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.

Hitherto also belongeth the ss. in the end of this 7. Article.

THey alledge against vs also other sayings which com∣maund obedience, Obeie those that are set ouer you. How 〈◊〉〈◊〉 must we answer, that obedience is most necessarie in such things, as belong properly to this ministery ordained of god. For these sayinges doe not allot vnto Bishops a kingdome without the Gospell. Christ gaue them certaine commaun∣dements, and those he will haue vs obeie. Againe he forbad that anie new found worship should be set vp in the Church, and such he will not haue vs yeald vnto. There are certaine bonds and limites prefixed, within which both the Pastours authoritie & our obedience must conteine it selfe. But these limits doe those Bishops moste malapertlie remooue, who proudlie challenge to themselues a triple power, where∣by they establish most pernicious errours; to wit, a prince∣lie and supreame power of interpreting the Scriptures. Se∣condlie a power of erecting new worship and seruice of god Thirdlie, a soueraigne power of making lawes. And thus they transforme the Church into an humane gouernment. They imagine, forsooth, that as the Prince or highest Iudge in a Realme is to interpret the law, and as the Prince hath power to make new lawes, so the Bishopes must haue a pow∣er in the Church, not vnlike that. And they cannot abid•• that the Church should be gouerned by the dumbe writings (as they call them) of the Prophets and Apostles, which be∣cause somtime they scarse make the matters plaine inough, which they do set downe, the ambiguity bredeth dissentions & discords. Here therfore there must needs be saie they a definitiue voice of some soueraigne or high Iudge, to inter∣pret that which is ambiguous and doubtfullie written. And except all be tied to stand to their interpretation, there will be no end of strife and controuersies. Againe, vnlesse they maie according as times and occasions require make laws what a disorder would there follow? These things are set out with bigge wordes, and they carrie a shew of probabilitie in them, because they are an imitation of the ciuill gouerne∣ment

And surelie such conceites as these, haue in all ages, from the beginning of the worlde, hurte the Church greatly and still will hurt it. The godlie are therefore to be admo∣nished, that they be not ouertaken with these subtilties and sleights. God will haue his Church gouerned by his word, which Christ and his Apostles haue Ieste vnto the Church, and he wil haue this his voice to sound in the Church by the mouthes of his ministers. And though it doe conteine a wis∣dome, that is farre from reasons teach, yet the word of the Prophets and Apostles is sure and not doubtfull. Therefore Peter saith, Ye doe well in attending to the worde of the Prophets, as to alight in the darkenes Besides the Church hath the gift of interpretation, that is, the vnderstanding of the heauen∣lie doctrine, but that is not tied to the name or degree of Bi∣shops: and therefore it is no power of interpreting like to the power of a Prince or highest Iudge. But those that are lear∣ned in the word of God & borne againe by his spirit in what place soeuer they be, they assent vnto the worde of God, and vnderstand the same some more some lesse. Men must therfore iudge wiselie of those huge Bulwarks of the peoples power. Touching laws, to be made by the Bishops, Petersaith in a word, Why doe yea tempt God, laying a yoke on them, &c.