A22612:354
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.
1Here also sticketh an error among learned men, that to every saint is committed his proper busyness or office, as that saint Anne should give riches / saint Sebastian should keep away the pestilence / saint Valentine should remedy ⟨image 158⟩the falling sickness / saint George should defend knights and horsemen. These persuasions undoubtedly have risen out of the examples of pagans and heathen people. For so among the Romans,2 Juno was thought to make rich / the goddess Febris to drive away the ague / Castor and Pollux to defend horsemen. And let us put the case, that invocation of saints were taught as measurably as might be, yet sith the example is very perilous, what need they defend it, when there is neither commandment or testimony of the word for it? No neither yet any testimony of the old writers. First because (as I said before) when other mediators be sought •esydes Christ, trust is put in other, the hole knowledge of Christ is overthrown▪ & that the thing it self showeth. Mention of saints such as be in the old collects and prayers at the beginning as it seemeth were received for a tolerable purpose. Afterwards followed invocation, After invocation followed prodigious and more than heathen abuses, from invocation they came to images, the images also were worshipped, and there was thought a certain power to be in them, likewise as enchanters do imagine certain virtue and strength to be in the images of the .xij. signs, if they be graven at certain times.
1Here also stycketh an errour amōge lerned men, that to euery saynt is cōmitted his ꝓpre busynes or office, as that saynte Anne shulde gyue ryches / saynt Sebastiane shulde kepe away the pestilence / saynt Ualentine shulde remedy ⟨image 158⟩the fallīg sickenes / saynt George shuld defende knyghtes and horsemen. These persuations vndoubtedlye haue rysen out of the examples of pagans and hethen people. For so amonge the Romaines,2