entitled: "_Refutatio Samaritani Interim_, in quo vera religio cum
sectis et corruptelis scelerate et perniciose confunditur--Refutation of
the Samaritan Interim, in which the true religion is criminally and
perniciously confounded with the sects." The other: "_Grund und Ursach',
warum das Frankfurtisch Interim in keinem Wege anzunehmen sei_--Reason
and Cause why the Frankfort Interim must Not be Adopted." The chief
objections of Flacius were: 1. The _Smalcald Articles_ should have been
included in the confessions subscribed to. 2. The differences within the
Lutheran Church should not have been treated as questions of minor
import. 3. Major's statement should have been rejected as simply false,
and not merely when falsely interpreted. 4. The statements concerning
the Lord's Supper are "dark, general, and ambiguous," hence
Crypto-Calvinistic. 5. The article on the adiaphora is ambiguous and
altogether unsatisfactory. 6. The measures adopted to suppress
theological discussions and controversies would lead to suppression of
the truth ("binding the mouth of the Holy Ghost") and tyrannizing of the
churches by the princes. (Preger 2, 74.)

In his attitude Flacius was supported by his colleagues in Jena and by
Duke John Frederick. When a delegation appeared requesting him to sign
the _Recess_, he declined and ordered his theologians to set forth his
objection in a special book. Elector August, in turn, charged
Melanchthon to write an apology of the _Recess_ against the ducal
theologians; which, again, was answered by Flacius. In order to unite
the opponents of the _Recess_, John Frederick invited the Lower Saxons
to attend a convention in Magdeburg. When this failed, Flacius induced
the Duke to publish a book treating particularly the doctrinal
differences within the Lutheran Church. In the drafting and revision of
this _Book of Confutation_, as it was called, the following theologians
participated: Strigel, Schnepf, Andrew Huegel, John Stoessel, Simon
Musaeus, Joachim Moerlin, Sarcerius, Aurifaber, and Flacius. November
28, 1558, it received the sanction of the dukes. Among the
Melanchthonians the _Book of Confutation_, which had made it a special
point to refute and reject the errors of the Wittenberg Philippists,
caused consternation and bitter resentment. For evidently its
theological attitude was incompatible with the _Recess_, and hence the
breach now seemed incurable and permanent. By order of Elector August,
Melanchth