Volume II Part 13 (2/2)
[Sidenote: 1 Tim. 3.]
[Sidenote: Joan. 10.]
As we beleve and confesse the Scriptures of G.o.d sufficient to instruct and maik the man of G.o.d perfect, so do we affirme and avow the authoritie of the same to be of G.o.d, and neather to depend on men nor angellis. We affirme thairfoir that sick as alledge the Scripture to have na [uther] authoritie, but that whiche is receaved from the Kirk, to be blasphemous against G.o.d, and injuriouse to the trew Kirk, whiche alwayis heareth and obeyeth the voice of hir awin Spouse and pastour, but taketh nott upoun her to be maistres over the same.
OF GENERALL COUNSALLIS, OF THAIR POWER, AUTHORITIE, AND CAUSES OF THAIR CONVENTIOUN.--CAP. XX.
[Sidenote: How far the Counsells are to be allowed.]
[Sidenote: Wherein they are to be rejected.]
[Sidenote: 1 Tim. 4.]
[Sidenote: Why they were a.s.sembled.]
[Sidenote: Why Counsels were called.]
[Sidenote: Ceremonies ought to be changed when they foster superst.i.tion.]
As we do nott raschelie dampne that whiche G.o.dlie men, a.s.sembled togidder in Generall Counsallis, lauchfullie gathered, have approved[247] unto us; so without just examinatioun dar we not resave whatsoever is obtrused unto men, under the name of Generall Counsallis: for plane it is, that as they war men, so have some of thame manifestlie erred, and that in materis of great weght and importance. So far then as the Counsall proveth the determinatioun and commandiment that it geveth by the plane word of G.o.d, so far do we reverence and embrace the same. But yf men, under the name of a Counsall pretend to forge unto us new articles of our faith, or to maik const.i.tutionis repugnyng to the word of G.o.d, then utterlie we mone refuise the same, as the doctrin of devillis which drawis our saullis from the voice of our onlie G.o.d, to follow the doctrines and const.i.tutionis of men. The caus, then, why [that] Generall Counsallis convened, was neather to mak any perpetuall law (whiche G.o.d befoir had nott maid,) neather yitt to forge new articles of our beleve, neather to give the word of G.o.d authoritie, mekle less to make that to be his worde, or yitt the trew interpretatioun of the same, which was not befoir by his holy will exprea.s.sed in his worde. But the caus of Counsallis, (we meane of sick as merite the name of Counsallis,) was partlie for confutatioun of heresyes, and for geving publict confessioun of thair faith to the posteritie following; whiche baith they did by the authoritie of G.o.ddis writtin worde, and nott by any opinioun or prerogative that they could nott err, be rea.s.soun of thair Generall a.s.semblie: And this we judge to have bene the cheaf caus of Generall Counsallis. The other was for good policie and ordour to be const.i.tut and observed in the Kirk, in whiche (as in the house of G.o.d) it bec.u.mis all thingis to be done decentlie and into ordour. Not that we think that ane policie, and ane ordour in Ceremonies can be appoint.i.t for all aigis, tymes, and plaicis; for as ceremonies (sick as men hes devised) ar but temporall, so may and aucht they to be changed, when they rather foster superst.i.tioun, then that they edifie the Kirk using the same.
[247] In the old printed copies, ”have proponit.”
OFF THE SACRAMENTIS.--CAP. XXI.
[Sidenote: The use of Sacraments.]
[Sidenote: Baptisme.]
[Sidenote: The Lordis Supper, perfythe and plainly described.]
As the Fatheris under the Law, besydis the veritie of the sacrifices, had two cheaf Sacramentis, to witt, Circ.u.mcisioun and the Pa.s.sover, the despysaris and contemnaris whairof war not reputed for G.o.dis people; so [do] we acknawledge and confesse that we now, in the tyme of the Evangell, have two[248] Sacramentis onlie, inst.i.tut.i.t be the Lord Jesus, and commanded to be used of all those that will be reputed members of his body, to witt, Baptisme and the Supper, or Table of the Lord Jesus, called The Communioun of his body and bloode. And these sacramentis (alsweill of the Auld as of the New Testament) war inst.i.tut[248] of G.o.d, not onlie to maik ane visible difference betwixt his people, and those that war without his league; but also to exercise the faith of his children; and by partic.i.p.atioun of the same sacramentis, to seall in thair heartis the a.s.surance of his promeis, and of that most blessed conjunctioun, unioun, and societie, whiche the Elect have with thair head, Christ Jesus. And thus we utterlie dampne the vanitie of those that affirme Sacramentis to be nothing else but naked and bair signes. No, we a.s.suredlie beleve, that by Baptisme we ar ingrafted in Christ Jesus to be maid partakaris of his justice, by the whiche our synes are covered and remitted; and also, that in the Supper, rychtlie used, Christ Jesus is so joyned with us, that he bec.u.mis the verray nurishement and foode of our saullis. Not that we ymagine any transsubstantiatioun of bread into Christis naturall body, and of wyne in his naturall bloode, (as the Papistis have perniciouslie taught and dampnablie beleved;) but this union and communioun whiche we have with the body and bloode of Christ Jesus in the rycht use of the sacraments, is wrocht by operatioun of the Holy Ghost, who by trew faith caryes us above all thingis that ar visible, carnall, and earthlie, and maikis us to feid upoun the body and bloode of Christ Jesus, whiche was ones brokin and schedd for us, whiche now is in the heavin, and appeareth in the presence of his Father for us.
And yit, notwithstanding the far distance of place, whiche is betwix his bodye now glorifeid in the heavin, and us now mortall in this earth, yit we most a.s.suredlie beleve, that the bread which we break is the communioun of Christis body, and the cupp which we bliss, is the communion of his bloode. So that we confesse, and undowttedlye beleve, that the faithfull, in the rycht use of the Lordis Table, so do eatt the body, and drynk the bloode of the Lord Jesus, that he remaneth in thame and thai in him: yea, that thai ar so maid flesche of his flesche, and bone of his bones, that as the Eternall G.o.dheid hath gevin to the flesche of Christ Jesus (whiche of the awin conditioun and nature was mortall and corruptible) lyfe and immortalitie, so doeth Christ Jesus his flesche and bloode eatten and drunken by us, give to us the same prerogatives: Whiche albeit we confesse, are neather gevin unto us at that onlie tyme, neather yit by the propir power and vertew of the Sacramentis onlie; yit we affirme, that the faithfull in the rycht use of the Lordis Table hes sick conjunctioun with Christ Jesus, as the naturall man can not comprehend: yea, and farther we affirme, that albeit the faithfull oppressed be negligence, and manlie infirmitie, doeth not proffeitt so mekill as thei wold att the verray instant actioun of the Supper, yit shall it after bring furth frute, as livelie seid sawin in good ground; for the Holy Spreit, whiche can never be devided frome the rycht inst.i.tutioun of the Lord Jesus, will not frustrat the faythfull of the frute of that misticall actioun. But all this, we say, c.u.mis by trew fayth, whiche apprehendeth Christ Jesus, who onlie maikis his Sacramentis effectuall unto us; and, thairfoir, whosoever sclandereth us, as that we affirmed or beleved Sacramentis to be onlie naiked and bair signes, do injurie unto us, and speak against a manifest treuth. But this liberallie and francklie we most confess, that we maik ane distinctioun betwix Christ Jesus, in his naturall substance,[249] and betwix the elementis in the Sacramentall signes; so that we will neather wirschip the signes in place of that which is signifeid by thame; neather yit do we dispyse and interprete thame as unprofitable and vane; but do use thame with all reverence, examyning our selfis diligentlie befoir that so we do, becaus we ar a.s.sured by the mouth of the Apostle, ”That sick as eat of that bread, and drynk of that cupp, unworthelie, ar guyltie of the body and bloode[250] of the Lord Jesus.”
[248] In the old printed copies, ”two chief;” and ”now inst.i.tuted.”
[249] In the old printed copies, ”in his eternall substance.”
[250] In the editions 1561, ”and of the blood of Christ Jesus.”
OFF THE RYCHT ADMINISTRATIOUN OF THE SACRAMENTIS.--CAP. XXII.
[Sidenote: Christians may not partic.i.p.ate with the Papists in their Sacraments.]
[Sidenote: Women may not Baptise.]
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