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CONFESSIO FIDEI SCOTICANE II.

THE SECOND SCOTCH CONFESSION, OR THE NATIONAL COVENANT. A.D. 1580.

[This Confession is a strong anti-papal appendix to the former, and was subscribed by the King, the Council and Court, at Holyrood House, 1580, by persons of all ranks in 1581, again in 1590 and 1638. The text, with the quaint old spelling, is likewise taken from Dunlop's Collection of Scotch Confessions, Vol. II. pp. 103 sqq. and 811 sqq. The Latin version is said to have been made by JOHN CRAIG, who wrote the Scotch, and is superior to the one in the Syntagma Confess. (pp. 126 sqq.), which Niemeyer (pp. 357 sqq.) has reproduced.]

THE CONFESSION OF FAITH OF THE
KIRK OF SCOTLAND;

OR,

THE NATIONAL COVENANT.

CONFESSIO FIDEI ECCLESIE
SCOTICANE;

LATINE REDDITA.

Nos universi et singuli subscri

We all, and every ane of us underwritten, protest, That after lang bentes profitemur, postquam de reand dew examination of our awne ligionis controversiis diu multumque consciences in matters of trew and apud nos deliberatum esset, cunctis false religion, we ar now throughlie ad lydium veritatis divinæ lapidem resovit in the trewth be the Word accuratius examinatis, in veritatis and spreit of God: and theirfoir certa persuasione, per Dei Verbum we believe with our heartis, con- et Spiritum Sanctum, animos nofesse with our mouthis, subscrive stros acquiescere: ideoque corde with our handis, and constantlie credimus, ore profitemur, consignaaffirme before GOD and the haill tis chirographis testamur et conwarld, That this only is the trew stanter asserimus, Deo teste invoChristian Faith and Religion, pleas- cato, et universo genere humano in ing God, and bringing salvation to conscientiam appellato, hanc uniman, quhilk is now, be the mercie cam esse fidem et religionem Chriof God, revealed to the warld be stianam Deo acceptam, hominique the preaching of the blessed Evan- salutarem, quæ nunc ex immensa gell; and is received, believed, and Dei misericordia per evangelii prædefendit by mony and sundrie no- dicationem mundo patefacta, a multabil kirkis and realmes, but chiefly tis ecclesiis gentibusque clarissimis, be the Kirke of Scotland, the Kings præsertim ab ecclesia Scoticana, Majestie and three Estatis of this rege nostro serenissimo tribusque Realme, as Godis eternall trewth, regni hujus ordinibus, ut æterna and only ground of our salvation; Dei veritas et unicum salutis noas mair particularlie is expressed in stræ fundamentum recepta, credita

the Confession of our Faith, stab-et propugnata est; explicata etiam lished, and publickly confirmed by uberius, in Fidei confessione, plusundrie Actis of Parliaments, and rimis comitiorum publicorum actis now of a lang tyme hath been open-confirmata, regisque serenissimi et lie professed by the Kings Majesty, universorum hujus regni civium and haill body of this Realme both publica multorum jam annorum in brugh and land. To the quhilk professione approbata. Cui nos Confession and forme of Religion Confessioni cultusque divini forwe willingly agree in our con- mulæ, ut veritati divinæ certissima sciences in all pointis, as unto sacrarum autoritate subnixœ, luGodis undouted trewth and veritie, bentissimis animis in singulis asgroundit only upon his written sentimur.

word.

And theirfoir we abhorre and de- Omniaque ideo contraria de retest all contrare Religion and Doc-ligione dogmata aversamur; prætrine; but chiefly all kynde of Pa- sertim vero papismum universum pistrie in generall and particular et singula ejus capita, quemadmoheadis, even as they ar now damned dum hodie Dei verbo confutata et and confuted by the word of God ab ecclesia Scoticana damnata and kirk of Scotland. But in sunt. Nominatim detestamur antispecial, we detest and refuse the christi istius Romani in sacras usurped authoritie of that Romane scripturas, in ecclesias, in magiAntichrist upon the scriptures of stratum politicum, et in hominum God, upon the Kirk, the civill Mag- conscientias sacrilege vendicatam istrate, and consciences of men: All autoritatem, nefarias omnes de rehis tyranous lawes made upon in- bus adiaphoris leges, libertati Chridifferent thingis againis our Chris- stianæ derogantes: impium de satian libertie: His erroneous doc-crarum literarum, de legis, de officii trine againis the sufficiencie of the Christi, de beati evangelii imperwritten word, the perfection of the fectione dogma: perversam de peclaw, the office of Christ, and his cato originis, de naturæ nostræ blessed Evangell: His corrupted impotentia et in legem divinam doctrine concerning originall sinne, contumacia, de justificatione per our natural inhabilitie and rebellion solam fidem: de imperfecta nostra to Godis Law, our justification by sanctitate et obedientia legi præfaith onlie, our unperfect sanctifi- standa; de natura, numero et usu

cation and obedience to the law; sacramentorum doctrinam : quinque the nature, number, and use of the adulterina sacramenta; omnesque holy sacraments: His fyve bastard ritus, ceremonias falsasque tradisacraments; with all his ritis, cere- tiones genuinorum sacramentorum monies, and false doctrine, added administrationi, citra autoritatem to the ministration of the trew sac- verbi divini, accumulatas: cruderaments without the Word of God: lem de infantibus ante baptismum His cruell judgement againis in- morte præreptis sententiam: difants departing without the sacra- strictam et absolutam baptismi nement: His absolute necessitie of cessitatem: blasphemam de transbaptisme: His blasphemous opinion substantiatione, et corporali præof transubstantiation, or reall pres- sentia Christi in cœnæ dominicæ ence of Christis body in the ele- elementis, cujus etiam impii fiant ments, and receiving of the same participes, atque orali ejusdem by the wicked, or bodies of men: manducatione doctrinam : juramenHis dispensations with solemnit torum perjuriorumque gratiam faaithis, perjuries, and degrees of mar- ciendi arrogatam potestatem: mariage forbidden in the Word: His trimonii in Verbo Dei interdictis crueltie againis the innocent di- permissionem: crudelitatem erga vorcit: His divilish messe: His innocentes matrimonii nexu solublasphemous priesthead: His pro- tos: diabolicam missam: sacrilephane sacrifice for the sinnis of the gum sacerdotium: abominandum deade and the quicke: His canon-pro vivorum mortuorumque peccaization of men, calling upon an- tis sacrificium: hominum indigegelis or sanctis depairted; worship- tationem seu canonizationem, angeping of imagerie, reliques, and lorum mortuorumque invocationem ; crocis; dedicating of kirkis, al- crucis, imaginum reliquiarumque tares, dayes; vowes to creatures: venerationem; in creaturarum hoHis purgatory, prayers for the norem dicata fana et altaria, dies dead; praying or speaking in a sacratos, vota nuncupata: purgastrange language: His processions torium; pro defunctis deprecatioand blasphemous letany: His mul- nem: ignotæ linguæ in precibus titude of advocatis or mediatours sacrisque usum, sacrilegas suppliwith his manifold orders, and au- cationum pompas, blasphemam liricular confessions: His despered taniam: mediatorum turbam, ordiand uncertain Repentance: His num ecclesiasticorum multiplicem

general and doutsum Faith: His varietatem, auricularem confessioSatisfactionis of men for their nem: incertam et desperationis sinnis His justification by warkis, plenam pœnitentiam, generalem et opus operatum, warkis of super- ancipitem fidem: peccatorum per erogation, merites, pardons, pere- satisfactiones humanas expiatonem, grinations, and stations: His holie justificationem ex operibus, opus water, baptising of bellis, conjuring operatum, operum supererogatioof spreits, crocing, saining, anoint- nem, merita, indulgentias, peregriing, conjuring, hallouing of Godis nationes et stationes, aquam lustragude creatures, with the supersti- lem: campanarum baptizationem, tious opinion joyned therewith: His exorcismos; bonas Dei creaturas warldlie monarchie and wicked hie- cruce obsignandi, lustrandi, unrarchie: His three solemnet vowes, gendi, conjurandi et consecrandi with all his shavellings of sundrie superstitionem: politicam ipsius sortis: His erroneous and bloodie monarchiam, impiam hierarchiam : Decreets made at Trente, with all tria vota solennia, variasque rathe Subscryvars and approvers of suræ sectas: impia et sanguinaria that cruell and bloodie Band con- concilii Tridentini decreta, omnesjured againis the Kirk of God. And que atrocissima istius in Christi finallie, We detest all his vain alle- ecclesiam conjurationis populares et gories, ritis, signes, and traditions fautores: denique inanes omnes brought in the Kirk, without or adversamur allegorias, omnesque againis the Word of God and doc- ritus et signa, traditiones omnes, trine of this trew reformed Kirk; præter aut contra autoritatem to the quhilk we joyn our selves Verbi Dei ecclesiæ obtrusas, et willinglie in Doctrine, Faith, Re-doctrinæ hujus ecclesiæ veræ religion, Discipline, and use of the formata repugnantes. Cur nos echoly sacraments, as livelie members clesiæ reformata, in doctrinæ caof the same, in Christ our head: Promising and swearing be the GREAT NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD, That we sall contenow in the nos aggregamus: sancte promittenobedience of the Doctrine and Dis- tes magnumque et termendum DOcipline of this Kirk,1 and sall defend MINI DEI NOSTRI NOMEN

pitibus, fide, religione, disciplina, et usu sacramentorum, ut vita illius sub Christo capite membra, libentes

1 The Confession, which was subscribed at Halyrudhouse the 25 of February, 1587–8, by the King, Lennox, Huntlye, the Chancelour, and about 95 other Persons, hath here added, Agreeing to the word. Sir John Maxwel of Pollock hath the original Parchement.

the same according to our vocation jurantes, nos in ecclesiæ hujus docand power, all the dayes of our trina et disciplina constanter perlyves; under the pains conteined severaturos, et pro cujusque vocatione in the law, and danger baith of ac viribus ad extremum spiritum debodie and saul in the day of Godis fearfull Judgment.

fensuros; sub pœna omnium in lege maledictionum, æternique cum animæ tum corporis exitii periculo in tremendo illo Dei judicio.

Quumque sciamus non paucos, a Satana et antichristo Romano su

And seing that monie ar stirred up be Sathan, and that Roman Antichrist, to promise, sweare, sub-bornatos, promissionibus, subscripscryve, and for a tyme use the holie tionibus et juramentis se obstrinsacraments in the Kirk deceitfullie, gere, et in usu sacramentorum cum againis their awne conscience, mind- ecclesia orthodoxa ad tempus subing heirby, first under the external dole contra conscientiam communicloke of Religion, to corrupt and care; versute constituentes, obtento subvert secretlie Godis trew Re-interim religionis velo, in ecclesia ligion within the Kirk; and after- verum Dei cultum adulterare et ward, when tyme may serve, to be- clanculum ac per cuniculos labecome open enemies and persecuters factare; tandem per occasionem of the same, under vain houpe of apertis inimicitiis oppugnare, vana the Papis dispensation, devysed spe proposita veniæ danda a ponagainis the Word of God, to his tifice Romano, cujus rei potestatem greater confusion, and their double contra veritatem divinam sibi arrocondemnation in the day of the gat, ipsi perniciosam, ejusque asLord Jesus: We theirfoir, willing seclis multo magis exitiosam: Nos to take away all suspicion of hypoc- igitur ut simulationis erga Deum risie, and of sic double dealing with ejusque ecclesiam et insinceri aniGod and his Kirk, protest, and call mi suspicionem omnem amoliamur, the SEARCHER OF ALL HEARTIS for CORDIUM OMNIUM INwitness, that our mindis and heartis SPECTOREM testamur, huic do fullilie agree with this our Con- nostræ confessioni, promissioni, jufession, promeis, aith, and subscrip- ramento et subscriptioni animos tion sa that we ar not movit with nostros usquequaque respondere: ony warldlie respect, but ar per- nulloque rerum terrestrium mowadit onlie in our conscience, mento, sed indubia et certa notitia,

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