A06511:118
The last will and last confession of martin Luther's faith co[n]cerming [sic] the [principal…The last wil and last confession of martyn luthers faith co[n]cerming [sic] the [principal…
The last will and last confession of martin Luther's faith co[n]cerming [sic] the [principal articles of religion which are in controversy, which he will defend & may[n]teine until his death, against the pope and the gates of hell draw[n] forth by him at the request of the princes of germany which have reformed their [sic] churches after the gospel, to be offered up at the next general council in all their names & now published before that all the world may have an evident testimony of his faith if it shall fortune him to dye before there be any such cou[n]cel, tra[n]slated out of latin beware of the pope & of his false prophets and bishops for they will come in sheep's clothing and in angels faces but yet inwardly they are ravening wolves [sic].The last wil and last confession of martyn luthers faith co[n]cerming [sic] the [principal articles of religion which are in controuersy, which he wil defend & mai[n]teine vntil his death, agaynst the pope and the gates of hell drawe[n] furth by him at the request of the princes of germany which haue reformed theier [sic] churches after the gospel, to be offred vp at the next general councel in all their names & now published before that all the world may haue an euydent testimony of his faith if it shal fortune him to dye before there be any such cou[n]cel, tra[n]slated out of latyn beware of the pope & of his false prophetes and bissopes for thei wil come in shepys clothing and in angels facys but yet inwardly thei are ravening wolnys [sic].
Wesel : D. van der Straten?, 1543
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.
Of giving of orders & of the calling of ministers
Of geuīg of ordres & of the callīg of ministers
If bishops would be right bishops & take cure of the church & of the gospel / than for charity's & for unites sake / we would permit them (but not as it were a necessary article of the faith) to ordain / admit & confirm all ministers & preachers / so that all foolishness / charming / conjuring & all manner of wicked ceremonies were removed and set apart. But now for as much as they be not nor will not be right true bishops but rather temporal & civil lords & rulers / & will neither teach / preach baptize minister the sacraments nor do any other work or office that pertaineth to the church but only persecute & condemn such as serve & minister truly in the church according to their vocation / the church ought not to •e destitute of true ministers & therefore as the old examples of the church in fore time & of the old fathers also do teach us / we will & be bound our selves to ordain apt & mete parsons for such offices which thing they can not deny nor forbid us to do even by their own law. For their own laws do say & affirm plainly that such as be ordained & admitted to the office of a priest by heretics / to be lawfully admitted & that this admission ought not to be disannulled or changed again. ⟨image 31⟩As .S. Hierom writeth of the church of alexandria that at the first it was commonly & governed by priests & preachers with out any bishops at all.
If bisshops wold be right bisshops & take cure of the church & of the gospel / thā for charites & for vnites sake / we wold permit thē (but not as it were a necessary article of the faith) to ordeine / admit & cōfirme all ministers & preachers / so that all folisshnes / charmīg / cōiuring & all maner of wicked ceremonys were remoued and set apart. But now for as moch as thei be not nor wil not be right true bisshops but rather tēporal & ciuil lordes & rulers / & wil neither teach / preach baptize minister the sacramētes nor do any other worck or office that ꝑteineth to the church but only persecute & condēne such as serue & minister truly in the church acordīg to their vocaciō / the church ought not to e destitute of true ministers & therfor as the old exāples of the church in fore time & of the old fathers also do teach us / we wil & be bownd our selues to ordeine apt & mete parsons for such offices which thīg thei cā not denye nor forbid us to do euē by their own lawe. For their own lawes do say & affirme plaīly that such as be ordeined & admitted to the office of a prist by heretikes / to be laufully admitted & that this admissyon ought not to be disamulled or chāged again.