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…

Name: The last will and last confession of martin Luther's faith co[n]cerming [sic] the [principal…
Author: Martin Luther

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].

Martin Luther 1483–1546Wesel : D. van der Straten?, 1543

[64] p. · 16k words · STC 16984 · ESTC S104350

Title page typeset from the transcription.

The third part of the articles. › Of the false penance of the papistsThe third part of the articles. › Of the false penance of the papistes

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.

[ Earlier:89–104 of 131

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Now wham the matter is brought in to light and seen / This contrition is nothing else than a feigned and false pretensed imagination sprung up out of the proper strength of man both without faith and also without any knowledge of christ in the which contrition the pore simple sinner would have laughed many times rather than have wept / specially when his lust and desire of revengeance against his emny hath come to his mind and remembrance: those only except whom either the law hath thoroughly feared or else whom the devil hath vexed and turmoiled with heaviness of hart. Else / I say / their contrition was nothing else than a very right hypocrisy / and it never abated or ⟨image 23⟩mortified the lust of sin for men were compelled to contrition / when as they had rather have sinned more if they might. And as for the manner of their confession this it was / Every man was compelled to number all his sins (which was an impossible thing) And this was an abominable tyranny. But such things as he had forgotten / he was assoiled of them and they were forgiven him on this con•yon that afterward when they came to his […] he should confess them. And by this me• a man could never be sure when he were […] confessed or when his confession should […] an end And yet notwithstanding they bad him put his trust in his work and diligence: for they said that the more purely he were confessed / and the more that he were ashamed and had dispraised him self before the priest so much the sooner and better should he satisfy and make amends for his sins / because such an humbling did merit or deserve grace / favour & mercy before god. Neither was here also any mention of christ. And again the strength & virtue of absolution was not taught nor declared to the penitent neither. And thus all his con fort did consist in the numbering up of his sins an• in his shamefastness But no man can express with words / what heaviness or sorrow / what abomination and filthiness / what ⟨image 23⟩Idolatry and superstition have grown of this confession. Finally satisfaction is large enough for there was no man in the world that ever could know how much he ought to do or satisfy for one sin only / how should he than know how much to do for all his sins?

[ Earlier passages Later passages ]

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…

Of the gospel.

Of baptism

Of baptyme

Of the baptism of infants.

Of the baptyme of infantys.

The author

Transcription key

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36