at times under the rocks of its bed, and re-appears deeper down in the valley, so these long-buried
principles of peace have reappeared after two centuries of oblivion, and these irenical theologians
will be honored by those who live in a better age of the world, when Protestant irenics have well-nigh
displaced the old Protestant polemics and scholastics."
The origin of the sentence was first discussed by a Dutch divine, Dr. Van der Hoeven of
Amsterdam, in 1847; then by Dr. Luecke of Göttingen, Ueber das Alter, den Verfasser, die
ursprungliche Form und den wahren Sinn des kirchlichen Friedenspruchs ’In necessariis unitas,’
etc., Göttingen, 1850 (XXII. and 146 pages); with supplementary remarks in the "Studien und
Kritiken" for 1851, p. 905–938. Luecke first proved the authorship of Meldenius. The next steps
were taken by Dr. Klose, in the first edition of Herzog’s "Theol. Encycl," sub Meltlenius, vol. IX.
(1858), p. 304 sq., and by Dr. Carl Bertheau, in the second edition of Herzog, IX. (1881), p. 528–530.
Dr. Brigas has furnished additional information in two articles in the "Presbyterian Review," vol.
VIII., New York, 1857, pp. 496–499, and 743–746.
§ 109. Luther’s Last Attack on the Sacramentarians. His Relation to Calvin.
We anticipate the concluding act of the sad controversy of Luther with his Protestant opponents.
It is all the more painful, since Zwingli and Oecolampadius were then sleeping in the grave; but it
belongs to a full knowledge of the great Reformer.
The Marburg Conference did not really reconcile the parties, or advance the question in
dispute; but the conflict subsided for a season, and was thrown into the background by other events.
The persistent efforts of Bucer and Hedio to bring about a reconciliation between Wittenberg and
Zuerich soothed Luther, and excited in him the hope that the Swiss would give up their heresy, as
he regarded it. But in this hope he was disappointed. The Swiss could not accept the "Wittenberg
Concordia" of 1536, because it was essentially Lutheran in the assertion of the corporal presence
and oral manducation.
A year and a half before his death, Luther broke out afresh, to the grief of Melanchthon and
other friends, in a most violent attack on the Sacramentarians, the "Short Confession on the Holy
Sacrament" (1544).^879 It was occasioned by Schwenkfeld,^880 and by the rumor that Luther had
changed his view, because he had abolished the elevation and adoration of the host.^881 Moreover
he learned that Dévay, his former student, and inmate of his house, smuggled the sacramenta-rian
doctrine under Luther’s name into Hungary.^882 He was also displeased with the reformation program
of Bucer and Melanchthon for the diocese of Cologne (1543), because it stated the doctrine of the
eucharist without the specific Lutheran features, so that he feared it would give aid and comfort to
(^879) Erl. ed. XXXII. 396-425; Walch, XX. 2195 sqq. Comp. Luther’s letter to Hungarian ministers, April 21, 1544 (in De Wette, V. 644),
where he announces his intention soon to add one more to his many confessions on the real presence. "Cogor post tot confessiones meas
adhuc unam facere, quam faciam propediem et novissimam." The Erlangen editor says that the book was not published till 1545; but the
titlepage of Hans Luft’s edition bears date "Am Ende: M. D. XLIIII." Melanchthon informed Bullinger of the appearance of the book in
August, 1544; and Calvin heard of it in November, 1544.
(^880) Schwenkfeld sent Luther some books with appeals to his authority (1543). Luther returned an answer by the messenger, in which
he called Schwenkfeld "a nonsensical fool," and asked him to spare him his books, which were "spit out by the Devil." In the Short
Confession, he calls him always Stenkefeld (Stinkfield), and ein "verdampt Lügenmand."
(^881) See above, p. 606, note.
(^882) Dévay is the founder of the Reformed (Calvinistic) church in Hungary. See Revecz in Herzog2, III. 572 sqq.