A06511:21
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.
The second article.
The mass that is commonly used in the papistry is the highest & most horrible abomination that ever was / and it is as contrary to the principal article of the faith as heaven is to hell although among all the popish Idolaters it is the most precious / daī • and bringeth most lucre to the purse. for all men have believed surely that the sacrifice & work of the mass though it were done of the most rascal scull you in the world / yet it should deliver men from all their sins both in this life and also after this life in purgatory / which thing can no thing do not perform save the only lamb of god as is before said. Wherefore we will give no place in this article / nor grant any part thereof. And if any man chance upon some reasonable papist / let him axe him gently / for what cause they labour to maintain ⟨image 8⟩the mass so obstinately / specially seeing it• is nothing else than a mans invention and no ordinance of god. And it is lawful to neglect and break mans traditions / as christ saith- Math. 15. they honour & serve me in vain teaching the doctrines / traditions & commandments of men. And again it is a thing of no necessity and it may be left well enough with out any sin or peril.
The masse that is comonly vsed in the papistry is the highest & most horrible abhominacion that euer was / and it is as cōtrary to the principal article of the faith as heauē is to hell although among all the popisch Idolaters it is the most precios / daī and bringeth most lucre to the purse. for all men haue bileued surely that the sacrifice & work of the masse though it were done of the most rascal scull you in the world / yet it shuld deliuer mē from all their sinnes both ī this life and also after this life ī purgatory / which thing can no thing doo not performe saue the only lamb of god as is before said. Whefor we wil geue no place in this article / nor grāt any part therof. And if any man chance vpō some reasonable papist / let him axe him gentylly / for what cause thei labor to mainteine