Before the assembled representatives of the Church and of the German nation the following statements were read in Article XXIII of the Augsburg Confession:  “There has been common complaint concerning the examples of priests who were not chaste.  For that reason, also, Pope Pius is reported to have said that there were certain reasons why marriage was taken away from priests, but that there were far weightier ones why it ought to be given back; for so Platina writes.  Since, therefore, our priests were desirous to avoid these open scandals, they married wives, and taught that it was lawful for them to contract matrimony.  First, because Paul says (1 Cor. 7, 2):  ’To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife.’  Also (9):  ’It is better to marry than to burn.’  Secondly, Christ says (Matt. 19, 11):  ’All men cannot receive this saying,’ where He teaches that not all men are fit to lead a single life; for God created man for procreation (Gen. 1, 23).  Nor is it in man’s power, without a singular gift and work of God, to alter this creation.  Therefore, those that are not fit to lead a single life ought to contract matrimony.  For no man’s law, no vow, can annul the commandment and ordinance of God.  For these reasons the priests teach that it is lawful for them to marry wives.  It is also evident that in the ancient Church priests were married men.  For Paul says (1 Tim. 3, 2) that a bishop should be the husband of one wife.  And in Germany, four hundred years ago for the first time, the priests were violently compelled to lead a single life, who indeed offered such resistance that the Archbishop of Mayence, when about to publish the Pope’s decree concerning this matter, was almost killed in the tumult raised by the enraged priests.  And so harsh was the dealing in the matter that not only were marriages forbidden for the time to come, but also existing marriages were torn asunder, contrary to all laws, divine and human, contrary even to the canons themselves, made not only by the Popes, but by most celebrated councils.

“Seeing also that, as the world is aging, man’s nature is gradually growing weaker, it is well to guard that no more vices steal into Germany.  Furthermore, God ordained marriage to be a help against human infirmity.  The old canons themselves say that the old rigor ought now and then, in the latter times, to be relaxed because of the weakness of men; which, it is to be devoutly wished, were also done in this matter.  And it is to be expected that the churches shall at length lack pastors, if marriage should any longer be forbidden.

“But while the commandment of God is in force, while the custom of the Church is well known, while impure celibacy causes many scandals, adulteries, and other crimes deserving the punishments of just magistrates, yet it is a marvelous thing that in nothing is more cruelty exercised than against the marriage of priests.  God has given commandment to honor marriage.  By the laws of all well-ordered commonwealths, even among the heathen, marriage is most highly honored.  But now men, and also priests, are cruelly put to death, contrary to the intent of the canons, for no other cause than marriage.  Paul (in 1 Tim. 4, 3) calls that a doctrine of devils which forbids marriage.  This may now be readily understood when the law against marriage is maintained by such penalties.