THE Confession of Faith Of the KIRK of SCOTLAND, SUBSCRIBED By the King's Majesty and his Household, in the year of God 1580.  
With a Designation of such acts of Parliament, as are expedient, for justefying the Union, after mentioned.  
And subscribed by the Nobles, Barons, Gentlemen, Burgesses, Ministers, and Commons, in the year of God, 1638.  JOSHVA Chap. 24. vers. 25. 
So Joshua made a Covenant with the people the same day, and gave them an Ordinance and Law in Sichem.  2 KINGS 11.17. 
And Jehojada made a Covenant between the Lord and the King, and the people, that they should be the Lords people: likewise between the King and the people.  ISAIAH. 44.5. 
One shall say, I am the Lord: another shall be called by the name of Jacob: and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, etc.   

The King's Majesty's Charge, to all Commissioners and Ministers, within this Realm, in the year of God 1580.  
SEeing that We, and our Household, have Subscribed and given this public Confession of our Faith, to the good example of our Subjects: We command and charge all Commissioners and Ministers, to crave the same Confession of their Parochinars, and proceed against the refusers, according to our Laws and order of the Kirk, delivering their names, and lawful process to the Ministers of our House, with all haste and diligence, under the pain of forty pound to be taken from their stipend, that We, with the advice of our Counsel, may take order with such proud contemners of GOD and our Laws.  
Subscribed with our hand, at Halyrudhouse, 1580. The 2. day of March, the 14. year of our Reign.   

The Confession of Faith, OF The Kirke of SCOTLAND.  
THe Confession of Faith, subscribed at first by the King's Majesty and his Household, in the year of God 1580. Thereafter, by Persons of all ranks, in the year 1581., By ordinance of the Lords of the Secret Counsel, and Acts of the general Assembly. Subscribed again by all sorts of Persons in the year 1590., By a new Ordinance of Counsel, at the desire of the general Assembly: With a general Band for maintenance of the true Religion and the King's Person. And now subscribed in the year 1638. By Us, Noblemen, Barons, Gentlemen, Burgesses, Ministers, and Commons, under subscribing: Together, with our resolution and promises for the causes after specified, To maintain the said true Religion, and the King's Majesty, according to the Confession foresaid, and Acts of Parliament. The Tenor whereof here followeth.  
WE All, and every one of Us underwritten, Protest, that, after long and due Examination of our own Consciences, in matters of true & false Religion, are now throughly resolved of the Truth, by the Word and Spirit of God, & therefore we believe with our hearts, confess with our mouths, subscribe with our hands, and constantly affirm before God, and the whole World: that this only 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 Evangell.  
And received, believed, and defended, by many and sundry notable Kirkes' and Realms, but chiefly by the Kirk of Scotland, the King's Majesty, and three estates of this Realm, as Gods eternal Truth, and only ground of our Salvation: as more particularly is expressed in the Confession of our Faith, established, and publicly confirmed by sundry Acts of Parliaments, and now of a long time hath been openly professed by the King's Majesty, and whole body of this Realm, both in Burgh and Land. To the which Confession and form of Religion, we willingly agree in our consciences in all points, as unto God's undoubted Truth and Verity, grounded only upon his written Word. And therefore, we abhor and detest all contrary Religion, and Doctrine: But chiefly, all kind of Papistry, in general and particular heads, even as they are now damned and confuted by the Word of God, and Kirk of Scotland: but in special we detest and refuse the usurped authority of that Roman Antichrist upon the Scriptures of God, upon the Kirk, the civil Magistrate, and consciences of men. All his tyrannous laws made upon indifferent things against our Christian liberty. His erroneous Doctrine, against the sufficiency of the written Word, the perfection of the Law, the office of Christ, and his blessed Evangell. His corrupted Doctrine concerning original sin, our natural inability and rebellion to God's Law, our justification by faith only, 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 Sacraments without the Word of God. His cruel judgement against Infants, departing without the Sacrament: his absolute necessity of Baptism: his blasphemous opinion of Transubstantiation, or real presence of Christ's body in the Elements, and receiving of the same by the wicked, or bodies of men. His dispensations with solemn Oaths, Perjuries, and degrees of Marriage forbidden in the Word: his cruelty against the innocent divorced: his devilish Mass: 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 Imagery, Relics, and Crosses, dedicating of Kirks, Altars, Days, Vows to creatures; his Purgatory, Prayers for the dead, praying, or speaking in a strange language, with his Processions and blasphemous Litany, and multitude of Advocates or Mediators: his manifold Orders, Auricular Confession: his desperate and uncertain Repentance; his general and doubtsome Faith; his satisfactions of men for their sins: his justification by works, opus operatum, works of Supererogation, Merits, Pardons, Peregrinations, and Stations: his holy water, baptising of Bells, conjuring of Spirits, crossing, saning, anointing, conjuring, hallowing of God's good creatures, with the superstitious opinion, joined therewith: his wordly Monarchy, and wicked Hierarchy: his three solemn vows, with all his shavelling of sundry sorts, his erroneous and bloody decres made at Trent, with all the subscribers and approvers of that cruel and bloody Band, conjured against the Kirk of God: and finally, we detest all his vain Allegories, Rites, Signs and Traditions, brought in the Kirk, without, or against the Word of God, and Doctrine of this true reformed Kirk; to the which we join ourselves willingly, 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 days of our lives, under the pains contained in the Law, and danger both of Body and Soul, in the day of God's fearful judgement: and seeing that many are stirred up by Satan, and that Roman Antichrist, to promise, swear, subscribe, and for a time use the holy Sacraments in the Kirk, deceitfully, against their own consciences, minding thereby, first, under the external cloak of Religion, to corrupt and subvert secretly God's 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 Pope's dispensation, devised against the Word of God, to his greater confusion, and their double condemnation in the day of the LORD JESUS.  
We, therefore, willing to take away all suspicion of hypocrisy, and of such double dealing with God and his Kirk, Protest, and call The Searcher of all hearts for witness, that Our minds and hearts, do fully agree with this our Confession Promise, Oath and Subscription, so that We are not moved for any worldly respect, but are persuaded only in our Consciences, through the knowledge and love of God's true Religion, printed in Our hearts, by the holy Spirit, as we shall answer to him in the day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed. And because we perceive, that the quietness and stability of our Religion and Kirk, doth depend upon the safety and good behaviour of the King's Majesty, as upon a comfortable instrument of God's mercy; granted to this Country, for the maintaining of his Kirk, and ministration of justice amongst us, we protest and promise with our hearts under the same Oath, Hand-writ, and pains, that we shall defend his Person and Authority, with our goods, bodies, and lives, in the defence of Christ his Evangell, Liberties of our Country, ministration of justice, and punishment of iniquity, against all enemies within this Realm, or without, as we desire our God to be a strong and merciful Defender to us in the day of our death, and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: To whom with the Father, and the holy Spirit, be all Honour and Glory Eternally.  
LIKE as many Acts of Parliament not only in general do abrogate, annul, and rescind all Laws, Statutes, Acts, Constitutions, Canons, civil or municipal, with all other Ordinances and practic penulties whatsoever, made in prejudice of the true Religion and Professors thereof: Or, of the true Kirk discipline, jurisdiction, and freedom thereof: Or, in favours of Idolatry and Superstition: Or, of the Papistical Kirk: As, Act. 3. Act. 31. Parl. 1. Act. 23. Parl. 11. Act. 114. Parl. 12. of King Iames the sixth, That Papistry & Superstition may be utterly suppressed, according to the intention of the Acts of Parliament reported in the 5. Act. Parl. 20. K. James 6. And to that end they ordain all Papists & Priests to be punished by manifold Civil and Ecclesiastical pains, as adversaries to Gods true Religion, preached, and by Law established within this Realm, Act. 24. Parl. 11. K. james. 6. as common enemies to all Christian government, Act. 18. Parl. 16. K. James 6. as rebellers and gainstanders of our Sovereign Lords Authority, Act 47. Parl. 3. K. james 6. and as Idolaters, Act. 104. Parl. 7. K. james 6. but also in particular (by and attour the Confession of Faith) do abolish and condemn the Pope's Authority and jurisdiction our of this Land, and ordains the maintainers thereof to be punished, Act. 2. Parl. 1. Act. 51. Parl. 3. Act. 106. Parl. 7. Act. 114. Parl. 12. K. James 6. do condemue the Pope's erroneous doctrine, or any other erroneous doctrine repugnant to any of the Articles of the true & Christian religion publicly preached, and by law established in this Realm: And ordains the spreaders and makers of Books or Libels, or Letters, or Writts of that nature to be punished, Act. 46. Parl. 3. Act. 106. Parl. 7. Act. 24. Parl. 11. King james 6. do condemn all Baptism conform to the Popes Kirke and the Idolatry of the Mass, and ordains all sayers, wilful hearers, and concealers of the Mass, the maintainers and resetrers of the Priests, jesuites, traffiquing Papists, to be punished without any exception or restriction, Act. 5. Parl. 1. Act. 120. Parl. 12. Act. 164. Parl. 13. Act. 193. Parl. 14. Act. 1. Parl. 19 Act. 5. Parl. 20. K. james 6. do condemn all erroneous books and writs containing erroneous doctrine against the Religion presently professed, or containing superstitious Rites and Ceremonies Papistical, whereby the people are greatly abused, and ordains the home bringers of them to be punished, Act. 25. Parl. 11. K. james 6. do condemn the monuments and dregs of began Idolatry, as, going to the Crosses, observing the Feasticall days of Saints, and such other superstitious and Papistical Rites, to the dishonour of God, contempt of true Religion, & fostering of great error among the people, and ordains the users of them to be punished for the second fault as Idolaters, Act. 104. Parl. 7. K. james 6.  
Like as many acts of Parliament are conceived for maintenance of God's true and Christian Religion, and the purity thereof in Doctrine and Sacraments of the true Church of God, the liberty and freedom thereof, in her Nationall, Synodall Assemblies, Presbyteries, Sessions, Policy, Discipline and Jurisdiction thereof, as that purity of religion and liberty of the Church was used, professed, exercised, preached, and confessed according to the reformation of Religion in this Realm. As for instance, the 99 Act. Parl. 7. Act. 23. Parl. 11. Act. 114. P. 12. Act. 160. Parl. 13. of K. james 6. Ratified by the 4. Act of K. Charles. So that the 6. Act. Parl. 1. and 68 Act. Parl. 6. of K. james 6. in the year of God 1579. declares the Ministers of the blessed Evangell, whom God of his mercy had raised up, or hereafter should raise, agreeing with them that then lived in Doctrine, and administration of the Sacraments, and the people that professed Christ, as he was than offered in the Evangell, and doth communicate with the holy Sacraments (as in the reformed Kirkes' of this Realm they were publicklie administrate) according to the Confession of Faith, to be the true and holy Kirk of Christ jesus within this Realm, and decerns and declares all and sundry, who either gain says the Word of the Evangell, received and approved as the heads of the confession of Faith, professed in Parliament, in the year of God 1560. specified also in the first Parliament of K. james 6. and ratified in this present Parliament, more particularly do specify, or that refuses the administration of the holy Sacraments, as they were then ministrated, to be no members of the said Kirk within this Realm and true Religion, presently professed so long as they keep themselves so divided from the society of Christ's body: And the subsequent, Act 69. Parl. 6. of K. james 6. declares, That there is no other face of Kirk, nor other face of Religion, than was presently at that time, by the favour of God established within this Realm, which therefore is ever styled Gods true Religion, Christ's true Religion, the true & Christian Religion, & a perfect Religion. Which, by manifold acts of Parliament, all within this Realm, are bound to profess to subscribe the articles thereof, the Confession of Faith, to recant all doctrine and errors, repugnant to any of the said Articles, Act. 4. and 9 Parl. 1. Act. 45.46.47. Parl. 3. Act. 71. Parl. 6. Act. 105. Parl. 7. Act. 24. Parl. 11. Act. 123. Parl. 12. Act. 194. & 197. Parl. 14. of K. james 6. And all Magistrates, sheriffs, etc. On the one part are ordained to search, apprehend, and punish all contraviners, for instance, Act. 5. Parl. 1. Act. 104. Parl. 7. Act. 25. Parl. 11. R. james 6. And that notwithstanding of the King's Majesty's licences on the contrary which are discharged and declared to be of no force, in so fare as they tend in any ways, to the prejudice and hinder of the execution of the Acts of Parliament against Papists and adversaries of true Religion, Act. 106. Parl. 7. K. James 6. On the other part in the 47. Act. P. 3. K. James. 6. It is declared and ordained, seeing the cause of God's true Religion, and his highness' Authority are so joined, as the hurt of the one is common to both: & that none shall be reputed as loyal & faithful subjects to our Sovereign Lord, or his Authority, but be punishable as rebellers & gainstanders of the same, who shall not give their Confession, and make their profession of the said true Religion, & that they who after defection shall give the Confession of their Faith of new, they shall promise to continue therein in time coming, to maintain our Sovereign Lords Authority, and at the uttermost of their power to fortify, assist, and maintain the true Preachers and Professors of Christ's Evangell, against whatsoever enemies and gainestanders of the same: and namely, against all such of whatsoever nation, estate, or degree they be of: that have joined, and bound themselves, or have assisted, or assists to set forward, and execute the cruel decrees of Trent, contrary to the Preachers and true Professors of the Word of God, which is repeated word by word in the Articles of Pacification at Perth the 23 of Februar. 1572. approved by Parliament the last of april, 1573. Ratified in Parliament, 1587. and related, Act. 123. Parl. 12. of K. james. 6. with this addition, that they are bound to resist all treasonable uproars and hostilities raised against the true Religion, the King's Majesty, and the true Professors.  
Like as all liedges are bound to maintain the K. Majesty's Royal Person, and Authority, the Authority of Parliaments, without the which neither any laws or lawful judicatories can be established, Act. 130. Act. 131. Parl. 8. K. James 6. & the subject's liberties, who ought only to live & be governed by the King's laws, the common laws of this Realm allanerlie, Act. 48. Parl. 3. K. james the first. Act. 79. Parl. 6. K. james the 4. repeated in the Act. 131. Parl. 8. K. james 6. Which, if they be innovated or prejudged, the commission anent the union of the two Kingdoms of Scotland & England, which is the sole Act. of the 17. Parl. of K. james 6. declares such confusion would ensue, as this Realm could be no more a free Monarchy, because by the fundamental laws, ancient privileges, offices and liberties of this Kingdom, not only the Princely Authority of his Majesty's Royal descent hath been these many ages maintained, but also the people's security of their Lands, live, rights, offices, liberties, and dignities preserved, and therefore for the preservation of the said true Religion, Laws, and Liberties of this Kingdom, 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 & reception of their Princely Authority, shall make their faithful promise by their solemn oath in the presence of the Eternal God, that, enduring the whole time of their lives, they shall serve the same Eternal 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 maintain the true Religion of Christ jesus, the preaching of his holy Word, the due & right ministration of the Sacraments now received and preached within this Realm (according to the Confession of Faith immediately preceding) and shall abolish and gainstand all false Religion contrary to the same, & 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 laws and constitutions received in this Realm, no ways repugnant to the said will of the Eternal God, and shall procure, to the uttermost of their power, to the Kirk of God, & whole Christian people true and perfect peace in all time coming; and that they shall be careful to root out of their empire all Heretics, 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 in Edinburgh, 1633. as may be seen in the order of the Coronation.  
In obedience to the Commandment of GOD, conform to the practice of the godly in former times, and according to the laudable example of our Worthy and Religious Progenitors, and of many yet living amongst us, which was warranted also by act of Counsel, commanding a general band to be made and subscribed by his Majesty's subjects of all ranks, for two causes: one was, for defending the true Religion, as it was then reform, and is expressed in the Confession of Faith, above written, and a former large Confession established by sundry acts of lawful general assemblies, and of Parliament, unto which it hath relation set down in public Catechisms, and which had been for many years with a blessing from Heaven, preached, and professed in this Kirk and Kingoome, as Gods undoubted truth, grounded only upon his writtin Word. The other cause was, for maintaining the King's Majesty his Person and Estate: the true Worship of God, and the King's authority being so straitly joined, as that they had the same friends and common enemies, and did stand and fall together. And finally, being convinced in our minds, and confessing with our mouths, that the present and succeeding generations in this Land, are bound to keep the foresaid national Oath and subscription inviolable. We Noblemen, Barons, Gentlemen, Burgesses, Ministers, and Commons under subscribing, considering diverse times before, and especially at this time, the danger of the true reformed Religion, of the King's honour, and of the public peace of the Kingdom: By the manifold innovations and evils generally contained and particularly mentioned in our late supplications, complaints, and protestations: Do hereby profess, and before God, his Angels, and the World solemnly declare: That, with our whole hearts we agree and resolve all the days of our life constantly to adhere unto, and to defend the foresaid true Religion, and (forbearing the practice of all novations, already introduced in the matters of the worship of GOD, or aprobation of the corruptions of the public Government of the Kirk or civil places and power of Kirkmen, till they be tried and allowed in free assemblies, and in Parliaments) to labour by all means lawful to recover the purity and liberty of the Gospel, as it was established and professed before the Foresaid novations: and because after due examination, we plainly perceive, and undoubtedly believe, that the Innovations and evils contained in our Supplications, Complaints, and Protestations have no warrant of the Word of God, are contrary to the Articles of the Foresaid Confessions to the intention and meaning of the blessed reformers of Religion in this Land, to the above writtin Acts of Parliament, and do sensibly tend to the re-establishing of the Popish Religion and tyranny, and to the subversion and ruin of the true Reformed Religion, and of our Liberties, Laws and Estates. We also declare, that the Foresaid Confessions are to be interpreted and ought to be understood of the Foresaid novations and evils no less than if every one of them had been expressed in the Foresaid confessions, and that we are obliged to detest and abhor them amongst other particular heads of Papistry abjured therein. And therefore from the knowledge and consciences of our duty to God, to our King and Country, without any worldly respect or inducement, so fare as humane infirmity will suffer, wishing a further measure of the grace of God for this effect. We promise, and swear by the Great Name of the Lord our GOD, to continue in the Profession and Obedience of the Foresaid Religion: That we shall defend the same, and resist all these contrary errors and corruptions, according to our vocation, and to the uttermost of that power that GOD hath put in our hands, all the days of our life: and in like manner with the same heart, we declare before GOD and Men, That we have no intention nor desire to attempt any thing that may turn to the dishonour of GOD, or to the diminution of the King's greatness and authority: But on the contrary, we promise and swear, that we shall, to the uttermost of our power, with our means and lives, stand to the defence of our dread Sovereign, the King's Majesty, his Person, and Authority, in the defence and preservation of the foresaid true Religion, Liberties and Laws of the Kingdom: As also to the mutual defence and assistance, every one of us of another in the same cause of maintaining the true Religion, and his Majesty's Authority, with our best counsel, our bodies, means, and whole power against all sorts of persons whatsoever. So that whatsoever shall be done to the least of us for that cause, shall be taken as done to us all in general, and to every one of us in particular. And that we shall neither directly nor indirectly suffer ourselves to be divided or withdrawn by whatsoever suggestion, allurement, or terror from this blessed and loyal Conjunction, nor shall cast in any let or impediment, that may stay or hinder any such resolution as by common consent shall be found to conduce for so good ends. But on the contrary, shall by all lawful means labour to further and promove the same, and if any such dangerous and divisive motion be made to us by Word or Writ, We, and every one of us, shall either suppress it, or if need be shall incontinent make the same known, that it may be timeously obviated: neither do we fear the soul aspersions of rebellion, combination, or what else our adversaries from their craft and malice would put upon us, seeing what we do is so well warranted, and ariseth from an unfeigned desire to maintain the true worship of God, the Majesty of our King, and peace of the Kingdom, for the common happiness of ourselves, and the posterity. And because we cannot look for a blessing from God upon our proceed, except with our Profession and Subscription we join such a life and conversation, as beseemeth Christians, who have renewed their Covenant with God; We, therefore, faithfully promise, for ourselves, our followers, and all other under us, both in public, in our particular families, and personal carriage, to endeavour to keep ourselves within the bounds of Christian liberty, and to be good examples to others of all Godliness, Soberness, and Righteousness, and of every duty we own to God and Man, and that this our Union and Conjunction may be observed without violation, we call the living GOD, the Searcher of our Hearts, to witness, who knoweth this to be our sincere Desire, and unfeigned Resolution, as we shall answer to JESUS CHRIST, in the great day, and under the pain of God's everlasting wrath, and of infamy, and loss 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 bless our desires and proceed with a happy success, that Religion and Righteousness may flourish in the Land, to the glory of GOD, the honour of our King, and peace and comfort of us all. In witness whereof we have subscribed with our hands all the premises, etc.