# Similarities/Differences in Reformed Confessions



## dannyhyde (Aug 17, 2007)

Hello list,

Besides Joel Beeke and Sinclair Ferguson's _Harmony of the Reformed Confessions_, does nayone know of any other books, private notes, etc. that deal with the similarities and differences between Reformed Confessions? Thanks to a discussion on the new URCNA list, some of the men in my parish will begin reading through this book soon.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Aug 17, 2007)

See this thread on James T. Dennison, Jr.'s ongoing project. 

Some other works in this vein include:

Morton H. Smith, _Harmony of the Westminster Confession and Catechisms_
Arthur C. Cochrane, _Reformed Confessions of the Sixteenth Century_
J.B. Green, _A Harmony of the Westminster Presbyterian Standards_
Francis Beattie, _The Presbyterian Standards: An Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms_
Edward D. Morris, _Theology of the Westminster Symbols: A Commentary Historical, Doctrinal, Practical, on the Confession of Faith and Catechisms and the Related Formularies of the Presbyterian Churches_ 
Jean Francois Salvard, _The Harmony of Confessions of Faith of the Orthodox and Reformed Churches_ (_Harmonia confessionum fidei, orthodoxarum et reformatarum ecclesiarum_) (1581)
Simon Goulart, _An Harmony of the Confessions of the faith of the Christian and Reformed churches_ (1586)
H.A. Niemeyer, _Collection of Confessions Published in the Reformed Churches_ (_Collectio confessionum in ecclesiis reformatis publicatarum_) (1840)
E.F.K. Muller, _The Confessional Writings of the Reformed Church_
Philip Schaff, _The Creeds of Christendom_
Philip Schaff, _The Harmony of the Reformed Confessions, as Related to the Present State of Evangelical Theology_
Herman Hanko, _A Comparison of the Westminster and the Reformed Confessions_
A.F. Mitchell, _Catechisms of the Second Reformation_
John Murray, _Calvin, Dordt and Westminster on Predestination: A Comparative Study_


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## toddpedlar (Aug 17, 2007)

dannyhyde said:


> Hello list,
> 
> Besides Joel Beeke and Sinclair Ferguson's _Harmony of the Reformed Confessions_, does nayone know of any other books, private notes, etc. that deal with the similarities and differences between Reformed Confessions? Thanks to a discussion on the new URCNA list, some of the men in my parish will begin reading through this book soon.



I think an exceedingly valuable book is that by Peter Hall, entitled 
"The Harmony of the Protestant Confessions", 
which you can download here. 

The confessions from which that book is framed include:

Augsburg (1530), Four Cities [?!] (1530), Basle(1532/61), Former Helvetic (1537),
Saxony(1551), Wurtemburg(1552), French(1559), England (1562 - not the 39 articles, though),
2nd Helvetic (1566), Belgic (1566), Bohemia, and Scots (1560). It also includes in an appendix the texts of the 39 articles, Westminster Confession, Articles of Dort, and the Irish Articles.

Printed you can get this for about $40 it seems.


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## Guido's Brother (Aug 17, 2007)

The latest issue of Lux Mundi (Sept. 2007) has the first installment of a series of articles by W. van't Spijker entitled "A Comparison Between the Heidelberg Catechism and the Westminster Confession." There's also a very interesting article on "Calvin's Hebrew Catechism."

FYI, Lux Mundi is the English magazine published by the Committee on Relations with Churches Abroad of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands. Subscriptions are free for members of churches in fellowship with the RCN. More information (and some back issues) here:

http://www.bbk.gkv.nl/index.asp?intStyleitID=793


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## JM (Sep 14, 2007)

Have you seen the Tabular Comparison of the WCF and the LBC?


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## Iconoclast (Sep 15, 2007)

*nice link*

JM,
Thank you for that link,it is very helpful. Nice to not have to try to reinvent the wheel.


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## JM (Sep 26, 2007)

Chapter I: Of the holy Scripture

[WCF] 6. The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down *in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture*: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word; and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and the government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.

[LBC] 6. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down *or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture*: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelation of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word, and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.

____________________________________________________________

Does anyone know the reason why the LBC changes the wording in this section, has anything been written on it?

Thanks.

j


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## elnwood (Sep 26, 2007)

Likely because "good and necessary consequence" is frequently used to defend paedobaptism, which the LBC denies.


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