King's Majesty, and whole body of this Realm, both in Burgh and Land. To the which Confession and form of Religion, we willingly agree in our Consci∣ences in all points, as unto God's undoubted Truth and Verity, grounded only upon his written Word: And therefore We abhor and detest all contrary Religion and Doctrine, But chiefly all kind of Papistry in general and particular heads, even as they are now damned and confuted by the Word of God and Kirk of Scot∣land: but in special, we detest and refuse the usurped Authority of that Roman Antichrist upon the Scrip∣tures of God, upon the Kirk, the Civil Magistrate, and Conscience of men: All his Tyrannous▪Laws made upon indifferent things against our Christian Li∣berty; His erroneous Doctrine against the sufficiency of the written Word, the perfection of the Law, the Office of Christ, and his blessed Evangel. His cor∣rupted Doctrine concerning Original Sin, our natural inability, and Rebellion to God's Law, our Justifica∣tion by Faith only, our imperfect Sanctification and Obedience to the Law, the nature, number, and use of the Holy Sacraments. His five Bastard Sacraments, with all his Rites, Ceremonies, and false Doctrine, added to the Ministration of the true Sacraments with∣out the Word of God. His cruel judgment against In∣fants departing without the Sacrament. His abso∣lute necessity of Baptism. His blasphemous opinion of Transubstantiation, or real presence of Christs Body in the Elements, and receiving of the same by the wicked, or Bodies of men. His dispensa∣tions with solemn Oaths, Perjuries, and degrees of marriage forbidden in the Word. His cruelty against the innocent divorced. His devillish Mass. His blas∣phemous Priesthood. His profane Sacrifice for the sins of the Dead and the Quick. His Canonization of men, calling upon Angels or Saints departed, Worship∣ping of Imagery, Reliques, and Crosses, dedicating of Kirks, Altars, Daies, Vows to Creatures. His Pur∣gatory, Prayers for the Dead, praying or speaking in a strange Language, with his Processions and blasphemous Letany, and multitude of Advocates or Mediators, His manifold Orders, Auricular Confession. His desperate and uncertain Repentance. His general and doubtsome Faith. His satisfactions of men for their sins. His Justification by Works, Opus operatum, works of Supererogation, Merits, Pardons, Peregri∣nations, and Stations. His Holy Water, Baptising of Bells, Conjuring of Spirits, Crossing, Saning, anointing, Conjuring, Hallowing of God's good Crea∣tures, with the superstitious opinion joyned therewith. His worldly Monarchy, and wicked Hierarchy. His three solemn Vows, with all his shavellings of sundry sorts. His erroneous and bloody Decrees made at Trent, with all the Subscribers and Approvers of that cruel and bloody Band, conjured against the Kirk of God. And finally, we detest all his vain Allegories, Rites, Signs, and Traditions brought in the Kirk, without, or against the Word of God, and Doctrine of this true reformed Kirk. To the which we joyn our selves willingly, in Doctrine, Faith, Religion, Dis∣cipline, and use of the Holy Sacraments, as lively members of the same, in Christ our Head: promising and swearing, by the great Name of the Lord our God, that we shall continue in the obedience of the Do∣ctrine and Discipline of this Kirk, and shall defend the same, according to our vocation and power, all the daies of our lives, under the pains contained in the Law, and danger both of Body and Soul, in the day of God's fearful judgment. And seeing that many are stirred up by Satan and that Roman Antichrist, to Promise, Swear, Subscribe, and for a time use the holy Sacraments in the Kirk deceitfully, against their own Consciences, minding hereby, first, under the ex∣ternal Cloak of Religion, to corrupt and subvert secret∣ly God's true Religion within the Kirk, and after∣ward, when time may serve, to become open Enemies and Persecuters of the same, under vain hope of the Popes dispensation devised against the Word of God, to his greater confusion, and their double condemnati∣on in the day of the Lord Jesus.
We therefore, willing to take away all suspicion of Hypocrisie, and of such double dealing with God and his Kirk, protest, and call the Searcher of all hearts to witness, that our minds and hearts do fully agree with this our Confession, Promise, Oath, and Sub∣scription: So that we are not moved for any worldly respect, but are perswaded only in our Consciences, through the knowledge and love of God's true Religion, printed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, as we shall an∣swer to him in the day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed. And because we perceive, that the quiet∣ness and stability of our Religion and Kirk doth de∣pend upon the safety and good behaviour of the King's Majesty, as upon a comfortable instrument of God's mercy granted to this Country, for the Maintenance of his Kirk, and Ministration of Justice amongst us, we protest and promise with our hearts under the same Oath, Hand-writ, and pains, that we shall de∣fend his Person and Authority, with our Gear, Bo∣dies, and Lives, in the defence of Christ his Evan∣gel, Liberties of our Country, Ministration of Ju∣stice, and punishment of iniquity, against all enemies within this Realm, or without, as we desire our God to be a strong and merciful defender to us in the day of our Death, and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: to whom, with the Father, and the holy Spirit, be all honour and glory eternally. Amen.
WE under subscribing, and considering the strait link and conjunction betwixt the true and Christian Religion presently profest within this Realm, and Soveraign Lords estate and standing, having both the self same Friends and Common Enemies, and sub∣ject to the like event of standing and decay, and weigh∣ing therewithal the eminent danger threatned to the said Religion, the preservation whereof being dearer to us than whatsoever we have dearest to us in this life; And finding in his Majesty a most honourable and Chri∣stian resolution, to manifest himself to the World that zealous and religious Prince which he hath hitherto professed; and to imploy the means and power that God hath put into his hands, as well to the withstanding of whatsoever Foraign force shall mean within this Land, for alteration of the said Religion, or endan∣gering of the present state, as to the repressing of the inward Enemies thereto amongst our selves, linked with them in the said Antichristian League and Con∣federacy; Have therefore in the presence of Almighty God, and with his Majesties authorising and allow∣ance, faithfully promised, and solemnly sworn, like as hereby we faithfully and solemnly swear, and pro∣mise, to take a true, effauld, and plain part with his Majesty amongst our selves, for diverting of the ap∣pearing danger threatned to the said Religion, and his Majesties state and standing, depending thereupon, by whatsoever Forraign or intestine plots or preparations. And to that effect, faithfully, and that upon our truth and honours, bind and oblige us to others, to convent and assemble our selves publickly, with our Friends in Arms, or in quiet manner, at such times and places as we shall be required by his Proclamations, or by writ or message direct to us from his Majesty, or any having power from him, And being convened and assembled, to join and concur with the whole forces of our friends and favourers, against whatsoever Forraign or intestine powers or Papists, and their partakers, shall arrive or rise within this Island, or any part thereof, ready to defend or pursue, as we shall be authorised and condu∣cted by his Majesty, or any others having his power and