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 good workes, proceeding out of faith, through loue.

THese thinges we will not haue men so to vnderstand, as though we placed saluation & righteousnes in the slothful thoughtes of men, or in faith destitute of loue (which they call faith without forme) seeing that we are sure, that no man can be iust or saued, except he doe chieflie loue, & moste earnestlie imitate God. For those which he knew before, he also predestinated to be made like to the image of his Sonne. But no man can loue God aboue all thinges, and worthelie imi∣tate him, but he which doth indeede knowe him, and doth assuredlie looke for all good things from him. Therefore we cannot otherwise be iustified, that is, as to become righ∣teous, so to be saued (for righteousnes is euen our salua∣tion) then by beeing endued chiefelie with faith in him, by which faith we beleeuing the Gospell, and therefore being perswaded, that God hath taken vs for his adopted chil∣dren,

and that he will for euer shewe himselfe a louing fa∣ther vnto vs, let vs whollie depende vpon his pleasure. This faith Saint Augustine doth call, in his booke De Fide & operibus, Euangelicall, To wit, that which is effectuall through loue. By this faith we are borne againe, and the image of God is repaired in vs. By this Faith, whereas we are borne corrupt, our thoughtes, euen from our childhoode, beeing altogether bent vnto euill, we become good, and vpright. For hereupon, we beeing fullie satisfied with one God (the spring of all good thinges that is neuer drie, but runneth alwaies most plentifullie) we doe forthwith shew our selues, as it were, Gods, towardes others, that is, toward the true sonnes of god, indeauouring by loue to profit them, so much as in vs lieth. For, He that loueth his brother, abideth in the light, and is borne of God, and is wholie giuen to the new, and to the olde commaundement, touching mutuall loue. And this loue is the fullfilling of the wholl law, as Paul saith: The wholl law is fulfilled in one worde, namelie this, Thou shalt loue thy neigh∣bour as thy selfe. Gal. 5. For whatsoeuer the law teacheth, hi∣therto it tendeth, and this one thing it requireth, that at the length we maie be reformed to the perfect image of god, be∣ing good in all things, & readie and willing to do men good, the which we can neuer doe, except we be adorned with all kindes of vertues. For who can purpose and doe all thinges (as the duetie of a Christian doth require, 1. Cor. 10.) to the true edifying of the Church, and the sound profit of all men, that is, according to the lawe of God, and to the glorie of god, except that he both thinke, speake, and doe euerie thing in order, and well, and therefore be verie familiarlie acquainted with the wholl companie of vertues.