A06491:119
The chief and principal articles of the Christen faith to hold against the Pope,…The chiefe and pryncypall articles of the Christen faythe to holde againste the Pope,…
The chief and principal articles of the Christen faith to hold against the Pope, and all papists, and the gates of hell, with other three very profitable and necessary books the names or titles, whereof are contain in the leaf next following. Made by Doctor Marten Luther. To the reader. In this book shall you find Christian reader the right probation of the right old catholic Church, and of the new false Church, whereby either of them is to be known. Read and judge.The chiefe and pryncypall articles of the Christen faythe to holde againste the Pope, and al papistes, and the gates of hell, with other thre very profitable and necessary bokes the names or tyttels, whereof are conteyne in the leafe next followynge. Made by Doctor Marten Luther. To the reader. In thys boke shal you fynde Christian reader the ryght probation of the righte olde catholyke Churche, and of the newe false Churche, whereby eyther of them is to be knowen. Reade and iudge.
printed by S. Mierdman for Gwalter Lynne, 1548
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Here was also a great calamity and necessity, some thought that they should never come out of purgatory. For as much as according to the old canons seven peers of penance was dew for one deadly sin. And yet stood our confidence also in our works of satisfaction. And if the satisfaction might have ben perfect, than should out confidence have ben wholly set thereon, so that neither faith nor Christ should have ben profitable or necessary, But she was impossible. For if a man so should have done penance a hundred years, he should not have known, when he had made an end of it, that was as much to say, as always to repent still and never to come to repentance.
Here was also a great calamite and necessite, some thought that they shoulde neuer come out of purgatory. For as muche as accordyng to the olde canons seuen peres of penaunce was dewe for one deadly synne. And yet stode oure confidence also in our workes of satisfaction. And yf the satisfaction myght haue ben perfecte, than shoulde oute cōfidence haue ben wholy set thereon, so that neyther faythe nor Christ shoulde haue ben profitable or necessary, But she was impossible. For yf a man so shoulde haue done penaūce a hundreth yeres, he shoulde not haue knowen, whan he had made an ende of it, that was as muche to saye, as alwayes to repente styll and neuer to come to repentaunce.
1And here came the holy See of R• me to succour the poor Church, and invented the Pardons. Thereby did he remit, and ease the satisfaction. ⟨image 27⟩First one year, seven years, an hundred years &c. And parted it among the Cardinals and Bishops, that the one could give a hundred years, the other a hundred days of Pardon. But to take away the whole satisfaction, did he keep only for him self.
1And here came the holy See of R• me to succour the poore Churche, and inuented the Pardons. Thereby dyd he remitte, and ease the satisfaction.