A22612:440
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.
1Also the confutation sayeth, that religious men merit more plenteously everlasting life, it allegeth the scripture, Qui reliquerit domā. &c. Whosoever shall forsake house. here (god wot) the scripture giveth perfection to these counterfeited and feigned religious. But this place of scripture maketh nothing for monastical life. For Christ doth not mean, that to forsake father, and mother, wife or brethren. is a work therefore to be done, because it doth ⟨image 205⟩merit remission of since, and eternal life. Yea that forsaking is a cursed forsaking. For it is done with the injury of Christ, if any man will therefore forsake father, or mother, or wife tha• by this self work he may merit remission of since and eternal life.2 But there be two manner of forsakings / one is done without calling, and without the commandment of god / this forsaking and renouncing Christ alloweth not. For works chosen of our selves be unprofitable services. And hereof it appeareth more evidently, that Christ doth not love this running away or forsaking: because he speaketh of forsaking wife and children. But we know that the commandment of god forbiddeth to forsake wife and children. There is another manner forsaking, which is done by the commandment of god (that is to wit) when tyrants, or they which have authority over us compel us to deny the gospel, or •o break God's commandment. Here in this case we have commandment, that we should rather suffer wrong / & rather suffer not only our goods, our wife, our children to be taken from us: but even our life also. This manner renouncing or forsaking, Christ doth allow, and therefore he addeth these words, for the gospel sake: to signify that he doth speak of them, not which do injury to their wife and children: but which suffer wrong for the confession of the gospel. We ought also to forsake our own body for the gospel sake. But here it should be a folly to think, that it is honour or service unto god for a man to kill him self, and to forsake his own body without the commandment of god: even so likewise it is a ⟨image 205⟩foolishness to think, that it is honour or service to god to forsake possessions, friends, wife, children, without the commandment of god.