A06491:227
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.
The cause, where fore the papists do call us heretics, is this. They say, that we be fallen from the holy church, & have set up another new church. Here upon is to be answered. For as much as they boast themselves, that they be the right church, so ought they to prove the same, if they by any ground (for we desire not much ground) prove the same, then will we yield our selves, come and say: Peccavimus, miserere nostri. But if they can not prove it, then must they needs confess (be it willingly or unwillingly) that they be not the church, & that we can not be heretics, for falling from that vile church. Yea whilst there is no mediation, so must we be the ⟨image 53⟩church of Christ, & they the church of the devil, or contrariwise. Therefore lieth very much on this point, that men prove, which is the true church. As long as that proof is not there, it is in vain that the one part boast them selves the church, & call the other heretics, The one party must needs be false & wrong. 1But there be two manner of churches, from the beginning of the world until the end the which s. Augustine calleth Cain, & Abel, And the Lord Christ commandeth us, that we should not receive the false church & discerneth him self two churches one true, another false Math. vij. Beware of false Prophets which come unto you is sheep's clothing &c.2 Whereas Prophets be, even there be churches, wherein they teach. If the Prophets be false, than be the churches false also, which believe & follow the prophets. Now could we never as yet hitherto obtain of the papists, that they would show, wherefore that they are the right church, but they stand only upon the saying of Mat .xviii. That men must hear the church, or else they must be lost.3 And ⟨image 53⟩yet in the same place Christ saith not, who, where, or what the church is: but wheresoever the church is, even there should men hear her. Even that same do we confess & say also. but we ask, where, & who is the church of christ, not of the name, but of the being do we ask