A22612:223
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.
Many men also do openly scorn all good livers and the true & sincere religion of Christ, or if they do praise any thing, they praise those things, which are agreeing to the reason of men. They think all other things to be but lies and tales, and like to the tragedies of poets. Wherefore we according to the scriptures do think, that the church taken in his ⟨image 96⟩proper signification: is the congregation of holy men, which do truly believe the gospel of Christ, and have the holy ghost. And yet nevertheless we grant that there be many hypocrites and evil men mingled among them in this life, which have a society & fellowship of outward signs and sacraments, & which be members of the church, as touching the society of outward signs, and therefore they bear offices in the Church. Neither doth this thing take away the efficacy & virtue from the sacraments, because they be ministered by unworthy persons, sith they do represent the person of Christ (by the reason that the church hath called them) and not there own persons, as Christ witnesseth. Who that heareth you, heareth me. For when they minister the word of Christ, when they minister the sacraments of Christ: they minister them in the stead & place of Christ. And this teacheth us that saying of Christ, lest we should be offended with the unworthiness of the ministers. But as concerning thꝭ matter, we have spoken plainly enough in our confession where we do disallow the Donatists and the Wycliffites, which thought that those men did sin, which received the sacraments of unworthy persons in the church. These things at thꝭ time seemed to be sufficient to the defence of the description of the church, which we taught. Nether do we see, sith the church in his proper signification is called the body of Christ, how it should have ben otherwise described, then we have described it, for thꝭ is undoubted, that wicked men do belong to the kingdom and the body of the devil, who driveth them, ⟨image 96⟩and hath them captives and thralls unto him. These things be clearer, then the light at none day, which yet if our adversaries will proceed to dispraise and calumniate, it shall not grieve us to make answer more largely.
Many men also do openly scorne all good lyuers and the true & syncere religion of Christ, or yf they do prayse any thynge, they prayse those thynges, whiche are agreinge to the reason of men. They thinke all other thynges to be but lies and tales, and like to the tragedies of poetes. Wherfore we according to the scriptures do thinke, that the churche taken in his