A06491:442
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.
Last of all mark that thou must always make the Amen, strong, & doubt nothing. But that God is thine undoubtedly with all his graces, and say yea to thy prayer. And think that thou doest not kneel and stand there alone. But the universal Christianity or all righteous Christians with thee, & thou among them in an uniform prayer, which God can not despise. And go not from thy prayer before that thou hast said or thought. This prayer is heard in the sight of God. This do I know surely and undoubtedly. That is, Amen.
Last of all marke that thou must alwayes make the Amē, strong, & doubt nothinge. But that God is thyne vndoutedly with all his graces, and saye yea to thy prayer. And thynke that thou doest not knele and stande there alone. But the vniuersall Christianite or all righteous Christians with the, & thou among them in an vniforme prayer, whiche God can not despise. And go not frō thy prayer before that thou hast sayde or thought. This prayer is hearde in the syght of God. This do I knowe surely and vndoubtedly. That is, Amen.
Also thou shalt know, that I will not have all these words spoken in ⟨image 105⟩the prayer. For thereof should at the last grow babbling and a vain mom belling, being read out of the book after the letters, even as our Ladies Psalter hath ben among the lay people, and the prayers of Priests and Monks. But I will thereby have the heart stirred and instructed, what cogitations or thoughts it ought to use in the Lords prayer. But such thoughts or cogitations can the heart (when it is through warm and lusty to pray) express well enough with far other words, yea also with fewer or more words. For I my self also, will not be bound to such words and syllables, but speak the words to day thus, to morrow otherwise, according as I am warm and lusty, how be it as uere as I can, I abide by the same sense and meaning. It cometh also often to pass that I come in one point or petition, into so plenteous digressions and thoughts, that I leave all the other six. And also when such ⟨image 106⟩