A22612:314
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.
Paul saith to the Galatians, Ye be fallen from Christ,1 ye which be justified by the law▪ that is to say, if ye think, that by the observing of the law, ye deserve to be accounted righteous in the sight of god: Christ shall nothing avail you. For whereunto need they Christ, which think them selves to be righteous by their own observing of the law? God hath set forth Christ unto us, that for this mediators sake, and not for our justices sake, he will be merciful to us. But these men think, that god is pacified and made merciful for our traditions sake and not for Christs sake. They take therf••e •om Christ the honour and prerogative of a mediator. Neither is there any difference betwixt our traditions, & the ceremonies of Moses law, as concerning this matter. Paul therefore condemneth the ceremonies of the law of ⟨image 140⟩Moses, likewise as he condemneth traditions, because they were judged to be works, which did merit justice in the sight of god, by reason whereof the benefit of Christ, and the justice of faith were obscured. wherefore he putteth away the law, he putteth away traditions, and proveth plainly, that not for these works sake, but for Christs sake remission of since is freely promised, so that by faith we receive it. For as much therefore as by faith ne receive remission of since / and sith through faith we have god merciful and favourable to us for Christs sake, it is plain error and heresy to decree, that by these observances we deserve remission of sins. If any man do here say, that we deserve not by these traditions remission of since, but that we being already justified, do by these traditions deserve grace: here again Paul crieth against him, saying that Christ should be the minister of sin, if after justification it were to be thought, that afterwards we be not reputed righteous for Christs sake, but that first we ought by other observations to deserve to be reputed righteous. Also to a testament made by man, nothing ought to be added: Ergo to the testament of god, which promiseth that for Christs sake he will be merciful unto us, it ought not to be added, that first by these observations we ought to merit to be reputed acceptable & righteous. Howbeit, whereto needeth any long disputation?