[Sidenote: MELANCTHON AND ZWINGLE.] The principal contest took place in the room of Zwingle and Melancthon. "It is affirmed," said Melancthon to Zwingle, "that some among you speak of God after the manner of the Jews, as if Christ was not essentially God." "I think on the Holy Trinity," replied Zwingle, "with the Council of Nice and the Athanasian creed." "Councils! creeds! What does that mean?" asked Melancthon. "Have you not continually repeated that you recognise no other authority than that of Scripture?" "We have never rejected the councils," replied the Swiss Reformer, "when they are based on the authority of the Word of God.[211] The four first councils are truly sacred as regards doctrine, and none of the faithful have ever rejected them." This important declaration, handed down to us by Œcolampadius, characterizes the Reformed theology.[212] [211] Ubi unquam concilia rejicimus, verbi divini auctoritati suffulta?--(Zw. Opp. iv. p. 191.) [212] The word _Reformed_ is used to distinguish the doctrine and the church of Zwingle and Calvin from those of Luther. "But you teach," resumed Melancthon, "like Thomas Munster, that the Holy Ghost acts quite alone, independently of the sacraments and of the Word of God." "The Holy Ghost," replied Zwingle, "works in us justification by the Word, but by the Word preached and understood, by the soul and the marrow of the Word, by the mind and will of God clothed in human language."[213] [213] Mens et medulla verbi, mens et voluntas Dei amicta tamen humanis verbis.--(Zw. Epp. iv. p. 173.) "At least," continued Melancthon, "you deny original sin, and make sin to consist only in actual and external works, like the Pelagians, the philosophers, and the Papists." This was the principal difficulty. "Since man naturally loves himself," replied Zwingle, "instead of loving God; in that there is a crime, a sin that condemns him."[214] He had more than once before expressed the same opinion;[215] and yet Melancthon exulted on hearing him: "Our adversaries," said he afterwards, "have given way on all these points!" [214] Malum, peccatum.--(Ibid. p. 172.) [215] De peccato originali ad Urb. Rhegium.--(Ibid. iii. p. 632.) Luther had pursued the same method with Œcolampadius as Melancthon with Zwingle. The discussion had in particular turned on baptism. Luther complained that they would not acknowledge that by this simple sign a man became a member of the Church. "It is true," said Œcolampadius, "that we require faith--either an actual or a future faith. Why should we deny it? Who is a Christian, if it be not he who believes in Christ? However, I should be unwilling to deny that the water of baptism is in a certain sense a water of regeneration; for by it he whom the Church knew not becomes its child."[216] [216] Atque adeo ipse non negarim, aquam baptismi esse aquam regenerantem: fit enim puer ecclesiæ, qui dudum ab ecclesia non agnoscebatur.--(Zw. Opp. iv. p. 193.)