The Confession of the Faith of the Germans

Now therefore good men may easily judge, that this is a very false accusation to say, that we take away the continual & daily sacrifice. The thing it self showeth, who be those Antiochi, which reign in the church, which under pretence of religion, draw unto them selves the kingdom of the world, & casting away all care of godly living and teaching the gospel, play the lords, make war like princes and kings of the world, which have instituted new ceremonies in the church. For our adversaries in the mass only retain the ceremony, and abuse it openly to cursed lucre & sacrilege. And yet they feign that thꝭ work, if it be applied for other, doth merit unto them grace & all goodness. In theyr sermones they teache not y• gospel, they comfort not consciences, they show not that sins be freely forgiven for Christs sake: but they set forth before us, & teach us honouring of saints, humane satisfactions, humane traditions. By these things they say, that men be justified before god. And where as certain of these before rehearsed be manifestly wicked: yet be they defended with force and violence. That if any preachers of them covet to be taken for more conning, and better learned than the rest, they teach questions of philosophy, which neither the people, neither yet them selves understand. Finally, they which be of most tolerable sort among them teach the law, but of the justice of faith they speak ⟨image 186⟩no word. Our adversaries in the confutation make wonderful tragedies, and sorrowful exclamations about the desolation of churches. saying, that the altars stand unadorned, without candles, without images. These trifling things they judge to be the adornments of the churches.¹ But Daniel signifieth a far other manner desolation to come to the church (that is to wit) the ignorance of the gospel. For the people oppressed with the great number and variety of traditions & opinions, could in no wise receive the effect and sum of the christian doctrine. For what one of the common people understood the doctrine of repentance, which our adversaries have taught? And yet this is the principal point of the christen doctrine. Consciences were vexed with the reckoning up of particular sins, and satisfactions:

Nowe therfore good men may easelye iudge, that this is a very false accusatiō to say, that we take away the continual & dayly sacrifice. The thyng it selfe sheweth, who be those Antiochi, whiche raigne in the churche, whiche vnder pretence of religion, drawe vnto them selues the kyngdome of the worlde, & castyng away all care of godly lyuyng and teachyng the gospell, playe the lordes, make warre lyke princis and kyngꝭ of the worlde, whiche haue instituted newe ceremonies in the churche. For our aduersaries in the masse only reteine the ceremonie, and abuse it openlye to cursed lucre & sacrilege. And yet they fayne that thꝭ worke, if it be applied for other, dothe merite vnto thē grace & al goodnes. In theyr sermones they teache not y gospell, they cōfort nat cōsciences, they shewe not that sines be frely forgyuen for Christꝭ sake: but they set forthe before vs, & teache vs honouryng of sayntes, humayne satisfactions, humayne traditions. By these thynges they say, that men be iustified before god. And where as certayne of these before rehersed be manifestlye wycked: yet be they defended with force and violence. That if any preachers of them couet to be taken for more connyng, and better lerned than the rest, they teache questions of philosophie, whiche neyther the people, neyther yet them selues vnderstande. Finally, they whiche be of moste tollerable sorte amonge them teache the lawe, but of the iustice of fayth they speke