A22612:142
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.
¶ That the only faith in Christ justifieth.
¶ That the only faythe in Chryst iustyfyeth.
First, lest a man would think that we speak of the idle knowledge of the History,1 we will show how faith cummeth. After we will show that it justifieth, and how this must be understand, & then we will assoil the objections of the adversaries. Christ in the last of Luke commandeth his disciples to preach repentance in his name, and remission of since. For the gospel argueth every man to be under sin, and to be guilty of eternal ire and death, and offereth for Christ remission of sins & justification which is received by faith. Preaching of penance which reproveth us doth fray the conscience with true & earnest affrays. In these, the hearts ought again to conceive consolation, which shall be, if they trust to the promise of Christ, that for him we have remission of since. This faith erecting and comforting us in those affrays, taketh remission of since, justifieth and vivifieth For that consolation is a new and a spiritual life.2 These be plain and open and the godly may understand them also the church have recorded the same. The adversaries never show truly how the holy ghost is given. They feign that the sacraments ⟨image 54⟩give the holye gooste ex opere operato sine bono motu accipientis even of the very work it self without any good motion of the receiver, as though the giving of the holy ghost were an idle thing. But where as we speak of such faith which is not an idle thought but which delivereth from death and createth a new life in our hearts, and needeth the holy ghost, it standeth not with mortal sin, but so long as it is present it bringeth forth good fruits, as we shall say here after. what can be spoken of the converting of the ungodly or of the manner of regenerating more simply and more clearly? There be an infinite sort of commentors upon the master of the sentence, let our adversaries bring forth but one commentary of them all, which speak any thing of the manner of regenerating. When they speak of the habit of love, they feign that men deserve the holy ghost by their works, they teach not that it is received by the word, even as the Anabaptists do at this day. But we can not have to do with god, god will not be caught, but by hꝭ word. Therefore justification is had by the word, as Paul saith. The Evangel is the power of god to the health of every believer. Also Faith is of hearing.