side, to go the length of denying the lawfulness of making pictures or statues altogether, and not merely of making them for religious purposes, had I not subsequently found Zwingle expressly disclaiming such a sentiment.-After he had spoken, repeated calls were made on those who did not concur in his doctrines (of whom many had previously accused and reviled the reformers on this very subject,) to oppose the proposition. But only the most trifling opposition was offered-such as arguing that the second commandment referred to the idols of the heathen alone; that Moses had been commanded to make the brazen serpent and the figures of the cherubim; and that images might help to excite our pious feelings. To the instances cited from scripture Leo replied, that they were exceptions expressly made by God himself from the general rule which he had laid down, and that the figures referred to were not appointed to receive any religious worship or even veneration. To the closing remark Zwingle returned the answer which he had frequent occasion to give, "It is all well, if you can adduce scripture for it: but the inquiry is, not what may seem to you to be fit and advantageous, but what the word of God teaches." A.D. 1523. mendator of The commendator of Kusnacht (Conrad The comSchmidt) then, in a long allegorical speech, Kusnacht. shewed, that all our reliance is to be placed on Christ alone. "From Him," he piously and finely said, "let all sinners seek grace-all the blind, sight-all the destitute, aid-all the afflicted, comfort-all the condemned, redemption-all the foolish, wisdom.” "But, instead of this," he proceeded, "men have substituted saints, and the images of saints, in Christ's CHAP. XVI. place."-He argued, however, that men's minds must be enlightened, before that on which they had been accustomed erroneously to rely could properly be torn from them.Hoffman, one of the presidents, here observed, that the speaker was going into an ulterior question, namely the course that should be pursued, in case it were proved that the use of images is forbidden by the scriptures: but the latter was the question at present before them. Zwingle then added some able remarks on the latter part of the commendator's speechshewing what had been done to enlighten men's minds, and how far the rule of “not giving offence" applied to the case before them. The minds of the majority, he contended, were enlightened; and they must not wait till no dissenting voice should be heard, before they abolished that which the scriptures manifestly condemned.-Schmidt declared himself satisfied. Several of those who had most openly reproached the reformers the reformers were then called upon, by name, to reply to the arguments which had been adduced, and to maintain their own side of the question. Some of them confessed that they had nothing to offer, and some still answered by scoffs. The prior of the Augustinians produced a quotation from the canon law. Zwingle in return shewed from that law itself1 that the scriptures alone were to be relied on. The monk, thus beaten with his own weapons, replied, that in all cases of difficulty we were to have recourse to the apostolic chair. "The pope," said he, "has decided, and I abide by his decisions. 1 "Distinc. 9. Can. Ego solis." I leave it to others to argue." The senior physician of the city brought forward the old distinction of the different kinds of worship or 'service, latria, doulia, and hyperdoulia; but Zwingle had already shewn that the Hebrew word, rendered worship, or serve, included every kind and degree of homage or veneration. The president Hoffman then rising returned thanks to God for the clear evidence of his word, upon the question which had been considered, and for the victory which his truth had manifestly obtained that day: and he besought the magistrates to liberate the persons under confinement for overthrowing the crucifix.— This terminated the proceedings of the first day. The following day Zwingle introduced the "That the mass is not a second proposition, sacrifice; and that the eucharist is celebrated in a manner quite different from the institution of the Saviour." As so much difficulty had been found in inducing the opponents of the reformation to come forward, a different course was now adopted than on the preceding day, the principal persons in each distinct rank of the clergy being successively invited by name to deliver their sentiments, whether for or against the proposition. The abbots and those who ranked with them were first called upon; and, at the head of them, Wolfgang Joner, abbot of Cappel, who declared himself fully satisfied with both the propositions, and determined to defend them wherever the occasion might be presented. The abbot of Stein 2 said, he would offer nothing against them. Felix Liberius remarked, that the ancients had called the mass a sacrifice. Zwingle admitted that they had done 1 Ruchat, i. 200. 2 Ib. 199. CHAP. XVI. and on guage. so, but manifestly in a different sense from what was supposed-not as being itself a sacrifice every time it was celebrated, but as a commemoration of the sacrifice which Christ offered when he died on the cross.'-Brenwald, 2 provost of Embrach, concurred in the sentiments of the abbot of Cappel. The commendator of Kusnacht agreed with the doctrine laid down in the proposition, but thought that too harsh language had been used in speaking against the masswhich had stumbled many. This gave occasion to Zwingle to deliver some sentiments which may well deserve to be recorded. He justified the strong condemnation both of the mass and of monastic institutions: "Yet," he said, "I wish that all ministers would employ their zeal violent lan- in preaching Christ, that, through the preva lence of his word, all errors and abuses might be undermined and fall: for I know, and I know it with pain, that some have preached against particular errors with an indecorum which is neither useful nor right. Some retain nothing of sermons which they hear from me but strong detached expressions which I happen to use upon such subjects; and many can recite nothing from the writings of Luther but the cutting language, which, incited by his fervent zeal for God and religion, he sometimes employs; while the pure and holy spirit, and ardent faith, with which he embraces the truth and word of God, have few imitators.-I will not deny that I may sometimes have been severe in the pulpit: but I am bold to affirm, that I have given just cause of offence to no one on any private ground: and you are not ignorant how forbearing I was at first towards my hearers on the subject of the intercession of the saints. I spoke only to this effect: Do you carry your complaints where you think proper: for my part, I will carry mine only to God. My hope (in him) has certainty to go upon your's (in the saints) is uncertain.' And this forbearance I continued to use, till the doctrine of the intercession and invocation of the saints was beaten down by the power of God's word, which I taught, instant in season, out of season. From my inmost soul, therefore, I wish all to be anxious to build up, rather than to throw down; to preach the word of God boldly, and to pronounce concerning particular (doctrines or practices) as God has taught them (in his word)."-Is it possible not to do homage to the united integrity and piety of the man who speaks in this manner, and that in such circumstances? A. D. 1523. arguments sacrifice of the mass. The only instance, in which an attempt was Stainly's made to maintain a regular argument in favour for the of the Roman-catholic doctrine, was on the part of Martin Stainly, a preacher at Schaffhausen: and the ample justice which appears to be done to him in the Acts might well furnish a presumption of their general fairness, were any disposed to question it. He, on being called upon, addressed the meeting at great length. He commenced by speaking, with much seriousness and apparent feeling, of the corruption of mankind, and the imperfection of even their best works; which is such that " every believer, and by consequence the whole Christian church, while living in this world, may say, as S. Paul says of himself, So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin." He then quoted two passages of scripture, |