One can see and grasp (God help us!) how important it is that one diligently and earnestly adheres to the pure doctrine of the Holy Gospel, and daily promotes and practices the same. 1. For as St.. Peter faithfully warns us that the devil, our enemy, goes about seeking whom he may devour, so (unfortunately!) we experience it daily before our ears and eyes. There fall in all kinds of evil spirits, which devour many souls. Here celebrates the lies of the Antichrist and the
1) In the editions: the same.
Nor does murder, and kills many souls. There are also many among us who have become so lazy and sure that they think they cannot lack, and have eaten up hell with all the devils. Do not see how they, hurried by the devil, are already completely drowned in hope, envy, avarice, in addition in unbelief and all ingratitude against God and man, full to the top and overwhelmed, so that they, as it were full and tired of the gospel, get an itch in their ears, have become lascivious, to do something.
2) "so" is missing in the Erlanger.
*Antonius Corvinus (Rabe) was born in 1501 in the monastery of Paderborn in Marburg. He was a Ciftercienfer monk in the monastery at Riddagshausen in Brunswick, but was expelled from the monastery in 1522 because of his evangelical views. He then went to Wittenberg, became a preacher in Goslar in 1528 and pastor at Witzenhausen in Hesse in 1538. In 1542 he became court preacher of Brunswick-Lüneburg, general superintendent and reformer in the principality of Calenberg. Because he opposed the Interim, he was imprisoned for three years and died in Hanover on April 5, 1553. The text to which Luther wrote this preface is entitled: "Kurze Auslegung der Euangelien, so auf die Sontag, vom Advent biß auf Ostern geprediget werden. For the poor pastors and house fathers, prepared by Antonium Corninum. In 1536, an edition of this interpretation of the Gospels appeared in Magdeburg in Low German. Under a similar title, Corvinus also published an interpretation of the Epistles in 1537. Both were then published together in Wittenberg under the title: "Knrtze vnd einseitige Auslegung der Episteln und Evangelien, so auff die Sundtage vnd furnemisten Feste durchs gantze jar, jnn der Kirchen gelesen werden. Before the poor parish priests and householders, by M. Antonium Coruinum. ar, fnn ber Siir^en gelefen tuerben. ®or bie arme ^Bfarperrn bnb £>au§beter geftelt, Surd) WL dntonium ©oruinum. Non nobis Domine non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam. Wittemberg. N.I).XXXIX." Folio. At the end: "Printed at Wittemberg by Georgen Rhaw. M.D.XXXIX." This book was also translated into Latin and published in quarto in Strasbourg in 1540. Our preface is found in the Wittenberger (1559), vol. XII, p. 362 b; in the Jenaer i 1568), vol. VI, p. 334b; in the Altenburger, vol. VI, p. 508; in the Leipziger vol. XXII, appendix, p. 121 and in the Erlanger, vol. 63, p. 347.
To hear other and new things. Can also be ready judges and masters of Christ and the Holy Spirit Himself.
The devil has already eaten such before they have become aware of it. God still protects the rest of us and helps us to resist him firmly in faith (as St. Peter says). But how will or can faith remain firm if God's word is not ceaselessly pursued with speaking, singing, doubting, and in various ways? for where the word ceases, faith falls, which cannot be nor remain without the word. Therefore, because St. Peter tells us to be firm in faith, he undoubtedly wants us to be diligent and constant in the Word, as St. Paul also teaches his disciple Timothy: "Stop reading" etc. And again, "Stop preaching" etc., for the time is coming when they will not suffer sound doctrine, but will itch their ears and bring upon themselves many new teachers. We see such things ready every day in the mighty beginning. What do you think the end will be?
For this reason, I like these postilions of Mr. Antonii Corvini very much, that they remain so short and finely pure with the Gospel, and I consider them useful, where they would also be read to the people word for word. For the common man must have such a clear and short interpretation 1) if he is to retain something of the Gospel; and I would like someone to interpret the epistles briefly in this way. If the lazy pastors did not want to study them, or the clever ones prove their mastery, good, pious pastors would have enough to preach to their people every year, and the churches would be abundantly and well supplied with sermons throughout the year, so that they would not have to complain that nothing or not much was preached to them. Well then, whoever wants to hear can learn enough through such our ministry; whoever does not want to, let him go and let his ears be scratched until the tickling becomes painful. Christ our Lord be with us and with all his own, amen.
1) Erlanger: Meaning.