I have been trying to find the source of the following quote all day. Does anyone have a reference in Luther's Works where he says this?
,,I was a good monk, and I kept the rule of my order so strictly that I may say that if ever a monk got to heaven by his monkery it was I. All my brothers in the monastery who knew me will bear me out. If I had kept on any longer, I should have killed myself with vigils, prayers, reading, and other work."
2 comments:
Hi Pastor - It's quoted in Merle D'Aubigne's History of the Reformation (Book 2 Chapter 3) as occurring in a letter to Duke George of Saxony, . "I was indeed a pious monk ..." cited to "Opp. (W.) 19:2299"
http://www.lgmarshall.org/Daubigne/daubigne_refhistory02_03.html
It's similar to Luther's remarks on his breakthrough understanding of "the righteousness of God" (Rom 1:17) in the 1545 preface to his Latin works ... "But I, blameless monk that I was, felt that before God I was a sinner with an extremely troubled conscience. I couldn't be sure that God was appeased by my satisfaction. I did not love, no,rather I hated the just God who punishes sinners."
Best,
Eric
Thanks Eric!
I can't find this letter in the English edition of Luther's Works, so I suspect it might be in the Weimar edition.
It seems that Bainton is referring to the 1545 preface when he quotes Luther in his biography ,,Here I Stand".
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