An harmony of the confessions of the faith of the Christian and Reformed Churches which purelie professe the holy doctrine of the Gospell in all the chiefe kingdomes, nations, and prouinces of Europe: the catologue and order whereof the pages following will declare. There are added in the ende verie shorte notes: in which both the obscure thinges are made plaine, & those thinges which maie in shew seeme to be contrarie each to other, are plainelie and verie modestlie reconciled, and if anie points doe as yet hang in doubt, they are sincerelie pointed at. All which things, in the name of the Churches of Fraunce and Belgia, are submitted to the free and discrete iudgement of all other Churches. Newlie translated out of Latine into English. Also in the end is added the confession of the Church of Scotland. Alowed by publique authoritie.

OF COVNCELLS. CHAP. 34.

WE confesse that Councells ought to haue their iudgements in the Church concerning the holy doctrine of Religion, and that the authoritie of lawfull councells is great: but the authoritie of Gods worde must needes be the greatest. For although the Church haue a sure promise of Christs continuall presense, and be gouer∣ned by the holie Ghost, yet not euerie assemblie of men maie be taken for the true Church: and albert neuer so ma∣nie see me often times to come together in the name of Christ, yet few are chosen, and all haue not faith. And as it is wont to fall out in ciuill meetinges, so doth it also in mee∣tings of the Church, that for the moste part the greater side ouercommeth the better. Hether to may be added, that the holy Ghost doeth not make men in this life not subiect to sinne, but leaueth in them manie and sundrie infirmities. Examples also witne, that not onelie the Popes, but also Councels haue bene deceiued. Wherefore seing that the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets is confirmed of god, the sentence of no one mā, nor of anie assembly of men, is to be receiued simplie without trial, for the oracle of the holie

ghost: but it is to be laid to the rule of the Prophets & Apo∣stles doctrine, that that which agreeth therewith may be acknowledged, and that which is contrarie thereunto maie be confuted. If we or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you a gos∣pell * 1.1beside that, which we haue preached vnto you, let him be accur∣sed. * 1.2And, beleeue ye not euerie spirit, but trie the spirits whether they be of God. Againe, Trie all thinges, and keepe that which is good. * 1.3Augustine against Maxim••us a Bishop of the Arrians in his 3. booke. Chap. 14. saith. But now an I neyther to cite the coun∣cell of Nice, nor you the councell of Arimine, as it were to preiudice the matter, neither am I bound by the authoritie of the one, nor you by the authoritie of the other: with authorities of scripture, which are witnesses not proper to anie one, but common to vs both, let matter with matter, Cause with cause, Reason with reason, &c. And Panormitane in the Chapter significasti. Extr. de electio. In things concerning faith, euen the verdite of one priuat man were to be preferred before the Popes, if he were leadwith better warrants of the old & new Testament then the Pope. And Gerson in the first part about triall of doctrines. The first truth shoud stand, that if there were a plaine priuate mā sufficiently instructed in holie scri∣pture, more credit were to be giuen in a case of doctrine to his asserti∣on, then to the Popes definitiue sentence. For it is plaine, that the gospell is more to be beleeued then the Pope. If then a man so learned teach anie trueth to be contained in the Gospell, where the Pope were either ignorant, or willingly deceiued, it is cleare whose udgement were to be preferred. And a little after. Such a learned man ought in that case, while a generall councell were holden, at which he him selfe were present, to set him selfe against it, if he shoulde per∣ceiue the greater part of malice or ignorance to incline to that which is contrarie to the Gospell.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gal. 1.
• * 1.2

  1. Ioh. 4.
• * 1.3

  1. Thess. 5.