First of all, it is certain that according to Christian law, that is, according to the law of love and the Spirit, both the bachelor and the maid must consent, as the example of Rebekah shows, who was asked whether she would give her will and consent to this? Gen. 24, 28. And the parents
Simsons yielded to the will of their son, Book of Judges, Cap. 14, 1. 2. ff.
Although it is true that whichever of the two parties, be it the maid or the journeyman, allows himself to be compelled and does not confess the compulsion or publicly testify when the marriage is to be consummated, sins. Therefore it is
sure that the journeyman's conscience is free and safe before God, if it can be proven that the maid did not give her consent; he may therefore leave her and hire another.
For Adam also did not receive his Eve against his will and by force, but since no helper was found like him before, he took the woman, as soon as God brought her to him, with free will and said: "This is the leg of my legs. Gen. 2, 22. 23. Also, God did not bring and lead Eve to Adam by force, but pointed her out to him after he had created her, and she adhered to the man because God wanted it that way, as the Scripture says: "God brought her to Adam."
On the other hand: according to Mosaic law,
according to which the children are subject to the unlimited power of the father or his representative, the child must marry the one whom the father wants.
Therefore, in the present case, my advice would be, if the bachelor were refused the bride, whether the virgin did not want to consent according to Protestant law, or whether the parents force the daughter by force not to consent: let it happen; for in the first case the conscience of the bachelor is free according to Christian law; but in the second case it is free according to the same law for the sake of force, because one should give way to force, Matth. 5, 37, and the consciences of those who refuse it must be burdened with it. 1524.
Martin Luther.