Part 16

Table Talk (selections) · Martin Luther

Of an Example of Faith in the Time of Dearth.

At Eisleben, said Luther, I was well acquainted with a godly matron, who, in the time of the last dearth, with two children, had suffered extreme want and need. Now, when she had spent all her provision, and had nothing more to live upon, she trimmed herself with her children, and went towards a well or fountain to drink. In her going she prayed that God would be pleased to preserve and keep her in that fierce time of dearth. Upon the way a man met her, questioned and disputed with her whether she thought to get something to eat at the fountain. She said, "Yea, why not? for all things are possible to God and easy to be done; he that fed the great multitude of the people of Israel forty years with manna in the wilderness, he can also preserve me and mine with drinking of water." Now, as she remained steadfast in that mind, the man said unto her, "Behold! seeing thou art so confident in faith, go home, and thou shalt find three bushels of meal," etc. And according to the man's word, so she found it.

That Faith is the only Rule in Divinity.

There is but one only rule and article in divinity. He that knoweth not well the same is no divine: namely, upright faith and confidence in Christ. Out of this article all the others do flow and issue forth, and without this article the others are nothing. The devil, said Luther, hath opposed this article from the beginning of the world, and would long since willingly have rooted it out, and instead thereof have laughed in his fist. Sorrowful, broken, tormented, and vexed hearts, said Luther, do well relish this article, and they only understand the same.

Of the Consequences of Faith.

Believest thou? then thou wilt speak boldly. Speakest thou boldly? then thou must suffer. Sufferest thou? then thou shalt be comforted. For, said Luther, faith, the confession thereof, and the cross do follow one after another.

That the Enemies of the Gospel must bear Witness to the Doctrine of Faith, that thereby we only are justified before God.

John Frederick, Prince Elector of Saxony, told me himself, said Luther, that as Prince John, the eldest son of Prince George, was near the time of his death, he desired to receive the communion under both kinds. But when his father was informed thereof, he caused an Austin Friar to be called to his son, to give him good instructions for his soul's health, and to advise him to receive the Sacrament sub una specie, or under one kind, and that he should tell his son he was the same Friar who was privately acquainted with Martin Luther, and was very conversant with him; and, the better to make the Prince believe him, the Friar said that Luther himself lately had advised certain persons to receive the communion under one kind. Now, when this good and godly Prince was thus pitifully induced to give credit to the Friar's false information, he then received the communion under one kind.

But when the Prince, his father, saw that his son drew near to his last gasp, and must needs die, then he comforted his son with the article of justification by faith in Christ, and put him in mind to have regard only to the Saviour of the world, and utterly to forget all his own works and deserts, and also that he should banish out of his heart the invocating of the saints.

Now, when the son in his conscience felt great solace and comfort by these his father's admonitions, he asked his father why he did not cause the same comfortable doctrine to be preached openly through all his countries. His father answered and said, "Loving child, we must say thus only to those that are dying, and not to the sound and healthful."

Whereupon, said Luther, I told the Prince Elector that his Highness might perfectly discern how wilfully our adversaries do oppose the known truth. Albert, Bishop of Mentz, and Prince George do know and confess that our doctrine is according to God's Word, and yet, because it proceedeth not from the Pope, they refuse it; but their own consciences do strike them down to the ground, therefore, said Luther, I fear them not.

Of the Love towards the Neighbour.

The love towards the neighbour, said Luther, must be like a pure and chaste love between bride and bridegroom, where all faults are connived at, covered, and borne with, and only their virtues regarded.

Respecting ceremonies and ordinances, the kingdom of love must have the precedency and govern, and not tyranny. It must be a willing love, and not a halter love; it must altogether be directed and construed for the good and profit of the neighbour; and the greater he be that doth govern, the more, said Luther, he ought to serve according to love.

Of that Sentence, "Give, and it shall be given unto you."

This is a true speech which maketh people poor and rich; it is that which maintaineth my house. I ought not to boast, said Luther, but I well know what I give in the year. If my gracious lord and master, the Prince Elector, should give a gentleman two thousand guilders, yet he should hardly maintain my housekeeping one year, and I have but three hundred guilders pension per annum; yet God giveth sufficient and blesseth it.

There is in Austria a monastery which in former time was very rich, and remained rich so long as it willingly gave to the poor; but when it ceased in giving, then it became poor, and is so to this day. It fell out that, not long since, a poor man came thither and desired alms, which was denied. The poor man demanded the cause why they refused to give for God's sake. The porter belonging to the monastery answered and said, "We are become poor;" whereupon the poor man said, "The cause of your poverty is this: ye have had in this monastery two brethren; the one ye have thrust out, and the other is gone secretly away of himself. For after the one brother, 'Give' (Date), was put out and cashiered, so hath the other brother, 'So shall be given' (Dabitur), also lost himself."

And indeed the world is bound to help the neighbour three manner of ways-with giving, lending, and selling. But no man giveth, but robbeth, scrapeth, and draweth all to himself; would willingly take and steal, but give nothing; neither will any man lend but upon usury. No man selleth but he over-reacheth his neigbbour, therefore Dabitur is gone, and our Lord God will bless no more so richly. Beloved, said Luther, he that intendeth to have anything, the same must also give; a liberal hand was never in want nor empty.

That giving must be done with a free Heart, without expecting a Requital.

In an evening, Luther, walking abroad to take the air, gave alms to the poor. Doctor Jonas, being with him, gave also something, and said, "Who knoweth whether God will give it me again or no?" Whereat Luther, smiling, answered him and said, "You speak as if God had not given you this which you have now given to the poor. We must give freely and willingly."

Of the expounding of the Prophet Isaiah's Speech: "In Quietness and in Confidence shall be your Strength."

This sentence was expounded by Luther in this way: If thou intendest to vanquish the greatest, the most abominable and wickedest enemy, who is able to do thee mischief both in body and soul, and against whom thou preparest all sorts of weapons, but canst not overcome, then know that there is a sweet and loving physical herb which serveth for the same, and that herb is named Patientia.

But thou wilt say, "How may I attain to this physic?" Answer-Take unto thee faith, who saith; "No creature can do me mischief without the will of God." Now, in case thou receivest hurt and mischief by thine enemy, the same is done by the sweet and gracious will of God, in such sort that the enemy hurteth himself a thousand times more. From hence floweth unto me, a Christian, the love which saith, "I will, instead of the evil which mine enemy doth unto me, do him all the good I can; I will heap coals of fire upon his head." This, said Luther, is the Christian armour and weapon, wherewith to beat and overcome those enemies that seem to be like huge mountains. In a word, love teacheth to suffer and endure all things.

Of Comfort against Envy.

A certain honest and God-fearing man at Wittemberg lately told me, said Luther, he lived peaceably with every one, hurt no man, but was still and quiet; yet notwithstanding, said he, many people were enemies unto him. I comforted him in this manner, and said: Arm yourself with patience, and give them no cause of envy. I pray, what cause do we give the devil? What aileth him to be so great an enemy unto us? but only because he hath not that which God hath. I know none other cause of his vehement hatred towards us. Therefore when God giveth thee to eat, then eat; when he causeth thee to fast, have patience; giveth he honour, take it; hurt or shame, endure it; casteth he thee into prison, murmur not; will he make thee a lord, follow him: casteth he thee down again, so care thou not for it, nor regard it.

That Patience is necessary in every Particular.

I, said Luther, must have patience with the Pope; I must have patience with heretics and seducers; I must have patience with the roaring courtiers; I must have patience with my servants: I must have patience with Kate my wife; to conclude, the patiences are so many, that my whole life is nothing but patience. The Prophet Isaiah saith, "In being silent and hoping consisteth our strength;" that is, have patience under sufferings: hope, and despair not.

OF PRAYER.

What Power Prayer hath.

No human creature can believe, said Luther, how powerful prayer is, and what is it able to effect, but only those that have learned it by experience.

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