A07407:213
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.
Was it not with god his word, that this Augustine caused a thousand five hundred godly and true preachers to be slain in one day? was not this the practise of the holy shrined traitor Thomas Becket for the church right? what shameful contumelies and opprobrious despite hath divers right noble and godly kings of this realm, at the hands of these wicked finds perforce sustained, and glad that they might so scape with no worse turn? What should I remember that godly king John: which for the love he did bear to the lord: and ardent desire in setting forth of his gospel: was he not after most shameful handling ⟨image 97⟩at the last with poison deprived of his life? what cloak? what colour had they to blear the commons eyes: but only that thing which they thought should please the commons for their poor bellies sake: saying nay, belying and most falsely slandering the king: that he went about to bring in & to make such a dearth of corn, as was never seen nor hard, with extreme famine and hunger into the realm. Howe long should a man stand in rehearsing all the practise of antichrist prelates? How many kings .lx. or .lxxx. years paste durst ones open their lips against these holy servants of god: but they would have watched one time or other to have displeased them, that it had ben less pain and displeasure for the kings and head rulers to have had open war with any other foreign prince: and less harm also for the commons: than to have angered but one of the least of this most vile generation of Antichrist. These are good and sufficient warnings for the kings and head rulers, to try them well, whether they be of Antichrist stock yea or nay: before they suffer them to be to bold or to near about them, for they can not chose but practise their malice, their poisonous nature in so who• and rank ⟨p. lxxxxvi⟩Did not within this few years a sort of pilled friars obtain a commandment from the bishop of Rome, with a curse against their own natural and right king, which now doth reign in Portugal, for not fulfilling his fathers will in building of their monastery, for a sort of sodomites (which is made all together of the fairest and finest marble that may be) compelling their ointed king and head to perform it? where did they ever read this in Paul or any other of the apostles writings.
Was it not with god his worde, that this Augustine caused a thousande fiue hundred godly and true preachers to be slayne in one day? was not this the practise of the holy shrined traytour Thomas Becket for the church right? what shamfull contumelise and opprobrious despite hath diuers right noble and godly kynges of this realme, at the handes of these wicked fyndes perforce susteyned, and glad yt they might so scape with no worse turne? What shulde I remembre that godly kynge Iohn: whiche for the loue he dyd beare to the lorde: and ardent desire in settyng forth of his gospel: was he not after most shamful hādlyng