A06491:74
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.
Out of this followeth. That what ⟨image 17⟩soever the pope, by such false, froward, blasphemous, usurped power, hath done and pretended, hath ben nothing, but a devilish act, and deed, and yet is, (except that, which belongeth to the temporal governance, wherein also God permitteth oftentimes much good to be done unto the people by a tyrant, and evil person) to the destruction of the universal Catholic church (as much as lieth in him) and for to disturb the first chief Article of the redemption by Jesus Christ.
Oute of this followeth. That what ⟨image 17⟩soeuer the pope, by suche false, frowarde, blasphemous, vsurped power, hath done and pretended, hath bē nothyng, but a deuelysshe acte, and dede, and yet is, (except that, whiche belongeth to the tēporal gouernaunce, wherein also God permitteth oftentymes much good to be done vnto the people by a tyraunt, and euyll person) to the destructiō of the vniuersal Catholike church (as much as lyeth in hym) and for to distourbe the fyrst chief Article of the redemption by Iesus Christe.
1For there be all his bulls & books, wherein he roareth, like a lion (as the Angel Apocalipsis .xij. doth prefigurate) that no christian can be saved, except he be obedient & subject unto him in all things, what soever he will, sayeth and doth, which is none other, but thus much to say. Though thou believe never so well in Christ, and have all things in him, which are necessary to salvation, yet for all that is it all in vain, if thou takest not me for thy God, and be obedient and subject unto me. Notwithstanding that it is ⟨image 17⟩manifest that the holy Church was without Pope at the least above five hundred years. And unto this day the churches of the Grecians, and of many other languages, were never under the pope, nor be not as yet. So is it then (as often hath ben said) an invention of man, not commanded, needless, and in vain, in so much that as the holy Catholic church, may forbear such a head well enough, & might have continued better, if such a head had not ben reared by the Devil. And also the papacy is not commodious in the church, for it useth no Christen office, wherefore the Church ought to remain and continue without a Pope.