our prayer with one accord, and
this prayer, which arises out of faith, and is for the increase
of faith, is truly a good work; and we also distribute alms among
the poor; as was done aforetime when the Christians gathered food
and other needful things, which after the mass were distributed
among the needy, as we learn from St. Paul. But this work and
prayer are quite another thing than the testament and sacrament,
[1 Cor. 11:21, 22] which no one can offer or give to God or to
men, but every one takes and receives of it for himself only, in
proportion as he believes and trusts. Now just as I cannot
receive or give the sacrament of baptism, of penance, or of
extreme unction in any one's stead or for his benefit, but I take
for myself alone the blessing therein offered by God, and there
is here not _officium_, but _beneficium_, i. e., not work or
service, but reception and benefit alone; so also, no one can say
or hear mass for another, but each one for himself alone, for it
is purely a taking and receiving.

This is all easily understood, if one only considers what the
mass really is, namely, a testament and sacrament; that is, God's
Word and promise, together with a sacred sign, the bread and the
wine, under which Christ's body and blood are truly present. For
by what process of reasoning could a man be said to do a good
work for another when, like the others, he comes as one in need,
and takes to himself the words and sign of God in which God
promises and grants him grace and help? Surely, to receive God's
Word, sign, and grace is not the imparting of good, or the doing
of a good work, but is simply a "taking to oneself."

[Sidenote: Abuses of the Mass: 3. The Mass as a Sacrifice]

21. Now, since the whole world has made a sacrifice of the mass,
wherein they bring an offering to God, which without doubt is the
third and very worst abuse, we must dearly distinguish between
what we offer and what we do not offer in the mass.

Beyond all doubt the word "offering" in the mass has arisen and
has remained until now, because in the times of the Apostles,
when some of the practices of the Old Testament were still
observed, the Christians brought food, money and necessities,
which were distributed in connection with mass among the needy,
as I have said before.[13] For so we still read in Acts iv, that
the Christians sold all that they had, and brought it to the feet
of the Apostles, who then had it distributed and gave o