loins should one sit for ever upon his regal seat.” to this same people from time to time he sent prophets to reduce them to the right way of their God, from the which often times they declined by idolatry. And albeit for their stubborn contempt of justice, he was compelled to give them in the hands of their enemies, as before was threatened by the mouth of Moses, in so much that the whole city†1 was destroyed, the temple burned with fire, and the whole land left desolate the space of seventy years; yet of mercy did he reduce them again to Jerusalem, where the city and temple were rebuilt, and they, against all temptations and assaults of Satan, did abide till the Messiah came, according to the promise.

OF THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST JESUS.—CAP. VI.
When the fullness of time came, God sent his Son, his Eternal Wisdom, the substance of his own glory, in this world, who took the nature of manhood of the substance of a woman, to wit, of a Virgin, and that by the operation of the Holy Ghost: And so was born the just seed of David, the angel of the great counsel of God; the very Messiah promised, whom we acknowledge and confess Emmanuel; very God and very man, two perfect natures united and joined in one person. By which our confession we damn†2 the damnable and pestilent heresies of Arius, Marcion, Eutyches, Nestorius, and such others, as either deny†1 the erternity of his Godhood, either the verity of his human nature, either confound them, either yet divide them.
WHY IT BEHOVE THE MEDIATOR TO BE VERY GOD AND VERY MAN.—CAP. VII.
We acknowledge and confess, that this most wondrous conjunction betwixt the Godhood and the Manhood in Christ Jesus, did proceed from the eternal and immutable decree of God, whence also our salvation springs and depends.†2

ELECTION.—CAP. VIII.
For that same Eternal God, and Father, who of mere mercy elected us in Christ Jesus his Son, before the foundation of the world was laid, appointed him to be our Head, our Brother, our Pastor, and great Bishop of our Souls. But because that the enmity betwixt the justice of God and our sins was such, that no flesh by it self could or might have attained unto God, it behooved that the Son of God should descend unto us, and take himself a body of our body, flesh of our flesh, and bane of our banes, and so became†3 the perfect Mediator betwixt God and man; giving power to so many as belief in him to be the sons of God, as himself does witness—“I pass up to my Father and unto your Father, to my God and unto your God.” By which most holy fraternity, whatsoever we have lost†4 in Adam is restored to us again. And for this cause are we not affraid to call God our father, not so much in that he hath created us,†5(which we have common with the reprobate,) as for that he hath given to us his only Son to be our brother, and given unto us grace to [acknowledge and] embrace him for our only Mediator, as before is said. It behooved further, the Messiah and Redeemer to [be] very God and very Man, because he was to underly†1 the punishment due for our transgressions, and to present himself in the presence of his Fathers jugement, as in our person, to suffer for our transgression and inobedience, by death to overcome him that was author of death. But because the only Godhood could not suffer death, neither could the only Manhood overcome the same; he joined both together in one person, that the imbecility of the one should suffer, and be subject to death, (which we had deserved,) and the infinite and invincible power of the other, to wit, of the Godhood, should triumph and purchase till us life, liberty, and perpetual victory. And so we confess, and most undoubtedly belief.
CHRIST’S DEATH, PASSION, BURIAL, &C.—CAP. IX.
That our Lord Jesus Christ offered himself a voluntary sacrifice unto his Father for us; that he suffered contradiction of sinners; that he was wounded and plagued for our transgressions; that he being the clean and innocent Lamb of God, was damned in the presence of an earthly judge, that we might be absolved before the tribunal seat of our God; that he suffered not only the cruel death of the cross (which was accursed by the sentence of God,) but also that he suffered for a season the wrath of his Father, which sinners had deserved. But yet we avow, that he remained the only and well-beloved and blessed Son of his Father, even in the midst of his anguish and torment, which he suffered in body and soul, to make the full satisfaction for the sins of his people.†2 After the which, we confess and avow, that there remains no other sacrifice for sins; which if any affirm, we nothing doubt to avow that they are blasphemers against Christ’s death, and the everlasting purgation and satisfaction purchased till us by the same.

RESURRECTION.—CAP. X.
We undoubtedly belief, that insomuch as it was impossible that the dolors of death should retain in bondage the Author of life, that our Lord Jesus Christ crucified, dead, and buried, who descended into hell, did rise again for our justification, and destroying [of] him who was [the] author of death, brought life again to us that were subject to death and to the bondage of the same. We know that his resurrection was confirmed by the testimony of his very enemies; by the resurrection of the dead, whose sepulchres did open, and they did arise and appeared to many within the City of Jerusalem. It was also confirmed by the testimony of [his] Angels, and be the senses and judgments of his Apostles, and [of] others, who had conversation, and did eat and drink with him after his resurrection.

ASCENSION.—CAP. XI.
We nothing doubt, but that the self same body, which was born of the Virgin, was crucified, dead, and buried, and which did rise again, did ascend into the heavens for the accomplishment of all things; where, in our names, and for our comfort he hath received all power in heaven and in earth, where he sits at the right hand of the Father inaugurate in his kingdom, advocate and only Mediator for us; which glory, honor, and prerogative he alone amongst the brethren shall possess, till that all his enemies be made his footstool, as that we undoubtedly belief they shall be in the final jugement; to the execution whereof we certainly belief that the same our Lord Jesus shall visibly return as that he was seen to ascend: And then we firmly belief, that the time of refreshing and restitution of all things shall come, in so much that they that from the beginning have suffered violence, injury, and wrong for righteousness sake, shall inherit that blessed immortality promised from the beginning; but contrarywise, the stubborn, inobedient, cruel, oppressors, filthy persons, adulterers, and all sorts of unfaithful [men] shall be cast in the dungeon of utter darkness, where their worm shall not die, neither yet their fire [shall] be extinguished. the remembrance of the which day, and of the jugement to be executed in the same, is not only to us a bridle whereby our carnal lusts are refrained; but also such inestimable comfort, that neither may the threatening of worldly princes, neither yet the fear of temporal death and present danger move us to renounce and forsake that blessed society, which we the members have with our Head and only Mediator Christ Jesus, whom we confess and avow to be the Messiah promised, the only Head of his Church, our just Lawgiver, our only High Priest, Advocate, and Mediator. in which honors and offices, if man or angel presume to intruse themselves, we utterly detest and abhor them, as blasphemous to our Sovereign and Supreme Governor, Christ Jesus.

FAITH IN THE HOLY GHOST.—CAP. XII.
This our Faith, and the assurance of the same, proceeds not from flesh and blood, that is to say, from no natural powers within us, but is the inspiration of the Holy Ghost: Whom we confess God, equal with the Father and with the Son; who sanctifieth us, and bringeth us in all verity by his own operation; without whom we should remain for ever enemies to God, and ignorant of his Son, Christ Jesus. For of nature we are so dead, so blind and so perverse, that neither can we feel when we are pricked, see the light when it shines, nor assent to the will of God when it is revealed;only†1 the Spirit of the Lord Jesus quickens that which is dead, removeth†2 the darkness from our minds, and bows our stubborn hearts to the obedience of his blessed will. And so as we confess that God the Father created us when we were not; as his Son, our Lord Jesus redeemed us when we were enemies to him: so also do we confess that the Holy Ghost does sanctify 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 spoil ourselves of all honor and glory of our own creation and redemption; so do we also of our regeneration and sanctification: For of ourselves we are not sufficient to think a good thought; but he who hath begun the good work in us, is only he that continueth us in the same, to the praise and glory of his undeserved grace.

THE CAUSE OF GOOD WORKS.—CAP. XIII.†3
So that the cause of Good works, we confess to be, not our free will, but the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, who dwelling in our hearts be true faith, brings forth such good works as God hath prepared for us to walk into: for this we most boldly affirm, that blasphemy it is to say, that Christ Jesus abides in the hearts of such as in whom their is no spirit of Sanctification. And therefore we fear not to affirm, that murderers, oppressors, cruel persecuters, adulterers, whoremongers, filthy persons, idolaters, drunkards, thieves, and all workers of iniquity, have neither true faith, neither any portion of the spread of Sanctification, which proceedeth from the Lord Jesus, so long as they obstinately continue in their wickedness. For how soon that ever the spirit of the Lord Jesus, (which God’s elect children receive by true faith,)takes possession in the heart of any man, so soon does he regenerate and renew the same man; so that he begins to hate that which before he loved, and begins to love that which before he hated; and from thence comes that continual battle which is betwixt the flesh and the spirit in God’s children; while the flesh and natural man (according to the own corruption) lusts for things pleasing and delectable unto the self, grudges in adversity, is lifted up in prosperity, and at every moment is prone and ready to offend the Majesty of God. But the Spirit of God, which giveth witnessing till our spirit, that we are the sons of God, makes us to resist the devil, to abhor†1 filthy pleasures, to groan in God’s presence for deliverance from this bondage of corruption; and finally, so triumph over sin that it reign not in our mortal bodies. This battle hath not the carnal men, being destitute of God’s Spirit; but do follow and obey sin with greediness, and without repentance, even as the devil and their corrupt lusts do prick them. But the sons of God (as before is said) does fight against sin, do sob and mourn, when they perceive themselves tempted to iniquity; and if they fall, they rise again with earnest and unfeigned repentance. And these things they do not by their own power, but the power of the Lord Jesus (without whom they were able to do nothing) works in them all that is good.†2

WHAT WORKS ARE REPUTED GOOD BEFORE GOD.—CAP. XIV.†3
We confess and acknowledge, that God hath given to man his holy law, in which not only are forbidden all such works which 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 honor of God, the other to the profit of our neighbors; and both have the revealed will of God for their assurance. to have one God, to worship and honor him; to call upon him in all our troubles; to reverence his holy name; to hear his word; to believe the same; to communicate with his holy sacraments;—are the works of the First Table. to honor father, mother, princes, rulers, and superior powers; to love them; to support them, yea, to obey their charges (not repugning to the commandment of God); to save the lives of innocents; to repress 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 in deed; and, finally, to repress all appetite of our neighbors’ hurt;—are the good works of the Second Table, which are most pleasing and acceptable unto God, as those works that are commanded by himself. the contrary whereof is sin most odious, which always displeases him, and provokes him to anger,—as, not to call upon him alone when we have need; not till hear his word with reverence; to condemn 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 condemn the sacraments of Christ Jesus; to disobey or resist any that God hath placed in authority, (while they pass not over the bounds of their office); to murder, or to consent thereto, to bear hatred, or to suffer innocent blood to be shed give we may oppose†1 it; and, finally, the transgressing of any other commandment in the First or Second Table, we confess and affirm to be sin, by the which God’s hot displeasure is kindled†2 against the proud and unthankful world. So that Good works we affirm to be these only that are done in faith, [and] at God’s commandment, who in his law hath expressed what be the things that please him: And Evil works, we affirm, not only those that are expressly done against God’s commandment, but those also that, in matters of religion and worshipping of God, have no [other] assurance but the invention and opinion of man, which God from the beginning hath ever rejected; as by the prophet Isaiah, and by our master Christ Jesus, we are taught in these words—“In vain do they worship me, teaching the doctrine being precepts of men.”†1

THE PERFECTION OF THE LAW AND IMPERFECTION OF MAN.—CAP. XV.
The Law of God, we confess and acknowledge most just, most equal, most holy, and most perfect; commanding those things, which being wrought in perfection, were able to give life, and [able] to bring man to eternal felicity: But our nature is so corrupt, so weak, and imperfect, that we are never able to fulfill the works of the Law in perfection; yea, “If we say we have no sin, (even after we are regenerate,) we deceive ourselves, and the verity of God is not into us.” And therefore it behoved us to apprehend Christ Jesus, with his justice and satisfaction, who is the end and accomplishment of the Law, to all that believe, by whom we are set at this liberty, that the curse and malediction of God,†2 fall not upon us, albeit that we fulfill not the same in all points. For God the Father beholding us in the body of his Son Christ Jesus, accepteth our imperfect obedience as it were perfect, and covers our works, which are defiled with many spots, with the justice of his Son. We do not mean that we are so set at liberty, that we awe no obedience to the Law, (for that before we have plainly confessed); but this we affirm, that no man in earth, (Christ Jesus only excepted,) hath given, giveth, or shall give in work, that obedience to the Law which the Law requireth. But when we have done all things, we must fall down and unfeignedly confess, “That we are unprofitable servants.” And therefore whoever boast themselves of the merits of their own works, or put their trust in the works of supererogation, they boast themselves of that which is not, and put their trust in damnable idolatry.

OF THE CHURCH.†1—CAP. XVI.
As we believe in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, so do we most earnestly beleave†2 that from the beginning there hath been, now is, and to the end of the world shall be a Church; that is to say, a company and multitude of men chosen of God, who rightly worship and embrace him, by true faith in Christ Jesus, who is the only Head of the same Church, which also is the body and spouse of Christ Jesus; which Church is Catholic, that is, universal, because it contains the Elect of all ages, [of] all realms, nations, and tongues, be they of the Jews, or be they of the Gentiles, who have communion and society with God the Father, and with his Son Christ Jesus, through the sanctification of his Holy Spirit; and therefore it is called [the] communion, not of profane persons but of saints, who, as citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, have the fruition of the most inestimable benefits, to wit, of one God, one Lord Jesus, one faith, and of one baptism; out of the†3 which Church there is neither life, nor eternal felicity. And therefore we utterly abhor the blasphemy of those that affirm, that men which live according to equity and justice, shall be saved, what religion ever they have professed. For as without Christ Jesus there is neither life nor salvation, so shall there none be participant thereof but such as the Father has given unto his Son Christ Jesus, and those [that] in time come to him, avow his doctrine, and believe into him, (we comprehend the children with the faithful parentis). This Church is invisible, known only to God, who alone knoweth whom he hath chosen, and comprehends as well (as said is) the Elect that be departed, (commonly called the Church Triumphant), as those that yet live and fight against sin and Satan as shall live hereafter.

THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOULS.—CAP. XVII.
The Elect departed are in peace and rest from their labors; not that they sleep and come to a certain oblivion (as some fantastic heads†1 do affirm,) but that they are delivered from all fear, all torment, and all temptation, to which we and all God’s elect are subject in this life; and therefore do bear the name of the Church militant. As contrarywise, the reprobate and unfaithful departed, have anguish, torment, and pain, that can not be expressed; so that neither are the one nor the other in such sleep that they feel not joy or torment, as the Parable of Christ Jesus in the sixteen of Luke, his words to the thief, and these words of the souls crying under the altar, “O Lord, thou that art righteous and just, how long shall thou not revenge our blood upon them that dwell upon the earth!” doeth plainly testify.

OF THE NOTES BY WHICH THE TRUE CHURCH IS DISCERNED FROM THE FALSE, AND WHO SHALL BE JUDGE OF THE DOCTRINE.—CAP. XVIII.
Because that Satan from the beginning hath labored to deck his pestilent Synagogue with the title of the Church of God, and hath inflamed the hearts of cruel murderers to persecute, trouble, and molest the true Church and members thereof,as Cain did Abel; Ishmael, Isaac; Esau, Jacob; and the whole preisthood of the Jews, Jesus Christ himself, and his apostles after him; it is a thing most requisite, that the true Church be discerned from the filthy synagogue, by clear and perfect notes, lest we being deceived, receive and embrace to our own condemnation the one for the other. the notes, signs, and assured tokens whereby the immaculate spouse of Christ Jesus is known from that horrible harlot the Church malignant, we affirm are neither antiquity, title usurped, lineall descent, place appointed, nor multitude of men approving an error; for Cain in age and title was preferred to Abel and Seth. Jerusalem had prerogative above all places of the earth, where also were the priests lineally descended from Aaron; and greater multitude†1 followed the Scribes, Pharisees, and Priests, then unfeignedly believed and approved Christ Jesus and his doctrine; and yet (as we suppose) no man of sound judgment†2 will grant that any of the forenamed were the Church of God. the Notes, therefore, of the true Church of God we believe, confess, and avow to be, first, the true preaching of the word of God; into the which God hath revealed himself to us, as the writtings of the Prophets and Apostles do declare. Secondly, the right administration of the sacraments of Christ Jesus, which mun be annexed to the word and promise of God, to seal and confirm the same in our hearts. Last[ly], Ecclesiastical discipline uprightly ministered, as God’s word prescribed, whereby vice is repressed, and virtue nourished. Wherever then these former notes are seen, and of any time continue (be the number never so few above two or three) there, but all doubt, is the true Church of Christ, who according to his promise is in the midst of them: not that universal (of which we have before spoken) but particular; such as was in Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, and others places in which the ministry was planted by Paul, and were of himself named the Churches of God. And such churches, we, the Inhabitants of the Realm of Scotland, professors of Christ Jesus, confess us to have in our cities, towns, and places reformed; for the doctrine taught in our churches is contained in the written word of God, to wit, in the books of the Auld and New Testaments. in these books we mean, which of the ancient have been reputed canonical, in the which we affirm that all things necessary to be believed for the salvation of mankind, is sufficiently expressed; the interpretation whereof, we confess, neither appertaineth to private nor public person, neither yet to any church for any preeminence or prerogative, personal or local, which one hath above another; but appertaineth to the Spirit of God, by the which also the Scripture was written. When controversy then happens for the right understanding of any place or sentence of Scripture, or for the reformation of any abuse within the Church of God, we ought not so much to look what men before us have said or done, as unto that which the Holy Ghost uniformly speaks within the body of the Scriptures, and unto that which Christ Jesus himself did, and commanded to be done. For this is a thing universally granted, that the Spirit of God, which is the Spirit of unity, is in nothing contrarious unto himself. If then the interpretation, determination, or sentence of any doctor, church, or counsel, be opposed to the plain word of God written in any other place of [the] Scripture, it is a thing most certain, that theirs is not the true understanding and meaning of the Holy Ghost, supposing that Councils,†1 Realms, and Nations have approved and received the same: For we dare not receive and admit any interpretation which directly repugneth to any principal point of our faith, [or] to any other plain text of Scripture, or yet unto the rule of charity.

THE AUTHORITY OF THE SCRIPTURES.—CAP. XIX.
As we believe and confess the Scriptures of God sufficient to instruct and make the man of God perfect, so do we affirm and avow the authority of the same to be of God, and neither to depend on men nor angels. We affirm therefore that such as allege the Scripture to have no [other] authority, but that which is received from the Church, to be blasphemous against God, and injurious to the true Church, which always heareth and obeyeth the voice of her own Spouse and pastor, but taketh not upon her to be masters over the same.

OF GENERAL COUNCILS, OF THEIR POWER, AUTHORITY, AND CAUSES OF THEIR CONVENTION.—CAP. XX.
As we do not rashly damn that which godly men, assembled together in General Councils, lawfully gathered, have approved†1 unto us; so without just examination dare we not receive whatever is imposed unto men, under the name of General Councils: for plain it is, that as they were men, so have some of them manifestly erred, and that in matters of great weight and importance. So far then as the Council proveth the determination and commandment that it giveth by the plain word of God, so far do we reverence and embrace the same. But if men, under the name of a Council pretend to forge unto us new articles of our faith, or to make constitutions repugning to the word of God, then utterly we mone refuse the same, as the doctrine of devils which draws our souls from the voice of our only God, to follow the doctrines and constitutions of men. the cause, then, why [that] General Councils convened, was neither to make any perpetual law (which God before had not made,) neither yet to forge new articles of our believe, neither to give the word of God authority, much less to make that to be his word, or yet the true interpretation of the same, which was not before by his holy will expressed in his word. But the cause of Councils, (we mean of such as merit the name of Councils,) was partly for confutation of heresies, and for giving public confession of their faith to the posterity following; which both they did by the authority of God’s written word, and not by any opinion or prerogative that they could not err, by reason of their General assembly: And this we judge to have been the chief cause of General Councils. the other was for good policy and order to be constitute and observed in the Church, in which (as in the house of God) it becomes all things to be done decently and into order. Not that we think that a policy, and an order in Ceremonies can be appointed for all ages, times, and places; for as ceremonies (such as men hath devised) are but temporal, so may and ought they to be changed, when they rather foster superstition, then that they edify the Church using the same.

OF THE SACRAMENTS.—CAP. XXI.
As the Fathers under the Law, besides the verity of the sacrifices, had two chief Sacraments, to wit, Circumcision and the Passover, the despisers and condemners whereof were not reputed for God’s people; so [do] we acknowledge and confess that we now, in the time of the Evangel, have two†1 Sacraments only, instituted by the Lord Jesus, and commanded to be used of all those that will be reputed members of his body, to wit, Baptism and the Supper, or Table of the Lord Jesus, called the Communion of his body and blood. And these sacraments (alsweill of the Auld as of the New Testament) were instituted†2 of God, not only to make a visible difference betwixt his people, and those that were without his league; but also to exercise the faith of his children; and by participation of the same sacraments, to seal in their hearts the assurance of his promise, and of that most blessed conjunction, union, and society, which the Elect have with their head, Christ Jesus. And thus we utterly damn the vanity of those that affirm Sacraments to be nothing else but naked and bare signs. No, we assuredly believe, that by Baptism we are ingrafted in Christ Jesus to be made partakers of his justice, by the which our sins are covered and remitted; and also, that in the Supper, rightly used, Christ Jesus is so joined with us, that he becomes the very nourishment and food of our souls. Not that we imagine any transubstantiation of bread into Christ’s natural body, and of wine in his natural blood, (as the Papists have perniciously taught and damnably believed;) but this union and communion which we have with the body and blood of Christ Jesus in the right use of the sacraments, is wrought by operation of the Holy Ghost, who by true faith carries us above all things that are visible, carnal, and earthly, and makes us to feed upon the body and blood of Christ Jesus, which was once broken and shed for us, which now is in the heaven, and appeareth in the presence of his Father for us. And yet, notwithstanding the far distance of place, which is betwixt his body now glorified in the heaven, and us now mortal in this earth, yet we most assuredly believe, that the bread which we break is the communion of Christ’s body, and the cup which we bless, is the communion of his blood. So that we confess, and undoubtedly believe, that the faithful, in the right use of the Lord’s Table, so do eat the body, and drink the blood of the Lord Jesus, that he remaineth in them and they in him: yea, that they are so made flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones, that as the Eternal Godhead hath given to the flesh of Christ Jesus (which of the own condition and nature was mortal and corruptible) life and immortality, so doeth Christ Jesus his flesh and blood eaten and drunken by us, give to us the same prerogatives: Which albeit we confess, are neither given unto us at that only time, neither yet by the proper power and virtue of the Sacraments only; yet we affirm, that the faithful in the right use of the Lord’s Table hath such conjunction with Christ Jesus, as the natural man can not comprehend: yea, and further we affirm, that albeit the faithful oppressed by negligence, and manly infirmity, doeth not profit so much as they would at the very instant action of the Supper, yet shall it after bring forth fruit, as lively seed sown in good ground; for the Holy Spirit, which can never be divided from the right institution of the Lord Jesus, will not frustrate the faithful of the fruit of that mystical action. But all this, we say, comes by true faith, which apprehendeth Christ Jesus, who only makes his Sacraments effectual unto us; and, therefore, whoever slanders us, as that we affirmed or believed Sacraments to be only naked and bare signs, do injury unto us, and speak against a manifest truth. But this liberally and frankly we must confess, that we make a distinction betwixt Christ Jesus, in his natural substance,†1 and betwixt the elements in the Sacramental signs; so that we will neither worship the signs in place of that which is signified by them; neither yet do we depise and interpret them as unprofitable and vain; but do use them with all reverence, examining ourselves diligently before that so we do, because we are assured by the mouth of the Apostle, “That such as eat of that bread, and drink of that cup, unworthily, are gulity of the body and blood†2 of the Lord Jesus.”

OF THE RIGHT ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENTS.—CAP. XXII.
That Sacraments be rightly ministered, we judge two things requisit: the one, That they be ministered by lawful ministers, whom we affirm to be only they that are appointed to the preaching of the word, or into whose mouths God hath put some sermon of exhortation, they being men lawfully chosen thereto by some Church. the other, That they be ministered in such elements, and in such sort as God hath appointed. Ellis we affirm, that they cease to be right Sacraments of Christ Jesus. And, therefore, it is, that we fly the society with the Papistical Church, in participation of their Sacraments; first, because their ministers are no ministers of Christ Jesus; yea, (which is more horrible) they suffer women, whom the Holy Ghost will not suffer to teach in the congregation, to Baptise. And, secondly, Because they have so adulterate, both the one sacrament and the other, with their own inventions, that no part of Christ’s action abideth in the original purity; for oil, salt, spattle,†1 and siclyk in baptism, are but men’s inventions; adoration, veneration, bearing through straits and towns, and keeping of bread in boxes or buistis, are profanation of Christ’s Sacraments, and no use of the same: For Christ Jesus said, “Take, eat, &c.; Do ye this in remembrance of me.” By which words and charge he sanctified bread and wine to be the sacrament of his body†2 and blood; to the end, that the one should be eaten, and that all should drink of the other; and not that they should be kept to be worshipped and honoured as God, as the blind Papists have done heretofore, who also have committed sacrilege, stealing from the people the one part of the Sacrament, to wit, the blessed cup. Moreover, that the Sacraments be rightly used, it is required, that the end and cause why the Sacraments were instituted, be understood and observed, as well of the minister as of the receivers; for if the opinion be changed in the receiver, the right use ceaseth; which is most evident by the rejection of the sacrifices, (as also if the teacher teach†3 false doctrine,) which were odious and abominable unto God (albeit they were his own ordinances,) because that wicked men use them to an other end than God hath ordained. the same affirm we of the sacraments in the Papistical Church, in which we affirm the whole action of the Lord Jesus to be adulterate, alsweill in the external form, as in the end and opinion. What Christ Jesus did, and commanded to be done, is evident by the three Evangelists [who speak of the Sacrament,†1] and by Saint Paul: What the priest does at his altar we need not to rehearse. the end and cause of Christ’s institution, and why the self same should be used, is expressed in these words,—“Do this in remembrance of me. As often as ye shall eat of this bread and drink of this cup, ye shall show forth, (that is, extoll, preach, and magnify,†2) the Lords death till he come.” But to what end, and in what opinion the priests say their masses, let the words of the same, their own doctors and writtings witness, to wit, that they, as mediators betwixt Christ and his Church, do offer unto God the Father a sacrifice propitiatory for the sins of the quick and the dead. Which doctrine, as blasphemous to Christ Jesus, and making derogation to the sufficiency of his only sacrifice, once offered for purgation of all those that shall be sanctified, we utterly abhor, detest, and renounce.

TO WHOM SACRAMENTS APPERTAIN.—CAP. XXIII.
We Confess and acknowledge that Baptism appertaineth as well to the infants of the faithful, as to those that be of age and discretion. And so we damn the error of [the] Anabaptists, who deny baptism to appertain to children, before that they have faith and understanding. But the Supper of the Lord, we confess to appertain only to such as†3 have been of the household of faith, [and] can try and examine themselves, as well in their faith, as in their duty towards their neighbors. Such as eat [and drink] at that holy table without faith, or being at dissension and division with their brethren, do eat unworthily: and therefore it is, that in our Churches our Ministers take public and particular examination of the knowledge and conversation of such as are to be admitted to the table of the Lord Jesus.

OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE.—CAP. XXIV.
We Confess and acknowledge empires, kingdoms, dominions, and cities to be evidenced and ordained by God: the powers and authorities in the same (be it of Emperors in their empires, of Kings in their realms, Duke’s and Princes in their dominions, or of others Magistrates in free cities,) to be God’s holy ordinance, ordained for manifestation of his own glory, and for the singular profit and commodity of mankind. So that whoever goes about to take away or to confound the whole state of civil policies, now long established, we affirm the same men not only to be enemies to mankind, but also wickedly to fight against God’s expressed will. We further Confess and acknowledge, that such persons as are placed in authority are to be loved, honoured, feared, and held in most reverent estimation; because [that] they are the lieutenants of God, in whose session God himself doeth sit and judge, (yea even the Judges and Princes themselves,) to whom by God is given the sword, to the praise and defense of good men, and to revenge and punish all open malefactors. Moreover, to Kings, Princes, Rulers, and Magistrates, we affirm that chiefly and most principally the reformation†1 and purgation of the Religion appertains; so that not only they are appointed for civil policy, but also for maintenance of the true Religion, and for suppressing of idolatry and superstition whatsomever, as in David, Jehoshaphat,Hezekiah, Josiah, and others, highly commended for their zeal in that case, may be espied. And therefore we confess and avow, that such as resist the Supreme power, (doing that thing which appertains to his charge,) do resist God’s ordinance, and therefore can not be guiltless. And further, we affirm, that whoever deny unto them their aid, counsel, and comfort, while the Princes and Rulers vigilantly travail in the executing†1 of their office, that the same men deny their help, support, and counsel to God, who by the presence of his lieutenant craveth it of them.

THE GIFTS FREELY GIVEN TO THE CHURCH.—CAP. XXV.
Albeit that the word of God truly preached, [and] the Sacraments rightly ministered, and discipline executed according to the word of God, be the certain and infallible signs of the true Church; yet do we not so mean, that every†2 particular person joined with such a company, by an elect member of Christ Jesus. For we acknowledge and confess, that darnel, cockle, and chaff, may be sown, grow, and in great abundance lie in the midst of the wheat; that is, the reprobate may be joined in the society of the elect, and may externally use with them the benefits of the word and sacraments; but such being but temporal professors in mouth, but not in heart, do fall back and continue not to the end: and therefore have they no fruit of Christ’s death, resurrection, nor ascention. But such as with heart unfeignedly believe, and with mouth boldly confess the Lord Jesus, (as before we have said,) shall most assuredly receive these gifts; first, in this life, remission of sins, and that by faith only in Christ’s blood, insomuch, that albeit sin remain and continually abide in these our mortal bodies, yet it is not imputed unto us, but is remitted and covered with Christ’s justice. Secondly, in the general judgment there shall be given to every man and woman resurrection of the flesh; for the sea shall give her dead, the earth those that therein be enclosed; yea, the Eternal, our God, shall stretch out his hand upon the dust, and the dead shall arise incorruptible, and that in the substance of the [self] same flesh that every man now bears, to receive, according to their works, glory or punishment: for such as now delight in vanity, cruelty, filthiness, superstition, or idolatry, shall be adjudged to the fire inextinguishable, in the which they shall be tormented for ever, as well in their own bodies, as in their souls, which now they give to serve the devil in all abomination. But such as continue in well doing to the end, boldly professing the Lord Jesus, [we constantly believe, that they shall receive glory, honor, and immortality, to reign for ever in life everlasting with Christ Jesus,†1] to whose glorified body all his Elect shall be [made] like, when he shall appear again to judgment, and shall render up the kingdom to God his Father, who then shall be, and ever shall remain all in all things, God blessed for ever: to whom, with the Son, and with the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, now and ever. AMEN.
Arise, O Lord, and let thy enemies be confounded: Let them fly from thy presence that hate thy godly name: Give thy Servants strength to speak thy word in boldness; and let all Nations attain to†2 thy true knowledge