| CHAPTER XV. ORGANISATION AND PUBLIC POSITION OF THE NEW CHURCH | pages 3-108 |
| 1. Luther’s Religious Situation. Was his Reaction a Break with Radicalism? |
| The New Church, with its binding formularies of faith and its constituted authorities, contrasted with Luther’s earlier demands for freedom from all outward bonds. The change which occurred in his mind in 1522. What prompted the reaction? Did Luther, prior to 1522, ever cherish the idea of a “religion minus dogma”? His clear design from the beginning to preserve all the Christian elements deemed by him essential. His assertion of the freedom of the Christian; the negations it logically involved pass unperceived. Greater stress laid on the positive elements after 1522; the subjective counter-current. Ecclesiastical anarchy. Modern Protestants more willing than was Luther to push his principles to their legitimate consequences. Conclusion: The reaction which set in in 1522 implied no real change of view. How Luther contrived to conceal from himself and from others the incompatibility of his leanings | pages 3-21 |
| 2. From the Congregational to the State Church. Secularisations. |
| Previous to espousing the idea of the Congregational Church Luther invites the secular authorities to interfere; his “An den christlichen Adel”; his hopes shattered; Luther’s new ideal: the Evangel not intended for all; the assembly of true Christians; the Wittenberg congregation and the model one established at Leisnig. The Congregational Church proving impracticable, Luther advocates a popular Church; its evolution into the State Church as it afterwards obtained in Protestant Germany. Secularisation of church property in the Saxon Electorate. Luther’s view as to the use to which church property should be put by the rulers; he complains of princely avarice. Secularisation of the marriage-courts; matrimonial cases dealt with by secular lawyers; Luther’s antipathy for lawyers, how accounted for | pages 21-43 |
| 3. The Question of the Religious War; Luther’s Vacillating Attitude. The League of Schmalkalden, 1531. |
| Luther casts all reserve to the winds; his resolve to proceed regardless of the consequences. His earlier opposition to armed resistance; his memoranda on the subject clearly evince his hesitation. His change of view in 1530; reasons why he veered round; the change kept secret; difficulties with the Nurembergers; a tell-tale memorandum published by CochlÆus. The League of Schmalkalden; Luther’s hopes and fears; a new memorandum. Luther’s misgivings regarding Philip of Hesse’s invasion of WÜrtemberg; the expedition turning out successful is blessed by Luther. The religious war in Luther’s private conversations in later years. Later memoranda. A question from Brandenburg. Later attempts to deny the authenticity of the document signed by Luther in 1530 | pages 43-76 |
| 4. The Turks Without and the Turks [Papists] Within the Empire. |
| The danger looming in the East. Luther’s earlier pronouncements (previous to 1524) against any military measures being taken to prevent the Turkish inroads; attitude of the preachers; imminent danger of the Empire after the battle of Mohacz; Luther’s “Vom Kriege widder die TÜrcken” registers a change of front; his “Heer-Predigt widder den TÜrcken” and the approval it conveys of warlike measures against the invader; he robs his call to arms of most of its force by insisting on his pet ideas; his later sayings on the subject; the Turk not so dangerous a foe as Popery | pages 76-93 |
| 5. Luther’s Nationalism and Patriotism. |
| Luther’s sayings about the virtues and vices of his own countrymen; his teaching sunders the Empire and undermines the Imperial authority; his advocacy of resistance; the “Prophet of the Germans”; discouragement of trade and science; DÖllinger on Luther as the typical German; the power of the strong man gifted with a facile tongue | pages 93-108 |
| CHAPTER XVI. THE DIVINE MISSION AND ITS MANIFESTATIONS | pages 109-168 |
| 1. Growth of Luther’s Idea of his Divine Mission. |
| His conviction of his special call and enlightenment; his determination to brook no doubt; all his actions controlled from on high; finds a confirmation of his opinion in the extent of his success and in his deliverance from his enemies; his untiring labours and disregard for personal advancement; the problem presented by the union in him of the fanatic mystic with the homely, cheerful man enjoying to the full the good things that come his way; his superstitions; his “temptations” promote his progress in wisdom. His consciousness of his Mission intensified at critical junctures, for instance, during his stay at the Wartburg; his letter to Staupitz in 1522; his statement: It is God’s Word. Let what cannot stand fall | pages 109-128 |
| 2. His Mission Alleged against the Papists. |
| How Luther describes the Pope and his Court; his call to reform Catholics generally; his caricature of Erasmus; how later Protestants have taken Luther’s claims. Luther’s apocalyptic dreams; his exegesis of Daniel viii.; the Papal Antichrist: A system rather than a man; Luther’s work on Chronology. The Monk-Calf as a Divine sign of the abomination of Popery and monasticism. Luther’s “Amen” to Melanchthon’s Pope-Ass | pages 128-153 |
| 3. Proofs of the Divine Mission. Miracles and Prophecies. |
| Luther on the proofs required to establish an extraordinary mission. The distinction between ordinary and extraordinary calls. His appeal to the rapid diffusion of his doctrine; the real explanation of this spread not far to seek. His appeal to his doctorate, to his appointment by authority, and, finally, to the “Word of Truth” which was the burden of his preaching. Luther’s account of the “miracle” of Florentina’s escape from her convent. His unwillingness to ask for the grace of working miracles; his demand that the fanatics should work miracles to substantiate their claims; his allusions to the power of his own prayer in restoring the sick to health. The gift of prophecy; Luther loath to predict anything “lest it should come true.” His own so-called predictions. Earlier predictions of mystics and astrologers taken by him as referring to himself | pages VOL. III THE REFORMER (I)
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