Between 4 and 8 December 1524.
1. Since it is knowable and undeniable, as heard from the next sermon, and everyone can read and hear for himself, how great atrocious blasphemies are done in the mass from the canon of the high divine majesty, which, because they are now quite obvious, should be offensive not only to all pious Christians, but also to pagans, Turks and Jews, and is to be resisted as one can, and God's honor is to be saved; Nor is a sacristan any less deserving of bodily death and punishment (as exemplified in the Law of Moses) than any other public abuser and blasphemer who cursed God or His saints in the street.
(2) But because the lords of the congregation continue in a stubborn spirit, and knowingly and falsely commit such blasphemy, and will not desist therefrom, our consciences are urged to deal with them.
It is possible, by God's grace, to resist this, so that the whole church, which suffers such blasphemers in and among itself, will not fall into severe judgment before God through the prolonged patience of this denouncing and public abomination, as St. Paul says in Romans 1:1. Paul Rom. 1, 32. says: that both are worthy of death who do evil and allow it, and severely punishes the Corinthians for not putting away the one who took his stepmother, 1 Cor. 5, 1.ff.
For this reason, an honorable council, moved by the whole community and the university, first of all to admonish the lords of the monastery in a Christian and brotherly manner, and also want to have admonished them herewith, according to the rule of Christ, Matth. 18, 15: "If your brother sins against you" 2c., and, for the sake of God, to spare all consciences, have asked that
*) This writing is found in the Wittenberg edition, vol. IX, p. 202; in the Jena edition (1585), vol. II, p. 506 d; in the Altenburg edition, vol. II, p. 849 and in the Leipzig edition, vol. XVIII, p. 501. We give the text according to the Jena edition. In determining the time, we were guided by the following: Seckendorf, Hibt. I^utti, läd. I, p. 276 (I) reports that the dean and his comrades had brought new complaints before the Elector on December 3 and 8, 1524. Luther had publicly rejected the Canon of the Mass in his sermon on the 2nd of Advent (Dec. 4), and thereupon the rector of the university, likewise two mayors and ten councilors had come to the dean and had denounced all fellowship to the canons if they insisted on their ceremonies. It seems to be almost beyond doubt that the sermon which is commemorated in the first words of our writing is the one which Seckendorf says was held on December 4. On December 8, Seckendorf says, they again complained to the Elector. Therefore, our writing may also be placed between these two dates. In any case, our time determination is very close to the truth.
they wanted to do away with such blasphemy and put it into another Christian way, which would be blameless before God and blessed for the whole community. If this would not help, they would have to continue, according to the same rule of Christ, to keep and prove themselves in such a way that their Christian faithfulness may be preserved before God, and their good reputation and name before the world; according to which they know how to judge themselves.
4 And whether they wanted to turn to the Elector, our Lord, it is answered enough before, and we have no satisfaction with it, since one knows that the same godly, praiseworthy Elector neither means nor drives anyone to do wrong, much less to blaspheme God so palpably and publicly, also in divine matters concerning the salvation of souls, one is not to wait first of all for princes or men, yes, the cause of the lords of the convent only becomes worse, that they protect their ungodly nature by means of princes, and thus confess that they want to blaspheme God continually for the sake of men or the belly, and thus are themselves witnesses against themselves that they put men above God, and want to blaspheme God eternally before they want to offend men or break off their belly: For which reason their abomination is only the greater, and the more unmistakable to us, to tolerate longer than he who, with a hardened conscience, stubbornly wants to protect himself, only for the sake of his sorry belly.
(5) And lest they should say that the words were not held out to them, whether they might not have heard them in the sermon, or might not have wanted to hear them, we will show some of them here from the Canon of the Mass.
6 The first part of the public abomination is that a priest is subjected to call and hold before God a piece of bread and wine, before it is blessed, a holy unblemished sacrifice, so that all of Christendom may be purchased, souls redeemed, and salvation obtained: which only the holy blood of the Son of God could, should, and must do, Rom. 3, 24, 25. For so the terrible words in the Canon read: Haec dona, haec sacrificia etc., thou wilt please and bless this gift - hear: the bad bread and wine - these gifts and holy, undefiled sacrifices, which we offer to thee for the whole of Christendom.
(7) Behold, he saith, they are holy and pure sacrifices, and yet prayeth that they may be acceptable, as if they were unholy and unclean, and offereth them for Christendom, as if it were not yet Christendom, and should become Christendom. In this way, the blood of Christ is ever taken away its honor, desecrated and blasphemed; in addition, the words Wider himself
They call holy that which they claim to be unholy, and Christianity that they want to make Christian.
8) So then: Pro quibus tibi offerimus, for whom we offer unto thee, or, who offer unto thee this sacrifice of praise for themselves, for all their own, for the salvation of their souls, for the hope of their blessedness and health. Behold, they will redeem souls, without the blood of Christ, with a morsel of bread and a drink of wine. They also sacrifice those who have not yet redeemed their souls (that is, pagans and unbelievers) and want to redeem them all with this; all of which is an unpleasant, terrible abomination to hear.
The other part is even worse, since the priest (after the bread has become Christ's body and the wine His blood) continues to ask God the Father to be favorable and gracious to His dear Son, and to be better here than Christ Himself: just as if Christ were a sinner, and the priest his mediator before God. For thus his blasphemous words after the blessing are: Offerimus praeclarae majestati tuae, we offer to your glorious majesty this pure sacrifice, this holy sacrifice, this immaculate sacrifice, the holy bread of eternal life, the cup of eternal blessedness.
(10) Behold, the blasphemer sacrifices Christ, the Son of God, for us, who sacrificed Himself for us only once on the cross, Heb. 10:10, 14. After this, as if he were not holy nor pure, as he has now said that it is a pure, holy sacrifice, he prays for him, and then says: "You will see with a gracious and favorable face, and let it please you, as you pleased the sacrifice of your servant, the pious Abel, and of our forefather Abraham, and which your high priest Melchizedek offered to you, a holy sacrifice, 2c. Behold, the great sinner, Christ, must be forbidden to God, and yet not be counted higher than Abel, Abraham, and Isaac, none of whom died for us. Therefore, here Christ's blood is trampled underfoot and denied of all things.
After that, he first of all opens heaven for the poor Christ and asks that a holy angel with his hand would carry him up to the altar before God 2c. Summa Summarum, it is a vile, blasphemous thing in the Canon.
(12) Therefore the lords of the congregation are requested to look at and read the canon themselves, and after that to cease from such blasphemy. For these two main parts of the abomination are indicated, that they should read all the others at the same time, and that they should know that it is a Christian congregation, which is here, that is to be blasphemed.
at Wittenberg with the evangelical light not to tolerate unpleasant and longer bad, lest God's wrath come upon us all, and make us all partakers of the sin we tolerate.
(13) That their answer not be deferred to the prince, but decided in the chapter itself, yes or no, to guide us further.
1) In the Wittb. Ausg. is still added: Wittemberg.
143 c. The chapter's new order of service for the collegiate church in Wittenberg.*)
December 24, 1524.
After there had been various abuses in the collegiate church here in Wittenberg, especially with a certain number of daily masses and other things, and we provost, dean, canonici 2c. of the said church, by the light of the holy divine word, which went out here in Wittenberg by special grace of God, recognized that reported abuses not only here in this place (where the holy gospel was first reopened), but also everywhere now and then, In this regard, we have used the advice of some venerable, highly learned persons from the university, and have stopped these abuses of the masses, along with other futile, annoying ceremonies, in the following form.
New Order of the Collegiate Church at Wittenberg, made and begun on the 24th day of Decembris, that is, on the holy Christmas Eve
of the 25th year.
First of all, all masses in the small choir were stopped before all else, so that no more should be read or sung for bass. Only Horae B. Virginis should be held, with the usual Collecta, but perhaps not for long.
In the large choir, all masses are to be abolished, as early mass, high mass, Corporis Christi mass on Thursday and Cruow on Friday. However, only on Sundays a Protestant High Mass shall be held, de sancta Trinitate or de Dominica, as time permits.
if communicants are present; if not, the same Mass shall remain.
Furthermore, no Mass shall be held of the Holy Feasts without having testimony and being founded in divine Scripture, as Joan Baptistae, Pauli, etc., Purificationis, An- nunciationis, Visitationis, etc.
The Sunday High Masses are to be sung, as said, from the Dominica, or from great feasts, as Nativitatis Christi, Circumcisionis, Epiphaniae, Paschae, Ascensionis Domini, Pentecostes, Trinitatis. May God grant that such nobility may have a firm foundation, Amen.
However, Horae Canonicae are to be held daily as time permits, but no Mass is to be sung nor held on work days.
Also, all childish ceremonies, such as incense, handling in choir caps, stationes, salt and water consecrations, shall be abolished.
The best spiritual songs should be sung on the organ, but no secular songs should be sung.
If there are no communicants on Sunday, one should sing the Introit, Kyrie eleison, Et in terra, etc., the Collects de tempore, the Credo and Patrem, the Pater noster, Agnus Dei, and conclude with them.
Our dear women or the small choir, however, should be beaten to the big choir. Of it further in the booklet D. Martini of order of the service in the church. 2)
2) Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. X, 220 ff.
*) This writing is found in the editions indicated at the previous number immediately after the same.
1198 Erl. ss, 114-iis. IX. Luther's writings Against the Mass. W. xix. i4sg-i46i. 1199