the  Ten  Commandnients,  "preached  to  the  people  of  Witten-
berg,"^ and  first  published  in  1518,  it  is  possible  to  gain  a
tolerably  clear  conception  of  Luther's  theological  position  at
this  period  of  his  life.  Melanchthon  describes  the  character
and  effect  of  his  lectures  in  terms  ^  which  would  almost  justify
the  inference  that  the  first  preaching  of  the  Eeformation  must
be  antedated  to  Luther's  earliest  activity  in  Wittenberg.
