A15880:214
The account reckoning and confession of the faith of Huldrik Zwinglius bishop of Zuryk…The accompt rekenynge and confession of the faith of Huldrik Zwinglius byshop of Zuryk…
The account reckoning and confession of the faith of Huldrik Zwinglius bishop of Zuryk the chief town of Helvetia sent unto Charles the fifth now Emperor of Rome, holding a counsel with the most noble princes, estates and learned men of Germany assembled together at Augsburg. 1530. in the month of July. Translated out of latin by Thomas Cotsforde. And imprinted at Geneva. In April. 1555.The accompt rekenynge and confession of the faith of Huldrik Zwinglius byshop of Zuryk the chief towne of Heluetia sent vnto Charles the fyfte nowe Emperoure of Rome, holdynge a counsel wyth the moost noble princes, estates and learned men of Germany assembled together at Ausburgh. 1530. in the moneth of Iuly. Translated out of latyn by Thomas Cotsforde. And imprinted at Geneua. In April. 1555.
printed by Egidius Van der Erve, 1555
Letter › ¶Three mo sorts of confession of since.Letter › ¶Thre mo sortes of confession of synnes.
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.
First, it is commanded of necessity. §1Through which abominable commandment, the simple common people (for lack of good instruction) think, (for so are they deceived by false teaching) that without ear confession they can not be saved. So this opinion of necessity of the one party, & the compulsory laws made of stinking papists for the maintenance of the same on the other party, (I know this certainly) bringeth very many to perplexed & doubtful straits of conscience. Which (if they be not in time removed ⟨p. 91⟩by the sweat promises of grace in Christ) will doubtless drive them to desperation.
Fyrst, it is cōmaunded of necessitie. §1Through which abhominable cō maūdemēt, the simple cōmon people (for lacke of good instruccion) thinke, (for so are they disceaued by false teachynge) yt without eare cōfession they can not be saued. So this opinion of necessitie of the one partie, & the compulsarie lawes made of stinckynge papistes for the maintenaūce of the same on the other partie, (I know this certeinly) bryngeth very many to perplexed & doutful straites of cōscience. Whych (yf they be not in tyme remoued ⟨p. 91⟩by the swet promyses of grace in Christe) wyl doutlesse dryue them to desperacion.
Secondarily, It is no small bondage §2of christen mens consciences to compel them to number all their since particularly, with all due circū stances of time, person & place, and how many times every sin was committed. Which opinion persuaded to the unlearned people, is not unlike to bring many of their souls into the devils danger. For chey think themselves bounden in conscience (for so are they corruptly taught) to confess every sin particularly by it self, & to open & declare to their ghostly father every circumstance of the same. And yet sometime for fear, & sometime for shame they confess not all, but counseleth & hideth sone offence. Which not confessed, oppresseth their weak & feeble consciences sometime .iii. or .iiii. years or mo, & so all that space they think themselves because of the concealment to be in the state of damnation and quite out of gods favour. And many times (if the thing were thoroughly known) it is scantly so weighty a matter as the eating of an egg upon a friday, so deeply are the Popish traditions printed in their