A06511:120
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 the marriage of priests
Of the mariage of pristes
Where as they have forbidden marriage to priests & have laden the order of priesthood institute by god with perpetual chastity / they have done unlawfully & wickedly & like ungodly / tyrannical & damnable wretches. And by this act they have ministered occasion to all kinds of abominable sins / and most filthy & innumerable lusts & vices wherein they remain & are drowned as yet. Wherefore like as neither we nor they have no pour to make a woman of a man or a man of a woman / Or utterly to destroy both man & woman / even so have neither we nor they no pour to separate the creatures of god one from another or to forbid them to dwell together one with another honestly & godly in matrimony. And therefore we can in no wise neither allow nor yet abide this compelled single life. but we will have marriage to be free unto all men as it is ordained & institute by god / neither will we undo or him dre his work for .S. Paul saith that it is the devils doctrine so to do.
Wher as thei haue forbiddē mariage to pristes & haue ladē the order of pristhode īstitute by god with perpetual chastite / thei haue done vnlaufully & wickedly & like vngodly / tyrānical & dānable wretches. And bi this act thei haue ministred occasyō to all kyndes of abhominable sinnes / and most filthy & īnumerable lustes & vices wherin thei remaine & are drowned as yet. Wherfor like as neither we nor thei haue no pour to make a womā of a mā or a mā of a womā / Or vtterly to destroy both mā & womā / euē so haue neitheir we nor thei no pour to separate the creatures of god one frō a nother or to forbid thē to dwel to gether one with a nother honestly & godly in matrimony. And therfor we cā in no wise neither allowe nor yet abide this cōpelled single life. but we wil haue mariage to be fte vnto all mē as it is ordeined & īstitute by god / neither wil we vndoo or hī dre his worck for .S. Paul saith that it is tde deuels doctrine so to doo.