at is, _the name and some of the ceremonies_ of the Romish
mass, were retained in the Augsburg Confession; although the errors in
doctrine, by which the Romish mass grew out of the Scripture doctrine
of the Lord's Supper, were rejected in that as well as subsequent
symbols." "Our churches," (says the Augsburg Confession, Art. XXIV.)
"are _unjustly_ charged with having rejected the mass, (messe.) For it
is publicly known that the mass is celebrated amongst us with greater
devotion and earnestness, than amongst our opponents." "Nor has there
been any perceptible change made in the public ceremonies of the mass,
except that at several places _German_ hymns are sung along with the
_Latin_ ones." "Our custom is on holy days (and at other times also, _if
there be communicants_) to _say mass_, (not to say a Lord's Supper,) and
those who desire it, receive the Lord's Supper." Subsequently, however,
great changes were made in the public ceremonies attendant on the Lord's
Supper, and Luther in his Smalcald Articles rejects the mass entirely,
both the name and accompanying ceremonies. And soon after the whole
Lutheran church followed him. Still, if the Augsburg Confession were
_strictly binding on us_, we should be under the necessity of adopting
on sacramental occasions all the public ceremonies then and now usual in
the Romish Church in celebrating public mass." Here again we see the
following points, which were clearly proved above: 1. That the Augsburg
Confession denies having rejected the mass. 2. That she does reject
those doctrinal errors which gave rise to the Romish mass. 3. That it
was their custom on public occasions (when persons were present who
desired to commune) to say a mass, and then administer the sacrament to
them. 4. That the Confession explicitly asserts that "_no perceptible
change_" had been made in the public ceremonies of the mass, except the
introduction of German hymns along with the Latin ones in several
places. Hence the inference would necessarily follow, that if they had
made no perceptible change in the public ceremonies of the mass, we
could make none, if the Confession was _strictly binding_ on us: and as
the ceremonies of the Romish mass are the same now as then, the
ceremonies which the Confession prescribes are the same as those now
observed in the church, and if we obeyed the Confession, we should have
to perform the same without any "_perceptible_" difference, except the
addition of German hym