Under date of August 28, Melancthon thus writes to _Luther:_ "They
(the Papists,) wish us to admit, that neither those who administer but
one kind, nor those who receive it, are guilty of sin. We have, indeed,
exonerated those from blame, who receive but one kind; but as to those
who administer but one,--there is the knot. The Synod of Basil conceded
the _whole sacrament_ to the Bohemians, on condition that they would
acknowledge that it may, with propriety, be taken and received in one
kind only. This confession they also wish to extort from us. _Eckius_
says he contends for this point, merely because the people cannot be
retained in the discharge of duty, unless _we_ also release their
consciences in regard to the _sacrament_ (that is, unless the reformers
would admit, that its reception in one kind was also allowable). We
therefore desire to know your judgment on the case. As to the
application of _masses_, they are willing to postpone this till the
meeting of the synod (or council); and thus they intimate, that they
will not oppress us with the reception of their ungodly views on the
_mass_ (Koethe's edition: mit der gottlosen Application der Messe, with
the ungodly application of the mass, _i.e._ to the living and dead).
And yet they desire us to receive the _canon_ of the mass, (_i.e._ the
most objectionable part of the ritual of the mass, relating to the
transubstantiation of the bread and wine, its application to others,
&c.
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