perish　in　misfortune。
  It　is　just　as　if　I　saw　some　one　navigating　and　laboring　in　deep　water
  ＇and　struggling　against　adverse　winds＇　or　one　fallen　into　fire；　and
  could　extend　to　him　the　hand　to　pull　him　out　and　save　him；　and　yet
  refused　to　do　it。　What　else　would　I　appear；　even　in　the　eyes　of　the
  world；　than　as　a　murderer　and　a　criminal？
  Therefore　it　is　God's　ultimate　purpose　that　we　suffer　harm　to　befall　no
  man；　but　show　him　all　good　and　love；　and；　as　we　have　said　it　is
  specially　directed　toward　those　who　are　our　enemies。　For　to　do　good　to
  our　friends　is　but　an　ordinary　heathen　virtue　as　Christ　says　Matt。　5；
  46。
  Here　we　have　again　the　Word　of　God　whereby　He　would　encourage　and　urge
  us　to　true　noble　and　sublime　works；　as　gentleness　patience；　and；　in
  short；　love　and　kindness　to　our　enemies；　and　would　ever　remind　us　to
  reflect　upon　the　First　Commandment；　that　He　is　our　God；　that　is；　that
  He　will　help；　assist；　and　protect　us；　in　order　that　He　may　thus　quench
  the　desire　of　revenge　in　us。
  This　we　ought　to　practice　and　inculcate　and　we　would　have　our　hands
  full　doing　good　works。　But　this　would　not　be　preaching　for　monks；　it
  would　greatly　detract　from　the　religious　estate；　and　infringe　upon　the
  sanctity　of　Carthusians；　and　would　even　be　regarded　as　forbidding　good
  works　and　clearing　the　convents。　For　in　this　wise　the　ordinary　state　of
  Christians　would　be　considered　just　as　worthy；　and　even　worthier；　and
  everybody　would　see　how　they　mock　and　delude　the　world　with　a　false；
  hypocritical　show　of　holiness；　because　they　have　given　this　and　other
  commandments　to　the　winds；　and　have　esteemed　them　unnecessary；　as
  though　they　were　not　commandments　but　mere　counsels；　and　have　at　the
  same　time　shamelessly　proclaimed　and　boasted　their　hypocritical　estate
  and　works　as　the　most　perfect　life；　in　order　that　they　might　lead　a
  pleasant；　easy　life；　without　the　cross　and　without　patience；　for　which
  reason；　too；　they　have　resorted　to　the　cloisters；　so　that　they　might
  not　be　obliged　to　suffer　any　wrong　from　any　one　or　to　do　him　any　good。
  But　know　now　that　these　are　the　true；　holy；　and　godly　works；　in　which；
  with　all　the　angels　He　rejoices；　in　comparison　with　which　all　human
  holiness　is　but　stench　and　filth；　and　besides；　deserves　nothing　but
  wrath　and　damnation。
  The　Sixth　Commandment。
  Thou　shalt　not　commit　adultery。
  These　commandments　now　＇that　follow＇　are　easily　understood　from　＇the
  explanation　of＇　the　preceding；　for　they　are　all　to　the　effect　that　we
  ＇be　careful　to＇　avoid　doing　any　kind　of　injury　to　our　neighbor。　But
  they　are　arranged　in　fine　＇elegant＇　order。　In　the　first　place；　they
  treat　of　his　own　person。　Then　they　proceed　to　the　person　nearest　him；
  or　the　closest　possession　next　after　his　body　namely；　his　wife；　who　is
  one　flesh　and　blood　with　him；　so　that　we　cannot　inflict　a　higher　injury
  upon　him　in　any　good　that　is　his。　Therefore　it　is　explicitly　forbidden
  here　to　bring　any　disgrace　upon　him　in　respect　to　his　wife。　And　it
  really　aims　at　adultery；　because　among　the　Jews　it　was　ordained　and
  commanded　that　every　one　must　be　married。　Therefore　also　the　young　were
  early　provided　for　＇married＇；　so　that　the　virgin　state　was　held　in
  small　esteem；　neither　were　public　prostitution　and　lewdness　tolerated
  （as　now）。　Therefore　adultery　was　the　most　common　form　of　unchastity
  among　them。
  But　because　among　us　there　is　such　a　shameful　mess　and　the　very　dregs
  of　all　vice　and　lewdness；　this　commandment　is　directed　also　against　all
  manner　of　unchastity；　whatever　it　may　be　called；　and　not　only　is　the
  external　act　forbidden；　but　also　every　kind　of　cause；　incitement；　and
  means；　so　that　the　heart；　the　lips；　and　the　whole　body　may　be　chaste
  and　afford　no　opportunity；　help；　or　persuasion　to　unchastity。　And　not
  only　this；　but　that　we　also　make　resistance；　afford　protection　and
  rescue　wherever　there　is　danger　and　need；　and　again；　that　we　give　help
  and　counsel；　so　as　to　maintain　our　neighbor's　honor。　For　whenever　you
  omit　this　when　you　could　make　resistance；　or　connive　at　it　as　if　it　did
  not　concern　you；　you　are　as　truly　guilty　as　the　one　perpetrating　the
  deed。　Thus；　to　state　it　in　the　briefest　manner；　there　is　required　this
  much；　that　every　one　both　live　chastely　himself　and　help　his　neighbor
  do　the　same；　so　that　God　by　this　commandment　wishes　to　hedge　round
  about　and　protect　＇as　with　a　rampart＇　every　spouse　that　no　one　trespass
  against　them。
  But　since　this　commandment　is　aimed　directly　at　the　state　of　matrimony
  and　gives　occasion　to　speak　of　the　same；　you　must　well　understand　and
  mark；　first；　how　gloriously　God　honors　and　extols　this　estate；　inasmuch
  as　by　His　commandment　He　both　sanctions　and　guards　it。　He　has
  sanctioned　it　above　in　the　Fourth　Commandment：　Honor　thy　father　and　thy
  mother；　but　here　He　has　（as　we　said　）　hedged　it　about　and　protected　it。
  Therefore　He　also　wishes　us　to　honor　it；　and　to　maintain　and　conduct　it
  as　a　divine　and　blessed　estate；　because；　in　the　first　place；　He　has
  instituted　it　before　all　others；　and　therefore　created　man　and　woman
  separately　（as　is　evident）；　not　for　lewdness；　but　that　they　should
  ＇legitimately＇　live　together；　be　fruitful；　beget　children；　and　nourish
  and　train　them　to　the　honor　of　God。
  Therefore　God　has　also　most　richly　blessed　this　estate　above　all
  others；　and；　in　addition；　has　bestowed　on　it　and　wrapped　up　in　it
  everything　in　the　world；　to　the　end　that　this　estate　might　be　well　and
  richly　provided　for。　Married　life　is　therefore　no　jest　or　presumption；
  but　it　is　an　excellent　thing　and　a　matter　of　divine　seriousness。　For　it
  is　of　the　highest　importance　to　Him　that　persons　be　raised　who　may
  serve　the　world　and　promote　the　knowledge　of　God；　godly　living；　and　all
  virtues；　to　fight　against　wickedness　and　the　devil。
  Therefore　I　have　always　taught　that　this　estate　should　not　be　despised
  nor　held　in　disrepute；　as　is　done　by　the　blind　world　and　our　false
  ecclesiastics；　but　that　it　be　regarded　according　to　God's　Word；　by
  which　it　is　adorned　and　sanctified；　so　that　it　is　not　only　placed　on　an
  equality　with　other　estates；　but　that　it　precedes　and　surpasses　them
  all；　whether　they　be　that　of　emperor；　princes；　bishops；　or　whoever　they
  please。　For　both　ecclesiastical　and　civil　estates　must　humble
  themselves　and　all　be　found　in　this　estate　as　we　shall　hear。　Therefore
  it　is　not　a　peculiar　estate；　but　the　most　common　and　noblest　estate；
  which　pervades　all　Christendom；　yea　which　extends　through　all　the
  world。
  In　the　second　place；　you　must　know　also　that　it　is　not　only　an
  honorable；　but　also　a　necessary　state；　and　it　is　solemnly　commanded　by
  God　that；　in　general；　in　all　conditions；　men　and　women；　who　were
  created　for　it；　shall　be　found　in　this　estate；　yet　with　some　exceptions
  （although　few）　whom　God　has　especially　excepted；　so　that　they　are　not
  fit　for　the　married　estate；　or　whom　He　has　released　by　a　high；
  supernatural　gift　that　they　can　maintain　chastity　without　this　estate。
  For　where　nature　has　its　course；　as　it　is　implanted　by　God；　it　is　not
  possible　to　remain　chaste　without　marriage。　For　flesh　and　blood　remain
  flesh　and　blood；　and　the　natural　inclination　and　excitement　have　their
  course　without　let　or　hindrance；　as　everybody　sees　and　feels。　In
  order；　therefore；　that　it　may　be　the　more　easy　in　some　degree　to　avoid
  unchastity；　God　has　commanded　the　estate　of　matrimony；　that　every　one
  may　have　his　proper　portion　and　be　satisfied　therewith；　although　God's
  grace　besides　is　required　in　order　that　the　heart　also　may　be　pure。
  From　this　you　see　how　this　popish　rabble；　priests；　monks；　and　nuns；
  resist　God's　order　and　commandment；　inasmuch　as　they　despise　and　forbid
  matrimony；　and　presume　and　vow　to　maintain　perpetual　chastity；　and；
  besides；　deceive　the　simple…minded　with　lying　words　and　appearances
  ＇impostures＇。　For　no　one　has　so　little　love　and　inclination　to　chastity
  as　just　those　who　because　of　great　sanctity　avoid　marriage；　and　either
  indulge　in　open　and　shameless　prostitution；　or　secretly　do　even　worse；
  so　that　one　dare　not　speak　of　it；　as　has；　alas！　been　learned　too　fully。
  And；　in　short；　even　though　they　abstain　from　the　act；　their　hearts　are
  so　full　of　unchaste　thoughts　and　evil　lusts　that　there　is　a　continual
  burning　and　secret　suffering；　which　can　be　avoided　in　the　married　life。
  Therefore　all　vows　of　chastity　out　of　the　married　state　are　condemned
  by　this　commandment；　and　free　permission　is　granted；　yea；　even　the
  command　is　given；　to　all　poor　ensnared　consciences　which　have　been
  deceived　by　their　monastic　vows　to　abandon　the　unchaste　state　and　enter
  the　married　life；　considering　that　even　if　the　monastic　life　were
  godly；　it　would　nevertheless　not　be　in　their　power　to　maintain
  chastity；　and　if　they　remain　in　it；　they　must　only　sin　more　and　more
  against　this　commandment。
  Now；　I　speak　of　this　in　order　that　the　young　may　be　so　guided　that　they
  conceive　a　liking　for　the　married　estate；　and　know　that　it　is　a　blessed
  estate　and　pleasing　to　God。　For　in　this　way　we　might　in　the　course　of
  time　bring　it　about　that　married　life　be　restored　to　honor；　and　that
  there　might　be　less　of　the　filthy；　dissolute；　disorderly　doings　which
  now　run　riot　the　world　over　in　open　prostitution　and　other　shameful
  vices