360 THE REFORMATION IN FRENCH SWITZERLAND.
Even Calvin went so far as to denounce it as the Devil's Council. Libels were circulated against the preachers. They often heard the cry late in the evening, " To the Rhone with the traitors," and in the night they were disturbed by violent knocks at the door of their dwelling.
They were ordered to celebrate the approaching Easter communion after the Bernese rite, but they refused to do so in the prevailing state of debauchery and insubordination. The Council could find no supplies. On Easter Sunday, April 21, Calvin, after all, ascended the pulpit of St. Peter's ; Farel, the pulpit of St. Gervais. They preached before large audiences, but declared that they could not administer the communion to the rebellious city, lest the sacrament be desecrated. And indeed, under existing circumstances, the celebration of the love-feast of the Saviour would have been a solemn mockery. Many hearers were armed, drew their swords, and drowned the voice of the preachers, who left the church and went home under the protection of their friends. Calvin preached also in the evening in the Church of St. Francis at Rive in the lower part of the city, and was threatened with violence.
The small Council met after the morning service in great commotion and summoned the general Council. On the next two days, April 22 and 23, the great Council of the Two Hundred assembled in the cloisters of St. Peter's, deposed Farel and Calvin, without a trial, and ordered them to leave the city within three days.^
They received the news with great composure. " Very well," said Calvin, " it is better to serve God than man. If we had sought to please men, we should have been badly rewarded, but we serve a higher Master, who will not with-
1 The same Council deposed Claude Rozet, the secretary of state, who, in his official capacity, had recorded the oath of the people to the Confession of Faith, July 29, 1537. Registers of April 23, 1538. Rozet, Chron. MS. de Geneve, Bk. IV. ch. 18 (quoted by Merle d'Aubigne, VI. 485).
§ 84. EXPULSION OF THE REFORMERS. 361
hold from us his reward." ^ Calvin even rejoiced at the result more than seemed proper.
The people celebrated the downfall of the clerical regime with public rejoicings. The decrees of the synod of Lausanne were published by sound of trumpets. The baptismal fonts were re-erected, and the communion administered on the following Sunday with unleavened bread.
The deposed ministers went to Bern, but found little sympathy. They proceeded to ZUrich, whei-e a general synod was held, and were kindly received. They admitted that they had been too rigid, and consented to the restoration of the baptismal fonts, the unleavened bread (provided the bread was broken), and the four Church festivals observed in Bern ; but they insisted on the introduction of discipline, the division of the Church into parishes, the more frequent administration of the communion, the singing of Psalms in public worship, and the exercise of discipline by joint committees of laymen and ministers.''^
Bullinger undertook to advocate this compromise before Bern and Geneva. But the Genevese confirmed in general assembly the sentence of banishment, May 26.
With gloomy prospects for the future, yet trusting in God, who orders all things well, the exiled ministers travelled on horseback in stormy weather to Basel. In crossing a torrent swollen by the rains they were nearly swept away. In Basel they were warmly received by sympathizing friends, especially by Grynseus. Here they determined to wait for the call of Providence. Farel, after a few weeks, in July, received and accepted a call to Neuch^tel, his former seat of labor, on condition that he should have freedom to introduce- his system of
1 Beza, Rozet, and the Rer/isters all report tliis answer with slight variations. Farel's answer to the messenger was : " Well and good ; it is from God."
2 See the 14 Articles drawn up by Calvin and Farel, in Henry, I. Beilage, 8 ; in Op. X., Part II. 190-192, and in Herminjard, V. 3-6.