A22612:430
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.
But we dispute of the kind of doctrine, which the chief devisers of the confutation now defend, & not whether vows ought to be kept (for we think that lawful vows be to be kept) but whether those services, & ceremonies merit remission of since and justification / whether they be satisfactions for sins / whether they be equal to baptism / whether they be the fulfilling both of the commandments, and of the councils / whether they be the evangelical perfection / whether they have merits of supererogation / whether those merits applied to other men may save them, to whom they be so applied / whether the vows be lawful, which be made with these opinions / whether the vows be lawful, which under the cloak and pretence of religion be taken only for the intent to fill the belly, and to live in idleness and ease / whether those be true vows, which men be compelled to make against their wills, or else be made of such that were not of full age, to judge of ⟨image 199⟩the manner and kind of living, which have ben thrust in to monasteries by their parents, or their friends, to the intent that they might be found and have their living of the common cost without any hindrance of their own private patrimony / whether those vows be lawful, which openly incline to an evil end, either because they be not kept through infirmity and weakness, or else because they, which be in those fellowships and companies, be compelled to approve and to help forwards the abusions of masses / the wicked honouring of saints / the counsels of raging and exercising cruelty against good men.
But we dispute of the kynde of doctrine, whiche the chiefe deuisours of the cō futation nowe defende, & not whether vowes oughte to be kepte (for we thynke that laufull vowes be to be kepte) but whether those seruices, & ceremonies merite remission of synnes and iustificatiō / whether they be satisfactiōs for sinnes / whether they be egall to baptisme / whether they be the fulfyllyng both of the cō maundementes, and of the counsaylles / whether they be the euangelicall perfection / whether they haue merites of superogation / whether those merites applyed to other men may saue them, to whom they be so applyed / whether the vowes be laufull, which be made with these opinions / whether the vowes be lauful, whiche vnder the cloke and pretence of religion be taken onely for the entent to fylle the belly, and to liue in ydlenes and ease / whether those be true vowes, which men be compelled to make agaynste theyr wylles, or els be made of suche that were not of full age, to iudge of