His views were enlarged, and he became more firmly convinced of the principles he had derived from the study of the scriptures and of antiquity. But the activity of his mind was not confined to speculation merely. He convinced the administrator, that the worship paid to the relics of saints and martyrs was inconsistent with the gospel, and that the popular belief that pardon of sins might be procured by money or external practices was full of mischief. He likewise made several salutary alterations in the administration of a nunnery under his direction. He made use of the opportunities that his office of preacher and confessor afforded him insensibly to diffuse his opinions. When he judged the minds of his bearers sufficiently prepared, on one of the festivals, an immense crowd being collected, he ascended the pulpit, and having by an ardent exordium gained their attention;

"Cease to believe," cried he, " that God resides in this temple more than in every other place. Whatever region of the earth you may inhabit, he is near you, he surrounds you, he grants your prayers, if they deserve to be granted; but it is not by useless vows, by long pilgrimages, offerings destined to adorn senseless images, that you can obtain the divine favour resist temptations, repress guilty desires, shun all injustice, relieve the unfortunate, console the afflicted these are the works pleasing to the Lord. Alas! I know it; it is ourselves, ministers of the altar, we who ought to be the salt of the earth, who have led into a maze of error the ignorant and credulous multitude. In order to accumulate treasures sufficient to satisfy our avarice, we raised vain and useless practices to the rank of good works; and the Christians of these times, too docile to our instructions, neglect to fulfil the laws of God, and only think of making atonement for their crimes, instead of renouncing them. Let us live according to out 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 favour 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 honour 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 honour 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." p. 62-64.

The effect of this discourse was various, some felt a new light breaking in upon their minds; others, who saw in the prevalence of such doctrines the end of their gains, were grievously offended.

Meanwhile the fame of Zuinglius as a theologian and friend of literature was diffused through the country. Oswald Myconius, with other learned ecclesiastics and laymen of Zurich promised themselves happy effects from his preaching; and the chapter were thereby determined in their choice of him as their minister. About this time learning, religion, and morals were at a low ebb. Zuinglius set himself to remedy these evils. On being invested with his new office, he informed the chapter, that instead of following the order of the dominical letters, he should explain the whole of scripture. Some objected to this as a dangerous innovation; but he replied, it was only to revive the practice of the primitive church. January the first, 1519, he delivered his first discourse on the new plan, which was attended by a great crowd, drawn partly by curiosity, and partly by a desire of edification. While his sermons met with many admirers; others, through interest, prejudice, or vice, endeavoured to sink bis reputation, calling him sometimes a hypocrite, sometimes a fanatic, and sometimes the enemy of religionand good order. But such calumnies not only damped not his zeal; they did not even lessen his influence. For Samson, a wily Franciscan, being employed to preach indulgences in Switzerland, as Tetzel had been in Germany, Zuinglius exposed his disgraceful impositions, with great zeal and prudence. He made such a deep impression, not only on the inhabitants of Zurich, but also on the deputies of the thirteen cantons, who happened to be at that time assembled; that they ordered Samson to quit the Swiss territory without delay, and obliged him to take off the excommunication he had fulminated against Henry Bullinger, a parish priest in that neighbourhood.

Zuinglius was very active in preventing the Zurichers from joining the other cautons in their alliance with Francis the first, which occasioned him the loss of several partizans. For as the campaign, in which the other cantons assisted the French, was unsuccesful, the Zurichers, who in consequence of a former treaty, had sent 3000 men to defend the papal dominions, became the object of hatred; of which the greater part fell on Zuinglius, whose religious as well as political prin- . ciples were severely reprobated.

But while this reformer was earnest in persuading his countrymen to maintain a strict neutrality between the belligerents, he was most diligent in discharging his duties as a preacher.

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"On my arrival at Zurich, I began to explain the gospel according to St. Matthew. I added an exposition of the Acts of the Apostles, to show my audience in what manner the gospel had been diffused. I then went on to the first epistle of Paul to Timothy, which may be said to contain the rule of life of a true christian. Perceiving that false teachers had introduced some errors with respect to the doctrine of faith, I interpreted the epistle to the Galatians; this I followed by an explanation of the two epistles of St. Peter, to prove to the detractors of St. Paul, that the same spirit had animated both these apostles. I came at length to the epistle to the Hebrews, which makes known in its full extent the benefits of the mission of Jesus Christ." " In my sermons," adds he, " I have employed neither indirect modes of speech, nor artful insinuations, nor captious exhortations; it is by the most simple language that I have endeavoured to open the eyes of every one to his own disease, according to the example of Jesus Christ himself." Pp. 118-119.

His hearers losing their respect for several rules of ecclesiastical discipline, some of them ventured to break the fast of Lent; and were imprisoned by the magistrates. Zuinglius undertook their defence, and published his first work, a tract on the observation of Lent. In this work he had ridiculed the opinion, which attributes merit to abstinence from ordinary aliment, and advised that fasts should be left to every one's own choice, which gave still further provocation to his enemies. If it was not restrained, they said, his doctrine would undermine both episcopal and pontifical authority. The bishop of Constance, therefore, delivered to the clergy and laity of his diocese, a charge, lamenting the present dissensions, and exhorting them to adhere to the church. He likewise wrote to the council of Zurich, to secure the ordinances of the church from blame, and to the chapter, complaining of certain innovators, who pretended to reform the church, and cautioning them against dangerous opinions, as well as exhorting them to avoid dissensions, Of his object, however, which was to silence Zuinglius, he was disappointed. The reformer replied to the bishop's letter in a short tract, laying it down as a principle, that the scripture is the authority by which all doubts must be solved, and all controversies terminated. Among other passages deserving attention, the following savours somewhat of methodism:

I will now tell you what is the christianity that I profess, and which you endeavour to render suspected. It commands men to obey the laws and respect the magistrate; to pay tribute and impositions where they are due; to rival one another only in beneficence; to support and relieve the indigent; to share the griefs of their neighbour, and to regard all mankind as brethren. It further requires the christian to expect salvation from God alone, and Jesus Christ his only Son, our master and Saviour, who giveth

eternal life to them who believe on him. Such are the principles from which, in the exercise of my ministry, I have never departed.' p. 129

While Zuinglius was engaged in this tract, the Helyetic diet, at the instigation of the bishop of Constance, convicted the pastor of a small village near Baden of heresy. Foreseeing the evils to which the friends of reformation were likely to be exposed, he addressed to the Swiss government a summary of his doctrine; praying for liberty to preach the gospel without molestation. As Luther had been excommunicated by the pope, Zuinglius was stigmatized as a heretic, and a Lutheran. Fresh controversies daily arising, the minds of both parties were exasperated.

In 1523, at Zuinglius's request, the council of Zurich summoned the clergy of the canton to a colloquy, in order to determine the disputed points. After various discourses, the council ordered, that Zuinglius should continue to preach as he had done heretofore, and that the pastors of Zurich and its territory should rest their discourses on the scripture; both parties abstaining from personal reflections. This conclusion of the colloquy was most favourable to Zuinglius, as it served to multiply his friends, and enabled him to act under the sanction of public authority. No innovation had as yet been made in the public worship, when another conference being held, victory again declared in favour of Zuinglius; and great alterations afterwards followed. The mass was abolished. In 1525, on Easter Sunday, the Lord's Supper was administered, conformably to the reformer's views.

A table, covered with a white cloth, unleavened bread, and cups filled with wine, recalled the remembrance of the last repast of our Redeemer with his disciples. The first priest, who was Zwingle himself, announced to the faithful, that the religious act which they were about to celebrate would become to each of them the pledge of salvation, or the cause of perdition, according to the dispositions they might bring to it; and he endeavoured, by a fervent prayer, to excite in all their hearts repentance for past faults, and a resolution to live a new life. After this prayer, Zwingle, and the two ministers who assisted him, presented mutually to each other the bread and the cup, pronouncing at the same time the words uttered by Jesus Christ at the institution of the Last Supper; they after. wards distributed the symbols of the body and blood of the Redeemer to all the christians present, who listened with the most profound and reverent attention to the reading of the last words of our Lord, as they have been transmitted to us by his beloved disciple. A second prayer, and hymns full of the expression of love and gratitude towards him, who had voluntarily endured a cruel and ignominious death, to save repentant sinners, terminated this solemn and affecting ceremony. Zwingle was of opinion, that to celebrate the Lord's Supper in this manner, was to bring

it back to its ancient simplicity, and to unite all that could render it useful. The event proved that he was not mistaken; the churches could scarcely contain the immense crowd that came to participate in this religious solemnity, and the good works and numerous reconciliations which followed it, proved the sincerity of the devotion with which it was attended.' p. 199.

This reformation in the worship was accompanied with similar changes in the relations of the clergy, and the establishment of a new system of public instruction; for particulars of which we beg to refer our readers to Mr. Hess himself.

With great resolution and courage, Zuinglius combined much prudence and moderation. While he wished to effect a change in the principles and manners of the clergy and laity, he was on his guard against the excess and extravagance into which many persons were hurried. His controversy with the adherents of Muntzer, being a part of the general history of the reformation, is too well known to require to be detailed at present. It may be necessary to say, that, though he might be right in advising coercion, he evidently carried it too far. The principles of toleration were then very ill understood.

While Zuinglius was engaged with the fanatical anabaptists, a project was formed that threatened his life. Faber, grand vicar of the bishop of Constance, despairing of arresting the progress of his doctrines, as long as he remained, formed a plan to entice him from Zurich. He induced Eckius, the antagonist of Luther, to challenge Zuinglius to a conference in some of the towns of Switzerland. Though the cantons, to which this polemic addressed himself, were at first reluctant to such a measure, they were at last prevailed upon, with the exception of Zurich, to appoint Baden as the place of interview between him and Zuinglius. But with the requisition of the diet to send him, the senate of Zurich refused to comply; since the unusualness of the conduct of their allies made them suspect some snare; and, as the manifesto gave Zuinglius the appellation of heretic, they concluded that the controversy was decided. Besides, the reformer could scarcely be safe in a town where his books and effigy had been burned. In the conference, which, notwithstanding, was held, Oecolampadius and Haller maintained the cause of the reformers; but, as was foreseen, Zuinglius was excommunicated. Basil was required to banish Oecolampadius; and the sale, both of Luther's and Zuinglius's books, as well as ail change of worship, were strictly prohibited. These violent measures failed of effect: Oecolampadius was received with open arms at Basil. Hailer continued to exercise his ministry at Bern, where the friends of the reformation increased to such a degree, that several municipalities of the canton requested the senate to