Chapter XIV: From the Peasant-War to the Diet of

AUGSBURG (1525-1530) _pages_ 173-399

1. LUTHER’S MARRIAGE.

Luther’s unexpected wedding with Catherine von Bora;
his justification of it; Melanchthon’s mixed feelings
shown in his confidential letter to Camerarius; his
surprise that Luther should have chosen this “unhappy
time” (the period of the Peasant-War) for his
marriage. Luther’s excitement during the War and his
presentiment of approaching death; his determination
to spite the devil and himself; his marriage a “work
of God.” The death of Frederick the Wise removes an
obstacle to Luther’s matrimony. Luther’s jesting
references to the step. His friends’ misgivings.
Erasmus sadly disappointed in his hope that
marriage would tame Luther. Dungersheim’s lament.
Marriage-legends: The statement that the marriage was
consummated before being solemnised, due to a mere
misunderstanding; report of Bora’s early confinement
based on a statement of Erasmus which he afterwards
withdrew. Statements of Heyden and Lemnius regarding
Luther’s misconduct with Bora, too general to be of
historical value _pages_ 173-189

2. THE PEASANT-WAR. POLEMICS.

Connection of the Peasant-rising with the new
preaching. The “Twelve Articles” of the Swabians;
“Evangelical” demands of the Peasants; the Peasants
incited by fanatical preachers; efforts made by the
better pastors to quiet the populace. Luther drawn
into the movement; his “Exhortation to peace”; its
description of the lords calculated to fan the flame;
his broadside “Against the murderous Peasants” and
its drift: “Hew them down, slaughter, and stab them
like mad dogs.” The pamphlet alienates the lower
classes. Luther’s writing on the defeat of Münzer.
His “Circular letter on the severe booklet against
the Peasants.” Contemporary opinions regarding
Luther’s action; Zasius, Cochlæus, Erasmus. Luther’s
later references to his intervention in the revolt;
he ceases to be any longer the idol of the people.
The Catholic Princes take steps to maintain
their authority against the encroachments of the
innovators. The Dessau League and the Assembly of
Mayence. Luther’s suppressed tract “Against the
Mayence proposal,” 1526. The Lutherans enter into
an alliance at Torgau; Luther on the aversion of
both lords and peasants for himself. His abiding
distrust of the peasants. The “awful ingratitude”
of the people. His excitement and his polemics only
deepen his conviction of his Divine mission. Emser’s
indignation with Luther expressed in verse. The
multiplicity of the matters of business referred to
Luther _pages_ 189-223

3. THE RELIGION OF THE ENSLAVED WILL. THE CONTROVERSY
BETWEEN LUTHER AND ERASMUS (1524-1525).

The earlier Church on freedom of the will. Growth
of Luther’s denial of freedom from the time of the
Commentary on Romans; his attack on free-will in the
“Resolutions” after the Leipzig Disputation and in
the “_Assertio_” against the Bull of Excommunication
(1521): “_Omnia de necessitate absoluta eveniunt_,”
anything else mere Pelagianism; St. Augustine; the
“religion of the Cross”; Scripture the sole rule of
faith; Luther’s deviations from his stern doctrine
in his practical works; objections within his own
fold. Erasmus invited to take the field on behalf
of freedom; previous attitude of the leader of the
Humanists: partly for, partly against Luther; his
eyes opened in 1520; his regret in 1521 for having
fanned the flames by his writings; the saying:
“Erasmus laid the egg which Luther hatched”; various
opinions regarding Erasmus. Luther seeks in vain
to dissuade Erasmus from writing against him;
publication of the “_De libero arbitrio diatribe_,”
1524; Luther’s reply: “_De servo arbitrio_”; contents
and character of the work; religious determinism;
God the only real agent; peace to be secured only
at the price of surrendering free-will; unfreedom
and predestination to hell; God’s Secret Will versus
His Revealed Will; existence of commandments and
penalties; how explained? Man’s will a saddle-horse
mounted alternately by God and the devil. Luther’s
psychology as portrayed in his work on the enslaved
will. Laurentius Valla. Luther’s later dicta on the
enslaved will and predestination; his own opinion
unaltered to the end; he commends, however, the
second edition of the “_Loci Theologici_” in which
Melanchthon sacrifices determinism. Letter to
Count A. von Mansfeld on the scandal of the weak;
consolation for the damned. Recent views on Luther’s
attitude _pages_ 223-294

4. NEW VIEWS ON THE SECULAR AUTHORITIES.

Luther’s own estimation of the value of his teaching
on the subject. How his views were reached. His book
“Von welltlicher Uberkeytt,” 1523; his depreciation
of the Princes: “A good Prince a rare bird from
the beginning.” Antagonism to the fanatics and
revolted peasants and his desire to serve the cause
of the Evangel lead him to exaggerate the secular
authority at the expense of the spiritual; Luther’s
self-contradictory utterances on the subject of the
use of earthly weapons in the service of the Evangel _pages_ 294-312

5. HOW THE NEW CHURCH-SYSTEM WAS INTRODUCED.

Döllinger on the preparation of the ground for
the Reformation. The proceedings at Altenburg,
Lichtenberg, Schwarzburg, and Eilenburg typical of
the action of the town councils. Partial retention of
olden ceremonial for the sake of avoiding scandal.
An instance of misplaced enthusiasm: Hartmuth
von Cronberg. Proceedings at Wittenberg, in the
Saxon Electorate and in the free Imperial city of
Nuremberg. Lutheranism introduced at the University
town of Erfurt; Luther’s own part in this; the
Catholic opposition headed by Usingen; anticlerical
rising in the town; invasion of the peasants and
overthrow of the magistracy; awkward position of
Luther on being appealed to by the committees set
up by the revolutionaries; negotiations with the
Saxon Elector and the Archbishop of Mayence; partial
success of the Archbishop’s threats _pages_ 312-362

6. SHARP ENCOUNTERS WITH THE FANATICS.

Advantages accruing to Luther from his warfare
with the Anabaptists. Thomas Münzer’s opinions and
doings. Luther’s Circular on the spirit of revolt
and Münzer’s “Schutzrede”; with whom is the decision
as to the quality of the spirit to rest? Münzer’s
capture and execution; Luther exults. Luther’s tracts
against Carlstadt; all his gainsayers possessed by
the devil; Münzer’s description of Luther as the Pope
of Wittenberg. Ickelsamer’s objection that Luther
goes only half-way with his principle of private
judgment. Luther’s view that every man sent by God
must be “tried by the devil.” Luther shocks his wife _pages_ 363-379

7. PROGRESS OF THE APOSTASY. DIETS OF SPIRES (1529)
AND AUGSBURG (1530).

Previous Diets; the Diet of Spires in 1526; the
Protest at the Diet of Spires in 1529; that of
Augsburg in 1530; Melanchthon’s diplomacy approved
by Luther; “_insidiæ_” pitted against “_insidiæ_”;
the Gospel-proviso; Luther’s admission to Philip of
Hesse; failure of the Augsburg Diet; the tale of the
spectre-monks of Spires; Luther’s obsessions in the
fortress of Coburg; vehemence of his tract against
the “pretended Imperial edict”; his reply to Duke
George the “Dresden assassin.” Luther’s fidelity to
certain central truths of Christianity, particularly
to the doctrine of the Trinity _pages_ 380-399

VOL. II.

THE APOSTASY

LUTHER