[A 2r:] To the Reader.

↑

Because I with great griefe haue nowe often heard, (most dere Reader) that the highly learned and no lesse godly, ientle1 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 onely 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 coumfortyng of many godly [A 2v:] and christen hertes,2 whiche haue bene not a lytell dismayed and discouraged thorow3 suche lyes. And verely not without a cause, for this 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, thankes be to god therfore, he hath not onely not denyed the trueth, but also after his olde accustomed christen manier, plainelye confessed and acknowleged it: whiche thyng this his answere to the Interim, ynough4 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 [A 3r:] the greatest misuses and to the very senowes5 of the Romebushops moste tyrannouse kyngdome contayned in that boke. He also sheweth tokens ynoughe in the booke, that he will at leasure largelier write vpon manye poyntes thereof. I receiued also a letter with this treatise, from another godly and learned man,6 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 withstanded, and not so sone7 and easely receaued8 as the papistes hope, and many christen feare. This I saie chiefelye caused me to putte out this litle boke, at this time. [A 3v:] But for that there be haply9 many that know not what that Interim meaneth, for some haue not seen it, and some haue not harde10 of it, ye and the moste vnderstande not the worde, as they that vnderstand no Latine, or not very well, neede dryueth11 me to shewe bothe what it is, and also the meanyng of the worde. Interim is a booke, whiche was at the Emperoures Maiesties commaundement, prynted and put forth about the begynnyng of June this yere of our Sauiours birthe, 1548,12 wherein is commaunded that al the Cities13 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 old popishe ordinaunces, as a dog dothe to that he hathe spued out, or a washen swyne to the myre.14 [A 4r:] Thus haue ye15 harde what it is. Now heare what the worde signifyeth or betokeneth: Interim is as much to saye, as 'in the meane season', or, 'in the meane while'. And therefore haue they christened the childe and geuen him this name, because they wyll that we kepe all the thynges commaunded and contayned in that booke, in the meane while from this highedutche parlament holden at Außburg16 till there be a generall councell holden. There they thynke, (but God sitteth aboue in heauen, and thynketh happly otherwyse)17 to make the 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) greuouse18 and merciless mercy haue borne with vs in two thynges, that is to saye, in the Maryage of priests, and receiuing of [A 4v:] the communion in both the kindes. But how long? Forsoth Interim, that is, in the mean 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 a hathe thabouea named Phil. Melancthon answered, and written this present treatise, and sheweth to what thinges a christen man may agre, and whiche thynges may be chaunged, and whiche not; in which treatise the reader shall well perceaue, that he nether hath denied the trueth that he hathe thus long taught and acknowledged, nor yet thinketh to doe: whiche vertu and high gyfte [A 5r:] of God, the almighti father of our lord Jesus Christ increase in him and all the christen to the honour and 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.