Every moment that could be spared from his daily duties he employed in study , robbing himself of sleep and grudging even the time spent at his scanty meals . Above everything else he delighted in the study of God ' s word . He had found a Bible chained to the convent wall , and to this he often repaired . As his convictions of sin deepened , he sought by his own works to obtain pardon and peace . He led a most rigorous life , endeavoring by fasting , vigils , and scourgings to subdue the evils of his nature , from which the monastic life had brought no release . He shrank from no sacrifice by which he might attain to that purity of heart which would enable him to stand approved before God . " I was indeed a pious monk ," he afterward said , " and followed the rules of my order more strictly than I can express . If ever monk could obtain heaven by his monkish works , I should certainly have been entitled to it . . . . If it had continued much longer , I should have carried my mortifications even to death ." -- Ibid ., b . 2 , ch . 3 . As the result of this painful discipline he lost strength and suffered from fainting spasms , from the effects of which he never fully recovered . But with all his efforts his burdened soul found no relief . He was at last driven to the verge of despair .
When it appeared to Luther that all was lost , God raised up a friend and helper for him . The pious Staupitz opened the word of God to Luther ' s mind and bade him look away from himself , cease the contemplation of infinite punishment for the violation of God ' s law , and look to Jesus , his sinpardoning Saviour . " Instead of torturing yourself on account of your sins , throw yourself into the Redeemer ' s arms . Trust in Him , in the righteousness of His life , in the atonement of His death . . . . Listen to the Son of God . He became man to give you the assurance of divine favor ." " Love Him who first loved you ." -- Ibid ., b . 2 , ch . 4 . Thus spoke this messenger of mercy . His words made a deep impression upon Luther ' s mind . After many a struggle with long-cherished errors , he was enabled to grasp the truth , and peace came to his troubled soul .
Luther was ordained a priest and was called from the cloister to a professorship in the University of Wittenberg . Here he applied himself to the study of the Scriptures in the original tongues . He began to lecture upon the Bible ; and the book of Psalms , the Gospels , and the Epistles were opened to the understanding of crowds of delighted listeners . Staupitz , his friend and superior , urged him to ascend the pulpit and preach the word of God . Luther hesitated , feeling himself unworthy to speak to the people in Christ ' s stead . It was only after a long struggle that he yielded to the solicitations of his friends . Already he was mighty in the Scriptures , and the grace of God rested upon him . His eloquence captivated his hearers , the clearness and power with which he presented the truth convinced their understanding , and his fervor touched their hearts .
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