A07407:201
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.
¶ What marvel is it, though such as they be, are traitors against their princes here in earth, if they do work in hugger mugger their most pitiful and lamē table destruction, to the overthrow of whole realms, to the utter casting away and decay of common wealths, to the impoverishing of all the world, to the maintenance of thieves, murderers of them that are void of all pity, against their fathers and mothers, of whoremongers, adulterous persons, ravishers of virgins, breakers and despisers of the most holy state & sacrament of wedlock and finally the very rotted seed of all kind of mischief.
¶ What meruayle is it, though such as they be, are traytors against theyr prynces here in erth, if they do worke in huggar muggar theyr most pitiful and lamē table distruction, to the ouerthrowe of whole realmes, to the vtter castinge away and decay of common welthes, to the impouerishinge of al the worlde, to the mayntenans of theues, murtherers of thē that are voyde of al pytye, against theyr fathers and mothers, of whormongers, aduouterous persons, rauishers of vyrgins, breakers and dispysers of the most holy state & sacrament of wedlocke and finally the very roted sede of al kind of mischiefe.
¶ If therefore the knowledge of god causeth, the love of god: so that without we know him, we can not have, neither him nor none of his benefits in estimation and valour of a good straw: it followeth consequently of necessity, that the lack of the knowledge of him, causeth the hatred and little good affection toward him, or any of his works. So that it followeth, that the cause that we love him not, is the cause we know him ⟨image 89⟩not. Nat as Judas knew him, which alway was present in company with him familiar with him, at board & table with him, which kissing his blessed mouth and knowing him corporally, betrayed him. Nat as the Jews knew him, which scourging and beating of his blessed body committed all kind of villainy, nailed his body to the cross, and so forth as the history maketh most godly & ghostly mention. For that corporal knowledge how little it profiteth, nay how much it hurteth (if you do rest there and go no further) the master of all heavenly knowledge Christ declareth with very plain words speaking of his own flesh and blood, saying: the flesh profiteth nothing at all: it is the spirit that giveth life and quickeneth. The lord did speak plainly, not meaning any other thing then he did with his mouth speak and declare. To mans judgement what thing could be more heavenly, more blessed (as it is in deed) than to have the body of our saviour, forty weeks within our own bodies, as the virgin Mary had? But if that she had not known him in her spirit a little more perfectly than her corporal knowledge might have given information, forsooth it should have profited her very little or nothing: she