His faults, coarseness and unbridled violence of language, did not alienate most of his contemporaries.

Even his Latin works, too harshly described by Hallam as "bellowing in bad Latin," were well adapted to the spirit of the age.

But nothing like his German writings had ever been seen before.

In lucidity and copiousness of language, in directness and vigor, in satire and argument and invective, in humor and aptness of illustration and allusion, the numerous tracts, political and theological, which poured from his pen, surpassed all that had hitherto been written and went straight to the hearts of his countrymen.

And he won his battle almost alone, for Melanchthon, though learned and elegant, had no popular gifts, and none of his other lieutenants could boast even second-rate ability.
[Sidenote: German Bible, 1522-32] Among his many publications a few only can be singled out for special mention.