Page 29 - 08 Luther Before the Diet

how little had been accomplished by

persecution in suppressing Luther's work in

Germany, they decided to meet the reform

with its own weapons. They would hold a

disputation with Zwingli, and having the

arrangement of matters, they would make

sure of victory by choosing, themselves, not

only the place of the combat, but the judges

that should decide between the disputants.

And if they could once get Zwingli into their

power, they would take care that he did not

escape them. The leader silenced, the

movement could speedily be crushed. This

purpose, however, was carefully concealed.

The disputation was appointed to be held at

Baden; but Zwingli was not present. The

Council of Zurich, suspecting the designs of

the papists, and warned by the burning piles

kindled in the papal cantons for confessors of