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, and a Christian life. CHAP. 7.

IN the seuenth place we teach, that they, whoe are made righteous and acceptable to God, by faith alone in Christ Iesus, & that by the grace of God without any merits, ought in the wholl course of their life that followeth both all toge∣ther iointlie, & euerie one particularlie, according as the or∣der, condition, age, and place of euery one doth require, to performe and exercise those good works, and holie actions, which are commaunded of God, euen as God commaun∣deth, when he saith, Teach them to obserue all thinges, which I haue commaunded you. Now these good workes or holie acti∣ons, are not certaine affections deuised of flesh and bloode (for such the Lorde forbiddeth) but they are expresselie shewed and propounded vnto vs by the spirit of God, to do the which God doth binde vs, the rule and chiefe square whereof God himselfe is in his word: for so he saith by the Prophet, Walke not in the commaundements of your Fathers, and * 1.1keepe not their iudgements, and defile not your selues with their I∣doles: I am Iehouah your God, walke ye in my commaundementes, and keepe my iudgements, and doe them. Likewise Christ saieth,

Teach them those thinges, which I haue commaunded you. There∣fore * 1.2the 10. commaundements, and loue, which by faith worke••h righteousnes, on the right hand, & on the left hand, as well toward God as toward our neighbour, is a certaine summe, a most streight square, & a most artificiall shaping or description of all good workes. Now an example of this square is the moste holie life of Christ, whereof he himselfe * 1.3saith, Learne of me, because I am meeke and humble in heart. And what other thing would he teach, by vttering those eight sen¦tences * 1.4of happines, then to shewe what manner of life the true children of God ought to lead, and what be the works which God hath commaunded.

Therefore according to these thinges they reach with all care and diligence, touching the difference, which is to be knowen and kept, betwixt those works which are deuised and taught of men, and those which are commaunded of God. Those workes which are commaunded of God, ought not to be interrmitted for humane traditions. For Christ doth grieuoslie reprehend this in them that doe otherwise, & in the Pharises, saying, Why doe you transgresse the commaun∣dements * 1.5of God for your traditions? And againe, In vaine doe they worship me, seeing they do only teach the commaundements of men. * 1.6But such works as are taught of men, what shew soeuer they haue euen of goodnes, are in no case to be so highly estee∣med, as those, which are commaunded of God. Yea, to saie somewhat more, if they be not of faith, but contrary to faith, they are of no value at all, but are an abomination and fil∣thines before the face of God. Now all good workes are deuided, first, generallie, into those which pertaine to all true Christians, according to the vnitie of faith and catho∣licke saluation. Secondly they are deuided particularly into those which are proper to the order, age, and place of euery man, as the holie Ghost doth seuerallie teach Elders, Ma∣sters, the common sorte, Parentes, children, the maried, the vnmaried, and euerie one, what be their proper bonds and workes. Moreouer in this point men are diligentlie taught to know, how, and wherein good workes doe please God. Truelie they please God no otherwise, then in the onelie name of our Lord Iesus Christ, in whose name, they ought to be done to the glorie of god, according to the doctrine of

Paull the Apostle, who speaketh thus, Whatsoeuer you doe in wordes and in deedes, doe all in the name of our Lord Iesus. And * 1.7the Lorde himselfe saith, Without me ye can doe thing, that is, nothing that maie please God, and be for your saluation. Now to doe good workes in the name of Christ, is to doe them, in a liuelie faith in him, whereby we are iustified, and in loue, which is poured forth into our hearts by the holie Ghost, in such sorte that God loueth vs, and we againe loue him and our neighbour. For the holy Ghost doth san∣ctifie, mooue, and kindle the hearts of them which are iu∣stified, to doe these holie actions, as the Lorde saieth, He * 1.8shall be in you: And the Apostle, The anoynting of God teacheth you These two, Faith and loue, are the fountaine and square of all vertues and good workes, according to the testimony of the Apostle, The end of the commandement is loue out of a pure * 1.9heart and a good conscience, and faith not feigned. And againe, Without faith it is not possible to please God. Also, without loue no∣thing doth profit a man.

In the next place they teach, why and to what purpose or end, such good workes, as pertaine to Christian godlines, ought to be done, to wit, not in this respect, that men by these workes should obtaine iustification or saluation, and remission of sins (for Christ saith, When you haue done all those * 1.10thinges which were commaunded you, saie, we are vnprofitable ser∣uants. Also Paull saith, Not for the workes of righteousnes, which * 1.11we haue done, but through his mercie hath he saued vs: wherewith * 1.12al those words of Dauid agree, when he praieth, Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, because that in thy sight shall no flesh liuing be iustified.) But Christians are to exercise them∣selues in good works, for these causes following. First, that by this meane, they may prooue and declare their faith, & by these workes be knowne to be true Christians, that is, the li∣uelie members and followers of Christ, whereof our Lorde saith, Euerie tree is knowen by his owne fruites. In deede good * 1.13workes are assured arguments, and signes and testimonies, and exercises of a liuelie faith, euen of that faith, which li∣eth hidde in the heart, and to be shorte, of the true fruit thereof, and such as is acceptable to God. Paull saith, Christ liueth in me: for in that I now liue in the flesh, I liue by faith in the Sonne of God. And trulie it can not be otherwise, but * 1.14

that as sinne doth bring forth death, so faith, and iustificati∣on, which ariseth therout, doth bring forth life, inwardlie in the spirit, and outwardlie in the works of charitie. Second∣lie we must therefore doe good workes, that Christians might confirme and build vp their Election and vocation in themselues, and preserue it * 1.15by taking heed that they fall not in mortall sinnes, euen as Saint Peter teacheth, among other thinges writing thus: Wherefore brethren endeauour ra∣ther to make your election and vocation sure, or to confirme it. And how this maie be done, he doth brieflie declare a litle be∣fore, Therefore giuing all diligence thereunto, ioyne vertue with your faith: and with vertue, knowledge: and with knowledge, tempe∣rance: and with temperance, pacience: & with pacience, godlines: & with godlines, brotherlie kindnes: and with brotherlie kindnes, loue. For if these thinges be among you, and abound in you, they will make you that ye neither shall be idle, nor vnfruitfull in the know∣ledge of our Lorde Iesus Christ. In which place Saint Peter doth euidently shew, that we must endeuour to exercise ourselues in good workse, * 1.16first for this cause, lest that the grace of faith & a good conscience, which we haue, be either lost or defiled, but that it maie rather be preserued. (For the holie * 1.17Ghost doth flie from Idolaters, and departeth from pro∣phane men, and the euill and vnpure spirit doth returne in∣to an emptie and idle house. Also, whosoeuer doth either loose, or defile a good conscience, what commendable thing, or what worke can he do that is pretious and accep∣table to God? how shall he giue himselfe to prayer?) Se∣condlie for this cause, that we maie profitte and increase more and more in this grace, and that we maie gaine vnto the Lorde, by occupying those talents which are commit∣ted to our trust: whereof Saint Paull saith, Now we all behol∣ding, * 1.18as in a mirrour, the glorie of the Lord with open face, are chan∣ged into the same Image from glorie to glorie: that is, we beholde Christ, who is the image and glorie of the Father, & herein we indeauour, that we maie be conformed to the likenes of this Image, by the holie ghost, which doth kindle vs therun∣to, til this Image doth get her perfection, by the blessed re∣surrection. Thirdly we must do & exercise our selues in good workes, as well for the promises of this life, as also for the re∣ward of eternall life (whereof mention is made verie often

and at large in the holie scripture) & that by faith in Christ wee maie haue a more easie entrance to the attaining of those rewards, and to the eternal kingdome of heauen, as S. Peter testifieth, saying, If ye doe these thinges, ye shall neuer fall. * 1.19For by this meanes an entring shalbe ministred vnto you abundant∣lie into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ. But chiefelie we must doe the workes of mercie, whereby we maie benefit our neighbour, whereby we pro∣uide and doe for him, and whereof he standeth in neede, such as these be, to giue almes, to visite the sicke, to haue a care of them, or to be at hand to doe them seruice, to teach the simple, by counsell and labour to helpe others, to par∣don offences, and such like, which all haue the promises of the bountifullnes of God and of rewardes, to doe the which Christ our Lord doth exhort in these words, Be ye mer¦cifull, * 1.20is your Father is mercifull. Giue, and it shall be giuen to you; forgiue, and ye shall be forgiuen. And in an other place, Sell your * 1.21goods, and giue almes: get you bagges, which waxe not olde, a trea∣s••••e that cannot faile in heauen, where no theefe commeth, and where the moth corrupteth nothing. Also, When thou makest * 1.22a feast, call the poore, the maimed, the lame, the blinde, and thou shalt be blessed, because they can not recompence thee: for thou shalt be recompenced at the resurrection of the iust. Also, I was an hun∣gred, I thirsted, I was a straunger, naked, sicke, and in prison, and in all thinges ye helped me by your seruice: Verilie I saie vnto you. In as much as ye did these thinges to one of the least of my brethren, ye did them to me. Come hither ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdome prepared for you before the beginning of the worlde. By these it is plaine and manifest, that those works which pro∣ceede of faith, do please God, & are rewarded with aboun∣dant grace, to wit, with the recompence of al kinde of good thinges & blessings, both in this life, & in the life to come.

Lastly this doctrine is shut vp with this or such like exhor∣tation, that no man can perfectlie doe these works of Chri∣stian godlines, or fullie performe the commaundementes of God, and that no man can be found, who doth not faile in anie parte hereof, and who is cleane without sinne: as it is written, There is not a man so iust on the earth, who doth vp∣rightlie, and not sinne: and that therefore euerie one ought to * 1.23seeke and to enioy his perfection, in Christ Iesus, in his

grace, pretious sacrifice and merit, by that faith and his iu∣stification, which consisteth in the remission of sinnes, if he will not haue anie thing in himselfe that maie deserue dam∣nation. For Christ alone is our perfection, and fulfilling of the lawe, our life and righteousnes, and whosoeuer receiue him by faith, and doe whollie trust in him, these men haue all their sinnes washed awaie in the bloode of Christ, so that afterwarde they neede not to feare condemnation. For thus Paull writeth, Therefore now there is no condemnation to * 1.24them which are in Christ Iesus, which doe not walke according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. For to these men Christ i•• * 1.25made of God wisedome, righteousnes, sanctification, and redemp∣tion.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ezech. 2••.
• * 1.2

  Math. 18.
• * 1.3

  Math. 11.
• * 1.4

  Math. 5.
• * 1.5

  Math. 15.
• * 1.6

  Looke the 1. Obseruat vpon this confess. Mar. 7. Isa. 29. Isa. 1. & 64.
• * 1.7

  Coloss. 3. 1 Cor. 10. Ioh. 15.
• * 1.8

  Ioan. 14. 1 Ioan. 2.
• * 1.9

  1. Tim. 1. Heb. 11. 1. Cor. 13.
• * 1.10

  Luc. 17.
• * 1.11

  Tit. 3.
• * 1.12

  Psa. 143.
• * 1.13

  Luc ••.
• * 1.14

  Gal. 2.
• * 1.15

  looke the 2. obseruat. vpon this confess. 2. Pet. 1.
• * 1.16

  looke the 3. obseruat.
• * 1.17

  Sap. 1. Mat. 12. Luc. 11.
• * 1.18

  2. Cor. 3.
• * 1.19

  2. Pet. 1.
• * 1.20

  Luc 6.
• * 1.21

  Luc. 12.
• * 1.22

  Luc. 14.
• * 1.23

  Eccles. 7.
• * 1.24

  Rom. 8.
• * 1.25

  1. Cor. 1.