ZWINGLE,

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thought, for the deliverance of the church, and as there was a general levy at Glarus , thewhole commune rallied around the banner of its confederates, and among them wastheir pastor, Zwingle, in the capacity of chaplain. Well had it been had they remem-bered that the weapons of their warfare ought not to he carnal.

Returning from this campaign, Zwingle applied himself diligently to the study ofGreek, in order, as he said, “ to be able to draw the doctrine of Jesus Christ from the veryfountains of truth.” To render himself more familiar with Paul’s epistles, he copied theGreek text with his own hand, adding, in the margin, a multitude of notes from his ownreflections, and also from the fathers of the church. He recognised, too, the infallibleauthority of the sacred oracles. He said, “ It is not permitted men to bend the gospelto their own meaning, and to force upon it their own interpretation. I set myselfurgently to beseech the Lord that he would grant me his light; and though I readnothing but the scripture, it became much clearer to me than if I had read many acommentary.” It was his practice to compare one scripture with another, and toobtain light on difficult passages from others which were more clear. He thus becarnoacquainted with the whole Bible, and'particularly so with the New Testament . “ WhenZwingle thus turned to holy writ,” says D’Aubigne, “ Switzerland made the first steptowards the Reformation.”

He was subsequently led to consider the superstitions and abuses of the Romish church.Nor was he satisfied with exposing these apart from the proclamation of the gospel. Indirect opposition to the ceremonial of the mass, he exclaimed, “ Christ , who offered uphimself for us once on the cross, is the host and the victim, that makes satisfaction to alleternity for the sins of the faithful.” If some hesitated at these declarations, othersrecoiled from them with horror, while some received “ the engrafted word, which is ableto save the soul.” The friends of Zwingle, indeed, became greatly multiplied, and thetruth of God was extensively diffused. After a residence of ten years at Glarus , he wassent for to Zurich , and installed as preacher in the cathedral, in December, 1518, deeplyregretted by the parishioners whom he quitted.

In 1522, Zwingle published a tract, “ On the observation of Lent .” This was his firstwork, and greatly did it irritate' the Romanist party. lie therefore caused an assemblyto be convened by the senate of Zurich , for the purpose of adjusting existing differences.It took place on the 29th'of January, 1523. He stated the doctrines he held in thirty-seven propositions, fully persuaded that they were agreeable to the gospel of Christ . Atthe close of the consultation, the assembly passed an edict greatly in favour of Zwingle.After its publication, his doctrine became general throughout the whole canton of Zurich under the name of evangelical truth.

Determined to introduce it into Switzerland generally, he induced the senate to call anew assembly. It was convened on the 26th of October, 1523, and various discussionstook place. One resolution of the conference was, that no images were to be allowedamong Christians . In the next conference, the parties assembled discussed the mass.Zwingle maintained it was no sacrifice, and a decision to that effect was accordinglypassed. These conclusions were not, however, received throughout Switzerland ; thecantons of Berne, Glarus, Bale, Schaffhausen , and Appenzel, refused to admit them.Meanwhile, Zwingle wrote several books in defence of his doctrines, and they weremaking progress in various directions.

An important accession had, in the mean time, been gained to the cause of the Reforma-tion in (Kcolampadius, a native of Winsperg, in Franconia. In 1515, he had received acall to the pastoral office, and was subsequently honoured with the title of Doctor ofDivinity, by the University of Heidelburg. About the same time, Erasmus arrived inBale, to publish his Annotations on the New Testament , in which Qicolampadiusassisted. On the completion of that work, he entered the monastery of St. Bridget,