Written in 1560 by John Knox and five other "Johns" (Willock, Winram, Spottiswood, Row and Douglas) in five days at the conclusion of the Scottish civil war in response to medieval Catholicism and at the behest of the Scottish Parliament. Its central doctrines are those of election and the Church. It was approved by the Reformation Parliament and Church of Scotland, attaining full legal status with the departure of Mary, Queen of Scots in 1567.
An entire online version of the Scots Confession is found here. What follows is a summary.
CHAPTER
I --- God
We confess one God in three persons . . . who
created all and rules over all according to his will and for his
glory.
CHAPTER
II --- The Creation of Man
God created man so that no
imperfection could be found in him. "From this dignity and
perfection man and woman both fell; . . . both conspiring against the
sovereign majesty of God".
CHAPTER
III --- Original Sin
Man "and his children became by
nature hostile to God, slaves to Satan, and servants to sin."
CHAPTER
IV --- The Revelation of the Promise
"God . . . did seek
Adam again" and promised him a Redeemer "to destroy the
works of the devil." This promise was repeated and clarified to
Noah, Abraham, David, and so onwards to the incarnation of Christ.
CHAPTER
V --- The Continuance, Increase and Preservation of the Kirk
A
brief summary of the Kirk in the Old Testament (believing Israel) is
given. "God preserved, instructed, . . . and called from death
to life his Kirk in all ages since Adam until the coming of Jesus
Christ in the flesh."
CHAPTER
VI --- The Incarnation of Jesus Christ
CHAPTER VII --- Why the
Mediator Had to Be True God and True Man
"God sent his
Son, his eternal wisdom . . . the very promised Messiah." Our
salvation depends on his being "true God and true man, two
perfect natures united and joined in one person."
CHAPTER
VIII --- Election
"God . . . by grace alone chose us in
his Son Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world . . . (so
that) whatever we have lost in Adam is restored." Because God
can not die and man could not overcome death, the two needed to be
joined in Christ.
CHAPTER
IX --- Christ's Death, Passion, and Burial
"Jesus offered
himself a voluntary sacrifice unto his Father for us . . . suffered .
. . the cruel death of the cross." He remains the only sacrifice
for sin.
CHAPTER
X --- The Resurrection
Death could not "retain in bondage
the Author of life" who "did rise again for our
justification." This event was well attested to by angels,
apostles and others.
CHAPTER
XI --- The Ascension
Christ ascended into heaven from whence
he will return as Judge. He rules the Kirk and serves as our only
"High Priest, Advocate, and Mediator."
CHAPTER
XII --- Faith in the Holy Ghost
"For by nature we are so
dead, blind, and perverse, that neither can we feel when we are
pricked, see the light when it shines, nor assent to the will of God
when it is revealed, unless the Spirit of the Lord Jesus quicken that
which is dead, remove the darkness from our minds, and bow our
stubborn hearts to the obedience of his blessed will."
CHAPTER
XIII --- The Cause of Good Works
The Spirit is the cause of
good works. "For as soon as the Spirit . . . takes possession of
the heart . . . so soon does he regenerate and renew him, so that he
begins to hate what before he loved, and to love what he hated
before. Thence comes that continual battle . . . between the flesh
and the Spirit in God's children."
CHAPTER
XIV --- The Works Which Are Counted Good Before God
Good works
are those which honor God and profit our neighbor. These works God
has specifically made clear in the Ten Commandments. The doctrines of
God are not to be usurped by the commandments of men.
CHAPTER
XV --- The Perfection of the Law and The Imperfection of Man
The
law of God, when perfectly done, can give life. Yet because sin still
hinders us we can never perfectly fulfill it. But "God the
Father beholds us in his Son" accepting our imperfect obedience
as if it were perfect, and covers our works . . . with the Son's
righteousness. Therefore human efforts gain no merit toward
salvation.
CHAPTER
XVI --- The Kirk
The Kirk (Church) is the universal communion
of saints, chosen by God of all ages. Life is only found in the Kirk,
whose members, militant, triumphant and yet unborn are known only to
God.
CHAPTER
XVII --- The Immortality of Souls
Two states await mankind:
the saints to a state of peace and rest (not sleep), and the
unfaithful departed to torment. No room is left for the concept of
purgatory.
CHAPTER
XVIII --- The True and False Kirk and Who Shall Be Judge of
Doctrine
The true Kirk, 1) rightly preaches the Word of God,
2) rightly administers the sacraments and, 3) rightly administers
discipline within the Kirk according to the written Word of God, "in
those books which were originally reckoned canonical." Scripture
alone, illumined by the Spirit, is to judge doctrine.
CHAPTER
XIX --- The Authority of Scripture
The authority of the
Scriptures comes from God, not from the Kirk. In them the Kirk hears
the voice of her Spouse and Pastor.
CHAPTER
XX --- Councils and Their Summoning
Councils of men are
subservient to the Scriptures. Their purposes include to refute
heresies, to make public confession of the faith, and to promote
order in the Kirk.
CHAPTER
XXI --- The Sacraments
The two sacraments of the Kirk, Baptism
and Communion are described and defended. The characteristics of the
Roman Mass are clearly rejected. The sacraments are more than mere
memorials.
CHAPTER
XXII --- The Right Administration of The Sacraments
Sacraments
are to be administered by lawful ministers, in the manner appointed
by God. A clear contrast is made with the distortion of the sacrament
of Communion as practiced by the Roman church.
CHAPTER
XXIII --- To Whom Sacraments Appertain
Baptism is for adult
believers and for the children of the faithful. The Supper of the
Lord should be restricted to those of the household of faith who are
able to "examine themselves both in their faith and in their
duty to their neighbors."
CHAPTER
XXIV --- The Civil Magistrate
Government is ordained by God.
As with David, the government is to be a champion of true religion.
CHAPTER
XXV --- The Gifts Freely Given to the Kirk
The local
congregation consists of both grain and tares. God's gifts to us
include remission of sins and the resurrection of our bodies. The
faithful are assured of eternal life in a blessed state. The
unbelieving can expect only eternal condemnation.
"Arise,
O Lord, and let thine enemies be confounded;
let them flee from
thy presence that hate thy godly Name.
Give thy servants strength
to speak thy Word with boldness,
and let all nations cleave to
the true knowledge of thee.
Amen."
Scots Confession,
Conclusion