Preface.

Afterward it will be over, should the world stand any longer. See original: "vid." for Latin vide Luther’s Church Postil Postil: a collection of sermons or commentaries on Biblical lessons, Explanation of the Epistle for Invocavit Sunday, folio 203. Just as Dr. Johann Valentin Andreä also speaks of today’s leaders and the Christians who have been led into worldliness by them:

The sum of it is, we boast of Luther, yet perhaps he would hardly acknowledge us as his own; or to speak even more boldly, we boast of Christ, though He will never recognize us as His own. original: "Sum-ma est, nos de Luth. gloriamur, fortassè nos ille suos minùs fateretur; vel ut magis cordatè pro-loquar, Christum jactitamus, quos ille nunquam pro suis agnoverit."

That is, in short: we boast of Luther, who would perhaps not willingly acknowledge us as his own; or that I may speak even more freely, we brag of Christ, who yet will not even recognize us as His own, etc. See his Theophilus in the second dialogue regarding Christian Discipline, page 50. The cause of this is the obvious godless and offensive conduct of so many Antipietist Antipietist: those who opposed the "Pietist" movement, which emphasized personal holiness and internal devotion over outward dogma leaders. For how one should regard such people, Dr. Caspar Hedio teaches us from Augustine’s second Tractate on the Epistle of St. John with these words:

This epistle has pointed out the Antichrists Widerchristen: literally "Against-Christs," those who oppose the spirit of Christ while claiming his name: whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ, he is the Antichrist.

Now let us ask, who is it that denies him? Let us not look at the tongues right now, but rather take note of the deeds; for if they are all asked, they all confess with one voice that Jesus is the Christ. Here, let the tongue rest a little while, and question the life. If you find there what the Scripture will tell you: that your denial is not only with the tongue