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.

A CATALOGVE OF THE CONFESSIONS WHERE∣OF THIS HARMONIE IS FRAMED, ACCOR∣ding to the order of the times, wherein euery of them were written and published.

I

THe confession of Auspurge was first presented in the Germane tongue at the Citie Auspurge, in the yeare 1530. to Charles the fift being Emperor, by cer∣tein most renoumed Princes of Germa∣nie, and other states of the sacred Em∣pire, whome they call Protestants. Secondlie the selfe same yeare it was set out and published at Wirtemberge in latine, somewhat corrected in certaine Articles, with a preface, and the subscription of the authors names.

II.

THat confession of the foure cities was presen∣ted both in the Germane, and also in the Latine tongue, to the same most sacred Emperor Charles the fift, in the same assemblie held at Auspurge, in the same yere, by the Embassadours of the Cities of Strausbrough, Con∣stance, M••mi••ga, Lindaw: both which we haue in cer∣tein Articles compared together, that the readers might haue the one made more ample by the other: and we haue

therefore in the titles called it the confession of Sueue∣land, for that those foure Cities, by whome it was presen∣ted, are commonlie counted neighbours to Sueueland.

III.

THat of Basill about the yere 1532. was first written in the Germane tongue by the ministers of the Church of Basill, & also by a common subscription alowed of the Pastors of Strausbrough, then again in the yere 1561. both recognised and receiued by the selfe same ministers of Basill. Afterward also it was published by the magistrate of Millaine in his owne name in the Germane tongue with a preface, as though it had beene that Chur∣ches own confession. And at the last it was turned into la∣tine. Whichwe, as more auncient then the rest of Helue∣tia, haue thought good to be set downe here also, and doe else where in like sort call it the confession of Millaine.

IIII.

THe former Confession of Heluetia was writ∣ten at Basill about the yere 1536. in the behalfe of all the Churches of Heluetia, and sent and presented to the assemblie of diuines at Wirtemberge by Master Bucer and Master Capito: and in the yeare following 1537. it was againe propounded together with the de∣claration thereof to the assemblie at Smalcaldia by Bu∣cer himselfe, and alowed of that wholl assemblie, namely, of al•• ••he diuines 〈◊〉〈◊〉 degrees of Protestantes, as Luther his ow••e latters to 〈…〉〈…〉 Heluetians doe testifie. And the d••••lara••ion in 〈…〉〈…〉 as conferred in very manie places 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the more am•••••• copie written in the Germane 〈…〉〈…〉

V.

TH••t of Saxonie was written in latine in th•• yeere 1551. in the behalfe of the Saxon Chur∣ches, by Master Philip Melancthon, that it might be presented to the councell of ••rent: to which not onelie the Saxon and Meissen Churches, but also verie manie o∣ther did suscribe, as if it had beene to the confession of Au∣spurge repeated.

VI.

THat of Wirtemberge was of the most renoumed prince and Lord, Lord Christopher Duke of Wirtemberge & Tecca, Earle of Mountbelgard, by his embassadours presented to the assemblie of the Tridentine councell the 24. daie of the moneth of Ianuarie in the yeare 1552.

VII.

THe French confession was in the yere 1559. presented to Frauncis the second King of France first at Amboise, in the behalfe of all the godly of that Kingdome: Secondlie in the yere 1561. at Poisie. It was presented againe in French, to Charles the ninth: and at length also published by the Pastors of the French Chur∣ches, with a preface to all other Euangelicall Pastors, in the yeare 1566.

VIII.

THe English confession was inserted in the ge∣nerall apologie written in the yere 1562. in the behalfe of the English Churche.

IX.

THe latter confession of Heluetia was written by the Pastors of Zurich, in the yeare 1566. and approoued and subscribed vnto, not onlie of the Tigurines them selues and their confederates of Bern, Scaphusi∣a, Sangallia, Rhetia, Myllaine, and Bienna: but also of all them of Geneua, and of Sauoi, of Polonie and likewise by the Churches of Hungarie, and Scotland.

X.

THe confession of Belgia was published in french in the name of al the Churches of Belgia, in the yere 1566. and in the yere 1579. in a pub••••que Sy∣node helde at Belgium, it was repeated, confirmed, and turned into the Belgian tongue.

XI.

THat of Bohemia beeing the last of the four for∣mer, which were farre more auncient, (which for the largenes we thought good not to be inserted into this harmonie) being recited in the same order of Chapters & arguments, & somewhat more plainly expressed, & in the yere 1573. published in diuers places, was also approo∣ued by common testimony of the vniuersitie of Wirtem∣berge, euen as Master Luther, & Melancton had ap∣prooued the former, published in the yere 1532. beeing altogether the same in doctrine with this, as Luther his preface wit••esseth▪ and we haue called it else where the confession of the Waldenses, following the common ti∣tle assigned therunto by those Churches: which we would haue to be spoken without any preiudice to those brethrē.