The Confession of the Faith of the Germans

But see the unshamefastnes of the adversaries. They not only teach, that those observances be services justifying before god: but add also that they be more perfect services (that is to say) more meriting remission of since and justification, than be any other kinds of living. And here run together in a heap many false & poison opinions. They feign that they keep both the precepts and councils. Afterwards the liberal men, because they •reame that they have merits, more than be sufficient to them selves: they sell them unto other. All these things be full of pharisaical vanity. For there can be no greater wickedness, than to think that they in such wise fulfil the ten commandments, that they have merits more than they need, sith it is so that these precepts (Thou shalt love thy lord god with all thy heart. Thou shalt not lust) accuse every man be he never so holy. The prophet saith, Every man is a liar (that is to say) not having right opinion of god / not fearing god sufficiently, not believing god sufficiently. Wherefore religious men do falsely glory, that in the keeping of abbey life, the precepts be fulfilled, yea & more to. This is false also, that the observances of religious men, be works of the councils of the gospel. For the gospel doth not counsel diversities of apparel, of meats, of renouncing ⟨image 202⟩of their own goods. These be traditions of men, of all which it was said, Es•a nos non commendat deo, ¹Meate dothe not make us acceptable to god. Wherefore neither they be honours and services justifying, neither be they perfection: but rather wham they be set forth cloaked with these titles, they be the very doctrines of devils. Virginity I grant is councils, but yet only to those persons, which have the gift, as it was said before. But it is a very poison error to think that the perfection of the gospel standeth in traditions of men. For so the religious persons also of the Machometistes might boast, that they have the evangelical perfection. Neither doth it stand in observing of other things, which be indifferent.² But because the kingdom of god is justice and life in the hearts:

But se the vnshamefastnes of thaduersaries. They not onely teache, that those obseruaū ces be seruicꝭ iustifieng before god: but adde also that they be more perfecte seruices (that is to say) more meretyng remission of synnes and iustification, than be any other kyndes of lyuynge. And here runne together in a heape many false & poysone opinions. They fayne that they kepe bothe the preceptes and counsaylles. Afterwardꝭ the liberall men, because they reame that they haue meritꝭ, more than be sufficiente to them selues: they selle them vnto other. All these thynges be full of pharisaicall vanitie. For there can be no greater wyckednes, than to thynke that they in suche wyse fulfyll the tenne cōmaundementes, that they haue merites more than they nede, sythe it is so that these preceptes (Thou shalt loue thy lorde god with all thy herte. Thou shalte not lust) accuse euery mā be he neuer so holy. The ꝓphete sayth, Euery man is a lyer (that is to say) not hauynge ryght opinion of god / not fearynge god sufficientely, not beleuynge god sufficiently. Wherfore religious men do falselye glorye, that in the kepynge of abbeye lyfe, the preceptes be fulfylled, yea & more to. This is false also, that the obseruaūces of religious men, be workes of the counsaylles of the gospell. For the gospell dothe not counsell diuersities of apparayle, of meates, of renouncynge