A22612:289
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.
Neither doth Christ speak here of laying on punishments,1 when he saith, what soever thou shalt bind upon earth. &c. but he speaketh of the retaining of their since, which be not converted. But the saying of Peter Lombard, concerning releasing of part of the pains, was taken forth of the canonical punishments. Part of those pains the pastors or curates did remit. Albeit therefore, ⟨image 127⟩that we do think that repentance ought to bring forth good fruits, because of the glory and commandment of god, and good fruits have the commandments of god for them, that is to wit, true fasts, true prayers, true alms deeds. &c. yet nevertheless we never find in the holy scriptures, that eternal pains be not remitted, but for the pain of Purgatory, or for canonical satisfactions▪ that is to say, for certain works not due, or that the power & authority of the keys hath a warrant and commandment to change pains, or remit pert of them. These things our adversaries ought to have proved. Besides this the death of Christ is not only satisfaction for the offence or sin, but also for eternal death, according to that saying of the prophet, Ero mors tua, o mors. I will be thy death, o death. What a monstrous thing than is it to say, that the satisfaction of Christ doth redeem the sin or offence, and our pains do redeem eternal death? so that now that saying, I shall be thy death, ought to be understand not of Christ, but of our works, and that not of works commanded by god, but of certain cold ceremonies devised by men. Yea and it is moreover said, that our pains put away everlasting death, even than also, when they be done in deadly sin. It can not be thought, how great grief it is to me, to recite these foolish & mad imaginations of our adversaries, which who soever doth well consider, he can not chose but be angry with these doctrines offends. which the devil hath sown & spread abroad in the Church, to oppress the knowledge of ⟨image 128⟩the law, and of the gospel, of repentance, and of vivification, and of the benefits of Christ. For as concerning the law, thus they say. God, condescending to mans infirmity hath set and ordained to man a measure of these things, unto which he is bounden of necessity, and that is the observing of the commandments: