January 1530.
Newly translated from the Latin.
Martin Luther to the Godly Reader.
Grace and peace in Christ. This booklet on the religion and customs of the Turks, which was offered to me, I have gladly accepted and, as I believe, I have not
I decided to publish it without good consideration. For, as I have so far been very desirous of learning the religion and customs of the followers of Mahomet, nothing has come to my hands but a certain "Laying of the
The first was written in German by Wolfgang Redorffer, the second in Latin by John Cochleus. In 1530, Hieronymus von Berchinshausen wrote an "Answer to the true poem by Johan Cocleus, who calls himself a doctor. Repeated editions of the book appeared, one also in Low German at Magdeburg in 1544. In the collections, our preface is found: in the Wittenberger (1569), vol. IX, p. 545 b; in the Jenaer (1566), vol. V, p. 275 b; in the Altenburger, vol. V, p. 393; in the Leipziger, vol. XXII, appendix, p. 95 and in the Erlanger, vol. 63, p. 287.
*) On January 3, 1530, Luther wrote to Nic. Hausmann (De Wette, Vol. Ill, p. 539): Cuditur latine libellus de ritu et religione Turearum ante 70 fere annos editus. Already in March, a reprint was published by Friedrich Peypus in Nuremberg, with the title: Libellus de ritu et moribus Tureorum ante LXX annos aeditus. Cum praefatione Martini Lutteri [sic]. Anno M.D.XXX. Justus Jonas translated (about 1537) the book and the preface into German. His translation of the preface was included in the Wittenberg edition (1569), vol. IX,
Alkoran" 1) and equally a "Selection from the Alkorau" (Cribratio Alcorani) of Nicolaus of Cufa, but until now I wish in vain to read the Alkoran. One could see that both that "refuter" and the author of the "selection" (Cribrator) wanted to deter the more simple-minded Christians from Mahomet and keep them in the faith in Christ; But since they are too eager to read out of the Alkoran everything that is exceedingly shameful and inconsistent, which arouses hatred and can move the common man to spite, and either pass over the good that is in it without having refuted it, or conceal it, it has happened that they have found very little faith and reputation, as if they had published theirs out of hatred for them or because of their inability to refute it.
This man, however, whoever the author of this book may have been, seems to treat the matter with the greatest fidelity. Through this faithfulness he has also gained great reputation with me, so that I firmly believe him as one who tells the truth honestly. And although there are small and minor things that he tells, and I would like to have more and greater things, he nevertheless also shows the small and minor things faithfully. For he tells them in such a way that he not only reports the evil that is found among them, but also contrasts it with the very good that they have, and praises it in such a way that he punishes and reproves our people by comparing them with them. And yet he does not call it good, as if it were done godly, but refutes it heartily and vigorously, as much as was possible at that time. These, of course, are certain signs of a sincere and honest mind, which writes nothing out of hatred, but tells everything out of love for the truth. For he who only rebukes the enemy, and only what is disgraceful and
1) This will probably be the scripture which Luther translated and published in 1542. It is found in our edition vol. XX, 2218 ff.
He who heaps accusations on what is untruthful about him, but conceals what is honorable and praiseworthy about him, does more harm than good to the cause. For what is easier than to publicly accuse shameful and dishonorable things (which refute themselves)? But to refute good and honorable things by stripping them of their beautiful appearance, that is, to benefit the cause, that is, to avert arousal and to deprive the angel of light of his lying form, and to make him hateful by his own shamefulness and deprivation of light.
From this book we see that the religion of the Turks or Mahomet in the ceremonies, I would almost say also in the customs, has a much more beautiful appearance than that of ours, also of the monks and all clergymen. 2) For such modesty and simplicity in eating and drinking, in dress, in dwellings and all things, as this book indicates, likewise such fasts and prayers, such general gatherings of the people are nowhere to be seen among our people, indeed it is impossible to persuade our common people to do so. Then, the astonishing and unbelievable severity of fasting and mortification among their monks, - which of our monks would not be put to shame, whether he be a Carthusian (who want to be considered the best) or a Benedictine? Our monks are only shadows compared to them, and our common people are quite unholy compared to their common people. Nor even the true Christians, neither Christ himself, nor the apostles, nor the prophets have ever had so great a beautiful appearance. And this is the cause that many so easily fall away from the faith in Christ.
2) As a sample of translation, we here communicate how the preceding sentence in Jonas reads: "Thus we shall see in this little book that the Turk's and Mahomet's religion, ceremonies and false worship have a much greater, more splendid appearance and shine more gloriously than old knotted ropes, downcast eyes, gray caps, wooden shoes of the barefoot monks or all our monasticism.
It is striking that both the Jena and Erlangen editions have brought this translation of Jonas, because both principally only reproduce Luther's writings in the language he used. In Latin, the preface is found in the Erlangen edition, oxp. var. ar^., tom. VII, x. 514. According to the text offered in the same, we have translated it anew.
fall away from Mahomet and cling to him so stubbornly. I fully believe that no pope, monk, clergyman, 1) or follower of their faith, if he spent three days among the Turks, would remain in his faith. I am talking about those who sincerely hold the faith of the pope and are the best among them. The other group and the largest part of them, especially the Whales, believe nothing at all, because they are swine from the army of Epicurus; they are secure against all heresy and error, and strong and unconquerable in their Epicurean faith, both against Christ and against Mahomet and against their own pope.
And for this purpose we publish this book and thrust it under the eyes of those who are hostile to the Gospel, so that they, having been disgraced in their foolish opinion, may learn by the thing itself and grasp with their own hands that what the Gospel teaches is true, namely, that the Christian religion is something quite different and higher than apparent ceremonies, plates, caps, sour feasts, fasts, feast days, seventh tides (horas canonica) and all the offerings of the Roman church throughout the world. For in all these things the Turks are very far in the lead, who deny and most fervently persecute Christ, no less than our papists deny and persecute him. Then they can also see with their hands that this is true, namely, that the Christian religion is something far different from good morals or good works, for this book shows that in these things, too, the Turks are far superior to the Christians.
Go therefore, ye tyrants and bishops, and slay, burn, slay, chase away, and rage in full fury for the faith of Christ, that is, for the sake of your ceremonies, although ye see here that the bright glow of your ceremonies is not a bright glow compared with the glorious:: bright glow of the Turks, and that your customs, compared with the customs of them, are clearly abominable. Therefore we publish this book at the same time as a kind of defense for our gospel. For now I see what the cause has been,
1) Instead of elsruin we have assumed elsrieuru. Jonas offers: "that among the papists no monk, priest, canon or curtisan" etc.
why the religion of the Turks was kept so hidden by the papists, why they only told what is shameful about them, namely because they realized, which is also really the case, that if it came to a dispute about religion, the whole papacy would have to fall with all its members, and they would not be able to protect their faith and refute the faith of Mahomet, since they would have had to refute that which they themselves approve of to the highest degree and on which they rely most, and to protect that which they approve of to the highest degree and on which they rely most::.
There are, I confess, many things among the Turks that are disgraceful and unrighteous, even in appearance, and perhaps there are more of them in the meantime, and the Turks are now not all as they are portrayed in this book, which was published before the capture of Constantinople, that is, seventy years ago, as everything tends to get worse with time. But these evil things are nicely covered by the so effective and strong appearance of ceremonies, good customs and false miracles. For what a shameful nature was not also among our people in so many abominations of pleasure, avarice, greed, pride, jealousy, discord, blasphemy, lies, vanity, impiety, so that we surpassed Sodom and Gomorrah, and yet this was concealed by a much weaker appearance of ceremonies than that of the Turks, that all this was not seen, and they were nevertheless considered saints: how much less will the Turks be moved by their shameful things adorned by such religious ceremonies!
Therefore we publish this book also with this second intention, that we may prevent the Mahometan arousal. For since we now have the Turk and his religion in the neighborhood, ours must be reminded that they should not be moved by the beautiful appearance of the religion of those people and the prestige of their customs, or by the low prestige of our faith and the
2) Instead of utilitats we have assumed vititats. Jonas offers: "and whether our holy Christian faith seems less".
304 L.v. L.vn,si7-5i9. Prefaces to the writings of others. W. xiv, 274-27K. 305
The Christian, who is annoyed by the vexatious form of the customs, denies his Christianity and follows Mahomet, but learns that the religion of Christ is something other than ceremonies and customs, and that for the Christian faith it is not at all decisive which of the two ceremonies, customs and laws is better or worse; but he throws them all into one heap and declares that they are not sufficient for righteousness, and that they are not necessary. If we do not learn this, there is danger that very many of our people will become Turks, since they are otherwise already inclined to much less brilliant errors.
And although the author of this book sufficiently scourges the unrighteous and shameful things of the Turks, and then also refutes their glaring agitations (by which, as he confesses, he himself was moved and sometimes fell) quite clearly and correctly, we still see that at that time our highest protection and our strongest weapons were not so publicly displayed, which are the articles of Christ: Namely, that Christ is the Son of God, dead to our sins, raised again that we might live, that we might be justified by faith in him, and blessed through the forgiveness of sins etc. These are the thunderbolts that destroy not only Mahomet but also the gates of hell. For Mahomet denies that Christ is the Son of God, he denies that he died for our sins, he denies that he rose from the dead to bring us to life, he denies that through faith in him sins are forgiven and we are justified, he denies that he will come as judge of the living and the dead, as
Although he believes in a resurrection of the dead and a day of judgment, he denies the Holy Spirit, he denies His gifts. By these and similar articles the conscience must be fortified against the ceremonies of Mahomet, by these means his Alkoran must be refuted.
For if someone denies the articles just mentioned, what can it profit him if he also has a spirituality of angels, if he is also twice as spiritual as the Turks? On the other hand, if a man holds to these articles, what harm can it do him if he neither fasts so much, prays, watches, abstains, nor is so modest in food and drink, clothing, offerings, and housekeeping? The Turks, the Papists may be glorious in these things, but at the same time they lack the right faith and are full of other exceedingly shameful vices and are an abomination before God and hateful to men. But it is to the author's credit that, hindered by the infirmity that was common to all in his time, he did not touch upon the greater things, and that what he did touch upon, he set forth in the manner of writing common to his time. He is to be praised, however, for his excellent zeal, for his sincerity and diligence, by which he faithfully accomplished as much as he was able. I will perhaps say more when Mahomet himself and his Alkoran come into my hands. For I hope that our gospel, which shines in such great light, will also make an attack on Mahomet, the abominable prophet, before the day of judgment. May our Lord Jesus Christ do this soon, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
The first part of the book is a preface from Justus Menius' booklet: Der Wiedertäufer Lehre und Geheimniß aus heiliger Schrift widerlegt (The Anabaptists' Doctrine and Mystery Refuted from Holy Scripture). *)
Preface Mart. Luther.
1 Our Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed clearly enough in Matth. 18, 7, that his dear church must always suffer from riots and sects, when he says: "There must be offenses, but woe to the man through whom the offenses come. St. Paul also said in 1 Cor. 11:19: "There must be heresies, so that the proven ones may be revealed"; and 2 Pet. 2:1: "But there will be false teachers among you, just as there were false prophets among them," as has been the case from the beginning of Christianity, even in the time of the apostles, until now, and will continue to be the case until the end of the world. For Christ is a King and Lord, therefore he must also contend and fight. But if he contends spiritually with the truth against the lie, the lie resists and will not be defeated. So the mobs begin, and there is such noise and tumult in Christendom.
(2) Therefore let no one be astonished or dismayed when he sees the rise of the heretics among Christians, and their terrible railing against the truth. If you are a Christian and believe Christ and his apostles, then you must also believe this and wait for them when they say that there must come revolts and rebellion [1 Cor. 11:19], and consider their word to be no lie, or loose, frivolous speech, but that they speak of honest, great, terrible things, as God's word is to speak. And you must not let it be strange to you when they come, but get used to it, so that you can say, "Go ahead and let come what is coming, I have already heard it.
knew very well that there would have to be a mob; if it is not them, it must be others; if they leave, it is others who are watching. If you want to have the good gospel, you must also have the hellish gates and devils, so that you do not have the same gospel with love and peace, as Christ says: "I give you my peace, not as the world gives" [John 14:28].
And in sum, the devil is a poltergeist and rumbling spirit, he can't stop poltergeist and rumbling. Up to now, under the pope, he has rumbled in houses, in churches, in the fields, in the woods, and thus has established a soul market, has offered and sold souls for sale, thereby dragging the mass and all Christian works into purgatory, even into hell, and putting all the world's goods into slothful bellies, even sinking them into monasteries and monastery cloacas and secret chambers. Now, however, such a soul market has been laid low for him, he is causing a new riot and another rumble, through the spirits of the mobs. Therefore, just as we are no longer afraid of the rumbling spirits in houses, we should also no longer be afraid of his! Therefore, just as we are no longer afraid of the rumbling spirits in houses, we should also no longer be afraid of their rumbling in the huts; there must be rumbling and rumbling as long as the world stands.
(4) But everything must be to our advantage, and not to our benefit. First of all, that we are trained to act and keep the word of God more diligently, and thus become more certain of the truth the longer. For if we did not have such groups, through which the devil wakes us up, we would become too lazy, sleep and snore ourselves to death, and both faith and word would be lost in us.
*) The book to which Luther wrote this preface has the title: "Der Widdertauffer lere vn geheimnis aus heiliger Schrifftderlegt, Mit einer schönen Vorrede, Martini Luther. sslo.j 4XIII. Sie errichten schalckheit vnd Haltens heimlich etc. Wittemberg ^IVXXX." 24D quarto sheet. At the end: "Printed at Wittemberg by Nickel Schirlentz. MDXXX." The entire manuscript with Luther's preface is printed in the Wittenberger (1551), vol. II, pp. 299p-350. The dedication to Landgrave Philip of Hesse is dated May 4 (Mitwochens nach Philippi und Jacobi) 1530. The preface alone is found in the Wittenberger (1569), vol. IX, p. 548; Jenaer l1566), vol. V, p. 260d; in the Altenburger, vol. V, p. 396; in the Leipziger, vol. XXII, appendix, p. 98 and in the Erlanger, vol. 63, p. 290. We give the text after the latter, since it brings the original print.
308 Erl. 63, LSL-SS4. Prefaces to the writings of others. W. xiv, 278-281.309
darken and corrode until everything is spoiled. But now, such mobs are our grindstone and polisher, sharpening and polishing our faith and doctrine so that they shine smoothly and purely like a mirror, getting to know the devil and his thoughts, and becoming fit and skilful to fight against him, which would all remain, where we would have peace from the mobs.
(5) Secondly, the word itself is brought to light before the world in a more powerful and brighter way, so that many learn the truth through such warfare, or are strengthened in it, who otherwise would not be able to do so, because it is a busy thing about the word of God, therefore God also gives it work, hangs on it and hounds both the devil and the world, so that its power and virtue are revealed and the lie is put to shame. Whether some are deceived by this is also right, and is done for punishment and vengeance on the godless, proud despisers and ungrateful people who persecute, blaspheme or despise our teachings. For what devout, simple hearts are deceived besides, there is hope that they may come to right again. But the proud and the clever shall be hardened within, and shall receive in themselves the reward of their ingratitude and their own trustworthy prudence.
6 You will find all this in abundance here in this fine book, how God exercises and strengthens our faith through the lazy, lame lies of the Anabaptists; and again, how justly he punishes their proud conceit and ingratitude, that they, blinded and obdurate, speak such foolish things, and therefore do not like to come into the light, but hide their poison in the darkness. And although all their lies in this book are clearly and powerfully overcome, I will also give a little indication, so that one may think that the devil has sent them out, and deal with vain lies, although it is all understood in this book.
(7) First of all, this is a sure sign of the devil, that they creep through the houses, and walk about in the country, and do not appear in public.
1) In the original and in the Wittenberg (at both locations): "glw". This has already been resolved by the Jena edition by: glatt. Cf. Walch, St. Louis edition, vol. IX, 856, K 94.
They do not preach as the apostles did, and all ordinary preachers do daily, but are vain preachers of lies, and come even into strange houses and places, where they are neither called nor sent of any man, neither can they bring any certain reason nor sign for such creeping and running. This piece is not lacking, and it is certain that they come from the devil, as Christ says John 10:8: "All who come before me are thieves and murderers." Thus I have just admonished Psalm 82, 4. 2) both authorities and subjects, that one should not suffer such sneakers, assassin teachers and angle preachers, because there is no God, but certainly the devil himself, no matter what it may be.
8. secondly, their doctrine is nothing else than worldly goods, temporal, carnal and earthly promises, which the mob likes to hear, namely, that they, like the Jews and Turks, will invent a kingdom on earth, in which all the wicked will be slain and they alone will have good days. Who would not like that? That is a public, tangible lie. For Christ has not appointed a worldly kingdom for His own, but a heavenly kingdom, and says [John 16:33], "In the world ye shall be in anguish and distress." Item [Cap. 18, 36]: "My kingdom is not of this world," and means that we deny this world and wait for the kingdom of heaven, otherwise the former saints and martyrs, Christ and all the apostles would have to go without such a worldly kingdom; therefore this piece is a sure sign that the devil is riding them.
(9) Thirdly, that they teach that Christ will kill the wicked by the sword, and will command the sword to such covenant-breakers; there thou seest manifestly the murderous, seditious, revengeful spirit, whose breath stinketh for the sword. And, that is still much finer, they preach themselves, they want to be such fellows, to lead the sword, and that they would have cleaned the lies so, that not they themselves, but others should do, as the prophets prophesy of the future Christians, so it would have a little color. But these fellows are not comfortable with their neighbors.
2) See Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. V, 720, §56ff.
Therefore they must preach themselves, not Christ nor his works, but what they would like to do and their murderous works.
(10) But we know that Christ commanded not a sword unto his own, but forbade it, saying Luc. 22:26, "But ye shall not be or do so." He has not revoked such a word, nor will he punish himself with lies, and will not kill the wicked with the sword, but with the breath or spirit of his mouth, and by the appearance of his future he will put them to death. Therefore this is a sure and tangible sign that it is the wicked devil.
(11) Fourthly, behold, how finely they teach of good works; saying, they give their good works for a penny. With this they want to be our monkeys, and teach us, because they have heard that we teach that good works do not make one pious, nor do they wipe out sin, nor do they reconcile God. The devil adds to this and despises good works so much that he wants to sell them all for a penny. I praise God, my Lord, that the devil, in his prudence, must so shamefully abuse and deceive himself.
(12) We teach, then, that God's reconciling, sanctifying, and atoning for sin is such a high, great, and glorious work that Christ, the Son of God, alone must do it, and that it is actually a pure, simple, and special work of the one true God and His grace, to which our works are nothing, nor are they able. But that therefore good works should be nothing, or worth a penny, who has ever taught or heard it, except now from the lying mouth of the devil?
(13) I would not give one of my sermons, one of my lectures, one of my writings, one of my father-universes, yes, however small works I have always done, or still do, for the goods of the whole bet; yes, I consider it more precious than my body's life, which is and should be dearer to everyone than the whole bet. For if it is a good work, God has done it through me and in me. If God has done it, and if it is God's work, what is the whole world against God and His work? Even if I do not become godly through such a work (for that must first come about through Christ's blood and grace, without any work), it has nevertheless been done for God's praise and honor, for the neighbor's benefit and salvation, none of which can be paid for or compared with the good of the world. And this fine mob takes a penny for it. Oh, how finely the devil has hidden himself here! Who could not grab him here?
14. against faith they teach a worldly kingdom; against good works they teach temporal goods and money, and had them less than a penny; against the cross they teach sword and vengeance. Oh, they must be tender and fine Christians to me! Therefore, he who believes such obvious, tangible lies and blasphemy of the devil, is surely damned. But further you will find in the book itself and see how Christ attacks, overthrows and destroys this lying spirit; to him be praise and thanksgiving forever, together with the Father and Holy Spirit, true God and Lord, amen.
1) Erlanger: deim. Wittenberg vol. IX: dem; likewise the Jena. Wittenberg vol. il: dem.