Luther wrote in the introduction to John Spangenberg's Postil in 1542 [quoted in Fred Meusner, Luther the Preacher, 40–41]:
Some pastors and preachers are lazy and no good. They do not pray; they do not study; they do not read; they do not search the Scripture ... as if there were no need to read the Bible for this purpose .... The call is: watch, study, attend to reading. In truth you cannot read too much in Scripture and what you read you cannot read too carefully, and what you read carefully you cannot understand too well, and what you understand well you cannot teach too well, and what you teach well you cannot live too well. .. the devil. .. the world ... [and] our flesh are raging and raving against us. Therefore dear sirs and brothers, pastors and preacher, pray, read, study, be diligent. .. this evil, shameful time is not the season for being lazy, for sleeping and snoring.
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