A22612:340
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.
❧ Of the invocation of saints, or praying unto them.
❧ Of the inuocation of sayntes, or prayeng vnto them.
1The .xxj. article they do utterly condemn, that we do not require the invocation of saints / and in no place do they play the Rhetoricians more largely than here. And yet they conclude no thing else, but that saints be to be honoured and worshipped. Also that saints which be alive, do pray for other men as who should say that therefore it is necessary to pray unto the saints, that be dead. They allege Cyprian,2 that he did desire Cornelius being a live, that when he should depart he would pray for his brethren. By this example they prove the invocation of dead saints They allege also Hierome against Uigilantius.3 In this matter (say they) Hierome overcame Uigilantius more then eleven hundred years ago. Thus our adversaries do triumph as though they had won y• field, & the warr• were all at an end. Neither do these asses see, that in Hieroms writing against Uigilantius there is not one syllable of invocation. He speaketh of the honours of saints, not of invocation. Neither did any of the old writers before Gregory make mention of invocation. Doubtless this invocation with these opinions which our adversaries do now teach of the application of merits,*