The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

What Christ Jesus did,¹ and commanded to be done, is evident by the three Evangelists who speak of the Sacrament, & by S. Paul; what the Priest doth at his Altar, we need not to rehearse. The end and cause of Christs institution, and why the self-same should be used, is expressed in these words, Do ye this in remembrance of me, ²as oft as ye shall eat of this Bread, and drink of this Cup, ye shall show forth (that is, extol, Preach, and magnify) the Lords death till he come. But to what end, and in what opinion the Priests say their Masses, let the words of the same their own Doctors and Writings witness; to wit, That they are Mediators betwixt Christ and his Church,³ to offer unto God the Father, a Sacrifice propitiatory for the sins of the quick and the dead: Which Doctrine, as blasphemous to Christ Jesus, and making derogation to the sufficiency of his only Sacrifice once offered for purgation of all those that shall be sanctified, we utterly abhor, detest, and renounce. XXIII. To whom Sacraments appertain. ⁴WE confess and acknowledge, That Baptism appertaineth as well to the infants of the faithful, as unto those that be of age and discretion;⁵ And so we condemn the error of the Anabaptists, who deny Baptism to appertain to children, before that they have Faith and understanding. But the Supper of the Lord we confess to appertain only to such as have been of the household of Faith, can try and examine themselves, as well in their Faith, as in their duties towards their neighbours. Such as eat at that holy Table without Faith,⁶ or being at dissension and division with their brethren do eat unworthily. And therefore it is, that in our Churches Ministers take public and particular examination of the knowledge and conversation of such as are to be admitted to the Table of the Lord Jesus. XXIV. Of the Civill Magistrate. ⁷WE confess and acknowledge Empires, Kingdoms, Dominions and Titles, to be distincted and Ordained by God, the powers and authorities in the same (be it of Emperors in their Empires, of Kings in their Realms, Dukes and Princes in their Dominions, or of other Magistrates in free Cities) to be Gods holy Ordinance, ordained for manifestation of his own glory, and for the singular profit and commodity of mankind.