CHAP. 1. A true Historicall Narration, Concerning our Nationall Confession of Fayth, registrated in Parliament: and concerning that other little Confes­sion, called Generall; which was also called The King's Confession, and the Negatiue Confession, contayning the Oath.

MASTER IOHN KNOX of happie memorie, with others his Fellow-labourers, in the Reformation of Religion in SCOTLAND, did present in name of the Nationall reformed Kirke of this Realme, vnto the Parliament; a Confession of Fayth, di­stinguished into 25 Articles: which was read in face of [Page 8] Parliament, and ratified by the three Estates, in the yeare of GOD 1560, as a Doctrine grounded vpon the infallible Word of GOD. And agayne, the same Confession and fore-sayde Act made in ratification there­of, were ratified, approved, and authorized, in the first Parliament of KING IAMES the sixt of blessed me­morie, holden at EDINBVRGH, in December, Anno 1567, as it is extant in the publicke Printed Acts of the sayde Parliament; and Acts were made in that and others succeeding Parliaments, for mayntayning of the sayde Confession, and agaynst the gayn-sayers, and disobe­dient, as you may reade in the Acts of those Parliaments, Act. 4. 5. 6. 9. 35. 45. 46. 47. 99. 106. &c.

Yet still with that modestie and ingenuitie which the Estates, and all professing IESUS CHRIST, and His holie EVANGELL in this Realme, did declare, in their Epistle written to their owne natiue Countrey-men, and to other Kingdomes and Nations professing with them the same IESUS CHRIST, and prefixed as a Pre­face to the Latine Edition of the sayde Confession, as it is extant in the Booke called Corpus & Syntagma confessio­num, &c. where their words are these; Si quis in hac nostra Confessione articulum vel sententiam repugnantem san­cto DEI Verbo notaverit, nosque illius scripto admonuerit, promittimus DEI gratia, ex DEI ore, id est, ex sacris Scripturas, nos illi satisfacturos, aut correcturos, si quis quid erroris inesse probaverit. DEVM enim in conscientiis nostris testem advocamus, nos ex animo omnes sectas, Haere­ses, omnesque falsae doctrinae doctores detestari, &c: that is; If in this our Confession anie man shall note anie Article or Sentence repugnant to GOD'S holie Word, and shall by wryting admonish vs thereof, wee promise, by the grace of GOD, to giue him satisfaction, out of GOD'S mouth, that is, out of the holie Scriptures, or to amend it, if anie shall proue anie errour to bee therein: for we in our consciences [Page 9] call GOD witnesse, that wee doe from our heart detest all Sects, Heresies, and all teachers of false Doctrine, &c.

Now, it beeing ordayned by publicke Lawes aboue cited, that all Recusants, or suspected of Papistrie within this Realme, should giue confession of their fayth according to the forme approved in Parliament, and should assent and subscrybe to the Articles of the true and Christian Religion, established by the King's Lawes; it was found, that manie masked Papistes did promise, sweare, subscrybe, and, for a tyme, vse the holie Sacraments in the Kirke, deceatfullie, agaynst their owne conscience; mynding heereby, first vnder the externall cloake of Religion, to corrupt and subvert secretlie GOD'S true Religion within the Kirke, and afterwardes, when tyme might serue, to become open enemies, and Persecuters of the same, vnder vaine hope of the Pop's dispensation. Therefore, a certayne Reverend Learned Brother, (whose name shall hereaf­ter appeare) in his zeale to remeade that evill, for dis­covering and barring out such dissembling and equivo­cating Seducers, and Persecuters, did drawe vp a forme of consenting to the sayde Nationall Confession, by way of a Generall Confession of the trueth thereof, in all poynts, and a generall rejection of all contrarie Re­ligion, and Doctrine; with a speciall rehearsall and re­fusall of sundrie Popish Erroures, and Superstitions, particularlie expressed; and an acknowledging of this true Reformed Kirke, with an Oath, to continue in the obedience of the Doctrine and Discipline thereof: and, according to their calling, and power, to defende the fame, all the dayes of their lyfe: and to keepe duetie to the King's Majestie; with solemne Protestation of the sincere meaning of them that doe make this Confession, Promise, Oath, and Subscription. And for making easier way to this Generall Confession, the King's Majestie was [Page 10] moved to subscrybe the same, and his House-holde, to giue example to others: and a Mandate was drawne from his Majestie, commanding and charging all Commissioners and Ministers, to craue the same Con­fession of their Parochiners, vnder the payne of fourtie pounds, to bee taken from their Stipend. Subscryved with his Majesties hand, at Holy-roode-house, the se­cond day of March, in the yeare of GOD 1580; reckoning the yeare to ende at the 25 day of March, but beginning the yeare at Ianuarie, it was 1581, and of the King's reygne the 14 yeare.

There were there-after, in the same yeare 1581, holden two Generall or Nationall Assemblies of the Kirke of SCOTLAND, one at GLASGOW, in the Mo­neth of Aprill, another at EDINBVRGH, in October: In both which there is mention made of this Generall Confession.

In GLASGOW ASSEMBLIE, in the 9 Ses­sion, after the ende of the Booke of Policie, are these wordes, Anent the Confession latelie set foorth by the Kings Majesties Proclamation, and Subscrybed by his Highnesse, the Kirke in one voyce acknowledgeth the sayde Confession, to bee a true, Christian, and faythfull Confession, to bee agreed vnto by such as truelie professe Christ, and his true Religion; and the tenor thereof to bee followed out, as the same is layde out in the sayde Proclamation. Thus farre are the words of that Act of GLASGOW ASSEMBLIE.

Followeth the Act of EDINBƲRGH ASSEM­BLIE, Session 5. For as much as the King's Majestie, with the advyse of his Counsell, hath set out, and proclaymed, a Godlie and Christian Confession of Fayth, to bee em­braced by all his true Subjects, and by the same expresslie given commandement to the Ministerie, to proceede agaynst what­soever persons that will not acknowledge and subscrybe the [Page 11] same: wherein great negligence hath beene seene, farre by the duetie and office of true Pastors: Herefore the Kirke, and the Assemblie present, hath enjoyned and concluded, That all Mi­nisters and Pastors within their bounds, with all expedient and possible diligence, execute the tenor of his Majesties Proclamation, betwixt this and the next Synodall Assem­blie of everie Province, and present before the Synodall As­semblies, to the Moderators thereof, their duetifull di­ligence in this behalfe, to bee reported to the next Generall Assemblie of the Church; vnder the payne of deprivation of the saydes Ministers from the Function of the Ministerie, that are found negligent heerein. Thus farre are the words of that Act of that Nationall Assemblie holden at EDIN­BƲRGH, where the penner of the sayde Generall Con­fession, was Moderator for the tyme. Heerevpon followed there after some moe Subscriptions.

This Confession, because it was set out in the King's Name, was called commonlie, the King's Confession: and because it insisteth most in rejecting of Erroures, it is also called the Negatiue Confession.

CHAP. II. Concerning the Authoritie of the sayd little or short Confession, called Generall, and Negatiue.

THE Authoritie of any such Wryting, is eyther Divine or Humane; for in so farre as anie Wryting or Preaching of man hath in it GOD'S vndoubted [Page 12] Trueth, revealed in His holie SCRIPTVRES, it may bee sayde, or that Trueth there-in propounded, may bee sayde to haue Authoritie Divine: because that Trueth doeth obliedge vs, altho no humane authoritie were added there-vnto. This sort of Authoritie, doeth absolutelie appertayne onlie to the Canonicke SCRIP­TƲRES of the OLD and NEW TESTAMENTS. No other Wryting, or Preaching, hath it Absolutelie, but onlie Conditionallie, and with restriction: to wit, if it hath, and in so farre onlie as it hath the same true Do­ctrine which is contayned in the holie SCRIPTVRES. And, there-fore, all such Wrytinges, or Sermons, are subject to examination, by the SCRIPTVRES. Neyther are wee obliedged to acknowledge them, or anie part of them, as Divine Trueth, but in so farre as they propound evidentlie the same Doctrine which is delivered in the holie SCRIPTƲRES. And if anie thing in Them bee founde repugnant to holie SCRIPTƲRE, wee ought to reject it, to cor­rect and amende it, as our Progenitoures worthilie professed in their Epistle praefixed to their NATIO­NALL CONFESSION. Neyther can anie humane Ordinance, Act, Oath, Promise, or Subscription, make that to bee the Word of GOD, or the true meaning there-of, which before that Ordinance, Act, Oath, Promise, or Subscription, was not the Word of GOD, nor the true meaning there-of.

Humane Authoritie, is eyther Private or Publicke. I call Private Authoritie of anie Wryting, or Sermon, that which it hath from the credit, and estimation where-in the Author, or consenter, is had, in respect of his Lear­ning, Pietie, Gravitie, Iudgement, Diligence, Expe­rience, &c. such is the Authoritie of the Wrytinges, and Sermons, of fandric Learned men, both Ancient and M [...]derne. And in this sort that short CONFES­SION [Page 13] hath respectful Authoritie, in respect of the Lear­ning & Pietie of the Penner there-of, which was Master IOHN CRAIG of happie memorie, Preacher to the King's Majestie at that tyme; and in respect that ma­nie well-affected Christians did approue it by their Sub­scriptions. But by this Authoritie wee are no more tyed vnto this CONFESSION, than wee are to anie part approven by manie good Christians, of the Wrytinges of Ambrose, or Augustine, or Luther, or Calvine, or Beza, or anie other Reverende Divine. Neyther doeth the particular Obligation of those Subscrybers ex­tende beyond their owne persons, and lyfe-tymes, ex­pressed in that CONFESSION: the example onelie appertayning to others, and imitable by others, so farre onelie as the Word of GOD, and the Rules there-in delivered, concerning our Fayth, and Christian libertie, and practise, doe direct.

Publicke Humane Authoritie, is eyther Civill or Ecclesiasticall. And both these sortes in thinges law­full, that is, not repugnant to Divine Authoritie, are so backed, and fortified, by Divine Authoritie, as the con­tempt of them redoundeth highlie agaynst Divine Au­thoritie. And thus these Authorities are in such sorte Humane, as they are also, in some consideration, DI­VINE.

Let vs consider, what such Authoritie this SHORT CONFESSION once had, and what it now hath.

Supreame Authoritie Civill in SCOTLAND, is eyther Royall or Legall: For altho the publicke Lawes be the King's Royall Lawes, yet because the King may giue Mandates, or Dispensations, or Commissions, which depende onelie vpon his Royall pleasure, and are not of the nature of fixed Lawes; how-so-ever hee ought to bee obeyed also in them: There-fore, this distinction will not bee vnfitting for our purpose. This CON­FESSION [Page 14] had never Authoritie Legall: for it was never ratified by Act of Parliament, as was our NA­TIONALL CONFESSION, which is registrated in the Actes of Parliament. But all the Civill Authoritie that this SHORT GENERALL CONFESSION had at anie tyme, was onelie Royall, by the King's Mandate, where-of wee shall speake more a little after, GOD willing.

Ecclesiasticke Authoritie, by two Nationall Synodes, was given to this Confession; and that twofolde: the one immediate, the other mediate.

The Authoritie Synodicall immediate, was that Ap­probation where-by those Synodes declared this Confes­sion, to bee a true, Christian, Faythfull, and Godlie Confession; and, that such as truelie professe CHRIST, and His true Religion, ought to agree therevnto. This Approbation, beeing in matter of Fayth, & of contra­rie Errour, which in Religion is not mutable by anie hu­mane Authoritie, neither depēdeth theron; & the agree­ment to the sayde Confession, beeing declared by those Synodes, to bee incumbent vpon such as truelie professe CHRIST, and His true Religion, which is a common description, showing equall obligation vpon all Chri­stians: this Approbation, I say, in these considerations, tending to manifest a Divyne Authoritie of the Confes­sion, or Doctrine there-of, doeth in respect of the mat­ters so approven, equallie obliedge all Christians; ney­ther doeth it absolutelie obliedge anie, because such humane wrytings haue not absolute Divyne Authoritie: yet it hath by that Synodicall Approbation, a respectfull Authoritie, so farre as wee are obliedged respectfullie to reverence the Iudgement of a Nationall Synode of the KIRKE of SCOTLAND, in matters substantiall. But this respect giveth no power to the Synode, to make [Page 15] true that which is not in it selfe true, by authoritie of Holie Scripture; neyther to make that repugnant to GOD'S Word, which before in it selfe was not re­pugnant there-vnto. I speake now of matters substan­tiall, aequallie incumbent vpon all Christians. Neyther are wee by this Authoritie obliedged to hearken in mat­ters of this nature to those two Synodes, more than wee are obliedged to hearken to the former or latter Natio­nall Synodes of the same KIRKE, or to anie Natio­nall Synode of anie forraygne Reformed Kirke, or to anie of the Ancient Councels of Orthodoxe Fathers. All such Obligation is Conditionall, and with Restriction, as hath beene before declared. Neyther did those Sy­nodes intende to exeeme this SHORT CONFESSION from lawfull examination, by the Word of GOD, and by the Articles of the Nationall Confession of SCOTLAND, registrated in PARLIA­MENT.

The Ecclesiasticall Authoritie mediate, which those Synodes did giue to this SHORT NEGATIVE CON­FESSION, was their Ordinance where-by they ap­poynted and enjoyned all Ministers, within their ju­risdiction at that tyme, to giue obedience to his Maje­sties Commandement anent the sayde CONFES­SION, within such a tyme, vnder payne of Depri­vation. Nothing is spoken in this their Statute, but in relation to the King's Mandate, and for that tyme. There is no mention of Perpetuitie, or tyme to come, or of anie other immediate injunction, for craving this CONFESSION of the people, except that onlie which did immediatelie flow from his Majestie: so there was never anie Constitution Ecclesiasticall immediate, for exacting or requyring of Subscription to this CON­FESSION, but onelie Mediate by intervention of the King's Mandate: which standing, the matter and [Page 16] vigour of that Synodicall Constitution remayneth: and the Mandate expyring, or beeing taken away, that Sy­nodicall Constitution doeth lykewyse expyre, and ceaseth to bee of force. Causa sublata, tollitur constitutio ex causa illa orta. 1. qu. 7. quod pro remedio, in glossa. Ces­sante.

But that Mandate is now long agoe expyred, and vt­terlie taken away: there-fore, what-so-ver Publicke Authoritie, eyther Civill or Ecclesiasticall, did at anie tyme appertayne to this SHORT GENERALL NE­GATIVE CONFESSION, for particular obligation of the Ministers of SCOTLAND, to exact of their Parochiners, Subscription to the same, or for obliedging the Parochiners to subscrybe there-vnto, is nowe long agoe expyred, and taken away.

That Royall Mandate, was no perpetuall Law, but a temporarie Mandate, given out in his Majesties minor age; hee beeing in the fyfteenth yeare of his age then current. There-after hee disallowed the same, in his rype age, as is evident by his Majesties owne Speach, in the Conference which his Majestie had with the Bis­shops, and others of the Clergie of ENGLAND, AT HAMPTON COVRT, Anno 1603, in the second dayes Conference: Where it beeing moved by a certayne Doctor, That this PROPOSITION, [The intension of the Minister, is not of the essence of the Sacrament] might bee added vnto the Booke of Articles, the rather because that some in ENGLAND had preached it, to bee essentiall; his Majestie vtterlie dislyked that motion; thinking it vnfit to thrust into the Booke everie Position Negatiue; which would both make the Booke swell into a volume as big as the BI­BLE, and also confound the Reader: Bringing for example, the course of one Master CRAIG, (I am [Page 17] vsing the wordes published in the Printed Summe of that Conference) in the lyke case in SCOTLAND, who with his, I renounce and abhorre, his detestations, and abrenounciations, hee did so amaze the simple peo­ple, that they, not able to conceaue all those thinges, vtterlie gaue over all, falling backe to Poperie, or re­mayning still in their former ignorance: Yea, if I, sayd his Majestie, should haue beene bound to his forme, the Confession of my Fayth, must haue beene in my Table-booke, not in myne head. Out of these his Majesties wordes, concerning this Negatiue Confession, yee may easilie ga­ther his mynde, concerning that Mandate drawne some-tyme from his Royall hand, for exacting Subscrip­tion to the sayde Confession: to wit, that hee did vtterlie disallow, and annull it: Ad intentionem Mandantis recurrendum est. Extra, de rescriptis, cap. 8. ad aures, in glossa. More-over; Although his Majestie had not in his lyfe-tyme made voyde that Mandate, as hee did; yet now it were expyred, with His Royall Breath: Mor­te Mandatoris expirat Mandatum. Extra, de officio & potestate judicis delegati, cap. 19. relatum est in glossa.

Hence it is most manifest, that this Negatiue Confession hath not, at this present tyme, anie publick Authoritie at all: neyther are the Ministers now obliedged to require, nor the Parochiners to giue Subscription thereto.

CHAP. III. Whether it bee convenient for the CHVRCH, at this tyme, that this Negatiue Confession be authorized, and Subscription there-to requyred.

SAVING better judge­ment, it seemeth not to bee convenient. And that for the Reasons expressed in the CONFERENCE at HAMPTON COVRT. And because of some ambiguities, and no small Difficulties there-in.

It is wyselie sayde in our Nationall Confession, in the 18 Article, (noted 19 in the Printed Parliament) that, when Controversie happeneth, for the right vnderstan­ding of anie place, or sentence of Scripture, or for the reformation of anie abuse within the Kirke of GOD, wee ought not so much to looke what men before vs haue sayd, or done, as vnto that which the holie Ghost vniformlie speaketh, within the bodie of the Scriptures, and vnto that which CHRIST IESUS Himselfe did, and commanded to bee done.

And it is also to bee considered, that where-as wee ought to bee busie, in instructing the simple people, in the positiue groundes of the Trueth, it seemeth verie inexpedient, to bee explayning to them, vnknowne poyntes of Heresie; which were set downe for mas­ked Papistes.

More-over; By the Interpretations which some of [Page 19] our BRETHREN doe giue vs, in their Printed Bookes, they condemne Episcopacie, and the fyue PEARTH Articles, as Abominable, and Antichristian; and doe affirme, Sitting at the Communion, to be the on­lie lawfull gesture. These Doctrines how can wee re­ceaue, without condemning the Doctrine and Practise of sound Antiquitie, and of manie Famous Reformed Kirks, in Britane, France, Germanie, and else-where? And were it not a pittifull case, that anie of vs beeing in those Countreys, might not communicate with those Reformed Kirkes?

And howe doeth this Oath and Covenant, about these thinges, agree with the xx Article of our Nationall Confession, (noted 21 in the Printed Parliament, An­no 1567) where power is denyed to Generall Councels, to make anie perpetuall Lawe, which GOD before had not made?

CHAP. IV. Concerning the keeping or breaking of an Oath; With AN EXHORTATION to CHARITIE and PEACE.

IN so farre as the matter of an OATH is lawfull or vnlawfull, plea­sing or displeasing to GOD, it may, and ought, to bee kept, or broken. When Herod behea­ded IOHN THE BAPTIST, for keeping of his Oath, hee [Page 20] added sinne to sinne. But DAVID did well, in sparing Nabal, and his Familie, whome hee had sworne to destroye: and hee blessed GOD, for the good counsell of Abigaill, where-by hee was diver­ted from performing that Oath.

Let vs not judge hardlie, or vncharitablie, one of an­other, nor breake the Bond of Peace, and Christian Bro­therhood, for the diversitie of Opinions amongst vs, in these oeconomicall and rituall Controversies. But where­to we haue alreadie attayned, let vs walke by the same rule, let Phil. 3. 16. vs mynd the same thing; with all lowlinesse & meeknesse, with long-suffering; forbearing one another in loue; endevouring to keepe the vnitie of the Spirit, in the bond of Peace. E­phes. 4. 2. 3.

Now, the ALL-MIGHTIE GOD of Trueth and Peace, illuminate our eyes, and vnite vs all in the know­ledge of His Trueth, in the vnitie of Fayth, in the Bond of Loue and Peace, in CHRIST IESUS, our LORD: To Whom bee Glorie for ever:

AMEN.