First letter dated June 3, 1525.
To the Respectable, Highly Respected Sir, Johann Rühel, the Right Doctor, my favorable Lord and friendly dear brother-in-law.
Grace and peace in Christ. I am sending you, dear Mr. D. and brother-in-law, your copy and transcript of the letter I wrote to my gracious lord, the Cardinal of Halle; which, if it pleases His Electoral Grace, I may well suffer to be spread by further transcription or printing; but not before my handwriting has been printed.
His Princely Grace, and you will know from His Princely Grace that it will please her when you come there.
And whether His Electoral Grace would say again, as I have heard before, why I do not take it, who tempts everyone to it? you shall answer that I still fear that I am not capable enough for it. However, if my marriage would be a strengthening for His Electoral Grace, I would like to be ready soon. His Electoral
to trot out princely graces as an example beforehand; since I otherwise have in mind, before I depart from this life, to let myself be found in the marriage state, which I consider demanded by God; and should it not be further than
be an engaged Joseph marriage. Hereby commanded to the dear God. Greetings to me from your Heva and her disciples.
On the evening of Pentecost, Anno 1525.
Martinus Luther.
Second letter of June 5, 1525.
To the Respectable and Esteemed Johann Rühel, the Right Doctor, my dear Lord and friendly brother-in-law.
Grace and peace in Christ. Dear Doctor! When your letter arrived, I had already prepared the letters to the Cardinal and to you, as you will find here, together with the copy as you requested. Since I think that you had better provide my letter so that it may become the Cardinal's own, I am sending it to you.
and please, hand him over, at first you can.
The messenger has also just arrived, since I had so much to preach and write that I could not deny everything. But in the meantime, so that he does not go away empty-handed, I am sending you a letter for the Alstädt castle owner, to the young gentleman; now I could no longer. Hereby commanded by God. At Wittenberg on Pentecost, Anno 1525. Martin Luther.
Several interpretations of the marriage state can be found in:
I. Part, 1. B. Mos., 2. Cap., § 169-193 u.
4th Cap., § 2-15.
I. Part, 1. B. Mos., 24. Cap., § 2-42, of the marriage state and betrothals, furthermore § 111-123, of the nature of marriage; as well as § 268-284, of the marriage state and of the female sex.
I. Part, 1. B. Mos., 25. Cap., § 1-29, of the second marriage of Abraham.
II. part, 1. b. Mos., 26. cap., § 100-122.
II. part, 1. B. Mos., 28. cap., § 1-25, of the marriage and betrothals, especially of Jacob.
II. part, 1. B. Mos., 37. chap., § 137-148, of the tasks in the household.
II. part, 1. b. Mos. 38. cap., § 91-93, of the celibacy.
III. part, first interpretation of the 10 commandments, 4. commandment, § 26-37, of the duty of the women against their husbands; as well as § 38-47, of the duty of the men.
III. part, sermon on Genesis, 1. cap., § 60-74, of conjugal life, celibacy and virginity.
XI. Part I, Sermon on the Second Sunday after the Epiphany, on the Consolation of Married Couples and the Honor of Marriage. Marriage.
XII. First wedding sermon on Hebr. 13, 4, 1st and 2nd impression.
XII. Part, ibid. Second wedding sermon on Eph. 5, 22. ff., about the high honor of the marriage state, under the image of the spiritual union of Christ with His church.
XIIIa&b. Theil, Predigt am 2. Sonnt, nach Epiph., eine Lehre von dem Ehestand.
XIII Part, Festive Part, a wedding sermon on the state of marriage; as well as the subsequent Short Exhortation to the Married Couples.
XXII. part, cap. 43, 8vd tit. of the marriage state.
Preface to M. Joh. Freder's Dialog zu Ehren des Ehestandes; to be found among the prefaces.
Furthermore, in Dogm.-Polem, contra Pontii, Sect. lit. O., the beautiful preface by Luther to L. Klingbeil's booklet on priestly marriage from 1528; the exhortation to the German religious to avoid false chastity and to resort to proper marital chastity, Wittenberg, March 28, 1523; as well as the same under P. Luther's writings Against the monastic vows and monastic life held so steadfastly in the papacy. As well as other writings on this subject, especially Against the Papal Prohibition in this matter.