Anno 1524.
Borrede.
I have now preached and written much and often about the papist shameful masses, how one should do to get rid of these abominations. So we have to hear from our lords papists that they blame us and complain that we have in mind to arouse rebellion. Well, let them lie to us; they have lied to more than to us. For since they may brazenly blaspheme and defile the divine majesty every hour with their abominable masses and idolatries, what harm is there in their lying to us poor people?
(2) But I do not consider this to be sedition in my mind, if something is instigated and provided by proper force, as I have always done and taught. For I have never taught that the disorderly mob or anyone without orders should fall in and change such things. Nor have I ever commanded that any man should run into their houses with the sword, or otherwise offend them, but have diligently resisted, and exhorted the proper authority, or that they, knowing it by the word of God, should forbear and change it from themselves. Therefore, it would not be necessary to invent such things on me without cause. But, as I said, "let it pass; it can do me no harm.
But that I come to the point, the scholars know and understand well what the mass is and what the cause is that moves me, that I would like to be rid of it. But so that the simple and unlearned could also understand it very well, I must bring it to light further, so that one could grasp what it is.
For I fear that they still take it for words, and do not believe that it is such an abomination as we say of it; otherwise they would do it with other seriousness. For even I, if I did not know and see before my eyes, and such things were said to me alone, I could not believe that it would be such a great shameful thing, or that God could be so angry as to allow such a plague to arise among Christendom.
4 Now I complain, because it is so plainly written and preached, that they will read it or hear it, but will stop their ears, and neither hear nor see it. Which is an unpleasant thing. If it were weakness and lack of understanding, we would see through their fingers and give them credit. But because they are obstinate and do not want to understand, let it pass among us, and watch us that they blaspheme and disgrace God in this way; so we can and shall never bear patience. For since they dwell with us in one city and community, and enjoy all outward fellowship with us, we would in the end have to bear their deliberate blasphemy upon us as well, as those who consent to it, and would do nothing about it, as we might well do when Paul says in Romans 1, "They are guilty of death, even those who consent to it.
(5) Therefore I will do my part and warn everyone to beware of such abominations as of the worst devil, and to do so to those who have the power to prevent them. And that everyone may see it and grasp it, I will also take the Canon of the Mass, which is to be the principal and the best part of the Mass, from
*This writing, which Aurifaber places in the year 1523, was probably written in 1524. The old editions, also Mathesius, Luthers Leben, St. Louiser Ausgabe, p. 68, count it to the year 1524, but no single edition before 1525 is available. In the latter year, editions under the title we have given were published at Wittenberg by Hans Weiß and Hans Lust. In the editions it is found: in the Wittenberg (1553), vol. IV, p. 408d; in the Jena (1585), vol. II, p. 488 d; in the Altenburg, vol. II, p. 842; in the Leipzig, vol. XVIII, p. 503 and in the Erlangen, vol. 29, p. 114. This writing, translated into Latin, is found in the Wittenberg edition, Lonu II, col. 419. We give the text according to the Jena edition, comparing the Wittenberg.
Tell word for word. So that it will be obvious to everyone how blinded and hardened blasphemers our papists are.
(6) But first of all, I want to remind everyone of the reason for our faith and everything we preach, and repeat it recently. But now I preach only to those who believe the gospel to be God's word and nothing else. For those who still doubt it or do not know it do not accept such a reason.
(7) You have therefore heard and learned in the Gospel that our cause of being saved from sins, death, the devil, and an evil conscience, and of coming to righteous piety before God and eternal life, is not to be advised or helped in any way by works or laws, whatever they may be and be called. For God does not want to suffer any other means or mediator than His only Son, whom the Father sent into the world and tasted His blood for the sole purpose of acquiring for us the treasure of faith.
This is the summa of the Gospel that we preach. Whoever then seeks any other way to get out of sins and come before God, has already blasphemed, defiled and blasphemed God, when He had His Son shed His blood in vain, and the same had done nothing and was evil.
(9) For he will have this in short, and no other, that no man come before him without the innocent blood alone. And whoever does anything else, his work, order or status, he will be much more the devil than another. For he is very serious about it, and does not want to make a joke of it, because he let his son die for it. Therefore we have and know no more sacrifice than that which he made on the cross, whereon he died once, as the epistle to the Hebrews saith, and thereby hath purged all men's sins, and also sanctified us for ever.
(10) This, I say, is our gospel, that Christ has made us righteous and holy through the sacrifice, and redeemed us from sins, death, and the devil, and seated us in his heavenly kingdom. This we must grasp and hold by faith alone. This we have so often
preached and driven, so that everyone may know it well and conclude that all our works done to atone for sin and escape death must all be blasphemous, denying God and desecrating the sacrifice Christ made and His blood, because they want to do with it what Christ's blood alone must do.
If this gospel is true, then everything that leads to another way and sacrifice must be a lie. Now the papist priests do nothing else in the mass, but that they go on without ceasing with such words: We sacrifice, we offer, and these sacrifices, these offerings 2c. and remain silent about the sacrifice that Christ has made, not thanking Him, even despising it and denying it and wanting to come before God themselves with their sacrifice.
12. Dear one, what will God say when you come before Him? He will say: Must I be your fool and liar? I have given you a sacrifice, my only Son, which you should accept with thanksgiving and all joy; so you may come before me, and keep silent about it, as if you were not allowed to be, and despised the highest treasure I have in heaven and earth. What do you think I should pay you for this?
If God were the devil himself, that would be enough desecration; yet such an abomination has gone through the world for so long, in so many daily and innumerable masses, and still goes on without ceasing, and God has so far spared. Now that we know and understand this, we must not remain silent nor suffer: otherwise we would arouse terrible wrath and punishment upon ourselves. Let this be said first of all as a warning.
Now let us count the words that the priests secretly read in the silence, which they call the Canon, and which they hold so perfectly sacred that they forbid the laity to know them. Then we will remove the devil's cover and expose him to the light before you, so that everyone can see what terrible, horrible things the wretched devil is doing daily in the silence of the world.
This is how the dear Canon or Stillmefse is seen.
1. We humbly beseech thee, most gracious Father, through Jesus Christ thy Son,
Our Lord, that you would be pleased and bless these gifts, these presents, these holy, immaculate sacrifices, especially which we offer to you, for your holy, common Christian church, to which you would make peace, protect it, help it and govern it in the whole world, together with your servant, our pope N. and our bishop N. and all orthodox believers and those who are of the Christian and apostolic faith".
Behold, the priest stands with a host or wafer of pure bread and a cup of wine before him, and speaks to God that he should look upon it, and that it should be so delicious and so worthy that it should be a sacrifice before God for all of Christendom. Is this not blaspheming Christ's blood, that bread and wine are considered equal to it? No one notices or sees what blasphemy it is.
How can you, a wretched man, come so brazenly before the high divine majesty that it would be enough if it were a sow? Shall he look at the sacrifice and offerings, which is nothing but bread and wine, still unblessed? Shall we offer God a morsel of bread and wine, that he may take it for Christianity, and say that it is a holy unblessed sacrifice?
(4) If it is holy and undefiled, why should he look upon it and bless it? But if he shall look upon it, and make it acceptable, and bless it, how callest thou it an undefiled holy sacrifice? Is it not just as much said that God should be propitiated with bread and wine, which is nothing more than another bread, of which everyone eats; and you say that it should be holy and a sacrifice given to God, and then eat it yourself and want to offer such a sacrifice for the whole holy Christian church and all believers?
(5) Is not this blasphemy and desecration enough, that a sinful man should take bread and wine and sacrifice for all holy Christendom? That means you ever talk the devil. Should you sacrifice for all of Christendom that God has made His own Son's blood cost? What do they want or could they sacrifice? The sacrifice for the whole world has already been made through Christ. What are they doing? If you want to pray for pious Christians
Are you yourself a knave and a blasphemer? And do no more than offer a morsel of bad bread and wine.
(6) If anyone were to open his eyes and see such an abominable blasphemy, which happens daily in the whole world, his heart would burst. For it is just as much when they speak these words: We offer you this for the whole world, and ask that you let it be pleasing to you, as if they said to God publicly in front of the whole world and blasphemed: You deny in your mouth that we must help Christianity with bread and wine; so you say that the blood of your son alone must do it.
We have to suffer this, hear and see daily that they punish and disgrace God so brazenly that it would not be a miracle if the earth devoured us and them. They hear and see this themselves, they have the text before their eyes that they cannot deny it; nor are they so stiff-necked and hardened that they can neither be told nor helped.
8. this is a piece of abomination, that they offer the bread and wine to god for a pure sacrifice; and yet ask for it, that god may please him and bless it. So they lie a hundred to a thousand, so that they themselves do not know what they are saying because of their blindness. For God Himself says in Malachi: "My sacrifice, which is offered to Me in all the world, is pleasing to Me" [Cap. 1, 11].
(9) In addition, he uses useless words, just as if the orthodox were different from those who are of the apostolic and common Christian faith. But the devil means the papal faith by the apostolic faith, as if the mass alone helps the same papal faith. This is also true, and do not want it to help me, nor a pious Christian. Now further:
Prayer for the living.
10. "Remember, O LORD, thy servants and thy handmaidens N., and all that stand round about, whose faith is known to thee and devotion conscious, for whom we offer unto thee, or who offer unto thee themselves this sacrifice of praise, for themselves and for all their own, for the salvation of their souls, for the hope of their blessedness and health, and pay their vows unto thee, the eternal, living, right God."
(11) Then he brought those who were standing around to offer with him the bad bread and wheat, and said these things to those who had faith. God forbid! We do not want to be there, but run, because one can run.
12. But to what end shall they sacrifice? That their souls may be saved 2c. Behold, is not this a frenzied, mad and foolish people? Do they have faith, as you yourself say, how shall their souls be redeemed? Or are they still captives of the devil?
Behold, dear Christians, how the devil has strengthened this thing, in defiance of God and all the world. And is it ever a wonder that God has blinded people so much that they lie to themselves, and yet, because of their blindness, they do not see it, and even consider it a great service to God.
14 Is it not at the same time as much to say, Christians are in sins, and are not redeemed, and yet are without sin, and are redeemed? Or, that Christ hath redeemed with his blood, as Christians, are not redeemed, nor Christians, but we will redeem ourselves with a piece of bread and drink of wine, and make ourselves Christians. With such abominable lies and blasphemies they may so insolently come before God and think that He should crown them for it. That is the other part; now they come to the dead.
Under the shielding, he introduces this hopeless, clumsy prayer, which is nowhere to be found.
rhymes with the fair:
15. "So that we may commune and honor the memory of the most blessed and ever-virgin Mary, the Mother of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ, and also of the blessed, your apostles and martyrs, Peter, Paul, Andrew, Jacob, John, Thomas, Jacob, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon, and Thaddeus, Lini, Cleti, Clementis, Sixti, Cornelii, Cypriani, Laurentii, Chrysogoni, Johannis and Pauli, Cosmä and Damiani, and all thy saints, by whose merit and intercession thou wilt grant (us) to be shielded at all times by the help of thy protection, through the Holy Christ our Lord, Amen."
16. Christ has appointed his body and blood for his memory and for our fellowship, who live here on earth, so this fool makes a memory and fellowship of the various saints and sets them as intercessors and mediators; at the very hour and office when he acts and should act from the one mediator, Christ, he thus leads us from Christ to the saints: is this not a terrible, shameful thing? O of the unholy canon! one sees finely how it is gathered and gathered by unlearned, mad clergymen. A prayer follows:
Under the umbrella.
17. "Therefore we pray, O Lord, that you will graciously accept this sacrifice of our service, as well as all your servants, and finish our days in your peace, and also save us from eternal damnation, and call us to be numbered in your elect company through Christ our Lord, amen."
18 Then he offers bread and wine again, and for this very reason they are redeemed from eternal damnation and counted among the elect. This is what the bread and wine are supposed to accomplish, for Christ's blood and death do not count for such redemption. Think, everyone, what an abomination this is! Nor shall we worship it, and the laity shall not hear such things in the sight of great holiness, as if they were all heavenly things. Further:
A prayer.
19. "What sacrifice, we pray, O God, would you bless, inscribe, make strong, reasonable, and pleasing to all, that it may become for us the body and blood of your most beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ."
20 Now he will go up and bless. I do not know what to make of the words. The fool himself did not know what he was saying. It should be reasonable, he says, from the epistle of Paul, Rom. 12, 1, but only when the body and blood of Christ become, and then also be inscribed and blessed: since he has already called the bread and wine a holy, undefiled sacrifice. This will certainly please God that I ask him to consider my request and thereby first be gracious to his Son, bless him and sign him up.
We are blessed and sanctified by him. How could he be more desecrated and blasphemed?
(21) If this piece alone were in the accursed canon, it would be even more abominable than too much, that they should refrain from reconciling Christ and his pure, holy blood, by which all sin is eradicated and drunk up, and where this is not, all men's nature and whole being is accursed, God's enemy and the devil's own. For what is this said otherwise in essence, but: Christ's blood is not pure, indeed, is of the devil? How else could he ask that God purify it? So you see clearly enough how the mass is nothing but a terrible, horrible blasphemy.
Here he takes the host in his hands and speaks:
22. "Who the next day before his Passion took bread in his holy and worthy hands, and with lifted up eyes looked up to heaven unto thee, O GOD, his Father Almighty, and gave thanks unto thee, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat of all these things: for this is my body."
023 Then the noble words which Christ himself spake are added, which they have also added, but they leave out that Christ adds, "Which is given for you. For they do not ask for this, because they know something better to give for themselves, namely a piece of bread and a drink of wine. But they have added a little word to it, that is, enim, and say that it means as much as "truly"; of which they have also written many books, and have decided that he commits a mortal sin who leaves it out. And yet they leave even the best, most precious words outside, that they are silent only of the sacrifice which Christ made. This is indulgence and not sin.
Here he lays down the hosts and lifts up the chalice, saying:
24] "Likewise, when they had supped that evening, he also took this glorious cup into his holy and worthy hands, and gave thee thanks, and blessed it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, all of you, and drink of it: for this is the cup of my blood, of the new testament, a mystery.
of faith, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins. As often as you do this, you shall do it in remembrance of me."
Here he set down the chalice.
(25) This part of the sacrament they have kept only for themselves, and have not given to us laymen, though the text says, "Drink ye all of it. And here they add from the words of Christ, "which is poured out for you for the remission of sins," which is perhaps meant for them alone; but it need not be so with the bread which they alone give us. Now continue:
26. "Therefore we, O Lord, thy servants, and also thy holy people, Christ thy Son our Lord, both remember the holy passion, and also the resurrection from the dead, and also the glorious ascension into the heavens, and offer unto thy glorious majesty from thy gifts and bounties a pure offering, a holy sacrifice, an undefiled sacrifice, the holy bread of eternal life, and the cup of eternal blessedness."
27 Behold, he comes again to the sacrifice, when the bread became the body of Christ, and calls it holy bread and a cup of blessedness. How foolishly he speaks of the matter! But let us do him the honor and interpret it best and not make it too evil. He sacrifices the Lord Christ once, who sacrificed himself only once, as he died only once, and can die no more, nor be sacrificed any more, for by the one sacrifice he took away and swallowed up all sin.
028 Yet they go on, and sacrifice him every day more than an hundred thousand times in the world. That they may deny in deed and in heart that Christ hath put away sin, and died, and risen again. It is such an abomination that I think it would not be punished enough on earth if it rained down fire from heaven. The blasphemy is too great; it alone must be kept in the eternal hellish fire.
A prayer.
29. "Over whom thou wilt look with gracious and favorable countenance, and let them be acceptable unto thee: as thou hast let thyself be pleased with them.
Take the gifts of your righteous servant Abel, and the sacrifice of our forefather Abraham, and that offered to you by your high priest Melchizedek, a holy sacrifice, and immaculate host":
30. Then he prays for the sacrifice, that God would be gracious to his son and please him, and the wretched man becomes a mediator between God and Christ, his dear Son. O of abominations! And for this purpose he leads examples from holy fathers.
(31) By this they confess publicly enough that the flesh and blood of Christ are unclean; for because they ask for it, and it is an earnest prayer, they must say that it is in disgrace. If it were in grace, what could one ask for it? Therefore this is not only denying Christ's blood, but even trampling it underfoot. It should sanctify and reconcile us; so let us do it to him. Nor will they do him the honor of considering such things.
32 Nevertheless it shall not be counted more than Abel's, Abraham's, and Melchizedek's sacrifices, which are all purified by this sacrifice of Christ. It is also a great and strong lie that Melchizedek offered bread and wine, which is said elsewhere.
Here he bends and speaks:
33. "We humbly beseech thee, Almighty God, grant that this may be borne by the hands of thy holy angel upon thy high altar, before the face of thy divine majesty, that all who shall take of this the altar communion of the Most Holy, thy Son's body and blood, may be filled with all heavenly blessings and graces, through the same Christ our Lord, Amen."
34 Then you see that he has no faith at all in the sacrifice of Christ; he wants to do everything himself, only through his prayer, and talks as if the congregation were taking the sacrament with him, as it should be, but leaks into his mouth and makes him dream that there is an altar in heaven before God, on which the angel should carry it with his hands, which he then eats and drinks, as Christ also instituted. That is, I mean, to be blind, frenzied and senseless. It shall
But everything must be wrong, so that there is no good letter without the holy Word of God.
Memorial for the deceased.
35 "Remember also, O Lord, your servants, who have gone before us with the sign of faith, sleeping in the sleep of peace. To them and to all who rest in Christ, we pray, O Lord, that you would grant a place of rest, light and peace, through Christ our Lord."
Now he comes back to the dead. The piece was money for them, so that they would not say mass in vain. He prays for those who sleep in the sleep of peace, and rest in Christ, and have the sign of faith. Is this true, what do you ask for them? Are you not mad and foolish? Have they rest and peace; why or how shall he refresh them and make them peace? So they must bite their own mouths and lie in their cheeks, not knowing what or how they speak.
Here he beats his chest a little loudly and speaks:
37 "And also to us in particular, your servants who hope in the multitude of your mercy, you would give a part and fellowship with your holy apostles and martyrs: with John, Stephen, Matthew, Barnaba, Ignatio, Alexandro, Marcellino, Petro, Felicitate, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucia, Agneta, Cecilia, Anastasia, and with all your saints. Among whom communion, we pray, wilt thou admit us, not as an overseer of merit, but as a forgiver, through Christ our Lord."
38 Now at last he cometh again upon the living, and yet mingles with them the saints which are in heaven; there he is devout. They do not need the Lord's portion and fellowship, but only want to deal with the saints: if he has not acquired a portion of fellowship or a part, as the saints have, but all the treasure that he gives in heaven and earth, yes, everything that he himself is; and you first ask for a part and a part among the saints.
39 Here they have now once patched together a register of saints. There should not be saints, but only devils; as they are under the 1) saints' names.
40. "Through whom, O LORD, you always create, sanctify, give life to, bless, and present to us all these goods; through him, and in him, and with him, you, GOD, Father Almighty, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, have all glory and honor."
41 The useless launderer speaks of many, and yet takes it alone. Christ instituted the breaking of bread so that it would be given and distributed to many; so this man says he breaks it, and yet gives it to no one, not knowing himself what or why he does it. And confesses again that Christ's body, the poor sinner, is daily sanctified and made alive by God through their intercession.
Per omnia saecula saeculorum.
Answer: Amen.
42. "Let us pray: We who are instructed by the salutary commandments and divine instruction may say, Our Father, who art in heaven." 2c.
Answer: And deliver us from evil.
43 We beseech thee, O Lord, deliver us from all past, present and future evil, and through the intercession of the blessed and most blessed virgins, the Mother of God, Mary, and thy blessed apostles, Peter, Paul and Andrew, together with all the saints. Give us also gracious peace in our days, that we may be helped by the help of your mercy, and that we may always be free from sins and safe from all kinds of distress.
44) But the saints must come, so that they may also reconcile Christ Himself and us to God; I also want to have good days without sorrow. God also heard the prayer and gave the saints good days, but woe to them.
Here he first breaks the host into two parts and speaks:
"Through the same our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son."
1) Thus the Wittenberg. Jenaer: den.
2) d. i. in turn.
Then he breaks the one part into two parts and speaks:
"Who with thee, GOD, liveth and reigneth in unity of the Holy Ghost."
Then he picks up the third part a little, with the cup, and speaks:
Per omnia saecula saeculorum.
Answer: Amen.
Then he makes the sign of the cross over the blood and says:
"The peace of the Lord be with you always." Answer: And with your spirit.
Here he puts a piece of the host into the blood and speaks:
"Let this commingling and consecration of the body and blood of our Lord JEsu Christ prosper us who take it to eternal life, Amen."
45 Again, the fool speaks of many who take and takes alone. And again it is a blasphemous word that he says: He mixes the body and blood of Christ among themselves. I would like to know how one could mix the body and the blood, which is One Christ? He mixes bread and wine.
46 But this is much worse, that he calls it a sanctification of the body and blood, just as if there were something to sanctify in Christ. And says to this, that the blending should prosper those who take it, to eternal life, that is, the work should do it. Where are the words in which life is written? It is all based on us and the sacrifice.
Now he prays again for peace, bows down before the body of the Lord and says:
A prayer.
47 "O Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your apostles: My peace I give unto you, peace I leave unto you: thou wouldest not look upon my sin, but upon the faith of thy church, and wouldest make peace unto it, according to thy will, and keep it together, who livest and reignest, GOD, for ever and ever, Amen." -
(48) Then he does wisely for once to confess that he has no faith, and God should
They also rely on it and want to confirm their abomination with it. In fact, God has quite deceived them and struck them with blindness, so that they think and defy that they are not allowed to have faith, that it is enough for the Christian church to believe, when there is nothing more necessary here than for each one to believe for himself.
49. to this they say, the sacrifice and work
God is pleased with him, even though the person is not pleasant, the sacrifice is pleasant. So that they judge themselves to have received the sacrament unworthily in 1) faith, as dogs, and yet have kept it very well, that they snatched the money and kept it, and yet they should not be pious. Now he makes a long appendix and useless chatter, but never comes to the right thing.
Here he kisses the altar.
A prayer.
50. "O Lord Jesus Christ, a son of the living God, who according to the will of the Father, by the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, made the world alive through your death, deliver me through this holy body and blood from all my iniquity and evil, and cause me always to cleave to your commandments, and let me never be separated from them, who with the same God, the Father and the Holy Spirit, live and reign forever and ever, amen."
The body and blood must do it through prayer, but faith in the word must do nothing.
apply.
A prayer.
51. "The use of your body, O Lord Jesus Christ, which I intend to take from the unworthy, is not for my judgment and condemnation, but for my protection of mind and body, according to your goodness, and for a remedy to receive you, who live and reign with God the Father.
1) This reading is found in all editions and probably allows an interpretation which corresponds to the context, namely: as far as faith is concerned, unworthy. But we think that perhaps "to" i.e. "without" would like to be read.
This prayer would go if it were written: As you have spoken to me, and are called to believe, so that God's word may be included.
Here he takes the paten with your body of Christ and speaks:
53. "I will take the heavenly bread and call on the name of the Lord."
These are all untimely words that lead from faith to works.
After that, he hits his chest three times and says:
54. "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof, but only say with one word, and my soul shall be healed."
Then he nehlne the body with reverence and draws himself with it and says:
55. "The body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserves my soul to eternal life, amen."
Here he takes the cup and speaks:
56. "What shall I repay the Lord for all his benefits, that he has done me good?"
"I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. I will call upon the Lord with praise, and I shall be delivered from mine enemies."
After that he takes the blood and speaks:
57: "The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ preserves my soul unto eternal life.
(58) Then he adds a piece from the 116th Psalm, as if to pay God, that is, to take the cup. For that he takes the bread is a bad thing; with
But he will pay for everything with the cup. Dear, mock, disgrace and blaspheme only confidently, because you can. God has been able to suffer so long. If he had not intended to overthrow them soon, he would never have done it. The prophet David thus says, Psalm 116 [v. 13]: that God has helped him out of all misfortune; therefore he will again give completely and sacrifice his cup, that is, his humble portion, and suffer what God will lay upon him, and again bear and do for his love what he should. This is what the fool shows here on his sacrifice and sacrament taking.
1214 Err. 29, 131-133. IX. Luther's writings Wider die Messe. W. xix, irso-iiW. 1215
When he has received the blood and speaks:
59. "That which we have taken with our mouths, let us take also with our hearts, and let the temporal gift be to us an everlasting remedy, Amen."
"O Lord, thy body which I have taken, and thy blood which I have drunk, cling to my inward parts, and grant that no stain of iniquity remain in me, whom the pure and holy sacraments have refreshed."
60 This is the mass; now there is still the last piece when he wants to leave the altar.
When the Mass is over and the blessing is given, he bows in the middle of the altar and says this prayer:
After that he kisses the altar.
61. "Let our service be acceptable to you, O Holy Trinity, and grant that the sacrifice which I offered unworthily before the eyes of your majesty may be acceptable to you, and that it may be propitiatory to me and to all for whom I offered it, through your mercy, through Christ our Lord, amen."
62) As the blasphemous sacrificer 1) began, so he continues, always offering and asking that it be pleasing. The good Christ is not pleasing to the Father, unless the holy Canon comes and makes him pleasing, so that the sacrifice may reconcile him to God. 2) Christ is dead and of no use, since the work is only to forgive sin 3) and to gain favor with God, so that He may be gracious to Christ and to us.
63) Behold, thou hast heard the holy still mass, that thou mayest know what it is, and mayest be able to-
1) Thus the Jena edition. In the Wittenberg edition: Wie er's angefangen hat.
2) The words: "so that the sacrifice reconciles him to God" are missing in the Wittenberg.
3) Instead of this sentence in the Wittenberg: sintemal the work of the sacrifice is to merit the forgiveness of sins.
and bless them as you do the devil himself. Since by God's word and grace such abominations have come to light, and their foolishness has been revealed to everyone, as Paul says in 2 Tim. 3:9, 4) that the great Babylonian whore has been uncovered behind and in front, we should first give thanks to God; then earnestly ask that He take away and eradicate the abomination in all the world. For if we do not pray and give thanks to Him, and do that such miseries may be lessened, but see His name so profaned, we shall also have to bear the same guilt and punishment with them.
64. For if an insolent wretch publicly blasphemes, swears or defiles God in the street, and the authorities suffer this and do not punish him seriously, as they are obliged to do, they would be guilty of such evil in the eyes of God; And in some countries it is forbidden to curse and swear; it is much cheaper for the secular lords to do so, to defend and punish, because such blasphemy and desecration is so obvious in the mass, and happens as publicly as if a boy were blaspheming in the street. If one is criminal, the other is also criminal.
Therefore, dear Christians, let us flee from such an abomination and become one in the matter, so that this blasphemy can be stopped by proper authority, so that we do not load foreign sin onto our necks. For it is the duty of the authorities to prevent and punish such public blasphemy. But if it suffers it and sees where it can prevent it, God will not look through its fingers and punish both the blasphemers and those who are willing to do so with terrible seriousness, so that it will be too hard for them. I have done my part, advised faithfully and warned everyone. Whoever does not follow me, I must not answer for. God grant us his mercy, amen.
4) Here the Erlangen edition has again reprinted Walch's wrong Bible quote, "2 Thess. 2, 8.
1216 Erl. 84, so f. 253 f. 145. letter to Count Albrecht zu Mansfeld. W. xix, I4W-I484.