6040. About Melancthon and Luther
A certain one came from the northern quarter near the west, at quite a great distance there, where they are rather cunning; he was a devil among the more cunning and more malicious. When he was walking, his walking was heavy, ponderous; it was heard like the walking of a bear. And when he had been around me several days, he did many things in a malicious manner. I did not know who he was, but it was discovered. He came to Luther in his room and sat there in front of him and spoke with him saying that he had known him and spoken with him in the world; and he disclosed many things that he had spoken about with him at that time, from which Luther recognized that it was he and that he had spoken many things with him about faith alone without good works. Luther asked what his lot was like now. He said that he is by turns in a vaulted room and by turns in a hell nearby where he is under a judge; he said that when in his room he is dressed in a robe with a bearskin on the inside that protects him from the cold, and also that he writes many things, and much about faith alone, and that he sometimes prays to God and writes well, and is then being spoken to by the angels about the good works coming from charity, but when he reads these he understands nothing, on which account he rejects them. By turns, however, he is in hell under a judge, where like the rest there, he is engaged in common labor. He had a great desire to punish and treated many evilly. He was often punished. I heard the judge speaking about his punishment. He has a great fear of the judge, because he has definite power.
6040. MELANCTHON AND LUTHER.
There came a certain one from the northern quarter, near the west, at a very great distance there, where the more crafty are. It was a devil of the more crafty and malicious sort. When he walked, his walking was heard as heavy and lumbering. It sounded like the walking of a bear; and, for several days that he was about me, he did many things in a malicious manner. I did not know who he was; but he was discovered. He came to Luther in his chamber, and there sat down immediately in front of him and spoke with him, saying that he knew him, and that he spoke with him in the world. He also disclosed very many things which he then said to him, from which Luther knew that it was he [i.e., Melancthon], and that he discussed with him many things concerning faith alone, apart from good works. Luther asked what was his present condition. He stated that he is at times in a vaulted chamber, and at times in hell, close under a judge; and that, when in his chamber, he is clothed with a toga lined with bear skin, which protected him from the cold; that sometimes, he writes many things there, chiefly on faith alone; also, that, as often as he does, he prays to God that he may write well, and then things are dictated to him by angels respecting the goods of charity, but when he reads them over he understands nothing; wherefore he rejects them. At times, however, he is in hell, under a judge. There, like the others who are there, he is in mean work. He was in a powerful lust of punishing, and also ill-treated many. He was frequently punished. I heard the judge speaking about his being punished. He has great fear of the judge, because he is very powerful.
6040. De Melanchthone et Luthero
Venit quidam ex plaga septentrionali prope occidentem perquam longinque ibi, ubi sunt astutiores, erat diabolus inter astutiores et malitiosiores; cum ambulabat, audiebatur ambulatio ejus gravis, ponderosa, audita sicut ambulatio ursi, et cum aliquibus diebus fuit circum me, tunc plura malitiose fecit, nesciebam quinam, sed detectus est, venit ad Lutherum, in ejus camera, et assidebat ibi e regione ejus, et loquebatur cum illo, dicens quod cognosceret eum, et quod loquutus sit cum illo in mundo, et detexit plurima quae loquutus est tunc cum illo, ex quibus Lutherus cognovit quod ille esset, et quod loquutus sit cum illo multa de sola fide absque bonis operibus: quaerebat Lutherus qualis ejus sors nunc esset, dixit quod per vices sit in camera lacunata, et per vices in inferno prope sub judice, cum in camera sua, quod amictus sit toga intus pelle ursina, quae arcebat illum a frigore, quodque ibi scribat plura, pleraque de sola fide, et quod aliquoties oret Deum et scribat bene, et tunc dictatur ei ab angelis de bonis charitatis, sed cum relegit illa, nihil intelligit, quare rejicit illa; per vices autem est in inferno sub judice, ibi sicut reliqui ibi in vili opere; in multa cupiditate puniendi fuit, et quoque plures male tractavit. Punitus saepe, audivi judicem loquentem de punitione ejus, multus ei timor est pro judice, quia praevalens.