History of the Great Reformation Part 70

Upon this the Five Cantons with the undisciplined bands of the Italian general Isola threw themselves on the left bank of the lake of Zurich.

The alarm bell was rung on every side; the peasants retired in crowds into the city, with their weeping wives, their frightened children, and their cattle that filled the air with sullen lowings. A report too was circulated that the enemy intended laying siege to Zurich. The country-people in alarm declared that if the city refused to treat, they would treat on their own account.

[Sidenote: RESTORATION OF POPERY.]

The peace party prevailed in the council; deputies were elected to negotiate. "Above all things, preserve the Gospel, and then our honour, as far as may be possible!" Such were their instructions. On the 16th November, the deputies from Zurich arrived in a meadow situated near the frontier, on the banks of the Sihl, in which the representatives of the Five Cantons awaited them. They proceeded to the deliberations. "In the name of the most honourable, holy, and divine Trinity," began the treaty, "Firstly, we the people of Zurich bind ourselves and agree to leave our trusty and well-beloved confederates of the Five Cantons, their well-beloved co-burghers of the Valais, and all their adherents lay and ecclesiastic, in their true and indubitable Christian faith,[1245] renouncing all evil intention, tricks, and stratagems. And, on our side, we of the Five Cantons agree to leave our confederates of Zurich and their allies in possession of their faith."[1246] At the same time, Rapperswyl, Gaster, Wesen, Bremgarten, Mellingen, and the common bailiwicks, were abandoned to the Five Cantons.

[1245] By ihren wahren ungez wyfflten christenlichen glauben.

(Tschudi, p. 247.)

[1246] By ihren Glauben. (Tschudi, p. 247.)

Zurich had preserved its faith; and that was all. The treaty having been read and approved of, the plenipotentiaries got off their horses, fell upon their knees, and called upon the name of G.o.d.[1247] Then the new captain-general of the Zurichers, Escher, a hasty and eloquent old man, rising up, said as he turned towards the Waldstettes: "G.o.d be praised that I can again call you my well-beloved confederates!" and approaching them, he shook hands successively with Golder, Hug, Troger, Rychmut, Marquart, Zellger, and Toss, the terrible victors at Cappel. All eyes were filled with tears.[1248] Each took with trembling hand the bottle suspended at his side, and offered a draught to one of the chiefs of the opposite party. Shortly after a similar treaty was concluded with Berne.

[1247] Knuwet mencklich wider und battet. (Bull. iii, p. 253.)

[1248] Und luffend ihnen allen die Angen uber. (Tschudi, p. 245.)

X. The restoration of Popery immediately commenced in Switzerland, and Rome showed herself everywhere proud, exacting, and ambitious.

After the battle of Cappel, the Romish minority at Glaris had resumed the upperhand. It marched with Schwytz against Wesen and the district of the Gaster. On the eve of the invasion, at midnight, twelve deputies came and threw themselves at the feet of the Schwytzer chiefs, who were satisfied with confiscating the national banners of these two districts, with suppressing their tribunals, annulling their ancient liberties, and condemning some to banishment, and others to pay a heavy fine. Next the ma.s.s, the altars, and images were everywhere re-established, and exist until the present day.[1249] Such was the pardon of Schwytz!

[1249] Es wurdent ma.s.s, altar und gotren vieder uff gericht. (Bull.

iii.)

It was especially on Bremgarten, Mellingen, and the free bailiwicks that the Cantons proposed to inflict a terrible vengeance. Berne having recalled its army, Mutschli, the avoyer of Bremgarten, followed Diesbach as far as Arau. In vain did the former remind the Bernese that it was only according to the orders of Berne and Zurich that Bremgarten had blockaded the Five Cantons. "Bend to circ.u.mstances,"

replied the general. On this the wretched Mutschli, turning away from the pitiless Bernese, exclaimed, "The prophet Jeremiah has well said,--_Cursed be he that trusteth in man!_" The Swiss and Italian bands entered furiously into these flourishing districts, brandishing their weapons, inflicting heavy fines on all the inhabitants, compelling the Gospel ministers to flee, and restoring everywhere at the point of the sword, ma.s.s, idols, and altars.

On the other side of the lake the misfortune was still greater. On the 18th November, while the Reformed of Repperschwyl were sleeping peacefully in reliance on the treaties, an army from Schwytz silently pa.s.sed the wooden bridge nearly 2000 feet long which crosses the lake, and was admitted into the city by the Romish party. On a sudden the Reformed awoke at the loud pealing of the bells, and the tumultuous voices of the Catholics: the greater part quitted the city. One of them, however, by name Michael Wohlgemuth, barricaded his house, placed arquebuses at every window, and repelled the attack. The exasperated enemy brought up some heavy pieces of artillery, besieged this extemporaneous citadel in regular form, and Wohlgemuth was soon taken and put to death in the midst of horrible tortures.

[Sidenote: COLAMPADIUS.]

Nowhere had the struggle been more violent than at Soleure: the two parties were drawn up in battle-array on each side of the Aar, and the Romanists had already discharged one ball against the opposite bank, another was about to follow, when the avoyer Wenge, throwing himself on the mouth of the cannon, cried out earnestly: "Fellow-citizens, let there be no bloodshed, or else let me be your first victim!" The astonished mult.i.tude dropped their arms; but seventy Evangelical families were obliged to emigrate, and Soleure returned under the Papal yoke.

The deserted cells of St. Gall, Muri, Einsideln, Wettingen, Rheinau, St. Catherine, Hermetshwyll and Guadenthall witnessed the triumphant return of Benedictines, Franciscans, Dominicans, and all the Romish militia; priests and monks, intoxicated with their victory, overran country and town, and prepared for new conquests.

The wind of adversity was blowing with fury: the Evangelical Churches fell one after another, like the pines in the forest whose fall before the battle of the Goubel had raised such gloomy presentiments. The Five Cantons, full of grat.i.tude to the Virgin, made a solemn pilgrimage to her temple at Einsideln. The chaplains celebrated anew their mysteries in this desolated sanctuary; the abbot, who had no monks, sent a number of youths into Swabia to be trained up in the rules of the order, and this famous chapel, which Zwingle's voice had converted into a sanctuary for the Word, became for Switzerland, what it has remained until this day, the centre of the power and of the intrigues of the Papacy.

But this was not enough. At the very time that these flourishing churches were falling to the ground, the Reform witnessed the extinction of its brightest lights. A blow from a stone had slain the energetic Zwingle on the field of battle, and the rebound reached the pacific colampadius at Basle, in the midst of a life that was wholly evangelical. The death of his friend, the severe judgments with which they pursued his memory, the terror that had suddenly taken the place of the hopes he had entertained of the future--all these sorrows rent the heart of colampadius, and soon his head and his life inclined sadly to the tomb. "Alas!" cried he, "that Zwingle, whom I have so long regarded as my right arm, has fallen under the blows of cruel enemies!"[1250] He recovered, however, sufficient energy to defend the memory of his brother. "It was not," said he, "on the heads of the most guilty that the wrath of Pilate and the tower of Siloam fell. The judgment began in the house of G.o.d; our presumption has been punished; let our trust be placed now on the Lord alone, and this will be an inestimable gain." colampadius declined the call of Zurich to take the place of Zwingle. "My post is here," said he, as he looked at Basle.

[1250] Zwinglium nostrum, quem pro manu altera nunc multo tempore habui. (Zurich MS.)

He was not destined to hold it long. Illness fell upon him in addition to so many afflictions; the plague was in the city; a violent inflammation attacked him,[1251] and erelong a tranquil scene succeeded the tumult of Cappel. A peaceful death calmed the agitated hearts of the faithful, and replaced by sweet, tranquil, and heavenly emotions, the terror and distress with which a terrible disaster had filled them.

[1251] Ater carbunculus quovis carbunculo in domo Dei splendidiorem perdidit. (J. J. Hottinger, iii. p. 634.)

On hearing of the danger of colampadius, all the city was plunged into mourning; a crowd of men of every age and of every rank rushed to his house. "Rejoice," said the reformer with a meek look, "I am going to a place of everlasting joy." He then commemorated the death of our Lord with his wife, his relations, and domestics, who shed floods of tears. "This supper," said the dying man, "is a sign of my real faith in Jesus Christ my Redeemer."

On the morrow he sent for his colleagues: "My brethren," said he, "the Lord is there; he calls me away. Oh! my brethren, what a black cloud is appearing on the horizon--what a tempest is approaching! Be steadfast: the Lord will preserve his own." He then held out his hand, and all these faithful ministers, clasped it with veneration.

[Sidenote: DEATH OF COLAMPADIUS.]

On the 23d November, he called his children around him, the eldest of whom was barely three years old. "Eusebius, Irene, Alethea," said he to them, as he took their little hands, "love G.o.d who is your Father."

Their mother having promised for them, the children retired with the blessing of the dying servant of G.o.d. The night that followed this scene was his last. All the pastors were around his bed: "What is the news?" asked colampadius of a friend who came in. "Nothing," was the reply. "Well," said the faithful disciple of Jesus, "I will tell you something new." His friends awaited in astonishment. "In a short time I shall be with the Lord Jesus." One of his friends now asking him if he was incommoded by the light, he replied, putting his hand on his heart: "There is light enough here." The day began to break; he repeated in a feeble voice the 51st Psalm: _Have mercy upon me, O Lord, according to thy loving kindness_. Then remaining silent, as if he wished to recover strength, he said, "Lord Jesus, help me!" The ten pastors fell on their knees around his bed with uplifted hands; at this moment the sun rose, and darted his earliest rays on a scene of sorrow so great and so afflicting with which the Church of G.o.d was again stricken.[1252]

[1252] De Joannis colampadis obitu, per Simonem Gryneum. (Epp. col.

et Zwinglii, libri iv.)

The death of this servant of the Lord was like his life, full of light and peace. colampadius was in an especial degree the Christian spiritualist and biblical divine. The importance he attached to the study of the books of the Old Testament imprinted one of its most essential characters on the reformed theology.[1253] Considered as a man of action, his moderation and meekness placed him in the second rank. Had he been able to exert more of this peaceful spirit over Zwingle, great misfortunes perhaps might have been avoided. But like all men of meek disposition, his peaceful character yielded too much to the energetic will of the minister of Zurich; and he thus renounced, in part at least, the legitimate influence that he might have exercised over the reformer of Switzerland and of the Church.

[1253] See his Commentaries on Isaiah (1525), 1st chapter; on Ezekiel (1527); Haggai, Zachariah, Malachi (1527); Daniel (1530); and the commentaries published after his death, with interpretations on Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, and the 1st and 2d chapters of Micah.

[Sidenote: HENRY BULLINGER.]

Zwingle and colampadius had fallen. There was a great void and great sorrow in the Church of Christ. Dissensions disappeared before these two tombs, and nothing could be seen but tears. Luther himself was moved. On receiving the news of these two deaths, he called to mind the days he had pa.s.sed with Zwingle and colampadius at Marburg; and the blow inflicted on him by their sudden decease was such, that many years after he said to Bullinger: "Their death filled me with such intense sorrow, that I was near dying myself."[1254]

[1254] De cujus morte dolorem concepi......ita ut eorum casus me pene exanimaverit. (L. Epp. v. p. 112.)

The youthful Henry Bullinger, threatened with the scaffold, had been compelled to flee from Bremgarten, his native town, with his aged father, his colleagues, and sixty of the princ.i.p.al inhabitants, who abandoned their houses to the pillage of the Waldstettes.[1255] Three days after this, he was preaching in the cathedral of Zurich: "No!

Zwingle is not dead!" exclaimed Myconius; "or, like the phnix, he has risen again from his ashes." Bullinger was unanimously chosen to succeed the great reformer. He adopted Zwingle's orphan children, Wilhelm, Regula, and Ulric, and endeavoured to supply the place of their father. This young man, scarcely twenty-eight years of age, and who presided forty years with wisdom and blessing over this church, was everywhere greeted as the apostle of Switzerland.[1256]

[1255] Ne a quinque pagis aut obtruncarer aut comburerem. (Bull. ad Myc. November 1531.)

[1256] Haller ad Bulling. 1536.

[Sidenote: CONTRITION OF ZURICH.]

Yet as the sea roars long after the violent tempest has subsided, so the people of Zurich were still in commotion. Many were agitated from on high. They came to themselves; they acknowledged their error; the weapons of their warfare had been carnal; they were now of a contrite and humble spirit; they arose and went to their Father and confessed their sin. In those days there was a great mourning in Zurich. Some, however, stood up with pride, protested by the mouth of their ministers against the work of the diplomatists, and boldly stigmatized the shameful compact. "If the shepherds sleep, the dogs must bark,"

exclaimed Leo Juda in the cathedral of Zurich. "My duty is to give warning of the evil they are about to do to my Master's house."[1257]

[1257] Ich mus bellen. (Bull. iii. p. 321.)

Nothing could equal the sorrow of this city, except the exultation of the Waldstettes. The noise of drums and fifes, the firing of guns, the ringing of bells, had long resounded on the banks of their lakes, and even to their highest valleys. Now the noise was less, but the effect greater. The Five Cantons, in close alliance with Friburg and Soleure, formed a perpetual league for the defence of the ancient christian faith with the Bishop of Sion and the t.i.things of the Valais; and henceforward carried their measures in the federal affairs with boldness. But a deep conviction was formed at that period in the hearts of the Swiss Reformed. "Faith comes from G.o.d," said they; "its fortune does not depend on the life or death of a man. Let our adversaries boast of our ruin, we will boast only in the Cross."[1258]

"G.o.d reigns," wrote Berne to Zurich, "and he will not permit the bark to founder." This conviction was of more avail than the victory of Cappel.

[1258] Gloriantibus adversariis ruinam, nos in cruce gloriemur. (Ad colamp. 29th November 1531. Zurich MS.)

[Sidenote: CONCLUSION.]

Thus the Reformation, that had deviated from the right path, was driven back by the very violence of the blow into its primitive course, having no other power than the Word of G.o.d. An inconceivable infatuation had taken possession of the friends of the Bible. They had forgotten that our warfare is not carnal; and they had appealed to arms and to battle. But G.o.d reigns: he punishes the churches and the people who turn aside from his ways. We have thus taken a few stones, and piled them as a monument on the battle-field of Cappel, in order to remind the Church of the great lesson which this terrible catastrophe teaches. As we bid farewell to this sad scene, we inscribe on these monumental stones, on the one side, these words from G.o.d's Book: "_Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our G.o.d. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen and stand upright._" And on the other, this declaration of the Head of the Church: "_My kingdom is not of this world._" If, from the ashes of the martyrs at Cappel, a voice could be heard, it would be these very words of the Bible that these n.o.ble confessors would address, after three centuries, to the Christians of our days. That the Church has no other king than Jesus Christ; that she ought not to meddle with the policy of the world, derive from it her inspiration, and call for its swords, its prisons, its treasures; that she will conquer by the spiritual powers which G.o.d has deposited in her bosom, and, above all, by the reign of her adorable Head; that she must not expect upon earth thrones and mortal triumphs; but that her march is like that of her King, from the manger to the cross, and from the cross to the crown:--such is the lesson to be read on the blood-stained page that has crept into our simple and evangelical narrative.[1259]

[1259] Zwingle's _Pear Tree_ having perished, a large rock has been placed over the spot where this ill.u.s.trious reformer died; and on it are engraved suitable inscriptions, different, however, from those in the text.

But if G.o.d teaches his people great lessons, he also gives them great deliverances. The bolt had fallen from heaven. The Reformation seemed to be no more than a lifeless body c.u.mbering the ground, and whose dissevered limbs were about to be reduced to ashes. But G.o.d raises up the dead. New and more glorious destinies were awaiting the Gospel of Jesus Christ at the foot of the Alps. At the south-western extremity of Switzerland, in a great valley which the white giant of the mountains points out from afar; on the banks of the Leman lake, at the spot where the Rhone, clear and blue as the sky above it, rolls its majestic waters; on a small hill that the foot of Caesar had once trod, and on which the steps of another conqueror, of a Gaul, of a Picardine[1260] were destined ere long to leave their ineffaceable and glorious traces, stood an ancient city, as yet covered with the dense shadows of Popery; but which G.o.d was about to raise to be a beacon to the Church, and a bulwark to Christendom.

[1260] John Calvin of Noyon.

END OF THE FOURTH VOLUME.