A06491:52
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.
Besides all this, hath this dragons tail, the mass, caused and brought in much poison and dregs of divers kinds of Idolatry.
Besydes all thys, hath this dragōs tayll, the masse, caused and brought in muche poyson and dregges of dyuers kyndes of Idolatrye.
1First Purgatory. There have men handled and made market with soul masses, dirges, sevenths, trentals, months minds and years minds, and at the last with the common week's mind and all Soulen day, and beadrolls. In so much that the mass almost is used only for the dead. Notwithstanding that Christ did institute the Sacrament only for the living.
1Fyrste Purgatory. There haue men handeled and made market with soule masses, dirges, seuenthes, trentalles, monethes myndes and yeres myndes, and at the last with the common weakes mynde and all Soulen daye, and beaderolles. In so muche that the masse almost is vsed onely for the dead. Notwithstandyng that Christe dyd institute the Sacrament onely for the liuynge.
- 1Purgatory.
Therefore is Purgatory with all the pomp of God's service & purchase of the same to be counted for a mere diabolical illusion. For it is also against the Chief and principal Article, ⟨image 12⟩that only Christ, and not mans works must help the Souls. Besides that also we have no charge nor commandment given unto us concerning the dead. Wherefore it may well be left, and omitted although it were neither heresy error nor Idolatry.