Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther — John Shaqi
Selections from the Table Talk of Martin LutherLuther, Martin
ReligionChristian
Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther
Luther, Martin
Table-talk
And rather than I will yield, or through silence endure that Erasmus
Roterodamus, or any other whosoever he be, should too nearly touch my
Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus with his ungodly false doctrine, how fairly
coloured soever it be trimmed or garnished, I say I will rather die; yea,
it should be more tolerable for me, with wife and children, to undergo
all plagues and torments, and at last to die the most shameful death,
than that I should give way thereunto.
_That Christ and the Pope are set on_, _the one against the other_.
I, said Luther, have set Christ and the Pope together by the ears,
therefore I trouble myself no further; and although I come between the
door and the hinges and be squeezed, it is no matter, though I go to the
ground; yet notwithstanding Christ will go through with it.
_Of the Pre-eminence of God’s Word_.
Christ once appeared visible here on earth, and showed his glory, and,
according to the divine counsel and purpose of God, he finished the work
of redemption and the deliverance of mankind. I do not desire that he
should come once more, neither would I that he should send an angel unto
me; and although an angel should come and appear before mine eyes from
heaven, yet would I not believe him; for I have of my Saviour Christ
Jesus bond and seal; that is, I have his Word and Spirit; thereon I do
depend, and desire no new revelations. And, said Luther, the more
steadfastly to confirm me in the same resolution, and to remain by God’s
Word, and not to give credit to any visions or revelations, I shall
relate the following circumstance:—I being on Good Friday last in my
inner chamber, in fervent prayer, contemplating with myself how Christ my
Saviour hung on the Cross, how he suffered and died for our sins, there
suddenly appeared upon the wall a bright shining vision, and a glorious
form of our Saviour Christ, with the five wounds, steadfastly looking
upon me, as if it had been Christ himself corporeally. Now, at the first
sight, I thought it had been some good Revelation: yet I recollected that
surely it must needs be the juggling of the devil, for Christ appeareth
unto us in his word, and in a meaner and more humble form; therefore I
spake to the vision in this manner: “Avoid, thou confounded devil; I know
no other Christ than he who was crucified, and who in his Word is
pictured unto me.” Whereupon the image vanished.
_That Christ is the Health and Wisdom of the Faithful_.
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