Of the Mass

1] That the Mass in the Papacy must be the greatest and most horrible abomination, as it directly and

powerfully conflicts with this chief article, and yet above and before all other popish idolatries it has

been the chief and most specious. For it has been held that this sacrifice or work of the Mass, even

though it be rendered by a wicked [and abandoned] scoundrel, frees men from sins, both in this life and

also in purgatory, while only the Lamb of God shall and must do this, as has been said above. Of this

article nothing is to be surrendered or conceded, because the first article does not allow it.

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2] If, perchance, there were reasonable Papists we might speak moderately and in a friendly way, thus:

first, why they so rigidly uphold the Mass. For it is but a pure invention of men, and has not been

commanded by God; and every invention of man we may [safely] discard, as Christ declares, Matt. 15, 9:

In vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

3] Secondly. It is an unnecessary thing, which can be omitted without sin and danger.

4] Thirdly. The Sacrament can be received in a better and more blessed way [more acceptable to God],

(yea, the only blessed way), according to the institution of Christ. Why, then, do they drive the world to

woe and [extreme] misery on account of a fictitious, unnecessary matter, which can be well obtained in

another and more blessed way?

5] Let [care be taken that] it be publicly preached to the people that the Mass as men’s twaddle

[commentitious affair or human figment] can be omitted without sin, and that no one will be condemned

who does not observe it, but that he can be saved in a better way without the Mass. I wager [Thus it will

come to pass] that the Mass will then collapse of itself, not only among the insane [rude] common

people, but also among all pious, Christian, reasonable, God-fearing hearts; and that the more, when they

would hear that the Mass is a [very] dangerous thing, fabricated and invented without the will and Word

of God.

6] Fourthly. Since such innumerable and unspeakable abuses have arisen in the whole world from the

buying and selling of masses, the Mass should by right be relinquished, if for no other purpose than to

prevent abuses, even though in itself it had something advantageous and good. How much more ought

we to relinquish it, so as to prevent [escape] forever these horrible abuses, since it is altogether

unnecessary, useless, and dangerous, and we can obtain everything by a more necessary, profitable, and

certain way without the Mass.

7] Fifthly. But since the Mass is nothing else and can be nothing else (as the Canon and all books

declare), than a work of men (even of wicked scoundrels), by which one attempts to reconcile himself

and others to God, and to obtain and merit the remission of sins and grace (for thus the Mass is observed

when it is observed at the very best; otherwise what purpose would it serve?), for this very reason it must

and should [certainly] be condemned and rejected. For this directly conflicts with the chief article, which

says that it is not a wicked or a godly hireling of the Mass with his own work, but the Lamb of God and

the Son of God, that taketh away our sins.

8] But if any one should advance the pretext that as an act of devotion he wishes to administer the

Sacrament, or Communion, to himself, he is not in earnest [he would commit a great mistake, and would

not be speaking seriously and sincerely]. For if he wishes to commune in sincerity, the surest and best

way for him is in the Sacrament administered according to Christ’s institution. But that one administer

communion to himself is a human notion, uncertain, unnecessary, yea, even prohibited. And he does not

know what he is doing, because without the Word of God he obeys a false human opinion and invention.

9] So, too, it is not right (even though the matter were otherwise correct) for one to use the common

Sacrament of [belonging to] the Church according to his own private devotion, and without God s Word

and apart from the communion of the Church to trifle therewith.

10] This article concerning the Mass will be the whole business of the Council. [The Council will

perspire most over, and be occupied with this article concerning the Mass.] For if it were [although it

would be] possible for them to concede to us all the other articles, yet they could not concede this. As

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Campegius said at Augsburg that he would be torn to pieces before he would relinquish the Mass, so, by

the help of God, I, too, would suffer myself to be reduced to ashes before I would allow a hireling of the

Mass, be he good or bad, to be made equal to Christ Jesus, my Lord and Savior, or to be exalted above

Him. Thus we are and remain eternally separated and opposed to one another. They feel well enough that

when the Mass falls, the Papacy lies in ruins. Before they will permit this to occur, they will put us all to

death if they can.

11] In addition to all this, this dragon’s tail, [I mean] the Mass, has begotten a numerous vermin-brood

of manifold idolatries.

12] First, purgatory. Here they carried their trade into purgatory by masses for souls, and vigils, and

weekly, monthly, and yearly celebrations of obsequies, and finally by the Common Week and All Souls

Day, by soul-baths so that the Mass is used almost alone for the dead, although Christ has instituted the

Sacrament alone for the living. Therefore purgatory, and every solemnity, rite, and commerce connected

with it, is to be regarded as nothing but a specter of the devil. For it conflicts with the chief article [which

teaches] that only Christ, and not the works of men, are to help [set free] souls. Not to mention the fact

that nothing has been [divinely] commanded or enjoined upon us concerning the dead. Therefore all this

may be safely omitted, even if it were no error and idolatry.

13] The Papists quote here Augustine and some of the Fathers who are said to have written concerning

purgatory, and they think that we do not understand for what purpose and to what end they spoke as they

did. St. Augustine does not write that there is a purgatory nor has he a testimony of Scripture to constrain

him thereto, but he leaves it in doubt whether there is one, and says that his mother asked to be

remembered at the altar or Sacrament. Now, all this is indeed nothing but the devotion of men, and that,

too, of individuals, and does not establish an article of faith, which is the prerogative of God alone.

14] Our Papists, however, cite such statements [opinions] of men in order that men should believe in

their horrible, blasphemous, and cursed traffic in masses for souls in purgatory [or in sacrifices for the

dead and oblations], etc. But they will never prove these things from Augustine. Now, when they have

abolished the traffic in masses for purgatory, of which Augustine never dreamt, we will then discuss with

them whether the expressions of Augustine without Scripture [being without the warrant of the Word]

are to be admitted, and whether the dead should be remembered at the Eucharist. 15] For it will not do to

frame articles of faith from the works or words of the holy Fathers; otherwise their kind of fare, of

garments, of house, etc., would have to become an article of faith, as was done with relics. [We have,

however, another rule, namely] The rule is: The Word of God shall establish articles of faith, and no one

else, not even an angel.

16] Secondly. From this it has followed that evil spirits have perpetrated much knavery [exercised their

malice] by appearing as the souls of the departed, and with unspeakable [horrible] lies and tricks

demanded masses, vigils, pilgrimages, and other alms. 17] All of which we had to receive as articles of

faith, and to live accordingly; and the Pope confirmed these things, as also the Mass and all other

abominations. Here, too, there is no [cannot and must not be any] yielding or surrendering.

18] Thirdly. [Hence arose] the pilgrimages. Here, too, masses, the remission of sins and the grace of God

were sought, for the Mass controlled everything. Now it is indeed certain that such pilgrimages, without

the Word of God, have not been commanded us, neither are they necessary, since we can have these

things [the soul can be cared for] in a better way, and can omit these pilgrimages without any sin and

danger. Why therefore do they leave at home [desert] their own parish [their called ministers, their

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parishes], the Word of God, wives, children, etc., who are ordained and [attention to whom is necessary

and has been] commanded, and run after these unnecessary, uncertain, pernicious will-o’-the-wisps of the

devil [and errors]? 19] Unless the devil was riding [made insane] the Pope, causing him to praise and

establish these practices, whereby the people again and again revolted from Christ to their own works,

and became idolaters, which is worst of all; moreover, it is neither necessary nor commanded, but is

senseless and doubtful, and besides harmful. Hence here, too, there can be no yielding or surrendering [to

yield or concede anything here is not lawful], etc. 20] And let this be preached, that such pilgrimages are

not necessary, but dangerous; and then see what will become of them. [For thus they will perish of their

own accord.]

21] Fourthly. Fraternities [or societies], in which cloisters, chapters, vicars have assigned and

communicated (by a legal contract and sale) all masses and good works, etc., both for the living and the

dead. This is not only altogether a human bauble, without the Word of God, entirely unnecessary and not

commanded, but also contrary to the chief article, Of Redemption. Therefore it is in no way to be

tolerated.

22] Fifthly. The relics, in which there are found so many falsehoods and tomfooleries concerning the

bones of dogs and horses, that even the devil has laughed at such rascalities, ought long ago to have been

condemned, even though there were some good in them; and so much the more because they are without

the Word of God; being neither commanded nor counseled, they are an entirely unnecessary and useless

thing. 23] But the worst is that [they have imagined that] these relics had to work indulgence and the

forgiveness of sins [and have revered them] as a good work and service of God, like the Mass, etc.

24] Sixthly. Here belong the precious indulgences granted (but only for money) both to the living and the

dead, by which the miserable [sacrilegious and accursed] Judas, or Pope, has sold the merit of Christ,

together with the superfluous merits of all saints and of the entire Church, etc. All these things [and every

single one of them] are not to be borne, and are not only without the Word of God, without necessity, not

commanded, but are against the chief article. For the merit of Christ is [apprehended and] obtained not

by our works or pence, but from grace through faith, without money and merit; and is offered [and

presented] not through the power of the Pope, but through the preaching of God’s Word.

Of the Invocation of Saints.

25] The invocation of saints is also one of the abuses of Antichrist conflicting with the chief article, and

destroys the knowledge of Christ. Neither is it commanded nor counseled, nor has it any example [or

testimony] in Scripture, and even though it were a precious thing, as it is not [while, on the contrary, it is

a most harmful thing], in Christ we have everything a thousandfold better [and surer, so that we are not

in need of calling upon the saints].

26] And although the angels in heaven pray for us (as Christ Himself also does), as also do the saints on

earth, and perhaps also in heaven, yet it does not follow thence that we should invoke and adore the

angels and saints, and fast, hold festivals, celebrate Mass in their honor, make offerings, and establish

churches, altars, divine worship, and in still other ways serve them, and regard them as helpers in need

[as patrons and intercessors], and divide among them all kinds of help, and ascribe to each one a

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particular form of assistance, as the Papists teach and do. For this is idolatry, and such honor belongs

alone to God. 27] For as a Christian and saint upon earth you can pray for me, not only in one, but in

many necessities. But for this reason I am not obliged to adore and invoke you, and celebrate festivals,

fast, make oblations, hold masses for your honor [and worship], and put my faith in you for my salvation.

I can in other ways indeed honor, love, and thank you in Christ. 28] If now such idolatrous honor were

withdrawn from angels and departed saints, the remaining honor would be without harm and would

quickly be forgotten. For when advantage and assistance, both bodily and spiritual, are no more to be

expected, the saints will not be troubled [the worship of the saints will soon vanish], neither in their

graves nor in heaven. For without a reward or out of pure love no one will much remember, or esteem, or

honor them [bestow on them divine honor].

29] In short, the Mass itself and anything that proceeds from it, and anything that is attached to it, we

cannot tolerate, but must condemn, in order that we may retain the holy Sacrament pure and certain,

according to the institution of Christ, employed and received through faith.