§ 108. THE MARBURG CONFERENCE CONTINUED. 647
The Landgrave urged the insertion that each party should show Christian charity to the other. The Lutherans assented to this only on condition that the clause be added: “as far as the conscience of each will permit.”
The articles were read, considered, and signed on the same day by Luther, Melanchthon, Osiander, Agricola, Brentius, on the part of the Lutherans; and by Zwingli, Gicolampadius, Bucer, and Hedio, on the part of the Reformed. They were printed on the next day, and widely circulated.!
On the fifth day of October, in the afternoon, the guests took leave of each other with a shake of hands. It was not the hand of brotherhood, but only of friendship, and not very cordial on the part of the Lutherans. The Landgrave left Marburg on the same day, early in the morning, with a painful feeling of disappointment.
Luther returned to Wittenberg by way of Schleitz, where he met the Elector John by appointment, and revised the Marburg Articles so as to adapt them to his creed, and so far to weaken the consensus.
Both parties claimed the victory. Zwingli complained in
male unnsers lieben herrn Jhesu Christi | das man bede gestallt nach Innsetzung Christi prauchen soll | das ouch die Messe nicht ein werck ist | do mit einer dem andren tod oder lebendig gnad erlangt. | Das auch das Sacrament desz Altars | sey ein Sacrament desz waren leibs unnd pluts | Jhesu Christi und die geistliche Niessung desselbigen leibs unnd pluts | einem Iden Christen fiirnemlich vonn nothen | deszgleichen der prauch desz Sacraments | wie das wort | von Gott dem allmechtigen gegeben | unnd geordennt sey | damit die schwachen Gewissen | zu gleuben | zubewegen | durch den heyligenn Geist. Unnd wiewol aber wir unns | ob der war leyb unnd plut Christi | leiplich iim prot unnd wein sey | diser Zeit nit vergleicht haben | so soll doch ein theyl gegen den anndern Christliche lieb | so fern Idesz gewissen ymmer leiden kan | erzeigen | unnd bede theyl | Gott den Allmechtigen vleyssig bitten | das er unns durch seinen Geist den rechten verstanndt bestetigen well. Amen.’’
1 Three copies were signed at Marburg (according to Osiander’s report, who took one to Niirnberg), They were long supposed to be lost, but two have been recovered and published by Heppe and Usteri from the archives at Cassel and Ziirich (see Lit.). They agree almost verbatim, except in the order of signatures, the former giving the first place to the Lutheran, the latter to the Reformed names. The small differences are discussed by Usteri. l.c.
648 THE GERMAN REFORMATION. A.D. 1517 To 1530.
a letter to Vadian of the overbearing and contumacious spirit of Luther, and thought that the truth (ie., his view of it) had prevailed, and that Luther was vanquished before all the world after proclaiming himself invincible. He rejoiced in the agreement which must destroy the hope of the papists that Luther would return to them.
Luther, on the other hand, thought that the Swiss had come over to him half way, that they had humbled themselves, and begged his friendship. “There is no brotherly unity among us,” he said in the pulpit of Wittenberg after his return from Marburg, “but a good friendly concord ; they seek from us what they need, and we will help them.”
Nearly all the contemporary reports describe the Conference as having been much more friendly and respectful than was expected from the preceding controversy. The speakers addressed each other as “Liebster Herr,” “ Euer Liebden,” and abstained from terms of opprobrium. The Devil was happily ignored in the interviews; no heresy was charged, no anathema hurled. Luther found that the Swiss were not such bad people as he had imagined, and said even in a letter to Bullinger (1538), that Zwingli impressed him at Marburg as ‘a very good man” (optimus vir). Brentius, as an eye-witness, reports that Luther and Zwingli appeared as if they were brothers. Jonas described the Reformed leaders during the Conference as follows:! “ Zwingli has a certain rusticity and a little arrogance.2- In Ccolampadius there is an admirable good-nature and clemency.? MHedio has no less humanity and liberality of spirit; but Bucer possesses the cunning of a fox,! that knows how to give himself the air of acumen and prudence. They are all learned men, no doubt, and more formidable opponents than the papists; but Zwingli
1 In a Latin letter to Reiffenstein, dated Marburg, Oct. 4, 1529; in the * Corp. Reform.,’’ 1. 109, and Seckendorf, vol. II. 140.
2 “ In Zwinglio agreste quiddam est et arrogantulum.”’
ὃ ἐς Mira bonitas nature et clementia.’’ 4 “ Calliditas vulpina.”