Luther: "with or without" you!

From this one may easily see whether the pope, with or without the councils, has been given the authority to pass laws which go beyond God’s commandments, and by which man should be saved if he observes them, or condemned if he despises them. Neither the pope nor his councils have the authority to do this. This would also not be fitting for any angel or any other creature, since the salvation or damnation of man is based on faith alone, as is clearly expressed by Christ in the last chapter of Mark [16:16]: “He who believes will be saved, he who does not believe will be condemned.” When Christ sent out his disciples, he said: “Go and proclaim the kingdom of God! He who hears you hears me; he who despises you despises me.”¹⁵ And in another passage: “Go and preach the gospel to all creatures.”¹⁶

So if the pope or the councils preach Christ, or faith, or the gospel (which are the mysteries of God), then one necessarily will have to listen to them. If they preach something else, however, then man may choose whether or not to listen. But if they want to force us, then we should not listen to them. For the Father’s decree concerning Christ, Matthew 17 [:5], is still valid: “Obey Him.”¹⁷ In the church nothing should be heard but the Word of God, which teaches the mysteries of God, I Peter 4 [:11]: “When someone speaks, he should speak as the Word of God.”

Luther, LW 49.66