Martin Luther was the son of a poor miner, and was sent to school at an early age. He sang in the streets for a livelihood, as was a common practice of that time with poor German students. At length a wealthy lady took him under her care and supported him, while he pursued his studies for four years. In 1501, he entered the university of Erfurth, Germany, where he was supported by his father. After a short course of theology, he was persuaded to devote himself to the study of law, but he never seemed to be attached to it.

      In 1505 a friend of his was struck dead by lightning, at his side. This caused him to resolve to become a monk. Soon after, he entered the cloister. His father was opposed to this for two years. He was now twenty-one years old. We have him now in the cloister, as a monk, or priest, and shall let him speak of his conversion for himself:

      "When I said my first mass at Erfurth, I was all but dead, for I was without faith. * * * I wrote to Dr. Staupitz, O my sins, my sins, my sins! to which he replied, 'You desire to be without sin, and yet you are free from all real sin. Christ was the pardon for sin.' I frequently confessed to Dr. [113] Staupitz, not about trfiles, such as women are in the habit of doing, but about thoughts which go to the root of the matter. He answered me like all other confessors, 'I don't understand you.' At last he came to me, and said, 'Are you so sad, then, brother Martin?' Ah! replied I, yes, I am. 'You are not aware,' he said, 'that temptation of the kind is good and necessary for you, but only for you.' He simply meant that I was learned, and without such temptations, would become proud and haughty; but I afterwards knew that it was the Holy Spirit that was speaking to me."

      Elsewhere, Luther describes how those thoughts had reduced him to such a condition, that he did not eat, drink, or sleep for a fortnight. Whilst in this severe conflict of mind, he felt as if he were forsaken of God, and as if God were his enemy. The cruellest temptations exhausted and racked his frame, so that he had scarcely power to draw his breath. He adds, " None gave me comfort. Those to whom I complained, answered, 'We know nothing of this.' Then said I, am I alone to be so depressed in mind?"--Long after this, the year before his death, he explains the nature of these temptations and fears: "From the time that I attended the schools, I had felt, when studying St. Paul's Epistles, the most intolerable anxiety to know the intent of the Apostle's Epistle to the Romans. I stuck at one [114] phrase--'For therein is the righteousness of God revealed' [Romans 1:17]. I hated that word, the righteousness of God, because I had learnt to understand it, with the schoolmen, of that active justice, through which God is just, and punishes the unjust and sinners. Leading the life of a blameless monk, yet disturbed by the sinner's uneasy conscience, and unable to feel justification before God, I could not love, rather, I must confess it, I hated this just God, the avenger of sin. I waxed wroth, and murmured loudly within myself, if I did not blaspheme--What, said I, is it not enough that unhappy sinners, already eternally lost through original sin, are overwhelmed with innumerable woes by the law of the decalogue, but must God heap suffering upon suffering, and menace us in the gospel itself with his justice and his wrath? * * * I was hurried out of myself on this wise, by the uneasiness of my conscience, and kept constantly recurring to and sifting the same passage, with a burning; desire to penetrate St. Paul's meaning.

      "As I meditated day and night upon these words: 'For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith' [Romans 1:17]. God at length took pity upon me. I perceived that the righteousness of God is that by which the just man, through God's goodness, lives, that is to say, by FAITH; and that the meaning of [115] the passage is--the gospel reveals the righteousness of God, a passive righteousness, through which the God of mercy justifies us by faith. On this I felt as if I were born again, and seemed to be entering through the opening portals of Paradise. * * * Some time afterwards I read St. Augustin's work, 'Of the Letter and the Spirit,' and found, contrary to my expectation, that he also understands by the righteousness of God, that which God imputes to us by justifying us."

      After this good man had been converted, through faith in the atoning merits and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and had preached this salvation for about forty years, he died in the same belief, testifying to his salvation in these, his dying words: "O my heavenly Father, eternal and merciful God, thou hast revealed to me thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ! I have preached Him, I have confessed Him, I love Him, and I worship Him as my dearest Saviour and Redeemer. * * * Into thy hands I commit my spirit; God of truth, thou hast redeemed me."

      It is evident, that Luther experienced a change of heart--that he was converted--regenerated or born of the Spirit of God--and that he was sensible of the change, from the fact, that he felt himself a new creature, and enjoyed indescribable happiness. Let all who bear his honored name carefully examine [116] themselves, and see whether their experience corresponds, in point of clear evidence, with that of their beloved Reformer. And let the penitent sinner wrestle till he finds peace and joy in believing.

[THW 113-117]