hindred For these great and weightie causes must we take good hede what we conclude in this matter We striue not of our owne frowardnesse heeddynesse or pryde as some men laye to our charges God whiche knoweth all mennes hertes wotteth howe gladlye we woulde se and haue peace oureselues with all our hertes But this earnest and strong coÌ„maundement that we shall not forsake nor persecute the knowen learning of the trueth driueth and thrusâ—heth vs to the defence of the true learnyng whiche is preached in our Churhes And as for the perill we will put commit to God AND in asmuche as we nowe se and fele by the very dede it selfe that the Bushoppes and their partakers wyll receaue no agreemeÌ„t and that the discord of the learning and certen ceremonies will neuerthelesse abyde and that they wyll make or ordre no priestes for vs it were better that we in dede kepe caulmnesse quietnesse and peace in oure churches and begyn not vnquietnesse discorde debate and offfence among our selues For this * booke wyll surelye not be receaued in manye Countreyes and Cyties But for as muche as the articles in the Boke be diuers some be right and some be vnrighte some speake of the chiefe articles of the belefe which all men muste knowe and vnderstand and some of other matters whiche are not so nedeful to be knowen we will orderly declare our obedient meaning and that that is right wyll we not casuÌ„niose sophistice striue against but plainely and singely acknowlege it and agayne that that is vnright wyll we not allowe THE begynning of the boke as touchyng the creacion and fall of man the originall or byrthsinne and the redempcion or raunsoming through Christe is righte and vnfautye But afterwarde in the fourth leafe in the title of Justificacion or rightwessemakyng is this faute that the Booke plainly saith that we be iustified or made rightwesse through loue and the same meaning is also afterward reherced and declared that it maye suerly be vnderstanded therby that that booke is not agreable with the true learnig which is through gods grace preached in our Churches y t a man is made rightwesse before God and pleaseth him for ourlorde Christes sake through belefe And althoughe the boke saye in some places that a man cometh to rightwesenes through belefe yet is this the meaning of the boke that the belefe is but a makyng readye before and that afterwarde a man is made rightwesse throughe loue as the boke also playnely sayeth y t a man is afterwarde verely made rightwesse throughe loue And to declare it selfe playnelyer it saithe that there is yet a true belefe in a maÌ„ although he liue with an euell coÌ„science and haue not loue And also that a man is an inheriter of euerlasting life throughe loue So that this is in very dede the whol meaning y t a maÌ„ is rightwesse that is pleaseth God throughe loue and worckes as the monckes and freers taught longe a gone And the neadfull learnyng of belefe is not spoken of whiche is this althoughe loue and a good conscience muste be in vs yet are we before God rightwesse y t is we please hym throughe our Sauiour christ and for his sake through y e trust y t we haue in him not because of our purenesse or cleannes This Article is throughe Gods grace so declared expounded and set out in our churches that we doubte not but there are very many men whiche vnderstand it right well and can also well iudge the boke We acknowledge and teache also and that diligently and truly that repentaunce sorowfulnes or grefe of herte conuersion or turning again to God loue a good purpose to amend and a good conscience muste be in the hert and that this saying muste abyde true Qui non diligit manet in morte He that loueth not abideth in death There must many neadefull vertues be together belefe loue hope a good conscience a good purpose c as thys thyng is throughe Gods grace plenteously preached in our churches But yet ouer aboue these vertues must the trust in y e soÌ„ne of God be there as is afore saied it must alwaise ouershadow thother vertues for almaner of vertues be weake in vs there abideth yet much vncleaÌ„nes in mannes herte in this lyfe Therefore muste we cleaue and sticke to the mediatour and seke grace and fauour through him for so speaketh the psalme Before the is no man liuing rightwes And Da. 9. saieth heare vs not because of our rightwesnes but because of thy mercy for the Lordes sake And so shall we come before God and bryng thys truste in the sonne of God with vs and knowe that althoughe loue and other vertues be and muste be in vs that they yet be to weake and that the truste in to and vpon the sonne of God muste stande suer vnstirrable and vnouerthrowable and do that that is done to our rightwesmakyng And if we speake of the rightwesnes poured into vs of God as they calle it we maye not leaue out this belefe and liuing trust for it is one of the highe and neadfull vertues Yee this truste wakeneth vp counforth loue prayer or callyng vpon God and life in the herte as is written Gall. 2. That I nowe liue I lyue throughe the belefe in the sonne of God And loue and counforth caÌ„not be or abyde in the hert yf this belefe and this truste go not before So that this is spoken without coÌ„sideracion in the boke y e we befirst made ryghtwesse indede throughe loue wheras yet this rightwesnes y t God is merciful vnto vs for y e mediatours sake and that the mediatoure couereth hideth our weaknes ought moche more and highlyet to be loked to and esteamed then our owne loue And when we be in nede and in earnest prayer or callyng vpon God we seke not loue and oure owne cleannes but be muche more affearde and shrynke for our wretchednesse and synnes and muste seke coumforte at the onely peace-maker whiche God of his greate mercy and wonderfull wisedome hath apoynted vs. Thereof speaketh Paule Justificati fide pacem habemus after we be made rightwesse throughe belefe we haue peace or are at peace And that this is the vnchaungeable voyce meanyng of the gospell in the Churche of god from Adams tyme hitherto that is plaine in the holy Scripture and s. Paule setteth Abrahams example before our eies and declareth this saying Abraham beleued God and that was counted vnto hym for rightwesnes That is although Abraham had great and highe vertues yet was this his rightwesnesse before God and he pleased him because he beleued that God woulde be graciouse and fauourable to him according as his promes sounded And althoughe this vnderstanding of the promes be ofte at all ages and tymes darkened yet hath it abyden and abydeth among the vnderstandyng and perceauyng christen alwayes as euery godlye christen mannes owne experience that hath
A waying and considering of the INTERIM by the honourworthy and highly learned PHILLIP MELANCTHON Trāslated into Englyshe by John Rogers 1548. To the Reader BEcause I with great griefe haue nowe often heard most dere Reader that y e highly learned and no lesse godly ientle and louing man Phillip Melancthon is highlye belyed in that a great sorte openlye saye that he hath denyed the trueth or that I maye vse their owne wordes recanted whiche thyng they saye onelye to hyndre the furtheraunce of Gods trueth I coulde do no lesse but turne into our Englyshe speache and also put out this litle treatise of his not so muche for the defence of his moste named and knowen fames sake which he hath yet hitherto kepte vndefiled so that euen the greatest enemyes of the gospell neither coulde nor haue saied otherwise of hym as for the coūfortyng of many godly and christen hertes whiche haue bene not alytell dismayed and discouraged thorow suche lyes And verely not without a cause for his denying would do more harme to the trueth in these last and most perelouse tymes than any tongue or penne can expresse And God of his goodnesse bountefull mercye and great power graunt that that neuer chaunce At this tyme also thākes be to god therfore he hath not onely not denyed the trueth but also after his olde accustomed christē manier plainelye confessed and acknowledged it whiche thyng this his answere to the Interim ynough witnesseth And although this his writing be shorte and answere not to al the poyntes of the Interim for that would aske great labour and long tyme yet it playnely answereth to the greatest misuses and to the very senowes of the Rome bushops moste tryannouse kyngdome contayned in that boke He also sheweth tokens ynoughe in the booke that he will at leasure largelier write vpon manye poyntes therof I receiued also a letter with this treatise from a nother godly and learned man wherin is writen that other and diuers learned men in Dutchlande be in hand to shewe their meaning in writing as touchyng the same so that we maye be of muche better comforte then our papistes would gladly se yea then manye of the good and faithfull christen be that that Interim will be w tstanded not so sone and easely receaued as y e papistes hope many christen feare This I saie chiefelye caused me to putte out this litle boke at this time But for that there be haply many that know not what that Interim meaneth for some haue not seen it and some haue not harde of it ye and the moste vnderstande not the worde as they that vnderstand no Latine or not very well neede dryueth me to shewe bothe what it is and also the meanyng of the worde Interim is a booke whiche was at y e Emperoures Maiesties commaūdemet prynted and put forth about the begynnyng of June in this yere of our Sauiours birthe 1548. wherein is commaunded that al the Cities in Dutchlande that haue receaued the worde of God and made a chaunge of Ceremonyes accordyng to the word shal reforme their Churches agayne and turne to the olde popishe ordinaunces as a dog dothe to that he hathe spued out or a washen swyne to the myre Thus haue ye harde what it is Now heare what the worde signifyeth or betokeneth Interim is as muche to saye as in the meane season or in the meane while And therfore haue they christened the childe and geuen him this name because they wyll y t we kepe all the thynges commaunded and contayned in that booke in y e meane while from this highedutche parlament holden at Auszburg till there be a generall councell holden There they thynke but God sitteth aboue in heauen and thynketh happly otherwyse to make y e matter worsse For because it had been an hastye worcke to haue chaunged all thynges at once they of their great I had almoste sayed greuouse and mercilesse mercy haue borne with vs in two thynges y t is to saye in y ◠▪ Maryage of priestes receiuing of the communion in both the kindes But how lōg Forsoth Interim that is in the meane while till the Generall Councell come And thynke then to beare no longer with vs no nor with Christe himselfe for then they thynke to be so strong that neyther Christe himselfe nor all that wyll abyde by hym shall be able to withstande them This is the meanyng of the worde in Englyshe Unto this Interim and the meaning thereof hathe thaboue named Phil. Melancthon answered and written this present treatise sheweth to what thinges a christen man maye agre whiche thynges may be chaunged whiche not in which treatise y e reader shall well perceaue that he nether hath denied the trueth that he hathe thus longe taught and acknowledged nor yet thinketh to doe whiche vertu and high gyfte of God the almighti father of our lord Jesus Christ increase in him and all the christen to the honour glory of his holy name increase of his knoweledge and sauing of many soules Amen At London in Edward whitchurch house by John Rogers 1. Augusti 1548 The answere of Ph. Me. to the Interim THe Prologe newly made to the boke Interim was not brought vnto vs therefore can we make no mencyon thereof at this time but we perceiue that it is a very greuous heuy and perlouse wrytyng yf this be the meanyng thereof that they condempne our Churches and that the receauing of this booke shoulde be an acknoweledgyng as it were y t our churches haue hitherto taught wrongfully and begonne a selfwilly dissencion and deuision Therfore is it nedefull that all the men of vnderstandyng in our Churches answere therto for if we should now oure selues denye the knowen and acknowledged trueth bynde our selues to the persecucion of the same trueth that were a blaspheming of God whiche shoulde neuer be forgeuen from which God graciousely defende vs. And although warre and destruccion be thretned vs yet must we set more by Gods worde and not denie the knowen trueth SECONDARELy the learning of the sōne of God and of the forgeuenes of sinnes is also the specyall Counsel of God whiche God of his vnspeakable mercy hathe declared and opened and wyll that all men helpe to vpholde the same learning to thintent that they may pray vnto him aright obtaine saluaciō Now hath the deuell alwayes sought many craftes and wyles frō Adams time hitherto to quenche out this learning or to darcken it as thensamples fearefully declare Therefore ought we dylygently to take hede that we be not drawen from true right learning as God often warneth and exorteth vs. THIRDLy let men also consider if false learnyng and Idolalatrye shoulde be agayne brought in and be gonne in oure Churches how greate an offence and sclaunder should be occasioned therin for there would many Godly men and wemen fall into great heauynes griefe and the true prayer and callyng vpon God should be
vs geueth to the same substaūce this honour that it knoweth and can iudge all mennes hertes and al their thoughtes and sighes This honour belongeth onely to the substaunce of God wherfore the praying to Saynctes is not right nor lawfull And although they haue fayned here agaynst that god geueth them a seuerall reuelacyon of suche praier as is made vnto them that is spoken without the booke And we set theragainst this highe saying Thou shalt cal vpō or praie vnto thy lord God serue hym alone And where as they also saye that they be prayed vnto as seruauntes and aduocates This answere also is not ynough For the praying vnto them is of it selfe a wytnesse and token that they that be not seen are made almightye the whyle the propertie whiche belongeth to god almyghty is geuen vnto them Secondarily we maye not haue other mediatours annexed sette vnto Christ to be in iointer w t him Thirdly it is also openly knowē to all the world that men haue not onely sought to make the Saintes mediatours but y t they haue also sought a sondry helpe by euery one of them This great Idolatrie shoulde be strēgthened if that beginnyng and praier to them of which the booke speaketh be kept and holden Fourthly There maye no godsseruice be brought into the churche which god hath not ordened in his word and as for prayig to saintes hath no commaundement of God as is openly knowen Fyfthly Mans herte may not nor cannot praye when it knoweth not whether suche a forme of prayer please god or not And there is no word of god that teacheth vs so to praye Yee there be theragaynst strong commaundementes which teache that onely the one godly substaunce ought to be prayed vnto y t thorowe the mediatour And this saying must abide fast suer what souer ye aske of the Father in my name he will geue it you This onely begotten sonne is sette before vs for our Mediatour peacemaker and speaker for Hereagaynst sayeth the Booke not onelye of the speakyng for vs but also of the deseruinges of the Saynctes whiche is yet more to be rebuked And this is a shamefull lye that it saith that Jacob taught his children to praye vnto Abraham to Isaac and to him and expoundeth the saying Gene. 48. They shall be called myne and Abrahams and Jsaacs chyldren that is I wytnesse that the promyses whiche be promysed me and Abraham Isaac shall inheret vpon them as vpon our aftercomers that is to saye y t they shall suerly haue one churche and ordre and that many of them shalbe inheritoures of euerlastyng lyfe This true vnderstanding of the texte leaueth the boke out and fayneth a false of praying to Saynetes There be also other mo sayinges in the Booke that are wrong expounded Hereby it is playne y t no manne maye agree or consent to these Articles of the boke in which the prayer to Saynctes is commaunded and strengthened Howbeit it is profitable for many thinges to know the whole story of the churche frō the beginning to the ending to take witnesse therof that god vpholdeth his churche alwaies and that god be thanked that he hath opened and shewed himself in the Saynctes And also that we teache and strengthen our selues with thinsāple of the Saynctes The true storyes of the Saynctes are also often alleged of vs in Sermons and shewed to y e people whiche thyng we wyll also from henceforth do OF Souse Masses THese Masses are almoste the moste commen Ceremonies in Abbayes and in other churches in maner in all Countreyes and lādes for they bryng moneye And there be many erroures comen into the world through Soulemasses wherof it is to long to speake at this tyme. But it is also a peruertig of y e Sacrament y e it is applyed for y e deed For y e Sacramēt was instituted to stirre vp strēgthen y e belefe of the liuing and also for a remēbraunce Now are not the dead presēt at it And it is saide without any groūd that the priest deserueth them anye thyng through these Ceremonyes Therefore maye not this Article in the boke be consēted vnto in anywyse and the saying of S. Denise whiche is alleged as touchyng the burying speaketh no whit of the Masse Where as some also haue praied for the dead y t maketh nothyng at all for the Masse Let this also be ynough therof at this tyme. Of Ceremonyes IN our Churches are the chiefe Ceremonyes belonging to good ordre as Sondaye holy dayes with vsed and accustomed synging and readyng not muche chaunged We wyll also kepe and hold the same with diligence And if any mā shall ymagyn anye thyng in suche meane and indifferēt thynges with the good Counsell of them that ought to rule the Churche whiche shoulde serue for more vnyformitie and good and manerly ordre we will gladly helpe to vpholde it For we wyll not stryue or braule for suche meane thynges so ferre as the christen vse therof stretcheth We care not also whether men eate fleshe or fishe And yet we maie not let the learnyng of the difference of meates and of the true godsseruyce in suche meane vnneady thynges be quenched out as they were almoste before these dayes cleane quenched out As S. Austen at his tyme and an C. yeare agone Gerson yee and fyftye yeare agone Wessasus at Bastil Wesell and Meyntz and certen other haue sore complayned For although ther be alwaies great heapes of errours in the Churche from the begynnyng to the ending yet abydeth there in some the true knowledge of God true prayer and better vnderstanding of the Godly learnyng then in the great muititude and it is Gods wyll that euery manne be instructed and taughte truely and rightly of the true seruice of God But as touchyng the songes belonging to the Saynctes therof haue I sayde that the praying to them is not to be receaued Item in asmuche as we deuyde the Sacrament in our Churches must those Processions be lefte out wherin the one parte is caryed aboute It is also true and suer that the Sacramentes in their vse as they be ordened in gods worde are right Sacramentes not when they be turned to other straunge workes to which they be not ordened or institute Therfore is that spectacle in y e Procession vnright and ought not to be strengthened or set vp againe Moreouer This is well knowen to the withstanders that the preuy Masse prayig to sainctes soule-masses and the Procession and certein other suche vses although they might be excused be yet neadelesse and ieopardouse And that that example of settyng them vp agayne strengtheneth the great erroures and misuses among the other bryngeth them in agayne into these Churches They knowe also that that offence wyll sore greue manye godly men and that muche persecucion wyll be sought and manye priestes and other persons banisshed prysoned and happely kylled And these Countreyes are now through gods grace furnished
with many gyftes of God more then other Coutreies be with Churches with metely good manerly order lawe a good trade of lyuing and with prayseworthy scyences therfore can we not counsell that we oure selues shoulde destroye this metely good estate and degree and that agaynste Gods commaundement And in asmuche as it is writteÌ„ That that whiche is of God abydeth it wyll be so fouÌ„d in very dede that although a chaunge shoulde be begonne in the Churche in some places that yet this learning which we preache wyll abyde in other landes so that that Interim wyll make but small vnitie And where as warre is feared herefore thereof we wyll shewe ourlowly and obedient meanyng That the powers rulers knowe what they shall do in this matter and what they ought or can do for the defence of the Churche And as for my persoÌ„ I am through gods grace ready to departe from hence or if nede be to suffre But yet we do it not of wranglynge or pryde that we councell not easelyer and handsomlyer in this matter But Gods commaundemeÌ„t byndeth vs not to forsake nor to persecute the knowentrueth We truste also that this wrytyng wyll declare and shewe it selfe that we striue not for dignite honour or riches but that we onely speake of neadfull learnyng and true Godsseruyces We wyllnot also loade the hygher powers or other men with suche seueral disputacyons as may not be well knowen of all menne but wyll kepe y t for vs other to whose calling it beloÌ„geth to teach other men y t euery one of vs aunswere and acknowledge his owne confession vpon his owne Jeoperdie It is not also oure mynde to teache any newe or other thing but onely this one and true learnyng whiche throughe Godes grace is vniformely preached of the Godlye and menne of vnderstandyng in the Churches of these landes and countreies and is acknowledged and approued in bothe the vniuersytyes Lypsg and wyttenberg which we know is the true learnyng and true vnderstandyng of the euerlastyng Catholick Church from the begynnyng of the worlde vnto this daye And this is the meaning of our consyderacion that these Churches bee not brought out of reast and peace but that they may abyde in praying vnto God and in the true Godsseruices For if the consciences be ones wounded with offence prayer wyll be sore weakened and many synnes wyll folowe as dispise and anger against al religioÌ„s froÌ„ whiche synnes God graciousely saue vs. And in as much as it was of late wryteÌ„ vnto vs that it is highly forbydden in the prologe to preache teache or write agaynst this Interim nede dryuethe vs with lowlynesse to saye thus muche that we wyll not chaunge the true learnyng whiche we haue hytherto preached in oure Churches For no creature hath power or authority to chaunge Gods trueth And no man maye also deny or for sake the knowen trueth Seig therefore that this Interim is against the true learnyng in many Articles whiche we haue declared we muste neades shewe a true declaracyon aunswere thereto whiche thyng we wyll also do with chrysten measure and wyll commit the ieoperdye to y e Almighty and euerlasting God and father of oure Lorde Jesus Christ. And forasmuche as God of his vnspeakable goodnes geathereth him selfe an euerlastyng Churche and hath opened his wounderfull couÌ„sel thereof aboue all mens wysdome and thoughtes we pray vnto hym that he himselfe wyll alwayse vpholde maintayne and kepe the same his learning and also gather hymselfe an euerlastyng Church in these Landes and countreis graunt vs therto good gouernaunce and rule Amen FINIS Imprinted at London in Fletestrete at the signe of the Sunne ouer against the conduite by Edwarde Whitchurche the. vi daie of Auguste the yere of our lorde M. D. XL VIII Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum â—nderâ—… Inteâ—… * Undeâ—stande bâ—cause y â— laâ—meÌ„ can nâ—… so well aâ—swer to these maâ—ters of Bâ—shops powers whiâ—â— be craftel set out in boke He must be bâ—ter learne theÌ„ y â— lordâ— coÌ„menly 〈◊〉 y â— shall stoâ— theyr moâ—thes * Not of Masse * This is the Masse of it selfe * For the â—â—ripture â—…taketh of 〈◊〉 suche â—…ng they â—…ne this 〈◊〉 their â—…ne brayâ—… * Understand the withstanders of the truth These two â—â—iuersitiâ—â—â— be bothe 〈◊〉 Duke â—…oris laÌ„d this time