4. Efforts for Theological Reconciliation

In the struggle with Calvinism Marlin supported Westphal, and to this end wrote his Coafemw,fidei de eucharistios sacramento ministrorum ecclesiarum Samnimrum (Magdeburg, 1557). At Coswik he sought to medi- ate between Melanchthon and Flacius (qq.v.), and in his eagerness for peace, when the delegates of the Hanseatic League assembled at Brunswick, he held a conference with Chemnitz, Westphal, and others (Jan. 14, 1557), and reached an agreement on articles tending to reconcile the adiaphorists (see Adiaphora) and those holding to the true Gospel. Marlin then took these articles to Flacius at Magdeburg, after which he conferred with Melanchthon at Wittenberg, but returned to Bruns. wick unsuccessful (Jan. 28, 1557). Eight months later he went to the colloquy of Worms (see Worms), but by his opposition to the Philippists (q.v.) and by his withdrawal helped render the conference resultless. In Dec., 1558, he visited Weimar and Jena to reconcile Flacms and Strigel, and in 1560 he signed the petition of the Jena theo. logians to the princes to call a Lutheran synod to combat Calvinism. Marlin was also a prominent figure at the conference of theologians from Lower Saxony held at Lflneburg in July, 1561, and wrote the confession of faith there drawn up, ErkOrung aus G&es Wort and kraser Benda der AnUel, etc (Magdeburg, Jena, and Regensburg, 1561), which became binding on all pastors in Brunswick; and he again showed his Wittenberg orthodoxy in his Veranturorlung der Pr4fation so für die h2fu'burp. ischen ArtQe1 (1562). In 1563 the Council of Weed asked the opinion of the Brunswick theologians for a ruling on the admission of Reformed refugees from England, and the decision was that the immigrants should be received and instructed; but, should they propagate their erroneous views, they should be expelled. In 1566 and 1567 Marlin found himself compelled to break with his old friend Flacius because of the latter's teaching on original sin; and at the same time he wrote against the Antinomians his Tree disputationea de tertio um lepis.

5. Recalled to Königsberg

nians and the Osiandrian peace-policy of the court. Well informed of all that went on in Königsberg, Mörlin strength. ened his sympathisers with his His.. toraa wGestaU aich die oeiandrische Schudrmerei in Lands zu Prcusaen erhoban (Brunswick, 1554). In 1555 he published two other pamphlets on the course of events in Prussia; and finally Albert found himself obliged to yield. On Nov. 30, 1566, Marlin was invited to return to Prussia, but he declined to leave Brunswick. The invitation was repeated, however (Jan. 31, 1567), and after much persuasion Marlin accepted and obtained leave of absence from the reluctant Council of Brunswick. On Apr. 9, 1567, he and Chemnitz were joyfully welcomed in Königsberg, and at once began the restoration of Melanchthonian orthodoxy. After much consideration it was decided that the confessional bases should remain the Augsburg Confession, the Apology, and the Schmalkald Articles, the only change being the correction of certain false doctrines which had crept in since the formulation of the Augsburg Confession. The duke, assenting to the rejection of Osiandrianism, readily agreed, and on May 6 Marlin and Chemnitz gave him their Repetitio eorpons dodrinos Christiana, refuting Osiandrianism, Synergism, Antinomianiem, Majorism, and similar teachings. Accepted by the synod and the estates, the Repet4io was proclaimed by Albert on July 8, 1567, and Prussia was at last free from theological rancor.