A. That we are dead in ourselves, and feek our Life only in Chrift.

Q. 88. Shall this Confession of our Unworthiness be a Stay to come to the Communion?

A. No truly, but rather a Preparation to the fame, if Faith and Repentance be with it, Mark 2. 17.

Q.89. Wherefore is there mention made here of Chrift his Body and Blood severally?

#

A. To teftify his Death, by the which only he was made our spiritual Meat and Drink, John 6. 51, 55. Q90. For what Caufe is this Action called the Communion?

A. Because it is the true Caufe of our mutual Society with Chrift in all Things, good and evil.

Q. 91. Declare how that is performed?

A. Hereby he removeth all evil Things from us, which we have by Nature; and we receive of bim all good Things, which we want by Nature.

Q92. Declare thefe Things more plainly?

4. The Wrath of God and Sin is removed, which we have by Nature; and the Favour of God, and Adoption, with the Joy of Heaven, is restored to us, the which Things we have not by Nature, Rom. 8.

Q93. What Things then may the faithful Soul fay? A. Now live I, not I, but Chrift liveth in me; it is God that juftifieth, who fhall condemn?

Q94. Let us therefore give Thanks, and pafs to this holy Action, every one of us faying and finging in his Heart, The Lord is the Portion of mine Inheritance and of my Cup, thou shalt maintain my Lot; the Lines are fallen unto me in pleasant Places, yea. I have a fair Heritage, Pfal. 16. 5, 6.

A. Let it be done fo with Heart and Mouth, to the Confufion of all Idolaters, and Glory of our God.

XII. The End of our Redemption.

Q.95. T brought in Hope of that endless joy to

End are we thus redeemed, and

Come ?

A. To

A. To move us effectually to deny all Ungodliness, worldly Lufts, and Unrighteoufnefs, and fo live godly, foberly, and righteoufly in this prefent World, looking for the coming of Chrift, for our full Redemption, Tit. 2. II, 12, 13.

Q. 96. What shall be the final End of all these Graces?

A. God fhall be glorified for ever in Mercy, and we fhall enjoy that endiefs Life with Chrift our Head, to whom, with the Father, and the holy Spirit, be all Honour and Glory for ever. Amen.

Affembly at Edinburgh, August 30, 1639. Sesff 23. At anent Minifters Catechifing, and Family Exercise.

HE Affembly confidering, that the long waited

and preserved in this Land, and the Reformation of ourfelves and Families, fo folemnly vowed to God of late in our Covenant, cannot take Effect, except the Knowledge and Worship of God be carried from the Pulpit to every Family within each Parish; hath therefore appointed, that every Minifter, befides his Pains on the Lord's Day, fhall have weekly Catechising of fome Part of the Parish, and not altogether caft over the Examination of the People till a little before the Communion; alfo, that in every Family the Worfhip of God be erected, where it is not, both Morning and Evening, and that the Children and Servants be Catechifed at Home by the Mafters of the Families, whereof Account shall be taken by the Minifter and Elders affifting him in the Vifitation of every Family; And, left they fail, that Vifitation of the feveral Kirks be feriously followed by every Prefbytery, for this end among others. The Execution and Succefs whereof, being tried by the Synods, let it be reprefented to the next General Affembly.

Confession of Faith

OF THE

KIRK of SCOTLAND:

O R, T H E

NATIONAL COVENANT.

WITH

A Designation of fuch Acts of Parliament, as are expedient for justifying the Union after-mentioned.

AND

Several Acts of the General Affembly of the Church of Scotland, Approving, Explaining, and Injoining the Subfcribing this Covenant.

Together with

An Act of Parliament, Anno 1640, Approving and Establishing the fame.

Joh. xxiv. 25. So Joshua made a Covenant with the People that Day, and fet them a Statute and an Ordinance in Shechem.

2 Kings xi. 17. And Jehoiada made a Covenant between the Lord, and the King and the People, that they Should be the Lord's People; between the King also and the People.

Ifa. xliv. 5. One fhall fay, I am the Lord's; and another fhall call himself by the Name of Jacob; and another fhall fubfcribe with his Hand unto the Lord.

Printed in the Year 1764.

The King's Majefties Charge to all Commissioners and Minifters within this Realm.

Eeing that we and our Houshold have subscribed and

of our Faith, to the

good Example of our Subjects: We command and charge all Commiffioners and Minifters, to crave the fame Confeffion of their Parifhoners, and proceed agains the Refufers according to our Laws and Order of the Kirk, de livering their Names and lawful Proceffe to the Ministers of our Houfe with all haift and diligence, under the paine of fourtie pound to be taken from their ftipend, that We, with the advise of our Counfell, maie take order with fik proud Contemners of God and our Lawes. Subfcribed with our Hand at Halyrudhous* 1580, the 2 daie of March, the 14 zeir of our reigne

Affembly, April 1581, Seff. 5.

At approving the Confeffion of Faith.

Nent the Confeffion laitlie fet forth by the King's

A Majefties Proclamatione, and fubfcribit be his

Heines; the Kirk, in ane Voyce, acknawledges the faidConfeffion to be ane trew, Chriftian, and faithfull Confeffion, to be agriet unto be fik as treulie profeffe Christ and his trew Religion, and the tenor theirof to be followit out aefauldly, as the fame is laid out in the faid

Proclamatione.

Affembly, October 1581, Seff. 9.

Act injoining all Perfons to fubfcribe the Confeffion of Faith.

FO

Or fwameikle as the King's Majeftie, with advyfe of his Counfell, hes fett out and proclaimit ane Godlie Confeffione of Faith, to be imbraceit be all his trew Subjects; and be the fame expreflie giving commandement to the Ministrie, to proceed againft qwhatfumever perfons

1581. For they did not begin the Tear in Scotland, at that Time, till the 25th of March, until 1600.

fons that will not acknawledge and fubfcryve the fame, qwherein great negligence has been feen far by the dewty and office of trew paftors: Herefoir the Kirk, and Affembly present hes enjoynit and concludit, that all Minifters and Paftors within their Bounds, with all expedi ent and poffible diligence, execute the Tenor of his Majefies proclamatione betwixt and the next fynodal ALfemblies of every Province, and prefent before the fynodal Affemblies to the moderator theirof their dewtieful diligence in this behalf, to be reportit to the next General Affembly of the Kirk, under the paine of deprivatione of the faids Minifters from the function of the Min ftrie that beis negligent herein.

Affembly at Glasgow, December 20. 1638. Seff. 26. Act of the General Affembly concerning the Confeffion of Faith, renewed in February 1638.

He Affembly confidering, that for the Purging and

Honour, and for the publick Peace of the Kirk and Kingdom, the Renewing of the National Covenant, and Oath of this Kirk and Kingdom, in February 1638, was most neceffar, like as the Lord hath bleffed the fame from Heaven with a wonderful Succefs for the Good of Religion: That the faid Covenant suspendeth the Practice of Novations already introduc'd, and the Approbation of the Corruptions of the prefent Government of the Kirk, with the civil Places and Power of Kirkmen, till they be tryed in a free General Affembly: And that now, after long and ferious Examination, it is found, that by the Confefsion of Faith *, the Five, Articles of Perth, and Epifcopal Government are abjured, and to be removed out of this Kirk; and the civil Places and Power of Kirkmen are declared to be unlawful. The Affembly alloweth and approveth the fame in all the Heads and Articles thereof; and ordaineth that all Minifters, Mafters of Univerfities, Colledges and Schools, and all others who

have

* As it was professed, sworn, and fubfcribed in the Year 1581, and 1790.