A06511:121
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 church.
We will not grant the pope with his adherents to be the church / for they be not in very deed: & we will not obey those things which they command or forbid in the name of the church. for a child of vij. year ⟨image 32⟩old thanks be to god) doth know what the church is namely that it is a number of holy & faithful men & that is a flock of such sheep as hear the voice of their own pastor: for thus do our children pray / saying I believe the holy catholic church &c This holiness consisteth not in tippets / shaven crowns / long gowns & such other foolish ceremonies invented of their own brain with out any word of the holy scripture. But it consisteth in the word of god & in true & perfect faith
We wil not grāt the pope with his adherētes to be the church / for thei be not in very dede: & we wil not obey those thīgs which thei cōmād or forbid in the name of the church. for a child of vij. yeare ⟨image 32⟩old thākes be to god) doth knowe what the church is namely that it is a nōber of holy & faithful mē & that is a flock of such shepe as heare the voice of their own pastor: for thus do our childern pray / saīg I byleue the holy catholike church &c This holines cōsisteth not in typets / shauē crownes / lōg gownes & such other folissh ceremenys inuēted of their own brayne with out any word of the holy scripture. But it cōsisteth in the word of god & in true & perfit faith