A22612:153
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.
Secondly. It is certain y• since be remitted because of Christ our mercystocke. […]. 1whom god hath ordained to be a mercy stock. And Paul addeth, through faith. where. ⟨image 57⟩fore this mercystocke shall aid us, if by faith we stick to the mercy promised in him, and plead it in arrest of the judgement and ire of god. And to this purpose it is written ad Hebreos .4. having a bishop. &c̄. let us approach with trust. He biddeth us approach to god, not by trust of our own merits but by trust of our bishop Christ. Ergo he requireth faith. Thirdly. Peter in the acts. cap. x. sayeth thus. 2To him all the prophets bear witness, that all which believe in him receive remission of since through his name. Howe might he speak it more clearly? we receive, he saith, remission of since through his name, that is to say, for his sake. Ergo not for our merits, not for our contrition, attrition, love, ceremonies, works. And he addeth, that believe in him. Ergo he requireth faith. For we can not cleave to the name of Christ, but by faith. Furthermore he allegeth the consent of all the prophets. This is truly to allege the authority of the church. But of this place we shall speak here after in the title of penance. Fourthly. Remission of since is a thing promised for Christ. Ergo it can not be received but by faith only. For the promise can not be received but by only faith. Rom̄. 4. 3Therefore is it by faith, to the end it may be a sure promise, hanging upon grace as who should say. If the matter should hang upon our merits, the promise were uncertain and unprofitable, because we can never determine when we have merited enough. And that the assayed conscience understand right weal. Therefore Paul saith Galat. 3. God hath concluded all things under sin that the promise through ⟨image 57⟩the faith of Jesus Christ might be given to the believers. Here he plucketh away merit from us, because he sayeth, that all be guilty and concluded under sin, then he addeth that the promise (meaning of remission of since and justification) is given, and telleth how the promise may be received, that is to say, by faith. And this reason taken out of the nature of promise is most chief with Paul, & oft repeated. Nor there can not be any thing invented or feigned to avoid this argument of Paul.