# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1878_S40
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 40 —

Thesis 5.

Since those who wish to enter a marriage with a deceased wife's sister (*Schwagerehe*) must admit, in the face of the above proofs, that they lack a clear word of God to show that this marriage does not belong among the forbidden ones, those also who cannot yet be convinced that such a marriage is forbidden in Leviticus 18 and 20 should nevertheless abstain from it, since what is done in doubt, and therefore does not proceed from faith, is sin according to Romans 14:23.

For this the following testimonies were read:

Luther: "If a priest, monk or nun cannot abstain, but has a desire for married life, he or she may freely marry, so that consciences may be helped, and one shall make no commandment or prohibition for them in this. But you must see to it that you are armed and harnessed so that you can stand before God and before the world, when you are challenged on this account, especially in dying and on the deathbed, before the devil. It is not enough that you would say: So-and-so has done it; my neighbor eats meat on Friday, therefore I too have eaten it; everyone does so now, therefore I do it too; I have followed the common crowd; and whatever more there is of inconstant, unfounded words. That you would say: This or that preacher has preached it, does not count either, does not hold water; the devil does not care about that either. Yes, if you are not more certain and better armed than with such a weak harness, you have already lost. In this case everyone must stand for himself and be armed in the strongest way to fight against the devil. You must ground yourself on a bright, clear, strong saying of Scripture, by which you can then stand. For if you do not have such a saying, it is not possible that you could stand; the devil snatches you away, as the wind snatches away a dry leaf." (Third Sermon against Carlstadt's innovations, in the year 1522. XX, 27.)

Luther wrote in the year 1522 to Christoph Jörgow: "Where your conscience is uneasy and uncertain, there seek, wherever you can, that you may turn more and more from such unrest, which strives against faith (which is to make a sure, firm conscience). . . . If your conscience murmurs after you have recognized the truth, this will be as much as to deny the truth, as Paul says to the Romans in chapter 14: Whoever acts against his conscience is condemned, or, as his words read: Whatever is not of faith is sin." (de Wette, IV, 496.)

Spener: "As this now is the first foundation, so there follows next to it the second: that, where the matter is also in some measure doubtful, conscience requires that one must always choose the safest way, in which it is certain that one does not sin. It reads