Schaff - History of the Christian Church Vol. 8 - Media Sabda Org

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flocked to him; he was an able teacher, and turned his lessons into
addresses and sermons.
On new year’s day, in 1533, he preached his first sermon on the public
place, Molard, attacked the pope, priests, and monks as false prophets
(Matt. 7:15 sq.), but was interrupted by armed priests, and forced by the
police to flee to a retreat. He left the city by night, in February, but
returned again and again, and aided Farel, Viret, and Calvin.
Unfortunately he did not remain faithful to his calling, and fell into
disgrace. He neglected his pastoral duties, kept a shop, and at last gave up
the ministry. His colleagues, especially Calvin, complained bitterly of
him. f356 In December, 1549, he was engaged by Bonivard, the official
historian of the Republic, to assist him in his Chronicle, which was
completed in 1552. Then he became a public notary of Geneva (1553). He
got into domestic troubles. Soon after the death of his first wife, formerly
abbess of a convent, he married a second time (1561), but committed
adultery with a servant, was deposed, imprisoned, and banished, 1562.
His misfortune seems to have wrought in him a beneficial change. In 1572
he was permitted on application to return to Geneva in view of his past
services, and in 1574 he was reinstated as notary. He died in 1581(?). The
Genevese honored his memory as one, though the least important, and the
least worthy, of the four Reformers of their city. His chief work is the
Chronicle mentioned above, which supplements the Chronicles of
Bonivard, and Sister Jeanne de Jussie. f357