On his return the Senate of Wittenberg elected him town-preacher. In
the cloister, in the castle chapel, and in the collegiate church he
alternately exercised his gifts. Romanists admit that "his success was
great. He said he would not imitate his predecessors, and he kept his
word. For the first time a Christian preacher was seen to abandon the
Schoolmen and draw his texts and illustrations from the writings of
inspiration. He was the originator and restorer of expository
preaching in modern times."
The Elector heard him, and was filled with admiration. An old
professor, whom the people called "the light of the world," listened
to him, and was struck with his wonderful insight, his marvelous
imagination, and his massive solidity. And Wittenberg sprang into
great renown because of him, for never before had been heard in Saxony
such a luminous expositor of God's holy Word.