The Life of Philip MelanchthonLedderhose, Karl Friedrich
History
The Life of Philip Melanchthon
Ledderhose, Karl Friedrich
Melanchthon, Philipp, 1497-1560
While matters were in this state, Melanchthon began his journey August
23, with Professor MILICH, who wished to visit his home, Freiburg in the
Brisgau. They passed through Frankfort and Bretten, to Tuebingen, where
his most faithful friend Camerarius had received an appointment a year
before. We may easily imagine what a cordial reception he met with here.
From Tuebingen he wrote to Milich: "By God's grace, Joachim is now quite
well. Oh, that it might be of long duration! I was received in the most
friendly manner." He remained three weeks in Tuebingen, and could
scarcely separate himself from Camerarius, and therefore remarks in a
letter, that he would rather be with his Joachim than anywhere else.
"But I do not see how I can separate myself from those with whom I have
hitherto associated." He thus again declined the renewed invitation of
Duke Ulrich of Wurtemberg, to accept a professorship there. The learned
from every quarter came to Tuebingen, to see and to converse with
Melanchthon. When these were assembled at a dinner upon a certain
occasion, in the house of Phrygio, Melanchthon asked the preacher ZELL,
of Strasburg, what he thought of the Lord's Supper? He honestly replied:
"When God the Lord permitted me to arrive at a knowledge of his holy
Gospel, I never believed, taught, and preached otherwise in regard to
the Lord's Supper, but that the true body and the true blood of Jesus
Christ, my Saviour, are offered to all those who receive and partake of
the Lord's Supper. But as for believing that I must receive the body and
blood in the Lord's Supper, _substantialiter_, _essentialiter_,
_realiter_, _naturaliter_, _praesentialiter_, _localiter_,
_corporaliter_, _transubstantialiter_, _quantitative_, _qualitative_,
_ubiqualiter_, _carnaliter_, I believe the devil has brought these words
from hell. Christ simply said, 'This is my body, this is my blood.'"
Melanchthon replied, in a pleasant manner: "You have given a correct
answer." On the 14th of October, he went to Nuertingen, and there
consulted with the Duke about the arrangement of the University. From
this place he wrote an encouraging letter to the professors of the
University, in which he assures them that the Duke entertained the
kindest feelings towards the University, and looked upon it as one of
the most important institutions of the state.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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