A07407:11
The justification of man by faith onlyThe iustification of man by faith only
The justification of man by faith only: made and written by Philip Melanchthon. and translated out of the Latin in to this our mother tongue by Nicholas Less of London An apology or defence of the word of God, declaring what a necessary thing it is, to be in all mens hands, the want where of is the only cause of all ungodliness committed through the whole earth, made by the said Nicholas LessThe iustification of man by faith only: made and vvritten by Phylyp Melanchton. and translated out of the Latyn in to this oure mother tonge by Nicholas Lesse of London An apologie or defence of the worde of God, declaringe what a necessary thynge it is, to be in all mennes handes, the want wher of is the only cause of al vngodlienes committed thorowe the whole earth, made by the sayde Nicholas Lesse
Imprinted at London : In Fleet street at the sign of the George next to Saint Dunstones church by William Powell, in the year of our Lord God .M.CCCCC.XLVIII. the .XI. day of October 1548Imprinted at London : In Flete strete at the signe of the George next to Saynt Dunstones church by VVilliam Powell, in the yere of oure Lorde God .M.CCCCC.XLVIII. the .XI. daye of October 1548
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
¶ T• third sort knowledgyng and confessing Christ in his own kind: that he is the only saviour, the only redeemer,1 our only mediator and advocate, which showeth to his father in our cause his bloody pains, which he hath suffered and passed for us these men do teach that only by faith every Christian man is justified in the blood of the Lamb, which is Christ. Nat there by excluding repentance and good works from our life:2 as the Papists, and Hypocrites do continually bark and blaspheme: but excluding them from the cause of our justification,3 which cause is only Christ and his merits These be those men which would fain that Christ had his right and his honour not minished: these men will and teach him to be a whole saviour: not scanted, mangled, pieced and botched ⟨p. v⟩Of these sort of new learned men was John Baptiste:4 which for all that he taught the people repentance and knowleginge of their sin, yet for all that he declared, that all that would not serve them, did they never so much, showing to the people with his finger him which should be their saviour, which came down for none other cause but to take away the sin of man. If there had been any other thing beside him, wherein our salvation should consist: he would not have said, behold the Lamb of God which take the away the sin of the world, he would have ben well ware of it: he would not have spoken these words so plain to be any manner of occasion of heresy or division, he would have said: look, yonder is he, which may do much in this cause: he shall be a great part of your salvation: but yet take good heed and trust not to much to him:5 trust to your works also or else ye may be deceived. This or such like oration would he have made to his hearers. But he was well assured of the contrary. And therefore he showed to them their sin, that they might see and abhor their abomination of life: their filthiness of manners: to the intent they might be the more apt to receive comfort