's earnest
request, his correspondent consented to draw up such a scheme as
appeared to himself proper to serve for the basis of union. The result
was a paper of a truly wonderful character, in which the reader scarcely
knows whether to admire the evident charity dictating every line, or to
smile at the simplicity betrayed in the extravagant concessions. In a
letter accompanying his proposal Melanchthon set forth at some length
both his motives and his hopes. In touching upon controverted points, he
claimed to have exhibited a moderation that would prove to be not
without utility to the church. He professed his own belief that an
accommodation might be effected on every doctrinal point, if only a free
and amicable conference were to be held, under royal auspices, between a
few good and learned men. The subjects of dispute were less numerous
than was generally supposed, and the edge of many a sharply drawn
theological distinction had been insensibly worn away by the softening
hand of time. By such a conference as he proposed the perils of a public
discussion could be avoided--a form of controversy fatal, for the most
part, to the peace of the unlearned. In fact, no radical change was
absolutely required in the ancient order or in ecclesiastical polity.
Not even the pontifical authority itself need necessarily be abolished;
for it was the desire of the Lutheran party, so far as possible, to
retain all the accustomed forms. In fine, he begged Du Bellay to exhort
the monarchs of Europe to concord while yet there was room left for the
counsels of moderation. What calamities might otherwise be in store!
What a ruin both of church and state, should a collision of arms be
precipitated![328]

But Melanchthon's ardor had carried him far beyond his true reckoning.
No other reformer could have brought himself to approve the articles now
submitted for the king's perusal; while it was certain that not even
this unbounded liberality would satisfy the exorbitant demands of the
Roman party.

[Sidenote: Melanchthon's concessions.]

Melanchthon not only admitted that an ecclesiastical system with bishops
in many cities was lawful, but that the Roman pontiff might preside over
the entire episcopate. He countenanced, to a certain extent, the current
doctrine respecting human tradition and the retention of auricular
confession. He discerned a gradual approach to concord in respect to
justification, and found no difficulty in the divergent