The Confession of the Faith of the Germans

our adversaries do foolishly & temerariously affirm, that the said pains be satisfied and redeemed by satisfactions canonical. Furthermore sith it is most certain, that remission of since is a free thing, or is freely given for Christs sake: it followeth that satisfactions be not required. And the gospel hath a commandment of forgiving since freely, but not of laying on punishments and new laws, or of laying on part, and remitting another part. For where do they read this in the scriptures? Christ speaketh of the remission of sin, when he saith: Qui•quid solueris. &c. what soever thing thou shalt loose upon earth. &c. which being ones forgiven, eternal death is taken away, and eternal life is restored.

our aduersaries do folyshelye & temerariously affirme, that the sayde paynes be satisfied and redemed by satisfactions canonical. Furthermore sythe it is mooste certayne, that remission of synnes is a free thynge, or is frely gyuen for Christis sake: it folowethe that satisfactions be not required. And the gospel hath a cōmaundement of forgyuynge synnes freely, but not of layenge on punyshementes and newe lawes, or of layenge on parte, and remittyng a nother parte. For where do they rede this in the scriptures? Christe speaketh of the remission of synne, whan he saythe: Qui•quid solueris. &c. what soeuer thynge thou shalte loose vpon earth. &c. whiche being ones forgyuen, eternall deathe is taken awaye, and eternall lyfe is restored.

Neither doth Christ speak here of laying on punishments,¹ when he saith, what soever thou shalt bind upon earth. &c. but he speaketh of the retaining of their since, which be not converted. But the saying of Peter Lombard, concerning releasing of part of the pains, was taken forth of the canonical punishments. Part of those pains the pastors or curates did remit. Albeit therefore, ⟨image 127⟩that we do think that repentance ought to bring forth good fruits, because of the glory and commandment of god, and good fruits have the commandments of god for them, that is to wit, true fasts, true prayers, true alms deeds. &c. yet nevertheless we never find in the holy scriptures, that eternal pains be not remitted, but for the pain of Purgatory, or for canonical satisfactions that is to say, for certain works not due, or that the power & authority of the keys hath a warrant and commandment to change pains, or remit pert of them. These things our adversaries ought to have proved. Besides this the death of Christ is not only satisfaction for the offence or sin, but also for eternal death, according to that saying of the prophet, Ero mors tua, o mors. I will be thy death, o death. What a monstrous thing than is it to say, that the satisfaction of Christ doth redeem the sin or offence, and our pains do redeem eternal death? so that now that saying, I shall be thy death, ought to be understand not of Christ, but of our works, and that not of works commanded by god, but of certain cold ceremonies devised by men. Yea and it is moreover said, that our pains put away everlasting death, even than also, when they be done in deadly sin. It can not be thought, how great grief it is to me, to recite these foolish & mad imaginations of our adversaries, which who soever doth well consider, he can not chose but be angry with these doctrines offends. which the devil hath sown & spread abroad in the Church, to oppress the knowledge of