The German Mass and Order of Divine Service, Jan. 1526 by Martin L ther, 1!"#$15!

6 Doc ments %&& strative of the 'ontinenta& (eformation, from ).J. *idd, ed., +O,ford- '&arendon .ress, 1/110, 11. 1/#$222. +i0 The .reface of Martin L ther. 3bove a&& thin4s, % most affectionate&y and for God5s sa6e beseech a&&, 7ho see or desire to observe this o r Order of Divine Service, on no acco nt to ma6e of it a com1 &sory &a7, or to ensnare or ma6e ca1tive thereby any man5s conscience8 b t to se it a4reeab&y to 'hristian &iberty at their 4ood 1&eas re as, 7here, 7hen and so &on4 as circ mstances favo r and demand it. Moreover, 7e 7o &d not have o r meanin4 ta6en to be that 7e desire to r &e, or by &a7 to com1e&, any one. Mean7hi&e, there is on every side 4reat 1ress re to7ards a German Mass and Order of Divine Service- and there is 4reat com1&aint and offence abo t the different 6inds of ne7 Masses, that every one ma6es his o7n, some 7ith a 4ood intention and others o t of conceit to introd ce somethin4 ne7 themse&ves and to ma6e a 4ood sho7 amon4 others and not be bad masters. 3s then a&7ays ha11ens 7ith 'hristian &iberty, fe7 se it for anythin4 e&se than their o7n 1&eas re or 1rofit- and not for God5s hono r and the 4ood of their nei4hbo r. 9hi&e, ho7ever, every man is bo nd on his conscience, in &i6e manner as he ses s ch &iberty himse&f, not to hinder nor forbid it to any one e&se, 7e m st a&so ta6e care that &iberty be servant to &ove and to o r nei4hbo r. 9here, then, it ha11ens that men are offended or 1er1&e,ed at s ch diversity of se, 7e are tr &y bo nd to 1 t &imits to &iberty8 and, so far as 1ossib&e, to endeavo r that the 1eo1&e are bettered by 7hat 7e do and not offended. Since, then, in these matters of o t7ard ordinance nothin4 is &aid 1on s as matter of conscience before God, and yet s ch ordinance can be of se to o r nei4hbo r, 7e o 4ht in &ove, as St. .a & teaches, to endeavo r to be of one and the same mind8 and, to the best of o r 1o7er, of &i6e 7ays and fashion8 : st as a&& 'hristians have one ba1tism and one sacrament, and no one has a s1ecia& one 4iven him of God. Sti&&, % do not 7ish hereby to demand that those 7ho a&ready have a 4ood Order or, by God5s 4race, can ma6e a better, sho &d &et it 4o, and yie&d to s. ;or is it my meanin4 that the 7ho&e of Germany sho &d have to ado1t forth7ith o r 9ittenber4 Order. %t never 7as the case that the ministers, convents, and 1arishes 7ere a&i6e in everythin4. ) t it 7o &d be a 4rand thin4 if, in every severa& &ordshi1, Divine Service 7ere cond cted in one fashion8 and the nei4hbo rin4 &itt&e to7nshi1s and vi&&a4es :oined in the cry 7ith one city. 9hether in other &ordshi1s they sho &d do the same or somethin4 different, sho &d be &eft free and 7itho t 1ena&ty. %n fine, 7e instit te this Order not for the sa6e of those 7ho are 'hristians a&ready. <or they have need of none of these thin4s +for 7hich thin4s5 sa6e man does not &ive- b t they &ive for the sa6e of s 7ho are not yet 'hristians, that they may ma6e s 'hristians08 they have their Divine Service in their s1irits. ) t it is necessary to have s ch an Order for the sa6e of those 7ho are to become 'hristians, or are to 4ro7 stron4er8 : st as a 'hristian has need of ba1tism, the 7ord and the sacrament not as a 'hristian +for, as s ch, he has them a&ready0, b t as a sinner. ) t, above a&&, the Order is for the sim1&e and for the yo n4 fo&6 7ho m st dai&y be e,ercised in the Scri1t re and God5s 9ord, to the end that they may become conversant 7ith Scri1t re and e,1ert in its se, ready and s6i&f & in 4ivin4 an ans7er for their faith, and ab&e in time to teach others and aid in the advancement of the 6in4dom of 'hrist. <or the sa6e of s ch, 7e m st read, sin4, 1reach, 7rite, and com1ose8 and if it co &d in any 7ise he&1 or 1romote their interests, % 7o &d have a&&

the be&&s 1ea&in4, and a&& the or4ans 1&ayin4, and everythin4 ma6in4 a noise that co &d. The .o1ish Divine Services are to be condemned for this reason that they have made of them &a7s, 7or6, and merit8 and so have de1ressed faith. 3nd they do not direct them to7ards the yo n4 and sim1&e, to 1ractise them thereby in the Scri1t re and 9ord of God8 b t they are themse&ves st c6 fast in them, and ho&d them as thin4s sef & and necessary to sa&vation - and that is the devi&. <or in this 7ise the ancients have neither ordered nor im1osed them. ;o7 there are three different 6inds of Divine Service. =%> The first, in Latin8 7hich 7e 1 b&ished &ate&y, ca&&ed the <orm &a Missae. This % do not 7ant to have set aside or chan4ed8 b t, as 7e have hitherto 6e1t it, so sho &d 7e be sti&& free to se it 7here and 7hen 7e 1&ease, or as occasion re? ires. % do not 7ant in any7ise to &et the Latin ton4 e disa11ear o t of Divine Service8 for % am so dee1&y concerned for the yo n4. %f it &ay in my 1o7er, and the Gree6 and @ebre7 ton4 es 7ere as fami&iar to s as the Latin, and 1ossessed as 4reat a store of fine m sic and son4 as the Latin does, Mass sho &d be he&d and there sho &d be sin4in4 and readin4, on a&ternate S ndays in a&& fo r &an4 a4es$German, Latin, Gree6 and @ebre7. % am by no means of one mind 7ith those 7ho set a&& their store by one &an4 a4e, and des1ise a&& others8 for % 7o &d 4&ad&y raise 1 a 4eneration ab&e to be of se to 'hrist in forei4n &ands and to ta&6 7ith their 1eo1&e, so that 7e mi4ht not be &i6e the 9a&denses in )ohemia 7hose faith is so invo&ved in the toi&s of their o7n &an4 a4e that they can ta&6 inte&&i4ib&y and 1&ain&y 7ith no one n&ess he first &earn their &an4 a4e. That 7as not the 7ay of the @o&y Ghost in the be4innin4. @e did not 7ait ti&& a&& the 7or&d sho &d come to Jer sa&em, and &earn @ebre7. ) t @e endo7ed the office of the ministry 7ith a&& manner of ton4 es, so that the 31ost&es co &d s1ea6 to the 1eo1&e 7herever they 7ent. % sho &d 1refer to fo&&o7 this e,am1&e8 and it is ri4ht a&so that the yo th sho &d be 1ractised in many &an4 a4es. 9ho 6no7s ho7 God 7i&& ma6e se of them in years to comeA %t is for this end a&so that schoo&s are estab&ished. =2> ;e,t, there is the German Mass and Divine Service, of 7hich 7e are no7 treatin4. This o 4ht to be set 1 for the sa6e of the sim1&e &aymen. )oth these 6inds of Service then 7e m st have he&d and 1 b&ic&y ce&ebrated in ch rch for the 1eo1&e in 4enera&. They are not yet be&ievers or 'hristians. ) t the 4reater 1art stand there and 4a1e, sim1&y to see somethin4 ne7- and it is : st as if 7e he&d Divine Service in an o1en s? are or fie&d amon4st T r6s or heathen. So far it is no ? estion yet of a re4 &ar&y fi,ed assemb&y 7herein to train 'hristians accordin4 to the Gos1e&- b t rather of a 1 b&ic a&& rement to faith and 'hristianity. =#> ) t the third sort =of Divine Service>, 7hich the tr e ty1e of Bvan4e&ica& Order sho &d embrace, m st not be ce&ebrated so 1 b&ic&y in the s? are amon4st a&& and s ndry. Those, ho7ever, 7ho are desiro s of bein4 'hristians in earnest, and are ready to 1rofess the Gos1e& 7ith hand and mo th, sho &d re4ister their names and assemb&e by themse&ves in some ho se to 1ray, to read, to ba1tiCe and to receive the sacrament and 1ractise other 'hristian 7or6s. %n this Order, those 7hose cond ct 7as not s ch as befits 'hristians co &d be reco4niCed, re1roved, reformed, re:ected, or e,comm nicated, accordin4 to the r &e of 'hrist in Matt. ,viii. @ere, too, a 4enera& 4ivin4 of a&ms co &d be im1osed on 'hristians, to be 7i&&in4&y 4iven and divided amon4 the 1oor, after the e,am1&e of St. .a & in 2 'or. i,. @ere there 7o &d not be need of m ch fine sin4in4. @ere 7e co &d have ba1tism and the sacrament in short and sim1&e fashion- and direct everythin4 to7ards the 9ord and 1rayer and &ove. @ere 7e sho &d have a 4ood short 'atechism abo t the 'reed, the Ten 'ommandments, and the Lord5s .rayer. %n one 7ord, if 7e on&y had 1eo1&e 7ho &on4ed to be 'hristians in earnest, <orm and Order 7o &d soon sha1e itse&f. ) t % cannot and 7o &d not order or arran4e s ch a comm nity or con4re4ation at 1resent. % have not the re? isite 1ersons for

it, nor do % see many 7ho are r4ent for it. ) t sho &d it come to 1ass that % m st do it, and that s ch 1ress re is 1 t 1on me as that % find myse&f nab&e 7ith a 4ood conscience to &eave it ndone, then % 7i&& 4&ad&y do my 1art to sec re it, and 7i&& he&1 it on as best % can. %n the meantime, % 7o &d abide by the t7o Orders aforesaid8 and 1 b&ic&y amon4 the 1eo1&e aid in the 1romotion of s ch Divine Service, besides 1reachin4, as sha&& e,ercise the yo th and ca&& and incite others to faith, nti& those 'hristians 7ho are most thoro 4h&y in earnest sha&& discover each other and c&eave to4ether8 to the end that there be no faction$formin4, s ch as mi4ht ens e if % 7ere to sett&e everythin4 o t of my o7n head. <or 7e Germans are a 7i&d, r de, tem1est o s 1eo1&e8 7ith 7hom one m st not &i4ht&y ma6e e,1eriment in anythin4 ne7, n&ess there be most r4ent need. 9e&&, then- in the name of God. The first re? isite in the German system of Divine 9orshi1 is a 4ood, 1&ain, sim1&e, and s bstantia& 'atechism. 3 'atechism is a form of instr ction by 7hich heathen, desiro s of becomin4 'hristians, are ta 4ht and sho7n 7hat they are to be&ieve, to do, to &eave ndone and to 6no7 in 'hristianity. @ence mere &earners 7ho 7ere admitted to s ch instr ction, and 7ere ac? irin4 the r diments of the 'hristian faith before their ba1tism 7ere ca&&ed catech mens. This instr ction or information % 6no7 no better 7ay of 1 ttin4 than that in 7hich it has been 1 t from the be4innin4 of 'hristianity ti&& today- % mean, in those three artic&es of the Ten 'ommandments, the 'reed, and the Lord5s .rayer. %n those three artic&es is contained, 1&ain&y and brief&y, a&& that a 'hristian needs to 6no7. +ii0 Of Divine Service. ;o7 since in a&& Divine Service the chief and foremost 1art is to 1reach and teach the 9ord of God, &et s be4in 7ith the 1reachin4 and teachin4. =1> On @o&y Days and S ndays 7e 7o &d have the s a& B1ist&e and Gos1e& to contin e, and have three sermons. 3bo t 5 a.m. or 6 a.m., some .sa&ms sho &d be s n4, as for Mattins8 then a sermon on the B1ist&e for the day, chief&y for the sa6e of servants that they a&so may be 1rovided for and may hear the 9ord of God, if they are not ab&e to be 1resent at other sermons. 3fter that, an anti1hon 7ith Te De m or )enedict s a&ternate&y, 7ith O r <ather, 'o&&ect, and )enedicam s Domino. 3t Mass, abo t " a.m. or / a.m., there sho &d be a sermon on the Gos1e&, as fo nd accordin4 to the season. %n the afternoon, at Des1ers, before Ma4nificat, sermons in re4 &ar co rse. The reason 7hy 7e have retained the division of the B1ist&es and Gos1e&s into 1ortions corres1ondin4 7ith the season of the ='h rch5s> year is that 7e have nothin4 1artic &ar to find fa &t 7ith in s ch arran4ement. %t has been the case at 9ittenber4 1 ti&& no7 that there are many there 7ho are to &earn to 1reach in the districts 7here the o&d a11ortionment of B1ist&e and Gos1e& sti&& 4oes on and 7i&& 1robab&y contin e. 3s, then, 7e can be of se to s ch and he&1 them thereby, in o r : d4ement, 7e s ffer the c stom to contin e8 7itho t, ho7ever, findin4 fa &t 7ith those 7ho ado1t the boo6s of the Gos1e&s as a 7ho&e. @ereby 7e 1rovide that the &ayman has 1reachin4 and teachin4 eno 4h - b t, if a man 7ants more, he may find it on other days. =2> Th s on Monday and T esday mornin4s there sho &d be a &esson in German on the Ten 'ommandments, the 'reed and the Lord5s .rayer, on )a1tism and the Sacrament8 so that on these t7o days the 'atechism may be 6e1t 1 and 4ras1ed in its 1ro1er sense. On 9ednesday mornin4 a &esson in German, for 7hich is a11ointed the Gos1e& of St. Matthe7. The day is to be 6e1t s1ecia&&y for this Gos1e& - for Matthe7 is a fine evan4e&ist to teach the 1eo1&e by, and he re&ates 'hrist5s 4ood Sermon on the Mo nt, and ma6es m ch of the 1ractice of &ove and 4ood 7or6s. ) t the evan4e&ist John, 7ho teaches faith 7ith s1ecia& force, sho &d a&so have his o7n day$Sat rday afternoon at Des1ers. 3nd so 7e have t7o Bvan4e&ists in dai&y se. On Th rsday and <riday mornin4s there are the dai&y &essons 7ee6 by 7ee6 of the 31osto&ic B1ist&es

and the rest of the ;e7 Testament. This ma6es s fficient 1rovision for &essons and 1reachin4, to set the 9ord of God 4oin4, e,ce1t it be for &ect res in the Eniversities to the &earned. =#> 9e come no7 to 1ractisin4 boys at schoo& in the )ib&e. Bvery 7ee6$ day, before the &esson, &et them sin4 some 1sa&ms in Latin, as has been c stomary hitherto at Mattins8 for, as 7e have said, 7e 7ish the yo n4 to be trained and 1ractised in the Latin ton4 e, thro 4h the )ib&e. 3fter the 1sa&ms, the boys t7o or three in t rn, accordin4 to its &en4th, sho &d read a cha1ter in Latin o t of the ;e7 Testament. Then &et another boy read the same cha1ter in German for 1ractice, and in case any &ayman 7ere there to hear. 3fter that, 4o on, 7ith an anti1hon, to the &esson in German of 7hich 7e have s1o6en above. Then &et the 7ho&e &ot sin4 a German hymn, fo&&o7ed by the Lord5s .rayer said si&ent&y8 and &et the 1arson or cha1&ain say a 'o&&ect and conc& de 7ith the )enedicam s Domino, as s a&. %n the same 7ay at Des1ers, &et them sin4 the Des1er .sa&ms as s n4 hitherto, in Latin, 7ith an anti1hon8 then a hymn, as there is o11ort nity. Then &et them read, t7o or three, by t rn, in Latin, o t of the O&d Testament, a cha1ter or ha&f a cha1ter accordin4 to its &en4th. Then &et one boy read it in German. ;e,t, Ma4nificat in Latin, 7ith an anti1hon or chant. Then O r <ather si&ent&y and the 'o&&ects 7ith the )enedicam s. So m ch for Divine Service dai&y thro 4ho t the 7ee6 in to7ns 7here there are schoo&s. +iii0 On S ndays for the &aity. The Mass vestments, a&tars, and &i4hts may be retained ti&& s ch time as they sha&& a&& chan4e of themse&ves, or it sha&& 1&ease s to chan4e themtho 4h, if any 7i&& ta6e a different co rse in this matter, 7e sha&& not interfere. ) t in the tr e Mass, amon4 sincere 'hristians, the a&tar sho &d not be retained, and the 1riest sho &d a&7ays t rn himse&f to7ards the 1eo1&e as, 7itho t do bt, 'hrist did at the Last S 11er. That, ho7ever, m st bide its time. =a> 3t the be4innin4 then 7e sin4 a s1irit a& son4 or a 1sa&m in German, in 1rimo tono, as fo&&o7s - .s. ,,,iv. =b> Then *yrie e&eison, to the same tone, b t thrice and not nine times. . . . =c> Then the 1riest reads a 'o&&ect in Bffa t in nisono, as fo&&o7s 53&mi4hty God,5 Fc. =d> Then the B1ist&e, in the ei4hth tone. . . . The B1ist&e sho &d be s n4 7ith the face t rned to the 1eo1&e, b t the 'o&&ect 7ith the face t rned to the a&tar. =e> 3fter the B1ist&e is s n4 a German hymn, 5; n bitten 7ir den hei&i4en Geist,5 or some other, by the 7ho&e choir. =f> Then is read the Gos1e& in the fifth tone, a&so 7ith the face t rned to7ards the 1eo1&e. =4> 3fter the Gos1e& the 7ho&e con4re4ation sin4s the 'reed in German, 59ir 4&a ben a&&5 an einen Gott,5 Fc. =h> Then fo&&o7s the sermon, on the Gos1e& of the S nday or @o&ydayand % thin6 that, 7here the German .osti&&s are in se thro 4ho t the year, it 7ere best to order the .osti&& of the day, either 7ho&e or 1art, to be read o t of the boo6 to the 1eo1&e8 not mere&y for the 1reacher5s sa6e 7ho can do no better, b t as a safe4 ard a4ainst fanatics and sectaries,$$a c stom of 7hich one may see traces in the @omi&ies at Mattins. Other7ise, 7here there is no s1irit a& nderstandin4, and the S1irit himse&f s1ea6s not thro 4h the 1reacher +tho 4h % set no &imits to the 1reacher8 for the S1irit can teach better than any .osti&&s or @omi&ies0 the end of it 7i&& be that every man 7i&& 1reach 7hat he &i6es8 and, instead of the Gos1e& and its e,1osition, they 7i&& be 1reachin4 once more abo t b& e d c6sG There are f rther reasons 7hy 7e 6ee1 the B1ist&es and Gos1e&s as they are arran4ed in the .osti&&s, beca se there are b t fe7 ins1ired 1reachers 7ho can hand&e a

7ho&e Gos1e& or other boo6 7ith force and 1rofit. =i> 3fter the sermon sha&& fo&&o7 a 1 b&ic 1ara1hrase of the Lord5s .rayer, 7ith an e,hortation to those 7ho are minded to come to the Sacrament, in this, or some other better, fashion, as fo&&o7s- 5Dear friends in 'hrist, as 7e are here 4athered to4ether, in the name of the Lord, to receive @is ho&y Testament, % e,hort yo , first, to &ift yo r hearts to God and to say 7ith me 5O r <ather5 accordin4 as 'hrist o r Lord hath ta 4ht s, faithf &&y 1romisin4 that 7e sha&& be heard- =5O r <ather,5 Fc., in 1ara1hrase>. ;e,t, % e,hort yo in 'hrist that 7ith ri4ht faith ye ta6e heed to the Testament of 'hrist- and s1ecia&&y that ye ho&d fast in yo r hearts the 9ord 7hereby 'hrist 4ives s @is body and b&ood for remission of sins8 that ye bethin6 yo of, and than6 @im for, the infinite &ove 7hich @e has sho7n s in that thro 4h @is b&ood @e has redeemed s from God5s 7rath, from sin, death, and he&&- and then ta6e to yo rse&ves o t7ard&y the bread and 7ine, 7hich is @is body and b&ood, for an ass rance and 1&ed4e thereof. %n s ch 7ise 7i&& 7e, in @is name and as @e commanded in @is o7n 9ord, hand&e and se @is Testament.5 9hether this 1ara1hrase and e,hortation sho &d ta6e 1&ace in the 1 &1it, immediate&y after the sermon, or at the a&tar, % &eave free to every man5s discretion. . . . =6> Then the Office and 'onsecration 1roceeds, as fo&&o7s - 5O r Lord Jes s 'hrist, in the same ni4ht5+i 'or. ,i. 2# ff0. % thin6 that it 7o &d be in accordance 7ith the Last S 11er if the sacrament 7ere distrib ted immediate&y after the consecration of the bread before the b&essin4 of the c 1. So say, both L 6e and .a &- 5Li6e7ise a&so the c 1 after s 11er. Mean7hi&e, there mi4ht be s n4 the Sanct s in German or the hymn 5Gott sei 4e&obet5, or the hymn of John @ ss, 5Jes s 'hrist s nser @ei&and.5 3nd after this sho &d come the consecration of the cha&ice and its de&ivery, 7ith the sin4in4 of 7hatever remains of the above$mentioned hymns, or of the 34n s Dei in German. 3nd for the sa6e of 4ood order and disci1&ine in 4oin4 1, not men and 7omen to4ether b t the 7omen after the men, men and 7omen sho &d have se1arate 1&aces in different 1arts of the ch rch. 3s to 1rivate confession, % have a&ready 7ritten eno 4h abo t that- and my o1inion may be fo nd in the &itt&e 1rayer$boo6. =&> The e&evation 7e desire not to abo&ish b t to retain, for it fits in 7e&& 7ith the Sanct s in German, and means that 'hrist has bidden s to thin6 of @im. J st as the sacrament is bodi&y e&evated and yet 'hrist5s body and b&ood therein are invisib&e, so thro 4h the 7ord of the 1reacher @e is commemorated and 1&ifted, and in the rece1tion of the sacrament reco4niCed and 7orshi11ed- and yet it is a&& a matter of faith and not of si4ht, ho7 'hrist 4ave @is body and b&ood for s and sti&& dai&y intercedes 7ith God to besto7 @is 4race 1on s. =m> The Sanct s in German, 5Jesaia dem .ro1heten das 4eschach,5 Fc. =n> Then fo&&o7s the 'o&&ect - 59e than6 thee, 3&mi4hty Lord God,5 Fc. =o> 9ith the )&essin4 - 5The Lord b&ess thee and 6ee1 thee,5 Fc. So m ch for dai&y Divine Service and for teachin4 the 9ord of God, s1ecia&&y 7ith a vie7 to inf& encin4 the yo n4 and a&& rin4 the sim1&e. Those 7ho come o t of c riosity and the desire to 4a1e at somethin4 ne7 7i&& soon be sic6 and tired of the 7ho&e thin4, as they 7ere before of Divine Service in Latin. <or that 7as s n4 and read in ch rch dai&y, and yet the ch rches are deserted and em1ty- and a&ready they are 1re1ared to do the same 7ith the German Service. So it is best that s ch Divine Service sho &d be arran4ed 7ith an eye to the yo n4 and to those sim1&e fo&6 that may 1erha1s come to it. 3s for the rest, no &a7 nor order, e,hortation nor drivin4, that one can devise, is of any 4ood to ind ce them to 4o 7i&&in4&y and of their o7n accord to Divine Service, so n7i&&in4 and re& ctant are they to do so +tho 4h God ta6es no 1&eas re in forced service0, so id&e and 4ood$for$nothin4.

3s for feast$days, s ch as 'hristmas, Baster, 9hits ntide, Michae&mas, . rification and the &i6e, 7e m st 4o on, as hitherto, 7ith Latin ti&& 7e have hymns eno 4h in German for the 1 r1ose. The 7or6 is b t be4innin4, and a&& that be&on4s to it is not yet ready. On&y, as one 6no7s, ma6e a start one 7ay and severa& 7ays and means 7i&& be discovered. <ast$days, .a&m S nday, and @o&y 9ee6 may be retained. ;ot that 7e 7o &d com1e& any one to fast8 b t that the readin4 of the .assion and the Gos1e&s a11ointed for these times sho &d be observed. ) t 7e 7o &d not 6ee1 the Lenten vei&, stre7in4 of 1a&ms, coverin4 1 of 1ict res, and a&& the other m mmery, nor sin4 the fo r .assions, nor 1reach on the .assion for ei4ht ho rs on Good <riday. @o&y 7ee6 m st be &i6e other 7ee6s, e,ce1t that there sho &d be sermons on the .assion for an ho r dai&y thro 4ho t the 7ee6, or on as many days as is convenient, 7ith rece1tion of the Sacrament by a&& 7ho desire it. <or 7ith 'hristians everythin4 sho &d be 6e1t in God5s service that has to do 7ith the 9ord and the Sacrament. To s m 1, this and every other order is so to be sed that sho &d any mis se arise in conne,ion there7ith, it sho &d be immediate&y done a7ay 7ith and another made- : st as *in4 @eCe6iah bro6e 1 and did a7ay 7ith the braCen ser1ent, 7hich God @imse&f had commanded to be made, beca se the chi&dren of %srae& mis sed it. <orms and Orders sho &d be for the 1romotion of faith and the service of &ove, and not to in: ry of faith. 9hen they have no more to do, they are forth7ith dead and of no more 7orth8 : st as, if 4ood coin is co nterfeit, for fear of mis se it is abo&ished and destroyed8 or as, 7hen ne7 shoes have become o&d and dry, 7e 7ear them no &on4er b t thro7 them a7ay and b y ne7 ones. Order is an o t7ard thin4. )e it as 4ood as it may, it can fa&& into mis se. Then it is no &on4er order b t disorder. So no Order has any intrinsic 7orth of its o7n, as hitherto the .o1ish Order has been tho 4ht to have. ) t a&& Order has its &ife, 7orth, stren4th, and virt e in ri4ht se8 e&se it is 7orth&ess and fit for nothin4. God5s S1irit and 4race be 7ith s a&&. 3men.