The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

Protesting, That if any man will note in this our Confession any Articles or sentence repugning to Gods holy Word, that it would please him of his gentleness, and for Christian charities sake, admonish us of the same in writing; and we upon our Honours and fidelity do promise unto him satisfaction from the mouth of God (that is, from his holy Scriptures) or else Reformation of that which he shall prove to be amiss. For God we take to Record in our consciences, That from our hearts we abhor all Sects of Heresy, and all teachers of erroneous doctrine; And that with all humility we embrace the purity of Christs Gospel, which is the only food of our souls; and therefore so precious unto us, that we are determined to suffer the extremest of worldly danger, rather then that we will suffer our selves to be defrauded of the same. For hereof we are most certainly persuaded, That whosoever denieth Christ Jesus, or is ashamed of him in presence of men, shall be denied before the Father, and before his holy Angels. And therefore by the assistance of the mighty Spirit of the same our Lord Jesus, we firmly purpose to abide to the end in the confession of this our Faith. The first Article. Of GOD. WE confess and acknowledge one only God,¹ to whom only we must cleave, whom only we must Worship, and in whom only we must put our trust; who is Eternal, Infinite, Unmeasurable, Incomprehensible, Omnipotent, Invisible, one in Substance, and yet distinct into three Persons, The Father, The Son, And the holy Ghost; by whom we confess and believe all things in heaven and earth, as well Visible as Invisible, to have been Created, to be Retained in their being, and to be Ruled and Guided by his inscrutable Providence, to such end as his eternal Wisdom, Goodness and Justice hath appointed them, to the manifestation of his own Glory. II. Of the Creation of Man. WE confess and acknowledge this our God to have Created man (to wit,² our first Father Adam) of whom also God formed the Woman,³ to his own Image and Similitude; To whom he gave Wisdom, Lordship, Justice, free-Will, and clear Knowledge of himself; ⟨p. 254⟩so that in the whole Nature of man there could be no imperfection: From which Honour and Perfection Man and Woman did both fall; the Woman,