The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology - Saint Mary ...

the intensest desire to have the assurance doubly sure of Luther's
concurrence, that under all the pressure of haste, the original of the
Confession was sent him.
That the highest importance was attached to Luther's judgment on
this form of the Confession, is furthermore proved by the fact that after the
Confession was despatched, (May 11,) everything was suspended at
Augsburg, till he should be heard from. "On the 16th of May, the Elector
indicated to the other States, that the Confession was ready, but was not
entirely closed up, but had been sent to Luther for examination." Shortly
after, Luther's reply of May 15, heartily indorsing the Confession, without
the change of a word, was received at Augsburg. 149
It is called "form of Confession," in the Elector's letter to Luther,
because the matter of the Confession had been prepared by Luther
himself. Melanchthon's work was but to revise that matter, and give it
"form," which revised form was to be subjected to the examination of all
the Lutheran authorities and divines at Augsburg, and especially to Luther.
As to the articles of faith, and the abuses to be corrected, the matter
of the Confession was already finished and furnished--much of it direct
from Luther's hand, and all of it with his co-operation and approval. It was
only as to the "form," the selection among various abuses, the greater or
less amplitude of treatment, that all the questions lay. The "form of
Confession" sent on May 11th was the Augsburg Confession, substantially
identical with it as a whole, and, in all that is really essential to it, verbally
identical. We have copies of it so nearly at the stage at which it then was as
to know that this is the case. Melanchthon's letter expressly declares that
nearly all the articles of faith had been treated, and the Augsburg
Confession, in its most finished shape, only professes to give "about the
sum of the doctrines held by us."
But we need not rest in inferences, however strong, in regard to this
matter. We have direct evidence from Melanchthon himself, which will be
produced, that Luther did decide, before its presentation, upon what, in
Melanchthon's judgment, was
149 Corpus Reform., No. 700. Köllner, pp. 171, 175.