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 the Sacramentes.

AS the fathers vnder the law besides the veritie of the sacrifices, had two cheefe Sacramentes, to wit, Cir∣cumcision, and the Passeouer, the despisers and contemners whereof, were not reputed for Gods people: so we acknow∣ledge and confesse, that we now in the time of the Gospell haue two chiefe Sacraments onelie, instituted by the Lord Iesus, and commaunded to be vsed of all those, that will be reputed members of his bodie, to wit, Baptisme, and the Supper or table of the Lord Iesus, called the communion of his bodie and his bloode. And these Sacramentes as well of the olde, as of the new Testament, now instituted of god, not onelie to make a visible difference betwixt his people & those that were without his league, but also to exercise the faith of his children, and by participation of the same Sa∣cramentes to seale in their heartes the assurance of his pro∣mise, and of that most blessed coniunction, vnion, and socie∣tie, which the elect haue with their heade Christ Iesus. And thus we vtterlie damne the vanitie of those, that affirme sa∣cramentes to be nothing else but naked and bare signes. No,

we assuredlie beleeue, that by baptisme we are ingrafted in Christ Iesus, to be made partakers of his iustice, by which our sins are couered, and remitted. And also that in the Supper rightlie vsed, Christ Iesus is so ioyned with vs, that he be∣commeth the verie nourishment & food of our soules. Not that we imagine any trans••ubstantiation of the bread in Christs naturall bodie, and of wine in his naturall blood as the Papists haue perniciously taught▪ and damnablie belee∣ued: but this vnion and coniunction, which we haue with the bodie and blood of Christ Iesus in the right vse of the Sacra∣mente, is wrought by operation of the holie Ghost, who by true faith carieth vs aboue all things that are visible, carnal, and earthlie, and maketh vs to f••••de vpon the bodie and bloode of Christ Iesus, which was once broken and shed for vs, which now is in heauen, and appeareth in the presence of his father for vs: and notwithstanding the farre distance of place, which is betwixt his bodie now glorified in the hea∣uen, and vs now mortall in this earth▪ yet we must assuredlie beleeue, that the breade which we breake is the communi∣on of Christs body, and the cup which we blesse, is the com∣munion of his bloode, so that we confesse and vndoubtedlie beleeue, that the faithfull in the right vse of the Lords table, doe so eate the bodie and drinke the bloode of the Lord Ie∣sus, that he remaineth in them, and they in him. Yea they are so made flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones, that as the eternall Godheade giueth to the flesh of Christ Iesus (which of the owne condition and nature was mortall and corruptible) life and immortalitie, so doeth Christ Iesus his his flesh and bloode eaten and drunken by vs, giue vnto vs the same prerogatiues. Which albeit we confesse are nei∣ther giuen vnto vs at this time onelie, neither yet by the proper power and vertue of the Sacrament onelie, yet we affirme, that the faithfull, in the right vse of the Lordes table, haue such coniunction with Christ Iesus, as the na∣turall man cannot apprehend: yea, and further we affirme, that albeit the faithfull oppressed by negligence, and manly infirmitie, doe not profit so much as they would, in the ve∣rie instant action of the Supper, yet shall it after bring fruite forth, as liuelie seede sowne in good ground. For the holie spirit, which can neuer be deuided from the right instituti∣on

of the Lord Iesus, will not frustrate the faithfull of the fruite of that mysticall action: but all this we saie commeth of true faith which apprehendeth Christ Iesus, who onelie maketh his Sacraments effectuall vnto vs. And therefore whosoeuer slaundereth vs, as that we affirme or beleeue Sacraments to be onely naked and bare signes, doeth iniury vnto vs, and speaketh against the manifest trueth. But this liberallie and frankelie we confesse, that we make distincti∣on betwixt Christ Iesus, in his eternal substance, and betwixt the elementes, in the sacramentall signes. So that we will neither worship the signes, in place of that which is signified by them, neither yet do we despise, & interpret them as vn∣profitable, and vaine, but doe vse them with all reuerence, examining our selues diligentlie before that so we doe. Be∣cause wee are assured by the mouth of the Apostle, that such as eate of that bread, & drinke of that cup vnworthe∣lie, are guiltie of the bodie and of the bloode of Christ Ie∣sus▪