[Sidenote: 1 Tim. 3.]
[Sidenote: Joan. 10.]
As we beleve and confesse the Scriptures of God sufficient to instruct
and maik the man of God perfect, so do we affirme and avow the
authoritie of the same to be of God, and neather to depend on men nor
angellis. We affirme thairfoir that sick as alledge the Scripture to
have na [uther] authoritie, but that whiche is receaved from the Kirk,
to be blasphemous against God, and injuriouse to the trew Kirk, whiche
alwayis heareth and obeyeth the voice of hir awin Spouse and pastour,
but taketh nott upoun her to be maistres over the same.
OF GENERALL COUNSALLIS, OF THAIR POWER, AUTHORITIE, AND CAUSES OF
THAIR CONVENTIOUN.--CAP. XX.
[Sidenote: How far the Counsells are to be allowed.]
[Sidenote: Wherein they are to be rejected.]
[Sidenote: 1 Tim. 4.]
[Sidenote: Why they were assembled.]
[Sidenote: Why Counsels were called.]
[Sidenote: Ceremonies ought to be changed when they foster
superstition.]
As we do nott raschelie dampne that whiche godlie men, assembled
togidder in Generall Counsallis, lauchfullie gathered, have
approved[247] unto us; so without just examinatioun dar we not resave
whatsoever is obtrused unto men, under the name of Generall
Counsallis: for plane it is, that as they war men, so have some of
thame manifestlie erred, and that in materis of great weght and
importance. So far then as the Counsall proveth the determinatioun and
commandiment that it geveth by the plane word of God, so far do we
reverence and embrace the same. But yf men, under the name of a
Counsall pretend to forge unto us new articles of our faith, or to
maik constitutionis repugnyng to the word of God, then utterlie we
mone refuise the same, as the doctrin of devillis which drawis our
saullis from the voice of our onlie God, to follow the doctrines and
constitutionis of men. The caus, then, why [that] Generall Counsallis
convened, was neather to mak any perpetuall law (whiche God befoir had
nott maid,) neather yitt to forge new articles of our beleve, neather
to give the word of God authoritie, mekle less to make that to be his
worde, or yitt the trew interpretatioun of the same, which was not
befoir by his holy will expreassed in his worde. But the caus of
Counsallis, (we meane of sick as merite the name of Counsallis,) was
partlie for confutatioun of heresyes, and for geving publict
confessioun of thair faith to the posteritie following; whiche baith
they did by the authoritie of Goddis writtin worde, and nott by any
opinioun or prerogative that they could nott err, be reassoun of thair
Generall assemblie: And this we judge to have bene the cheaf caus of
Generall Counsallis. The other was for good policie and ordour to be
constitut and observed in the Kirk, in whiche (as in the house of God)
it becumis all thingis to be done decentlie and into ordour. Not that
we think that ane policie, and ane ordour in Ceremonies can be
appointit for all aigis, tymes, and plaicis; for as ceremonies (sick
as men hes devised) ar but temporall, so may and aucht they to be
changed, when they rather foster superstitioun, then that they edifie
the Kirk using the same.
[247] In the old printed copies, "have proponit."