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The elect departed are in peace, and rest from their labours; not that they sleep and come to a certain oblivion, as some fantastic heads do affirm, but they are delivered from all fear, all torment, and all temptation, to which we and all God's elect are subject in this life; and therefore do bear the name of the Kirk militant. As contrariwise, the reprobate and unfaithful departed have anguish, torment, and pain, that cannot be expressed; so that neither are the one nor the other in such sleep that they feel not joy or torment, as, in the parable of Christ Jesus in the sixteenth chapter of Luke, His words to the thief, and these words of the souls crying under the altar, "O Lord, Thou that art righteous and just, how long shalt Thou not revenge our blood upon them that dwell upon the earth!" do plainly testify.

Of the notes by which the True Kirk is discerned from the false, and who shall be judge of the doctrine.—Cap. XVIII.

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 persecute, trouble, and molest the true Kirk and members thereof, as Cain did Abel; Ishmael, Isaac; Esau, Jacob; and the whole priesthood of the Jews, Jesus Christ Himself and His apostles after Him; it is a thing most requisite that the true Kirk be discerned from the filthy synagogue, by clear and perfect notes, lest we, being deceived, receive and embrace to our own condemnation the one for the other. The notes, signs, and assured tokens whereby the immaculate spouse of Christ Jesus is known from that horrible harlot the Kirk malignant, we affirm are neither antiquity, title usurped, lineal descent, place appointed, nor multitude of men approving an error; for Cain in age and title was preferred to Abel and Seth. Jerusalem had prerogative above all places of the earth, where also were the priests lineally descended from Aaron; and greater multitude followed the Scribes, Pharisees, and Priests than unfeignedly believed and approved Christ Jesus and His doctrine; and yet, as we suppose, no man of sound judgment will grant that any of the forenamed were the Kirk of God. The notes, therefore, of the true Kirk of God we believe, confess, and avow to be, first, the true preaching of the Word of God; into the which God has revealed Himself to us, as the writings of the prophets and apostles do declare. Secondly, the right administration of the Sacraments of Christ Jesus, which must be annexed to the Word and promise of God, to seal and confirm the same in our hearts. Lastly, ecclesiastical discipline uprightly ministered, as God's Word prescribes, whereby vice is repressed, and virtue nourished. Wheresoever then these former notes are seen, and of any time continue, be the number never so few above two or three, there, without all doubt, is the true Kirk of Christ, who, according to His promise, is in the midst of them; not that Kirk universal, of which we have before spoken, but particular; such as was in Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, and other places in which the ministry was planted by Paul, and were of himself named the Kirks of God. And such Kirks, we the inhabitants of the realm of Scotland, professors of Christ Jesus, confess us to have in our cities, towns, and places reformed; for the doctrine taught in our Kirks is contained in the written Word of God, to wit, in the books of the Old and New Testaments. In these books we mean, which of the ancient have been reputed canonical, in the which we affirm that all things necessary to be believed for the salvation of mankind are sufficiently expressed; the interpretation whereof, we confess, neither appertaineth to private nor public person, nor yet to any kirk for any pre-eminence or prerogative, personal or local, which one has above another; but appertaineth to the Spirit of God, by the which also the Scripture was written. When controversy then happeneth for the right understanding of any place or sentence of Scripture, or for the reformation of any abuse within the Kirk of God, we ought not so much to look what men before us have said or done, as unto that which the Holy Ghost uniformly speaks within the body of the Scriptures, and unto that which Christ Jesus Himself did, and commanded to be done. For this is a thing universally granted, that the Spirit of God, which is the Spirit of unity, is in nothing contrarious unto Himself. If then the interpretation, determination, or sentence of any doctor, Kirk, or Council, repugn to the plain Word of God written in any other place of the Scripture, it is a thing most certain, that theirs is not the true understanding and meaning of the Holy Ghost, supposing that councils, realms, and nations have approved and received the same. For we dare not receive and admit any interpretation which directly repugneth to any principal point of our faith, or to any other plain text of Scripture, or yet unto the rule of charity.

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 neither to depend on men nor angels. We affirm, therefore, that such as allege the Scripture to have no other authority, but that which is received from the Kirk, to be blasphemous against God, and injurious to the true Kirk, which always heareth and obeyeth the voice of her own spouse and pastor, but taketh not upon her to be mistress over the same.

Of General Councils, of their Power, Authority, and Causes of their Convention.—Cap. XX.

As we do not rashly condemn that which godly men assembled together in General Council, lawfully gathered, have approved unto us; so without just examination dare we not receive whatsoever is obtrused unto men, under the name of General Councils. For plain it is, that as they were men, so have some of them manifestly erred, and that in matters of great weight and importance. So far, then, as the Council proveth the determination and commandment that it giveth by the plain Word of God, so far do we reverence and embrace the same. But if men, under the name of a Council, pretend to forge unto us new articles of our faith, or to make constitutions repugning to the Word of God, then utterly we must refuse the same, as the doctrine of devils which draws our souls from the voice of our only God, to follow the doctrines and constitutions of men. The cause, then, why General Councils were convened, was neither to make any perpetual law, which God before had not made, nor yet to forge new articles of our belief, nor to give the Word of God authority, much less to make that to be His Word, or yet the true interpretation of the same, which was not before by His holy will expressed in His Word. But the cause of Councils, we mean of such as merit the name of Councils, was partly for confutation of heresies, and for giving public confession of their faith to the posterity following; which both they did by the authority of God's written Word, and not by any opinion or prerogative that they could not err, by reason of their general assembly. And this we judge to have been the chief cause of General Councils. The other was for good policy and order to be constitute and observed in the Kirk, in which, as in the house of God, it becomes all things to be done decently and in order. Not that we think that a policy and an order in ceremonies can be appointed for all ages, times, and places; for as ceremonies, such as men have devised, are but temporal, so may and ought they to be changed when they rather foster superstition, than edify the Kirk using the same.

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 not reputed God's people; so do we acknowledge and confess that we now, in the time of the Evangel, have two Sacraments only, institute by the Lord Jesus, and commanded to be used of all those that will be reputed members of His body, to wit, Baptism and the Supper, or Table of the Lord Jesus, called the Communion of His body and blood. And these Sacraments, as well of the Old as of the New Testament, were institute of God, not only to make a visible difference betwixt His people and those that were without His league, but also to exercise the faith of His children; and by participation of the same Sacraments, to seal in their hearts the assurance of His promise, and of that most blessed conjunction, union, and society, which the elect have with their Head, Christ Jesus. And thus we utterly condemn the vanity of those that affirm Sacraments to be nothing else but naked and bare signs. No, we assuredly believe that by Baptism we are ingrafted in Christ Jesus to be made partakers of His justice, by the which our sins are covered and remitted; and, also, that in the Supper, rightly used, Christ Jesus is so joined with us, that He becomes the very nourishment and food of our souls. Not that we imagine any transubstantiation of bread into Christ's natural body, and of wine into His natural blood, as the Papists have perniciously taught and damnably believed; but this union and communion which we have with the body and blood of Christ Jesus in the right use of the Sacraments, is wrought by operation of the Holy Ghost, who by true faith carries us above all things that are visible, carnal and earthly, and makes us to feed upon the body and blood of Christ Jesus, which was once broken and shed for us, which now is in the heaven, and appeareth in the presence of the Father for us. And yet, notwithstanding the far distance of place, which is betwixt His body now glorified in the heaven and us now mortal in this earth, yet we most assuredly believe that the bread which we break is the communion of Christ's body, and the cup which we bless is the communion of His blood. So that we confess and undoubtedly believe that the faithful, in the right use of the Lord's Table, so do eat the body and drink the blood of the Lord Jesus, that He remaineth in them and they in Him; yea, that they are so made flesh of His flesh, and bone of His bones, that, as the Eternal Godhead hath given to the flesh of Christ Jesus (which of its own condition and nature was mortal and corruptible) life and immortality, so doth Christ Jesus His flesh and blood eaten and drunken by us, give to us the same prerogative. Albeit we confess that these are neither given unto us at that only time, nor yet by the proper power and virtue of the Sacraments alone, we affirm that the faithful in the right use of the Lord's Table have such conjunction with Christ Jesus as the natural man cannot comprehend: yea, and farther we affirm that, albeit the faithful oppressed by negligence, and human infirmity, do not profit so much as they would at the very instant action of the Supper, yet shall it after bring forth fruit, as lively seed sown in good ground; for the Holy Spirit, which can never be divided from the right institution of the Lord Jesus, will not frustrate the faithful of the fruit of that mystical action. But all this, we say, comes by true faith, which apprehendeth Christ Jesus, who only makes His Sacraments effectual unto us; and, therefore, whosoever slandereth us, as that we affirmed or believed Sacraments to be only naked and bare signs, do injury unto us, and speak against a manifest truth. But liberally and frankly we must confess that we make a distinction betwixt Christ Jesus in His natural substance and the elements in the Sacramental signs; so that we will neither worship the signs in place of that which is signified by them, nor yet do we despise and interpret them as unprofitable and vain; but we use them with all reverence, examining ourselves diligently before we do so, because we are assured by the mouth of the Apostle that such as eat of that bread, and drink of that cup, unworthily, are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus.

Of the right Administration of the Sacraments.—Cap. XXII.

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 the preaching of the Word, or into whose mouths God has put some sermon of exhortation, they being men lawfully chosen thereto by some kirk. The other, that they be ministered in such elements, and in such sort as God hath appointed. Else we affirm that they cease to be right Sacraments of Christ Jesus. And, therefore, it is, that we flee the society of the Papistical Kirk, in participation of their Sacraments; first, because their ministers are no ministers of Christ Jesus; yea, which is more horrible, they suffer women, whom the Holy Ghost will not suffer to teach in the congregation, to baptize. And, secondly, because they have so adulterate, both the one Sacrament and the other, with their own inventions, that no part of Christ's action abideth in the original purity; for oil, salt, spittle, and such-like in baptism, are but men's inventions; adoration, veneration, bearing through streets and towns, and keeping of bread in boxes or buists,¹ are profanation of Christ's Sacraments, and no use of the same. For Christ Jesus said, "Take, eat," etc., "do ye this in remembrance of Me." By these words and charge He sanctified bread and wine to be the Sacrament of His body and blood; to the end that the one should be eaten, and that all should drink of the other; and not that they should be kept to be worshipped and honoured as God, as the blind Papists have done heretofore, who also have committed sacrilege, stealing from the people the one part of the Sacrament, to wit, the blessed cup. Moreover, that the Sacraments be rightly used, it is required that the end and cause why the Sacraments were institute be understood and observed, as well by the minister as by the receivers: for, if the opinion be changed in the receiver, the right use ceaseth. This is most evident from the rejection of the sacrifices (as also if the teacher teach false doctrine) which were odious and abominable unto God, albeit they were His own ordinances, because wicked men made use of them for another end than God had ordained. The same affirm we of the Sacraments in the Papistical Kirk, in which we affirm the whole action of the Lord Jesus to be adulterate, as well in the external form as in the end and opinion. What Christ Jesus did and commanded to be done, is evident by the three Evangelists, [who speak of the Sacraments,] and by Saint Paul. What the priest does at his altar we need not rehearse. The end and cause of Christ's institution, and why the self same should be used, is expressed in these words—"Do this in remembrance of Me. As oft as ye shall eat of this bread and drink of this cup, ye shall show forth" (that is, extol, preach, and magnify) "the Lord's 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, as mediators betwixt Christ and His Kirk, do offer unto God the Father a sacrifice propitiatory for the sins of the quick and the dead. This 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.

We confess and acknowledge that baptism appertaineth as well to the infants of the faithful as to those that be of age and discretion. And so we condemn the error of the Anabaptists, who deny baptism to appertain to children before 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 and can try and examine themselves, as well in their faith as in their duty towards their neighbours. Such as eat [and drink] at that holy table without faith, or being at dissension or division with their brethren, do eat unworthily: and, therefore, in our kirks our 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.

We confess and acknowledge empires, kingdoms, dominions, and cities to be distinct 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 God's holy ordinance, ordained for manifestation of His own glory, and for the singular profit and commodity of mankind. So that whosoever goes about to take away or to confound the whole state of civil policies, now long established, we affirm not only to be enemies to mankind, but also wickedly to fight against God's expressed will. We farther confess and acknowledge that such persons as are placed in authority are to be loved, honoured, feared, and holden in most reverent estimation; because they are the lieutenants of God, in whose session God Himself doth sit and judge (yea, even the judges and princes themselves), to whom by God is given the sword, to the praise and defence of good men, and to revenge and punish all open malefactors. Moreover, to kings, princes, rulers, and magistrates, we affirm that chiefly and most principally the reformation and purgation of religion appertains; so that not only they are appointed for civil policy, but also for maintenance of the true religion, and for suppressing of idolatry and superstition whatsoever, as in David, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Josiah and others, highly commended for their zeal in that case, may be espied. And therefore we confess and vow, that such as resist the supreme power, doing that thing which appertains to his charge, do resist God's ordinance, and therefore cannot be guiltless. And farther, we affirm that whosoever deny unto them their aid, counsel, and comfort, while the princes and rulers vigilantly travail in the executing of their office, deny their help, support, and counsel to God, who by the presence of His lieutenant craveth it of them.

The Gifts freely given to the Kirk.—Cap. XXV.

Albeit that the word of God truly preached, the Sacraments rightly ministered, and discipline executed according to the Word of God, be the certain and infallible signs of the true Kirk; yet do we not so mean that every particular person joined with such a company, is an elect member of Christ Jesus. For we acknowledge and confess that darnel, cockle, and chaff may be sown, grow, and in great abundance lie in the midst of the wheat; that is, the reprobate may be joined in the society of the elect, and may externally use with them the benefits of the Word and Sacraments; but such, being but temporal professors in mouth and not in heart, do fall back and do not continue to the end; and therefore have they no fruit of Christ's death, resurrection, nor ascension. But such as with heart unfeignedly believe, and with mouth boldly confess the Lord Jesus, as before we have said, shall most assuredly receive these gifts; first, in this life, remission of sins, and that by faith only in Christ's blood, insomuch that, albeit sin remain and continually abide in these our mortal bodies, it is not imputed unto us, but is remitted and covered with Christ's justice. Secondly, in the general judgment there shall be given to every man and woman resurrection of the flesh; for the sea shall give her dead, the earth those that therein be inclosed; yea, the Eternal, our God, shall stretch out His hand upon dust, and the dead shall arise incorruptible, and that in the substance of the self-same flesh that every man now bears, to receive, according to their works, glory or punishment. For such as now delight in vanity, cruelty, filthiness, superstition, or idolatry, shall be adjudged to the fire inextinguishable, in the which they shall be tormented for ever, as well in their own bodies, as in their souls, which now they give to serve the Devil in all abomination. But such as continue in well-doing to the end, boldly professing the Lord Jesus, [we constantly believe that they shall receive glory, honour and immortality, to reign for ever in life everlasting with Christ Jesus,] to whose glorified body all His elect shall be made like, when He shall appear again to judgment, and shall render up the kingdom to God His Father, who then shall be, and ever shall remain all in all things, God blessed for ever: To whom, with the Son, and with the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, now and ever. Amen.

Arise, O Lord, and let Thy enemies be confounded: Let them flee from Thy presence that hate Thy godly name: Give Thy servants strength to speak Thy Word in boldness: and let all nations attain to Thy true knowledge.

These Acts and Articles were read in face of Parliament and ratified by the Three Estates of the Realm at Edinburgh, on the 17th day of August in the year of God 1560.