Preface by Martini Luther.
1. everything that is God's work and word must be challenged and defiled by the devil and his world, whether great or small, so that where God is not with the same
Force, so that he created everything, would receive both his word and work, it would all soon perish and come to ruins, because the devil can not stand it.
2 So it has also gone, and still goes
*The book of Joh. Brenz, to which Luther wrote this preface, has the title: "Wie yn Ehesachen, vnd jn den filen, so sich derhalben zu tragen, nach Gütlichen billichen Rechten, Christenlich zu handeln sey. Johan. Brentius. With a preface by Mart. Luther." 34 quarto leaves. At the end: "Gedruckt zu Wittemberg durch Georgen Rhaw. M.D.XXXI." The same together with the preface has also been translated into Latin. The preface is found: in the Wittenberger (1569), vol. IX, p. 555 b; in the Jenaer (1566), vol. V, p. 324 b; in the Altenburger, vol. V, p. 383; in the Leipziger, vol. XXII, appendix, p. 103 and in the Erlanger, vol. 63, p. 305.
He is always devoted to the divine work and creature that we call the marriage state. How reluctantly he lets men come into it! How he resists with fornication and other carnal vices! But even more reluctantly he lets people stay inside. How he has to do here with all his angels (as if he had nothing else to do on earth), how he makes man and woman divided, drives them apart, tears them apart with adultery and murder, or, if they will not or cannot run away from each other, he makes such a miserable life out of it that it might well be called a hell, in which the husband is the wife and the wife the husband's devil.
(3) Above this, he made the matter of marriage much worse through the pope. First of all, he condemned it as a state in which one could not serve God, which is why he made the celibate spiritual state a service to God, so that the married state, God's work and highly blessed creature, had to stink, be nothing, and be considered a disgrace compared to the great, glorious honor of the chaste celibate clergy. Although God smelled such disgrace of his creature, and paid the celibates honestly, blinded them and pushed them to the point that Sodoma and Gomorrah seem to be holy compared to their impudent, abominable, blasphemous whore life and boy life. And it was right for them, because they knew that it was a work of God, and yet did not praise nor honor, but condemned and blasphemed, he gave them uprightly in a wrong mind, so that nothing could please them but the most shameful custom and lust of the flesh, and they received their reward in their own bodies, as it was due [Rom. 1:24 ff].
Secondly, that he has confused marriage with such cords of his laws that no one can get behind him or in front of him. He divorces spouses for adultery, but does not allow them to change. Forces to chastity a man from whom his wife has run away without cause. He confirms the secret vows, bequeaths the degrees, and sells them again; and all in all, he has never been serious in this matter, but plays with it according to his liking, makes laws as much as he wants to trick the others with, but he judges without law, according to his own will.
no conceit. But it is all the devil's trumpery, who would gladly deny even the earth, air and water to the marriage state. Thus marriage in the papacy stands on one side condemned and forbidden, as in the case of the spiritless; on the other side permitted, as in the case of the secular, but still so confused with laws, cords, consciences, and rulings that it is almost as much as a forbidden thing, or at least as a dangerous monster.
Now, without this, marriage is sufficiently confused by the devil's business, and strange, whimsical cases occur within it, that it would not be necessary to first help with dangerous laws and erroneous judgments, but rather it would be necessary to have certain and safe laws in such large, extensive trade, so that one does not create even more unnecessary danger and confusion, but that those who commit too much of their own could pay for it as quickly and as quickly as possible. For it is impossible that one should make laws for all cases, if new cases arise daily. But this could happen, that no law would be made nor tolerated, which would confuse the conscience without cause, or would push into danger of unchastity without cause, as the Pope's laws do a lot.
Accordingly, I like the secular laws much better than the more correct ones, and they do not give so many ropes and causes for some erroneous cases and care. And whoever takes or has a legitimate wife according to such laws, a priest can say and judge with a happy heart that he has it with a good conscience, with God and honor. For the gospel teaches us to honor and keep worldly rights wherever we are or wherever we go, as Paul clearly says in Romans 13:1: "The authorities, which are everywhere, are ordered by God, and everyone should be subject to his authorities. But you will find all this and much more in this fine booklet, which has been compiled from the laws with great diligence.
7 But see to it that you are also grateful for such knowledge, and do not seek carnal freedom as a cover of shame. For many have now become so ungrateful, and seek their will to be brave under the freedom and achievement of the flesh.
They know the truth, that they are not only worthy to be under the pope's laws and to torture themselves, but they should live under the devil's laws. To such also the 1) Gospel does not apply, to such also one does not write, to such also one does not allow any freedom of the Gospel. But if they take it themselves and use it for their will, the devil will certainly bless them. For it is written: "God will not leave unpunished the one who abuses His name" [Exodus 20:7, Leviticus 24:16].
8. but a devout, grateful heart, recognizing God's gifts, can rejoice when
1) "that" is missing in the Erlanger.
It knows that his conjugal spouse and marriage fei a divine gift and gift, by the imperial rights added and given to him to own, that 2) he can use and enjoy in God's grace and pleasure, which an ungrateful and carnal heart can never do, but is the devil's sow, who wallow and graze in such divine works and gifts, as in a mud and dung. But may God, who has enlightened us through His holy Word, also strengthen us and keep us in the same, whom we may praise and thank from our hearts forever for His unspeakable gifts and goods. Amen.
2) Walch and the Erlangers: that.