The Confession of the Faith of the Germans

If the see of Rome doth judge it right, that all nations should know her for mistress & teacher of faith, she ought to give diligence, that learned, virtuous, and discrete men should have the determination and handling of matters touching the christen religion. For what shall the world judge, if at any time the writing of our adversaries shall be brought forth in to light? what shall they that shall come hereafter, judge of these false & erroneous judgements? Thou seest Campege that these be the last days, in which Christ prophesied before, that much jeopardy should happen to his religion. Ye therefore, ⟨image 125⟩which ought to sit on high, and to govern the christen religion, it was seeming for you now in these days to use both singular wisdom, & also diligence. There be many signs, which, (if ye look not well about you) do threaten a change to the Romaine estate. And thou art far deceived, if thou thinkest the congregations are to be holden & kept still only by violence & force of arms. Men desire to be taught & instructed of their religion. Howe many thinkest thou be there, not only in Germany, but also in England, in Spain, in Italy, in France, yea even in the city of Rome also, which, because they perceive & see controversies to be risen even of the very greatest matters, do begin to doubt in some things, and in their minds be angry, because ye refuse in due form to know and to judge these so weighty matters, and because ye do not deliver and set at large, cumbered and doubtful consciences, and because ye only command, us to be oppressed and destroyed with violence and force of arms. And there be many good men, whom it would grieve less to suffer death, and all kinds of torments, than as they do to suffer this ambiguity and doubtfulness. Neither dost thou sufficiently consider and way, how great a thing the christian religion is: if thou thinkest that good men be but little pained, at what time they begin to doubt of any opinion or article. And this doubtfulness can not but engender marvellous bitter hatred against them, which, where as they ought to find help and remedy for consciences, do let that the matter can not be opened and plainly declared. ⟨image 125⟩We speak not here how greatly ye ought to fear the punishment of god.

If the see of Rome doth iudge it ryght, that all nations shulde knowe her for mastres & teacher of faythe, she ought to gyue diligence, that lerned, vertuous, and discrete men shulde haue the determination and handlīg of matters touching the christen religion. For what shall the worlde iudge, if at any tyme the wrytynge of our aduersaries shalbe brought forthe in to lyghte? what shall they that shall come hereafter, iudge of these false & erronious iudgementes? Thou seest Campege that these be the last days, in which Christ prophecied before, that moche ieoꝑdie shulde happen to his religion. Ye therfore,