1  Defensio  contra  J.  Eckium  :  C.  R.  i.,  p.  113.  "  Patres  judice  Scriptura  re-
cipiantur."

2  Unluckily  these  propositions,  which  play  a  chief  part  in  the  construction  of
the  protestant  system  of  belief,  are  no  longer  to  be  met  with.  From  a  letter  of
Melanchthon  to  John  Hess,  Feb.,  1520  (C.  R.  i.  138),  we  get  a  knowledge  of  three
of  them,  which  are  moreover  the  most  important.  According  to  Luther's  letter
to  Staupitz  in  de  Wette,  i.,  nr.  162,  they  must  date  from  the  month  of  September.
The  propositions  which  appear  in  the  C,  R.,  p.  126,  are,  as  Forstemann  there
remarks,  of  later  origin  ;  seemingly  of  the  date  of  July,  1520.
Chap.  III.]    PROGRESS  OF  THEOLOGICAL  OPPOSITION  207

of  Christ  ;  he  has  the  power  and  the  will  to  do  the  deed.  Amen."  Me-
lanchthon  now  applied  himself  with  fresh  fervour  to  the  study  of  the  New
Testament.  He  was  enchanted  by  its  simplicity,  and  found  in  it  true
and  pure  philosophy  ;  he  refers  the  studious  to  it  as  the  only  refreshment
to  the  soul,  and  the  afflicted,  as  pouring  peace  and  joy  into  the  heart.
