Selections from the Table Talk of Martin LutherLuther, Martin
ReligionChristian
Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther
Luther, Martin
Table-talk
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_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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