These unhappy people found a powerful advocate in Zwingle. The reformer imagined that he had at last attained the object that he never ceased to pursue--the free preaching of the Gospel in Switzerland. To inflict a final blow would, in his idea, suffice to bring this enterprise to a favourable issue. "Greedy pensioners," said Zwingle to the Zurichers, "profit by the ignorance of the mountaineers to stir up these simple souls against the friends of the Gospel. Let us therefore be severe upon these haughty chiefs. The mildness of the lamb would only serve to render the wolf more ferocious.[1061] Let us propose to the Five Cantons to allow the free preaching of the Word of the Lord, to renounce their wicked alliances, and to punish the abettors of foreign service. As for the Mass, idols, rites, and superstitions, let no one be forced to abandon them. It is for the Word of God alone to scatter with its powerful breath all this idle dust.[1062] Be firm, noble lords, and in despite of certain black horses, as black at Zurich as they are at Lucerne,[1063] but whose malice will never succeed in overturning the chariot of Reform, we shall clear this difficult pass, and arrive at the unity of Switzerland and at unity of faith." Thus Zwingle, while calling for force against political abuses, asked only liberty for the Gospel; but he desired a prompt intervention, in order that this liberty might be secured to it. Œcolampadius thought the same: "It is not a time for delay," said he, "it is not a time for parsimony and pusillanimity! So long as the venom shall not be utterly removed from this adder in our bosoms we shall be exposed to the greatest dangers."[1064] [1061] Lupus lenitate agni, magis magisque vorax fit. (Zwing. Epp. ii. p. 296.) [1062] Dei verbum enim hos pulveres omnes facile flatu suo disperget. (Ibid.) [1063] The Pensioners.--Exceptis aliquot nigris equis. (Zwing. Epp. ii. 298.) [1064] Venenum a domestico illo colubro. (Ibid.) The council of Zurich, led away by the reformer, promised the bailiwicks to support religious liberty among them; and scarcely had they learnt that Anthony ab Acker of the Unterwalden was proceeding to Baden with an army, than they ordered five hundred men to set out for Bremgarten with four pieces of artillery. This was the 5th June, and on the same evening the standard of Zurich waved over the convent of Mouri. [Sidenote: WAR.]