erhaps not one is a real mass. O dear
Christian, to have many masses is not to have the mass. There is
more to it than that.

[Sidneote: The Chief Thing in the Mass]

5. If we desire to say mass rightly and understand it, then we
must give up everything that the eyes and all the senses behold
and suggest in this act, such as vestments, in bells, songs,
ornaments, prayers, processions, elevations, prostrations, or
whatever happens in the mass, until we first lay hold of and
consider well the words of Christ, by which He completed and
instituted the mass and commanded us to observe it. For therein
lies the whole mass, its nature, work, profit and benefit, and
without them (i. e., the words) no benefit is derived from the
mass. But these are the words: _Take and eat, this is My body,
which is given for you. [Matt. 26:26] Take and drink ye all of
it, this is the cup of the new and eternal testament in My blood,
[Mark 14:22, 23, 24] which is shed for you and for many for the
forgiveness of sins_ [Luke 22:19, 20]. These words every
Christian must have before him in the mass and hold fast to them
as the chief part of the mass, in which also the really good
preparation for the mass and sacrament is taught; this we shall
see.

[Sidenote: Faith and God's Promises]

6. If man is to deal with God and receive anything from Him, it
must happen in this wise, not that man begin lay the first stone,
but that God alone, without any entreaty or desire of man, must
first come and give him a promise.[3] This word of God is the
beginning, the foundation, the rock, upon which afterward all
works, words and thoughts of man must build. This word man must
gratefully accept, and faithfully believe the divine promise, and
by no means doubt that it is and comes to pass just as He
promises. This trust and faith is the beginning, middle, and end
of all works and righteousness. For, because man does God the
honor of regarding and confessing Him as true. He becomes to him
a gracious God, Who in turn honors him and regards and confesses
him as true. Thus it is not possible that man, of his own reason
and strength, should by works ascend to heaven and anticipate
God, moving Him to be gracious; but God must anticipate all works
and thoughts, and make a promise clearly expressed in words,
which man then takes and keeps with a good, firm faith. Then
follows the Holy Spirit, Who is given him because of this same
faith.

7. Such a promise was given