A22612:206
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.
do call men back again to the promise of Christ, and do teach, that it is necessary to believe, that god for Christs sake, and not for the law, doth forgive since, doth justify, and doth give eternal life, according to that saying. Who so ever hath the son, hath life. But it is a world to hear how our adversaries do dally, and elude thꝭ saying of Christ. When ye have done all things, yet say ye, we be unprofitable servants. In the confutation, thus they corrupt it, first they go about to confound us with our own reason by a form of argument which is called antistrephon in this manner.1 If when we have done all things we must say, we be unprofitable servants, go , much rather when we have believed all things we may say that we be unprofitable servants. Mark I pray you how greatly our adversaries be delighted in vanities and in childish sophistry. But albeit these foolish trifles be not worthy to be refuted and disproved: yet nevertheless we shall make answer to them in few words. Their argument called antystrephon is vicious and nothing worth.2 For our adversaries be deceived in this word (faith) which if it betokened the knowledge of the history, or if we had said that faith of her own worthiness had saved: then should the similitude be of much more strength that we be unprofitable servants though we had believed. But we do speak of the faith and trust of the promise and of the mercy of ⟨image 86⟩god. And this faith doth grant that we be unprofitable servants, yea this is the very voice and saying of faith, that our works be unworthy and that we be unprofitable servants. And for this only cause we speak of faith, and seek mercy: because we knowledge our selves to be unprofitable servants. For faith doth therefore save, because it receiveth mercy, or the promise of grace, all though our works be unworthy. And after this understanding, the antystrephon doth nothing hurt us, when ye shall have believed all things, yet say ye we be unprofitable servants, it is well said, if it be only understood, that worthiness is taken from works. But again on the contrary side, if it be thus understood, that faith also is unprofitable: then the similitude is nothing worthy, to say when ye shall have done all things: do not trust to your works: So when ye shall have believed, do not trust the promise of god.