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

95
CHAPTER 4.
SPREAD OF THE REFORMATION IN
SWITZERLAND.
§ 30. THE SWISS DIET AND THE CONFERENCE
AT BADEN, 1526.
Thomas Murner: Die Disputacion vor den XII Orten einer löblichen
Eidgenossenschaft ... zu Baden gehalten. Luzern, 1527. This is the
official Catholic report, which agrees with four other protocols
preserved in Zurich. (Müller-Hottinger, VII. 84.) Murner published
also a Latin edition, Causa Helvetica orthodoxae fidei, etc. Lucernae,
1528. BULLINGER, I. 331 sqq. The writings of ZWINGLI, occasioned by
the Disputation in Baden, in his Opera, vol. II. B. 396–522.
Hottinger: Geschichte der Eidgenossen während der Zeit der
Kirchentrennung, pp. 77–96. MÖRIKOFER: Zw., II. 34–43. MERLE:
Reform., bk. XI. ch. 13. HERZOG: Oekolampad, vol. II. ch. 1.
HAGENBACH: Oekolampad, pp. 90–98. A. BAUR: Zw.’s Theol., I. 501–
518.
The Diet of Switzerland took the same stand against the Zwinglian
Reformation as the Diet of the German Empire against the Lutheran
movement. Both Diets consisted only of one house, and this was composed
of the hereditary nobility and aristocracy. The people were not directly
represented by delegates of their own choice. The majority of voters were
conservative, and in favor of the old faith; but the majority of the people in
the larger and most prosperous cantons and in the free imperial cities
favored progress and reform, and succeeded in the end.
The question of the Reformation was repeatedly brought before the Swiss
Diet, and not a few liberal voices were heard in favor of abolishing certain
crying abuses; but the majority of the cantons, especially the old forestcantons
around the lake of Lucerne, resisted every innovation. Berne was
anxious to retain her political supremacy, and vacillated. Zwingli had made
many enemies by his opposition to the foreign military service and pensions