The Profession OF THE TRUE PROTESTANT RELIGION: OR The Protestation of the Kirk of Scotland, with a Confession of the Faith, and solemn Covenant, or Oath, of that Kingdom; as it hath been divers times Protested, and Enacted by King james, and confirmed by an Act in the second PARLIAMENT of our Dread Sovereign King CHARLES, the 11. of june, 1640.  
WHEREIN Is specified the particular Heads of Popish Doctrine, and Superstition, of the CHURCH of Rome, contrary to the sacred Scriptures, and Discipline of the Reformed CHURCHES: with an Act of Confirmation of the said COVENANT.  
Also an Act against Liesing m●kers (or evil Counsellors) of whatsoever Quality, Office, Place, or Dignity.  
Printed at Edingborough by E. T. 1641.  
And now reprinted at London by THO: FAUCET, for Laurence Chapman, 1643.   

An Act of the General Assembly in Scotland, the second Parliament of King CHARLES; Ordaining by Ecclesiastical authority, the subscription of the Confession of Faith and Covenant.  
THe General Assembly considering the great happiness which may flow from a full and perfect Union of this Kirk and Kingdom, by joining of all in one and the same Covenant with GOD, with the King's Majesty, and amongst ourselves, having by our great Oath declared the uprightness and loyalty of our intentions in all our proceed, and having withal supplicated his Majesty's high Commissioner, and the Lords of his Majesty's honourable Privy Council, to enjoin by Act of Council, all the Liege's in time coming 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 Majesty, high Commissioner, and the Lords of his Majesty's honourable Privy Council, have granted the desire of our Supplication, ordaining by Civil authority, all his Majesty's Liege's in time coming to subscribe the foresaid Covenant, that our Union may be the more full and perfect, We by our act and constitution Ecclesiastical, do approve the foresaid Covenant in all the Heads and Clauses thereof and ordains of new, under all Ecclesiastical censure, that all the Masters of Universities, Colleges, and Schools, all Scholars at the passing of their degrees, all persons suspect of Papistry or any other error; and finally all the members of this Kirk and Kingdom, 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 general Assembly, being determined. And thereby the five Articles of Perth, the Government of the Kirk by Bishops, the civil places and power of Kirk-men, upon the reasons and grounds contained in the Acts of the General Assembly, declared to be unlawful within this Kirk we subscribe according to the determination aforesaid. And ordains the Covenant with this Declaration, to be insert in the Registers of the Assemblies of this Kirk General, Provincial, and Presbyterial, ad perpetuam rei memoriam; and in all humility supplicates his Majesty's high Commissioner, and the honourable Estates of Parliament, by their Authority, to ratify and enjoin the same, under all Civil pains, which will tend to the glory of God, preservation of Religion, the King's Majesty's honour, and perfect Peace of this Kirk and Kingdom.  

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 Council, and Acts of the General Assembly. Subscribed again by all sorts of Persons in the year 1590. By a new Ordinance of Council, at the desire of the General Assembly; with a general Band for maintenance of the true Religion, and the King's Person. And subscribed in the year 1638. By Us, Noblemen, Barons, Gentlemen, Burgesses, Ministers, and Commons, then 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 aforesaid, and Acts of Parliament. And now upon the Supplication of the General Assembly to his Majesty's high Commissioner, and the Lords of his Majesty's honourable Privy Council, subscribed again in the year 1639. by Ordinance of Council, and Act of the General Assembly.  
We 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, We are now throughly resolved of the truth, by the word and Spirit of God; And 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 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 Realms, but chief by the Kirk of Scotland, the King's Majesty, and the 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 whose body of this Realm both in Bu●g● 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 chief, 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 Evangelists. 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 Sacrament 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, blasphemous Litany, and multitude of Advocates or Mediators: His manifold Orders, Auricular Confessions: 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 faning anointing, conjuring hallowing of GOD'S good creatures with the superstitious opinion joined therewith; His worldly Monarchy, and wicked Hierarchy: His three solemn vows, with all his shavelings of sundry sorts: His erroneous and bloody decrees 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 eternal 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, Handwrit, 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 G d 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 Eternal.  
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 and Synodall assemblies Presbyteries, Sessions, Policy, Discipline, and jurisdiction thereof, as that purity of Religion, and liberty of the Church was usee, professed, exercised, preached, and confessed according to the Reformation of Religion in this Realm; It is declared and ordained, seeing that Gods 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 and faithful subjects to our Sovereign Lord, or his authority, but be punishable as Rebellers and gainstanders 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 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 Evangel against whatsoever Enemies and gainstanders 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 assist to set forward and execute the cruel decrees of the Council 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 April 1573. ratified in Parliament 1587. and related, Act 123. Parl. 12. of K. james 6. with his addition, that they are bound to resist all treasonable uproars and hostilities raised against the true Religion, the King's Majesty & the true Professors.  
Like as all lieges are bound to maintain the King's Majesty's Royal Person, and Authority, the Authority of Parliaments without the which neither any Laws or lawful Judicatories can be established, Act 130 and 131. Parl. 8 K. james 6. and the subjects liberties, who ought one y to live and be governed by the King's laws, the common laws of this Realm allanerly. Act 48. Parl. 3. K. james the first Act. 79 Parl. 6. K. James 4. repeated in the Act 131. Parl. 8 K. james 6. Which, if they be innovated or prejudged the Commission anent the Union of two Kingdoms of Scotland and 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 and reception of their Princely Authority, shall make their faithful promise by their solemn Oath in the presence of 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 and right ministration of the Sacraments now received and preached within this Realm (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 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, and 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 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 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 others 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.   

An act against Liesing-makers of whatsoever quality, Office, Place, or dignity.  
THe Estates of Parliament presently convened by his Majesty's special Authority, Considering the Honour, Dignity and Authority of the supreme Court of Parliament, over the Council and Session and all other civil Judicatories of this Kingdom, which have their original, their power and antiquity from the King's Majesty and the Estates of Parliament is subordinate thereunto, and aught to be countable and censurable by them, for their abusing of their power to the prejudice of the Country: For the weal whereof they were established, according to the twelfth Act of the second Parliament of King james 4. wherein the King's Council was sworn in presence of the three Estates, to give his Highness a true and effauld Council, in all matters, concerning his Majesty and his Realm; And to be responsal and accusable to the King and his Estates of their Counsel, Considering also that during his Majesty's absence forth of this Kingdom it is most necessary for the public peace of this Kingdom and his Majesty's honour, that all mis-informers, raisers, and entertainers of Jealousies suspicions, and divisions betwixt the King, this Kirk and Kingdom, should be severely punished, and especially all bad Counsellors, who instead of giving his Majesty a true and effauld Counsel hath given or will give information and counsel to the evident prejudice and ruin of the liberties of this Kirk and Kingdom, should be exemplarly Judged and censured by the King's 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 King's Majesty and this Kirk and Kingdom. And declares, that no dignity, quality, place, or office whatsoever shall exeme these or any person whatsoever from the censure of the said Acts.   
FINIS.