The Confession of the Faith of the Germans

But the Bull of Leo bishop of Rome do openly condemn this article of remission of sins our adversaries do also condemn it in their confutation. By which thing it appeareth what manner church their church is to be judged, which not only with decrees disallow this sentence, that remission of since is purchased by faith, not for our works, but for Christ, but also command to destroy that sentence and opinion with violence and with the sword. They command also with all kind of cruelty to destroy the good men, which be of the same opinion and mind. But they will say, that they have great and famous authors for them, as master Duns, Gabriel▪ and other like, the sayings also of fathers▪ which be recited in the decrees, but maimed and unperfect, Certes if we should fall to numbering of testimonies they have the better band. For there is a great rabblement of trifling writers upon the master of the Sentences, which do even as it were conspire together in defending these figments & lies of the merit of attrition and of works, and the things which we have here to fore recited. But let no man be moved with the multitude of them. For the authority is not great of the late writers, which were not the fathers of ⟨image 115⟩their own writings, but only embezzling and robbing the old fathers, did shyfre and turmoil opinions forth of one book in to an other. They used no manner judgment, but only (after the fashion of the Senators, which were called Pedarij) without any words allowed the errors of them that had written before,¹ whom they perceived not. We therefore will not be afraid to set this saying of Peter, who allegeth the consent of the prophets against the legions of sententiaries, be they never so many. And to this preaching of Peter is added the testimony of the holy ghost. For thus saith the text. Adhuc loquente Petro uerba haec, cecidit spiritus sanctus sup omnes, qui audiebant uerbum .1. And as Peter was yet speaking these words, the holy ghost lighted upon all them, which did hear the word. Let all good & godly consciences therefore know that this is the commandment of god, that they should believe their since to be freely forgiven them for Christs sake, and not for our own works.

But the Bulle of Leo byshop of Rome do openly condempne this article of remission of sinnes our aduersaries do also cōdempne it in theyr confutation. By whiche thynge it appereth what maner churche theyr churche is to be iudged, whiche not onely with decrees disalowe this sentence, that remission of synnes is purchased by faith, not for our workes, but for Christ, but also cōmaunde to destroy that sentence and opinion with violence and with the swerde. They cōmaūde also with all kynd of crueltie to destroye the good men, whiche be of the same opinion and mynde. But they wyll saye, that they haue greate and famous authours for them, as maister Duns, Gabriel and other lyke, the sayenges also of fathers whiche be recited in the decrees, but maymed and vnperfecte, Certes if we shulde falle to numbring of testimonies they haue the better bande. For there is a great rablement of tryfelyng wryters vpon the mayster of the Sentencies, whiche do euen as it were conspire to gether in defendyng these figmentes & lyes of the merite of attricion and of workes, and the thynges whiche we haue here to fore recyted. But let no man be moued with the multitude of them. For thauctoritie is not greate of the late wryters, whiche were not the fathers of