A15877:61
The Reckoning and Declaration of the Faith
The reckoning and declaration of the faith and belief of huldrike Zwingli bishop of ziiryk the chief town of Helvetia, sent to Charles .v. that now is Emperor of Rome: holding a parliament or counsel at Ausbrough with the chief lords and learned men of Germany, the year of our Lord M.D.xxx. in the month of July.The rekenynge and declaracion of the fayth and belefe of huldrike zwyngly byshoppe of ziiryk the chefe town of Heluitia, sent to Charles .v. that nowe is Emproure of Rome: holdynge a parlement or counsayll at Ausbrough with the chefe lordes and lerned men of Germanye, the yere of our Lorde M.D.xxx. in the moneth of July.
printed by Richard wire, 1548printed by Richarde wyer, 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.
But thou (oh most mighty Emperor, and all ye princes & nobles) consider what good fruit the visor of mans doctrine hath brought us forth.1 These redeemed & bought Messes, as they have increased the libidinous prodigious lusts both of princes and of the people, so have they brought in and ampliated the filthy concupiscence and superfluous pride of the Popes and Bishops, and augmented the insatiable gluttonous vomiting maws of the Mass sayers. Yea what mischief is there that these bought and sold messes have not kindled? For the riches heaped together through these messes who is able to scatter, except they be stopped & strangled even in their veins. I beseech god therefore to reform this thing otherwise, and better then ye all intend, whom gladly we call the best and most mighty, most noble christen defenders of the faith. &c. we so call you and believe it so to be. But god bring it so to pass, that ye would effectually once endeavour your selves to cut away the roots ⟨image 32⟩of this mass and of al• the errors and superfluous ceremonies of the church, & also that ye once would earnestly labour, that this proud Rome with all her dirt and dung which she hath thrusted into this christen world, and namely into your Germany might be forsaken & cast out. And what soever power ye have hitherto stretched forth and executed against the pure gospel / now bend the same against the pernicious enforcements of the wicked papists: that unto us, justice which through your idle negligence is banished, and that innocency which is obscured and deformed with lies & false crafty colours, might be brought us again. There is enough and to much cruel tyranny executed already, except to command against the truth, to damn, yea to torment and slay, to steal and rob / and to banish, be not cruel tyranny and tyrannous cruelty. This way therefore sith it hath not well succeeded with you, ye must surely seek and go to it by another way. If this counsel be of the Lord, beware ye fight not against god, but if it be of any other, it will fall in her own foolishness. Wherefore see that you suffer the word of God freely to be spread and to spring forth (Oh sons of men) who soever ⟨image 32⟩ye be in whose power it lieth not to let and forbid no not so much as a grass to grow and wax.