XIX. two cantons which held the joint sovereignty, the emoluments of the living were divided between the Romish priest and the reformed minister. As the spring advanced, Farel proceeded to preach at Neuchâtel, Vallengin, Bonneville, and in the district in which Mortier and Dellemont stand, and which, though subject to the bishop of Basle as its temporal prince, was dependent on Berne in the affairs of religion. Here the people were well disposed to receive a preacher of reformation; and Farel's exertions and success were so great as to excite the spleen of the bishop, and to oblige the council of Berne to renew its admonitions to him, though in the most friendly spirit, to observe the prescribed Neuchâtel. limitations. On his paying another visit to Aug. 6. and at Neuchâtel, the clergy were enjoined by the governor not to allow him to preach in the churches, and the people not to hear him. The injunction upon the people however was disregarded, and he preached in the open air with marvellous success. In fact the number of those who came to hear him, and to confer with him on the subject of religion, was so great, that it became indispensably necessary for him to call in the aid of other ministers: and to these the churches were opened. The governor complained of these proceedings to the council of Berne: but his complaint was met by a counter-representation from the citizens, urging that, as they had been in the number of those who assisted the Bernese in the late armaments, they were included in the treaty of peace, and entitled in virtue of it to embrace the reformation in case it met with the approbation of a majority of their number. And in this way, accordingly, the town and parish of Neuchâtel did shortly after decide in favour of the reformed faith. Violent oppo sition however was made, and dangerous tumults were excited: but by the interposition of Berne they were appeased, and stipulations entered into between the governor, on behalf of the countess, and the other parties concerned, for securing the rights of each. Still the malcontents were not quieted: and a plot was detected, and by the vigour of Berne defeated, for surprising the reformed with an armed force while engaged in public worship, (when probably a massacre of them would have ensued,) and for replacing all things upon the ancient footing. A considerable part of this agitation is no doubt to be traced to the absence of just views of tolerance on one side as well as the other. When the Roman catholics were outvoted, they seem to have been allowed less indulgence in practising the rites of their religion, than was elsewhere successfully claimed, under the protection of Berne, for a minority professing the reformed faith. Farel continued to preach throughout the country, while a colleague, named Anthony Marcourt, took charge of the church in the capital: and thus in the course of two or three years he effected the reformation of almost the entire principality. Bonneville also followed the example of Neuchâtel, and embraced the reformed religion. As A. D. 1530. In Vallengin Farel was not so successful. At While he was preaching there, a priest came Vallengin. and commenced the celebration of mass. the people appeared more attracted by the ceremonies of the priest than by the sermon of Farel, a young man, who attended the latter, was guilty of the gross imprudence and impro XIX. Erguel. priety of snatching the consecrated host from the hands of the priest, holding it up to the people, and attempting to harangue them on the folly of regarding that sorry object as their God! The people were shocked and the priests infuriated the tocsin was sounded, and the alarm-bells rung. Farel in attempting to retire was seized, beaten, and struck with stones. Those into whose hands he had fallen hurried him to a chapel, and insisted on his kneeling to the images of the saints; and, on his refusing to do so, they beat him with such violence that the stains of his blood were long to be traced upon the walls of the chapel. They then threw him into a dungeon: from which he was however released through the intercession of his friends at Neuchâtel; and he resumed his work in their country.-Such are the obstructions to useful labours which an intemperate and misguided zeal often raises up. While we admire, and commend to imitation, a zeal which is at once ardent and well-regulated, let us not forget that Christian meekness and wisdom have their proper province: and that if, as we have been told,prudence does not often convert men,' imprudence may frequently prevent their conversion. The prayer of the apostle for his people was, "that their love might abound, in knowledge and in all judgment."1 Bienne, it may be remarked, uniting itself with Berne, manifested much zeal in the cause of religion; and at this time effected the reformation of the valley of S. Imier, or Erguel, where it had some years before attempted to correct the dissolute habits of the clergy.2 1 Ru. iii. 13-50, 173–191. ii. 442-444. Gerd. ii. 421-2. 2 Ru. i. 484-486. iii. 51-55. want A. D. 1530. on the labours. Most of the transactions which we have here recorded, placing out of the account some disorders, and some want of due tolerance (the Remarks fault of the times,) among the reformed,' and account of not a few acts of violence in the opposite party, Farel's are satisfactory as far as we are informed concerning them: but the accounts particularity, and that discovery of the feelings of heart with which the truth was received, and of the effects which it produced on temper and character, that even very brief relations in the Acts of the Apostles commonly display. We hear somewhat too much of what the council of Berne did, and what the council of Friburg and other powers were constrained to concur in or submit to; and more, in short, of the conversion of communities from popery to the reformed faith, than of that of individuals from sin to righteousness; and, though the former change is highly important, especially as tending to the latter, yet this alone, we must remember, answers the design of the gospel. What is here the subject of regret must almost always be the case in history. We are not left however without the most satisfactory proofs of the zeal and piety of Farel, and we contemplate with joy and gratitude the abundant success with which his labours were crowned. To them it is greatly owing that these parts of Switzerland to the present day profess the reformed faith; and we cannot but conclude that such changes were not made, in the circumstances in which they now took place, without a powerful sanctifying influence of divine grace on the hearts even of great numbers.--We now return to the other parts of Switzerland. Ru. iii. 41, 184-5. CHAP. XIX. Church discipline, and excom 1530. A subject which much engaged the attention of the Helvetian churches at this period was the restoration of ecclesiastical discipline, including the excommunication of notorious munication. offenders, according to the practice of the primitive times. This was, and ever must be, found a question of great practical difficulty. Repeated consultations of the most eminent of the reformed ministers were held upon it,1 without their being able to come to any satisfactory decision, or to adopt any common plan. On the one hand, it was felt that it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to find in the churches, generally, pastors who, even with the advice and cooperation of some of the more select lay members, would have the firmness uniformly, without fear, favour, or affection, to put in practice a system of strict discipline towards all, of whatever rank or station, who should become obnoxious to it. On the other hand, from the long and bitter experience which the church had had of the abuse of a pretended discipline, to the vilest purposes of tyranny, extortion, and private revenge, a dread was felt of establishing a system which might again become liable to such perversion. Further, even well-meaning persons, not sufficiently enlightened, and taking too narrow views, would be in danger of applying the rod of discipline too indiscriminately: and an error on the side of indulgence was felt to be preferable to excessive severity. The Anabaptists probably increased the apprehension of danger in this way; as they would have confined the Christian church within the narrowest limits, and even refused intercourse At Arau, at Basle twice, at S. Gallen twice, and in Thurgau. |