A22612:132
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.
we see books put forth in which be conferred certain sayings of Christ with the sayings of Socrates, Zeno and of other, as though Christ cam for this purpose, to teach us certain laws by which we might deserve remission of since, and not receive it freely through his merits. wherefore if we allow here the doctrine of the adversaries that we deserve by the works of reason remission of since and justification, there shall be then no difference betwixt the justice of the philosophers or at least of the pharisees and the Christian justice. And albeit the adversaries (because they will not clean put Christ out of their books) require the knowledge of the history of Christ and attribute unto it y• it doth merit unto us ascertain habit, or (as they them selves call it) the first grace, which they understand to be an habit inclining us to love god the easier, yet very little it is, that they attribute unto this habit, for they feign that the acts of •ylle ⟨image 49⟩is both before that habit and after, of all one sort. They feign that the will may love god, but yet that habit stirreth it to do the same more freely. And they bid us purchase this habit first by precedent merits, and after they bid us purchase by the works of the law an increase of that habit, & life everlasting. Thus they bury Christ that men should not use him for a mediator nor think that for him they receive freely remission. of since and reconciliation, but dream that by their own fulfilling of the law they be reputed just before god, where as in deed the law is never satisfied, sith reason doth nothing but certain civil works, and the whiles neither feareth god nor believeth truly that god careth for him. And although they speak of that habit, yet without the justice of faith the love of god can neither be in men nor it can not be understand what it is.1 And where as they feign a difference betwixt Meritum congrui, and Meritum condigni, they do but dally, because they would not seem openly to play the Pelagians. For if god necessarily giveth grace pro merito congrui, so is there not Meritum condigni. Howbeit they wot not what they say. After the habit of love obtained, they feign that man dothe merite de condigno. And yet they bid us doubt whether we have that habit or no. Howe do they then know whether they merite de congruo, or de condigno?