Quotes by Martin Luther

"Und Du gingst einst, die Myrt' im Haare." And thou wert once a maiden fair, A blushing virgin warm and young: With myrtles wreathed in golden hair, And glossy brow that knew no care-- Upon a bridegroom's arm you hung. The golden locks are silvered now, The blushing cheek is pale and wan; The spring may bloom, the autumn glow, All's one--in chimney corner thou Sitt'st shivering on.-- A moment--and thou sink'st to rest! To wake perhaps an angel blest, In the bright presence of thy Lord. Oh, weary is life's path to all! Hard is the strife, and light the fall, But wondrous the reward! A CREDO. I. For the sole edification Of this decent congregation, Goodly people, by your grant I will sing a holy chant-- I will sing a holy chant. If the ditty sound but oddly, 'Twas a father, wise and godly, Sang it so long ago-- Then sing as Martin Luther sang, As Doctor Martin Luther sang: "Who loves not wine, woman and song, He is a fool his whole life long!" II. He, by custom patriarchal, Loved to see the beaker sparkle; And he thought the wine improved, Tasted by the lips he loved-- By the kindly lips he loved. Friends, I wish this custom pious Duly were observed by us, To combine love, song, wine, And sing as Martin Luther sang, As Doctor Martin Luther sang: "Who loves not wine, woman and song, He is a fool his whole life long!" III. Who refuses this our Credo, And who will not sing as we do, Were he holy as John Knox, I'd pronounce him heterodox! I'd pronounce him heterodox, And from out this congregation, With a solemn commination, Banish quick the heretic, Who will not sing as Luther sang, As Doctor Martin Luther sang: "Who loves not wine, woman and song, He is a fool his whole life long!" FOUR IMITATIONS OF BÉRANGER. LE ROI D'YVETOT. Il était un roi d'Yvetot, Peu connu dans l'histoire; Se levant tard, se couchant tôt, Dormant fort bien sans gloire, Et couronné par Jeanneton D'un simple bonnet de coton, Dit-on.

In the state of matrimony we learn and find that begetting and bearing of children stands and consists not in our wills and pleasures, for the parents can neither see nor know whether they be fruitful or no, nor whether God will give them a son or a daughter. All this is done without our ordaining, thinking, or foreknowledge. My father and mother did not think that they should have brought a superintendent into the world; it is only God’s Creation which we cannot rightly understand nor conceive. I believe, said Luther, that in the life to come we shall have nothing else to do than to meditate of our Creator, and of his celestial creatures, and wonder at the same. OF THE NATURE OF THE WORLD. _Of the World_, _and of the Manner thereof_. 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 Friars, in times past, boasted much of their contemning of the world, and they made use of that speech of St. Paul (Rom. xii.), “Be not conformed to this world;” from whence they would touch no money, as if it were against God to make use of riches, money, and wealth; whereas St. Paul and the whole Scriptures forbid but only the abuse of heart, wicked lust, desire, and inclination; as there is ambition, incontinency, revenge, etc., which lusts do hang on the world; yea, they altogether flow and flourish. _Of the Manner of People in Eating_. We have the nature and manner of all wild beasts in eating. The wolves eat sheep; we also. The foxes eat hens, geese, etc.; we also. The hawks and kites eat fowl and birds; we also. Pikes do eat other fish; we also. With oxen, horse, and kine, we also eat sallets, grass, etc. _The Unthankfulness of Husbandmen and Farmers_. The husbandmen and rich farmers, said Luther, are not worthy of so many benefits and fruits which the earth doth bear and bring unto them.