"
So that now in the New Testament there is a better
service, whereof the psalm speaketh: "Sing to the Lord a new
song; sing to the Lord all the earth." For God hath made our
heart and mind joyful through his dear Son whom he hath given
for us to redeem us from sin, death and the devil. Who
earnestly believes this cannot but sing and speak thereof with
joy and delight, that others also may hear and come. But whoso
will not speak and sing thereof, it is a sign that he doth not
believe it, and doth not belong to the cheerful New Testament
but to the dull and joyless Old Testament.
Therefore it is well done on the part of the printers
that they are diligent to print good hymns, and make them
agreeable to the people with all sorts of embellishments, that
they may be won to this joy in believing and gladly sing of
it. And inasmuch as this edition of Valtin Bapst [Pope] is
prepared in fine style, God grant that it may bring great hurt
and damage to that Roman _Bapst_ who by his accursed,
intolerable and abominable ordinances has brought nothing into
the world but wailing, mourning and misery. Amen.
I must give notice that the song which is sung at funerals,
"Nun lasst uns den Leib begraben,"
which bears my name is not mine, and my name is henceforth not
to stand with it.
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