On March 22, 1574, Andreae sent the _Swabian Concordia_ to Duke Julius
and Chemnitz with the request to examine it and to have it discussed in
the churches of Lower Saxony. On the twelfth of May the Duke ordered
Chemnitz to prepare an opinion on the book and to present it to the
clergy for their examination and approval. Under the leadership of
Chemnitz numerous conferences were held, and the various criticisms
offered led to a revision of the document. This work was begun in April,
1575, by the theological faculty of Rostock. Apart from numerous changes
and additions everywhere, the articles on Free Will and on the Lord's
Supper were completely remodeled by Chytraeus and Chemnitz.
The new confession, known as the _Swabian [Lower] Saxon Concordia_, was
subscribed by the theologians and pastors of the duchies of Brunswick,
Mecklenburg, Mansfeld, Hoya, and Oldenburg. It acknowledges as its
doctrinal basis the Holy Scriptures, the three Ecumenical Creeds, the
_Augsburg Confession_, its _Apology_, the _Smalcald Articles_, and
Luther's two Catechisms. It discusses the following articles in the
following order: 1. Of Original Sin; 2. Of the Person of Christ; 3. Of
the Righteousness of Faith before God; 4. Of Good Works, 5. Of the Law
and the Gospel; 6. Of the Third Use of the Law of God; 7. Of the Holy
Supper; 8. Of God's Eternal Providence and Election; 9. Of Church Usages
which are Called Adiaphora or Things Indifferent; 10. Of Free Will or
Human Powers; 11. Of Other Factions and Sects which have Never
Acknowledged the _Augsburg Confession_.
While this new _Concordia_ was adopted in Lower Saxony, the Swabians, to
whom it was forwarded, September 5, 1575, were not quite satisfied with
its form, but did not object to its doctrinal contents. They criticized
the unevenness of its style, its frequent use of Latin technical terms,
its quotations (now approved, now rejected) from Melanchthon, etc.
Particularly regarding the last mentioned point they feared that the
references to Melanchthon might lead to new dissensions; hence they
preferred that citations be taken from Luther's writings only, which was
done in the _Formula of Concord_ as finally adopted.