116 THE GERMAN REFORMATION. A.D. 1517 To 1530.
cises and theological studies. He read diligently the Scriptures, and the later schoolmen,—especially Gabriel Biel, whom he knew by heart, and William Occam, whom he esteemed on account of his subtle acuteness even above St. Thomas and Duns Scotus, without being affected by his sceptical tendency. He acknowledged the authority of Aristotle, whom he afterward denounced and disowned as “a damned heathen.”* He excited the admiration of his brethren by his ability in disputation on scholastic questions.
His heart was not satisfied with brain work. His chief concern was to become a saint and to earn a place in heaven. “If ever,” he said afterward, “a monk got to heaven by monkery, I would have gotten there.” He observed the minutest details of discipline. No one surpassed him in prayer, fasting, night watches, self-mortification. He was already held up as a model. of sanctity. |
But he was sadly disappointed in his hope to escape sin and temptation behind the walls of the cloister. He found no peace and rest in all his pious exercises. The more he seemed to advance externally, the more he felt the burden of sin within. He had to contend with temptations of anger, envy, hatred and pride. He saw sin everywhere, even in the smallest trifles. The Scriptures impressed upon him the terrors of divine justice. He could not trust in God as a reconciled Father, as a God of love and mercy, but trembled before him, as a God of wrath, as a consuming fire. He could not get over the words: “I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God.” His confessor once told him: “Thou art a fool, God is not angry with thee, but thou art angry with God.” He remembered this afterward as “a great and glorious word,” but at that time it made no impression on him.
1“ Der vermaladeite Heide Aristoteles.” Luther’s attitude to scholasticism and the great Greek philosopher changed again when, in support of the eucharistic presence, he had to resort to the scholastic distinctions between various kinds of presence. Comp. Fr. Aug, Berthold Nitzsch, Luther und Aristoteles. Kiel, 1883. Ἶ
§ 22. LUTHER AND STAUPITZ. 117
He could not point to any particular transgression ; it was sin as an all-pervading power and vitiating principle, sin as a corruption of nature, sin as a state of alienation from God and hostility to God, that weighed on his mind like an incubus and brought him at times to the brink of despair.
He passed through that conflict between the law of God and the law of sin which is described by Paul (Rom. vii.), and which ends with the ery: ““O wretched man that Tam! who shall deliver me out of the body of this death?” He had not yet learned to add: “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.”
§ 22. Lnther and Staupitz.
JOHN VON STAUPITZ. (From the portrait in St. Peter’s Convent at Salzburg.)
I. The mystic writings of Staupitz have been republished in part by KNAAKE in Johannis Staupitit Opera. Potsdam, 1867, vol. 1. His “Nachfolge Christi” was first published in 1515; his book “Von der Liebe Gottes” (especially esteemed by Luther) in 1518, and passed through several editions; republ. by Liesching, Stuttgart, 1862. His last work “ Von dem heiligen rechten christlichen Glauben,” appeared after his death, 1525, and is directed against Luther’s doctrine of
118 THE GERMAN REFORMATION. A.D. 1517 To 1530.
justification by faith without works. His twenty-four letters have been published by KotpE: Die Deutsche Augustiner Congregation und Johann von Staupitz. Gotha, 1879, p. 435 sqq.
IT. On Luther and Staupitz: Grimm: De Joh. Staupitio eyusque in sacr. instaur. meritis, in Illgen’s “ Zeitschrift fiir hist. Theol.,” 1837 (VIL, 74-79). Ux1- MANN: Die Reformatoren vor der Reformation, vol. 11., 256-284 (very good, see there the older literature). DaxiinerR: Die Reformation, I., 153-155. Kaunis: Deutsche Reformat., I., 150 sqq. ALBR. Ritscui: Die Lehre v. der Rechifertigung und Verséhnung, 2d ed., I., 124-129 (on Staupitz’s theology). MALuet: in Herzog,? XIV., 648-653. Pau ZELLER: Staupitz. Seine relig.dogmat. Anschauungen und dogmengesch. Stellung, in the “Theol. Studien und Kritiken,” 1879. Lupwia KELLER: Johann von Staupitz, und das Waldenserthum, in the “ Historische Taschenbuch,”’ ed. by W. Maurenbrecher, Leipzig, 1885, p. 117-167; also his Johann von Staupitz und die Anfinge der Reformation, Leipzig, 1888. Dr. Keller connects Staupitz with the Waldenses and Anabaptists, but without proof. KoxpE: Jon. von Staup. ein Waldenser und Wiedertéufer, in Brieger’s “ Zeitschrift fiir Kirchengesch.” Gotha, 1885, p. 426-447. DIECKHOFF: Die Theol. des Joh. v. Staup., Leipz., 1887.
In this state of mental and moral agony, Luther was com- Ὁ forted by an old monk of the convent (the teacher of the novices) who reminded him of the article on the forgiveness of sins in the Apostles’ Creed, of Paul’s word that the sinner is justified by grace through faith, and of an incidental remark of St. Bernard (in a Sermon on the Canticles) to the same effect.
_ His best friend and wisest counsellor was Johann von Staupitz, Doctor of Divinity and Vicar-General of the Augustinian convents in Germany. Staupitz was a Saxon nobleman, of fine mind, generous heart, considerable biblical and scholastic learning, and deep piety, highly esteemed wherever known, and used in important missions by the Elector Frederick of Saxony. He belonged to the school of practical mysticism or Catholic pietism, which is best represented by Tauler and. Thomas a Kempis. He cared more for the inner spiritual life than outward forms and observances, and trusted in the merits of Christ rather than in good works of his own, as the solid ground of comfort and peace. The love of God and the imitation of Christ were the ruling ideas of his theology and piety. In his most popular book, On the Love of Giod,'
1 Tt passed through three editions between 1518 and 1520. Sec Knaake, L,