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.

OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE.

Hitherto pertaineth first the 11. Article, Of this confession.

WE thinke that it is moste profitable, that children and young men be examined in the Catechisme by the Pastors of their Church, and that they be commen∣ded, if they be godlie and well instructed, and that they be amended, if they be ill instructed. The rest is to be seene in the 14. sect. where the confirmation vsed in Papisticall Baptisme is handled.

Hitherto also perteineth the 16. Art. ss. 2.

Of Praier.

BY praier god is inuocated, and true inuocation is a work of faith, and can not be done without faith. Now faith doth behold Christ, and relie vpon his merites onelie. Wherefore, except thou shalt applie vnto thy selfe the me∣rit of Christ by faith, praier wil stand thee in no stead before God. Now praier is necessarilie required for this purpose, that by a due consideration of the promises of God, faith may be stirred vp & kindled in vs. Therfore it is not absurdly saide, that sinnes are cleane taken away by praier: yet must it not so be vnderstoode, as though the verie worke of praier, of it owne merit, were a satisfaction for sinnes befor God; but that by praier faith is stirred vp and kindled in vs, by which faith we are made partakers of th•• merit of Christ, and haue our sinnes forgiuen vs, onelie for Christ his sake. For before that we doe by praier inuocate God, it shall be necessarie,

to haue the merit of Christ applied to vs, and receiued by faith. Therefore it can not be, that praier should be such a worke, as that for the merit thereof we might obteine remission of our sinnes before God. Psalme. 108. Lette his praier be turned into sinne. But it is not possible that praier should be turned into sinne, if of it selfe it were so worthie a worke, as that sinne thereby should be purged. Isa. 1. When you shall stretch out your hands, I will turne my eies from you: and when you shall multiplie your praiers, I will not heare you. But God would not turne awaie is eies from praier, it of it owne worthines it were a satisfaction for our sinnes. Au∣gustine vpon the 108. Psal. saith: That praier which is not made through Christ, doth not onelie not take awaie sinne, but also it selfe is made sin. Bernard de Quadrages. Ser. 5. saith: But some per∣aduenture doe seeke eternall life, not in humilitie, but as it were in confidence of their owne merites. Neither doe I saie this, let grace re∣ceiued giue a man confidence to praie: but no man ought to put his confidence in his praier, as though for his praier he should obteine that which he desireth. The giftes which are promised doe onelie giue this vnto vs, that we maie hope to obteine euen greater things, of that mercie which giueth these. Therefore let that praier, which is made for temporall things, be restreined to these wants onelie: also let that praier, which is made for the vertues of the soule, be free from al filthy, & vncleane behauiour: & let that praier, which is made for life eter∣nal, be occupied about the onelie good pleasure of God, and that in all humilitie presuming, as is requisite, of the onelie mercie of God.

Of Almes. CHAP. 18.

WE doe diligentlie commend almes, and exhort the Church, that euerie man helpe his neighbour, by euerie duetie that he may, and testifie his loue. But where∣as it is saide in a certaine place, That almes doe take away sinne, as water doth quench fire, we must vnderstand it according to the analogy of faith. Eor what neede was there, to the taking away of our sinnes, of Christ his passion and death, if sinnes might be taken awaie by the merit of almes? And what vse were there of the ministerie of the Gospell, if almes were ap∣pointed of God for an instrument, whereby the death of Christ might be applied to vs? Therefore, that Christ his honour may not be violated, and the ministerie of the Gos∣pell may reteine it lawfull vse, we teach, that almes doth

thus take away sinne, not that of it selfe it is a worthie worke, whereby sinne may either be purged, or the merit of Christ applied, but that it is a worke and fruite of charitie toward our neighbour, by which worke we doe testifie our faith and obedience, which we owe vnto God Now where faith is, there Christ alone is acknowledged to be the purger of sins. Therfore, seing that almes doth testifie, after their manner, that Christ doth dwell in the Godlie, it doth also testifie that they haue remission of sinnes. For except almes be a worke of charitie, which may beare witnes to faith in Christ, it is so farre from signifying, that man hath remission of sins through Christ, that it doth euen stinke in the sight of God, If I shall distribute (saith Paull) all my substance, that it may be meate for the poore, and shall not haue loue, it profiteth me nothing. Therfore we teach, that good workes must be done necessa∣rilie, that God is to be inuocated, and that almes is to be giuen, that we may testifie our faith and loue, and obeie the calling of God. But in true repentance, we teach, that we obteine remission of sinnes, onelie for the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ his sake, through faith, according to that which Peter saith, To him doe all the Prophets beare witnes, that through his name, euerie one that beleeueth in him doth receiue remission of sinnes.

Of Canonicall howres. CHAP. 27.

AVgustine writeth in a certaine place, that Ambrose the Bishop of Millane▪ did ordaine, that the assemblies of the Church should sing Psalmes, whereby they might mutuallie com∣fort themselues, whilest they looked for aduersitie, and stirre vp them selues to beare the crosse: lest the people, saith he, should pine awaie with the yrckesomnes of mourning. This singing, because it was vsed in a tongue commonly known, it had both a godlie vse, & deserued great praise. And by the Canonical decree it ap∣peereth, that those houres, which they call Canonicall, were an appointment of certeine times, wherin the wholl holie Scripture should be publikelie ouerrunne euerie yere, as in the schooles there be certain houres appointed for interpre∣ting of authors. Such a distribution of houres was peraduen∣ture not vnprofitable for that time, & in it self it is not a thing to be condemned. But to appoint a special kinde of priests, to chaunt out those Canonicall hours, & to sing them in a strange

tongue, which commonlie is not known to the Church, or is not our countrie tongue, & that in some place in the night, & in the day time without any intermission, new singers very often taking one an others course, & to make hereof a wor∣ship, not to this ende, that by patience, and the comforte of the scripture we might haue hope, as Paul saith, but that by the merit of this worke a man might mitigate the wrath of God, and purge the sins of men before God; this is it that is contrary to the meaning of that Church, which is in deede Catholike. 1. Cor. 14. When ye come together, according as euery one of you hath a psalm, or hath doctrine, or hath a tongue, or hath re∣uelation, or hath interpretation, let all things be done vnto edifying. Hierom vpon the Epist. to the Eph. Cap. 5. saith, Singing and making melody to the Lord in your heartes. Let yong men heare these things, let them heare, whose office it is to sing in the Church, that we must sing to God, not with the voice, but with the heart, and that the throate and the iawes are not to be greased with some sweete li∣quore, as they vse to doe, that play in Tragedies, &c.

Now that which was spoken, touching the vse of a tongue that is commonlie knowne, it must be vnderstoode, nor on∣lie of the singing of Psalmes, but also of all the partes of Ec∣clesiasticall ministerie. For as Sermons and praiers are to be made, in a well knowne tongue to the Church, so al∣so must the Sacramentes be dispensed in a speach that is knowne. For, although it be lawfull at some time to vse a strange tongue, by reason of the learned, yet the consent of the Catholique Church doth require this, that the necessa∣rie ministeries of the Church be executed in our countrie speache. 1. Cor. 14. I had rather in the Church to speake fiue words with my vnderstanding, that I mayalso instruct others, then ten thou∣sand wordes in a strange tongue. Innocentius the third, De offi. Iud. Ord. C. Quoniam, saith: Because that in many partes within one Citie and Diocesse, there be people of diuers languages mingled together, hauing vnder one faith diuers rites and customes, we doe ••••reictlie commaund, that the Bishops of such Cities, or Diocesses, doe prouide fit men, who, according to the diuersitie of ceremonies, and language, may execute among them the diuine dueties, and minister the Ecclesiasticall Sacraments, instructing them both by the worde, and by their example. Therefore they are to be said to doe godly and Catholiquelie, who doe so appoint the dispen∣sation

of the Sacraments, the singing of Psalmes, and the reading of holy Scripture, that the Church may vnderstand that which is said, read, or sung, and the spirit may receiue fruit, therby to comfort the minde, & to confirme the faith, and to stirre vp loue.