Grace and peace in Christ! It would perhaps be best if you would decline the marriage
case as I am accustomed to do, if I can. Thus says Christ:"Let the dead bury their dead". "If the jurists want to be wise, let it be on their conscience; what are we asking from their Scheisshaus",(anyone need a translation?) we who are proclaiming an eternal kingdom? We counsel the conscience, we don't give the law so that perhaps people can be saved who are in danger having done something against the law. For this reason yield in this case and let them do what they want. What do we have to do with their judgment court, we who teach everything according to the conscience judgment court? Yet to the peasants, who everywhere ridicule the Gospel while they are glad for its freedom, I might also forbid (marriage) in the tenth degree or rather in prison(?) (Gefaengniss).There is nothing therefore conceded to conscience by those who do not permit themselves to be bound by conscience."Let the peasants come under the jurists and remain so",Amen.
I am sending a copy of the articles about which you write. The Papists have made everywhere a strange thing out of these articles but their boasting will turn to shame.M. Philipp has not made published them and a great injustice has been done to him and moreso to the Elector and to us all; it gives the appearance that they likely have put together several of the writings of M.Philipp. Well enough! The devil has often been deceived; who whether he also might have this time been deceived which I do not doubt. Given on 2 Nov. 1535. Martin Luther.
NOTE: I was wondering if there are still 16th century outhouses standing in Germany.
Melanchthon's articles are in Vol.xix,p.640.
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