Scots Confession
By John Winram, John Spottiswoode, John Willock, John Douglas, John Row, Edinburgh, Scotland.
- Chapter 1: Of God
We confess and acknowledge one only God, to whom only we must cleave, whom only we must serve, whom only we must worship, and in whom only we must put our trust: who is... - Chapter 2: Of the Creation of Man
We confess and acknowledge this our God to have created man (to wit, our first father Adam) to his own image and similitude, to whom he gave wisdom, lordship, justice, free... - Chapter 3: Of Original Sin
By which transgression, commonly called Original Sin, was the image of God utterly defaced in man; and he and his posterity of nature became enemies to God, slaves to Satan,... - Chapter 4: Of the Revelation of the Promise
For this we constantly believe: that God, after the fearful and horrible defection of man from his obedience, did seek Adam again, call upon him, rebuke his sin, convict him of... - Chapter 5: The Continuance, Increase, and Preservation of the Kirk
We most constantly believe that God preserved, instructed, multiplied, honoured, decored, and from death called to life his kirk in all ages, from Adam, till the coming of... - Chapter 6: Of the Incarnation of Christ Jesus
When the fulness of time came, God sent his Son his Eternal Wisdom, the substance of his own glory, in this world who took the nature of manhood of the substance of woman: to... - Chapter 7: Why It Behoved the Mediator to be Very God and Very Man
We acknowledge and confess that this most wondrous conjunction betwixt the Godhead and the manhood in Christ Jesus did proceed from the eternal and immutable decree of God,... - Chapter 8: Election
For that same Eternal God and Father, who of mere grace elected us in Christ Jesus his Son, before the foundation of the world was laid, appointed him to be our Head, our... - Chapter 9: Christ's Death, Passion, Burial, etc.
[We confess] That our Lord Jesus Christ offered himself a voluntary sacrifice unto his Father for us; that he suffered contradiction of sinners; that he was wounded and plagued... - Chapter 10: Resurrection
We undoubtedly believe that, insomuch as it was impossible that the dolours of death should retain in bondage the Author of life; that our Lord Jesus Christ crucified, dead,... - Chapter 11: Ascension
We nothing doubt but that the selfsame body, which was born of the virgin, was crucified, dead, and buried, and which did rise again, did ascend into the heavens, for the... - Chapter 12: Faith in the Holy Ghost
This our faith, and the assurance of the same, proceeds not from flesh and blood, that is to say, from no natural powers within us, but is the inspiration of the Holy Ghost:... - Chapter 13: The Cause of Good Works
So that the cause of good works we confess to be, not our free will, but the Spirit of the Lord Jesus who, dwelling in our hearts by true faith, brings forth such good works as... - Chapter 14: What Works are Reputed Good before God
We confess and acknowledge that God has given to man his holy law, in which not only are forbidden all such works as displease and offend his godly Majesty, but also are... - Chapter 15: The Perfection of the Law and Imperfection of Man
The law of God we confess and acknowledge most just, most equal, most holy, and most perfect: commanding those things which, being wrought in perfection, were able to give... - Chapter 16: Of the Kirk
As we believe in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; so do we most constantly believe that from the beginning there has been, now is, and to the end of the world shall be, a... - Chapter 17: The Immortality of the Souls
The elect departed are in peace and rest from their labours: not that they sleep and come to a certain oblivion (as some fantastics do affirm), but that they are delivered from... - Chapter 18: Of the Notes by Which the True Kirk is Discerned from the False and Who Shall be Judge of the Doctrine
Because that Satan from the beginning has laboured to deck his pestilent synagogue with the title of the kirk of God, and has inflamed the hearts of cruel murderers to... - Chapter 19: The Authority of the Scriptures
As we believe and confess the scriptures of God sufficient to instruct and make the man of God perfect, so do we affirm and avow the authority of the same to be of God, and... - Chapter 20: Of General Councils, of Their Power, Authority, and Causes of Their Convention
As we do not rashly damn that which godly men, assembled together in general councils, lawfully gathered, have proponed unto us; so without just examination dare we not receive... - Chapter 21: Of the Sacraments
As the fathers under the law (besides the verity of the sacrifices) had two chief sacraments to wit, circumcision and the Passover, the despisers and contemners whereof were... - Chapter 22: Of the Right Administration of the Sacraments
That sacraments be rightly ministered, we judge two things requisite: the one, that they be ministered by lawful ministers, whom we affirm to be only they that are appointed to... - Chapter 23: To Whom the Sacraments Appertain
in We confess and acknowledge that baptism appertains as well to the infants of the faithful, as unto those that be of age and discretion. And so we damn the error of the... - Chapter 24: Of the Civil Magistrate
We confess and acknowledge empires, kingdoms, dominions, and cities to be distinguished and ordained by God: the powers and authorities in the same (be it of emperors in their... - Chapter 25: The Gifts Freely Given to the Kirk
Albeit that the word of God truly preached, and the sacraments rightly ministered, and discipline executed according to the word of God, be the certain and infallible signs of...