Selections from the Table Talk of Martin LutherLuther, Martin
ReligionChristian
Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther
Luther, Martin
Table-talk
I, said Luther, did not learn my divinity at one only time, but I was
constrained to search deeper and deeper, to which my temptations brought
me; for no man, without trials and temptations, can attain to the true
understanding of the Holy Scriptures. St. Paul had a devil that beat him
with fists, and with temptations drove him diligently to study the Holy
Scripture. I, said Luther, had cleaving and hanging on my neck the Pope,
the Universities, all the deep-learned, and with them the devil himself;
these hunted me into the Bible, where I diligently read, and thereby, God
be praised, at length I attained to the true understanding of the same.
Without such a devil, we are but only speculators of divinity, and
according to our vain reasoning we dream that so-and-so it must be, as
the Monks and Friars in monasteries do. The Holy Scripture of itself is
certain and true enough; but God grant me the grace that I may catch hold
on the right use thereof; for when Satan disputeth with me in this sort,
namely, whether God be gracious unto me or no? then I must not meet him
with this text: “Whoso loveth God with all his heart, with all his soul,
and with all his strength, the same shall inherit the kingdom of God;”
for then the devil presently objecteth, and hitteth me in the teeth, and
saith, “Thou hast not loved God with all thy heart,” etc., which, indeed,
is true, and my own conscience therein witnesseth against me; but at such
a time I must arm myself and encounter him with this text, namely: “That
Jesus Christ died for me, and through him I have a gracious God and
Father; Christ hath made an atonement for me,” as St. Paul saith, “He is
of God given unto us for wisdom, for righteousness, for holiness, and for
redemption.”
Tyrants, sectaries, seducers, and heretics do nothing else but drive us
into the Bible, to make us read more diligently therein, and with more
fervency to sharpen our prayers.
_Of the Advice of the Bishop of Salzburg_, _how to qualify the
Controversy between the Protestants and Papists_, _propounded to Luther
shortly before his Death_; _touching which_, _Luther discoursed as
followeth_:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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