e Vicar General had left Zurich. He
resolved to append to each one of these points a detailed explanation
and proof, in a work, which is even now considered the basis of his
system of Christian doctrine, as well as his views in regard to
church and state.[5] "Day and night"--he wrote to his friend Werner
Steiner--"do I labor at this work." It consisted of a volume of 300
closely-printed pages, and was finished in five months, amid daily
preaching and a crowd of other business. New and still more violent
enemies were awakened by its appearance, and, although many boasting
promises of a refutation were made, none ever saw the light.

But with the rapid spread of this work the time had come, when the
influence of the Reformer, hitherto confined mostly to Zurich and its
territory, flowed out in all directions beyond these limits. The Zurich
ambassadors had to witness a prelude of this in a riot at Luzern, where
a disorderly rabble, instigated by several deputies of the diet sitting
at that place, carried past their lodging an effigy of Zwingli with
scoffs and curses, and burnt it with all the formalities used by the
Inquisition. Two months later, in June, Caspar G[oe]ldi, who had been
obliged to leave Zurich on account of mercenary service, complained
before a second diet at Baden, that his daughter had willfully eloped
from the convent of Hermatschweil and married one Schuster at
Bremgarten, and the _landvogt_ of Sorgans likewise, that a priest of
that place had taken to himself a wife. Zwingli's sermons became still
more severe against deserters and pensions. "Confederates,"--said
Caspar of Muelinen--"check Lutheranism in the bud. The preachers at
Zurich have already become masters of their rulers, so that they are no
more able to withstand them. A man is no longer safe there in his own
house. The peasantry refuse to pay their rents and tithes, and great
discord reigns in the city and canton." The resolution was carried in
the Recess, to communicate the complaints to all the governments, in
order to agree if possible on a remedy; especially since the pastor had
meddled also in political affairs, and preached among other things:
"Confederates sell Christian blood and eat Christian flesh."

At Zwingli's request, the articles of the Recess were given to him, so
that he might draw up a vindication. This vindication, which was also
laid before the Great Council at Zurich, shows the undaunted courage of
the man, as well as his