part
from the use. Of this nothing is read among the ancients. Nor do I, my
dear Veit, carry these disputations into the Church; and in the _Loci_ I
have spoken so sparingly on this matter in order to lead the youth away
from these questions. Such is in brief and categorically what I think.
But I wish that the two most cruel tyrants, animosity and sophistry,
would be removed for a while, and a just deliberation held concerning
the entire matter. If I have not satisfied you by this simple answer, I
shall expect of you a longer discussion. I judge that in this manner I
am speaking piously, carefully, and modestly concerning the symbols, and
approach as closely as possible to the opinion of the ancients." (_C.
R._ 3, 514f.) A month later, May 24, Melanchthon again added: "I have
simply written you what I think, nor do I detract anything from the
words. For I know that Christ is truly and substantially present and
efficacious when we use the symbols. You also admit a synecdoche. But to
add a division and separation of the body and blood, that is something
altogether new and unheard of in the universal ancient Church." (3, 536;
7, 882.)

Evidently, then, Melanchchton's attitude toward the Reformed and his
views concerning the Lord's Supper had undergone remarkable changes
since 1530. And in order to clear the track for his own changed
sentiments and to enable the Reformed, in the interest of an ultimate
union, to subscribe the _Augsburg Confession_, Melanchthon, in 1540,
altered its Tenth Article in the manner set forth in a previous chapter.
Schaff remarks: Calvin's view of the Lord's Supper "was in various ways
officially recognized in the _Augsburg Confession_ of 1540." (1, 280.)
Such at any rate was the construction the Reformed everywhere put on the
alteration. It was generally regarded by them to be an essential
concession to Calvinism. Melanchthon, too, was well aware of this; but
he did absolutely nothing to obviate this interpretation--no doubt,
because it certainly was not very far from the truth.

203. Not in Sympathy with Lutheran Champions.

When Westphal, in 1552, pointed out the Calvinistic menace and sounded
the tocsin, loyal Lutherans everywhere enlisted in the controversy to
defend Luther's doctrine concerning the real presence and the divine
majesty of Christ's human nature. But Melanchthon again utterly failed
the Lutheran Church both as a leader and a private. For although
Lutheranism in this controve