This quote has been debunked before. It strongly appears to be something Martin Luther never wrote. See Denny Burk's old treatment here, see also that put forth by The Gospel Coalition. This link (as far as I can tell) is now only publicly available via the Internet Archive, but its essence is captured here. Let's give this quote a fresh look. Exactly where does this quote come from?
DocumentationMost documentation (if any) refers to other sources citing the quote. This is typical (it is akin to saying, "Don't blame me, I got it from this source.... blame them!"). Perhaps the most well-known person to cite the quote was Dr. Francis Schaeffer, but linking Luther to this quote goes at least as far back as 1945. It is simply amazing how many publications have haphazardly utilized this quote. A primary source is sometimes mentioned: WA (BR) 3:81-82. This 1523 letter from Luther to Albrecht of Mansfield contains some similar sentiment but does not capture the full quote.
The earliest use that has been located is in a nineteenth century book entitled, Chronicles of the Schönberg-Cotta Family (sometimes known as, Our Neighbor Maritn Luther or, Luther by Those Who Knew Him). The book is a historical novel, or more precisely, "historical fiction" about the life of Martin Luther written by Elizabeth Rundle Charles. This author fictionally "examined the life and personal influence of the young Martin Luther on the family of his printer." According to the reviews I've read of Rundle-Charles, she was a prolific author, her Luther novel though being her most popular book. Some years back I found a copy of it in a pile of disorganized books in an antique store. Her book apparently was popular enough that cheap copies are still laying around in junk stores. My copy states the following just previous to the contents page:
The portions of these Chronicles which refer to Luther, Melancthon, Frederic of Saxony, and other historical persons, can be verified from Luther’s “Tischreden;” Luther’s “Briefe, Sendschreiben und Bedenken;” edited by De Wette; the four volumes called, “Geist aus Luther's Schriften,” edited by F. W. Lomler, C. F. Lucius, Dr. T. Rust, L. Sackreuter, and Dr. Ernst Zimmermann; Tutschmann’s “Friedrich der Weise;” the “History of the Reformation,” by Ranke; and that by D'Aubigné; with the ordinary English historical works relating to the period.
I don't question that Rundle-Charles actually read these sources and utilized them for her fictional Luther account. One biography says Rundle-Charles was instructed in "numerous languages" so perhaps she really did utilize these sources for her Luther citations. It's within the realm of possibility that her fictional Luther quotes accurately represent Luther.
Context
Rundle-Charles presented fictional stories of fictional people who knew Luther. The story the quote occurs in is that of Fritz, a monk at the monastery in Eisenach. She dates his story, April 2,1526. Fritz is presented as a zealous Luther supporter. Fritz finds himself among those who think with severe and hostile negativity towards Luther. He finds himself at an anti-Luther service "accidentally." After the service, he returns to his "convent." He writes,
Mournfully I returned to my convent. In the cloisters of our Order the opinions concerning Luther are much divided. The writings of St. Augustine have kept the truth alive in many hearts amongst us; and besides this, there is the natural bias to one of our own order, and the party opposition to the Dominicans, Tetzel and Eck, Dr. Luther's enemies. Probably there are few Augustinian convents in which there are not two opposite parties in reference to Dr. Luther.
In speaking of the great truths, of God freely justifying the sinner because Christ died, (the Judge acquitting because the Judge himself had suffered for the guilty), I had endeavoured to trace them, as I have said, beyond all human words to their divine authority. But now to confess Luther seemed to me to have become identical with confessing Christ. It is the truth which is assailed in any age which tests our fidelity. It is to confess we are called, not merely to profess. If I profess, with the loudest voice and the clearest exposition, every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christianity. Where the battle rages the loyalty of the soldier is proved; and to be steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace to him if he flinches at that one point.
It seems to me also that, practically, the contest in every age of conflict ranges usually round the person of one faithful, Godsent man, whom to follow loyally is fidelity to God. In the days of the first Judaizing assault on the early Church, that man was St. Paul. In the great Arian battle, this man was Athanasius—" Athanasius contra mundum.” In our days, in our land, I believe it is Luther; and to deny Luther would be for me who learned the truth from his lips, to deny Christ. Luther, I believe, is the man whom God has given to his Church in Germany in this age. Luther, therefore, I will follow-not as a perfect example, but as a God-appointed leader. Men can never be neutral in great religious contests; and if, because of the little wrong in the right cause, or the little evil in the good man, we refuse to take the side of right, we are, by that very act, silently taking the side of wrong.
Fictional Fritz goes on to tell of his persecutions for being a follower of Luther. "When I came back to the convent I found the storm gathering. I was asked if I possessed any of Dr. Luther's writings. I confessed that I did. It was demanded that they should be given up... one of the older monks came to me and accused me of secretly spreading Lutheran heresy among the brethren... The next day I was taken into the prison where John of Wesel died; the heavy bolts were drawn upon me, and I was left in solitude." After multiple weeks in prison, he escaped. He ended up meeting Luther on his way to Worms, and thus the tale continues showering accolades on Luther from the perspective of Fritz, an enthusiastic supporter.
Conclusion
It would be interesting to know exactly what Elizabeth Rundle-Charles had in mind from Luther when she penned the quote. In context though, Rundle-Charles does not attribute the quote to Luther, but rather to her fictional character Fritz. Therefore, not only are people attributing a quote to Luther that he never wrote, but the actual "person" who made the comment is a fictional character!
Unlike some of the kinder earlier treatments debunking this quote, I find it appalling how many people have utilized the quote unchecked in published works. Published books typically are intended to generate income... for someone! For anyone using this quote in a published book intended to generate income in the last ten or fifteen years, there isn't a meaningful excuse: a simple Google search reveals the Chronicles of the Schönberg-Cotta Family, easily.
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