To the Christian reader grace and peace from God through Jesus Christ.
In the course of a few years, a number of sermons and homilies have gone out under the name of D. Martin Luther, of which he has overlooked almost the smallest part, as is to be expected according to the type of language: which are now finally thrown together in a foreign language in two or three heaps without order, so that one does not know which is the foremost or the rearmost, let alone that they are printed so industriously that I am almost surprised how some simple-minded person can judge from them.
But because there is a great desire for them, how right and just, I have such a cause
**) Cf. Walch XI Forewords 35 f. D. Red.
to again overlook the disorganized and industriously printed sermons and to put them in order according to the Sundays. Which I, with the favor and approval of D. Martin Luther, in this summer part from Easter to Advent, with the greatest diligence, as much as God has graciously given me; and in the winter part, along with other sermons, as available, I will also gladly do, if it pleases God.
But I do not want anyone to think that I took special care to add the sayings in these sermons, drawn from the Scriptures and repeated, according to Luther's interpretation, because, praise God, it goes almost through the whole of Germany, so that one may not search many books now and then in reading.
It has also not displeased me to print the sums of Johann Bugenhagen of Pomerania, recently published in Latin, in German on each Gospel, for the sake of those most of all who are to teach others and yet are not too familiar with Latin, so that no one will ever have any excuse that the Gospel is too difficult for him, or that it is not presented and presented in all ways.
However, this summer part with the small scripture was first printed and provided with registers (because one wants it that way now) according to necessity, and also diligence was applied everywhere, so that no one would have cause to change the copy in the reprint or to make it after his own head, and to discard rips raps among each other (as when one mixes Treber with the sows). As happens to almost all Lutheran books when they are reprinted elsewhere; so that he himself is almost unaware of them, and says: "One might lose the desire to write books.
But if there is someone who does not want to be told and does it according to his own head, let him do it on his own adventure; he will see it well. I hope that one day we will become wiser about buying books and will no longer fall for any of them, as we have foolishly done up to now, even with our big
have done harm. Therefore, these good people may well take care and become wise to print something good and right, or we will let their effort and work be lost to us. Although there are few of them who mean us, and not themselves, in this, yes, many so skillfully that they do not ask whether it is printed rightly or wrongly, if they only get what they want out of it. But the world remains the world, you do it as you like.
I hereby command these sermons to every pious Christian, and especially to the fathers of the household, so that they may read them to their children and household servants at home, if they cannot come to the sermon on the holy day because of other business, at another time when it is convenient for them, and teach them from them what a true Christian life is, which is primarily practiced here, and illustrated with bright, clear, simple words. May God give each one grace to live according to it, so that it will not always remain on the tongue and in the books, but will one day break out in deeds and Christian fruits. Dear friends, let us make good use of the light, because we have it. May Christ Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer, help us to do so, amen.