A07407:193
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.
¶ Yet: me thinketh to be a thing reasonable, that they should do some thing for their great livings: otherwise they appear to be consumers and devourers of those livings, which by most godly and noble princes were provided and ordained ⟨p. lxxxiii⟩for good men, which would be glad to do their duties. They do think (but they are deceived) that they have done their duty sufficiently, if ones or twice in the year they do go about on visitation, when the pore creatures, were better to have them away than among them. For the Evangel or Gospel of god, is not a whit the more preferred nor set forth, the repentance for sin, the trust and confidence of mercy for Christ sake only, not so often as ones mentioned. The commandments are nothing taught how they should be kept. They do no more but seek and search if a few of mans traditions be thoroughly observed and kept, that the infringers and breakers thereof might be with most rigour and all extremity punished. They do rebuke no vices, as whoredom, adultery, fornication, blasphemy against the name of god, extortion, neglect of the holy & blessed word of god, as things pertaining nothing to their office. And at their departing, they do leave over the pore flock (being never the better for their coming) such pastors and shepherd, as to whom for their knowledge and learning and much less wit, and much worse conversation of life: a wise man would be loth to commit the keeping of his ⟨image 84⟩Swine, more mete to be scourers of foul mazers, than to have the cure of souls. These be no curates, but gaylers and tormenters, keeping the consciences & souls of men laden down with irons of their own traditions, keeping them in great famine and hunger, as lean as rakes, perishing for lack of the heavenly food, and crying out to your good lordship, meat meat for pore prisoners, not of Newgate, but of the Pope his foul stinking and dark dungeon: being by most gracious pardon quite, and our fees payed and yet for all that kept in most cruel durance, lying and rotting in cold irons, that no man is able to abide the savour. O that your good lordship might with your merciful eyes see and behold, how pitifully, how bare and lean they look, how they be eaten with vermin for lack of keeping: there is no doubt but your good lordship would take pity and compassion on them, would see them set at large.
¶ Yet: me thynketh to be a thyng reasonable, that they shuld do some thyng for theyr great liuinges: otherwise they appeare to be consumers and deuourers of those liuinges, which by most godly and noble prynces were prouided and ordeyned