y cannot find
sufficient reasons for concord in the Gospel itself, and their duty to
promote the welfare of the Church they ought not to give their
bitterest enemies occasion to rejoice and exhibit so sad a spectacle of
disunion. His Princely Grace wishes to prescribe neither aim nor
measure to this Conference; but would remind the members, that wherever
similar transactions have taken place, men of true learning, even if
they had written somewhat roughly and severely against each other
before, had then laid aside wrath and bitterness, so the unlearned
might the better perceive, that they sought truth and love more than a
mere defence of their own opinions with sharp and quick words. Those
who now take this course, cannot fail to win praise and thanks, whilst
the others, who do not like unity, but obstinately persist in a
delusion once embraced, from which all heresies spring, will thereby
give an undoubted proof, that the Holy Spirit does not reign in their
hearts, and has never been among them with his gifts. His Princely
Grace hopes that the present Conference will have a happier
termination, and closes with the gracious desire, that the very learned
Masters will understand and receive all this in the best spirit." On
their side thanks were now given to the _landgrave_ for his trouble,
and a promise made, to carry on the discussion without any bitterness,
in a respectful and friendly manner; but, although unity should be
sought with the most ardent zeal, this at the same time could not be
effected at the expense of divine and revealed truth, and Christ's
words would be preferred before all others.

After this, the discussion was commenced by Luther's writing on the
table with chalk, these words in the Latin language: "_Hoc est corpus
meum_" (This is my body). With great mildness and learning
[OE]colampadius now unfolded his view, which Luther, however, in spite
of every challenge, refused to contradict, falling back always upon the
verbal expression. "Beloved sirs," said he, "as long as these words
stand, I cannot really get over them, but must confess and believe,
that the body of Christ is there."--Springing up, Zwingli asked: "Is He
indeed _there_, Doctor, corporeally there? _There_ also in the
sacrament, is He daily broken anew? In what then do you differ from the
Papists?" The scene became more lively; Luther's replies more bitter.
He complained that Zwingli wished to trip him, to give his words
wantonly anothe