TRANSLATED BY CAPTAIN HENRY BELL. Decorative graphic CASSELL & COMPANY, Limited : LONDON , PARIS , NEW YORK & MELBOURNE . 1886....

martin luther died on the 18th of February, 1546, and the first publication of his “Table Talk”— Tischreden —by his friend, Johann Goldschmid (Aurifaber), was in 1566, in a substantial folio.  The talk of Luther was arranged, according to its topics, into eighty chapters, each with a minute index of contents.  The whole work in a complete octavo edition, published at Stuttgart and Leipzig in 1836, occupies 1,390 closely printed pages, equivalent to 2,780 pages, or full fourteen volumes, of this

And whereas hitherto I have caused certain tomes of the Books, Sermons, Writings, and Missives of Luther to be printed at Eisleben, so have I also now finished this tome of his Discourses, and have ordered the same to be printed, which at the first were collected together out of the Manuscripts of these Divine Discourses, which that Reverend Father Anthony Lauterbach himself noted and wrote out of the holy mouth of Luther, and afterwards the same by me were collected into sure and certain Loci C

OR, Relation of the Miraculous Preserving of Dr. Martin Luther’s book, entitled “Colloquia Mensalia,” or, “His Divine Discourses at his Table,” held with Divers Learned Men and Pious Divines; such as were Philip Melancthon, Casparus Cruciger, Justus Jonas, Paulus Eberus, Vitus Dietericus, Joannes Bugenhagen, Joannes Forsterus, and others : CONTAINING Divers Discourses touching Religion , and other Main Points of Doctrine ; as also many notable Histories , and all sorts of Learning , Comforts , A

24th February , 1646 . Whereas Captain Henry Bell hath strangely discovered and found a Book of Martin Luther’s, called his Divine Discourses, which was for a long time very marvellously preserved in Germany: the which book the said Henry Bell, at his great costs and pains, hath translated into the English out of the German Tongue, which Translation and substance thereof is approved by Reverend Divines of the Assembly, as appears by a Certificate under their hands: It is Ordered and Ordained by

The Bible , or Holy Scripture, said Luther, is like a fair and spacious orchard, wherein all sorts of trees do grow, from which we may pluck divers kinds of fruits; for in the Bible we have rich and precious comforts, learnings, admonitions, warnings, promises, and threatenings, etc.  There is not a tree in this orchard on which I have not knocked, and have shaken at least a couple of apples or pears from the same. That the Bible is the Word of God, said Luther, the same I prove as followeth.  A

In all things, and in the least creatures, yea, also in their members, God’s almighty power and great wonderful works do clearly shine.  For what man, how powerful, wise, and holy soever, can make out of one fig, a fig-tree or another fig? or, out of one cherry-stone, can make a cherry or a cherry-tree? or what man can know how God createth and preserveth all things and maketh them grow? And truly we find and see printed the Holy Trinity in all good arts and creatures, as the almighty power of G

The world, said Luther, will neither have nor hold God for God, nor the devil for the devil.  And if a man were left to himself, and should be suffered to do after his own kind and nature, then would he willingly throw our Lord God out at the window; for the world regards God nothing at all, as the Psalm saith, Dixit impius in corde suo , non est Deus .  On the contrary, the god of the world is riches, pleasure, and pride, wherewith they abuse all the creatures and gifts of God. The Monks and Fr

On the 18th of August, 1535, Luther, receiving letters from Frankfort relating to the great preparations of the Emperor against the Protestants, said: Our Saviour Christ will not wage wars with beggars, but with great and powerful Kings and Princes, as it is written, “Kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against his anointed.”  Well, on, said Luther, they will find their counsels altogether vain and frivolous, for Christ shall win the field.  We

Our Lord God, said Luther, suffereth the ungodly to be surprised and taken captive in very slight and small things, when they think not of it, when they are most secure, and live in delight and pleasure, in springing and leaping for joy.  In such a manner was the Pope surprised by me, in and about his indulgences and pardons, which was altogether a slight thing.  The Venetians, likewise, were taken napping by Emperor Maximilian. That which falleth in Heaven is devilish, but that which stumbleth

The Decalogus , that is, the Ten Commandments of God, are a looking-glass, and a brief sum of all virtues and doctrines, both how we ought to behave towards God and also towards our neighbour, that is, towards all mankind. There never was at any time written a more excellent, complete, nor compendious book of virtues. The duty of the First and Second Commandment is to fear God, to love and to trust in him; the contrary is sin and vice, an ungodly life, contemning of God, hatred, despair, etc. Th

As the Faith is, so is also God. God stayeth not quite away, though he stayeth long. Despair maketh Priests and Friars. God careth and provideth for us, but we must labour. God will have the heart only and alone. Idolatry is the imagination of the heart. God giveth by creatures. God’s Word placeth before our eyes the world, to the end we may see what a fine spark it is. God’s Word is our sanctification, and maketh everything happy. Works of obedience must highly be regarded. All that govern are

If, said Luther, we diligently mark the world and the course thereof, we shall find that it is governed merely by weenings or conceits, Mundus regitur opinionibus .  Therefore sophistry, hypocrisy, and tyranny do rule and have the government in the world. The upright, pure, and clear Divine Word must be their handmaid, and be by them controlled; this the world will have.  Therefore let us beware of sophistry, which consisteth not only in a double tongue, in doubtful and screwed words, which may

No human creature can believe, said Luther, how powerful prayer is, and what is it able to effect, but only those that have learned it by experience. It is a great matter when in extreme need, as then one can take hold on prayer.  I know, as often as I have earnestly prayed, that I have been richly heard, and have obtained more than I prayed for; indeed, God sometimes deferred, but notwithstanding he came. Ecclesiasticus saith, “The prayer of a good and godly Christian availeth more to health, t

The word and article of justification (how we are justified and saved before God) expelleth and overcometh all sorrow, all perplexities, misfortunes, and adversities; and without this article there is neither help nor advice. We read in the histories of the Church, said Luther, that Julian the Emperor forced his servants and soldiers to deny Christ; but when many of them refused to do the same, he caused them to be executed with the sword, and they went joyfully to their deaths.  Among them was

In the year 1518, the 9th of July, when I, said Luther, was cited and summoned, I came and appeared: Frederick Prince Elector of Saxony having appointed me a great and strong convoy and safe-conduct.  I was warned in any case not to have conversation with the Italians, nor to repose any trust or confidence in them.  I was three whole days in Augsburg without the Emperor’s safe-conduct.  In the mean time, an Italian came unto me, and carried me to the Cardinal Cajetan; and by the way he earnestly