Luther testifies to his satisfaction with a writing sent to him and states his opinion about old pastors who kept housekeepers.
Handwritten in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 464, printed in Schütze, vol. III, p. 223 and in De Wette, vol. V, p. 751.
To the reverend Father in Christ and noble Prince, Lord George, the right and faithful Bishop of the Church of Merseburg, Prince of Anhalt, Count of Ascanien and Lord of Bernburg, his especially gracious Lord.
Grace and peace in the Lord! I have, most noble Prince and reverend
Letters from the year 1545. No. 3244. 3245.
Superior, I have read the booklet that was sent to me, and I have read it with great pleasure. I like it all very much, and praise be to the Lord who has begun this good work in E. F. G., and I pray that he will continue the so wholesome beginning of his blessing. F. G., and I pray that he will multiply and increase the so salutary beginning of his blessing, amen. And it does not take place that E. F. G. should desire anything from me, either by consulting or by asking, The Lord Himself is present and will assist with greater and richer grace than that it should be necessary to expect anything from me, an arid barren man, who himself has nothing (pumice).
About the other matter, which only the servant presented orally, about old and infirm concubine keepers, I think so, that we can neither allow nor permit fornication nor any future sin; if, however, they are so old that one can have hope to them that the evil lust with the flesh is gone and dead, so that they have these their old wives only to dwell with them and for domestic service, they could be admitted to them in such case, although such would not be admitted without danger, since the forbidding law (as Rom. 5 and 6 fund 7]1) ) also incites dead sin; but having received from them the promise of safety (cautione), we can leave all this danger on their head, and are excused by the fact that we have warned them, and have indulged their need alone by believing their promise and assurance given. Love does not sin when it believes everything and assumes the best from the brothers, especially since we are helped to this easy belief 2) by the very probable inability and the long-satisfied pleasure. In the case of the strong and those in danger, our love warns us sufficiently that we should not trust them. Here E. F. G. has my thoughts, but the Lord will give better. May E.F.G. be well, amen. On the day of St. Magdalene [July 22] 1545.
E. F. G. devoted
1) Added by us because of Rom. 7, 9.
2) Instead of crudelitatem, read credulitatem.
No. 3245.