Although at this time, through the abundant grace and mercy of God, the holy gospel has gone forth abundantly everywhere, and especially among us Germans, and shines mightily, thereby causing countless abominations,
The book is a collection of books, which have already been published, and which set down the errors and abuses, and cleared up many of the annoyances in the kingdom of Christ, so that one would have enough of the present and already exhausted books.
2. but because Satan, again, does not
*M. Aegidius Faber was a preacher in Schwerin. His writing has the title: "Der Psalm Miserere, deudsch ausgelegt, Durch M. Egidium Fabrum. With a preface by Mart. Luther. Wittemberg. M.D.XXXI." At the end: "Gedruckt zu Wittemberg durch Nickel Schirlentz." The preface is in the Wittenberger (1569), vol. IX, p. 556; in the Jenaer (1566), vol. V, p. 326 (not reprinted from Walch as the Erlanger did: "VI. 356."); in the Altenburger, vol. V, p. 585; in the Leipziger, vol. XII, p. 81; and in the Erlanger vol. 63, p. 309. We give the text after the Erlanger.
If the Lord is asleep or celebrating, throwing more and more other, new abominations and aversions in the way and raising them up, so that he hinders the course of the gospel and weakens its power, it is highly necessary that we also do not sleep and be safe, or keep quiet, but also stop more and more, and pursue the gospel diligently and honestly, as St. Paul admonishes us in 2 Timothy 4:2 and following. Paul exhorts us in 2 Tim. 4:2 ff. and says: "Preach the word, persevere, whether in season or out of season, reprove, admonish, exhort with all patience and teaching. For there will be a time when they will not suffer sound doctrine, but according to their own lusts they themselves will charge them with teachers after their ears itch, and will turn away their ears from the truth and turn to fables. But be thou valiant in all things, suffer thyself, do the work of an evangelical preacher, execute thy ministry honestly."
3 Truly, we must not believe these words of St. Paul now; faith has come into our hands that we must unfortunately grasp and feel it. I will be silent, that we may see and hear how the people turn their ears from the truth of the gospel to the fables of the idolaters, and may not suffer teachers to preach what they desire to hear, and who can atone for the itching of their ears. Just as the enthusiasts do not like to preach about the sacrament; their ears almost itch, and they are so eager to hear how it is vain bread that they like to be tickled and scratched. They must be fine teachers, they invite them upon themselves, they can suffer them, yes, praise and extol them.
(4) So the Anabaptists and other abusers atone for their lust and itching ears with the fables of the Spirit, and must be of the Spirit, let water be water. The apostle has truly painted them with the right color, and with the right words, that he ascribes to them, "They delight in fables, and their ears itch." For neither is there
The only other cause of their turning away is that they have grown weary of the truth and have taken pleasure in hearing what they like, and after their ears itch. It is indeed difficult to preach in such a time, and if one should become impatient, to leave the ministry and speak: If you want to go to the devil, always go. For it is an unmistakable fact that on the one hand the papists rage against it with fire, sword, water, and all the power of the devil; on the other hand, the weary red-blooded spirits and lustful, frivolous hearts, with all the cunning of the devil, plot and lie against it. Without what is left of ingratitude and contempt among the unkind and among ourselves.
But how should we do 1)? It is said, as St. Paul teaches here: "Suffer, teach and punish, forbear with all patience" [2 Tim. 4:2]. It is thus proclaimed, it shall thus go. Therefore nothing 2) else will come of it, we must let it go like this, and consider everything with patience, and nevertheless continue with teaching and punishing, and always carry on our teaching ministry and preaching work and do it honestly. God will find the itching ears and lustful hearts.
Therefore, because this beautiful Psalm, which is one of the right main Psalms, and is rightly pointed by M. Aegidium to the main piece of our doctrine, which is called repentance and forgiveness of sins in Christ, I have considered it good to omit by printing, as well as a piece and help of our preaching ministry, against the itching, weary ears, whether it may also, by God's grace, ward off the fables, and still help some with the truth. Command the same to all lovers of truth, and wish them to read it with great fruit, to praise and thanksgiving to God the Father, in Christ Jesus our Savior, amen.
1) Wittenberg and Jena: we him.
2) "nothing" set by Walch; in the other editions: not.