A06511:124
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.
How we are justified & saved before god & of good works
How we are iustified & saued before god & of good wockes
What so ever I have continually taught until this day / of this matter / I can in no wise change it / namely that we obtain a new & a clean hart and mind / through faith: & that god will & doth accept & count us for just & holy for christs sake our mediator. And although sin is not yet thoroughly quenched / mortified & killed in our flesh / yet god will not impute it to him that believeth perfectly. & such a faith / such a renewing & remission of sins is never without good works going with him & imperfection as yet in those works yet through the same christ & for his sake it shall not be reputed for sin / but the mhole man both in his person & in his works shall be called & shall be in deed / just & holy only through the grace & mercy in christ powre & amplified p•entuosly up on us ▪Wherefore We can not glory nor boast of the merits of our works / ⟨image 32⟩if they be considered with the grace & mercy of god: but he that glorieth / let him glory in the lord / that is to say let him glory that he hath god merciful & favourable unto him & so is all well. Furthermore we add this also / that if good works goo not with faith / it is no true / but a false faith.
What so euer I haue cōtinually taught vntil this day / of this matter / I cāin no wise chāge it / namely that we obteine a newe & a cleane hart and mynd / thorow faith: & that god wil & doth accept & cownt us for iust & holy for christes sake our mediator. And although sinne is not yet thorowly quēched / mortifyed & killed in our flessh / yet god wil not impute it to hē that bileueth ꝑfitely. & such a faith / such a renewyng & remissiō of sinnes is neuer without good workes goīg with him & imꝑfeccyō as yet in those warkes yet thorow the same christ & for his sake it shal not be reputed for sinne / but the mhole mā both in his ꝑson & ī his workes shal be called & shal be in dede / iust & holy ōly thorow the grace & mercy ī christ powre & āplifyed pētuosly vp on us Wherfor We can not glory nor bost of the merites of our workes /