A22612:130
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.
IN the fourth, sith, sixth, and also in the twenty article they condemn us because we teach that men obtain remission of since not for their own merits but freely for Christ by faith in Christ. For they dan both two points, first that we deny that men for their own merits do obtain remission of since, and secondarily that we affirm that by faith is obtained remission of since and that men be justified by faith in Christ. ⟨image 47⟩But sith it is so that in this case or controversy the principal point of our religion is debated, which rightly understand setteth forth the honour of Christ, and bringeth a necessary and plenteous consolation to the godly conscience: we desire that the emperors majesty will hear us benignly of these so great matters. For the adversaries where as they neither understand what is remission of since neither what faith▪ neither what grace, nor what justice is: pitifully do defile this point, obscuring the glory and benefits of Christ, and bereave fron• the godly consciences y• propounded consolations in Christ. And to the end we may maintain our confession and assoil the objections of our adversaries: we shall first premitte certain things to the end that the fountains of both our doctrines aswell ours as the adversaries may be known. The hole scripture ought to be distributed into these principal places, law, and promises. For otherwhiles it showeth the law, & otherwhiles the promise of Christ, as when it promiseth Christ to cum / and promiseth for him remission of since, justification and life eternal, or where in the Evangel Christ after he ones appeared promiseth remission of since, justification and life eternal. we call the law in this disputation the precepts of the Decalogue in what place so ever they be red in scripture. Of the ceremonies & judicial laws of Moses at this time we speak nothing. Out of these, the adversaries take the law, because mans reason after a fashion doth naturally understand the law. For it hath still the same judgement written ⟨image 48⟩by god in the mind, and by the law they seek remission of since and justification.
IN the fourthe, fythe, syxte, and also in the twenty article they condempne vs because we teache that men obtayne remission of synnes nat for theyr owne merites but frely for Christe by faythe in Christ. For they dāne bothe two poyntes, fyrste that we denye that men for theyr owne merites do obtayne remission of synnes, and secōdarily that we affyrme that by faythe is obteyned remissiō of synnes and that men be iustified by faythe in Christe.