Page:The Laws and Acts of Parliament of Scotland.djvu/202

 j8o KING JAMES THE SEXT Joh. T i. 42, I 1 h. :. :o. Aft. '2. 42. Joh. 10. 27 joh. is. 3 r. anoroved 1 Cor. 1. 13. Jerufalem had prerogative above all places of the Earth, where alfo were the Priefts lineally descended fra Aaron, And greater number followed the Scribes, Pharifies, andPrieftes, then unfainedly beleeved and aoproved Chrift Jefus and his doftrine: and zit as we fuppofe, no man of found judgement , will grant that. ■ "• 3 ony of the forenamed, were the Kirk of God. The notes therefore of the trew Kirk of God, webeleeve, Mat. Vs . 1 s, confefle and avow to be , flrft the trew preaching of the word of God, unto the quhilk God hes revealed him- i"arc.i6.i5. felfeuntous, as the writings of the Prophets and Apoftlesdoisdeclair. Secondly, the right administration Rom.4-^- of the Sacraments of Chriftjefus, quhilk mon be annexed into the word and promiie of God, tofeale and i«!i7." " confirme the fame in our hearts. Laft, Ecclefiafticai difcipline uprightlie miniftred, as God his word pre- l£??'il'.zo. fcribes, whereby vice is reprefled, and vertew nurifhed. Wherefoever then thir former notes are feene, and of ony time continue (be the number never fo fewe about two or three) there without all doubt is the trew .cor'.i'.V. KirkofChrift: who according unto his promife, is in the midft of them. Not that univerfal, of quhilk we 9"l  have before fpoken , bot particular , fik as was in Corinthus , Galatia , Ephefds , and nther places , in Ath iV. i,, quhilk the Miniflrie was planted be Paul , and were of himfelfe named the Kirks of God -. and fik Kirks , we k°c.  the inhabitantis of the Realme of SCOTLAND, profefforis of Chrift Jefus , profeiTis our felfis to have ) j"'^' in our Citties , Townes , and places reformed, for the doctrine taucht in our Kirk, is, conteined in the writen •££, 3I wordeofGod, to wit, in the buiks of the auld , and new Teftamentis , in thofe buikis we meane , quhilk 2 im.31 1 6, r c ^ e anc ; ent l iave beene reputed canonical. In the quhilk we aflirme , that all thingis neceflary to be be- lief. 1. 20, leeved, for the falvation of man-kinde , is fufficiently expreued. The interpretation quhairof, wee confefle, neither appertaines to private , nor publick perfone , neither zit to ony Kirk , for ony preheminence, or pre- rogative petfonallie or localiie, quhilk ane hes above ane uther , bot apperteines to the Spirite of God, be the quhilk alfo the Scripture was written. When controverfie then happinis, for the right underftanding of ony joh. ; . 25. place or fentence oi Scripture,or for the reformation of ony abufe within theKirk ofGod,ve ought not fameikle to like what men before us have faid or done, as to take heed unto that quhilk the loalieGhaiiluniforraelie fpeakes, within the body of the Scriptures , and unto that quhilk Chrift Jefus himfelfe did , and commanded Eph.4. 4. t0 k e Jong for this is ane thing univerfallie granted, that the Spirite of God, quhilk is the Spirite of Unitie, is in nathing contrarious unto himfelfe. Gif then the interpretation, determination, or fentence of ony Doctor, Kirk, orCouncell, repugne to the plaine wordeofGod, written in ony uther place of the Scrip- ture, it is a thing maift certaine, that there is not the true underftanding and meaning of the haly Ghaift, although that Councels, Realmes, and Nations have approved and received the fame: For we dare not receive nor admit ony interpretation ^ quhilk repugnes to ony principal poynt of our faith, or to ony uther plaine text of Scripture, ior zit unto the rule of charitie. ioi The authoritie for the Scriptures. itim.3.i«, a S Webeleeve and confefle the Scriptures ofGodfufficient to inftrucl:, and make the manofGodper- J^ fite : fo do we affirme, and avow the authoritie of the fame , to be of God , and nether to depend on men, nor Angels. Wee aflirme therefore, that fik as allege the Scripture, to have na uther authoritie, bot that quhilk it hes received from the Kirk, to be blafphemous againft God, and injurious to the trew Kirk, quhilk alwayes heaies arid obey is the voyee of her awinfpoufe and Pallor, bot takes not upon her to be Maiftres over the famin. Joh. 10.27. XI. Of general Councels, of their Tozver, Authoritie, and caufe of their Convention. Gal. 2. it 12, 13, I I Tim. + S We do not rafhlie damne that quhilk godly men aflembied togither in generall Councell lawfully gathered, have proponed unto us, fo without juft examination, dare we not receive quhatfoever is V3.1+' obtruded unto us by men under the name of general Councels : for plaine it is , as they wer men , fo have fome of them manifeftlie erred, and that in matters of great weight and importance. So farre then, as the 1 ' Councel previs the determination and commandement that it gives, bee the plaine worde of God : fo foone do we reverence and imbrace the fame. Bot gif men under the name of a Councell, pretend to forge unto us, 2 i8 new Artickles of our faith, or to make conftitutionis repugning to the word of God: then utterlie we muft 1 9, 20, 2r ' refufe the fame, as the doctrine of Devils , quhilk drawis our faules from the voyce of our onlie God , to fol- low the doctrines and conftitutiones of men. The caufe then quhy that generall Councellis convened, was nether to make ony perpetual Law, quhilk God before had not maid, nether zit to forge new Artickles of our beleife, nor to give the word of God authoritie , meikle les to make that to be his word , or zit the trew Aa r> interpretation of the fame, quhilk was not before, be his haly will , expreffed in his word : bot the caufe of &c ' Councellis (we meane offik as merite the name of Councellis) wes partlie for confutation of herefies, and for giving publick confeflion of their faith, to the pofterite following , quhilk baith they did by the authoritie of Gods written word, and not by ony opinion or prerogative, that they culd not erre, be reafon of their , general aflemblie : And this we judge to have beene the chiefe caufe of general Councellis. The uther was for Heb™' 3 ;. 15 ' gude policie and ordour, to be conftitute and obferved in the Kirk, in quhilk (asinthehoufeofGod) itbe- 40 Cor- '*■ cummis ail tilings to be done decently and in ordour. Not that we think, that any policie , and an ordour in Ceremonies, can be appoynted for all ages ,• times and places: for as ceremonies, fik as men have de- vifed, ar bot temporal -. fo may and audit they to be changed, when they ratbes: fofter foperftition, then that they edifie the Kirk, ufing the fame. %%. of