A HISTORY OF THE LIFE AND ACTIONS
OF THE VERY REVEREND DR. MARTIN LUTHER,
FAITHFULLY WRITTEN BY PHILIP MELANCTHON.
WITTEMBURG. 1549. (sic)
DR. MARTIN LUTHER.
That venerable man, Martin
Luther, whilst he was yet with us, gave us reason to hope that he might
himself, narrate the story of his life, with the circumstances of' conflict
attending it; and this he would undoubtedly have accomplished, had he not been
so soon called out of this mortal existence, onto the eternal fellowship of
God, and of his children in heaven.
Profitable indeed, would have been the contemplation of his private life,
clearly set forth, for it was full of examples calculated to confirm in after
times. the piety of the wise-hearted; and profitable also would have been the
recital of events which might tend largely to the information of posterity.
Such a work would also have refuted the calumnies of those who profess that
Luther, incited by the principal men of the day, or possibly by others, to
seek the downfall of episcopal power and dignity, or inflamed by personal
ambition, had become the instrument in loosing the bands of monastic thraldom.
Much advantage would have been derived from a copious and complete notice of
these incidents, illustrated and recorded by himself; and although malevolent
persons may object, that self-praise is an unworthy theme for a man to choose,
yet we well know the character of Luther to have been of such solidity, that
he would have written, even his own history, with the utmost good faith. We
may also assert, that many excellent and intelligent men are yet living, to
whom he could not but be aware, that the series of these events was well
known; it would then have been great folly, if as is sometimes done in works
of imagination, he had fabricated any other narrative; but since his lamented
death has deprived the world of his autobiography, we shall now, with
fidelity, relate those things connected with it which we have heard from his
own lips, and those to which we have ourselves been eyewitnesses.
The name of Luther is widely spread throughout the ramifications of an ancient
family within the Lordship of the illustrious Counts of Mansfield, but the
parents of Martin Luther originally resided in the town of Eisleben, where he
was born, subsequently they removed to Mansfield, where his father, John
Luther, filled the office of magistrate, and for his integrity of character,
was valued and beloved by all good men. In his mother, Margaret Luther, was
found a fair assemblage of domestic virtues; and a peculiar delicacy of mind
was conspicuous in her character, accompanied by the fear of God and the
spirit of prayer, so that many excellent women found in her a bright example
of Christian virtues. Her reply to questions which I have occasionally put to
her, respecting the time of her son's birth, was, that she clearly remembered
the day and the hour, but that she was doubtful as to the year; she said,
however, that he was born on the 10th of November, after eleven o'clock at
night; and that the name of Martin was given to the infant, because the
following day on which, by baptism, he was initiated into the church of God,
was dedicated to Saint Martin. But his brother James, a man of uprightness
and integrity, was accustomed to say, that the opinion of the family,
respecting Luther's age was, that he was born in the year of our Lord 1483.
When be had attained an age at which be was capable of receiving instruction,
his parents diligently accustomed their son Martin to the service and fear of
God, in connection with the performance of' social and family duties; and, as
is usual with good persons, they took care that he should receive literary
instruction, so that whilst yet quite young his education was entrusted to the
care of the father of George Emilius, who, as he is still living, can bear
witness to the truth of this relation. At that time the grammar-schools of
Saxony were not in a flourishing condition, and on this account, when Martin
had entered his fourteenth year, he was sent to Magdeburg, accompanied by John
Reineeke, whose character was afterwards of a shining order, and the influence
which he obtained in that neighbourhood consequently great. The affection
which subsisted between Luther and Reinecke, whether arising from a natural
accordance of mind, or from their companionship in youthful studies, was both
ardent and lasting. Luther, however, did not remain at Magdeburg longer than
twelve months.
During four succeeding years, passed in the school of Eisenach, he had an
opportunity of hearing a preceptor who illustrated grammatical studies with
greater accuracy and ability than he could have met with elsewhere; for I
remember to have heard his talents commended by Luther, who was sent to this
town from the circumstance of his mother's descent from an ancient and
honorable family in those parts.. Here he completed his grammatical studies.
The powers of his intellect being of a gigantic order and peculiarly adapted
to the science of eloquence, he speedily surpassed his contemporaries, both in
the copiousness of his language as a public speaker, and in prose composition;
whilst in poetry, be with ease excelled his competitors in the course of
learning.
Having thus tasted the sweets of literature, the soul of Luther ardently
thirsted for deeper draughts; and with this feeling he sought the University,
as being the fountain head of learning. The scope of so great a mind might
easily have embraced all the arts in succession, had it found teachers
competent to the work; and it is indeed possible that the calmer pursuits of
philosophy combined with oratory, would have proved advantageous in moderating
the impetuosity of his natural temperament. But at Erfurt, he was subjected
to the subtle dialectics prevalent at that time; these he readily embraced,
since by the acuteness of his understanding, he perceived with more facility
than other men, the causes and designs of those studies.
His spirit thus thirsting for knowledge, continually sought a more abundant
and better supply. He read many of the works of the ancient Latin authors, as
Cicero, Virgil, Livy and others; these he perused, not as schoolboys commonly
do, merely by gathering together a vocabulary of words, but for solid
instruction, and as mirrors of human life, by which means he gained a full
perception of the views and opinions of these writers, and as his memory was
both accurate and tenacious, much of what he read and heard was clearly placed
before his mental vision. Hence it was remarkable that even in his youth, the
talents of Luther were the admiration of the whole University.
Having attained the degree of Master in Philosophy, Luther now in his
twentieth year applied himself to the study of the law; and this he did by the
advice of his friends, who deemed that a mind of such large endowment, and of
such fertility in thought and diction ought by no means to be kept in the
shade, but to be called out for the benefit of the state. Soon afterwards
however, and when he had entered his one and twentieth year, suddenly, and in
a manner unexpected by his parents and other relatives, he went to the College
of Augustine monks, at Erfurt, and requested to be received into it. On his
entrance there, he not only applied with the closest diligence to
ecclesiastical studies; but also, with the greatest severity of discipline, he
exercised the government of himself, and far surpassed all others in the
comprehensive range of reading and disputation with a zealous observance of
fasting and prayer. He possessed a constitution at which I have often
marvelled, being of no small bodily stature, nor of a weekly (sic) habit
though very abstemious; I have seen him during four days successively, when in
perfect health, literally abstain from both meat and drink; at other times for
many days together, he has been satisfied with a small allowance of bread and
herring.
But the occasion of his entering on this course of life which he considered
more particularly adapted to the attainment of piety and the knowledge of God,
as he himself has related, and as many are already aware, was the following;
often when contemplating the wrath of God, as exhibited in striking instances
of His avenging hand, suddenly such terrors have overwhelmed his mind, as
almost to deprive him of consciousness; and I myself have seen him whilst
engaged in some doctrinal discussion, involuntarily affected in this manner,
when he has thrown himself on a bed in an adjoining room, and repeatedly
mingled with his prayers the following passage "God has concluded them all in
unbelief that he might have mercy upon all." These terrors he experienced
either for the first time, or in the most acute manner, during the year in
which he was deprived of a favorite friend, who lost his life by some accident
of which I am ignorant.
It was not therefore poverty, but religious zeal that led him to this kind of
monastic life, in which although he daily made himself acquainted with the
doctrine then taught in the schools, read "the Sententiaries," and in public
disputations, ably elucidated to admiring audiences, labyrinths of science,
inexplicable to others: yet, as in this course of life he sought, not the fame
of intellect, but an accession to his piety, he pursued these studies as a
recreation, and thus mastered with ease the systems of the schools. Meanwhile
he drank with avidity from those fountains of celestial wisdom, the prophetic
and apostolic scriptures, that he might acquaint himself with the will of God,
and that be might by the surest testimonies, increase his filial fear and
confirm his faith whilst the force of his mental anguish impelled him to
pursue with greater intensity, these devotional exercises.
He has often said that he was strengthened about this time by the discourses
of a certain aged man, in the college of Augustines at Erfurth, who, when he
disclosed to him the conflicts of his spirit, introduced his mind to new views
on the subject of faith; and he has told me that he led him to that article in
the creed, in which it is said " I believe in the remission of sins," which be
thus interpreted, "that it is necessary not only to believe in general terms,
that sins are remitted to some, as the devils also believe that they were
remitted to David or to Peter in particular, but that it is the command of God
that each individual man should realize the behest that his sins are forgiven
him.(") Luther said that this interpretation of his friend was confirmed by
the testimony of Bernardus, and that a passage in the discourse on the
Annunciation, has these words ; "but add, that then believe this also, that by
Him thy sins are forgiven thee." Such is the testimony which the Holy Ghost
speaketh in thine heart, saying, "thy sins are remitted unto thee;" and this
is in accordance with apostolic writ, being justified freely by his grace,
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Luther was also established
in these opinions, not only by the above conversations, but also by the whole
tenor of the writings of the Apostle Paul, who uniformly inculcates the
doctrine that we are justified by faith. And when afterwards, he placed the
expositions of various authors on this subject, in comparison with the
preceding conversations, and with his own consoling experience of the work of
the Spirit, he evidently perceived the fallacy of the tenets supported by
these writers; and as he read and compared the precepts and examples recorded
by the Prophets and Apostles, and prayed daily for the establishment of his
faith, a clearer light by degrees, shone upon his way.
He now first directed his attention to the pages of Augustine, where both in
"The Interpretation of the Psalms," and in "The Treatise on the Letter and the
Spirit," he found many perspicuous sentiments which confirmed this doctrine of
faith, and fanned the flame of hope that had been kindled in his breast; nor
did he altogether relinquish the "Sententiaries.(") He could recite Gabrielis
and Cameracensis, almost verbatim; for a long time also, he applied closely to
the writings of Occam, the acumen of which author, he preferred to Thomas and
Scotus. He also read Gerson with diligence; but all the works of Augustine
were frequently read by him, and well stored in his memory. This rigid course
of application he commenced at Erfurt, in which town, at the Augustine
College, he remained four years.
At this time, in the year 1508 the Venerable Stupicius (sic) who had favored
the opening of the University at Wittenburg, and who was desirous of promoting
the study of Theology in that College, when he became acquainted with the
talent and erudition of Luther, then in the twenty-sixth year of his age,
invited him to that place, and there amid the daily literary exercises in the
schools, his intellectual powers gained still increasing brilliancy.
Luther was attentively listened to by men of high attainments, Doctor Martin
Mellerstadius and others; and Doctor M. has often said, that so great were the
energies of his mind, as to give clear evidence that he would one day, effect
the overthrow of the theories of learning which were then taught in the
schools. He now first expounded the Physics and Dialectics of Aristotle; at
the same time not forgetting his own favorite study, that of Theology.
After three years he went to Rome, on account of a monkish controversy, and
returning within a year, be was according to the custom of the schools,
presented to the Elector, Frederic, Grand Duke of Saxony, and dignified with
the degree of Doctor; for the Elector had heard him speak in public, and much
admired his lofty genius, his convincing eloquence, and the happy mode in
which he illustrated subjects brought forward in the assembly: but to form a
just estimate of his we should remember that the degree of Doctor was
conferred on Luther when only in the thirtieth year of his age. He has himself
told us, that when he strenuously declined accepting the degree, he received a
charge from Stupicius not to reject the honour conferred on him, adding in
pleasantry, that God had much work to be done in the church, for which purpose
at some future time, his labours would be called into action ; this although
uttered in jest, was realized in the event; as a host of presages often
indicates the approaching convulsions.
Luther now began his commentary on the Epistle to the Romans; then, that on
the Psalms; and he illustrated these writings in such a manner that, in the
opinion of the wise and good, the light of truth first dawned upon them after
a long night of darkness. He here shewed the distinction between the law and
the gospel; he refuted the error then reigning in the schools and councils,
which taught that men deserve the remission of their sins on account of their
own works, and the dogma of the Pharisees, that men are in themselves just
before God. In this manner Luther led the minds of men to the Saviour, and,
like John the Baptist, he pointed out "the Lamb of God who taketh away the
sins of the world".; he allowed that sins are freely remitted through the Son
of God, and that we must all receive this blessing by faith; these, with other
points of Christian doctrine, be set forth to them in a clear light.
A career of usefulness thus nobly begun, invested with no common authority, a
teacher whose practice so beautifully harmonized with his precepts, that his
appeals evidently arose, not from the lips only, but also from the heart. The
charm of so admirable a character won the affections of his hearers, as
according to the old proverb, "manner has more weight than words; " so that
when he afterwards effected a change in some of the established modes of
worship, men of rank who knew him well, were the less vehemently opposed to
him, on account of the ascendancy which he had gained over the public mind by
his elucidation of important theories, as well as by the sanctity of his life;
and united with him in lamenting the prevalence of opinions by which they saw
that the world was distracted.
Luther did not at this time make any alteration in the ceremonies of the