A07407:37
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.
saying, that god is merciful to them which are without sin, or which be least defiled therewith. As for the Gospel it doth remove and put away the condition of our worthiness and merits, bearing witness that God is reconciled again to us freely for the merits of Christ his own sake: and not for our meriting: considering that this faith: that is to say the sure confidence of the mercy of God doeth lean and depend only on Christ and his merits. We use otherwise in the Scripture in the stead and place of this exclusive (freely we are justified by faith) to speak after this manner,1 saying. Only by faith we are justified. The which word, only, doeth not exclude all other kind of virtues and good deeds, that we should not do them. But it doeth remove from our minds ⟨p. xviii⟩that damnable opinion of hope and trust in our merits and the condition also of our own worthiness, excluding it clean and shutting it forth from the cause of our justification or acceptation to God, as here after I will speak more largely. And verily it is all one thing to say: By faith we are made just, and by faith we are made just freely: And by only faith we are made just. For it could not be called faith, if our confidence were set in our own worthiness and merits as the Papists do dream. Faith is clean banished away: if I should think that God will be then merciful to me,2 when I have done works enough, and merited sufficient lye, it followeth therefore that faith can depend on no thing, but only on the promise of God, which promise doeth show to us Christ, for whose sake the father hath promised that he will with our any fail be merciful unto us.
sayenge, that god is mercyful to them which are without sinne, or whiche be leaste defyled therewith. As for the Gospel it doth remoue and put away the condicion of our worthynesse and merytes, bearynge witnes that God is recōciled againe to vs frely for the merytes of Chryste his owne sake: and nat for our merytynge: consyderynge that thys faythe: that is to saye the sure confidence of the mercy of God doeth leane and depende only on Christ and hys merytes. We vse otherwyse in the Scripture in the steade and place of thys exclusyue (frely we are iustified by faythe) to speake after thys maner,1