(i) The Preface of Martin Luther.

  Above all things, I most affectionately and for God's sake beseech all,who see or desire to observe this our Order of Divine Service, on no accountto make of it a compulsory law, or to ensnare or make captive thereby anyman's conscience; but to use it agreeably to Christian liberty at theirgood pleasure as, where, when and so long as circumstances favour and demandit. Moreover, we would not have our meaning taken to be that we desire torule, or by law to compel, any one. Meanwhile, there is on every side greatpressure towards a German Mass and Order of Divine Service: and there isgreat complaint and offence about the different kinds of new Masses, thatevery one makes his own, some with a good intention and others out of conceitto introduce something new themselves and to make a good show among othersand not be bad masters. As then always happens with Christian liberty, fewuse it for anything else than their own pleasure or profit: and not for God'shonour and the good of their neighbour. While, however, every man is bound onhis conscience, in like manner as he uses such liberty himself, not to hindernor forbid it to any one else, we must also take care that liberty be servantto love and to our neighbour. Where, then, it happens that men are offendedor perplexed at such diversity of use, we are truly bound to put limitsto liberty; and, so far as possible, to endeavour that the people arebettered by what we do and not offended. Since, then, in these matters ofoutward ordinance nothing is laid upon us as matter of conscience before God,and yet such ordinance can be of use to our neighbour, we ought in love, asSt. Paul teaches, to endeavour to be of one and the same mind; and, to thebest of our power, of like ways and fashion; just as all Christians have onebaptism and one sacrament, and no one has a special one given him ofGod.

      Still, I do not wish hereby to demand that those who already have agood Order or, by God's grace, can make a better, should let it go, and yieldto us. Nor is it my meaning that the whole of Germany should have to adoptforthwith our Wittenberg Order. It never was the case that the ministers,convents, and parishes were alike in everything. But it would be a grandthing if, in every several lordship, Divine Service were conducted in onefashion; and the neighbouring little townships and villages joined in the crywith one city. Whether in other lordships they should do the same orsomething different, should be left free and without penalty. In fine, weinstitute this Order not for the sake of those who are Christians already.For they have need of none of these things (for which things' sake man doesnot live: but they live for the sake of us who are not yet Christians, thatthey may make us Christians); they have their Divine Service in theirspirits. But it is necessary to have such an Order for the sake of those whoare to become Christians, or are to grow stronger; just as a Christian hasneed of baptism, the word and the sacrament not as a Christian (for, as such,he has them already), but as a sinner. But, above all, the Order is for thesimple and for the young folk who must daily be exercised in the Scriptureand God's Word, to the end that they may become conversant with Scripture andexpert in its use, ready and skilful in giving an answer for their faith, andable in time to teach others and aid in the advancement of the kingdom ofChrist. For the sake of such, we must read, sing, preach, write, and compose;and if it could in any wise help or promote their interests, I would have allthe bells pealing, and all the organs playing, and everything making a noisethat could. The Popish Divine Services are to be condemned for this reasonthat they have made of them laws, work, and merit; and so have depressedfaith. And they do not direct them towards the young and simple, to practisethem thereby in the Scripture and Word of God; but they are themselves stuckfast in them, and hold them as things useful and necessary to salvation : andthat is the devil. For in this wise the ancients have neither ordered norimposed them. Now there are three different kinds of Divine Service.