Grief and Joy in Germany--Ambush against Zuinglius--Mandate
of the Bishop--Archeteles--The Bishop addresses the
Diet--Prohibition to attack the Monks--Declaration of
Zuinglius--The Nuns of Œtenbach--Zuinglius' address to
Schwitz.
The Reformer's immovable firmness delighted the friends of truth, and
particularly the Evangelical Christians of Germany, so long deprived
by the captivity of the Wartburg, of the mighty apostle who had first
raised his head in the bosom of the Church. Pastors and faithful
people, now exiled by the inexorable decree which the papacy had
obtained at Worms from Charles V, found an asylum in Zurich. Nesse,
the professor of Frankfort, whom Luther visited when on his way to
Worms, in a letter to Zuinglius says--"Oh, how I am delighted to learn
with what authority you preach Christ. Speak words of encouragement to
those who, by the cruelty of wicked bishops, are obliged to flee far
from our churches in sorrow."[834]
[834] Et ut iis, qui ob malorum episcoporum sævitiam a nobis
submoventur, prodesse velis. (Zw. Ep. p. 208.)
But the adversaries of the Reformation did not confine their cruel
plots against its friends to Germany. Scarcely an hour passed at
Zurich in which the means of getting rid of Zuinglius were not under
consideration.[835] One day he received an anonymous letter, which he
immediately communicated to his two vicars. It said, "Snares environ
you on every side, mortal poison is ready to deprive you of life.[836]
Eat only in your own house, and of bread baked by your own cook. The
walls of Zurich contain men who are plotting your ruin. The oracle
which revealed this to me is truer than that of Delphi. I am on your
side, you will yet know me."[837]
[835] Nulla prætereat hora, in qua non fierent...consultationes
insidiosissimæ. (Osw. Myc. Vit. Zw.)
[836] Ἕτοιμα φαρμακα λυγρὰ
(Zw. Ep. 199.) Poisoned draughts are ready.
[837] Σος ειμι; agnosces me postea. (Ibid.)
[Sidenote: ARCHETELES.]
The day following that on which Zuinglius received this mysterious
letter, at the moment when Staheli was going to enter the church of
Eau, a chaplain stopped him and said, "Make all haste and quit the
house of Zuinglius; a catastrophe is preparing." Fanatics in despair
of being able to arrest the Reformation by word, armed themselves with
the poniard. When mighty revolutions are accomplished in society,
assassins are often thrown up from the impure dregs of the agitated
population. God guarded Zuinglius.
While murderers saw their plots defeated, the legitimate organs of the
papacy again began to agitate. The bishop and his counsellors were
determined to renew the war. From every quarter information to this
effect reached Zuinglius, who, leaning on the divine promise,
exclaimed with noble confidence, "I fear them ... as a lofty shore
fears the threatening waves... συν τῶ Θεῳ with God," added
he.[838] On the 2nd May, the Bishop of Constance published an order in
which, without naming either Zurich or Zuinglius, he complained of the
attempts of artful persons to renew the condemned doctrines, and of
discussions by the learned and the ignorant, in all places on the most
solemn mysteries. John Wanner, the preacher of the cathedral of
Constance, was the first that was attacked. "I would rather," said he,
"be a Christian with the hatred of many, than abandon Christ for the
friendship of the world."[839]
[838] Quos ita metuo ut littus altum fluctuum undas minacium. (Zw. Ep.
203.)
[839] Malo esse Christianus cum multorum invidia quam relinquere
Christum propter mundanorum amicitiam. (Ibid., 200, 22nd May.)
But it was at Zurich that the growing heresy required to be crushed.
Faber and the bishop knew that Zuinglius had several enemies among the
canons, and they were desirous to turn this hatred to account. Toward
the end of May, a letter from the bishop arrived at Zurich addressed
to the provost and his chapter. "Sons of the church," said the
prelate, "let them perish that will perish, but let no one sever you
from the church."[840] At the same time the bishop urged the canons to
prevent the false doctrines engendered by pernicious sects from being
preached and discussed, whether in private or in public. When this
letter was read in the chapter, all eyes were turned upon Zuinglius,
who, understanding what was meant, said, "I see you think that this
letter concerns me; have the goodness to put it into my hand, and by
the help of God I will answer it."
[840] Nemo vos filios ecclesiæ de ecclesia tollat.
[Sidenote: THE BISHOP ADDRESSES THE DIET.]
Zuinglius did reply in his "_Archêtelés_," a word which signifies _the
beginning and end_, "for I hope," said he, "that this first answer
will also be the last." He spoke in it in very respectful terms of the
bishop, and attributed all the attacks of his enemies to some
intriguers. "What then have I done?" said he, "I have called all men
to the knowledge of their maladies, I have laboured to bring them to
the true God and to his Son Jesus Christ. With that view I have
employed not captious exhortations, but words simple and true, such as
the sons of Switzerland can comprehend." Then passing from the
defensive and becoming the assailant, he finely adds, "Julius Cæsar,
feeling himself mortally wounded, endeavoured to draw up the folds of
his robe that he might fall in a becoming manner. The fall of your
ceremonies is at hand; act so at least that they may fall decently,
and that in every place light may be quickly substituted for
darkness."[841]
[841] In umbrarum locum, lux quam ocissime inducatur. (Zw. Op. iii,
69.)
This was all that the bishop gained by his letter to the chapter of
Zurich. Now, therefore, that friendly remonstrances were vain, it was
necessary to strike more decisive blows. Faber and Landenberg turned
in another direction--towards the Diet, the national council.[842]
There deputies from the bishop arrived to state that their master had
issued an order, prohibiting all the priests of his diocese from
innovating in matters of doctrine, but that his authority being
disregarded he now wished the aid of the heads of the confederation to
assist him in bringing the rebellious to obedience, and defending the
true and ancient faith.[843] The enemies of the Reformation were in a
majority in this first assembly of the nation, which a short time
before had issued a decree prohibiting the preaching of all priests
whose discourses, as it was expressed, produced discord among the
people. This decree of the Diet, which thus, for the first time, took
up the question of the Reformation, had no result, but now having
determined on vigorous measures, this body summoned before it Urban
Weiss, pastor of Feilispach, near Baden, whom public rumour charged
with preaching the new faith and rejecting the old. Weiss was respited
for some time on the intercession of several individuals, and on bail
for a hundred florins offered by his parishioners.
[842] Nam er ein anderen weg an die Hand; schike seine Boten ... etc.
(Bullinger MS.)
[843] Und den Wahren alten Glauben erhallten. (Ibid.)
[Sidenote: DECLARATION OF ZUINGLIUS.]
But the Diet had taken its part, and having just given proof of it,
the priests and monks began every where to resume courage. At Zurich,
even after the first decree, they had begun to behave more
imperiously. Several members of council were in the practice, morning
and evening, of visiting the three convents, and even taking their
victuals there. The monks laboured to indoctrinate their kind table
companions, and urged them to procure a decree of the government in
their favour. "If Zuinglius won't be silent," said they, "we will cry
louder still!" The Diet had taken part with the oppressors. The
council of Zurich knew not what to do. On the 7th of June, it issued
an order forbidding any one to preach against the monks, "but scarcely
was the order resolved upon, than," says the chronicle of Bullinger,
"a sudden noise was heard in the council chamber, and made every one
look at his neighbour."[844] Peace was not re-established. The war
waged from the pulpit waxed hotter and hotter. The council named a
deputation who called the pastors of Zurich and the readers and
preachers of the convents to meet them in the provost's house; after a
keen discussion, the burgomaster enjoined the two parties not to
preach any thing which might interrupt concord. "I cannot accept this
injunction," said Zuinglius; "I mean to preach the gospel freely and
unconditionally in conformity to the resolution previously adopted. I
am bishop and pastor of Zurich; it is to me that the care of souls has
been entrusted. It was I that took the oath, not the monks. They ought
to yield, not I. If they preach lies I will contradict them, and that
even in the pulpit of their own convent. If I myself preach a doctrine
contrary to the Holy Gospel, then I ask to be rebuked, not only by the
chapter, but by any citizen whatever, and moreover, to be punished by
the Council."[845] "We," said the monks, "we demand to be permitted to
preach the doctrines of St. Thomas." The committee of the Council
having deliberated, ordered that Thomas, Scotus, and the other
doctors, should be let alone, and nothing preached but the Holy
Gospel. Thus the truth had once more gained the victory. But the wrath
of the partisans of the papacy increased. The Ultra-Montane canons
could not conceal their anger. They impertinently eyed Zuinglius in
the chapter, and by their looks seemed to demand his life.[846]
[844] Liess die Rathstuben einen grossen Knall. (Bullinger MS.)
[845] Sondern von einem jedem Bürger wyssen. (Ibid.)
[846] Oculos in me procacius torquent, ut cujus caput peti gaudarent.
(Zw. Op. iii, 29.)
Zuinglius was not deterred by their menaces. There was one place in
Zurich where, thanks to the Dominicans, the light had not yet
penetrated; this was the nunnery of Œtenbach. The daughters of the
first families of Zurich there took the veil. It seemed unjust that
these poor females, confined within the walls of their monastery,
should alone be excluded from hearing the Word of God. The Great
Council ordered Zuinglius to repair to it, and the Reformer having
mounted a pulpit which had hitherto been given up to the Dominicans,
preached "on the clearness and certainty of the Word of God."[847] He
at a later period published this remarkable discourse, which was not
without fruit, and irritated the monks still more.
[847] De claritate et certitudine Verbi Dei. (Ibid., i, 66.)
[Sidenote: ADDRESS OF ZUINGLIUS TO SCHWITZ.]
A circumstance occurred to augment this hatred, and give it a place in
many other hearts. The Swiss, headed by Stein and Winkelried, had just
experienced a bloody defeat at Bicoque. They had rushed impetuously on
the enemy, but the artillery of Pescaire and the lancers of that
Freundsberg, whom Luther had met at the door of the hall of Worms, had
thrown down both leaders and colours, whole companies falling and
disappearing at once. Winkelried and Stein, Mulinen, Diesbachs,
Bonstettens, Tschudis, and Pfyffers, were left on the battle-field.
Schwitz, especially, had been mown down. The bloody wrecks of this
dreadful conflict had returned to Switzerland, spreading mourning at
every step. A wail of grief had resounded from the Alps to the Jura,
and from the Rhone to the Rhine.
But none had felt a deeper pang than Zuinglius. He immediately sent an
address to Schwitz dissuading its citizens from foreign service. "Your
ancestors," said he to them, with all the warmth of a Swiss heart,
"forgot their enemies in defence of their liberties, but they never
put Christians to death in order to gain money. These foreign wars
bring innumerable calamities on our country. The scourges of God
chastise our confederacy, and Helvetic freedom is on the eve of being
lost between the selfish caresses and the mortal hatred of foreign
princes."[848] Zuinglius went hand in hand with Nicolas Flue, and
renewed the entreaties of that man of peace. This exhortation having
been presented to the assembly of the people of Schwitz had such an
effect that a resolution was passed to desist prospectively for
twenty-five years from capitulation. But the French party soon
succeeded in getting the generous resolution rescinded, and Schwitz
was thenceforth the canton most decidedly opposed to Zuinglius and his
works. The very disasters which the partisans of foreign capitulation
brought upon their country only increased the hatred of those men
against the bold minister, who endeavoured to rescue his country from
all this misfortune and all this disgrace. Thus throughout the
confederation a party which daily grew more and more violent was
formed against Zurich and Zuinglius. The customs of the Church and the
practices of the recruiters being at once attacked, they made common
cause in resisting the impetus of Reform by which their existence was
threatened. At the same time external enemies multiplied. Not merely
the pope but other foreign princes also vowed inextinguishable hatred
to the Reformation, because it was aiming to deprive them of those
Helvetic halberds, to which their ambition and their pride owed so
many triumphs? But the cause of the gospel had still God on its side
and the best among the people: this was sufficient. Besides,
individuals from different countries exiled for their faith were led
by the hand of Providence to give Switzerland their aid.
[848] Ein göttlich Vermanung an die cersamen, etc. eidgnossen zu
Schwyz. (Zw. Op. part ii, p. 206.)
[Sidenote: A FRENCH MONK.]