February 1532.
Newly translated from the Latin.
Preface by Martin Luther on the sermons of Herr Brenz.
Although all instruction and reminder is in vain with hardened people, as Isaiah also complains [Cap. 1, 5.) complains that the stubborn people are beaten by the Lord in vain, we who are in the teaching ministry must not cease to teach and exhort, just as Jeremiah did not cease, although he saw that he could not do anything with the stubborn Jews until they experienced in reality what the prophet threatened. Therefore, I like these admonishing sermons of Johann Brenz very much, and I considered them worthy of being published, so that through them (which God may give) some may be led to repentance. For this is what necessity compels us to confess,
that both Brenz and all of us would like to advise the perishing Germany, although I fear that our efforts will be in vain, and that those obdurate and stubborn people will shortly confirm our prophecy of future misfortune, which they now ridicule or surely despise, and sing the well-known shameful penitential song: I would not have meant that, I would not have believed that!
They have already learned from us, 3) that one should honor the authorities, since God has ordained them, and because we have fortified and comforted the hearts of our people against the Turk and sedition, they trust in it and are as secure as if there were no danger left anywhere, and as if the Turk
3) Erlanger: dedicerunt instead of: didicerunt.
*The writing of Brenz, to which Luther wrote this preface, has the title: Homiliae viginti duae. Sub incursionem Turearum in Germaniam, ad populum dictae. Antore loanne Brentio. Cum Praefatione D. Martini Lutheri. Vitebergae 1.5.32. In octavo. At the end: Vitebergae per loannem Weiss. Anno M.D.XXXII. mense Februa. As early as 1532, a German translation appeared in Nuremberg under the title: Zwei und zwanzig Predigten den türkischen Krieg und andere zufallende Unfälle betreffend, sammt einem Bericht, wie man sich darin zu halten, durch Joh. Brentzen geprediget, mit einer Vorrede v. Martin Luther, durch Seb. Coccium verdeutscht Octav. In 1538, the same was printed again there. The preface is found in the Eislebknsche Sammlung, vol. II, p. 302; in the Altenburger, vol. V, p. 1014 and in the Leipziger, vol. XXII, appendix, p. 105. Latin in the Erlanger, opp. var. arZ., toiu. VII, p. 519; after this we have retranslated.
would have to be afraid of them. But this is not what we have intended with our consolations, that we should free the unrighteous and the courageous from all fear and make them completely safe. For it is not enough that you know that you are celebrating in a good state, which God approves of, but God also requires of you that you serve Him in fear and humility. And he has not placed you in your state in such a way that you should enjoy it securely, but as it says in the second Psalm [v. 10. f.]: "Let yourselves therefore be instructed, O kings, and serve the Lord with fear." Therefore he would have you fear him; if you do not, he will not care for your station, however holy and godly it may be, but will overthrow you, as follows in the same Psalm, v. 12: "Lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way."
I fear, indeed, that if the Turk breaks into Germany again (which is reported to be certain), he will plague us severely. For we Germans are not the only ones who do not repent.
because of our exceedingly grave sins, but the nearer the enemy is, the more shameful and licentious and safer we even live. Therefore, there is danger that God will impose heavy punishments on us Germans for such great sins, which we will suffer in a short time to unferem fehr great harm. But what else can happen? We have been admonished enough, we have been told, written, painted and sung enough beforehand what we should do and what we should refrain from doing. Therefore, there is nothing left (since it must come to pass) but for God to tear out His Lot and let Sodom and Gomorrah experience what they neither believe nor want to hear now that it is foretold. We servants of the Word are excused. Let the blood of each one be upon his head. I recommend this booklet to all godly Christians that they read it diligently.
May the God of grace have mercy on us in Christ and not reward us according to our merit. Amen.