Philippi Melanthonis Epigrammatvm Libri Tres

For you take care to scatter the seeds of the word of Christ,
Seeds to be conceived with undoubted faith.
You take care to remove the filth of Satan, the monks, and the cloistered maidens,
And the false dogmas of the Pope.
By which the treacherous man himself harassed the whole world,
And pushed many souls to the depths of the Styx.
You throw biting bridles upon the strygibus witches/vampires Melanchthon uses this term as a harsh epithet for the Papists. Papists,
So that the true honor of religion may remain.
Who doubts that the Papists corrupt the words of Christ?
Who denies that these are limbs dedicated to Satan?
For they mix dreams with the holy scripture,
And at the same time, they infect the limbs dedicated to God.
They speak sweet words indeed, like an angel, with art,
Under which dire poisons lie hidden secretly.
You rightly cast such away, because they speak falsely,
And you cultivate Learned men with the love of your heart.
Who instill in us the true love of piety,
Since they teach only the pure dogmas of Christ.
And they show certain steps to the celestial kingdoms,
And they teach that faith alone justifies.
Thus, because you repair the fallen honor of doctrine,
And you cultivate the commands to be borne of the true God.
The happy Church, long pressed by darkness, flourishes,
By your auspices, it lifts its head to the stars.
Thus the fallen Republic finds its former countenance,
And it thrives with no small praises.
When the honor of piety is considered great, and everyone
Is pious, eternal riches accompany them.