A22612:283
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.
Howe I •••eche god to destroy these wicked sophisters, which so mischievously do detort & wrest the word of god unto their most vain dreams. What good man would not be grieved to see this their so shameful demeanour? Christ saith, do ye penance, and the apostles preach penance, ergo, Everlasting pains be redeemed with our satisfactions? Ergo the keys have authority and a warrant to release part of the pains of Purgatory? Ergo satisfactions do redeem the pains of Purgatory? Who taught these asses this manner logic? But this is neither logic nor sophistry, but it is plain falsehood, deceit, and a sycophantical art. For to this purpose they allege this saying (do ye penance) that when unlearned men do hear such a sentence alleged against us, they should conceive an evil opinion in us, that we should take away repentance all together. By these sleights and crafts they go about to turn the minds of men from us, and to kindle hatred against us, to this only purpose, that the unlearned men should cry against us, that such mischievous heretics as we be should be rid out of the world, which do improve and disallow ⟨image 124⟩penance. But we certainly hope, that among good men these false accusations shall little prevail, And god will not long suffer so great a •oldnes & malice. Neither doth the bishop of Rome profitably provide for his own dignity, in that he doth use such manner defenders, & that he doth suffer these sophisters to give judgment of so great a matter. For where as we in our confession have comprised •elnere the sum of the hole christen doctrine: there ought such men to have been made judges for to have given sentence of these so great, so many, and so divers matters, whose doctrine and faithfulness had been known and approved of good men. And this thing it became thee,1 o Cardinal Campege, according to thy wisdom, to have provided, that these sophisters should not write any thing in these so great & weighty matters, which either no•e in this time,2 or else in time to come, might seem to be an occasion to minish the authority and reputation of the see of Rome.