s a
sacrifice to God. This office the priest, with the outward
ceremonies of the mass, simply represents. Each and all are,
therefore equally spiritual priests before God. [Rev. 1:6; 5:10,
1 Pet. 2:9]

[Sidenote: Faith the True Priestly Office]

28. From this you can see for yourself that there are many who
rightly observe mass and make this sacrifice, who themselves know
nothing about it, nay, who do not realize that they are priests
and can observe mass. Again, there are many who take great pains
and apply themselves with all diligence, thinking that they are
keeping the mass properly and offering a right sacrifice, and yet
there is nothing right about it. For all those who have the faith
that Christ is a priest for them in heaven before God, and who
lay on Him their prayers and praise, their need and their whole
selves, and present them through Him, not doubting that He does
this very thing, and offers Himself for them, these take the
sacrament and testament, outwardly or spiritually, as a sign of
all this, and do not doubt that all sin is thereby forgiven, that
God has become their gracious Father and that everlasting life is
prepared for them.

All such, then, wherever they may be, are true priests, observe
the mass aright and also obtain by it what they desire. For faith
must do everything. It alone is the true priestly office and
permits no one else to take its place. Therefore all Christians
are priests; the men, priests, the women, priestesses, be they
young or old, masters or servants, mistresses or maids, learned
or unlearned. Here there is no difference, unless faith be
unequal. Again, all who do not have such faith, but presume to
make much of the mass as a sacrifice, and perform this office
before God, are figure-heads. They observe mass outwardly and do
not themselves know what they are doing, and cannot be well
pleasing to God. For without true faith it is impossible to
please Him, as St. Paul says in Hebrews xi. [Heb. 11:6] Now there
are many who, hidden in their hearts, have such true faith, and
themselves know not of it; many there are who do not have it, and
of this, too, they are unaware.

[Sidenote: Masses for the Dead]

39. It has become a wide-spread custom to found masses for the
dead, and many books have been written about it. If we ask now,
Of what benefit are the masses celebrated for the souls which are
kept in purgatory? the answer is: What is custom! God's Word must
prevail and r