The Natural Man. How should God deal with us? Good days we cannot bear, evil we cannot endure. Gives He riches unto us? Then we are proud, so that no man can live with us in peace; nay, we will be carried upon heads and shoulders, and will be adored as gods. Gives He poverty unto us? Then we are dismayed, impatient, and murmur against Him. Therefore, nothing were better for us, than forthwith to be covered over with the shovel.

Godly Contentment. Like yon little bird upon the tree, he hath fed himself tonight, but he knoweth not where his breakfast will come from tomorrow. He sitteth there while the wind rocks the tree: he shuts his eyes, puts his head under his wing, and sleeps; and when he awakes in the morning he sings —

God's Word. Among all the gifts of God, the gift of His Holy Word is the most excellent, and, if we take away that Word, what else do we do but take away the sun out of the world? For what is the world without the Word of God, which alone bringeth life and comfort to the soul, and peace and quietness to the conscience. Which alone keepeth us in the favour of God; without the which there is no religion, and so no God. Although there be many and wonderful gifts of God in the world, given for the use of man, yet the only gift which contains and preserves all the others is the Word of God, for it pronounces and witnesses to us that God is our merciful Father; which also promises us remission of sins and life eternal.

Justification. Because the people were so prone to forget the great doctrine of Justification by Faith alone, I was obliged to almost knock my Bible against their heads, to sent it into their hearts.

Persecution. Cain will go on murdering Abel so long as the Church of Christ is on the earth.

Temptation. When tempted by the devil on once occasion that my sins were too black and numerous to be forgiven, I asked him to show me the scroll on which he had recorded them. "Are these all?" I asked him; and he brought another. "But, are there not yet more?" I enquired; and he brought another. "And more?" said I; and again he brought another list. "Now," said I, "take your pen, and write across the bottom of them all: 'The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth me from all sin.'"

Marriage. God has set the type of marriage before us throughout all of His creation. Each creature seeks its perfection through being blended with another. The very heaven and earth picture it for us, for, does not the sky embrace the green earth as its bride? Precious, excellent, glorious, is that word of the Holy Spirit's: "the heart of the husband doth safely trust in her." (Proverbs, 31:11)

The Pope. If the pope were the head of the Christian church, then, the church were a monster with two heads, seeing that Paul says that "Christ is the head of the church." The pope may well be, and indeed is, the head of that false church, which is no church at all.

God's Appointed Time. Christ, our blessed Saviour, forbore to preach and teach until the thirtieth year of His age, neither would He openly be heard although the world were full of heresies, abominable idolatries, blasphemies against God His Father, and many impieties. It was a wonderful thing that He could abstain, and with patience endure them, until the time came when He was to appear in His office of preaching.

Death. Though I die, it makes no great matter; for I am in the pope's curse and excommunication. I once thought to have been laid (like a saint) 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 whetted away, and which is become mere iron. The iron of such a knife will cut no more; so it is with my head. Now, loving Lord God, I hope my time is not far hence; God help me, and give me a happy hour; I desire to live no longer.

(This is the end of this present selection from Luther's Table Talk)