The Confession of the Faith of the Germans

That if the use of the sacrament were a continual and daily sacrifice: yet should we retain and keep the said sacrifice more than our adversaries. For among them priests use the sacrament, because they be hired for wages and rewards. With us the use of the sacrament is more often & also more devout and holy. For the people use the sacrament, but they be first taught and examined. For they be taught and instructed of the true and right use of the sacrament, which is that it was ordained for this entente, that it should be a seal & testimony of free remission of sins. And therefore it ought to teach fearful consciences, and to put them in remembrance, to be assured & certain within them selves, and to believe that their sins be freely forgiven them. For as much then, as we retain still both the preaching of the gospel, and the lawful use of the sacraments: there remaineth still with us the continual sacrifice. And if we should speak of the outward sight and show to the eye: there is greater resort of people in our churches, than in the churches of our adversaries. For the people be kept together with profitable and playne sermones. But as for the doctrine of our adversaries, neither y• people, neither the doctors them selves ever understand it. And the very true apparelling and decking of temples is godly doctrine, profitable and plain to the hearers, the godly use of the sacraments▪ ⟨image 187⟩fervent prayer, and such other. Candles, vessels of gold, & like ornaments be in deed seemly: but they be not the proper and very decking of the church. That if our adversaries set the honour of god in such manner things, and not in preaching of the gospel, in faith, in the exercises & battles of faith: they may be accounted in the number of them, whom Daniel describeth to worship their god with gold and silver.¹

That if the vse of the sacramente were a continuall and dayly sacrifice: yet shulde we retayne and kepe the sayde sacrifice more than oure aduersaries. For amonge them preestes vse the sacramente, because they be hyred for wages and rewardes. With vs the vse of the sacramente is more often & also more deuoute and holy. For the people vse the sacrament, but they be fyrste taught and examined. For they be taught and instructed of the true and ryghte vse of the sacrament, whiche is that it was ordeined for this entente, that it shuld be a seale & testimonie of free remission of sinnes. And therfore it ought to teache feareful consciences, and to put them in remembraūce, to be assured & certayne within them selues, and to beleue that theyr sinnes be freely forgyuen them. For asmoche then, as we reteine stylle bothe the preachynge of the gospell, and the laufull vse of the sacramentes: there remayneth stylle with vs the continuall sacrifice. And if we shulde speake of the outwarde sight and shewe to the iye: there is greatter resorte of people in our churches, than in the churches of oure aduersaries. For the people be kepte together with profitable and playne sermones. But as for the doctrine of our aduersaries, neither y people, neyther the doctours them selues euer vnderstande it. And the very true apparaylyng and deckyng of temples is godlye doctrine, profitable and playne to the hearers, the godly vse of the sacramētes