Page:The Laws and Acts of Parliament of Scotland.djvu/200

 7 8 KING JAMES THE S E XT mi I7 'il 7 ' -^ or ^ J c ^ us 9 u ' c ^ en that quhilk is dead, remove the darknefie from our myndes, and bowe our ftubburne £uk. 9 ,ii. hearts to the obedience of his blefled will. And fo as we confefle, that God the Father created us , when Mica. 7-°s. we were not : as his Sonne our LORD JESUS redeemed us, when wee were enimiss- to him : fo alfo p(fi!" S oo.' 5 3!* do we confefle that the holy Ghoft doth fanftifie and regenerat us, without all refpecJt of ony rnerite pro- ^hnV/ ' cee ding from us : be it before, or be it after our Regeneration. To fpeak this ane thing zit in mair plaine Titus i- i. words: As we willingly fpoyle our felves of all honour, and gloir of our awin creation , and redemption; phu. 3 V fo do we alfo of our Regeneration and Sanciifi cation : for of our ieives we ar not fufficient to think one gude zcor! 3 6 'j. thocht , bot he quha lies begun the wark in us , is onlie he that continewis us in the fame , to the praife and Eph.i.6. glorie of his un-deferved grace. 1 4. The caufe of gude warkes. Eph.2.10. C* A That the caufe of gude warks, we confefle to be not our free-will, bot the Spirit of the LORD JE rhii.2.13. ^ - s joi.'A/s- v3 S U S , who dwelling in our hearts be trewe faith , bringis furth fik warkes , as God hes prepared for us Rom. S. 9. towalkein. For this wee maiftboldelie affirme, that blafphcmy it is to fay, that Chrift abydes in the heartesoffik, as in whome diere is no Spirit of fanctifi cation. And therefore we feir not to affirme, that murtherers, oppreflers , cruell perfecuters, adulterers , huremongers, filthy perfouns, Idolaters, drunkards, thieves, and all workers of iniquity , have nether tre f faith , nether ony portion of the Spirit of the LORD JESUS: fo long as obftinathe they continew in their wickednes: For how foone that ever the Spirit of the Lord Jefus (quhilk Gods elecl: children receive be trew faith) taks poflefllon in the heart of ony man, fo foone dois he regenerate and renew the fame man. So that he beginnis to hait that quhilk before he loved, & begins to love that quhilk before he hated, and fra thine cum mis that continual! battel! , quhilk is betwixt the RC T 7 &V' ^ anc ^ the ^P irit in ^ oc ' s Children: while the fleih and natural! man.according to the awin corruption, luftes gIi's-V-' for things pleifand and deleclable unto the felf, and grudges in adverfity, is lyfted up in profperity , and at R^m! 7. It every moment is prone and reddie to offend the Majeitie of God. Bot the Spirit of God, quhilk gives wit- to™: t. it nc fling to our Spirit, that we are the bonnes of God, makis us to refill filthie pleafures, and to groane in Gods Eph.^.17, prefence, for deliverance fra this bondage of corruption : And finally to triumph over fin, that it reigne I Tintz. 16. not in our mortall body is This batteil hes not the carnall men, being deftitute of Gods Spirit , bot dois fol- low and obey finne with greedines, and without repentance , even as the Dcvill , and their corrupt luftes do prick them. BottheSonnesofGod, as before wes faid, do fecht againft finne, do fob and murne, when they perceive themfelves tempted in iniquitie : and gif they fall, they rife againe with earneft andunfained Toh. j 5. $ • repentance, and thir thingis they do not be their awin power, bot be the power of the Lord JESUS, without whom they were able to do nothing. 1 5-. What warkes ar reputed gude bejoir God. •Exod.20.5, TT7E Confefle and acknawledge, that God hes given to man his holy Law, in quhilk not only ar for- Dew. 4. 7. W bidden all fik warkes as difpleis and offend his Godly Majeftie, bot alfwa ar commanded all fik as pleis &c - him, and as lie hes promifed to rewaird. And thir warks be of twa fortes. The ane are done to the honour of God, theuthertotheprofiteofourNichtbouris: and both have the reveiled will of God for their aflu- ink. 2. 7 5. rance - To have ane God, to worfchip and honour him , to call upon him in all our troubles , reverence his Mica. 6. 1 1. holy name, to heare his word, to beleive the fame , to communicate with his holy Sacraments , are the Eph.6.1,7- warkes of the firft Tabill. To honour Father, Mother, Princes, Rulers, and fuperiour powers : to 1 cor. 6. is, f ave the lives of Innocents, to reprefle tyrannic, to defend the opprefled , to keepe our bodies cleane and iThef.4.4, halie, to live in fobernes and temperance, to deal jufthe with all men both in word and deed : and finally, jcre'm. 22.3, to reprefle all appetite of our Nichtbouris hurt , are the gude warkes of the fecund Tabill, quhilk are maiftplei- Efiiso-i. fingandacceptabi.il unto God, as the warkes diat are commanded be himfelfe. The contrary quhairoi, is fxhef. 4. s. f* nne mai ^ odious, quhilk alwayes difpleifis him , and provokes him to anger : As not to call upon him alone, when we have need, nor to hear his word with reverence , to contemne and defpifeit, to have or worfchip Idols, to maintene and defend Idolatrie , lichthe to efteeme the reverend name of God , to prophane, abufe, Rom. 13. 2. or contemne the Sacraments of Chrift Jefus, to difobey or refill ony that God lies placed in Authoritie (quhill fsT&'c. 22 ' they paffe not over the boundes of their office) tomurther, or to confent thereto , to beare hatred , or to let Innocent blude bee fched, gif wee may withftand it. And finally, the tranfgreflion of ony uther comman- Kot l%. dement in the firft or fecund Tabill; we confefle and affirme to be finne, by the quhilk Gods anger and dif- f sam 'is 6 ' P^ eafure is kindled againft the proud unthankful! warld. So that gude warkes we affirme to be thir onlie, that k am ' are done in faith, and at Gods commandement , quha in his Lawe hes exprefled what the thingis be that pleis IpiYS ilim - And evillwarkis we affirme not only thir, that exprefledlyar done againft Gods commandement: bot Mat', is'. I 3 .' thir alfwa that in matteris of Religion, andworfchippingofGod, hes na uther aiTurance bot the inventioun Mark 7. 7. and opinioun of man : quhilk God fra the beginning hes ever rejeded, as be the Prophet Efay , and be our Maifter CHRIST JESUS we ar taucht in thir words, In vaine do they •worfihif me , teaching for dofirmes the precepts of men. 16. The
 * " ch - 2:I ' love them, to fupport them, zea to obey their charges ( not repugning to the commandement of God) to