Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/304

 It cannot be otherwise than that you think of these things. Thoughts come from the sense and are right merry. Your body urges you to marry and needs it; God wills and forces it What will you do about it?

It would also be a fine, noble example if you married, that would help many feeble ones, broaden their paths and give them more scope, so many others mi^t escape the dangers of the flesh and follow you. What harm is it if people say, "So the Lichtenberg professor has taken a wife, has he?*' Is it not a great glory and Christian virtue that you should thereby become a noble excuse for others doing the same? Christ was an example to us all how to bear reproach for con- science's sake. Do I say reproach ? Only foolish fanatics think marriage a reproach, men who do not mind fornication but forbid what God c(Hnmanded. If it is a shame to take a wife, why is it not a shame to eat and drink, for we have equal need of both, and God wills both?

Why should I say more? It is a pity that men should be so stupid as to wonder that a man takes a wife, or that any- one should be ashamed of it, while no one is ashamed of eat- ing and drinking. Why should only this necessity be doubted and wondered at? Nothing is better than to comply with our sense as early and as fully as possible, and give ourselves to God's Word and work in whatever He wishes us to do, for, if we stand without in unbelief and anger He will punish us by giving us over to sin and hell.

Friend, let us not fly higher nor try to be better than Abra- ham, David, Isaiah, Peter, Paul, and all the patriarchs, proph- ets and apostles, as well as many holy martyrs and bishops, who all knew that they were created men by God and were not ashamed to be and to be thought men, and, therefore, con- sidered that they should not remain alone. Who is ashamed of marriage should also be ashamed to be and to be thought a man, and thinks he can do better than God. Adam's chil- dren are and remain men, and, therefore, they should and must let men be begotten by them.

Good heavens ! we see daily how much trouble it costs to re- main within marriage and keep conjugal faith, and yet we try to keep out of it as if we were men with neither flesh nor

�� �