government, it is to be observed, had made up its mind to
wait a full half year for refutations, and then, if nothing arrived, to
proceed to the removal of abuses, and the introduction of a new
church-order.

The reformation of the state kept pace continually with that of the
church. No one was more thoroughly convinced than Zwingli, that the
civil was the result of the religious corruption, and _vice versa_.
Soon after the end of the Conference he again delivered a vehement
discourse against the mischief of pensions, traces of this evil being
still apparent and it required no great penetration to perceive, that
it stood in connection with the spirit of fanaticism, which began to
show itself toward the close of the disputation. After this discourse,
on the 21st of December, 1523, the burgomaster and the councils took an
oath against all pensions; on the day before, the entire priesthood had
done the same. Transgressors were threatened with capital punishment.

Meanwhile the Bishop of Constance had sent a very detailed report on
the Introduction, to the Council of Zurich, with the notice, that in
drawing it up he had availed himself of the advice of several
universities. A committee, consisting of nine of the most learned
clergy, four members of the Small and four of the Great Council, were
ordered to give it a careful examination, and on their motion the whole
of it was read aloud in the assembly. As Bullinger informs us, "all
agreed, that there was little ground for it in the Divine Word."

A similar judgment was passed by another committee, appointed to
examine the objections raised against Zwingli, during the present
Conference, by the canon Hofmann and several members of the Chapter.

The opinions of the Confederates were yet to be looked for. But they
had trouble, to come to an understanding among themselves. True indeed,
it was determined to turn a common front against Zurich for her
remarkable innovations; but as to what should be said, the instructions
are very dissimilar. "Let us act in a friendly way," wrote the
burgomaster of Schaffhausen and such was the order from Bern, Glarus,
Basel, Solothurn and Appenzell; but Luzern, Zug, Freiburg and the three
Forest Cantons were in favor of "remaining true to the old faith and
telling Zurich very plainly what ought to be told to her." At last they
agreed to complain against several particular articles, to lay which
before the Great Council deputies appeared in Zur