together with Nic. von Amsdorf's short preface.
From the year 1522.
Nicolaus von Amsdorf, to all pious Christians God's grace, spirit and strength against the devil and his scales, Amen.
I. We consider that it is not necessary to make a preface for each part of Doctor Luther's books, because if one should be made, it would have to rhyme with the books of each tomos (volume) and say something about them and their author; this requires a great spirit, which I do not feel nor find with me, who could do enough for this matter and speak of it with dignity; for it is once decided that no foreign matter should be included in these tomos (volumes).
shall be brought. Therefore, we will leave it at the preface of the first volume, especially since Luther's books praise themselves and their author in advance, as one is wont to say: "The work praises its master. Sir. 1, 10.
(2) Nevertheless, instead of a preface, let us put this following exhortation, warning, and reminder, which the holy man of God, Martin Luther, made and made himself during his life, very useful and comforting to all Christians, but frightening to the world to read.
Luther's exhortation, warning and reminder.
(1) The ingratitude of the world is so overwhelmingly great and becomes greater day by day that, if the last day does not come, we will have to worry, yes, not worry, but certainly prophesy and wait for the terrible, horrible plague and wrath of God, so that he will draw his light to himself again and let darkness come over everything. And such a plague is already affecting many, because almost the whole multitude has lost God's word in their hearts and despises it so miserably; on the other hand, they cling to the idol Mammon with such diligence and run after him, as if everyone wanted to snatch all the world's goods for himself, that one can see how the dear word alone still shines a little on the preaching chair through the bodily voice, even though the same preaching chairs are also few.
Because we see and grasp how the divine word is already extinguished in the hearts, it is a small matter that it should also be extinguished on the preaching platform; for he who does not have a heart for it will not long have ears or a mouth for it. But if the preaching stand never shines, then the world has what it should have and deserves; namely, that it, abandoned and rejected by God, is given into the power of the devil, who leads it from one error into another, fills it with all kinds of lies, idolatry, heresy, then chases and drives it to rebellion, war, murder, avarice, summa, to all vice and vice, as Christ says, Luc. 11, 26, that the cast out devil with seven spirits, which are worse than he is, takes over and possesses his former house.
I say that we must not worry about this alone, but we must be as sure of it as God lives, because we can already see the beginning of such misfortune before our eyes, and all the heirs of the great multitude are already in it. This is called "Sodoma and Gomorrah sunk with fire and brimstone", Gen. 19, 24. that is "the world drowned with the flood", Gen. 7, 21. that is "Jerusalem destroyed, so that not one stone house remains after another", Luc. 19, 44,
And there is no hope nor counsel to excuse or turn it away, except it be in the last day. For no one wants to hear it or believe it, and even if one sings and says it, it is a mockery. O right, right! Let God punish you, you desperate world, for your ingratitude and contempt of the divine word, so that you will not be worthy to believe your future punishment, which is announced to you so vehemently, but rather be sunk into the abyss with Sodom and Gomorrah before you can realize it.
4 Isaiah, Cap. 6, v. 9, also proclaimed this: "Go and blind this people's eyes and stop up their ears, so that they become blind and deaf and can neither see nor hear, and make their hearts fat," that is, careless, sure, ungrateful, so that they become mad and neither understand nor realize anything, so that they do not convert, and I must help them.
5, This text comes and goes with violence to the ungrateful people of the world. There is no seeing, nor hearing, nor doubting, nor correcting, nor converting, therefore the last will certainly have to be found, that he will leave them and not help them; that is terrible and horrible. But what can we do about it? We must let it go and come as it goes and comes; for though we complain of being torn and sick because of it, the world asks nothing about it; it goes on as it is mad and foolish and possessed with all devils.
(6) Go also, thou noble tender fruit, and find that which thou seekest, and wilt not lack, nor have otherwise; we are easily parted; we cannot hold thee, if thou wilt be displeased, we sing with the angels over Babylon, We have long healed Babylon, but there is no healing; therefore we let her go, and depart.
7 But because we must wait for such a plague or the last day, and still have the light for a little while, as Christ says, let us who love the light walk in the same light.
long as we have it, so that we may be found children of the light, and when the hour comes that our Sodom and Gomorrah must perish with brimstone and fire, we may be preserved and saved with the pious lot. "For God knows well," says St. Peter, 2 Ep. 2, ö. ff., "how to save the pious when He punishes the unbelieving world."
(8) Therefore, let us always continue to teach and exhort one another to faith and good works, and to keep the good light among the evil, perverse generation, as the lamps and the stars of light (2c), and also to act as if we did not see or know the hostile, ungrateful despisers.
Another interpretation of this can be found in:
XlIIa & b. Part, 1st Sermon on Sunday. Judica, on contempt for the divine word.
4. hearing the divine word.
XII. Part, Sermon on Sunday. Sexagesimä, of four kinds of the listeners of divine word.
XlIIa & b. Part, Sermon on Sunday. Sexagesimä, von den viererlei Schülern des Worts.
5. from the attitude of the divine word.
XI. Part, Sermon on Sönnt. Sexagesimä, by the disciples of the divine word.
XIIIa & b. Part, Sermon on Sunday. Judica, § 15 ff, on the love and attitude of the divine word. Word.
6. from the Word of God and the Holy Scriptures.
I. Part, 13th Cap., § 117-141.
IV. Theil, Kurze Ausl. der 25 ersten Ps., § 1-13, von d. Worte GOttes, dessen Feinen u. Liebhabern.
V. Theil, Interpretation of the 119th Psalm.
XII. Theil, Predigt am Ostermontag Nachm., von der heiligen Schrift und dem Wort GOttes.
XII. Theil, 3. Predigt am Ostermontag, von der heiligen Schrift und dem Wort GOttes.
XII. Theil, Predigt am Tag der Auferstehung des HErrn, von der heiligen Schrift.
XII. Theil, Predigt am 20. Sonnt, nach Trin., ein Bild des Worts GOttes.
XIIIa. Theil, Predigt am 5. Sonnt, nach Trin., von dem Wort GOttes.
XIIIb Theil, 3. Predigt am 5. Sonnt, nach Trin., eine Abhandlung vom Wort GOttes.
7. the power and fruit of the Word of God.
XI. Part, Sermon on Sunday. Sexagesimä, von der Frucht des Wortes GOttes.
XI. Theil, Predigt am 2. Christtage, von den
Fruits and marks of the power of the Word of God.
Xiii a & b. Part, Sermon on Sund. Serages.