This 19th volume contains the continuation and at the same time the conclusion of Luther's polemical writings against the papists. In it, not only the main writings, which Luther originally wrote in Latin, as "Of the Babylonian Captivity," "Against Henry, King of England," "How to Confess" (Confitendi ratio), "Luther's Judgment of Spiritual and Monastic Vows" are translated into German, but also the smaller writings (no. 89b. 107. 111. 126. 136. No. 21 and 37 in the appendix of this volume), Luther's sermons (No. 114. 115. 116. 122.), all disputations and letters. In other writings, which were published by Luther himself in both Latin and German, the German text has been compared with the Latin text, which has made it possible to correct some readings. (No. 129. 138. 158. 183.) The German writings have been carefully improved and freed from many hundred errors of the old edition. Several duplicates have been eradicated (in the old edition No. 177. 223 [I] 259.), and many incorrect time entries are
corrected. For the first time, the correct time determination is given for the text No. 110 in this volume. (Compare the introduction, p. 32.) The writings No. 164 of the old edition and No. 41 of the appendix have been omitted, which is accounted for in the introduction, pp. 31 and 34. Newly included, on the other hand, is the "Spottzettel [Luther's] vom Heiligthum des Cardinals zu Mainz," which has not yet been found in any edition of Luther's works. The writing "Vom Dolmetschen und Fürbitte der Heiligen," which Walch had torn apart in the old edition, is included in its entirety in this volume (No. 128).
May God grant that this new edition may now also be diligently used by us, so that we may recognize more and more clearly how great grace and blessing God has shown us by bringing His holy Word out of the rubble of papal darkness through His chosen armament, Doctor Martin Luther, brightly and purely to light again, and may we grow in knowledge of and faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, amen.\
St. Louis, Michaelis 1889.