Peculiar difficulties of the problem. Process of Luther’s inward estrangement from the Church. The sources, particularly those recently brought to light. The marginal notes in Luther’s books now at Zwickau. His letters; earliest scriptural notes, i.e. the glosses and scholia; lectures on Scripture; sermons, 1515-1516; earliest printed works; his Disputations. Two stages of his development, the first till 1517, the second till the end of 1518 _pages_ 61-67 2. LUTHER’S COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS (1513-15). DISPUTE WITH THE OBSERVANTINES AND THE “SELF-RIGHTEOUS.” His passionate opposition to the Observantines in his Order, and to “righteousness by works,” a presage of the coming change. He vents his ire on the “Little Saints” of the Order in his discourse at Gotha. On righteousness by grace and righteousness by works; on the force of concupiscence and original sin. No essential divergence from the Church’s belief and tradition to be found in the Commentary on the Psalms; reminiscences of Augustine; mystical trend; defects of Luther’s early work _pages_ 67-78 3. EXCERPTS FROM THE OLDEST SERMONS. HIS ADVERSARIES. The sermons and their testimony to Luther’s scorn for the Observantines. Echoes of the controversy proceeding within the Order. The Leitzkau discourse and its mysticism _pages_ 78-84 4. PRELIMINARY REMARKS ON YOUNG LUTHER’S RELATIONS TO SCHOLASTICISM AND MYSTICISM. His early prejudice against Scholasticism, its psychological reason; his poor opinion of Aristotle and the Schoolmen. Martin Pollich’s misgivings. Luther’s leaning to mysticism, its cause. Esteem for Tauler and the “Theologia Deutsch.” His letter to G. Leiffer _pages_ 84-88 5. EXCERPTS FROM THE EARLIEST LETTERS. Signs of a change in Luther’s letter to G. Spenlein; self-despair and trust in Christ. To Johann Lang on a work wrongly ascribed to St. Augustine and on his difficulties with his colleagues at Wittenberg. To Spalatin on Erasmus; his dislike of everything savouring of Pelagianism _pages_ 88-93 6. THE THEOLOGICAL GOAL. The first shaping of Luther’s heretical views, in the Commentary on Romans. Imputation of Christ’s righteousness; uncertainty of justification; original sin remains after baptism, being identical with concupiscence; impossibility of fulfilling the law without justification; absence of all human freedom for good; sinful character of natural virtue; all “venial” sins really mortal; no such thing as merit; predestination _pages_ 93-103 CHAPTER III. THE STARTING-POINT _pages_ 104-129 1. FORMER INACCURATE VIEWS.