A22612:195
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.
1There be cited also against us other sentences of works as Daniel. 4. Redeem thy since with alms deeds. And Isaiah. 58. Break thy bread to the hungry, then pray and god will hear thee. Luke. 6.2 Forgive and ye shall be forgiven. Matth. 6. Blessed be the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. To these sentences and semblable of works, first we make this answer, which hath be made before,3 that the law is not truly wrought without faith. Neither doth it please, but for faiths sake in Christ / according to that saying of Christ. without me ye can do nothing, Also, without faith it is impossible to please god, Also, by Christ we have coming or ⟨image 78⟩way to god through faith. Therefore as often times as works be required and praised, the gospel of Christ is to be put unto. Secondarily, these texts, which I have a little heretofore recited, be well near sermons or preachings of penance / for they be made of two parts. They have in the beginning preaching of the law, which rebuketh sin, and commandeth good works. Afterward there is added a promise. But this is most certain and undoubted, that in preaching of repentance, it is not sufficient to preach the law which doth commonly trouble and condemn the conscience. But it is requisite, that preaching of the gospel be added that since be freely forgiven for Christ, and that by faith, we obtain remission of since. These things be so certain and so clear, that if our adversaries would vary from them, and exclude Christ and faith from the preaching of repentance: they were worthy to be rejected as persons blasphemous against Christ. Wherefore the sermon of Daniel ought not only to be applied to alms deeds but faith also is to be required in it. The sermon of Daniel is far unlike the speech of Aristotle, who writing unto his king Alexander,4