A22612:326
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.
The .xvj. article our adversaries do receive without any exception, in which we did confess, that it is lawful for a christen man to bear office / to exercise judgements / according to the laws of emperors or kings or according to other present laws / to set & appoint punishments by the law, to keep war rightfully / to make bargains by the law / to keep somewhat as proper or several / to take an oath, when it is required of the rulers and governors, to contract matrimony, finally that lawful civil ordinances be good creatures of god / and the ordinances of god, which a christen man may safely use. This hole place of the diversity of the kingdom of Christ, and of the civil kingdom, hath been profitably set forth to light by the writings of our learned men / that the kingdom of Christ is spiritual, that is to wit, beginning to work in th• heart knowledge of god / fear of god / faith / eternal justice / & eternal life. And in the mean season it doth suffer us outwardly to use the civil ordinances that be lawful, of whatsoever nations they be among whom we do live, likewise as it suffereth us to use physic, carpenters craft, meat, drink, the air. Nether doth the gospel make new laws of the civil state, but it commandeth that we obey the present laws whether they have been made by heathen & not christened men, or else by other / and with this obedience it biddeth us to exercise charity. For Carolostadius was mad which did lay upon us the Judicial laws of Moses.1 Of these things our men have therefore written ⟨image 148⟩the more plenteously, because monks & friars have sparkled many pestilent opinions in to the church. They called it the evangelical policy or governance to have all things in commune / they said, that these be counsels, not to keep any thing proper / not to revenge. These opinions do greatly deface the gospel and the spiritual kingdom / and they be perilous to common weals. For the gospel doth not destroy the good order of a city, or of an house: but much rather doth approve and allow it / and doth bid us not only for fear of punishment, but also for consciences sake, to obey them as being the ordinance of god.
THe .xvj. article our aduersaries do receiue without any exception, in whiche we dyd confesse, that it is laufull for a christen man to beare office / to excercise iudgemētes / accordīg to the lawes of emperours or kynges or according to other p̄sent lawes / to set & appoynte ponishementes by the lawe, to kepe warre ryghtfully / to make bargaynes by the lawe / to kepe somwhat as propre or seuerall / to take an othe, when it is required of the rulers and gouernours, to cōtracte matrimonye, finally that laufull ciuile ordinaunces be good creatures of god / and the ordinaūces of god, whiche a christen man may saffely vse. This hole place of the diuersitie of the kyngdome of Christe, and of the ciuile kyngdome, hathe bene profitably set forth to lyght by the wrytinges of our learned men / that the kyngdome of Christe is spirituall, that is to wete, begynnynge to worke in th harte knowledge of god / feare of god / faythe / eternall iustice / & eternall lyfe. And in the meane season it doth suffre vs outwardly to vse the ciuile ordinaunces that be lawefull, of whatsoeuer nations they be amonge whom we do liue, lykewyse as it sufferith vs to vse phisike, carpēters crafte, meate, drynke, the ayer. Nether dothe the gospell make newe lawes of the ciuile state, but it commaundeth that we obey the present lawes whether they haue bene made by hethen & nat christeined men, or els by other / and with thys obedience it byddeth vs to excercise charitie. For Carolostadius was madde which dyd lay vpon vs the Iudiciall lawes of Moyses.