Fifth, nobody can deny that we, like it, do indeed hold, believe, sing, and confess the Apostles’ Creed, the ancient creed of the ancient church, and neither make nor add anything new to it. Hence we belong to the ancient church and are one with it. There is, therefore, in this matter also, no reason the papists should really call us heretics or a new church, for whoever believes as the ancient church did and holds things in common with it belongs to the ancient church.

Sixth, nobody can deny that we have the same prayer as the ancient church, the same Lord’s Prayer. We have not invented a new or different one; we sing the same psalms and praise and thank God with united heart and voice according to the teaching of Christ, the practice of the apostles and the ancient church, and their command to us to follow their example. And so again the papists cannot call us heretics or a new church, unless they first call Christ himself such, together with his beloved ancient church, etc. (Luther’s Works, v.41, p.196)

Picture: The Veronica Window at History Trinity Lutheran Church, Souland Market, St. Louis MO