714G Melanchthon, Philip (1497-1560), Luther, Martin . (1483-1546)
Confessio fidei exhibita invictiss. Imp. Carolo V. Caefari Aug. in Comiciis Auguftae. Anno M.D.XXX. Addita est Apologia Co(n)fessionis Psalm. 119 Et loquebar de te stimonijs tuis in conspectu
Addita est apologia confessionis …
Wittenberg: Georg Rhau, 1531. $25,000
Octavo, 5.25 x 3.5. This edition is an impression of the “editio princeps” printed in the same year. a-d8, e4, (e4 blank and present) f-n8, A-P8, Q4, Q4 blank and present.
The title page has a woodcut illustration. This is bound in full modern calf over wooden boards in an antique style, it is a very nice copy with annotations on every page.
The Augsburg Confession is “the oldest and most authoritative of the Lutheran creeds,” and a major historical document, in which the revolution of Martin Luther assumed organized political action and permanently changed the religious and national identity of Europe. “It was drafted by Melanchthon, on the basis of Luther’s Marburg, Schwabach, and Torgau articles, and bore the signature of seven German princes….On 25 June, 1530, copies of it, in Latin and German, were presented to Charles V, at the diet of Augsburg, and the German version of it was read aloud before the secular and ecclesiastical Estates of the Empire. Charles retained his Latin copy which he brought with him to Spain, giving the other into the custody of the Archbishop of Mainz.”
In a remarkable calm and able “Answer” to the Confession, controversialists such as Eck, Wimpina, and Cochlaeus analyze the Confession, giving praise and censure where either is 
due. Melanchthon retorted with an “apologia” which Lutherans generally regard as their second symbolic book; Charles refused to accept it, because of the violent language against the Catholic Church. (summarized from the Catholic Encyclopedia)
“Although the emperor prohibited the printing of the evangelical confession without his special permission, during the diet six German editions and one in Latin were published….Their inaccuracy and incorrectness induced Melanchthon to prepare an edition to which he added the Apology. Thus originated the so-called editio princeps of the Augustana and Apology, which was published in the spring of 1531. This edition was regarded as the authentic reproduction of the faith professed before the emperor and empire.” (Schaff-Herzog)
The Augsburg Confession consists of 28 articles presented by Lutheran princes and representatives of “free cities” at the Diet of Augsburg that set forward what the Lutherans believed, taught and confessed in positive (theses) and negative (antitheses) statements. The theses are 21 Chief Articles of Faith describing the normative principles of Christian faith held by the Lutherans; the antitheses are seven statements describing what they viewed as abuses of the Christian faith present in the Roman church.
This is the back of the title to the Apologia with an index!
Kuczynski; 489; BM; NUC (pre-56; NA 0496813-4:other eds.)
Leave a Reply