A22612:286
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.
But let us return again to our purpose, The scriptures alleged of our adversaries do speak nothing at all of canonical satisfactions, & of the opinions of school men: for as much as it is evidently known, that these things have sprung up and begun but of late time. wherefore it is nothing else but pure falsehood and lying, that they do wrest & apply scriptures unto those their opinions. ⟨image 126⟩We say that after penance, that is to say, after conversion or regeneration, there ought to follow good fruits and good works in all our life. Neither can it be any true conversion or true contrition, where mortifications of the flesh and good fruits do not follow. The true fears and true dolours of the mind do not suffer the body to give it self to pleasures / and true faith is not unkind to god, neither doth it despise the commandments of god. Finally there is none inward repentance, oneles it doth engender and bring forth also outwardly chastisements and punishments of the flesh. And this we say to be the mind of John Baptiste, when he saith:1 Eacite fructus dignos penitentiae. Do ye the worthy fruits of repentance. And also of Paul when he saith, Give your members to do service unto righteousness. Like wise as he saith in another place, Give your bodies, a quick and an holy sacrifice. &c. And when Christ saith,2 Do ye penance: doubtless he speaketh of hole penance, of hole newness of life, and of fruits, He speaketh not of those hypocritical satisfactions, which school men do imagine even than also to be available to the redeeming of the pains of Purgatory, or of other pains, when they be done of them, which be in deadly sin.
But let vs retourne agayne to our purpose, The scriptures alledged of our aduersaries do speake nothynge at all of canonicall satisfactions, & of the opinions of schole men: for asmoche as it is euidently knowen, that these thynges haue spronge vp and begonne but of late tyme. wherfore it is nothynge elles but pure falsehed and lyenge, that they do wreste & applie scriptures vnto those theyr opiniōs. ⟨image 126⟩We say that after penaūce, that is to say, after cōuersion or regeneration, there ought to folowe good frutes and good workes in all our lyfe. Neither can it be any true conuersion or true contrition, where mortifications of the flesshe and good frutes do not folowe. The true feares and true dolours of the mynde do not suffre the bodye to gyue it selfe to pleasures / and true faythe is not vnkynde to god, neyther dothe it despise the cōmaundementes of god. Finally there is none inwarde repentaunce, oneles it dothe engendre and brynge forthe also outwardly chastisementes and punyshementes of the flesshe. And this we saye to be the mynde of Iohn̄ Baptiste, whan he saythe: