1. There is no doubt in my mind that the last day is not far away, although the highly intelligent and overreasonable world does not worry about it, certainly, it is not yet necessary for a long time, and becomes longer and longer so wicked and evil, that even if no last day should not come, it would have to say itself, the highly intelligent reason: it may not and could not remain so long, but either a flood of sin or Sodom's example would have to come, where it is otherwise true that there is a God who punishes injustice; as from the beginning of the world the examples are innumerable, and still daily before our eyes, if the highly understanding and deeply blinded reason could see such cruel punishment, and be moved by it.
It is an old legend, repeated by many teachers, that after the revelation of the end of Christ, people will become so wild that they will no longer know or think anything about God, but will do as the devil and the flesh teach. We see such a time fulfilled before our eyes. For after the horrible and terrible lies and deceptions of the wretched end-Christ, the Pabst, have now been revealed and brought to light by God's wonderful and special grace, people are beginning to believe nothing at all. And because they feel free from the bonds and ropes of the papacy, they also want to be free from the gospel and all of God's commandments.
be what they desire and think good. That will be the end of the song, if God wills it.
(3) And it is a strange thing that those who very earnestly pretend to cling firmly to the holy papacy and want to eat the gospel, along with all who believe in it, think much less of their end-Christ than Luther himself. For a new, strong planet would have to come to heaven, which would be able to do this, where the pope should or would banish them, so that they would suffer it, although they deserve it a thousand times and superfluously against his holy, spiritual, end-Christian right. They are so exceedingly good Lutheran and evil papal, and yet they want to be all too good papal and evil Lutheran. Thus it is that neither the Gospel nor Pabst's teaching has any power with them, one applies as much as the other, so that it may be fulfilled what is said above, how the last people on earth, after the revelation of the last of the Chalcs, the end of Christ, should no longer ask for God, but live according to his will.
(4) Now all true Christians are well aware of this: He who does not respect the word of God does not respect God, whether he is the true God or the false God. For God has nothing to do with men except through His word, and without His word He is not known to us as a God, but is no God at all. Therefore, whoever respects neither the gospel nor Pabst's teaching has no God at all, neither the right nor the wrong one, but such are the cowardly swine.
*Moiban's interpretation of Marc. 16, 14-20. has this title: "The glorious mandate of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior etc. Go into the whole world and preach the gospel etc. Marci xvj. To those who consider the ministry and the sacrament of Christ necessary for the salvation of souls. By D. Ambrosium Moibanum parish priest at Breslaw, with a preface by Mart. Luther. Wittemberg." At the end: "Printed at Wittemberg. by Georgen Rhaw. M.D.XXXVII." Walch, because he thought it was by Luther, had the whole text printed in the 9th volume, Col. 2576-2747, but without Luther's preface. We assume that the title page was missing from the copy that Walch received from the Gothaische Bibliothek, and that he was thus led to his erroneous assumption by the title of the preface: "Vorrede D. Mart. Luther." had led him to his erroneous assumption. In the collections, the preface is found: in the Wittenberg (1559), vol. XII, p. 365; in the Jena (1568), vol. VI, p. 505; in the Altenburg, vol. VI, 1109 (the preceding references are all incorrectly reproduced in the Erlanger from Walch's preface); in the Leipziger, vol. XII, p. 84 and in the Erlanger, vol. 63, p. 344. We give the text according to the Erlanger.
and lazy dogs who do not give a damn about the future life.
Since the great multitude in the world does nothing but despise God, blaspheme and desecrate His word, and yet want to be wise and pious people, and since devil seed and weeds must grow among ourselves, let us poor sinners and little multitudes praise and glorify God as long as we can and live. Sing and be glad in the dear Lord Christ, whoever can; who knows how long it will last. There are too many of you 1) who serve the devil and his kingdom, who court, dance and jump. It will not be otherwise than that a right and proper
1) Erlanger: "He" instead of "Jr" in the Wittenberg and in the Jena.
Deo gratias is game in heaven for God, and the pious dear father must be almost happy, where he is also preached and praised once. As the 14th Psalm, v. 2. 3. says: that God looks from heaven, if he sees among the children of men, if someone is good, and asks for God. But there was not even one who had not gone astray and was not corrupt.
6) May the same dear Lord God keep and confirm us in His holy knowledge, and accomplish in us His calling and work begun to the end, through His dear Son, our Lord Jehovah Christ, with His Holy Spirit, vowed 2) Eternally, Amen.
2) "praised" is missing in the Wittenberg.