that prayer be of help, good, acceptable and a
common prayer, or a work of the Holy Day and of the assembled
congregation, which they make who make their own petty prayers,
one for this, the other for that, and have nothing but
self-seeking, selfish prayers, which God hates?

XII. A suggestion of this common prayer has been retained from
ancient practice, when at the end of the sermon the Confession of
Sins is said and prayer is made on the pulpit for all
Christendom. But this should not be the end of the matter, as is
now the custom and fashion; it should be an exhortation to pray
throughout the entire mass for such need as the preacher makes us
feel; and in order that we may pray worthily, he first exhorts us
because of our sin, and thereby makes us humble. This should be
done as briefly as possible, that then the entire congregation
may confess their own sin and pray for every one with earnestness
and faith.

[Sidenote: The Power of Common Prayer]

Oh, if God granted that any congregation at all heard mass and
prayed in this way, so that a common earnest heart-cry of the
entire people would rise up to God, what immeasurable virtue and
help would result from such a prayer! What more terrible thing
could happen to all the evil spirits? What greater work could be
done on earth, whereby so many pious souls would be preserved,
so many sinners converted?

For, indeed, the Christian Church on earth has no greater power
or work than such common prayer against everything that may
oppose it. This the evil spirit knows well, and therefore he does
all that he can to prevent such prayer. Gleefully he lets us go
on building churches, endowing many monastic houses, making
music, reading, singing, observing many masses, and multiplying
ceremonies beyond all measure. This does not grieve him, nay, he
helps us do it, that we may consider such things the very best,
and think that thereby we have done our whole duty. But in that
meanwhile this common, effectual and fruitful prayer perishes and
its omission is unnoticed because of such display, in this he has
what he seeks. For when prayer languishes, no one will take
anything from him, and no one will withstand him. But if he
noticed that wished to practise this prayer, even if it were
under a straw roof or in a pig-sty, he would indeed not endure
it, but would fear such a pig-sty far more than all the high, big
and beautiful churches, towers and bells in existence, if such
pray