Luther praises Lang's disputation on secret betrothals and declares the necessity of enjoying Holy Communion from time to time.
Handwritten in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 464. Printed in De Wette, vol. V, p. 747. From an alleged original (privately owned), which offers a poor German translation, printed in Theologische Nachrichten, August 1820, p. 355 and in De Wette, vol. V, p. 748 and in the Erlanger Ausgabe, vol. 56, p. 137.
1) Luther has here the words of an old hymn: Sine cujus Numine Nihil est in homine, Nihil est innoxium.
Letters from the year 1545. No. 3239. 3240.
Grace and peace in Christ! My dearest Lang, your disputation on the secret betrothal has been very pleasant to me, not only because you are of the same opinion with us in this matter, but also because I would have liked to have heard long ago that it is believed throughout the world that your school agrees with ours, which will undoubtedly grieve the papists, since up to now nothing has come from you that testifies to the nature of your school. Now, even as you stand out alone, they will fear that all are like you. Hail to you, men, for the new virtue! so you go to heaven,
As to the other question, I judge that your institution is quite reasonable, that those who want to be Christians should testify at least once a year that they acknowledge Christ, although it is proper that this should be done throughout life. But those who claim that this is not necessary for them, and they do not feel the necessity, confess by this very fact that they are tired of grace and are disgusted with your manna, are completely dead in themselves, and have long since returned to the pots of Egypt. Therefore they are to be considered unbelievers. Others, who say that strife is pending, give no due cause, since we are required to be ready to die at any hour; what would they do if they should die at that hour? Matters of strife may be left in abeyance, but my soul must not be without faith, without the Word, without Christ. For by the same token, they might say they could not believe, hear the Word, have Christ, because they were involved in strife. Therefore, they may deny Christ, abandon the Word, refrain from believing, because all this is equally prevented by the quarrels. Why do they not act in this way? They may let the rights of the parties or the things dispute, but themselves calmly and willingly bear which of the two the verdict is favorable. I also have a dispute with the papists, and in these years there has even been a case pending before the prince with the jurists, but I have not been moved by it.
and communicated very often, I was also prepared to deviate from my position if the verdict had been passed against me. You have my opinion, but you can add much according to your gifts. Fare well in Christ and pray for me, who am a corpse. On the 14th day of July, Anno 1545, your Martin Luther.
No. 3240.