[259] In the old printed copies, "the trew Kirk; we meane not that every."
[260] This clause, omitted by Knox's amanuensis, is not contained in Vautr. edit., or in the later MSS.
_Aryse, O Lord, and lett thy ennemyes be confounded: Lett thame flye frome thy presence that hait thy godlie name: Give thy Servandis strenth to speak thy word in boldnes; and lett all Nationis atteane to[261] thy trew knowledge._
[261] In the old printed copies of the Confession, "cleif," "cleve," or "cleave to."
THIE ACTIS AND ARTICLES WAR RED[262] IN FACE OF PARLIAMENT, AND RATIFIED BE THE THRE ESTAITIS OF THIS REALME, AT EDINBURGH, THE SEVINTENE DAY OF AUGUST,[263] THE YEAR OF GOD J^M. V^C. AND THRESCOIR YEARIS.
[262] In the Acts 1560 and 1567, "ar red."
[263] In the MSS. of Knox, and in Vautrollier's edition, the erroneous date, 17th July, is given instead of the 17th August, as the day when the Confession of Faith was ratified by Parliament. The same mistake occurs in the rare edition of the Confession, printed at Edinburgh by John Scott, 1561, 4to.--See Herbert's Typographical Antiquities, vol. iii. p. 1817.
[Sidenote: THE ERLE MERSCHELLIS VOTE IN PARLIAMENT]
THIS oure CONFESSIOUN was publictlie red, first in audience of the Lordis of Articles, and after in audience of the haill Parliament; whair war present, not onlie suche as professed Christ Jesus, but also a great number of the adversaries of our religioun, suche as the foirnamed Bishoppis, and some others of the Temporall Estate, who war commanded in Goddis name to object, yf thei could, any thing against that doctrine. Some of our Ministeris war present, standing upoun thair feit, reddye to have ansuered, in caise any wald haif defended the Papistrie, and impugned oure affirmatives: but whill that no objectioun was maid, thair was a day appointed to voting in that and other headis. Oure Confessioun was redd, everie article by itself, over agane, as thei war wryttin in ordour, and the vottis of everie man war requyred accordinglie. Of the Temporall Estate onlie voted in the contrair, the Erle of Atholl,[264] the Lordis Somervaill[265] and Borthwik;[266] and yit for thair disassenting thei produced no bettir reassone, but, "We will beleve as oure fatheris beleved." The Bischoppis, (Papisticall, we meane,) spack nothing. The rest of the haill thre Estaittis, by thair publict votes, affirmed the doctrine; and many, the rather, becaus that the Bischoppis wold nor durst say nothing in the contrair; for this was the vote of the Erle Merschell,[267]--"It is long since I have had some favour unto the trewth, and since that I have had a suspitioun of the Papisticall religioun; but, I praise my God, this day hes fully resolved me in the one and the other. For seing that my Lordis Bischoppis, who for thair learing can, and for the zeall that thei should bear to the veritie, wold, as I suppose, ganesay any thing that directlie repugnes to the veritie of God; seing, I say, my Lordis Bischoppis heir present speakis nothing in the contrair of the doctrine proponed, I can nott but hold it to be the verie trewth of God, and the contrarie to be deceavable doctrine. And thairfoir, so far as in me lyeth, I approve the one and dampne the other: And do farther ask of God, that not onlie I, but also all my posteritie, may enjoy the comforte of the doctrin that this day our earis have hearde. And yitt more, I man vote, as it war by way of protestatioun, that yf any persones ecclesiasticall shall after this oppone thame selfis to this our Confessioun, that thei have no place nor credite, considdering that thei having long advisement, and full knawledge of this oure Confessioun, none is now found in lauchfull, free, and quyete Parliament to oppone thame selfis to that whiche we professe: And thairfoir, yf any of this gencratioun pretend to do it after this, I protest he be repute rather one that loveth his awin commoditie and the glorie of the world, than the trewth of God, and the salvatioun of menis saullis."