The Confession of the Faith of the Germans

¹They allege also forth of the epistle to the Hebrews this texte. Omnis pontifex ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constituïtur in his quae sunt ad deū, ut offerat dona & sacrificia pro peccatis. That is to say. Every bishop taken from among men is ordained for mens cause in those things, which appertain to god to offer gifts and sacrifices for since. Hereof they reason, that forasmuch as there be bishops and priests in the new testament: it followeth that there is also some sacrifice for since. This place most of all other doth move them which be unlearned / namely when the pomp of the priesthood and sacrifices of the old testament is caste before their eyes. This similitude doth deceive unlearned men, and causeth them to judge that there ought after the same manner some ceremonial sacrifices be among us, which should be applied for the since of other men, as it was in the old testament. Neither is that sacrifice of Masses and the other policy and ordinance of the pope any other thing, then a counterfeiting of the levitical ordinance or policy not rightly nor well understanded. And albeit that our sentence hath chief testimonies in the epistle ⟨image 187⟩to the Hebrews. Yet our adversaries wrest places forth of the same epistle (but yet mangled and mayhemed) against us / as in this same place where it is said, that the bishop is ordained to offer sacrifices for since: the scripture immediately addeth mention of Christ the bishop. The words going before speak of the levitical priesthood / & they mean that the levitical bishopric or priesthood was the image of the bishopric or priesthood of Christ. For the levitical sacrifices made for since did not merit remission of sins before god, only they were an image or figure of the sacrifice of Christ, which only should be the propitiatory sacrifice as we said before. Therefore a great part of the epistle is spent about this place, that the old bishopric or priesthood and the old sacrifices were not instituted for this entente, that they should merit remission of since before god, or reconciliation: but only to signify the sacrifice that was to come of Christ only. For the saints in the old testament must needs be justified by the believe of the promise that remission of since should be given for Christs sake:

¹They alledge also forthe of the epistle to the Hebrues this texte. Omnis pontifex ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus cōstituïtur in his quae sunt ad deū, ut offerat dona & sacrificia pro peccatis. That is to say. Euery byshop taken frome amonge men is ordeyned for mennes cause in those thynges, whiche apperteyne to god to offre gyftes and sacrifices for synnes. Hereof they reason, that forasmuche as there be bysshopes and prestes in the newe testament: it foloweth that there is also some sacrifice for synnes. This place moste of al other doth moue them whiche be vnlearned / namely when the pompe of the presthod and sacrifices of the olde testament is caste before theyr eyes. This similitude dothe deceiue vnlerned men, and causeth them to iudge that there ought after the same maner some ceremoniall sacrifices be amonge vs, whiche shulde be applied for the synnes of other men, as it was in the olde testamente. Neyther is that sacrifice of Masses and the other policie and ordenaunce of the pope any other thyng, then a counterfaytyng of the leuiticall ordenaunce or policie natryghtly nor well vnderstanded. And albeit that our sentence hathe chiefe testimonies in the epistle