away therefore from such." 2 Tim. iii. 1-5. Of which time also Christ forespake in these words: "And then many shall be offended at these examples, and shall betray one another, and hate one another and many false Prophets shall arise, and deceive many : and because iniquity shall increase many ways, the love of many shall be cold: but he that endureth to the end, he shall be saved." Matt. xxiv. 10-13. These words are to be understood of them, which do continue in the doctrine of Christ, enduring all adversities, wherewith they are assailed. And in another place Christ crieth out, "Woe to the world, because of offences:" Matt. xviii. 7. and, "Blessed is he that shall not be offended in me." Matt. xi. 6.

V. FROM THE CONFESSION OF FRANCE.

Art. 26. Therefore we believe, that it is not lawful for any man to withdraw himself from the congregations, and to rest in himself; but rather that all men are to defend and to preserve the unity of the Church, submitting themselves to the common instruction, and to the yoke of Christ, wheresoever God doth appoint that true Ecclesiastical discipline, although the decrees of magistrates should gainsay it: from which order whosoever do separate themselves, they do resist the ordinance of God.

Art. 27. We believe, that very carefully and wisely the true Church (the name whereof too many do abuse) is to be discerned. Therefore we affirm, out of the word of God, that the Church is a company of the faithful, which agree together in following the word of God, and in embracing pure religion, wherein also they do daily profit, growing and confirming themselves mutually in the fear of God, as they which have need daily to go forward and to profit, and who, although they profit never so much, must notwithstanding of necessity daily fly to the remission of sins. Yet we do not deny but that many hypocrites and reprobates are mingled with the faithful; but their guileful dealing is not able to take away the name of the Church.

Art. 28. Therefore, seeing we believe this to be so, we withal boldly affirm, that, where the word of God is not received, and where there is no profession of that obedience which is due thereunto, nor any use of Sacraments, there (if we will speak properly) we cannot judge any Church to be. Therefore we condemn the Papistical assemblies, because that the pure truth of God is banished from them; among whom the Sacraments of faith are corrupted, counterfeited, and falsified, or altogether abolished; and, to conclude,

among whom all superstitions and idolatries are in full force. And therefore we think, that all they who join themselves to such actions, and communicate therewith, do separate themselves from the body of Christ. Yet notwithstanding, because that in Papacy there be some small tokens of a Church, and the substance especially of Baptism hath remained, (the efficacy whereof doth not depend upon him by whom it is ministered,) we confess, that they which are there baptized, need not to be baptized the second time; howbeit, by reason of the corruptions which are mingled therewith, no man can offer infants there to be baptized, but that he must defile himself.

VI. FROM THE CONFESSION OF ENGLAND.

Art. 4. We believe, that there is one Church of God, and that the same is not shut up (as, in times past, among the Jews) into some one corner or kingdom; but that it is Catholic, and universal, and dispersed throughout the whole world: so that there is now no nation, which may truly complain that they be shut forth, and may not be one of the Church and people of God. And that this Church is the Kingdom, the Body, and the Spouse of Christ: that Christ alone is the Prince of this Kingdom; that Christ alone is the Head of this Body; and that Christ alone is the Bridegroom of this Spouse.*

VII. FROM THE CONFESSION OF SCOTLAND.

Article 5. Of the Continuance, Increase, and Preservation of the Church.

We most constantly believe that God preserved, instructed, multiplied, honoured, decored, and from death called to life his Church in all ages, from Adam till the coming of Christ in the flesh. Ezek. xvi. 6-14. For Abraham he called from his father's country; him he instructed, his seed he multiplied; Gen. xii. 1-3. the same he marvellously preserved, and more marvellously delivered from the bondage and tyranny of Pharaoh : Exod. i. ii. &c. to them he gave his laws, constitutions, and ceremonies; Exod. xx. xxiii. &c. them he possessed in the land of Canaan; Joshua i. 3. and xxiii. 4. to them, after Judges, and after Saul, he gave David to be King; to whom he made

• Another extract of some length, from the English Confession, here given by mistake in the Latin Harmony, is removed (as directed) in the present, as in both the older editions of the Translation, to a more appropriate place in the Eleventh Section. EDITOR.

promise, that of the fruit of his loins should One sit for ever upon his regal seat. 2 Sam. vii. 12. To this same people, from time to time, he sent Prophets, to reduce them to the right way of their God; from the which oftentimes they declined by idolatry. 2 Kings xvii. 13-17. And albeit that for the stubborn contempt of justice, he was compelled to give them into the hands of their enemies; 2 Kings xxiv. 3, 4. as before was threatened by the mouth of Moses, Deut. xxviii. 36; 48. insomuch that the holy city was destroyed, the temple burned with fire, and the whole land left desolate the space of seventy years; Jer. xxxix. 8-14. yet of mercy did he reduce them again to Jerusalem, Ezra. i. 1—6. where the city and temple were reedified, Hag. i. 14. and they, against all temptations and assaults of Satan, did abide till the Messias came, according to the promise. Hag. ii. 7-9. Zech. iii. 8.

Article 16. Of the Church.

As we believe in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; so do we most constantly believe that from the beginning there hath been, and now is, and to the end of the world shall be, one Church : Matt. xxviii. 20. that is to say, a company and multitude of men, chosen of God, Ephes. i. 4. who rightly worship and embrace him by true faith in Christ Jesus; who is the only Head of the same Church; Col. i. 18. which also is the body and spouse of Christ Jesus. Ephes. v. 23-32. Which Church is Catholic, that is, universal; because it containeth the elect of all ages, of all realms, nations, and tongues, Apoc. vii. 9. be they of the Jews, or be they of the Gentiles, who have communion and society with God the Father, and with his Son Christ Jesus, through the sanctification of his Holy Spirit; and therefore it is called the Communion, not of profane persons, but of Saints; who, as citizens of the Heavenly Jerusalem, Ephes. ii. 19. have the fruition of the most inestimable benefits, to wit, of one God, one Lord Jesus, one faith, and one baptism: Ephes. iv. 4-6. out of the which Church, there is neither life nor eternal felicity. And therefore we utterly abhor the blasphemy of those that affirm, that men which live according to equity and justice, shall be saved, what religion soever they have professed. For as without Christ Jesus there is neither life nor salvation, John iii. 36. so shall there none be participant thereof, but such as the Father hath given unto his Son Christ Jesus, and those that in time come unto him, avow his doctrine, and believe in him: (we comprehend the children with the faithful parents. Acts ii. 39.) This

Church is invisible, known only to God, who alone knoweth whom he hath chosen, and comprehendeth as well (as is said) the elect that be departed, commonly called the Church Triumphant, as those that yet live and fight against sin and Satan, and shall live hereafter.

Article 18. Of the Notes, by which the true Church is discerned from the false; and who shall be Judge of the Doctrine.

Because that Satan from the beginning hath laboured to deck his pestilent Synagogue with the title of the Church of God, and hath inflamed the hearts of cruel murderers, to persecute, trouble, and molest the true Church, and members thereof; as Cain did Abel, Gen. iv. 8. Ishmael Isaac, Gen. xxi. 9. Esau Jacob, Gen. xxvii. 41. and the whole priesthood of the Jews, Christ Jesus himself, and his Apostles after him: Matt. xxiii. 34. John xi. 53. Acts iv. 3. and v. 17. it is a thing most requisite, that the true Church be discerned from the filthy Synagogues by clear and perfect notes, lest we, being deceived, receive and embrace to our condemnation the one for the other. The notes, signs, and assured tokens, whereby the immaculate spouse of Christ Jesus is known from the horrible harlot, the Church malignant, we affirm are neither antiquity, title usurped, lineal descent, place appointed, nor multitude of men approving an error. For Cain in age and title was preferred to Abel and Seth; Jerusalem had prerogative above all places of the earth, where also were the Priests, lineally descended from Aaron; and greater number followed the Scribes, Pharisees, and Priests, than unfeignedly believed and approved Christ Jesus and his doctrine. And yet, as we suppose, no man of sound judgment will grant, that any of the forenamed were the Church of God. The notes, therefore, of the true Church of God, we believe, confess, and avow to be, first, the true preaching of the word of God, in the which God hath revealed himself unto us, as the writings of the Prophets and Apostles do declare: John iii. 34. secondly, the right administration of the Sacraments of Christ Jesus, which must be annexed unto the word and promise of God, to seal and confirm the same in our hearts: Rom. iv. 11. lastly, Ecclesiastical discipline, uprightly ministered, as God's word prescribeth, whereby vice is repressed, and virtue nourished. 1 Cor. v. 3-5. Wheresoever, then, these former notes are seen, and of any time continue, (be the number never so few, about two or three,) there, without all doubt, is the true Church of Christ; who, according to his promise, is in the midst of them: Matt. xviii. 19, 20. not in the universal, of which we have be

fore spoken; but particular, such as was in Corinth, 1 Cor. i. 2. Galatia, Gal. i. 2. Ephesus, Acts xx. 17. and other places, in which the ministry was planted by Paul, and which were of himself named the Churches of God: and such Churches we, the inhabitants of the realm of Scotland, professors of Christ Jesus, profess ourselves to have in our cities, towns, and places reformed. For the doctrine taught in our Churches is contained in the written word of God, to wit, in the books of the Old and New Testaments; in those books we mean, which of the ancients have been reputed Canonical. In the which we affirm that all things necessary to be believed for the salvation of mankind, are sufficiently expressed. The interpretation whereof, we confess, neither appertaineth to private nor public person; neither yet to any Church, for any pre-eminence, or prerogative, personal or local, which one hath above another; but appertaineth to the Spirit of God, by whom also the Scripture was written. When controversy, then, happeneth for the right understanding of any place or sentence of Scripture, or for the reformation of any abuse within the Church of God, we ought not so much to look what men before us have said or done, as unto that which the Holy Ghost uniformly speaketh within the body of the Scriptures, and unto that which Christ Jesus himself did, and commanded to be done. For this is one thing universally granted, that the Spirit of God, which is the Spirit of unity, is in nothing contrary to himself. 1 Cor. xii. 4-6. If, then, the interpretation, determination, or sentence of any Doctor, Church, or Council, repugn to the plain word of God, written in any other place of the Scripture, it is a thing most certain that there is not the true understanding and meaning of the Holy Ghost; although that Councils, Realms, and Nations have approved and received the same. For we dare not receive or admit any interpretation, which repugneth to any principal point of our faith, or to any other plain text of Scripture, or yet unto the rule of charity.

Article 25. Of the Gifts freely given to the Church.

Albeit that the word of God truly preached, and the Sacraments rightly ministered, and discipline executed according to the word of God, be the certain and infallible signs of the true Church; yet we mean not that every particular person, joined with such company, is an elect member of Christ Jesus. For we acknowledge and confess that darnel, cockle, and chaff may be sown, grow, and in great abundance lie in the midst of the wheat: that is, the reprobate