The adversaries ... make a great ado concerning the desolation of churches, namely, that the altars stand unadorned, without candles and without images. These trifles they regard as ornaments to churches. (Although it is not true that we abolish all such outward ornaments; yet, even if it were so, Daniel is not speaking of such things as are altogether external and do not belong to the Christian Church.) It is a far different desolation which Daniel means, 11, 31; 12, 11, namely, ignorance of the Gospel.
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Concerning the exercises of faith struggling with despair, and the free remission of sins for Christ's sake, all the books and all the sermons of the adversaries were silent (worse than worthless, and, moreover, caused untold damage). To these, the horrible profanation of the masses and many other godless services in the churches were added. This is the desolation which Daniel describes. ... Candles, golden vessels (tapers, altar-cloths, images), and similar adornments are becoming, but they are not the adornment that properly belongs to the Church. ...
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The adversaries also refer us to philology. ... Why do they ... omit the old appellation synaxis, which shows that the Mass was formerly the communion of many? ...
Philipp Melanchthon
Apologia Confessionis Augustanæ
Apologia Confessionis Augustanæ
