earing
of many masses; things can only become worse. As Psalm xxiii
says: "Thou preparest a table before me against all my enemies."
[Ps. 23:5] Is this not a clear passage? What greater enemies are
there than sin and an evil conscience which at all times fears
God's anger and never has rest? Again, Psalm cxi says: "He hath
made His wonderful works to be remembered and hath given meat to
them that fear Him." [Ps. 111:4, 5] It is certain then that for
bold, confident spirits, whose sin does not prick them, the mass
is of no value, for they have as yet no hunger for this food, but
are still too full. The mass demands and must have a hungry soul,
which longs for forgiveness of sins and divine favor.

[Sidenote: The Mass a Remedy against Despair and Doubt]

38. But because this despair and unrest of conscience are nothing
but an infirmity of faith, the severest malady which man can have
in body and soul, and which cannot at once or speedily be cured,
it is useful and necessary that the more restless a man's
conscience, the more should he approach the sacrament or hear
mass, provided that he picture to himself therein the Word of
God, and feed and strengthen his faith by it, and ever see to it
that he do not make a work or sacrifice of it, but let it remain
a testament and sacrament, out of which he shall take and enjoy a
benefit freely and of grace, by which his heart may become sweet
toward God and obtain a comforting confidence toward Him. For so
sings the Psalter, Psalm civ, "The bread strengtheneth man's
heart, and the wine maketh glad the heart of man." [Ps. 104:15]

[Sidenote: A Sacrament for the Deaf and Dumb]

39. Some have asked whether the sacrament is to be offered also
to the deaf and dumb. Some think it a kindness to practice a
pious fraud upon them, and think they should be given unblessed
wafers. This mockery is not right, and will not please God, Who
has made them Christians as well as us; and the same things are
due to them as to us. Therefore, if they have sound
understanding and can show by indubitable signs that they desire
it in true Christian devotion, as I have often seen, we should
leave to the Holy Spirit what is His work and not refuse Him what
He demands. It may be that inwardly they have a better
understanding and faith than we, and this no one should
presumptuously oppose. Do we not read of St. Cyprian,[36] the
holy martyr, that in Carthage, where he was bishop, he gave both
elements to th