g; thou wouldst
also have made known thy thoughts to us in the German language.
Therefore I send thee this epistle called _Archeteles_, because I hope
it is the beginning and end of my quarrel with thy counsellors." After
this somewhat diffuse introduction follow the sixty-nine points of
complaint, again printed, and an answer appended to each one
separately. As he proceeds in the letter we see his courage and
assurance increase; the style becomes bolder, his judgment more
decided, and the interwoven sallies of wit more cutting, till here
again in a feeling of triumph, and prompted by the lugubrious tone of
the last point of the Bishop, he gives a mock-review of it somewhat in
the manner of the litany:

That we may remain in the unity of our Holy Mother, the Church;--for
this we beseech thee, O Lord, hear us.

That we may obey our Superiors, _i.e._ the pious governments;--for this
we beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wilt teach the false bishops humility enough not to think
themselves supreme lords but co-pastors, according to the word of
Peter; for this we beseech Thee.

That Thou wilt enlighten them with thy light, first to acknowledge Thy
true Church itself;--for this we beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wilt open for them the fountains of living water;--for this
we beseech Thee, hear us.

From the troubled fountains, which they have dug, out of which no
wholesome water flows;--set us free, O Lord.

From the intolerable burdens, which they have piled upon the shoulders
of christians;--deliver us, O Lord.

Command them to bear and to do what they require from others.

And if they cannot be brought by other means to make Thy yoke easy to
us and Thy burden light--force them to it, O Lord.

From his continued good-will toward Erasmus, Zwingli had sent him a
copy of this production. But the tone of it did not please the elder
and more considerate friend, although he himself in former years had
made sparing use neither of ridicule nor censure. "I adjure thee"--he
wrote--"by the honor of the Gospel, to which, as I know, thou hast
consecrated thy whole heart, as we are all bound to do, that thou wilt
treat serious things in a serious manner, and not forget evangelical
modesty and prudence. Take counsel first from thy learned friends,
before thou makest anything public. I fear thy apology will bring thee
into great danger and be prejudicial to the Gospel." Though Zwingli
felt the warning and returned thanks, it w