The life of man is in the midst of death.
2. of the children's death.
3) Why Paul was not afraid of death.
4. from M. Nicolai Hausmann's death.
5. one should not be too afraid of death.
6. dying for the sake of Christ is delicious in the sight of God.
7. D. Luther's epitaph of his daughter Magdalenichen, aged 14.
8. from the horror of death.
9. D. Luther's comforting speeches in his daughter's illness and burial.
10. blessed die rst the very best.
11. separation of a good marriage.
12. from papist: Begängniß.
13. of those who deprive themselves of life.
14. of the horror of death.
Sleep is equal to death.
16 Our death shall be but a sleep.
The delay of death is only a reprieve.
18. You should not be so afraid of death.
19. from the saying Joh. 8, 51: He who keeps my word 2c.
20. a blessed hour the best.
21. this life Art.
The death of Christians and Gentiles is distinguished.
The death of godly and righteous Christians is a sign of wrath.
24 A lansquenet's insulting speech about death.
(25) Whether those who died in the teaching of the pope were also saved.
26. D. Luther's thoughts on death.
D. Luther is tired of life.
28. D. Luther's illness at Schmalkalden.
29. D. Luther's prophecy of his death.
30. that a cellar had almost beaten Luthern to death.
31 Death's smack.
32. contempt of death.
33) How St. Martin despised death.
34. how to drive away sadness and thoughts of death.
The voice of a believing soul to Christ.
36 M. Veit Theodori of Nuremberg and M. Veits of Winsheim prayer.
The creatures are a testimony of the resurrection of the dead.
38. mortality of man.
39. How Dr. Luther's father, Hans Luther, had died blessed
40 Which is the very best way to die.
41 Luther's judgment of the saying Matth. 24, 24.
42 D. Luther's comfort in our last hour.
43. the school of faith.
44. that the article of faith in the papacy was even darkened.
The life of man is in the midst of death.
(Cordatus No. 1458.)
In the midst of life we are in death, because various diseases are, many fatal accidents threaten us. One dies from a minor wound, another from bleeding to death.
Therefore, we need God's help at every hour to preserve us. As often as this is missing, we are in the most certain death.
2. the death of children.
A child under the age of seven dies most cheerfully and easily, without fear of the
Death: but as soon as we grow up, become great and old, we begin to wallow in death and hell, and to fear them.
Why St. Paul was not afraid of death.
One asked D. M. Luther: When Agabus, the prophet, announced to St. Paul in Caesaria that he would be bound by the Jews and delivered to the Gentiles to die, Apost. 21:11, and yet he was not careful, but nevertheless he went to Jerusalem willingly and joyfully, fearing nothing of death: how would this come to pass? Luther answered: "It was the revelation of the Holy Spirit that strengthened Paul to death.
When sick people lie in trains," said the doctor, "and give no sign, their souls are already gone, they hear nothing and understand nothing; therefore it is in vain and for nothing that one shouts to them.
4. from M. Nicolai Hausmann's death.
(Lauterbach, Nov. 6, 1538, p. 158.)
On November 6, a letter arrived from Freiberg, in which the sudden death of the very pious and faithful pastor Hausmann there was announced. He had accepted a difficult office as a worn-out man and was so beaten to the ground and exhausted by the first sermon that he died of apoplexy that very day. This sad case with his most sincere friend we hid from the venerable father D. Luther, and little by little we, namely his wife, Philipp, Jonas and I (Lauterbach), let out that he was suffering, then that he was lying down heavily, finally that he died gently. Luther was very moved by the death of this man, and as he sat among his best friends, he repeatedly shed tears and said: "God takes away the pious, and then the chaff will be burned according to the saying of Scripture (Is. 57:1): "The righteous perish, and holy men are raised up. These are very dangerous times. GOD will sweep his threshing floor. I pray that when I die, my wife and children will not live long, there will be
which are followed by very dangerous times. I would not have thought of such wickedness in the world. God help us to stick to his word, to mend our ways. This has been a dear friend to me. And so he sat the whole day quite sadly in the presence of Justus Jonas, Philipp Melanchthon, Joachim Camerarius, Caspar voü Köckeritz, among whom he sat sadly and full of tears.
5 You should not be too afraid of death.
i)Anno 38, the 21st of October, that D. M. Luther publicly admonished the church and severely scolded those who were so afraid when people made a noise and rumor about the pestilence, saying: "One should be confident in the Lord and trust in Him, and each one should walk and remain in his profession, and if his neighbor needs his help and support, he should not leave him: we should not be so afraid of death, because we have taken hold of the word of life and the Lord of it, who has overcome death for our good.
6. die for the sake of Christ.
Death for the sake of Christ's name and word is glorious in the sight of God, Ps. 116:15, because otherwise we are mortal and must die for the sake of sin. But if we die for the sake of Christ's word, and we freely confess, we die a very honest death, become like holy things, and have sold our skin at a high enough price. But we who are Christians ask for peace and long life, not for our sake, for whom such a death is only vain gain, but for the sake of the descendants and the church.
7. D. M. Luther's mourning, eulogy and speech, so he in the death and funeral of his dear daughter Magdalena, her age in the 14th year, had, 1542.
Epitaph Magdalenichin Luther, D. M. Luthers Töchterlein, from the
Father made himself.
(This epitaph is Walch, old edition, vol. XXI, 251," No. XVI.)
1) Cf. cap. 47- § 13.
Since his housewife was very sad, weeping and wailing, D. M. Luther said to her. M. Luther said to her: "Dear Käthe, think about where she is going, she will come. But flesh and blood fleshes and bleeds, does as its kind does, the spirit lives and is willing. The children do not dispute; as they are told, so they believe; with the children it is all simple, dying without pain and fear, without dispute, without challenge of death, without pain in the body, just as they fall asleep.
To M. Holstein he said: Dear Magister, where were you sixty years ago? Where have I been? Where did I come from? Where did you come from? We will not have made ourselves, and we will now go and make a bargain with our Lord God, and sell him our work: he shall give us heaven for it. Is it not a disgraceful thing that a creature should exalt itself so high, and dare to deal with its Creator in this way? It is therefore that we do not believe that God is our Creator, for if we did believe that, we would lift up and do something else. But no one believes that God is the Creator. Even if he says it, and his conscience convinces him, that God is the Creator of us all, we are not really serious. If we were created and made by another, it would still have some standing. Now we come before God and say: Lord God, look at me for my works, I come here to you, you did not make me. Fie on you!
8. horror of death.
The terror of death is death itself, nothing else. He who has completely removed death from his heart neither tastes nor feels death. Then someone asked about the pain of death. Martin Luther answered: "Then ask my daughter if she has felt anything, because she had died right. But she answered: "Doctor, I have felt nothing at all. Then said D. Martinus said, "Therefore I say that there is only the terror of death, which is the greatest thing in death. It is written in the Ebrews that He (the Lord Christ) tasted death for them.
We are blessed people that we do not taste death. The taste of death is bitter. But what pain it is to taste death is well seen in Christ, when he says, "My soul is sorrowful unto death," Matt. 26:38. Christ died in the garden, for to taste death is death. What do you think these words are: "My soul is sorrowful unto death"? I think they are the greatest words in all of Scripture. Although it is also a great one, since he cried out on the cross: "My God, my God, how have you forsaken me? No one can understand it in words; no angel can understand what a great thing it is that blood has passed through the sweaty pores. This is called the pain and horror of death, when a creature comforts the Creator 2c. The apostles understood nothing of this.
9 D. M. Luther's comforting speeches in his daughter's illness and burial.
When his daughter was still very ill, he said, Martinus: "I love her very much; but, dear God, since it is your will to take her there, I would like to have her with you. And when she was thus in bed, he said unto her, Magdalene, my little daughter, thou hast been pleased to remain here with thy father, and thou art also pleased to go to that father," said she, "Yes, dear father, as God wills. Then said the father, Thou dear little daughter, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. And turning about, he said: I love her very much; if the flesh is so strong, what will the spirit be?
Among other things, he said: "God has not given such great gifts to any bishop in a thousand years as he has given to me, for God's gifts are to be boasted of. I am angry with myself that I cannot rejoice in them from my heart, nor give thanks; although at times I sing a little song to our Lord God, and thank Him a little for it.
Well, we live or die, we are of the Lord: 8ivo vivinni8, 81V6 inorimur, Domini 8UMU8; namely, both in dsnitivo, of the Lord, and in roniinativo, lords. Mr. Magister, be of good thing. Then M. Georg Rörer said: "I have received a word from your
I have asked our Lord God to give me one blessed hour to go there, and he will do it, I know that for sure: I will still talk to Christ, my Lord, at my last end, even if it should be so short. Then M. Rörer said: I am worried, I will suddenly go there once, silently, that I will not speak a word. Then Doctor Martinus Luther said: "We live or die, then we are of the Lord: even if you fall down the stairs, or sit and write, and suddenly rush away. It does no harm if I fall from the ladder and lie there dead, for the devil is our enemy.
When Magdalenichen was in traction and was about to die, her father fell on his knees before the bed, wept bitterly, and prayed that God would deliver her. Then she died and passed away in her father's hands. The mother, however, was in the same room, but farther from the bed for the sake of her sadness. This happened a little after nine o'clock, on Wednesday after the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity, 1) Anno 1542.
He, the doctor, often repeated as indicated above and said: I would like to keep my daughter, for I love her very much, if our Lord God would let me have her; but let His will be done. Nothing better can happen to her. While she was still alive, he said to her, "Dear daughter, you still have a father in heaven, to whom you will go. Philip said, "The love of parents is a likeness and image of the divinity imprinted on the human heart. Now if the love of God for the human race is as great as the love of parents for their children, as the Scripture says, it is truly great and fierce.
When she was laid in the coffin, he said, "My dear Lena, how well you have done! Looking at her lying there, he said, "Oh, you!
1) In all editions incorrect: "on Wednesday of the seventeenth Sunday after Trinity." Magdalena Luther died on 20 Seht. The letter to D. Justus Jonas, in which Luther says several things about the death of his daughter, is dated Sept. 23, 1542. Cf.
Dear Lenichen, you will rise again and shine like a star, even like the sun. But since the coffin had been made too narrow and too short for her, he said: "The bed is too small for her, because she has now died. I am happy in spirit, but in the flesh I am very sad: the flesh does not want to come near, the separation vexes one beyond measure. It is a wonderful thing to know that she is certainly at peace and well, and yet still be so sad.
And when the people came to help bury the body, and addressed the doctor according to common custom and usage, saying: They were sorry for his grief; he said, "Be it known to you, I have sent a saint to heaven, yes, a living saint. O if we had such a death! I would have accepted such a death at this hour. Then one said, "Yes, it is true, but everyone likes to keep his own." Luther answered, "Flesh is flesh, and blood is blood; I am glad that it is gone, there is no sorrow but of the flesh. But sometimes he said to others who came: Do not be grieved, I have sent one saint to heaven; yes, I have sent two of them. Among others [he said to those], 2) who came to the corpse, when they were singing: O Lord, remember not our former old iniquities: I say, O Lord, Lord, not only the former and old, but also the present and present sins; for we are usurers, oppressors, covetous 2c., yea, there is yet the abomination of the mass in the world.
When they buried her, he said, "This is the resurrection of the flesh. And when they came again from the burial, he said, "My daughter is now buried, both in body and soul. 2c. We Christians have nothing to complain about, we know that it must be so, we are ever most certain of eternal life; for God, who has promised it to us through and for the sake of His dear Son, cannot ever lie. Our Lord God has two saints from my flesh, but not from the flower.
Among other things, he said: "Children must be cared for, especially the poor ones.
2) Thus Bindseil 1, 107.
We must not worry that someone else will take care of them. I have no mercy for boys: a boy feeds himself in whatever country he comes to, if he only wants to work. But if he wants to be lazy, he remains a rascal. But the poor maid must have a staff in her hand. A boy can run to school according to Parteken, so that afterwards he can become a fine man, if he wants to do it. A maiden cannot do this, she can soon be disgraced if she gets her belly full. Item: I give this daughter to our Lord God very gladly, but according to the flesh I would have liked to keep her longer with me; but because he has taken her away, I thank him.
When Magdalena, Martin Luther's daughter, died in 1542, Martin Luther's wife had had a dream the night before that she had thought that two beautiful, young, well-decorated journeymen had come and wanted to lead her daughter to the wedding. When Philip Melanchthon came to the monastery in the morning and asked her what her daughter was doing, she told him the dream. But he was frightened by it, and said to others, "The young fellows are the dear angels, who will come and lead this virgin into the kingdom of heaven, into the right wedding. And on the same day she died.
10) To die blessedly is the very best thing.
If my daughter Magdalena (said Doctor Martinus Luther) should come to life again and should bring me the Turkish kingdom, I would not do it. O, she has gone well! Beati mortui, qui in Domino moriuntur. Revelation 14:13: He that dieth, the same hath eternal life. I would that I and my children and all of you should go in this way, for evil times will follow. There is no more help nor counsel on earth, that I see, but the last day. I also hope, whether God wills it, it shall not long remain without: for avarice and usury go by force, and these sins are no longer vices; after that also is the Licentia. Thus princes and lords can no longer rule, for they have no
Money: if they want to start something, they must fall at the feet of the usurers and worship them. Et habebat Dominus Doctor Lutherus tum temporis in coena semper vocem illam in ore: et multiplicata sunt mala in Terris.
11. separation of a good marriage.
Anno 1539, the 15th of July, died the honest, virtuous matron, Doctor Blickarts, the Sindringer's, 1) housewife, who got up early at five o'clock from her master's bed, pregnant, fresh and healthy, and at seven o'clock after that she was dead, having brought a young daughter. Then Doctor Martin Luther comforted her master. Afterwards, when he came home, he said: "It must be the greatest sadness and heartache, when two pious spouses, who have been well with each other and held each other dear, have to part from each other bodily. Our Lord God is the greatest adulterer, who brings them together and separates them from each other. This morning she slept with her husband, today 2) she sleeps with our Lord God. How slippery and unstable is our life! Oh, it must hurt when spouses who love each other are divorced in this way.
12. from papist" Begängniß.
Under the papacy, the corpse was buried with such pomp that the ceremonies and customs of the Jews far surpassed those of all the pagans. Duke Albrecht of Saxony was buried with such pomp that six hundred priests held mass four days in a row and were fed sumptuously: then they bought up from all the merchants the gold pieces, so many large wax candles, like the Easter candles, were sacrificed. Then the marshal of the prince smashed petschier, and four and twenty paniers fell down, and waxen coats of arms were broken 2c. No pagan or Jew would hold such pomp and pageantry.
1) Stangwald: "des Syndici". According to the remark in De Wette V, 50, Blickardt [from Eindringen, Würtemberg] was churfürstlicher Rath.
2) Aurifaber: "hint".
13. of those who kill themselves.
Those who hang themselves or otherwise kill themselves suffer violence from the devil, like the one who is killed by a robber. They are not powerful of themselves, therefore I cannot condemn them, although this must not be said to the people. And the devil must be so harsh at times, and such examples must be put before the people, otherwise no one would fear God. Oh, one must deal harshly with such thoughts (namely, of suicide), so that one overcomes them, 1) although one must also deal harshly with such dead people, burn them 2c., so that the world is frightened.
14. death horror.
Pious, godly Christians are more frightened by death, who should not be frightened, but the godless should be frightened by death; but they live and go safely, do not think of death. This is what D. Martin Luther said about the death of von Haubitz.
Who in death can speak a good word, and say: Miserere mei, Deus: God, have mercy on me; he is well advised: for an ungodly man cannot speak a good word, like the one who died here. It is best for those who die soon, for they have not experienced the devil's and the world's cunning and wickedness.
Sleep is equal to death.
(The first paragraph Cordatus No. 446.)
A sleeping person is very similar to a dead person, therefore one has finely thought that sleep is a brother of death, and even in day and night the image of life and death is painted.
Immediately I thought of the dreams that one would have at night, and said: "Sad dreams come from the devil: for everything that serves for death, terror, murder and lies, that is the devil's handiwork. He often drove me away from prayer and poured thoughts into me, so that I ran away.
1) I.e. defeat, hold down.
(This paragraph Cordatus No. 877.)
It is the devil's fault that someone always has evil ideas when he hears something at night. One steals, one robs, one murders, therefore one can think of nothing good; but if one lived godly, all good things would come to us.
And he went on to say: "My dream will come true, for I thought I had died and was standing at the grave naked, covered with a few rags. So I am condemned to death for a long time, and yet I am still alive.
16 Our death shall be but a sleep.
(Contained in Cap. 3, § 40.)
The delay of death is only a reprieve.
(Lauterbach, Aug. 1, 1538, p, 104.)
To wonder is the foolishness of man who fears death, which he cannot escape because it is common to all men. Cicero was able to comfort himself finely as a pagan, in the first book of the Tusculana. Much more should the Christians do this, who have the overcomer of death, Christ, who is the resurrection and the life. And even if we would like to live longer, it is still a short time. Just as if you wandered a lot against thieves [or thieves], some coming in at 4 o'clock, some at 7 or §, all must stay there overnight. Thus Adam preceded us by a few hours. He will not have rested more than one night, like us.
When the limb disease still persisted, so that Luther, leaning on a stick, walked forward on three legs with great difficulty, he said: Oh, dear Lord God, have I not lived enough, why do you punish me? But let me pray with the prophet Jonah, Cap. 4 (v. 3. 8.), "Now therefore, O Lord, take my soul from me; for I would rather be dead than live." So also Judas Maccabaeus prayed Cap. 13: 1) "For I am no better than my brethren." When Philip asked him if he was afflicted with more serious illness, Luther replied, "The body is about weak, in addition [be-]
2) 1 Marc. 13, 5: Simon.
I am not allowed help, but in the soul [beMrf I a strong faith; for the devil is angry with us, seeks everywhere cause to us.
18. You should not be so afraid of death.
Because we know, said D. M. L. that we must die and that Christ is our Lord and we are baptized in His name, why are we afraid of death? Therefore let us only die in God's name, we will not be harmed by it. We want to master Christ in time, like Philip and Andrew, John 6:7, 8. It is not right, but God can keep it too good for us, because we praise Him and preach about Him; and that is something, if only we do not become Judas, His betrayers.
19 Jn 8:51: "He who keeps my word will never see death".
Thus, D. M. Luther interpreted the saying:
(This A is Walch, old edition, vol. IX, 1426.)
2V. A blessed hour the best.
(Contained in Cap. 3, § 41.)
21. this life Art.
(Lauterbach, Oct. 10, 1538, p. 145.)
After that he lamented the misery of human life, which all men loved; no one wanted to leave it, although one misfortune after the other was imminent until death. That is why Pliny, Book 20, Cap. 1, 1) says that a timely death is the best medicine for a man, and Julius Caesar disdained the omens of his death and did not flee the dangers, saying: It is better to die once than to be always on guard. That is enough said by pagans. But still one does not have to tempt God.
The death of Christians and Gentiles is different.
(Cordatus No. 1459.)
Christians could easily condone death if they did not know that the wrath of GOt.
1) nat. XXVIII, I. 86ot. 2, z 9.
tes is associated with death. The title makes death sour for us. But the heathen die safely, they do not see the wrath of God, but think it is the end of man, and say: It is about an evil hour. But Cicero said wonderfully: Afterwards we will either be nothing or completely blessed, as if he wanted to say: Nothing worse can happen to us than death.
The death of godly and righteous Christians is a sign of God's wrath.
(Lauterbach, Nov. 10, 1538, p. 163.)
Luther: When I hear that a pious man has died, I am frightened and fear that God is angry with the world, who takes away the pious to attack the wicked. Germany, repent at the time of grace, it is time; even if I die, there is not much in me, because I am under the pope's spell, I am his devil, therefore he hates and persecutes me.
24 A lansquenet's insulting speech about death.
Doctor Martin Luther once told over the table: "A soldier was lying ill with an innkeeper, and as he was about to die, he said, 'Innkeeper, bring a light here, death wants Sanct Velten. And he said, "The men of war speak of the things of our Lord God as of cobbler's leather. One should not joke with death. Mors est judicium Dei et ira Dei: In death, God's judgment and wrath exist. One should not joke with death, because one first has faith in the Lord, who is crucified. After that it is said: Mors, ubi est Stimulus tuus? Death, where is your sting? 1 Cor. 15> 55.
25 Whether those who died in the teachings of the Pope were also found blessed.
(This section follows immediately after Cap. 13, § 44, where we have transferred it).
26 D. M. Luther's Thoughts on Death.
I know that I will not live long; for this my head is like a knife whose steel is all worn and vain.
Iron has become iron, iron never cuts; 1) -so is my head. Now, dear Lord, I hope and let myself think that the hour is not far off.
In Coburg, I also went around and looked for a little place where I should be buried, and in the chapel under the cross, I thought, I would lie there: but now I feel much different than in Coburg. God help me, and give me a blessed, merciful hour, I never desire to live.
27. M. Luther is tired of life.
(Here 3 lines are omitted because contained in Cap. 48, § 38.)
Anno 1539, on June 11, Luther drove from Wittenberg to Liechtenberg, to the old Margravine, Electress. When he ate in the evening with her F. G. and talked about all sorts of things over the table with each other, and the Margravine said: She wished and hoped that he should still live a long time, and he could still live well forty years, if it were God's will. Then said D. Luther said: "God be merciful! If he offered me paradise in which to live for another forty years, I would not accept it: I would hire an executioner to cut off my head. So evil is the world now, and people are becoming vain devils, that one can wish him nothing better than only a blessed hour and away. I don't ask anything about the doctors either: I don't want to make my life, which is set for me by them for one year, sour, but eat and drink in God's name what tastes good to me.
28. D. M. Luther's illness at Schmalkald.
When M. Luther had preached at Schmalkalden on the Sunday of Invocavit in 1537, he became very ill after noon at the stone. 2) And he prayed diligently and said: O faithful God, my Lord Jesus Christ, if your name has helped so many people, help me too, my dear God! Thou knowest that I have taught thy word diligently: if it be for thy name's glory, help me that it may be better; if not, shut me up.
1) Cf. Cap. 4, § 32 and Cap. 26, § 46.
2) Cf. Mathesius, St. Louis edition, p. 194 f/.
the eyes closed. It has to be once. O Lord Jesus Christ, how good it is that one should die with the sword for the sake of thy word! Now, my Lord Jesus Christ, I die as an enemy of those who hate you, I die under Pabst's spell, but he dies under your spell. Praise be to you, my Lord Jesus, that I die knowing your name! I will now do what God wills, and even surrender to His grace. If we have received the good from the hand of the Lord, why should we not also take the evil with us? I die as an enemy of Pabst, the evil one who has exalted himself over Christ. And there he made the verses:
Quaesitus toties, toties tibi Roma petitus, En ego per Christum vivo Lutherus adhuc.
Una mihi spes est, qua non fraudabor, Jesus, Hunc mihi dum teneam, perfida Roma cave....
In German:
Luther, who was so often sought by Rome, is still in the living order until this hour,
As long as Jesus, the anchor of hope, does not break.
Rome certainly did nothing against him.
29. prophecy of D. Luther's prophecy of his death.
In 1546, on February 16, when there was a lot of talk about dying and sickness over Luther's table in Eisleben, Luther said: "When I return home to Wittenberg, I will lie down in a coffin and give the maggots a fat doctor to eat. M. Luther said: "When I return home to Wittenberg, I will lie down in a coffin and give the maggots a fat doctor to eat. And this was true for two days, that D. M. Luther lived there in ice. M. Luther died there in Eisleben.
3V. That a cellar could almost have beaten Luther to death.
(Cordatus No. 1607. 1311.)
When a large wall and a beam fell and completely collapsed with great force very close to the doctor, he said: "Here I have seen the work of the devil against me and the help of God for me.
A hardened heart is not moved by promises, is not frightened by threats, is not bowed by the hardest blows [flagellis], and by plagues it is so little improved that it only becomes harder.
31 Death's smack.
To taste death properly is certainly and actually proper despair. Godly Christians will not taste death, as Christ says John 8:51: for they never feel utter despair: though at times they are very near to it, yet they are withdrawn and preserved by the Holy Spirit.
32. contempt of death.
Doctor M. Luther said about how one should despise death, and said: One ran from St. Vincentio, when he should have died, that he had seen death standing before his feet, and had said: What do you want, death? do you think that you want or can gain something from a Christian? do you not know that I am a Christian? So we should also learn to mock and laugh at death.
33) How St. Martin despised death.
Doctor M. Luther said that he would like the legend of the saints to be fasted finely, as Philip Melanchthon had finely described the legend of St. Ambrosia; and said: "There is sometimes much good in it, as in the history of St. Martin stands: when he was about to die, the devil stood at his feet in his bed, then he said boldly to him: See, quid tu hic stas, horrenda Bestia, nihil habes in me. This is a true word of faith. Such a thing should be gleaned from the legends of the saints, and not from all kinds of folly.
34. how to drive away the sad thoughts and thoughts of death.
Doctor M. Luther (when he once saw a very sad person) said: Oh man, what are you doing? Can you think of nothing else but your sins, death and damnation? Turn away thine eyes quickly, and look hither unto the man which is called Christ; of whom it is written, that he was conceived of the Holy Ghost, born of Mary of virgins, suffered, died, was buried, went to hell, rose from the dead the third day, and ascended into heaven 2c.
Why do you think this has happened? Numquid, that thou shouldest be comforted against death and sin. Therefore cease from fear and trembling; thou hast, verily, no cause. If Christ were not there and had not done this for you, you would have cause to fear; but he is there, suffering death for you, and conquering it for your comfort and protection, and for this reason also sits down at the right hand of his heavenly Father to represent you. Now what is not on such a blow, that is Mosi's testimony, of which one has nothing else but fear and terror.
Fidelis animae vox ad Christum.
Ego sum tuum peccatum, Tu mea justitia. Triumpho igitur securus, quia nec meum peccatum obruet tuam Justitiam, nec tua Justitia sinet me esse aut manere peccatorem. Benedictus Dominus Deus meus, Miserator meus et Redemtor meus, in Te solum confido, nunquam erubescam.
In German:
A believing soul's speech with Christ.
(This prayer is already printed in the X. Theile of the St. Louis edition, Col. 1509.)
36 Precatio M. Viti Theodori, Norimbergensis.
(Omitted because not by Luther; also the prayer of E. Veit Winsheim).
The creatures are a testimony of the resurrection of the dead.
In 1539, on the 11th day of April, M. Luther was in his garden and looked at the trees with a running thought, how they blossomed, budded and greened so beautifully and charmingly, and was very surprised about it, and said: Praise be to God, the Creator, who makes everything alive again from dead, deceased creatures. Look at the branches," he said, "they are so lovely and delicate, as if they were pregnant and full of young and close to birth. There we have a beautiful picture of the resurrection of the dead. Winter is death, but summer is the resurrection of the dead, when everything comes to life and grows green again.
The parts of the year are unequal, as, the spring and autumn; however, it is to be expected, it will become a great cold in the future, according to the saying: March whole, April at the tail, May new, hold seldom faithful. Let us ask the heavenly Father to give us our daily bread.
38. mortality of man.
(The first paragraph Cordatus No. 843.)
How many deaths [mortes] we have in our body! Is nothing but vain death with us, because so much death, so many limbs. This he said to Conrad Cordatus. 2)
2) For the devil, who is the cause and master of death, is our adversary and seeks our life. He has sworn death upon us, and we have deserved it, therefore we may well endure the hour. But with the godly he will not achieve much with his stranglehold, because he will bite into a dead nut.
(The following at Cordatus No. 1263.)
I deserved death twice; against God as a sinner and against the devil as a saint. I am not sorry because I have defended the truth against him.
39. how Martin Luther's father, Hans Luther, died blessedly.
In 1530, Luther's father, Hans Luther, died at Mansfeld, to whom Martinus from Wittenberg, 3) a few days before his end, had written a beautiful, wonderful letter of comfort. When Mr. Michael Cölius, pastor in the Mansfeld valley, had asked him in his last moments: whether he believed everything that was taught and held out to us in the articles of the Christian faith? he had replied: That would have to be a lurker, who would not believe the
1) This paragraph was found four other times in all previous editions of the Tischreden except in this place, namely Cap. 3, § 52; 4, 8 7, 846; 47, 8 3.
2) The next following paragraph was found twice more, namely in § 27 of this Cap., and Cap. 24, § 104 in all previous editions of the German Tischreden.
3) Walch, St. Louis edition, vol. X, 1794 sf. - Aurifaber and rhm after the other editions have the erroneous indication: "aus Coburg".
did not want to believe. When this was reported to Luther, he said: "This is a word from the old world. But Phil. Melanchthon said to D. Luther: "Dear Doctor, these are blessed people who die in the knowledge of Christ, and especially what young people are, because the older we get, the more foolish we become. And this I prove thus: for the young people remain straightforward in the articles of the Christian faith; as they have learned the same, so they also believe the same: but when we grow old, we begin to dispute, want to be wise, and yet are the greatest fools.
40 Which is the very best way to die.
Doctor Martin Luther once said: There is no better way to die than St. Stephen, who says: Domine Jesu, suscipe Spiritum meum: "Lord JEsu, receive my spirit", Apost. 7, 58, that we lay aside all registers of our sins and meritorious works, and die on the mere grace of God alone. St. Stephen learned this from two great persons, the Lord Christ and David, who were certainly more pious than any monk or priest; yet they were silent about their merits and demanded only grace.
41 Judgement of D. Luther's judgment of the saying Matth. 24, 24: "Errors will come that even the elect would be deceived if it were possible.
This saying has been fulfilled and true in the Holy Fathers, as in St. Jerome, Augustine, Gregory, Basil, Cyprian, Bernard and others, who were led astray, but did not remain in it. St. Bernard wrote many evil and ungodly things, especially about the Virgin Mary. But when he was about to die, he said: Perdite vixi: 4) I have lived wickedly, but you, dear Lord Jesus Christ, have two rights to the kingdom of heaven: first, it is your inheritance, because you are the only one who has the right to it.
4) Cf. Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. XIII, 2575, 8 33.
Son of the Father; but therefore I have no comfort in the kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, you have earned it and deserved it with your suffering and death, and have appeased the Father's wrath, and have opened heaven, and have given me the kingdom of heaven as your acquired possession; I rejoice in it. Thereupon he died blessedly. So, when St. Augustine was about to die, he also prayed the seven penitential psalms. Now, in their healthy life they did not practice this teaching, but on their deathbed and in the hour of death they took such comfort, confessed this teaching, and thus became blessed.
42. ice comfort in our last hour, D. M. Luther's.
(This § is in the St. Louis edition, Part X, Col. 1420 ff.).
43rd Faith School.
This § is Walch, old edition, vol. IX, 1449 and 1393.) '
44. that the article of the righteousness of faith had even been obscured in the papacy.
Doctor Martin Luther once said about tables: "Show me a single place that teaches about justification in a pure and unadulterated way:
In all decrees, decretal, clementine, sexto, extravagant.
In all the writings of all the summists.
In All Sentence Writers.
In all the sermons of the monks.
In all resolutions of all synods.
In all ordinaries of all colleges.
In all the monk rules.
In all postilles of all glossators.
In the whole Hieronymo and Gregorio.
In all the farewells of the concilia.
In all disputations of all theologians.
In all lections of all universities.
In all masses and vigils of all churches. In all ceremonies of all bishops. In all the foundations of all the monasteries.
In all brotherhoods of all sects.
In all pilgrimages of all oerter.
In all the devotions of all the saints.
In all indulgence of all bulls.
In all the pabulum's buffoonery.
In the whole Roman court, and in all the courts of the bishops; where, nevertheless, the doctrine of the faith should be abundantly found.
Rather, one will find there: 2) Prayers to all the saints, prayers for the goods of this life, wealth and happiness; also masses, which are held for the same purpose. All this was only prayed by word, without faith, and if it was only said with the mouth, it was already enough.
1) These prayers were also called coronas or crown prayers. Jen. Vol. I, fol. 68.