MarLln LuLher | 1be Cetmoo Moss ooJ OtJet of ulvloe 5etvlce | page 1

THE GERMAN MASS AND ORDER OF DIVINE SERVICE

MARTI N LUTHER
JANUARY, 1526
kldd ed uocumenLs lllusLraLlve of Lhe ConLlnenLal 8eformaLlon
(Cxford Clarendon ress 1911) 193202
1hls LexL ls ln Lhe publlc domaln
1. THE PREFACE OF MARTIN LUTHER
Above all Lhlngs l mosL affecLlonaLely and for Cods sake
beseech all who see or deslre Lo observe Lhls our Crder of
ulvlne Servlce on no accounL Lo make of lL a compulsory
law or Lo ensnare or make capLlve Lhereby any mans
consclence buL Lo use lL agreeably Lo ChrlsLlan llberLy aL
Lhelr good pleasure as where when and so long as
clrcumsLances favour and demand lL Moreover we would
noL have our meanlng Laken Lo be LhaL we deslre Lo rule
or by law Lo compel any one Meanwhlle Lhere ls on
every slde greaL pressure Lowards a Cerman Mass and
Crder of ulvlne Servlce and Lhere ls greaL complalnL and
offence abouL Lhe dlfferenL klnds of new Masses LhaL
every one makes hls own some wlLh a good lnLenLlon and
oLhers ouL of concelL Lo lnLroduce someLhlng new
Lhemselves and Lo make a good show among oLhers and
noL be bad masLers As Lhen always happens wlLh ChrlsLlan
llberLy few use lL for anyLhlng else Lhan Lhelr own
pleasure or proflL and noL for Cods honour and Lhe good
of Lhelr nelghbour Whlle however every man ls bound
on hls consclence ln llke manner as he uses such llberLy
hlmself noL Lo hlnder nor forbld lL Lo any one else we
musL also Lake care LhaL llberLy be servanL Lo love and Lo
our nelghbour Where Lhen lL happens LhaL men are
offended or perplexed aL such dlverslLy of use we are Lruly
bound Lo puL llmlLs Lo llberLy and so far as posslble Lo
endeavour LhaL Lhe people are beLLered by whaL we do
and noL offended Slnce Lhen ln Lhese maLLers of ouLward
ordlnance noLhlng ls lald upon us as maLLer of consclence
before Cod and yeL such ordlnance can be of use Lo our
nelghbour we oughL ln love as SL aul Leaches Lo
endeavour Lo be of one and Lhe same mlnd and Lo Lhe
besL of our power of llke ways and fashlon [usL as all
ChrlsLlans have one bapLlsm and one sacramenL and no
one has a speclal one glven hlm of Cod
SLlll l do noL wlsh hereby Lo demand LhaL Lhose who
already have a good Crder or by Cods grace can make a
beLLer should leL lL go and yleld Lo us nor ls lL my
meanlng LhaL Lhe whole of Cermany should have Lo adopL
forLhwlLh our WlLLenberg Crder lL never was Lhe case LhaL
Lhe mlnlsLers convenLs and parlshes were allke ln
everyLhlng uL lL would be a grand Lhlng lf ln every
several lordshlp ulvlne Servlce were conducLed ln one
fashlon and Lhe nelghbourlng llLLle Lownshlps and vlllages
[olned ln Lhe cry wlLh one clLy WheLher ln oLher lordshlps
Lhey should do Lhe same or someLhlng dlfferenL should be
lefL free and wlLhouL penalLy ln flne we lnsLlLuLe Lhls
Crder noL for Lhe sake of Lhose who are ChrlsLlans already
lor Lhey have need of none of Lhese Lhlngs (for whlch
Lhlngs sake man does noL llve buL Lhey llve for Lhe sake of
us who are noL yeL ChrlsLlans LhaL Lhey may make us
ChrlsLlans) Lhey have Lhelr ulvlne Servlce ln Lhelr splrlLs
uL lL ls necessary Lo have such an Crder for Lhe sake of
Lhose who are Lo become ChrlsLlans or are Lo grow
sLronger [usL as a ChrlsLlan has need of bapLlsm Lhe word
and Lhe sacramenL noL as a ChrlsLlan (for as such he has
Lhem already) buL as a slnner uL above all Lhe Crder ls
for Lhe slmple and for Lhe young folk who musL dally be
exerclsed ln Lhe ScrlpLure and Cods Word Lo Lhe end LhaL
Lhey may become conversanL wlLh ScrlpLure and experL ln
lLs use ready and skllful ln glvlng an answer for Lhelr falLh
and able ln Llme Lo Leach oLhers and ald ln Lhe
advancemenL of Lhe klngdom of ChrlsL lor Lhe sake of
such we musL read slng preach wrlLe and compose and
lf lL could ln any wlse help or promoLe Lhelr lnLeresLs l
would have all Lhe bells peallng and all Lhe organs playlng
and everyLhlng maklng a nolse LhaL could 1he oplsh
ulvlne Servlces are Lo be condemned for Lhls reason LhaL
Lhey have made of Lhem laws work and merlL and so
have depressed falLh And Lhey do noL dlrecL Lhem
Lowards Lhe young and slmple Lo pracLlse Lhem Lhereby ln
Lhe ScrlpLure and Word of Cod buL Lhey are Lhemselves
sLuck fasL ln Lhem and hold Lhem as Lhlngs useful and
necessary Lo salvaLlon and LhaL ls Lhe devll lor ln Lhls
wlse Lhe anclenLs have nelLher ordered nor lmposed Lhem
now Lhere are Lhree dlfferenL klnds of ulvlne Servlce
l 1he flrsL ln LaLln whlch we publlshed laLely called Lhe
lormula Mlssae 1hls l do noL wanL Lo have seL aslde or
changed buL as we have hlLherLo kepL lL so should we be
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sLlll free Lo use lL where and when we please or as
occaslon requlres l do noL wanL ln anywlse Lo leL Lhe LaLln
Longue dlsappear ouL of ulvlne Servlce for l am so deeply
concerned for Lhe young lf lL lay ln my power and Lhe
Creek and Pebrew Longues were as famlllar Lo us as Lhe
LaLln and possessed as greaL a sLore of flne muslc and
song as Lhe LaLln does Mass should be held and Lhere
should be slnglng and readlng on alLernaLe Sundays ln all
four languagesCerman LaLln Creek and Pebrew l am by
no means of one mlnd wlLh Lhose who seL all Lhelr sLore by
one language and desplse all oLhers for l would gladly
ralse up a generaLlon able Lo be of use Lo ChrlsL ln forelgn
lands and Lo Lalk wlLh Lhelr people so LhaL we mlghL noL
be llke Lhe Waldenses ln ohemla whose falLh ls so
lnvolved ln Lhe Lolls of Lhelr own language LhaL Lhey can
Lalk lnLelllglbly and plalnly wlLh no one unless he flrsL learn
Lhelr language 1haL was noL Lhe way of Lhe Poly ChosL ln
Lhe beglnnlng Pe dld noL walL Llll all Lhe world should
come Lo erusalem and learn Pebrew uL Pe endowed
Lhe offlce of Lhe mlnlsLry wlLh all manner of Longues so
LhaL Lhe AposLles could speak Lo Lhe people wherever Lhey
wenL l should prefer Lo follow Lhls example and lL ls rlghL
also LhaL Lhe youLh should be pracLlsed ln many languages
Who knows how Cod wlll make use of Lhem ln years Lo
come? lL ls for Lhls end also LhaL schools are esLabllshed
2 nexL Lhere ls Lhe Cerman Mass and ulvlne Servlce of
whlch we are now LreaLlng 1hls oughL Lo be seL up for Lhe
sake of Lhe slmple laymen oLh Lhese klnds of Servlce
Lhen we musL have held and publlcly celebraLed ln church
for Lhe people ln general 1hey are noL yeL bellevers or
ChrlsLlans uL Lhe greaLer parL sLand Lhere and gape
slmply Lo see someLhlng new and lL ls [usL as lf we held
ulvlne Servlce ln an open square or fleld amongsL 1urks or
heaLhen So far lL ls no quesLlon yeL of a regularly flxed
assembly whereln Lo Lraln ChrlsLlans accordlng Lo Lhe
Cospel buL raLher of a publlc alluremenL Lo falLh and
ChrlsLlanlLy
3 uL Lhe Lhlrd sorL of ulvlne Servlce whlch Lhe Lrue
Lype of Lvangellcal Crder should embrace musL noL be
celebraLed so publlcly ln Lhe square amongsL all and
sundry 1hose however who are deslrous of belng
ChrlsLlans ln earnesL and are ready Lo profess Lhe Cospel
wlLh hand and mouLh should reglsLer Lhelr names and
assemble by Lhemselves ln some house Lo pray Lo read Lo
bapLlze and Lo recelve Lhe sacramenL and pracLlse oLher
ChrlsLlan works ln Lhls Crder Lhose whose conducL was
noL such as beflLs ChrlsLlans could be recognlzed
reproved reformed re[ecLed or excommunlcaLed
accordlng Lo Lhe rule of ChrlsL ln MaLL xvlll Pere Loo a
general glvlng of alms could be lmposed on ChrlsLlans Lo
be wllllngly glven and dlvlded among Lhe poor afLer Lhe
example of SL aul ln 2 Cor lx Pere Lhere would noL be
need of much flne slnglng Pere we could have bapLlsm
and Lhe sacramenL ln shorL and slmple fashlon and dlrecL
everyLhlng Lowards Lhe Word and prayer and love Pere
we should have a good shorL CaLechlsm abouL Lhe Creed
Lhe 1en CommandmenLs and Lhe Lords rayer ln one
word lf we only had people who longed Lo be ChrlsLlans ln
earnesL lorm and Crder would soon shape lLself uL l
cannoL and would noL order or arrange such a communlLy
or congregaLlon aL presenL l have noL Lhe requlslLe
persons for lL nor do l see many who are urgenL for lL uL
should lL come Lo pass LhaL l musL do lL and LhaL such
pressure ls puL upon me as LhaL l flnd myself unable wlLh a
good consclence Lo leave lL undone Lhen l wlll gladly do
my parL Lo secure lL and wlll help lL on as besL l can ln Lhe
meanLlme l would ablde by Lhe Lwo Crders aforesald and
publlcly among Lhe people ald ln Lhe promoLlon of such
ulvlne Servlce besldes preachlng as shall exerclse Lhe
youLh and call and lnclLe oLhers Lo falLh unLll Lhose
ChrlsLlans who are mosL Lhoroughly ln earnesL shall
dlscover each oLher and cleave LogeLher Lo Lhe end LhaL
Lhere be no facLlonformlng such as mlghL ensue lf l were
Lo seLLle everyLhlng ouL of my own head lor we Cermans
are a wlld rude LempesLuous people wlLh whom one
musL noL llghLly make experlmenL ln anyLhlng new unless
Lhere be mosL urgenL need Well Lhen ln Lhe name of
Cod 1he flrsL requlslLe ln Lhe Cerman sysLem of ulvlne
Worshlp ls a good plaln slmple and subsLanLlal
CaLechlsm A CaLechlsm ls a form of lnsLrucLlon by whlch
heaLhen deslrous of becomlng ChrlsLlans are LaughL and
shown whaL Lhey are Lo belleve Lo do Lo leave undone
and Lo know ln ChrlsLlanlLy Pence mere learners who
were admlLLed Lo such lnsLrucLlon and were acqulrlng Lhe
rudlmenLs of Lhe ChrlsLlan falLh before Lhelr bapLlsm were
called caLechumens 1hls lnsLrucLlon or lnformaLlon l know
no beLLer way of puLLlng Lhan LhaL ln whlch lL has been puL
from Lhe beglnnlng of ChrlsLlanlLy Llll Loday l mean ln
Lhose Lhree arLlcles of Lhe 1en CommandmenLs Lhe Creed
and Lhe Lords rayer ln Lhose Lhree arLlcles ls conLalned
plalnly and brlefly all LhaL a ChrlsLlan needs Lo know

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2. OF DIVINE SERVICE
now slnce ln all ulvlne Servlce Lhe chlef and foremosL parL
ls Lo preach and Leach Lhe Word of Cod leL us begln wlLh
Lhe preachlng and Leachlng
1 Cn Poly uays and Sundays we would have Lhe usual
LplsLle and Cospel Lo conLlnue and have Lhree sermons
AbouL 3 am or 6 am some salms should be sung as for
MaLLlns Lhen a sermon on Lhe LplsLle for Lhe day chlefly
for Lhe sake of servanLs LhaL Lhey also may be provlded for
and may hear Lhe Word of Cod lf Lhey are noL able Lo be
presenL aL oLher sermons AfLer LhaL an anLlphon wlLh 1e
ueum or enedlcLus alLernaLely wlLh Cur laLher CollecL
and enedlcamus uomlno AL Mass abouL 8 am or 9
am Lhere should be a sermon on Lhe Cospel as found
accordlng Lo Lhe season ln Lhe afLernoon aL vespers
before MagnlflcaL sermons ln regular course 1he reason
why we have reLalned Lhe dlvlslon of Lhe LplsLles and
Cospels lnLo porLlons correspondlng wlLh Lhe season of
Lhe Churchs year ls LhaL we have noLhlng parLlcular Lo
flnd faulL wlLh ln such arrangemenL lL has been Lhe case aL
WlLLenberg up Llll now LhaL Lhere are many Lhere who are
Lo learn Lo preach ln Lhe dlsLrlcLs where Lhe old
apporLlonmenL of LplsLle and Cospel sLlll goes on and wlll
probably conLlnue As Lhen we can be of use Lo such and
help Lhem Lhereby ln our [udgemenL we suffer Lhe
cusLom Lo conLlnue wlLhouL however flndlng faulL wlLh
Lhose who adopL Lhe books of Lhe Cospels as a whole
Pereby we provlde LhaL Lhe layman has preachlng and
Leachlng enough buL lf a man wanLs more he may flnd lL
on oLher days
2 1hus on Monday and 1uesday mornlngs Lhere should
be a lesson ln Cerman on Lhe 1en CommandmenLs Lhe
Creed and Lhe Lords rayer on apLlsm and Lhe
SacramenL so LhaL on Lhese Lwo days Lhe CaLechlsm may
be kepL up and grasped ln lLs proper sense Cn Wednesday
mornlng a lesson ln Cerman for whlch ls appolnLed Lhe
Cospel of SL MaLLhew 1he day ls Lo be kepL speclally for
Lhls Cospel for MaLLhew ls a flne evangellsL Lo Leach Lhe
people by and he relaLes ChrlsLs good Sermon on Lhe
MounL and makes much of Lhe pracLlce of love and good
works uL Lhe evangellsL ohn who Leaches falLh wlLh
speclal force should also have hls own daySaLurday
afLernoon aL vespers And so we have Lwo LvangellsLs ln
dally use Cn 1hursday and lrlday mornlngs Lhere are Lhe
dally lessons week by week of Lhe AposLollc LplsLles and
Lhe resL of Lhe new 1esLamenL 1hls makes sufflclenL
provlslon for lessons and preachlng Lo seL Lhe Word of
Cod golng excepL lL be for lecLures ln Lhe unlverslLles Lo
Lhe learned
3 We come now Lo pracLlslng boys aL school ln Lhe lble
Lvery weekday before Lhe lesson leL Lhem slng some
psalms ln LaLln as has been cusLomary hlLherLo aL MaLLlns
for as we have sald we wlsh Lhe young Lo be Lralned and
pracLlsed ln Lhe LaLln Longue Lhrough Lhe lble AfLer Lhe
psalms Lhe boys Lwo or Lhree ln Lurn accordlng Lo lLs
lengLh should read a chapLer ln LaLln ouL of Lhe new
1esLamenL 1hen leL anoLher boy read Lhe same chapLer ln
Cerman for pracLlce and ln case any layman were Lhere Lo
hear AfLer LhaL go on wlLh an anLlphon Lo Lhe lesson ln
Cerman of whlch we have spoken above 1hen leL Lhe
whole loL slng a Cerman hymn followed by Lhe Lords
rayer sald sllenLly and leL Lhe parson or chaplaln say a
CollecL and conclude wlLh Lhe enedlcamus uomlno as
usual ln Lhe same way aL vespers leL Lhem slng Lhe
vesper salms as sung hlLherLo ln LaLln wlLh an anLlphon
Lhen a hymn as Lhere ls opporLunlLy 1hen leL Lhem read
Lwo or Lhree by Lurn ln LaLln ouL of Lhe Cld 1esLamenL a
chapLer or half a chapLer accordlng Lo lLs lengLh 1hen leL
one boy read lL ln Cerman nexL MagnlflcaL ln LaLln wlLh
an anLlphon or chanL 1hen Cur laLher sllenLly and Lhe
CollecLs wlLh Lhe enedlcamus So much for ulvlne Servlce
dally LhroughouL Lhe week ln Lowns where Lhere are
schools

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. ON SUNDAYS FOR THE LAITY
1he Mass vesLmenLs alLars and llghLs may be reLalned Llll
such Llme as Lhey shall all change of Lhemselves or lL shall
please us Lo change Lhem Lhough lf any wlll Lake a
dlfferenL course ln Lhls maLLer we shall noL lnLerfere uL
ln Lhe Lrue Mass among slncere ChrlsLlans Lhe alLar
should noL be reLalned and Lhe prlesL should always Lurn
hlmself Lowards Lhe people as wlLhouL doubL ChrlsL dld aL
Lhe LasL Supper 1haL however musL blde lLs Llme
a AL Lhe beglnnlng Lhen we slng a splrlLual song or a
psalm ln Cerman ln prlmo Lono as follows s xxxlv
b 1hen kyrle elelson Lo Lhe same Lone buL Lhrlce and
noL nlne Llmes
c 1hen Lhe prlesL reads a CollecL ln LffauL ln unlsono as
follows AlmlghLy Cod c
d 1hen Lhe LplsLle ln Lhe elghLh Lone 1he LplsLle
should be sung wlLh Lhe face Lurned Lo Lhe people buL Lhe
CollecL wlLh Lhe face Lurned Lo Lhe alLar
e AfLer Lhe LplsLle ls sung a Cerman hymn nun blLLen
wlr den helllgen CelsL or some oLher by Lhe whole cholr
f 1hen ls read Lhe Cospel ln Lhe flfLh Lone also wlLh Lhe
face Lurned Lowards Lhe people
g AfLer Lhe Cospel Lhe whole congregaLlon slngs Lhe
Creed ln Cerman Wlr glauben all an elnen CoLL c
h 1hen follows Lhe sermon on Lhe Cospel of Lhe Sunday
or Polyday and l Lhlnk LhaL where Lhe Cerman osLllls are
ln use LhroughouL Lhe year lL were besL Lo order Lhe osLlll
of Lhe day elLher whole or parL Lo be read ouL of Lhe book
Lo Lhe people noL merely for Lhe preachers sake who can
do no beLLer buL as a safeguard agalnsL fanaLlcs and
secLarlesa cusLom of whlch one may see Lraces ln Lhe
Pomllles aL MaLLlns CLherwlse where Lhere ls no splrlLual
undersLandlng and Lhe SplrlL hlmself speaks noL Lhrough
Lhe preacher (Lhough l seL no llmlLs Lo Lhe preacher for
Lhe SplrlL can Leach beLLer Lhan any osLllls or Pomllles)
Lhe end of lL wlll be LhaL every man wlll preach whaL he
llkes and lnsLead of Lhe Cospel and lLs exposlLlon Lhey
wlll be preachlng once more abouL blue ducks! 1here are
furLher reasons why we keep Lhe LplsLles and Cospels as
Lhey are arranged ln Lhe osLllls because Lhere are buL
few lnsplred preachers who can handle a whole Cospel or
oLher book wlLh force and proflL
l AfLer Lhe sermon shall follow a publlc paraphrase of Lhe
Lords rayer wlLh an exhorLaLlon Lo Lhose who are
mlnded Lo come Lo Lhe SacramenL ln Lhls or some oLher
beLLer fashlon as follows uear frlends ln ChrlsL as we
are here gaLhered LogeLher ln Lhe name of Lhe Lord Lo
recelve Pls holy 1esLamenL l exhorL you flrsL Lo llfL your
hearLs Lo Cod and Lo say wlLh me Cur laLher accordlng as
ChrlsL our Lord haLh LaughL us falLhfully promlslng LhaL we
shall be heard Cur laLher c ln paraphrase nexL l
exhorL you ln ChrlsL LhaL wlLh rlghL falLh ye Lake heed Lo
Lhe 1esLamenL of ChrlsL and speclally LhaL ye hold fasL ln
your hearLs Lhe Word whereby ChrlsL glves us Pls body
and blood for remlsslon of slns LhaL ye beLhlnk you of and
Lhank Plm for Lhe lnflnlLe love whlch Pe has shown us ln
LhaL Lhrough Pls blood Pe has redeemed us from Cods
wraLh from sln deaLh and hell and Lhen Lake Lo
yourselves ouLwardly Lhe bread and wlne whlch ls Pls
body and blood for an assurance and pledge Lhereof ln
such wlse wlll we ln Pls name and as Pe commanded ln
Pls own Word handle and use Pls 1esLamenL WheLher
Lhls paraphrase and exhorLaLlon should Lake place ln Lhe
pulplL lmmedlaLely afLer Lhe sermon or aL Lhe alLar l
leave free Lo every mans dlscreLlon
k 1hen Lhe Cfflce and ConsecraLlon proceeds as follows
Cur Lord esus ChrlsL ln Lhe same nlghL(l Cor xl 23 ff) l
Lhlnk LhaL lL would be ln accordance wlLh Lhe LasL Supper lf
Lhe sacramenL were dlsLrlbuLed lmmedlaLely afLer Lhe
consecraLlon of Lhe bread before Lhe blesslng of Lhe cup
So say boLh Luke and aul Llkewlse also Lhe cup afLer
supper Meanwhlle Lhere mlghL be sung Lhe SancLus ln
Cerman or Lhe hymn CoLL sel gelobeL or Lhe hymn of
ohn Puss esus ChrlsLus unser Pelland And afLer Lhls
should come Lhe consecraLlon of Lhe challce and lLs
dellvery wlLh Lhe slnglng of whaLever remalns of Lhe
abovemenLloned hymns or of Lhe Agnus uel ln Cerman
And for Lhe sake of good order and dlsclpllne ln golng up
noL men and women LogeLher buL Lhe women afLer Lhe
men men and women should have separaLe places ln
dlfferenL parLs of Lhe church As Lo prlvaLe confesslon l
have already wrlLLen enough abouL LhaL and my oplnlon
may be found ln Lhe llLLle prayerbook
l 1he elevaLlon we deslre noL Lo abollsh buL Lo reLaln for
lL flLs ln well wlLh Lhe SancLus ln Cerman and means LhaL
ChrlsL has bldden us Lo Lhlnk of Plm usL as Lhe sacramenL
ls bodlly elevaLed and yeL ChrlsLs body and blood Lhereln
are lnvlslble so Lhrough Lhe word of Lhe preacher Pe ls
commemoraLed and upllfLed and ln Lhe recepLlon of Lhe
sacramenL recognlzed and worshlpped and yeL lL ls all a
maLLer of falLh and noL of slghL how ChrlsL gave Pls body
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and blood for us and sLlll dally lnLercedes wlLh Cod Lo
besLow Pls grace upon us
m 1he SancLus ln Cerman esala dem ropheLen das
geschach c
n 1hen follows Lhe CollecL We Lhank Lhee AlmlghLy
Lord Cod c
o WlLh Lhe lesslng 1he Lord bless Lhee and keep Lhee
c So much for dally ulvlne Servlce and for Leachlng Lhe
Word of Cod speclally wlLh a vlew Lo lnfluenclng Lhe
young and allurlng Lhe slmple 1hose who come ouL of
curloslLy and Lhe deslre Lo gape aL someLhlng new wlll
soon be slck and Llred of Lhe whole Lhlng as Lhey were
before of ulvlne Servlce ln LaLln lor LhaL was sung and
read ln church dally and yeL Lhe churches are deserLed
and empLy and already Lhey are prepared Lo do Lhe same
wlLh Lhe Cerman Servlce So lL ls besL LhaL such ulvlne
Servlce should be arranged wlLh an eye Lo Lhe young and
Lo Lhose slmple folk LhaL may perhaps come Lo lL As for
Lhe resL no law nor order exhorLaLlon nor drlvlng LhaL
one can devlse ls of any good Lo lnduce Lhem Lo go
wllllngly and of Lhelr own accord Lo ulvlne Servlce so
unwllllng and relucLanL are Lhey Lo do so (Lhough Cod
Lakes no pleasure ln forced servlce) so ldle and goodfor
noLhlng
As for feasLdays such as ChrlsLmas LasLer WhlLsunLlde
Mlchaelmas urlflcaLlon and Lhe llke we musL go on as
hlLherLo wlLh LaLln Llll we have hymns enough ln Cerman
for Lhe purpose 1he work ls buL beglnnlng and all LhaL
belongs Lo lL ls noL yeL ready Cnly as one knows make a
sLarL one way and several ways and means wlll be
dlscovered
lasLdays alm Sunday and Poly Week may be reLalned
noL LhaL we would compel any one Lo fasL buL LhaL Lhe
readlng of Lhe asslon and Lhe Cospels appolnLed for
Lhese Llmes should be observed uL we would noL keep
Lhe LenLen vell sLrewlng of palms coverlng up of plcLures
and all Lhe oLher mummery nor slng Lhe four asslons nor
preach on Lhe asslon for elghL hours on Cood lrlday Poly
week musL be llke oLher weeks excepL LhaL Lhere should
be sermons on Lhe asslon for an hour dally LhroughouL
Lhe week or on as many days as ls convenlenL wlLh
recepLlon of Lhe SacramenL by all who deslre lL lor wlLh
ChrlsLlans everyLhlng should be kepL ln Cods servlce LhaL
has Lo do wlLh Lhe Word and Lhe SacramenL
1o sum up Lhls and every oLher order ls so Lo be used LhaL
should any mlsuse arlse ln connexlon LherewlLh lL should
be lmmedlaLely done away wlLh and anoLher made [usL as
klng Pezeklah broke up and dld away wlLh Lhe brazen
serpenL whlch Cod Plmself had commanded Lo be made
because Lhe chlldren of lsrael mlsused lL lorms and
Crders should be for Lhe promoLlon of falLh and Lhe
servlce of love and noL Lo ln[ury of falLh When Lhey have
no more Lo do Lhey are forLhwlLh dead and of no more
worLh [usL as lf good coln ls counLerfelL for fear of
mlsuse lL ls abollshed and desLroyed or as when new
shoes have become old and dry we wear Lhem no longer
buL Lhrow Lhem away and buy new ones Crder ls an
ouLward Lhlng e lL as good as lL may lL can fall lnLo
mlsuse 1hen lL ls no longer order buL dlsorder So no
Crder has any lnLrlnslc worLh of lLs own as hlLherLo Lhe
oplsh Crder has been LhoughL Lo have uL all Crder has
lLs llfe worLh sLrengLh and vlrLue ln rlghL use else lL ls
worLhless and flL for noLhlng Cods SplrlL and grace be
wlLh us all Amen