A22612:119
The Confession of the Faith of the Germans
The confession of the faith of the Germans exhibited to the most victorious Emperor Charles the. v. in the Council or assemble holden at Augusta the year of our Lord. 1530. To which is added the apology of Melanchthon who defendeth with reasons invincible the aforesaid confession translated by Richard Taverner at the commaundeme[n]t of his master Thomas Cromwell chief Secretary to the kings grace.The confessyon of the fayth of the Germaynes exhibited to the moste victorious Emperour Charles the. v. in the Councell or assemble holden at Augusta the yere of our Lorde. 1530. To which is added the apologie of Melancthon who defendeth with reasons inuincible the aforesayde confesyon translated by Rycharde Tauerner at the commaundeme[n]t of his master Thomas Cromwel chefe Secretarie to the kynges grace.
Imprinted at London : In fletestrete, by me Robert Redman, dwelling at the sign of the George next to saint Dunstones Churche, 1536Imprynted at London : In fletestrete, by me Robert Redman, dwellynge at the sygne of the George nexte to saynt Dunstones Churche, 1536
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.
❧Nor we have not only named it concupiscence, but have said that there doth lack also the fear of god & faith. which we have done, for this entente. The school doctors do diminish and make little the sin original▪ not sufficiently understanding the definition of original sin which they received of the fathers. Of the nourishment or kindling (which they call fomit•m) they dispute, that it is ⟨image 43⟩a quality of the body and according to their accustomed folly, they bring in question whether the quality be caught by contagion of the apple, or by the breathing of the serpent. whether it be increased by provocations. with such sort of questions they oppress the principal matter. Thus when they speak of original sin, they omit the vices of mans nature which be more grievous, as the ignorance of god, the despising of god, the lack of fear, the lack of trust in god, the hating of God's judgement, the fleeing of God's judgement, the being angry with god, the despair of grace, the trusting in worldly succours. &c̄. These diseases most repugnant to the law of god, the scholastical doctors espy not. Yea more over they attribute to mans nature hole power to love god above all things, to do the precepts of god, quo ad substantiam actuū, as they call it that is to say as much as belongeth to the substance of acts, nor they see not that they speak things merely repugnant. for, to have power of a mans proper strength to love god above all things, to do the commandments of god, what other thing is this, than to have original justice? That if mans nature have these so great powers that of it self it may love god above allthings (as the schoolmen do boldly affirm) what shall be original sin. what shall we need the grace of Christ, if we may be saved by our own proper justice? what shall we need the holy ghost if mans powers of them selves may love god above all things and do his commandments? who seeth not how unright the judgement is of the adversaries? The litre diseases of mans ⟨image 43⟩nature they acknowledge, but the most grievous they acknowledge not, of the which yet the scripture doth admonish us in diverse places and the prophets do perpetually complain of, I mean of the carnal sureness, of the contempt of god, of the hate of god and semblable vices engendered within us.