Chapter XVII: Glimpses of a Reformer’s Morals

_pages_ 169-318

1. LUTHER’S VOCATION: HIS STANDARD OF LIFE.

What may rightly be looked for in a reformer of the
Church. Luther’s contemporaries on his shortcomings: Joh.
Findling, Erasmus, and Ferreri. The remedy proposed by
Luther to drive away depression, viz. self-indulgence _pages_ 169-180

2. SOME OF LUTHER’S PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES OF LIFE.

His contradictory views on sin, and on penance; his
ideas suited to meet his own case and to relieve his
own conscience. His attitude towards human endeavour;
predestination and unfreedom; the devil’s dominion; the
failings of the Saints. “Be a sinner and sin boldly, but
believe more boldly still.” Protestant strictures on
Luther’s doctrine of sin _pages_ 180-199

3. LUTHER’S ADMISSIONS CONCERNING HIS OWN PRACTICE AND
VIRTUE.

Luther on the weakness of his own faith, his doubts,
his utter misery, and the shortcomings of his life. His
attitude towards prayer; prayer mingled with imprecation;
his threatened prayer against dishonest brewers.
Christian joy and peace. Preparation for the sacraments.
Mortification and self-conquest. Mediocrity as the aim
of ethics. Lack of zeal for the salvation of all men;
disregard for missionary work. Luther in his home; minor
disappointments _pages_ 200-217

4. THE TABLE-TALK AND THE FIRST NOTES OF THE SAME.

Luther’s evening conversations at Wittenberg recorded
by his friends; utility of the notes they left;
Walch, Kroker and others on the authority of these
notes. Excerpts from the Table-Talk: The pith of the
new religion, viz. confidence in Christ. Catholic
practices and institutions described: The Mass, fasting,
confession, the religious life. Praises heaped on the
Table-Talk by Luther’s early disciples. Luther himself
responsible for the foulness of the language. Pommer’s
way of dealing with the devil. Filthy references to
the Pope; unseemly comparisons; “_adorabunt nostra
stercora_.” Such language by no means confined to the
Table-Talk; a few quotations from Luther’s “Wider das
Bapstum zu Rom.” An excuse alleged, viz. that such
language was then quite usual. Sir Thomas More’s protest.
A modern defender of Luther. The real explanation of
Luther’s unrestraint _pages_ 217-241

5. ON MARRIAGE AND SEXUALITY.

On the imperative necessity of marriage; the
irresistibility of the natural impulse; the world full
of adulterers? The “miracle” of voluntary and chaste
celibacy. Luther’s animus against Popish celibacy. His
loosening of the marriage-bond. Cases in which marriage
is annulled. Meaning of the words “If the wife refuse,
then let the maid come.” A modern secularist’s appeal
to Luther’s principles. Polygamy. Luther, after some
hesitation, comes to tolerate polygamy, but makes it a
matter of the _forum internum_. The opinions of Catholic
theologians. “Secret marriages” and concubinage; what
those have to do who are forbidden by law to contract
marriage. Denial of the sacramental character of
matrimony. Luther’s tone in speaking of things sexual; a
letter to Spalatin; regret expressed for offensive manner
of speech; odious comparisons contained in his “Vom Schem
Hamphoras” (against the Jews) and “Wider Hans Worst”
(against the Catholics); improper anecdotes; Luther, like
Abraham, “the father of a great people,” viz. of the
children of all the monks and nuns who discarded their
vows _pages_ 241-273

6. CONTEMPORARY COMPLAINTS. LATER FALSE REPORTS.

Simon Lemnius; fanatics and Anabaptists; Catholics:
Hieronymus Dungersheim, Duke George, Ambrosius
Catharinus, Hoyer of Mansfeld; Protestants: Melanchthon,
Leo Judae, Zwingli, Bullinger, Joh. Agricola. How far
the complaints were grounded. Apocryphal legends to
Luther’s discredit: Had Luther three children of his
own apart from those born to him by Bora? His jesting
letters to his wife not to be taken seriously. Did he
indulge in the “worst orgies” with the escaped nuns in
the Black Monastery of Wittenberg? The passages “which
will not bear repetition.” Whether Luther as a young monk
declared he would bring things to such a pass as to be
able to marry a girl; Wolfgang Agricola’s authority for
this statement and the information he gives concerning
Spalatin. Luther’s stay as a boy in Cotta’s house at
Eisenach no ground for a charge of immorality. Did Luther
describe the lot of the hog as the most enviable goal of
happiness? Did he allow the validity of marriage between
brother and sister? Whether he counselled people to pray
for many wives and few children; variants of an ancient
rhyme. Did he include wives in the “daily bread” for
which we pray in the Our Father? Was he the inventor of
the proverb: “Who loves not woman, wine and song, remains
a fool his whole life long”? _pages_ 273-294

7. THE “GOOD DRINK.”

Need of examining critically the charges made against
Luther; the number of his literary productions scarcely
compatible with his having been an habitual drunkard.
Testimonies of Musculus, the “Dicta Melanchthoniana,”
Ickelsamer, Lemnius, etc. Opinions of Catholics:
Catharinus, Hoyer of Mansfeld, Joh. Landau and others.
Luther’s own statements about his “Good Drink”; his
reasons for such indulgence; his distinction between
drinking and drunkenness; his reprobation of habitual
drunkenness. Melanchthon and Mathesius, two witnesses to
Luther’s temperance. From the cellar and the tap-room;
gifts in kind made to Luther; his calls on the cellar of
the Wittenberg council; the signature “_Doctor plenus_”
appended to one of his letters to be read as “_Doctor
Johannes_”; the “old wine” of the Coburg and Luther’s
indisposition in 1530; beer _versus_ wine _pages_ 294-318