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gates of death, it was to preach the gospel with greater fervor than
ever before; and his words exerted an unwonted power. The people
welcomed with joy their beloved pastor, returned to them from the
brink of the grave. They themselves had come from attending upon
the sick and the dying, and they felt, as never before, the value of the
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gospel.
Zwingli had arrived at a clearer understanding of its truths, and
had more fully experienced in himself its renewing power. The fall
of man and the plan of redemption were the subjects upon which he
dwelt. “In Adam,” he said, “we are all dead, sunk in corruption and
condemnation.”—Wylie, b. 8, ch. 9. “Christ ... has purchased for us a
never-ending redemption.... His passion is ... an eternal sacrifice, and
everlastingly effectual to heal; it satisfies the divine justice forever in
behalf of all those who rely upon it with firm and unshaken faith.” Yet
he clearly taught that men are not, because of the grace of Christ, free
to continue in sin. “Wherever there is faith in God, there God is; and
wherever God abideth, there a zeal exists urging and impelling men to
good works.”—D’Aubigne, b. 8, ch. 9.
Such was the interest in Zwingli’s preaching that the cathedral was
filled to overflowing with the crowds that came to listen to him. Little
by little, as they could bear it, he opened the truth to his hearers. He
was careful not to introduce, at first, points which would startle them
and create prejudice. His work was to win their hearts to the teachings
of Christ, to soften them by His love, and keep before them His
example; and as they should receive the principles of the gospel, their
superstitious beliefs and practices would inevitably be overthrown.
Step by step the Reformation advanced in Zurich. In alarm its
enemies aroused to active opposition. One year before, the monk of
Wittenberg had uttered his No to the pope and the emperor at Worms,
and now everything seemed to indicate a similar withstanding of the
papal claims at Zurich. Repeated attacks were made upon Zwingli.
In the papal cantons, from time to time, disciples of the gospel were
brought to the stake, but this was not enough; the teacher of heresy
must be silenced. Accordingly the bishop of Constance dispatched
three deputies to the Council of Zurich, accusing Zwingli of teaching
the people to transgress the laws of the church, thus endangering the
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peace and good order of society. If the authority of the church were to
be set aside, he urged, universal anarchy would result. Zwingli replied