making atonement for their crimes, instead of renouncing them. 'Let us live according to our desires,' say they, 'let us enrich ourselves with the goods of our neighbour; let us not fear to stain our hands with blood and murder; we shall find easy expiations in the favor of the Church.' Senseless men! Do they think to obtain remission for their lies, their impurities, their adulteries, their homicides, their treacheries, by prayers recited in honor of the Queen of Heaven, as if she were the protectress of all evil doers? Undeceive yourselves, erring people! The God of justice suffers not himself to be moved by words which the tongue utters and the heart disowns. He forgives no one but him who himself forgives the enemy who has trespassed against him. Did these chosen of God, at whose feet you come hither to prostrate yourselves, enter into heaven by relying on the merit of another? No, it was by walking in the path of the law, by fulfilling the will of the Most High, by facing death that they might remain faithful to their Redeemer. Imitate the holiness of their lives, walk in their footsteps, suffering yourselves to be turned aside neither by dangers nor seductions; this is the honor that you ought to pay them. But in the day of trouble put your trust in none but God, who created the heavens and the earth with a word; at the approach of death

invoke only Christ Jesus, who has bought you with his blood, and is the sole mediator between God and man."

This bold and eloquent discourse made a deep impression. A portion of the hearers were much offended; but many received the new doctrine with joy. Several pilgrims were so much moved, as to carry back with them the gifts, which they had brought to the Abbey. This circumstance alarmed the avarice of the monks, and increased their indignation against a preacher, who not only exposed their vices, but who was also diminishing their gains. But it does not appear that the sermon gave much offence to the superior clergy. Zwingle had not yet called in question the authority of the Pope, and while he confined himself to local abuses, Leo and his court honored his brilliant displays of talent. The preacher even ventured to assure one of the Cardinals, at that time in Switzerland, that the credulity of the people was growing less and less every day; that they were opening their eyes to many superstitions, and began loudly to censure the idleness, ignorance, and profligacy of their pastors. A reformation, he told him, ought to be at once undertaken, and to begin with the highest ecclesiastics; the bishops must cease to handle the sword instead of the crozier, prelates must give up wars and fightings, and the swarms of pious

idlers must be got rid of, before the laity could be amended or kept much longer in restraint. He, therefore, begged the Cardinal to give serious attention to the state of the Church, and obtained from him a promise, that on his return to Rome he would endeavour to persuade the pontiff to take measures to remedy the evils which had been pointed out. This promise was forgotten, or if kept did no good. Leo was too much engrossed with his ambitious projects, and too much devoted to literature and the fine arts, to have leisure or inclination to take care of the spiritual concerns of his Church.

5*

CHAPTER V.

ZWINGLE'S REMOVAL TO ZURICH-PROGRESS OF THE REFORMATION-PUBLIC CONFERENCE.

1518-1523.

ZWINGLE's reputation was now greatly increased, and the fame of his learning and courage spread in all directions. In the year 1518, he was elected preacher in the Cathedral at Zurich, and as this new appointment opened a still wider field for usefulness, he accepted it without delay. Zurich was an independent city, and the capital of the Canton of the same name. It was likewise infested by the vices, then but too common in Switzerland, and which marked the degeneracy of the age. Religion was treated almost with contempt. The severity of ancient manners and morals had departed, and insubordination among the poor, and luxury and avarice among the higher classes, had banished the virtues of former times. "Letters wanted a restorer, both the governors and the governed an intrepid censor, and fainting religion an orator capable of restoring its influence over the people." This task seemed to be assigned by Providence to Zwingle and he executed it, with firmness and fidelity. On the first of January, 1519, he com

menced his public services. He took occasion, to censure the superstition, hypocrisy, idleness, and intemperance of the people, while he exhorted the magistrates to be impartial in the administration of justice, to protect widows and orphans, and to preserve the liberty of the country by avoiding foreign bribes and alliances. The latter part of this exhortation alluded to a miserable policy then adopted by the Swiss. Instead of preserving a strict neutrality among the contending nations by which they were surrounded, a measure equally recommended by a due regard for peace and for the morals of the citizens, they were in the habit of forming leagues with foreign States, which were frequently the cause of great suffering. These leagues, generally entered into from mercenary motives, served only to involve them in the calamities of wars, with which they as a people had no concern.

The stern rebuke of the new preacher was not without its good effect. Many were aroused and reformed by it: while others, whose interest and vices were attacked, manifested great indignation. The clamors of the discontented did not intimidate Zwingle, nor were they able to destroy his growing influence. His popularity and power became great, and gave him new strength in his warfare against the corruptions of popery.