At last, the views of the more moderate prevailed, that a delegation
should be appointed by both sides, in order to effect a compromise. On
the 6th of August, several Catholic princes and bishops assembled to
agree upon the points of convention. On the following day, the Elector
JOACHIM, of Brandenburg, informed the Lutherans that they should drop
their erroneous views, and no longer separate themselves from the
Catholic Church. Even if there were some abuses, they might be done away
with by the assistance of the Pope. And now ensued answers and replies
in great number. The Lutherans would not entertain the yielding
propositions of Melanchthon, who believed that unity in doctrine might
be secured, and only wished to insist upon the two kinds--marriage of
the priests, and the Evangelical mass. The Evangelical states declared
that they did not intend to retreat from the word of God, although they
were inclined to maintain peace and harmony. Philip, the Landgrave of
Hesse, was not at all satisfied with this course of things. He was
opposed to yielding in the slightest degree, and said to his
counsellors, in a letter dated August 24th: "If the Papists wish to
remain sitting in their devil's roses, and will not permit the pure
preaching of the truth of the gospel, nor freedom of marriage, nor the
Sacraments according to Christ's institution, why then you shall not
yield one hair's-breadth. Much less still are we to allow the
jurisdiction of the bishops, because they do not permit the gospel to be
preached nor practised in their dominions." And because he hated the
yielding of Melanchthon, he added: "Stop the game of that subtle
philosopher, Philip!"