Chapter 1: OF THE SUBJECT-MATTER OF SERMONS

OF THE SUBJECT-MATTER OF SERMONS

First, therefore, since about ten years ago, by the remarkable goodness of God, the doctrine of Christ began to be treated with somewhat more certainty and clearness than before everywhere throughout Germany, and hence among us, just as elsewhere, many doctrines of our religion were publicly controverted, and to a constantly increasing extent, among the learned and those especially who held the position of teachers of Christ in the churches; and hence, as was necessary, while Satan was undoubtedly plying his work so that the people were very dangerously divided by conflicting sermons, considering what St. Paul writes, that "divinely inspired Scripture is profitable for doctrine, that where there is sin it may be detected and corrected, and everyone be instructed in righteousness. that the man of Gad may be perfect, furnished for every good work," we also, influenced and induced to avoid all delay, not only from the fear of God, but from the certain peril to the state, at length enjoined our preachers to teach from the pulpit nothing else than is either contained in the Holy Scriptures or bath sure ground therein. For it seemed to us not improper to resort in such a crisis whither of old and always not only the most holy fathers, bishops and princes, but also the children of God everywhere have always resorted it to the authority of the Holy Scriptures. For, to their praise, St. Luke mentions of some such that they were more noble than those of Thessalonica, since they examined the Gospel of Christ which they had heard according to the Scriptures, in which Paul most earnestly desired that his scholar Timothy be exercised, and without which no pontiffs have ever required obedience to their decrees, nor fathers credit to their writings, nor princes authority to their laws, and from which only the great council of the Holy Empire assembled at Nuremburg in the year 1523 decreed that holy sermons should be derived. For if St. Paul has taught the truth when He said that by Holy Scripture the man of God is made perfect and furnished for every good work he can lack nothing of Christian truth or sound doctrine who strives religiously to ask counsel of Scripture.