A06511:129
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.
For as much as the vows of religious men do directly repugn with the principal of our faith they ought to be broken & utterly to taken a way. for they be of the number of those things whereof christ speaketh / Math 24. saying I am christ &c. For he that voweth to live after the religion of monks & friars he believeth that he professeth a more perfect state of living than the common sort of christen men / & he goeth about to bring unto heaven by his works not only himself but other also / & this as much as to deny christ. They make this boast also as Thomas doth that their vows be be equal unto baptism which is a contumelious blasphemy against god.
For as moch as the vowes of religios mē do directly repugne with the prīcipal of our faith they ought to be brokē & vtterly to takē a way. for thei be of the nōber of those thīgs wherof christ speaketh / Math 24. saīg I am christ &c. For he that voweth to lyue after the religyōof mōkes & frires he bileueth that he ꝓfesseth a more ꝑfite state of liuīg thā the comō sort of christē men / & he goeth about to bryng vnto heauē by his workes not only hīself but other also / & this as moch as to denye christ. Thei make this bost also as Thomas doth that their vowes be be equal vnto baptyme which is a cōtumelios blasphemy against god.
Of mans traditions
Of mans tradicyons
Whereas the papists affirm that mans traditions be profitable unto remission of sins or that they merit & deserve everlasting saluacyā it is a wicked & a damnable blasphemy. For christ saith they honour me in vain with mens traditions. Item Paul. They refuse & deny the truth thorvw the precepts of men. And more over whereas they say that it is deadly sin to break such- ⟨image 33⟩