An Act of the Generall Assembly in Scotland, the second Parliament of King CHARLES; Ordaining by Ecclesiasticall authority, the subscription of the Confession of Faith and Covenant.
THe Generall Assembly considering the great happinesse which may flow from a full and perfect Union of this Kirk and Kingdome, by joyning of all in one and the same Covenant with GOD, with the Kings Majesty, and amongst our selves, having by our great Oath declared the uprightnesse and loyaltie of our intentions in all our proceedings, and having withall supplicated his Majesties high Commissioner, and the Lords of his Majesties honourable Privie Councell, to injoyne by Act of Councell, all the Lieges in time comming to subscribe the Confession of faith and Covenant, which as a testimony of our fidelity to God, and loyalty to our King we have subscribed; And seeing his Majestie, high Commissioner, and the Lords of his Majesties honourable Privie Councell, have granted the desire of our Supplication, ordaining by Civill authority, all his Majesties Lieges in time comming to subscribe the foresaid Covenant, that our Union may be the more full and perfect, We by our act and constitution Ecclesiasticall, doe approve the foresaid Covenant in all the Heads and Clauses thereof and ordaines of new, under all Ecclesiasticall censure, that all the Masters of Universities, Colledges, and Schooles, all Schollers at the passing of their degr [...]es, all persons suspect of Papistry or any other errour; and finally all the members of this Kirk and Kingdome, subscribe the same with these words prefixed to their subscription: The Article of this Covenant, which was at the first subscription referred to the determination of the generall Assembly, being determined. And thereby the five Articles of Perth, the Government of the Kirk by Bishops, the civill places and power of Kirk-men, upon the reasons and grounds [Page 3] contained in the Acts of the Generall Assembly, declared to be unlawfull within this Kirk wee subscribe according to the determination aforesaid. And ordaines the Covenant with this Declaration, to be insert in the Registers of the Assemblies of this Kirk Generall, Provinciall, and Presbyteriall, ad perpetuam rei memoriam; and in all humility supplicates his Majesties high Commissioner, and the honorable Estates of Parliament, by their Authority, to ratifie and injoyne the same, under all Civill paines, which will tend to the glory of God, preservation of Religion, the Kings Majesties honour, and perfect Peace of this Kirk and Kingdome.
The Confession of Faith subscribed at first by the Kings Majesty and his Houshold, in the yeare of God, 1580. Thereafter by persons of all rankes in the yeare, 1581, by Ordinance of the Lords of the secret Councell, and Acts of the Generall Assembly. Subscribed againe by all sorts of Persons in the yeare 1590. By a new Ordinance of Councell, at the desire of the Generall Assembly; with a generall Band for maintenance of the true Religion, and the Kings Person. And subscribed in the yeare 1638. By Vs, Noblemen, Barons, Gentlemen, Burgesses, Ministers, and Commons, then under subscribing: Together with our Resolution and Promises for the causes after specified, to maintaine the said true Religion, and the Kings Majesty, according to the Confession aforesaid, and Acts of Parliament. And now upon the Supplication of the Generall Assembly to his Majesties high Commissioner, and the Lords of his Majesties honourable Privie Councell, subscribed againe in the yeare 1639. by Ordinance of Councell, and Act of the Generall Assembly.
WEe all, and every one of Us under-written, Protest, that after long and due Examination of our own Consciences, in matters of true and false Religion, Wee are now throughly resolved of the truth, by the word and Spirit of God; And therefore we beleeve with our hearts confesse with our mouths, subscribe with our Hands, and constantly affirme before God, and the whole World, that this is the true Christian Faith and Religion, pleasing God, and bringing Salvation to man, which now is by the mercy of God revealed to the world, by the preaching of the blessed Evangel, and received, believed, and defended by many and sundry notable Kirks and Realmes, but chiefly by the Kirk of Scotland, the Kings Majesty, and the three Estates of this Realme, as Gods Eternall Truth, and only ground of our Salvation, as more particularly [Page 3] is expressed in the Confession of our Faith stablished, and publickly confirmed by sundry Acts of Parliaments, and now of a long time hath bin openly professed by the Kings Majesty and whose body of this Realm both in Bu [...]g [...] and Land. To the which Confession and forme of Religion we willingly agree in our consciences in all points, as unto Gods undoubted Truth and Verity, grounded onely upon his written Word. And therefore, we abhorre and detest all contrary Religion, and Doctrine: But chiefly, all kind of Papistrie, in generall and particular heads, even as they are now damned and confuted by the Word of God, and Kirk of Scotland: But in speciall, we detest and refuse the usurped authority of that Roman Antichrist upon the Scriptures of God, upon the Kirk, the civill Magistrate, and Consciences of men, all his tyrannous lawes made upon indifferent things against our Christian liberty: His erroneous Doctrine against the sufficiencie of the written Word, the perfection of the Law, the office of Christ, and his blessed Evangelists. His corrupted Doctrine concerning originall sinne, our naturall inability and rebellion to Gods Law, our Justification by faith onely, our imperfect Sanctification and obedience to the Law, the nature, number and use of the Holy Sacraments: His five bastard Sacraments, with all his Rites, Ceremonies, and false Doctrine, added to the ministration of the true Sacrament without the word of God▪ His cruell Judgement against Infants, departing without the Sacrament: His absolute necessity of Baptisme: His blasphemous opinion of Transubstantiation, or reall presence of Christs Body in the Elements, and receiving of the same by the wicked, or bodies of men: His dispensations with solemne Oathes, Perjuries, and degrees of Marriage, forbidden in the Word: His cruelty against the innocent divorced: His divellish Masse: His blasphemous Priesthood: His profane sacrifice for the sins of the dead and the quick: His Canonization of men, calling upon Angels or Saints departed, worshipping of Imagerie, Relicts and Crosses, dedicating of Kirks, Altars, Dayes, Vowes to creatures; His Purgatorie, Prayers for the dead, praying or speaking in a strange language, with his Processions, blasphemous Letany, and multitude of Advocates or Mediators: His manifold Orders, Auricular Confessions: His desperate, and uncertaine Repentance; His generall and doubtsome Faith; His satisfactions of men for their sinnes: His Justification by works, opus operatum, works of Supererogation, Merits, Pardons, Peregrinations, and Stations: His holy-water baptizing of Bells, conjuring of Spirits crossing faning anointing, conjuring hallowing of GODS good creatures with the superstitious opinion joyned therewith; His worldly Monarchy, and wicked Hierarchy: His three solemne vowes, [Page 4] with all his shavelings of sundry sorts: His erroneous and bloudy decrees made at Trent, with all the subscribers and approvers of that cruell and bloudy Band, coniured against the Kirk of GOD: And finally, we detest all his vain Allegories, Rites, Signes and Traditions, brought in the Kirk, without▪ or against the word of GOD, and Doctrine of this true reformed Kirk: To the which we joyne our selves willing [...]y in Doctrine, Faith, Religion, Discipline, and use of the holy Sacraments, as lively members of the same in Christ our Head: Promising and swearing by the Great Name of the Lord our GOD, that we shall continue in the Obedience of the Doctrine and Discipline of this Kirk, and shall defend the same according to our vocation and power all the dayes of our lives, under the paines contained in the Law, and danger both of Body and Soule, in the day of GODS fearfull Judgment: And seeing that many are stirred up by Sathan, and that Roman Antichrist, to promise, sweare, subscribe, and for a time use the holy Sacraments in the Kirk deceitfully, against their owne consciences, minding thereby, first under the eternall cloak of Religion to corrupt and subvert secretly GODS true Religion within the Kirk, and afterward, when time may serve, to become open enemies and persecutors of the same under vain hope of the Popes dispensation, devised against the Word of GOD, to his greater confusion, and their double condemnation in the day of the LORD JESUS: Wee therefore, willing to take away all suspition of hypocrisie, and of such double dealing with GOD and his Kirk, Protest, and call The Searcher of all hearts for witnesse, that our minds and hearts doe fully agree with this our Confession, Promise, Oath, and Subscription, so that We are not moved for any worldly respect, but are perswaded only in our consciences, through the knowledge and love of GODS true Religion, printed in our hearts by the holy Spirit, as wee shall answer to him in the day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed: And because we perceive, that the quietnesse and stability of our Religion and Kirk, doth depend upon the safety and good behaviour of the Kings Majesty, as upon a comfortable Instrument of Gods mercy, granted to this Countrey, for the maintaining of his Kirk, and ministration of Justice amongst us, we protest and promise with our hearts under the same Oath, Handwrit, and paines that we shall defend his Person and Authority, with our goods, bodies and lives, in the defence of Christ his Evangell, Liberties of our Countrey, ministration of Justice and punishm [...]t of Iniquity against all enemies within this Realme, or without, as we desire our G d to be a strong and mercifull defender to us in the day of our death, and comming of our Lord JESUS CHRIST: To [Page 6] whom with the Father, and the holy Spirit, be all Honour and Glory Eternall.
LIKE AS many Acts of Parliament are conceived for maintenance of Gods true and Christian Religion, and the purity thereof in Doctrine and Sacraments of the true Church of God, the liberty and freedome thereof, in her Nationall and Synodall assemblies Presb [...]teries, Sessions, Policy, Discipline, and Iurisdiction thereof, as that purity of Religion, and liberty of the Church was u ed, professed, exercised, preached, and confessed according to the Reformation of Religion in this Realme; It is declared and ordained, seeing that Gods true Religion, and his highnesse Authority are so joyned as the hurt of the one is common to both, that none shall be reputed as loyall and faithfull subjects to our Soveraign Lord, or his authority, but be punishable as Rebellers and gain-standers of the same, who shall not give their Confession, and make their profession of the said true Religion, and that they who after defection shall give the Confession of their Faith of new, they shall promise to continue therein in time comming, to maintain our Soverain Lords Authority, and at the uttermost of their power to fortifie, assist, and maintain the true Preachers and Professors of Christs Evangel against whatsoever Enemies and gain-standers of the same: and namely, against all such (of whatsoever Nation, estate, or degree they be of) that have ioyned, and bound themselves, or have assisted, or assist to set forward and execute the cruel decrees of the Councell of Trent, contrary to the true Preachers and Professors of the Word of God, which is repeated word by word in the Articles of Pacification at Perth the 23 of February 1572. approved by Parliament the last of Aprill 1573. ratified in Parliament 1587. and related, Act 123. Parl. 12. of K. Iames 6. with his addition, that they are bound to resist all treasonable uproares and hostilities raised against the true Religion, the Kings Maiesty & the true Professors.
Like as all Leidges are bound to maintain the Kings Maiesties Royall Person, and Authority, the Authority of Parliaments without the which neither any Lawes or lawfull Judicatories can be established, Act 130 and 131. Parl. 8 K. Iames 6. and the subjects liberties, who ought one y to live and be governed by the Kings lawes, the common lawes of this Realm allanerly. Act 48. Parl. 3. K. Iames the first Act. 79 Parl. 6. K. James 4. repeated in the Act 131. Parl. 8 K. Iames 6. Which, if they be innovated or prejudged the Commission anent the Union of two Kingdomes of Scotland and England, which is the sole Act of the 17. Parl. of K. Iames 6. declares such confusion would ensue, as this Realm could be no more a free Monarchy, because by the fundamentall lawes, ancient priviledges, Offices, and liberties of this Kingdom, not only the Princely [Page 7] Authority of his Majesties Royall descent hath been these many ages maintained, but also the peoples security of their Lands, livings, rights, Offices, liberties▪ and dignities preserved. And therefore for the preservation of the said true Religion, Lawes and liberties of this Kingdome, it is statute by the 8. Act Parl. 1. repeated in the 99 Act. Parl. 7. Ratified in the 23 Act Parl. 11. and 114. Act, Parl. 12. of K, James 6. and 4. Act of K. Charles, that all Kings and Princes at their Coronation and reception of their Princely Authority, shall make their faithfull promise by their solemne Oath in the presence of Eternall God, that, enduring the whole time of their lives, they shall serve the same eternall God to the uttermost of their power, according as he hath required in his most holy Word, contained in the Old and New Testament: And according to the same Word, shall maintaine the true Religion of Christ Jesus, the preaching of his holy Word, the due and right ministration of the Sacraments now received and preached within this Realme (according to the Confession of Faith immediately preceding) and shall abolish and gain-stand all false Religion contrary to the same, and shall rule the people, committed to their charge, according to the will and command of GOD, revealed in his foresaid Word, and according to the laudable Lawes and Constitutions received in this Realme, no wayes repugnant to the said will of the eternall GOD; and shall procure, to the uttermost of their power, to the Kirk of GOD, and whole Christian people, true and perfect peace in all time comming: and that they shall be carefull to root out of their Empire all Hereticks, and Enemies to the true worship of GOD, who shall be convicted by the true Kirk of GOD, of the foresaid crimes, which was also observed by his Majesty, at his Coronation at Edinburg, 1633. as may be seen in the Order of the Coronation.
And because we cannot look for a blessing from God upon our proceedings, except with our profession and subscription we joyne such a life and conversation as beseemeth Christians who have renewed their Covenant with God; We therefore faithfully promise, for our selves, our followers, and all others under us, both in publike in our particular families, and personall carriage, to endeavour to keep our selves within the bounds of Christian liberty, and to be good examples to others of all Godlinesse, Sobernesse and Righteousnesse, and of every duty we owe to God and Man. And that this our Vnion and Conjunction may be observed without violation, We call the living GOD the Searcher of our Hearts, to witnesse, who knoweth this to be our sincere Desire, and unfained Resolution, as we shall answer to JESUS CHRIST, in the great Day, and under the paine of GODS everlasting wrath, [Page 8] and of infamy, and losse of all honour and respect in this World, Most humbly beseeching the Lord, to strengthen us by his holy Spirit for this end, and to blesse our desires and proceedings with a happy successe, that Religion and Righteousnesse may flourish in the Land, to the glory of GOD the honour of our King, and peace and comfort of us all. In witnesse whereof we have subscribed with our hands all the premisses.
An act against Liesing-makers of whatsoever qualitie, Office, Place, or dignity.
THe Estates of Parliament presently conveened by his Majesties speciall Authority, Considering the Honour, Dignity and Authority of the supreame Court of Parliament, over the Councell and Session and all other civill Judicatories of this Kingdome, which have their originall, their power and antiquity from the Kings Maiesty and the Estates of Parliament is subordinate thereunto, and ought to be countable and censurable by them, for their abusing of their power to the prejudice of the Countrey: For the weale whereof they were established, according to the twelfth Act of the second Parliament of King Iames 4. wherein the Kings Councell was sworne in presence of the three Estates, to give his Highnesse a true and effauld Councell, in all matters, concerning his Majesty and his Realm; And to be responsall and accusable to the King and his Estates of their Counsell, Considering also that during his Majesties absence forth of this Kingdom it is most necessary for the publick peace of this Kingdom and his Maiesties honour, that all mis-informers, raisers, and entertainers of Jealousies suspitions, and divisions betwixt the King, this Kirk and Kingdome, should be severely punished, and especially all bad Counsellors, who instead of giving his Maiesty a true and effauld Counsell hath given or will give information and counsell to the evident preiudice and ruine of the liberties of this Kirk and Kingdome, should be exemplarly Judged and censured by the Kings Majesty and the Estates of Parliament. Therefore they renew and revive all Acts of Parliament made against Liesing-Makers, raisers and entertainers of Jealousies contentions, and divisions betwixt the Kings Maiesty and this Kirk and Kingdome. And declares, that no dignity, quality, place, or office whatsoever shall exeeme these or any person whatsoever from the censure of the said Acts.