His resolute character made him incline towards the Swiss reform: it was not therefore one of the moderates that he required. He had formed a connexion at Spire with James Sturm, the deputy from Strasburg, who spoke to him of Francis Lambert of Avignon, who was then at Strasburg. Of a pleasing exterior and decided character, Lambert added to the fire of the South the perseverance of the North. He was the first in France to throw off the cowl, and he had never since then ceased to call for a radical reform in the Church. "Formerly," said he, "when I was a hypocrite, I lived in abundance; now I consume frugally my daily bread with my small family;[63] but I had rather be poor in Christ's kingdom, than possess abundance of gold in the dissolute dwellings of the Pope." The Landgrave saw that Lambert was such a man as he required, and invited him to his court. [63] Nunc cum familiola mea panem manduco et potum capio in mensura.--(Lamberti Commentarii de Sacro Conjugio.) Lambert, desiring to prepare the reform of Hesse, drew up one hundred and fifty-eight theses, which he entitled "paradoxes," and posted them, according to the custom of the times, on the church doors. Friends and enemies immediately crowded round them. Some Roman catholics would have torn them down, but the reformed townspeople kept watch, and holding a synod in the public square, discussed, developed, proved these propositions, and ridiculed the anger of the Papists. [Sidenote: FRIAR BONIFACE.] A young priest, Boniface Dornemann, full of self-conceit, whom the bishop, on the day of his consecration, had extolled above Paul for his learning, and above the Virgin for his chastity, finding himself too short to reach Lambert's placard, had borrowed a stool, and surrounded by a numerous audience, had begun to read the propositions aloud.[64] [64] Cum statura homines hujusmodi esset ut inter Pygmæos internosci difficulter posset, scabellum sibi dari postulabat, eoque conscenso, cœpit, &c.--(Othon. Melandri Jocorum Cent.) "All that is deformed, ought to be reformed. The Word of God alone teaches us what ought to be so, and all reform that is effected otherwise is vain."[65] [65] Vana est omnis Reformatio quæ alioqui fit.--(Paradoxa Lamberti: Sculteti Annal.) This was the first thesis. "Hem!" said the young priest, "I shall not attack that." He continued. "It belongs to the Church to judge on matters of faith. Now the Church is the congregation of those who are united by the same spirit, the same faith, the same God, the same Mediator, the same Word, by which alone they are governed, and in which alone they have life."[66] [66] Ecclesia est congregatio eorum quos unit idem spiritus.--(Paradoxa Lamberti: Sculteti Annal.) "I cannot attack that proposition," said the priest.[67] He continued reading from his stool. [67] Hanc equidem haud impugnaverim. Illam ne quidem attigerim.--(Othon. Mel. Joc. Cent.)