There were at this time two powers and two systems in the city:—the reformers, whose ideal theories had not yet been modified by reality, said that the State, as well as individuals, ought to become a new creature; that the Gospel would accomplish this work of transformation; that the Church would change the people and would make of the State a kingdom of God upon earth.... Alas! that task is still far from being accomplished, and can it ever be? On the other hand the politicians, without wishing to reject the influence of the Gospel, thought that the State occupied the first place in human society, and that order was not possible without it. They believed that the magistrates, without being the masters of the faith, ought to be the source of regularity in the Church, and accordingly the State undertook to restrain the evangelicals. It was attempted later in Calvin's day; now it was done in Farel's. The council sent for him after the sermon at St. Pierre's and asked him why he had preached in the cathedral. 'I am surprised,' said the reformer, 'that you make a crime of what is in accordance with Scripture.' If, however, he rendered unto God the things that were God's, he was willing to render unto Cæsar the things that were Cæsar's. He therefore expressed a desire that the reformers should be summoned by the legitimate authority, and renewed his demand for the convocation of the Council of Two Hundred. The syndics ordered him to discontinue his sermons at St. Pierre's until further notice.[562] [546] Annales de Boyne, ad annum. [547] Calvin, Letter at the head of the Bible of 1535. [548] Preface to the Bible of 1535. [549] Olivetan took advantage of all the Hebrew commentaries and paraphrases contained in the Bible of Bomberg. (Venice, 1518-1526.) See the articles in the _Revue de Strasbourg_, by M. Reuss. [550] Em. Pétavel, _La Bible en France_, pp. 106, 107. [551] According to Olivetan, the Bible is the 'corbeille de mariage'—the casket containing the jewels and presents which the bridegroom sends to the bride. [552] 'Viens avec tes tenaillés (torn with red-hot pincers), tes flétris, tes oreillés, tes démembrés.' [553] Calvin placed two writings at the head of the volume: _Une épître à tous empereurs, rois, princes, et peuples soumis à l'empire de Christ_, and a _Discours préliminaire_, which was long at the head of the ancient Genevan Bibles. [554] 'Idolotramenta.' Registres du Conseil du 28 Juin 1535.—Farellus Calvino. [555] 'Magistratus fungeretur officio patris . . . . officium faceret pro gloria Dei et plebis salute.' Farel to Calvin, _Epist. Calv._—Chronique MSC. de Roset, iii. p. 37. [556] 'Le conseil donc, délayant, ne faisait rien.'—Chronique MSC. de Roset, iii. p. 37. [557] Collection Galiffe. [558] Dépêches des Syndics, du 18 Juillet, aux Cantons Suisses. [559] Jeanne de Jussie, _Commencement de l'Hérésie dans Genève_, p. 127.—Registres du Conseil du 23 Juillet. [560] Registres du Conseil du 30 Juillet.