postremam
responsionem esse_); if it does not satisfy you, I appeal to the verdict
of the Church in which you, too, will be judges. May the Son of God
govern all of us, and grant that we be one in Him!" As to the articles
submitted by the delegates, Melanchthon rejected all the changes and
additions suggested by the Magdeburgers. He declared that he was not
willing to enter into a discussion of the adiaphora, nor in any way to
censure the honorable men who had participated in the deliberations
concerning the Leipzig Interim. (_C. R._ 9, 62.)

Toward evening Flacius received Melanchthon's answer, together with the
information that the Saxon delegates would depart on the morrow, and
that now the Magdeburgers might do what seemed best to them. Early next
morning they dispatched another letter written by Flacius, in which they
modified their demands, and urged the Saxon delegates to continues their
efforts to induce the Wittenbergers to reject the Adiaphoristic errors.
"We call upon God as our witness," they said, "that we most earnestly
desire a godly peace, and that, if it is not brought about, the fault
lies not with us, but with them, who expressly say and confess
concerning themselves that they absolutely refuse to condemn the
Adiaphoristic errors--the real issue of the entire controversy." (_C.
R._ 9, 67.) But the messenger arrived too late; he met the delegation
when they were about to leave the gates of Wittenberg. Increased
animosity on both sides was the only result of the mediation-efforts of
the Lower Saxon theologians.

270. Futile Efforts of Duke John Albrecht.

Four weeks later Duke John Albrecht of Mecklenburg sent messengers to
Wittenberg for the same purpose, _viz._, of mediating between
Melanchthon and Flacius, Melanchthon in particular having previously
requested him to frame articles which might serve as a basis of peace.
The articles, composed by the theologians and counselors of the Duke,
were more severe than those of the Lower Saxons. George Venetus,
professor at Rostock, and Counselor Andrew Mylius were commissioned to
present them, first at Wittenberg, then at Magdeburg. When the articles
were submitted to Melanchthon, he again fell into a state of violent
agitation. The report says: "As soon as he noticed that Adiaphorism was
criticized, and that he was requested to reject it even if only in a
mild form, he instantly sprang up with great impatience and would not
permit them [the delegates] to