Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/52

 the matter. It would be easy for someone to say that that was a commandment for the future, while for the past he says they are condemned because they have cast off their first faith/ Thus his authority will get away from him and will not be a rock on which men's consciences can faithfully rest; and that is what we are seeking. As for the argument that it is better to marry than to bum,* or better to enter the estate of matrimony in the sin of a broken promise than to commit the sin of fornication, — what is this except reason? We are looking for a word of Scripture and a testimony of the divine will. Who knows if he who bums to-day will bum to-morrow? For I would not allow priests to marry merely because of the "burning," if Paul did not call the pro- hibition of marriage erroneous and demoniacal and hypocrit- ical and condemned of God. Thus even without the "burn- ing," he compels us to give up celibacy for the sake of the fear of God. But it will be a good thing to argue these mat- ters at somewhat greater length. I, too, desire above all things to come to the aid of the monks and nuns, so greatly do I pity these wretched men and these boys and girls who are vexed with pollutions and burnings. ^

As r^;ards. both .kinds in the eudiarist,* I draw my proof not from the example, but from the word of Christ. He* does not prove that those who receive only the one kind either sin or do not sin. What decides me is that Christ does not require either kind, just as He does not absolutely require baptism, if the world or a tyrant forbid it. Thus the vio- lence of persecution puts asunder a man and a woman whom God has forbidden to be put asunder, and yet they do not consent to the separation; so pious hearts do not consent to be deprived of the one kind, but who will deny that they who do consent to it and approve of it — I mean the papists — are not Christians and are guilty of sin?

Since, then. He does not absolutely require it, and the tyrant prevents it, I do not see how those who receive only


 * I Timotliy ▼, i«.


 * I CoriothUnB x» 7.

here especially concerned with Thesis 10. Barge, i, 291, n. 118.
 * Another question agitated by CarlsUdt. in his theses of July 19. Luther is

« I.e., Carlstadt

�� �