A22612:189
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.
so commandeth Paul that in the church be kept love and charity to the retaining of concord, and which shall bear otherwhiles (when need requireth) the boisterous manners of their brethren, dissembling certain little offences, lest the church run into sundry Schisms and dissensions and of Schisms do rise hatreds, sects, & heresies. For it can no otherwise be, but that concord shall be broken, when the bishops do lay on the peoples backs harder burdens than is expedient and have no manner regard of the peoples imbecility. Also discords do rise when the people judgeth over sharply of the manners of their teachers, or despiseth them for certain little causes, seeking then an other kind of doctrine and other teachers. On the contrary side the perfection, that is to say, the entireness and unity of the church is kept, when the strong do suffer and bear the weak, when the people taketh in worth certain incommodities which be in the manners of their teachers, when the bishops do permit somewhat to the imbecility of the people. Of these precepts of equity, all the books of the wise men be full to the end we should remit and forgive many things, betwixt our selves in this state of life for a commune tranquillity. And of it, Paul aswell in thꝭ place as in many other speaketh and giveth commandment. Wherefore the adversaries do imprudently fetch forth a reason out of this word (perfection) that love justifieth: sith Paul speaketh here of the commune unity and tranquillity.1 And so Ambrose expoundeth this place, whose words be these. Siaut' edificium ⟨image 75⟩dicitum perf•ctum seu integrum, cum omnes partes apte inter seco agmentatae sunt. Even, quod Ambrose, like as a building is called perfect or hole when all the parts be aptly framed and con joined together.2 &c̄. It is a shame for the adversaries so highly to advance love, and so little at any time to perform it. For what do they now? They dissever churches or congregations, they write laws with mens blood, and propound them to the Emperors majesty a prince most merciful to be promulgate, and enacted. They kill priests and other good men if any do but a little touch that he doth not altogether allow some manifest abuses. But this agreeth not with such avauncemē tes and high praises of charity, which if our adversaries would follow: