A Christian,Profitable,and Necessary Preface and Faithful,Earnest Exhortation of Dr.Martin Luther to All Christians,but Especially to All Pastors and Preachers,that They Should Daily Exercise Themselves in the Catechism,which is a Short Summary and Epitome of the Entire Holy Scriptures,and that they May Always Teach the Same.
We have no slight reasons for treating the Catechism so constantly [in Sermons]and for both desiring and beseeching others to teach it,since we see to our sorrow that many pastors and preachers are very negligent in this,and slight both their office and this teaching;some from great and high art [giving their mind,as they imagine,to much higher matters],but others from sheer laziness and care for their paunches,assuming no other relation to this business than if they were pastors and preachers for their bellies'sake,and had nothing to do but to [spend and]consume their emoluments as long as they live,as they have been accustomed to do under the Papacy.
And although they have now everything that they are to preach and teach placed before them so abundantly,clearly,and easily,in so many [excellent and]helpful books,and the true Sermones per se loquentes,Dormi secure,Paratos et Thesauros,as they were called in former times;yet they are not so godly and honest as to buy these books,or even when they have them,to look at them or read them.Alas!they are altogether shameful gluttons and servants of their own bellies who ought to be more properly swineherds and dog-tenders than care-takers of souls and pastors.
And now that they are delivered from the unprofitable and burdensome babbling of the Seven Canonical Hours,oh,that,instead thereof,they would only,morning,noon,and evening,read a page or two in the Catechism,the Prayer-book,the New Testament,or elsewhere in the Bible,and pray the Lord's Prayer for themselves and their parishioners,so that they might render,in return,honor and thanks to the Gospel,by which they have been delivered from burdens and troubles so manifold,and might feel a little shame because like pigs and dogs they retain no more of the Gospel than such a lazy,pernicious,shameful,carnal liberty!For,alas!as it is,the common people regard the Gospel altogether too lightly,and we accomplish nothing extraordinary even though we use all diligence.What,then,will be achieved if we shall be negligent and lazy as we were under the Papacy?
To this there is added the shameful vice and secret infection of security and satiety,that is,that many regard the Catechism as a poor,mean teaching,which they can read through at one time,and then immediately know it,throw the book into a corner,and be ashamed,as it were,to read in it again.
Yea,even among the nobility there may be found some louts and scrimps,who declare that there is no longer any need either of pastors or preachers;that we have everything in books,and every one can easily learn it by himself;and so they are content to let the parishes decay and become desolate,and pastors and preachers to suffer distress and hunger a plenty,just as it becomes crazy Germans to do.
For we Germans have such disgraceful people,and must endure them.
But for myself I say this:I am also a doctor and preacher,yea,as learned and experienced as all those may be who have such presumption and security;yet I do as a child who is being taught the Catechism,and every morning,and whenever I have time,I read and say,word for word,the Ten Commandments,the Creed,the Lord's Prayer,the Psalms,etc.And I must still read and study daily,and yet I cannot master it as I wish,but must remain a child and pupil of the Catechism,and am glad so to remain.And yet these delicate,fastidious fellows would with one reading promptly be doctors above all doctors,know everything and be in need of nothing.Well,this,too,is indeed a sure sign that they despise both their office and the souls of the people,yea,even God and His Word.They do not have to fall,they are already fallen all too horribly,they would need to become children,and begin to learn their alphabet,which they imagine that they have long since outgrown.
Therefore I beg such lazy paunches or presumptuous saints to be persuaded and believe for God's sake that they are verily,verily!not so learned or such great doctors as they imagine;and never to presume that they have finished learning this [the parts of the Catechism],or know it well enough in all points,even though they think that they know it ever so well.For though they should know and understand it perfectly (which,however,is impossible in this life),yet there are manifold benefits and fruits still to be obtained,if it be daily read and practiced in thought and speech;namely,that the Holy Ghost is present in such reading and repetition and meditation,and bestows ever new and more light and devoutness,so that it is daily relished and appreciated better,as Christ promises,Matt.18,20:Where two or three are gathered together in My name,there am I in the midst of them.
