FOX'S BOOK OF MARTYRS
CHAPTER IX
An Account of the Life and Persecutions of Martin Luther
This illustrious German divine and reformer of the Church was the son of John
Luther and Margaret Ziegler, and born at Isleben, a town of Saxony, in the county
of Mansfield, November 10, 1483. His father's extraction and condition were originally
but mean, and his occupation that of a miner; it is probable, however, that by his
application and industry he improved the fortunes of his family, as he afterward
became a magistrate of rank and dignity. Luther was early initiated into letters,
and at the age of thirteen was sent to school at Magdeburg, and thence to Eisenach,
in Thuringia, where he remained four years, producing the early indications of his
future eminence.
In 1501 he was sent to the University of Erfurt, where he went through the usual
courses of logic and philosophy. When twenty, he took a master's degree, and then
lectured on Aristotle's physics, ethics, and other parts of philosophy. Afterward,
at the instigation of his parents, he turned himself to the civil law, with a view
of advancing himself to the bar, but was diverted from this pursuit by the following
accident. Walking out into the fields one day, he was struck by lightning so as to
fall to the ground, while a companion was killed by his side; and this affected him
so sensibly, that, without communicating his purpose to any of his friends, he withdrew
himself from the world, and retired into the order of the hermits of St. Augustine.
Here he employed himself in reading St. Augustine and the schoolmen; but in turning
over the leaves of the library, he accidentally found a copy of the Latin Bible,
which he had never seen before. This raised his curiosity to a high degree: he read
it over very greedily, and was amazed to find what a small portion of the Scriptures
was rehearsed to the people.
He made his profession in the monastery of Erfurt, after he had been a novice
one year; and he took priest's orders, and celebrated his first Mass in 1507. The
year after, he was removed from the convent of Erfurt to the University of Wittenberg;
for this university being just founded, nothing was thought more likely to bring
it into immediate repute and credit, than the authority and presence of a man so
celebrated, for his great parts and learning, as Luther.
In this University of Erfurt, there was a certain aged man in the convent of the
Augustines with whom Luther, being then of the same order, a friar Augustine, had
conference upon divers things, especially touching remission of sins; which article
the said aged father opened unto Luther; declaring that God's express commandment
is that every man should particularly believe his sins to be forgiven him in Christ:
and further said that this interpretation was confirmed by St. Bernard: "This
is the testimony that the Holy Ghost giveth thee in thy heart, saying, thy sins are
forgiven thee. For this is the opinion of the apostle, that man is freely justified
by faith."
By these words Luther was not only strengthened, but was also instructed of the
full meaning of St. Paul, who repeateth so many times this sentence, "We are
justified by faith." And having read the expositions of many upon this place,
he then perceived, as well by the discourse of the old man, as by the comfort he
received in his spirit, the vanity of those interpretations, which he had read before,
of the schoolmen. And so, by little and little, reading and comparing the sayings
and examples of the prophets and apostles, with continual invocation of God, and
the excitation of faith by force of prayer, he perceived that doctrine most evidently.
Thus continued he his study at Erfurt the space of four years in the convent of the
Augustines.
In 1512, seven convents of his order having a quarrel with their vicar-general,
Luther was chosen to go to Rome to maintain their cause. At Rome he saw the pope
and the court, and had an opportunity of observing also the manners of the clergy,
whose hasty, superficial, and impious way of celebrating Mass, he has severely noted.
As soon as he had adjusted the dispute which was the business of his journey, he
returned to Wittenberg, and was created doctor of divinity, at the expense of Frederic,
elector of Saxony; who had often heard him preach, was perfectly acquainted with
his merit, and reverenced him highly.
He continued in the University of Wittenberg, where, as professor of divinity,
he employed himself in the business of his calling. Here then he began in the most
earnest manner to read lectures upon the sacred books: he explained the Epistle to
the Romans, and the Psalms, which he cleared up and illustrated in a manner so entirely
new, and so different from what had been pursued by former commentators, that "there
seemed, after a long and dark night, a new day to arise, in the judgment of all pious
and prudent men."
Luther diligently reduced the minds of men to the Son of God: as John the Baptist
demonstrated the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world, even so Luther,
shining in the Church as the bright daylight after a long and dark night, expressly
showed that sins are freely remitted for the love of the Son of God, and that we
ought faithfully to embrace this bountiful gift.
His life was correspondent to his profession; and it plainly appeared that his
words were no lip-labor, but proceeded from the very heart. This admiration of his
holy life much allured the hearts of his auditors.
The better to qualify himself for the task he had undertaken, he had applied himself
attentively to the Greek and Hebrew languages; and in this manner was he employed,
when the general indulgences were published in 1517.
Leo X who succeeded Julius II in March, 1513, formed a design of building the
magnificent Church of St. Peter's at Rome, which was, indeed, begun by Julius, but
still required very large sums to be finished. Leo, therefore, in 1517 published
general indulgences throughout all Europe, in favor of those who contribute any sum
to the building of St. Peter's; and appointed persons in different countries to preach
up these indulgences, and to receive money for them. These strange proceedings gave
vast offence at Wittenberg, and particularly inflamed the pious zeal of Luther; who,
being naturally warm and active, and in the present case unable to contain himself,
was determined to declare against them at all adventures.
Upon the eve of All-saints, therefore, in 1517, he publicly fixed up, at the church
next to the castle of that town, a thesis upon indulgences; in the beginning of which
he challenged any one to oppose it either by writing or disputation. Luther's propositions
about indulgences were no sooner published, than Tetzel, the Dominican friar, and
commissioner for selling them, maintained and published at Frankfort, a thesis, containing
a set of propositions directly contrary to them. He did more; he stirred up the clergy
of his order against Luther; anathematized him from the pulpit, as a most damnable
heretic; and burnt his thesis publicly at Frankfort. Tetzel's thesis was also burnt,
in return, by the Lutherans at Wittenberg; but Luther himself disowned having had
any hand in that procedure.
In 1518, Luther, though dissuaded from it by his friends, yet, to show obedience
to authority, went to the monastery of St. Augustine, at Heidelberg, while the chapter
was held; and here maintained, April 26, a dispute concerning "justification
by faith"; which Bucer, who was present at, took down in writing, and afterward
communicated to Beatus Rhenanus, not without the highest commendations.
In the meantime, the zeal of his adversaries grew every day more and more active
against him; and he was at length accused to Leo X as a heretic. As soon as he returned
therefore from Heidelberg, he wrote a letter to that pope, in the most submissive
terms; and sent him, at the same time, an explication of his propositions about indulgences.
This letter is dated on Trinity Sunday, 1518, and was accompanied with a protestation,
wherein he declared, that he did not pretend to advance or defend anything contrary
to the Holy Scriptures, or to the doctrine of the fathers, received and observed
by the Church of Rome, or to the canons and decretals of the popes: nevertheless,
he thought he had the liberty either to approve or disapprove the opinions of St.
Thomas, Bonaventure, and other schoolmen and canonists, which are not grounded upon
any text.
The emperor Maximilian was equally solicitous, with the pope about putting a stop
to the propagation of Luther's opinions in Saxony; troublesome both to the Church
and empire. Maximilian, therefore, applied to Leo, in a letter dated August 5, 1518,
and begged him to forbid, by his authority, these useless, rash, and dangerous disputes;
assuring him also that he would strictly execute in the empire whatever his holiness
should enjoin.
In the meantime Luther, as soon as he understood what was transacting about him
at Rome, used all imaginable means to prevent his being carried thither, and to obtain
a hearing of his cause in Germany. The elector was also against Luther's going to
Rome, and desired of Cardinal Cajetan, that he might be heard before him, as the
pope's legate in Germany. Upon these addresses, the pope consented that the cause
should be tried before Cardinal Cajetan, to whom he had given power to decide it.
Luther, therefore, set off immediately for Augsburg, and carried with him letters
from the elector. He arrived here in October, 1518, and, upon an assurance of his
safety, was admitted into the cardinal's presence. But Luther was soon convinced
that he had more to fear from the cardinal's power than from disputations of any
kind; and, therefore, apprehensive of being seized if he did not submit, withdrew
from Augsburg upon the twentieth. But, before his departure, he published a formal
appeal to the pope, and finding himself protected by the elector, continued to teach
the same doctrines at Wittenberg, and sent a challenge to all the inquisitors to
come and dispute with him.
As to Luther, Miltitius, the pope's chamberlain, had orders to require the elector
to oblige him to retract, or to deny him his protection: but things were not now
to be carried with so high a hand, Luther's credit being too firmly established.
Besides, the emperor Maximilian happened to die upon the twelfth of this month, whose
death greatly altered the face of affairs, and made the elector more able to determine
Luther's fate. Miltitius thought it best, therefore, to try what could be done by
fair and gentle means, and to that end came to some conference with Luther.
During all these treaties, the doctrine of Luther spread, and prevailed greatly;
and he himself received great encouragement at home and abroad. The Bohemians about
this time sent him a book of the celebrated John Huss, who had fallen a martyr in
the work of reformation; and also letters, in which they exhorted him to constancy
and perseverance, owning that the divinity which he taught was the pure, sound, and
orthodox divinity. Many great and learned men had joined themselves to him.
In 1519, he had a famous dispute at Leipsic with John Eccius. But this dispute
ended at length like all others, the parties not the least nearer in opinion, but
more at enmity with each other's persons.
About the end of this year, Luther published a book, in which he contended for
the Communion being celebrated in both kinds; which was condemned by the bishop of
Misnia, January 24, 1520.
While Luther was laboring to excuse himself to the new emperor and the bishops
of Germany, Eccius had gone to Rome, to solicit his condemnation; which, it may easily
be conceived, was now become not difficult to be attained. Indeed the continual importunities
of Luther's adversaries with Leo, caused him at length to publish a formal condemnation
of him, and he did so accordingly, in a bull, dated June 15, 1520. This was carried
into Germany, and published there by Eccius, who had solicited it at Rome; and who,
together with Jerome Alexander, a person eminent for his learning and eloquence,
was intrusted by the pope with the execution of it. In the meantime, Charles V of
Spain, after he had set things to rights in the Low Countries, went into Germany,
and was crowned emperor, October the twenty-first at Aix-la-Chapelle.
Martin Luther, after he had been first accused at Rome upon Maunday Thursday by
the pope's censure, shortly after Easter speedeth his journey toward Worms, where
the said Luther, appearing before the emperor and all the states of Germany, constantly
stuck to the truth, defended himself, and answered his adversaries.
Luther was lodged, well entertained, and visited by many earls, barons, knights
of the order, gentlemen, priests, and the commonalty, who frequented his lodging
until night.
He came, contrary to the expectation of many, as well adversaries as others. His
friends deliberated together, and many persuaded him not to adventure himself to
such a present danger, considering how these beginnings answered not the faith of
promise made. Who, when he had heard their whole persuasion and advice, answered
in this wise: "As touching me, since I am sent for, I am resolved and certainly
determined to enter Worms, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; yea, although I
knew there were as many devils to resist me as there are tiles to cover the houses
in Worms."
The next day, the herald brought him from his lodging to the emperor's court,
where he abode until six o'clock, for that the princes were occupied in grave consultations;
abiding there, and being environed with a great number of people, and almost smothered
for the press that was there. Then after, when the princes were set, and Luther entered,
Eccius, the official, spake in this manner: "Answer now to the Emperor's demand.
Wilt thout maintain all thy books which thou hast acknowledged, or revoke any part
of them, and submit thyself?"
Martin Luther answered modestly and lowly, and yet not without some stoutness
of stomach, and Christian constancy. "Considering your sovereign majesty, and
your honors, require a plain answer; this I say and profess as resolutely as I may,
without doubting or sophistication, that if I be not convinced by testimonies of
the Scriptures (for I believe not the pope, neither his general Councils, which have
erred many times, and have been contrary to themselves), my conscience is so bound
and captivated in these Scriptures and the Word of God, that I will not, nor may
not revoke any manner of thing; considering it is not godly or lawful to do anything
against conscience. Hereupon I stand and rest: I have not what else to say. God have
mercy upon me!"
The princes consulted together upon this answer given by Luther; and when they
had diligently examined the same, the prolucutor began to repel him thus:
"The Emperor's majesty requireth of thee a simple answer, either negative
or affirmative, whether thou mindest to defend all thy works as Christian, or no?"
Then Luther, turning to the emperor and the nobles, besought them not to force
or compel him to yield against his conscience, confirmed with the Holy Scriptures,
without manifest arguments alleged to the contrary by his adversaries. "I am
tied by the Scriptures."
Before the Diet of Worms was dissolved, Charves V caused an edict to be drawn
up, which was dated the eighth of May, and decreed that Martin Luther be, agreeably
to the sentence of the pope, henceforward looked upon as a member separated from
the Church, a schismatic, and an obstinate and notorious heretic. While the bull
of Leo X executed by Charles V was thundering throughout the empire, Luther was safely
shut up in the castle of Wittenberg; but weary at length of his retirement, he appeared
publicly again at Wittenberg, March 6, 1522, after he had been absent about ten months.
Luther now made open war with the pope and bishops; and, that he might make the
people despise their authority as much as possible, he wrote one book against the
pope's bull, and another against the order falsely called "The Order of Bishops."
He published also a translation of the New Testament in the German tongue, which
was afterward corrected by himself and Melancthon.
Affairs were now in great confusion in Germany; and they were not less so in Italy,
for a quarrel arose between the pope and the emperor, during which Rome was twice
taken, and the pope imprisoned. While the princes were thus employed in quarrelling
with each other, Luther persisted in carrying on the work of the Reformation, as
well by opposing the papists, as by combating the Anabaptists and other fanatical
sects; which, having taken the advantage of his contest with the Church of Rome,
had sprung up and established themselves in several places.
In 1527, Luther was suddenly seized with a coagulation of the blood about the
heart, which had like to have put an end to his life. The troubles of Germany being
not likely to have any end, the emperor was forced to call a diet at Spires, in 1529,
to require the assistance of the princes of the empire against the Turks. Fourteen
cities, viz., Strassburg, Nuremberg, Ulm, Constance, Retlingen, Windsheim, Memmingen,
Lindow, Kempten, Hailbron, Isny, Weissemburg, Nortlingen, S. Gal, joined against
the decree of the Diet protestation, which was put into writing, and published April,
1529. This was the famous protestation, which gave the name of "Protestants"
to the reformers in Germany.
After this, the Protestant princes labored to make a firm league and enjoined
the elector of Saxony and his allies to approve of what the Diet had done; but the
deputies drew up an appeal, and the Protestants afterwards presented an apology for
their "Confession"-that famous confession which was drawn up by the temperate
Melancthon, as also the apology. These were signed by a variety of princes, and Luther
had now nothing else to do, but to sit down and contemplate the mighty work he had
finished: for that a single monk should be able to give the Church of Rome so rude
a shock, that there needed but such another entirely to overthrow it, may be well
esteemed a mighty work.
In 1533, Luther wrote a consolatory epistle to the citizens of Oschatz, who had
suffered some hardships for adhering to the Augsburg confession of faith: and in
1534, the Bible translated by him into German was first printed, as the old privilege,
dated at Bibliopolis, under the elector's own hand, shows; and it was published in
the year after. He also published this year a book, "Against Masses and the
Consecration of Priests."
In February, 1537, an assembly was held at Smalkald about matters of religion,
to which Luther and Melancthon were called. At this meeting Luther was seized with
so grievous an illness that there was no hope of his recovery. As he was carried
along he made his will, in which he bequeathed his detestation of popery to his friends
and brethren. In this manner was he employed until his death, which happened in 1546.
That year, accompanied by Melancthon, he paid a visit to his own country, which
he had not seen for many years, and returned again in safety. But soon after, he
was called thither again by the earls of Manfelt, to compose some differences which
had arisen about their boundaries, where he was received by one hundred horsemen,
or more, and conducted in a very honorable manner; but was at the same time so very
ill that it was feared he would die. He said that these fits of sickness often came
upon him, when he had any great business to undertake. Of this, however, he did not
recover, but died in February 18, in his sixty-third year. A little before he expired,
he admonished those that were about him to pray to God for the propagation of the
Gospel, "Because," said he, "the Council of Trent, which had set once
or twice, and the pope, will devise strange things against it." Feeling his
fatal hour to approach, before nine o'clock in the morning, he commended himself
to God with this devout prayer:
"My heavenly Father, eternal and merciful God! Thou hast manifested unto
me Thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. I have taught Him, I have known Him; I love
Him as my life, my health and my redemption; Whom the wicked have persecuted, maligned,
and with injury afflicted. Draw my soul to Thee."
After this he said as ensueth, thrice: "I commend my spirit into Thy hands,
Thou hast redeemed me, O God of Truth! 'God so loved the world, that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have life
everlasting.'" Having repeated oftentimes his prayers, he was called to God.
So praying, his innocent ghost peaceably was separated from the earthly body.
Chapter 10
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