The writer's thoughts on the married estate.

The Hundred and Twelfth Letter.

The writer's thoughts on the married estate.

N. N.

In the matter of the married estate I am unpracticed: Of the same I have no particular insight and opening; yet since it is desired, I will try, in a few short sentences, to set forth my sense and opinion thereof, according to the holy Scripture.

In general Paul's expression 1 Cor. 7:38 decides this matter. He who marries does not sin, but he does well: But he who remains single does better. Thus the matter stands, when all the rest stands equal in the balance.

Yet there can also well be several cases and circumstances, besides those (1 Cor. 7:2, 39 and 1 Tim. 5:14 indicated), where one must reverse it and say: It is better to marry. For the Better also does not lie alone and chiefly in the outer estate. A humble fighter or fightress in the married estate are better before God, than a proud one who in the single estate does not keep his vessel of the body in sanctification and honor. 1 Thess. 4:4.

After we have gone out of Paradise, we must help ourselves with an almost animal body of humiliation (Phil. 3:21) until our feast-garments (2 Cor. 5:2, 3, 5) are ready; with animal labor, eating, drinking, sleeping, &c., with none of which it goes so blamelessly; and the present manner of propagation participates still more of misery and corruption, else the law of circumcision would not have been instituted, and we would not be conceived and born in sins. Yet it can now be not otherwise.

Health is surely better than sickness, perfection better than frailty: Yet since both are lacking to us, we should not carry ourselves high, but glorify the gracious long-suffering condescension of God, who bears and overlooks our frailty, yes even uses it as a remedy, to lead us by the same by degrees on to greater perfection. The remedy is a gift of God; to use such is good; but who uses it at the wrong time and too much, to him it is harmful; and when one has no need of such, that is still better.

We have through the Fall of sin fallen out of an angelic Paradise-estate into an impure animal condition of body and mind. Our great Restorer will yet with gain bring us again into the lost glory; but it does not go after our head and with a high leap, but through necessary trials, humiliations and dying, until we step by step become out of animals men, out of men saints, and out of saints again angels.

None of us has cause to make much of his inheritance from Adam: Yet to the one these, to the other those properties and ill manners of body or also of mind are inherited, which are not all to be lifted in the same way, and by one and the same particular remedies, although the general soul-cure is needful to all and every one and is one and the same.

Also not all graced souls have one and the same measure of light, of faith, of power, and of the particular election and destination. With the one it goes without noticeable harm, yes cheerfully and quietly, what would cause another much mind-unrest, confusion and harm. Who will give general rules there, save only this: Let each one prove his calling and faith in the light of God, and abide in that wherein he is called, with God! (1 Cor. 7:17, 20 and 24) but judge not another. And under this condition, namely that each one prove his calling in God's light, the Holy Spirit does indeed leave it free to graced souls to choose what each one for himself judges most serviceable and well-pleasing to God, either to remain single, or to become married.

When the Apostle 1 Cor. 7:7 says: Every man has his proper gift of God; one after this manner, and another after that; he does not thereby aim at nature-gifts, as if every one whose temperament did not as it were inspire chastity into him must necessarily marry; but he will say: The one trusts himself, with God's help, to hold out in the single estate with the Lord. He that can receive it, let him receive it! Matt. 19:12. But since I well know, the Apostle will say, that not all receive this word, but many a one who perhaps in other points proves his fidelity and faith thinks it would not suit him; well! he may in God's name become married; he does not sin.

Among the three kinds of eunuchs of whom the Savior Matt. 19:12 makes mention, I know not whether one can reckon both the former kinds among the chaste? But the others, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake, such are with ground to be called chaste. They were not so born; their temperament did not bring it so with it. Grace and a noble drive of faith animated them to this chaste combat. Wisd. 4:2.

The married estate itself is very different according to the condition of the persons who enter and lead such. To the pure all things are pure; but to the unbelieving both their mind and conscience are impure. Tit. 1:15. Marriages stand indeed in general under God's permitting direction; but not all marriages are made in heaven. A truly holy married estate, as nowadays all are called, may well be very rare; yet there are also differences therein. In the mutual love and fidelity of two hearts rightly bound in the Lord there is in truth a precious fair and good thing laid in this pilgrimage, and in itself it is not displeasing to God, but a holy mystery.

Meanwhile Christian married people will also resign themselves, 1) that their estate stands under divine sparing (1 Cor. 7:28) 2) that therewith the tribulations are needful to them for custody and purifying; (ibid.) and finally 3) that it is an estate which does not go along into that world, but with this world's course also takes its end. Matt. 22:30.

German

Der hundertundzwölfte Brief.

Des Schreibers Gedanken vom Ehestand.

N. N. In der Materie vom Ehestand bin ich ungeübt: Von derselben habe ich keine besondere Einsicht und Eröfnung; da mans aber doch verlanget, so will ich versuchen, in einigen kurzen Sätzen meinen Sinn und Meynung davon, nach der heiligen Schrift, darzulegen.

— Opening lines of the original German. The complete transcription of all 605 letters appears in the forthcoming Encounter Press critical edition; Brief 1 is shown in full as a sample.

German text: public domain (1773–75 first edition / 1845 Gesammelte Schriften).