judgments without any
good reason, and strengthen the fury of the tyrants. To tell the truth,
this matter pains me not a little. Therefore my only request is that you
do not pass on this matter rashly, but consult also the ancient Church.
I most fervently desire that a concord be effected without any
sophistry. But I desire also that good men may be able to confer on this
great matter in a friendly manner. Thus a concord might be established
without sophistry. For I do not doubt that the adversaries would gladly
abandon the entire dogma if they believed that it was new. You know that
among them are many very good men. Now they incline toward Luther, being
moved by a few testimonies of ecclesiastical writers. What, then, do you
think, ought to be done? Will you forbid also that we confer together?
As for me, I desire that we may be able frequently to confer together on
this matter as well as on many others. You see that in other articles
they as well as we now explain many things more skilfully (_dexterius_)
since they have begun to be agitated among us more diligently. However,
I conclude and ask you to put the best construction on this letter, and,
after reading it, to tear it up immediately, and to show it to nobody."
(_C. R._ 2, 823f.; Luther, St. L. 17, 2060.)

In a letter to Veit Dietrich, dated April 23, 1538, Melanchthon
declares: "In order not to deviate too far from the ancients, I have
maintained a sacramental presence in the use, and said that, when these
things are given, Christ is truly present and efficacious. That is
certainly enough. I have not added an inclusion or a connection by which
the body is affixed to, concatenated or mixed with, the bread.
Sacraments are covenants [assuring us] that something else is present
when the things are received. _Nec addidi inclusionem aut coniunctionem
talem, qua affigeretur to arto, to soma, aut ferruminaretur, aut
misceretur. Sacramenta pacta sunt, ut rebus sumptis adsit aliud_....
What more do you desire? And this will have to be resorted to lest you
defend what some even now are saying, _viz._, that the body and blood
are tendered separately--_separatim tradi corpus et sanguinem_. This
too, is new and will not even please the Papists. Error is fruitful, as
the saying goes. That physical connection (_illa physica coniunctio_)
breeds many questions: Whether the parts are separate; whether included;
when [in what moment] they are present; whether [they are present] a