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

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their model. They enforced the decision of the Council of Lausanne
concerning the Church festivals and baptismal fonts.
But the preachers were determined to die rather than to yield an inch. They
continued to thunder against the popular vices, and censured the Council
for want of energy in suppressing them. The result was that they were
warned not to meddle in politics (March 12). f489 Courauld, who surpassed
even Farel in vehemence, was forbidden to preach, but ascended the pulpit
again, April 7, denounced Geneva and its citizens in a rude and insulting
manner, f490 was imprisoned, and six days afterwards banished in spite of the
energetic protests of Calvin and Farel. The old man retired to Thonon, on
the lake of Geneva, was elected minister at Orbe, and died there Oct. 4 in
the same year.
Calvin and Farel were emboldened by this harsh treatment of their
colleague. They attacked the Council from the pulpit. 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. f491