http://www.legislation.gov.uk/aosp/1690/7/contentsConfession of Faith Ratification Act 1690Act Ratifying the Confession of Faith and settleing Presbyterian Church Government.1978-01-01texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2011-05-261991-02-01Confession of Faith Ratification Act 1690Our Soveraigne Lord and Lady The King and Queens Majesties...THE CONFESSION OF FAITH under written was this day produced...Chap. i. Of the Holy ScriptureALTHOUGH the light of Nature and works of Creation and...2UNDER the name of the Holy Scripture or the word...3THE Books commonly called Apocrypha not being of divine inspiration...4THE authority of the Holy Scripture for which it ought...5We may be moved and induced by the testimony of...6The whole counsell of God concerning all things necessary for...7ALL things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves...8THE OLD Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language...9THE infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture...10THE supreme judge by which all controversies of Religion are...Chap. ii. Of God and the Holy Trinity1THERE is but one only living and true God who...2GOD hath all life glory goodness blessedness in and of...3IN the unity of the Godhead there be three persons...Chap. iii. Of Gods Eternal Decree1GOD from all eternity did by the most wise and...2ALTHOUGH God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass...3BY the decree of God for the manifestation of his...4THOSE angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained are particularly...5THOSE of mankind that are predestinated unto life God before...6AS God hath appointed the elect unto glory so hath...7THE rest of mankind God was pleased according to the...8THE doctrine of this high mystery of Predestination is to...Chap. iv. Of Creation1IT pleased God the Father Son and Holy Ghost for...2AFTER God had made all other creatures he created man...Chap. v. Of Providence1GOD the great Creator of all things doth uphold direct...2ALTHOUGH in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God...3GOD in his ordinary providence maketh use of means yet...4THE Almighty power unsearchable wisdom and infinite goodness of God...5THE most wise righteous and gracious God doth often times...6AS for those wicked and ungodly men whom God as...7AS the providence of God doth in generall reach to...Chap. vi. Of the fall of man of sin and of the punishment thereof1OUR first parents being seduced by the subtilty and temptation...2BY this sin they fell from their originall righteousness and...3THEY being the root of all mankind the guilt of...4FROM this originall corruption whereby we are utterly indisposed disabled...5THIS corruption of nature during this life doth remain in...6EVERY sin both original and actuall being a transgression of...Chap. vii. Of Gods covenant with man1THE distance between God and the creature is so great...2THE first Covenant made with man was a Covenant of...3MAN by his fall having made himself uncapable of life...4THIS Covenant of Grace is frequently set forth in the...5THIS Covenant was differently administred in the time of the...6UNDER the Gospell when Christ the substance was exhibited the...Chap. viii. Of Christ the Mediator1IT pleased God in his eternall purpose to choose and...2THE Son of God the second person of the Trinity...3THE Lord Jesus in his human nature thus united to...4THIS office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake which...5THE Lord Jesus by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of...6ALTHOUGH the work of redemption was not actually wrought by...7CHRIST in the work of mediation acteth according to both...8TO all those for whom Christ hath purchased redemption he...Chap. ix. Of free will1GOD hath indued the will of man with that naturall...2MAN in his state of innocency had freedom and power...3MAN by his fall into a state of sin hath...4WHEN God converts a sinner and translates him into the...5THE will of man is made perfectly and immutably free...Chap. x. Of Effectuall calling1ALL those whom God hath predestinated unto life and those...2THIS effectuall call is of Gods free and speciall grace...3ELECT infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by...4OTHERS not elected although they may be called by the...Chap. xi. Of Justification1THOSE whom God effectually calleth he also freely justifieth not...2FAITH thus reciveing and resting on Christ and his righteousness...3CHRIST by his obedience and death did fully discharge the...4GOD did from all eternity decree to justify all the...5GOD doth continue to forgive the sins of those that...6THE justification of believers under the Old Testament was in...Chap. xii. Of Adoption1ALL those that are justified God vouchsafeth in and for...Chap. xiii. Of Sanctification1THEY who are effectually called and regenerated having a new...2THIS sanctification is throughout in the whole man yet imperfect...3IN which war although the remaining corruption for a time...Chap. xiv. Of saving Faith1THE grace of faith whereby the elect are enabled to...2BY this faith a christian believeth to be true whatsoever...3THIS faith is different in degrees weak or strong may...Chap. xv. Of Repentance unto Life1REPENTANCE unto life is an evangelicall grace the doctrine whereof...2BY it a sinner out of the sight and sense...3ALTHOUGH repentance be not to be rested in as any...4AS there is no sin so small but it deserves...5MEN ought not to content themselves with a generall repentance...6AS every man is bound to make private confession of...Chap. xvi. Of good works1GOOD works are only such as God hath commanded in...2THOSE good works done in obedience to Gods commandments are...3THEIR ability to do good works is not at all...4THEY who in their obedience attain to the greatest height...5WE cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin...6YET notwithstanding the persons of believers being accepted through Christ...7WORKS done by unregenerate men although for the matter of...Chap. xvii. Of the perserverance of the Saints1THEY whom God hath accepted in his beloved effectually called...2THIS perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own...3NEVERTHELESS they may through the temptations of Satan and of...Chap. xviii. Of the assurance of grace and salvation1ALTHOUGH hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves...2THIS certainty is not a bare conjecturall and probable persuasion...3THIS infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence...4TRUE believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers...Chap. xix. Of the Law of God1GOD gave to Adam a Law as a Covenant of...2THIS Law after his fall continued to be a perfect...3BESIDE this Law commonly called Moral God was pleased to...4TO them also as a body politick he gave sundry...5THE Moral Law doth for ever bind all as well...6ALTHOUGH true believers be not under the Law as a...7NEITHER are the forementioned uses of the Law contrary to...Chap. xx. Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience1THE liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the...2GOD alone is Lord of the conscience and hath left...3THEY who upon pretence of Christian liberty do practise any...4AND because the powers which God hath ordained and the...Chap. xxi. Of Religious worship and the Sabbath day1THE light of nature sheweth that there is a God...2RELIGIOUS worship is to be given to God the Father...3PRAYER with thanksgiving being one speciall part of religious worship...4PRAYER is to be made for things lawfull and for...5THE reading of the Scriptures with godly fear the sound...6NEITHER prayer nor any other part of religious worship is...7AS it is of the law of nature that in...8THIS Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord when...Chap. xxii. Of lawfull Oaths and Vows1A lawfull oath is a part of religious worship wherein...2THE name of God only is that by which men...3WHOSOEVER taketh an oath ought duely to consider the weightiness...4AN oath is to be taken in the plain and...5A vow is of the like nature with a promissory...6IT is not to be made to any creature but...7NO man may vow to do any thing forbidden in...Chap. xxiii. Of the Civil Magistrate1GOD the supreme Lord and King of all the world...2IT is lawfull for Christians to accept and execute the...3THE civil Magistrate may not assume to himself the administration...4IT is the duty of people to pray for Magistrates...Chap. xxiv. Of Marriage and Divorce1MARRIAGE is between one man and one woman neither is...2MARRIAGE was ordained for the mutuall help of husband and...3IT is lawfull for all sorts of people to marry...4MARRIAGE ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity...5ADULTERY or fornication committed after a contract being detected before...6ALTHOUGH the corruption of man be such as is apt...Chap. xxv. Of the Church1THE Catholick or universall Church which is invisible consists of...2THE visible Church which is also catholick or universall under...3UNTO this Catholick visible Church Christ hath given the ministry...4THIS Catholick Church hath been sometimes more sometimes less visible...5THE purest Churches under heaven are subject both to mixture...6THERE is no other head of the Church but the...Chap. xxvi. Of the Communion of Saints1ALL saints that are united to Jesus Christ their head...2Saints by profession are bound to maintain an holy fellowship...3THIS Communion which the saints have with Christ doth not...Chap. xxvii. Of the Sacraments1SACRAMENTS are holy signs and seals of the Covenant of...2THERE is in every sacrament a spirituall relation or sacramentall...3THE grace which is exhibited in or by the sacraments...4THERE be only two sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord...5THE sacraments of the Old Testament in regard of the...Chap. xxviii. Of Baptism1BAPTISM is a sacrament of the New Testament ordained by...2THE outward element to be used in this sacrament is...3DIPPING of the person in the water is not necessary...4NOT only those that do actually profess faith in and...5ALTHOUGH it is a great sin to contemn or neglect...6THE efficacy of baptism is not tied to that moment...7THE sacrament of baptism is but once to be administred...Chap. xxix. Of the Lords Supper1OUR Lord Jesus in the night wherein he was betrayed...2IN this sacrament Christ is not offered up to his...3THE Lord Jesus hath in this ordinance appointed his ministers...4PRIVATE masses or receiving this sacrament by a priest or...5THE outward elements in this sacrament duely set apart to...6THAT doctrine which maintaines a change of the substance of...7WORTHY receivers outwardly partaking of the visible elements of this...8ALTHOUGH ignorant and wicked men receive the outward elements in...Chap. xxx. Of Church Censures1THE Lord Jesus as King and head of his Church...2TO these officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven...3CHURCH censures are necessary for the reclaiming and gaining of...4FOR the better attaining of these ends the officers of...Chap. xxxi. Of Synods and Councills1FOR the better government and further edification of the Church...2AS Magistrates may lawfully call a synod of ministers and...3IT belongeth to Synods and Councills ministerially to determine controversies...4ALL Synods or Councills since the Apostles times whether generall...5SYNODS and councills are to handle or conclude nothing but...Chap. xxxii. Of the state of men after death and of the Resurrection of the dead1THE bodies of men after death return to dust and...2AT the last day such as are found alive shall...3THE bodies of the unjust shall by the power of...Chap. xxxiii. Of the last Judgement1GOD hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the...2THE end of Gods appointing this day is for the...3AS Christ would have us certainly to be perswaded that...Confession of Faith Ratification Act 16901690 c.7Act Ratifying the Confession of Faith and settleing Presbyterian Church Government.X1X2Annotations:Editorial InformationX1Short title given by Statute Law Revision Scotland Act 1964 (c. 80), Sch. 2X2This Act is listed in 12mo edition as 1690 c. 5
Short title given by Statute Law Revision Scotland Act 1964 (c. 80), Sch. 2