"how long a thing has been or has not been in ufe, but "to obferve only, whether or no it be agreeable to truth, "or the law of God, to which cuftom could not be op

pofed; and that there were learned men in the prefent "affembly, who could very well determine the matters in "queftion, without referring them to a council, fince

66

even private Chriftians, enlightened by the fpirit of "God, could difcern between thofe that did and did "not understand the fcripture." The refult of this conference was in favour of Zuinglius: for the fenate ordained by an edit, "that he fhould go on to teach "and preach the word of God, and the doctrine of the gofpel, after the fame manner that he had hitherto done; and that no paftors, either in the city or country, "fhould teach any thing that could not be proved by "the gofpel, and should also abftain from accufations of herefy.'

66

After an edict fo favourable, the doctrines of Zuinglius, which most of the paftors had before embraced, were preached under the name of Evangelical Truth in almost all the churches of the canton of Zurich; but, because the outward worship was contrary to their doctrines, images ftill remaining, and mafs being celebrated, and thev durft not abolish it without authority, Zuinglius, to perfect his defign, engaged the fenate to call a new affembly in October the fame year, when the bifhops of Conflance, Coine, and Bafil, with the univerfity of the latter city, and the twelve cantons of Switzerland, were invited to fend their deputies. The fenate affembled upon the day appointed, debates were held upon the points in queftion; and the refult was an edict, by which the priests and monks were forbidden to make any public proceffions, to carry the holy facrament, or to elevate it in the church. that it might be worthiped: reliques were taken out of the churches, and it was forbidden to play upon organs, to ring the bells, to blefs palm-branches, falt, waters, or tapers, and to adminifter the fupreme un&tion to the fick: in fhort, a good part of the outward worship and ceremonies of the church of Rome were at that time abolithed in the canton of Zurich.

While all thefe things were tranfacting, Zuinglius wrote feveral books in defence of his doctrines, which were published between 1522 and 1525 inclufive. April, 1525, he petitioned the fenate of Zurich, to abolith the mafs and the adoration of the elements in the facraments

and

and he eafily obtained what he petitioned. He explained the eucharift, and prefcribed a form in celebrating the Lord's Supper, not only different from that of the church of Rome, but from that of Luther alfo; and this engaged him in violent difputes and animofities even with his brethren, who were jointly labouring with him in the great work of reformation. Mean while, the other Swifs cantons, difallowing the proceedings of that of Zurich, affembled at Lucern in 1524, and decreed, that none fhould change the doctrines which had been eftablished for 1400 years; that they should not teach the doctrines of Zuinglius; and that the magiftrates fhould take care of the execution of this decree. They fent deputies at the fame time to the fenate of Zurich, to complain of the innovations they had made in their canton; who returned a firm answer, and ftood with refolution to what they had done. They then called an affembly at Baden in 1526, where the most ingenious and able advocates of each fide had the liberty of faying what they could, in juftification of their refpective doctrines; and accordingly Oecolampadius maintained the part of Zuinglius, while Eckius was reprefentative for the Catholics. Other affemblies were afterwards called; but things, instead of approaching nearer to peace and good order, tended every day more and more to tumult and civil difcord. At length the parties had recourfe to arms; and Zuinglius, well horfed and compleatly equipped, was flain in one of thefe rencounters, while he attended the army as a citizen and paftor, if not as a general and commander, which the Papifts affirmed. He died in 1531, and was heard, upon receiving his death-wound and falling, to utter thefe words: "What a misfortune is this? well, they "can indeed kill the body, but they cannot kill the foul."

He was a man of fine parts and uncommon learning; and, confidering that he was a Reformer, his zeal was tempered with a good degree of prudence. He held feveral notions peculiar to himfelf, and different from thofe of Luther, which produced no fmall misunderstanding between them; for Luther was not at all well affectioned to Zuinglius; nor did Zuinglius pay the leaft deference to Luther. His notion of the Eucharift was fo diftin&t from that of the other Reformers, as to give afterwards a name to his followers. He maintained alfo a fyftem of his own concerning original fin, and contended for the falvation of infants dying without baptifm, as well as of virtuous Pagans; both which points were rejected generally by the

Pre

Proteftants of his time. His works amounted to 4 vols.
in folio, the greatest part of which were written in Ger-
man, and afterwards were tranflated into Latin; they were
printed at Bafil in 1544, at Zurich in 1581, and at Bafil
again in 1593. His doctrines were afterwards fpread into
France, with fome alterations by Calvin, Beza, and others,
who were commonly called Calvinifts; while the difciples
of Zuinglius, who lived in Switzerland, retained the name
of Sacramentarians. This occafioned a late noble author,
fpeaking of Proteftant ecclefiaftica! policy, to exprefs him-
broke on the felf in the following manner: "This policy," fays he,
"had no being, till Luther made his eftablishment in
"Germany; till Zuinglius began another in Swifferland,
"which Calvin carried on, and, like Americus Vefputius,
"who followed Chriftopher Columbus, robbed the firft
"adventurer of his honour."

Boling-

Study of
History,
Letter IV.

INDEX