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The New Zealand Evangelist

Choice Sayings from Luther

Choice Sayings from Luther

The Bible—Scripture without any commentary is the sun from page 40 which all Doctors derive light. Let this one book be on all tongues, in all hands, under all eyes, in all ears, and in all hearts.

Prayer.—Spalatin, chaplain to the Elector of Saxony, asked Luther, “What is the best way of studying the scriptures?” Luther replied, “It is certain one cannot arrive at an understanding of the scriptures either by study or by the intellect. Your first duty then is to begin with prayer. Entreat of the Lord that he will deign to grant you, in his great mercy, the true understanding of his word. There is no other interpreter of the word of God, than the author of that word, according to that he hath said, ‘They shall all be taught of God.’ Hope nothing from your labours, nothing from your intellect, trust solely in God and in the influences of His spirit. Take the word of a man in this who speaks from experience.”

Truth.—Truth is more powerful than eloquence, and victory is for him who stammers out the truth, not for the eloquent advocate of a lie.

Faith.—The Holy Spirit is no sceptic, and he has written in our hearts, a firm and strong assurance that makes us as certain of our faith as of our life.

Humility.—God in mercy, said Luther, preserve me from a church in which there are none but saints; let me dwell where are the humble, the weak, and the sick, who know and feel their sins, and who groan and cry incessantly to God from the bottom of their hearts for his comfort and his aid.