A22612:369
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.
1Thirdly Paul saith, For cause of fornication let every man have a wife of his own. This is an express commandment belonging to all men, which be not mete to the single life. Our adversaries do bid, that we should show a commandment unto them, which commandeth priests to wed wives, as though priests were no men. Certes we judge that those things, which we dispute in general of the nature of man, do also appertain to priests. Doth not Paul command here that those men should marry wives, which have not the gift of continence and chastity? For Paul declareth his own self not long after, when he saith, It is better to marry,2 than to burn. And Christ sayde playnlye, Non omnes capiunt uerbum hoc sed quibus datum est .1.3 Al men do not take this saying, but they only to whom it is given. For now after sin these two things go together, natural appetite, and concupiscence, which inflameth natural appetite / so y• now there is more need of wedlock, than was when nature was perfect and incorrupted. Therefore Paul speaketh of wedlock, as of a remedy. And for to avoid those burnings and inflammations of the lust, he commandeth to marry. Neither can any authority or any law of man▪ or any vows, take away this saying of Paul, It is better to marry than to burn. For these said things take not away nature or concupiscence. Therefore who soever burn, have ⟨image 167⟩power & liberty to marry. And they be bound by this commandment of Paul, that for to avoid fornication every one should have a wife of his own, as many as do not truly contain & live chaste / the judgement whereof appertaineth to every mans own conscience. For where our adversaries do bid us here desire continence of god, and do bid us also, to tame and mortify our body with labours and abstinence / why do they not sing these high precepts to their own selves? But as we said before our adversaries do nought else but trifle / they do nothing earnestly. If continence or chastity were possible to all men: than it should not require a special gift. But Christ showeth that there is need of a special gift: wherefore all men do not attain it. The residue, which have not this gift, god willeth to use the common law of nature, which he hath ordained. For god is not content, that his ordinances, or his creatures be despised.