A07407:207
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.
☞ He that was sometime an Angel the father of pride, the old enemy of god and man Satan, the child of everlasting wrath and damnation: he (I say) which made to our saviour many great promises and gay, if the lord would have fallen down and worshipped him, of whom Satan knew well his head should be broken: he worketh all this mischief, all our sorrows, he envieth us to be the children of God, he would fain have us to be as he is in extreme misery: he plucketh from us the lively and most wholesome food of the soul: he knoweth that as our bodies being destitute of bodily sustenance can not chose but dye, so the body of the soul, being without the heavenly and most comfortable food of the word of God of pure necessity must perish. As Christ the right schoolmaster of health answered. Bread is not only. &c. This is our adversary well ware of: he knoweth hꝭ power very weak and feeble where the word of God is in place.
☞ He that was sometyme an Aungell the father of pryde, the olde enmy of god and man Sathā, the chyld of euerlasting wrath and dampnation: he (I say) whiche made to our sauiour many great promises and gay, if the lorde wolde haue fallen downe and worshipped him, of whom Sathan knew wel his head shuld be broken: he worketh al this mischiefe, al our sorowes, he enuieth vs to be the chyldren of God, he wolde fayn haue vs to be as he is in extreme miserie: he plucketh from vs the lyuely and most holsō fode of the soul: he knoweth that as our bodies beinge destitude of bodily sustenance can nat chose but dye, so the bodye of the soule, being without the heuenly and most comfortable fode of the worde of God of pure necessitie must perysshe. As Christ ye ryght scholemaister of helth answered. Breade is nat only. &c. Thys is our aduersary wel ware of: he knoweth hꝭ power very weke and feble where the worde of God is in place.
❧ Some Antichrist therefore, like to him self must he stir up and ordain (as he knoweth what maketh for his purpose) making and constituting him as god in earth, lord over all the world fellow and checkmate with God, forgiver and holder of sins, having the keys of Heaven and of Hell, not being under any▪ but holding the heads of all princes under his girdle, crowned with the crowns not of glory (as he would have them betaken) but with the crown of the world of the flesh, and of the Devil, above all potentates in power, having his power in every king his dominion, more strong than the most natural and lawful kings them self, and for none other cause but to remove from the hearts of men this stumbling block the word of God by his power, threatening and cursing the row his most wicked ministers, which should be the upholders and defenders of this most holy and blessed word, putting into princes heads that it is not lawful: for the lay and common people, to meddle with the Gospels, with the secretes of God, to know the will of god, to know by whom they are created: by whom they do obtain salvation and remission of sins, declaring many more great inconveniences and hurts that