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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadMartin Luther Collection: Luther, Martin - Table Talks: 35. Of Death
TOPIC: Luther, Martin - Table Talks (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 35. Of Death
Other Subjects in this Topic:
OF DEATH
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DCCXLI.
To die for the sake of Christ's word, is esteemed precious and glorious
before God. We are mortal, and must die for the sake of our sins, but when
we die for the sake of Christ and his Word, and freely confess them, we die
an honorable death; we are thereby made altogether holy relics, and have
sold our hides dear enough. But when we Christians pray for peace and long
life, `tis not for our sake, to whom death is merely gain, but for the sake
of the church, and of posterity.
The fear of death is merely death itself; he who abolishes that fear
from the heart, neither tastes nor feels death. A human creature lying
asleep is very like one that is dead; whence the ancients said, sleep is the
brother of death. In like manner, life and death are pictured to us in the
day and night, and in the change and alteration of the seasons.
The dream I had lately, will be made true; `twas that I was dead, and
stood by my grave, covered with rags. Thus am I long since condemned to die,
and yet I live.
DCCXLII.
"Whoso keepeth my saying, shall never see death." Luther expounded this
passage of St John thus: We must die and suffer death, but whoso holds on
God's Word, shall not feel death, but depart as in a sleep, and concerning
him it shall not be said: "I die, but I am forced to sleep." On the other
hand, whoso finds not himself furnished with God's Word, must die in
anguish; therefore, when thou comest to die, make no dispute at all, but
from thy heart say: I believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God; I ask no more.
DCCXLIII.
One's thirty eighth year is an evil and dangerous year, bringing many
heavy and great sicknesses; naturally, by reason perhaps, of the comets and
conjunctions of Saturn and of Mars, but spiritually, by reason of the
innumerable sins of the people.
DCCXLIV.
Pliny, the heathen writer, says, book xx. cap. 1: The best physic for a
human creature is, soon to die; Julius Caesar condemned death, and was
careless of danger; he said: `Tis better to die once than continually to be
afraid of dying; this was well enough for a heathen, yet we ought not to
tempt God, but to use the means which he gives, and then commit ourselves to
his mercy.
It were a light and easy matter for a Christian to overcome death, if
he knew it was not God's wrath; that quality makes death bitter to us. But a
heathen dies securely; he neither sees nor feels that it is God's wrath, but
thinks it is merely the end of nature. The epicurean says: `Tis but to
endure one evil hour.
DCCXLV.
When I hear that a good and godly man is dead, I am affrighted, and
fear that God hates the world, and is taking away the upright and good, to
the end he may fall upon and punish the wicked. Though I die, it makes no
great matter; for I am in the pope's curse and excommunication; I am his
devil, therefore he hates and persecutes me. At Coburg, I went about, and
sought me out a place for my grave; I thought to have beel laid in the
chancel under the table, but now I am of another mind. I know I have not
long to live, for my head is like a knife, from which the steel is wholly
whetted away, and which is become mere iron; the iron will cut no more, even
so it is with my head. Now, loving Lord God, I hope my time is not for
hence; God help me, and give me a happy hour; I desire to live no longer.
DCCXLVI.
We read of St Vincent, that, about to die, and seeing death at his
feet, he said: Death! what wilt thou? Thinkest thou to gain anything of a
Christian? Knowest thou not that I am a Christian? Even so should we learn
to condemn, scorn, and deride death. Likewise, it is written in the history
of St Martin, that being near his death, he saw the devil standing at his
bed's feet, and boldly said: Why standest thou there, thou horrible beast?
thou hast nothing to do with me. These were right words of faith. Such and
the like ought we to cull out of the legends of the saints, wholly omitting
the fooleries that the papists have stuffed therein.
DCCXLVII.
Luther, at Wittenberg, seeing a very melancholy man, said to him: Ah!
human creature, what dost thou? Hast thou nothing else in hand but to think
of thy sins, on death, and damnation? Turn thine eyes quickly away, and look
hither to this man Christ, of whom it is written; "He was conceived by the
Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered, died, buried, descended into
hell, the third day arose again from the dead, and ascended up into heaven,"
etc. Dost think all this was done to no end? Comfort thyself against death,
and sin; be not afraid nor faint, for thou hast no cause; Christ suffered
death for thee, and prevailed for thy comfort and defense, and for that
cause he sits at the right hand of God, his heavenly Father, to deliver
thee.
DCCXLVIII.
So many members as we have, so many deaths have we. Death peeps out at
every limb. The devil, a causer and lord of death, is our adversary, and
hunts after our life; he has sworn our death, and we have deserved it; but
the devil will not gain much by strangling the godly; he will crack a hollow
nut. Let us die, that so the devil may be at rest. I have deserved death
twofold; first, in that I have sinned against God, for which I am heartily
sorry; secondly, I have deserved death at the devil's hands, whose kingdom
of lying and murdering, through God's assistance, grace, and mercy, I have
destroyed; therefore he justly wishes my death.
DCCXLIX.
"There shall arise false prophets, insomuch that, if it were possible,
they shall deceive the very elect." This sentence was fulfilled, in the
fathers; as in Jerome, Augustine, Gregory, Bernard, and others; they were
seduced into errors, but remained not therein. St Bernard wrote many evil
and ungodly things, especially concerning the Virgin Mary; but when he was
near his death, he said: "I have lived wickedly. Thou, loving Lord Jesus
Christ, hast a twofold right to the kingdom of heaven; first, it is thine
inheritance, for thou art the only begotten Son of the Father; this affords
me no comfort or hope of heaven. But, secondly, thou hast purchased the same
with thy suffering and death; thou hast stilled the Father's wrath, hast
unlocked heaven, and presented the same unto me as thy purchased good; of
this have I joy and comfort." Therefore he died well and happy. Likewise
when St Augustine was to die, he prayed the seven penitential Psalms. When
these fathers were in health, they thought not on this doctrine; but when
they were upon their death beds, they found in their hearts what they were
to trust to; they felt it high time to abandon human fopperies, and to
betake themselves only to Christ, and to rely upon his rich and precious
merits.
DCCL.
Almighty, everlasting God, merciful heavenly Father - Father of our
loving Lord Jesus Christ, I know assuredly, that everything which thou hast
said, thou wilt and canst perform, for thou canst not lie; thy Word is
upright and true. In the beginning, thou didst promise unto me thy loving
and only begotten Son Jesus Christ; the same has come, and has delivered me
from the devil, from death, hell, and sin. Out of his gracious will he has
presented unto me the sacraments, which I have used in faith, and have
depended on thy Word; wherefore I make no doubt at all, but that I am well
secured, and settled in peace; therefore if this be my hour, and thy divine
will, so am I willing to depart hence with joy.
DCCLI.
The school of faith is said to go about with death. Death is swallowed
up in victory. If death, then sin. If death, then all diseases. If death,
then all misery. If death, then all the power of the devil. If death, then
all the fury of the world.
But these things do not appear, but rather the contrary; therefore
there is need of faith; for an open manifestation of things follow faith in
due time, when the things, now invisible, will be seen.
DCCLII.
When Adam lived, that is, when he sinned, death devoured life; when
Christ died, that is, was justified, then life, which is Christ, swallowed
up and devoured death; therefore God be praised, that Christ died, and has
got the victory.