To Leonhard Beier at Zwickau, July 24, 1536.
1. since our gospel and doctrine urge in the highest degree that the two regiments, secular and spiritual, be well distinguished and not be mixed together, unless great necessity or lack of persons compels it; that is, where there are persons who govern the town hall and city, and again, where there are persons who care for the parish office and churches, neither part shall encroach upon or fall into the office of the other, but let each be commanded to do his own on his conscience, as St. Peter teaches: "We shall not be allotrio-episcopi. Peter teaches: "We are not to be allotrio-episcopi", i. 6. alienorum curatores, inspectores (i. e. administrators and overseers of strangers). As such two offices have been separated from Christ from the beginning; experience also proves too much that there can be no peace where the council or city wants to govern the parish and the preaching chair, or the parish priest wants to govern the council or city, as the example of the papacy well teaches us.
Accordingly, we ask and admonish you, Pastor and Magister Leonhard, good friend, to keep it firmly in your hands in Zwickau, as the articles of visitation and afterwards the Electoral Decree (Ab
conclusion) decided. For the devil does not celebrate, so flesh and blood is not good, and the people of this dangerous time whimsical and forward, whose many, not what peace and unity, but what their lust and thought demands.
Accordingly, because there can be no peace or unity where the chaplain, schoolmaster, and church servant etc. know that they may be in the church office without the knowledge and will of the parish priest and thus can insist on and defy the council, since one always finds backholders against the parish priests, you shall not grant or permit the example that they accept or tolerate some chaplain, schoolmaster, or church servant without your knowledge, where they wanted to do it. As we do here in Wittenberg, according to the visitation, we also allow the parish priest to accept and take leave without the knowledge and advice of the secular regiment; which, as far as we know, all other cities also do, without the visitators being asked for it, since no one else can be obtained.
4. secular regiment has enough to do for itself, must not burden itself with unnecessary regiment, it has also an annoying
Neither Zwickau nor any other city should be ashamed to follow the example of Wittenberg and other cities, because, according to the visitation order, it does not make good thoughts, but finally separation and devastation of the church. We should thank God that our churches are a little bit in a same
order and unity. And God will not give happiness to those who disrupt such order and unity for the sake of their own ambition and conceit without any need. May God help and strengthen us in right faith and uncontaminated love, Amen. Monday after St. Magdalene, Anno 1536.