A22612:443
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 in abbey vows is promised chastity. But we have said before when we spake of the marriage of priests, that the law of nature in men can not be taken away with any ⟨image 206⟩vows or laws. And because all men have not the gift of continence, many men through weakness do full unhappily contain. Neither can any vows or any laws defeat this commandment of the holy ghost. For the avoiding of fornication, let every man have his wife. 2Ergo, this vow is not lawful in them, which have not the gift of continency, but be defiled through imbecility and weakness. Of all this hole place we have spoken sufficiently heretofore. In which place forsooth it is marvel, sith so many perils and occasions of evils be seen before our eyes: that yet nevertheless our adversaries will defend their own traditions against the open and manifest precept of god. Neither do they pass any whit upon the saying of Christ, which rebuketh the Pharisees for that they had made traditions against the commandment of god. 3Fourthly, wicked ceremonies and observances, to which they be bound, do deliver them, which live in Monasteries, of their vow and profession. As (for example) the abusing of the Mass, when it is for lucre applied for dead men, honouring of saints, in which is double sin, both because the saints be substituted in to Christs place, and be wickedly honoured. (As for example the friars of Dominikes order, have made a Rosary of the blessed virgin Mary, which is nothing else but a long pattering, I wot not whether more foolish, or more wicked, nourishing most vain trust.) And also because these self impieties be only applied to the getting of money. Also the gospel of free remission of since for Christs sake, and of the justice ⟨image 207⟩of faith, of true repentance, of the works, which god hath commanded. All these things (I say) they neither hear nor teach. But they busy them selves all together, either in philosophical disputations, or in traditions of ceremonies, which do obscure & minish the honour of Christ. We will not here speak of all that hole pomp of ceremonies, of readings, of singings, and semblable things, which might be suffered, if they were taken for exercises, so as lessons be in the schools, the end of which is to teach the hearers, and in teaching to stir them to fear, or to faith.