Table Talk - Virtual Theological Resources

1 Table TalkbyMartin LutherAbout Table TalkTable TalkTitle: :Luther, Martin (1483-1546)Author(s):WILLIAM HAZLITT, Esq. (19??-) (Translator)Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal LibraryPublisher:Public DomainRights:2004-03-23 Date Created:All; Classic; ProofedCCEL Subjects: Table of Contentsp. iiAbout This Book..p. 1 Title Page..p. 2 Introduction..p. 6A Copy of the Order from the House of Commons..p. 9Dr. John Aurifaber s Preface..p. 15 Luther s Table -Talk..p. 15Of God ..p. 31Of God s Works..p. 51 The Nature of the ..p. 57Of Idolatry..p. 61Of Jesus Christ..p. 80Of the Holy Ghost..p. 82Of Sins..p. 86Of Free-Will..p. 91Of the Catechism..p. 94Of the Law and the Gospel..p. 102Of Justification..p. 110Of Prayer..p. 113Of Baptism..p. 116Of the Sacrament of the Lord Supper.

2 P. 119Of the Church..p. 122Of Excommunication..p. 125Of Preachers and Preaching..p. 133Of the Antichrist..p. 153Of Purgatory..p. 154Of Councils..p. 157Of the Fathers of the Church..p. 160Of the Patriarchs and Prophets..p. 165Of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ..p. 166Of Angels..p. 167Of the Devil and his Works..p. 180Of Temptation and Tribulation..p. 188Of Luther s Adversaries..p. 193Of Offences..p. 196Of a Christian Life..iiiMartin LutherTable Talkp. 199Of Princes and Potentates..p. 203Of Discord..p. 204On Sickness, and of the Causes Thereof..p. 205Of Death..p. 208Of the Resurrection..p. 211Of Allegories..p. 213Of Spiritual and Church Livings..p. 215Of Constrained Defence..p. 218Of Lawyers..p. 218Of Universities, Arts.

3 P. 220Of Astronomy and Astrology..p. 222Of Learned Men..p. 224Of the Jews..p. 228Of the Turks..p. 233Of Countries and Cities..p. 234Of Vocation and Calling..p. 236 Indexes..p. 236 Index of Scripture References..ivMartin LutherTable TalkTHETABLE-TALKOFMARTIN LUTHERTRANSLATED BYWILLIAM HAZLITT, : The Lutheran Publication SocietyMartin LutherTable TalkINTRODUCTIONThe history of this remarkable volume, almost as extraordinary as its contents, is thus given byCaptain Bell: CAPTAIN HENRY BELL S NARRATIVE:Or, Relation of the miraculous preserving of Dr. Martin Luther s Book, entitled, ColloquiaMensalia, or, his Divine Discourses at his Table , held with divers learned Men and pious Divines;such as Philip Melancthon, Caspar Cruciger, Justus Jonas, Vitus Dietrich, John Bugenhagen, JohnForster, etc.

4 : containing Divers Discourses touching Religion, and other main Points of Doctrine;as also many notable Histories, and all sorts of Learning, Comforts, Advices, Prophecies,Admonitions, Directions and Instructions. I, Captain Henry Bell, do hereby declare, both to the present age, and also to posterity, thatbeing employed beyond the seas in state affairs divers years together, both by King James, and alsoby the last king Charles, in Germany, I did hear and understand, in all places, great bewailing andlamentation made, by reason of the destroying and burning of above four-score thousand of MartinLuther s books, entitled, `His Last Divine Discourses. For after such time as God stirred up the spirit of Martin Luther to detect the corruptions andabuses of popery, and to preach Christ, and clearly to set forth the simplicity of the gospel, manykings, princes, and states, imperial cities, and Hans-towns, fell from the popish religion, and becameprotestants, as their posterities still are, and remain to this very day.

5 And for the further advancement of the great work of reformation then begun, the aforesaidprinces, and the rest did then order, that the said Divine Discourses of Luther should forthwith beprinted; and that every parish should have and receive one of the aforesaid printed books into everychurch throughout all their principalities and dominions, to be chained up, for the common peopleto read therein. Upon which divine work, or Discourses, the Reformation, began before in Germany, waswonderfully promoted and increased, and spread both here in England, and other countries besides. But afterwards it so fell out, that the pope then living, viz., Gregory XIII, understanding whatgreat hurt and prejudice he and his popish religion had already received, by reason of the saidLuther s Divine Discourses, and also fearing that the same might bring further contempt and mischiefupon himself, and upon the popish church, he therefore, to prevent the same, did fiercely stir upand instigate the emperor then in being, viz.

6 , Rudolphus II, to make an edict throughout the wholeempire, that all the aforesaid printed books should be burnt; and also, that it should be death forany person to have or keep a copy thereof, but also to burn the same; which edict was speedily putin execution accordingly; insomuch that not one of all the said printed books, nor so much as anyone copy of the same, could be found out nor heard of in any place. Yet it pleased God, that, Anno 1626, a German gentleman, named Casparus Van Sparr, withwhom, in the time of my staying in Germany about king James s business, I became very familiarlyknown and acquainted, having occasion to build upon the old foundation of a house, wherein hisgrandfather dwelt at that time, when the said edict was published in Germany for the burning ofthe aforesaid books; and digging deep into the ground, under the said old foundation, one of thesaid original books was there happily found, lying in a deep obscure hole, being wrapped in a strong2 Martin LutherTable Talklinen cloth, which was waxed all over with bees-wax, within and without; whereby the book waspreserved fair, without any blemish.

7 And at the same time Ferdinandus II, being emperor in Germany, who was a severe enemyand persecutor of the protestant religion, the aforesaid gentleman, and grandchild to him that hadhidden the said books in that obscure hole, fearing that if the said emperor should get knowledgethat one of the said books was yet forthcoming, and in his custody, whereby not only himself mightbe brought into trouble, but also the book in danger to be destroyed, as all the rest were so longbefore; and also calling me to mind, and knowing that I had the high Dutch tongue very perfect,did send the said original book over hither into England unto me; and therewith did write unto mea letter, wherein he related the passages of the preserving and finding out the said book. And also he earnestly moved me in his letter, that for the advancement of God s glory, and ofChrist s church, I would take the pains to translate the said book, to the end, that that most excellentdivine work of Luther might be brought again to light.

8 Whereupon I took the said book before me, and many times began to translate the same, butalways I was hindered therein, being called upon about other business: insomuch, that by no possiblemeans I could remain by that work. Then, about six weeks after I had received the said book, it fellout, that I being in bed one night, between twelve and one of the clock, my wife being asleep, bymyself yet awake, there appeared unto me an ancient man, standing at my bedside, arrayed all inwhite, having a long and broad white beard hanging down to his girdle steed, who taking me bymy right ear, spake these words following unto me: `Sirrah! will not you take time to translate thatbook which is sent unto you out of Germany? I will shortly provide for you both time and place todo it; and then he vanished away out of my sight.

9 Whereupon being much thereby affrighted, I fell into an extreme sweat: insomuch, that mywife awaking, and finding me all over wet, she asked me what I ailed? I told her what I had seenand heard: but I never did heed nor regard visions nor dreams. And so the same fell soon out of mymind. Then about a fortnight after I had seen that vision, on a Sunday, I went to Whitehall to hearthe sermon; after which ended, I returned to my lodging, which was then at King-street, atWestminster, and sitting down to dinner with my wife, two messengers were sent from the wholecouncil-board, with a warrant to carry me to the keeper of the Gatehouse, Westminster, there to besafely kept, until further order from the lords of the council; which was done without showing meany cause1 at all wherefore I was committed.

10 Upon which said warrant I was kept ten whole yearsclose prisoner, where I spent five years thereof about the translating the said book; insomuch as Ifound the words very true which the old man, in the aforesaid vision, did say unto me - `I willshortly provide for you both place and time to translate it. Then after I had finished the said translation in the prison, the late archbishop of Canterbury,Dr. Laud, understanding that I had translated such a book, called `Martin Luther s DivineDiscourses, sent unto me his chaplain, Dr. Bray, into the prison, with this message following:Captain Bell,`My lord grace of Canterbury, hath sent me unto you, to tell you, that his grace hath understoodthat you have translated a book of Luther s touching which book his grace, many years before, didhear of the burning of so many thousands in Germany, by the then emperor.