translated from Latin by Justum Jonam.
Preface.
Philippus Melanchthon to the reader.
When the confession of our most gracious and gracious lords, the Elector of Saxony, and the princes of this part, was publicly read out at Augsburg before the Imperial Majesty and the estates of the empire, some theologians and monks made a reply and referral against this confession and confession, which the imperial majesty then had read before her majesty, the princes, princes and estates of the empire, and requested that our princes henceforth believe in such an opinion, and also agree to teach and hold it.
But because ours heard that in such an answer of the theologians many articles were rejected, which they could not let be rejected without burdening their consciences and with God, they asked for a copy of the answer or confutation, so that they might actually see and consider what the opponents were about to condemn, and answer again all the more correctly to their cause and reasons put forward.
And in this great and most important matter, which does not concern temporal things, but a common religion, all salvation and welfare of consciences, and in turn also great danger and burden for them, ours have certainly considered that the adversaries would quite willingly and gladly hand over such a copy without any burden, or even offer it to us.
But ours have not been able to achieve this in any other way than by almost arduous means.
attach obligations and condition, which they may have in no way willing.
After that, a negotiation and several ways of goodness or atonement were made, since our people offered to bear, tolerate and do everything gladly that could be done without burdening their consciences. But the adversaries have stood firm on this alone, that we should consent to some public abuses and errors. And if we were neither able nor willing to do so, the Imperial Majesty again requested that we be allowed to do so. Majesty again requested that our lords and princes agree to believe and hold as the theologians' confutation reads, which our princes rejected outright.
For how should their chur- and princely graces, in so high a matter of the utmost importance, concerning many and their own souls and consciences, consent to a writing which they were not willing to hand over, nor to allow to be read over, or to hand over, especially if they had heard in the reading that such articles were rejected, which they neither wished nor could yield to, for they wanted to act publicly against God and respectability?
For this reason, Their Royal and Princely Graces have ordered me and others to make a protective speech or apologia of our first confession, in which the Imperial Majesty would be shown the reasons why we do not accept the confutation and why it is not founded. For although we were denied a copy of the confession and a copy of our plea, request and highest request, our people had the sum of the arguments in the reading of the confutation almost in a hurry, and as if caught in flight, and had to present the apologia this time, when we were finally denied a copy. The same apologia was finally handed over to the imperial majesty by our people when they left Augsburg, so that her majesty would understand that there was a very important reason why we might not have agreed to the confutation. But the Imperial Maj. Maj. has refused to accept the delivered Apology.
After this, however, a decree went out in which the adversaries boast with unreason that they have removed our confession from the Holy Scriptures.
Against this, however, everyone has our apology and protective speech, from which he will see how and what the adversaries have judged. For we have actually told here how it happened, and not otherwise; God knows! Thus we have also clearly shown here how they have condemned some articles against the public, clear Scripture and clear Word of the Holy Spirit, and may never again
say with truth that they have answered a jar of the Scriptures against us.
Although I had started this Apology at Augsburg with the advice and concerns of several others, I have added something to it now that it is to go out in print. That is why I am writing my name on it here, so that no one may complain that the book has gone out without a name.
So far, as much as I have been able, I have refrained from speaking and acting about Christian doctrine in the usual way, so that in time one could more easily come together and compare; although I could have taken these things further from their usual way with fugues.
The adversaries, however, handle this matter so unkindly that they make it sufficiently clear that they seek neither truth nor unity, but only to drink our blood.
Now I have also written this time in the gentlest way possible; however, where there is something fast in this book, I do not want to speak against Imperial Majesty or the princes, whom I like to show due honor, but against the monks and theologians. Majesty or the princes, to whom I gladly show due honor, but against the monks and theologians. For I only recently got to read the Confutation properly, and I notice that much in it is written in such a dangerous, poisonous and envious way that it could also deceive pious people in some places.
However, I have not dealt with all the quarrelsome, wanton intrigues of the adversaries, for there would be innumerable books to write about them. I have taken their best, highest reasons, so that among the high and low classes, among the present and our descendants, among all native Germans, also otherwise to all the world, to all foreign nations, a clear testimony may be before the eyes and remain forever, that we have taught purely, divinely, rightly of the Gospel of Christ. We truly have no desire or pleasure in disagreement, nor are we so stone-hard that we do not consider our fare.
For we see and realize how the adversaries in this matter seek us with such great venom and bitterness and have sought us up to this point in body, life and all that we have.
But we know the public, divine truth, without which the church of Christ cannot be or remain, and not to deny or reject the eternal holy word of the gospel.
Therefore, if for the sake of the Lord Christ and for the sake of this supreme and most important cause, in which the whole holy Christian faith, the whole Christian Church, is concerned, we should take even greater care.
If we have to wait for or endure resistance, travel or persecution, we will gladly suffer in such an entirely divine, right matter, and we are completely satisfied about it, and we are also sure that this will please the holy, divine Majesty in heaven and our dear Savior JESUS CHRIST, and after this time there will be people and our descendants who will judge much differently and with more confidence about these things.
For the adversaries themselves cannot deny nor deny that many and the highest, most necessary articles of Christian doctrine, without which the Christian church together with the whole Christian doctrine and name would be forgotten and perish, have been brought to light again by ours. For with what quarrelsome, futile, useless, childish teachings many necessary articles were suppressed a few years ago among monks, theologians, canonists and sophists, I will not tell here this time. It is yet to come.
We have (praise God!) testimony of many, high, honest, sincere, God-fearing people, who thank God from the bottom of their hearts for the unspeakable gifts and graces, that in the most necessary parts of the whole Scripture they have from us much clearer, more certain, more real, more correct teaching and consolation of consciences, than is always found in all the books of the adversaries.
Therefore, if the known bright truth is ever trampled underfoot, let us entrust this matter to Christ and God in heaven, who is the father of orphans and widows and the judge of all the forsaken, JsPs. 68, 6.s, who will (that we know for sure) judge this matter, and judge it right. And you, Lord Jesus Christ, your holy gospel, it is your cause, would look upon many a sorrowful heart and conscience, and would preserve your churches and groups, which suffer fear and distress from the devil, and strengthen your truth. Put to shame all hypocrisy and lies, and so give peace and unity that your glory may prevail, and your kingdom may grow strong and increase without ceasing against all the gates of hell.