ed to adore and
invoke you, and celebrate festivals, fast, make oblations,
hold masses for your honor [and worship], and put my faith in
you for my salvation. I can in other ways indeed honor, love,
and thank you in Christ. If now such idolatrous honor were
withdrawn from angels and departed saints, the remaining honor
would be without harm and would quickly be forgotten. For when
advantage and assistance, both bodily and spiritual, are no
more to be expected, the saints will not be troubled [the
worship of the saints will soon vanish], neither in their
graves nor in heaven. For without a reward or out of pure love
no one will much remember, or esteem, or honor them [bestow on
them divine honor].

In short, the Mass itself and anything that proceeds from it,
and anything that is attached to it, we cannot tolerate, but
must condemn, in order that we may retain the holy Sacrament
pure and certain, according to the institution of Christ,
employed and received through faith.

Article III: Of Chapters and Cloisters.

That chapters and cloisters [colleges of canons and
communistic dwellings], which were formerly founded with the
good intention [of our forefathers] to educate learned men and
chaste [and modest] women, ought again to be turned to such
use, in order that pastors, preachers, and other ministers of
the churches may be had, and likewise other necessary persons
[fitted] for [the political administration of] the secular
government [or for the commonwealth] in cities and countries,
and well-educated, maidens for mothers and housekeepers, etc.

If they will not serve this purpose, it is better that they be
abandoned or razed, rather than [continued and], with their
blasphemous services invented by men, regarded as something
better than the ordinary Christian life and the offices and
callings ordained by God. For all this also is contrary to the
first chief article concerning the redemption made through
Jesus Christ. Add to this that (like all other human
inventions) these have neither been commanded; they are
needless and useless, and, besides, afford occasion for
dangerous and vain labor [dangerous annoyances and fruitless
worship], such services as the prophets call Aven, i.e., pain
and labor.

Article IV: Of the Papacy.

That the Pope is not, according to divine law or according to
the Word of God the head of all Christendom (for this [name]
belongs to One only, whose name is Jesus Christ), b