‘Choose ye therefore certain persons of good report, belonging to all quarters of the city, who may have an eye on each man’s life, in order that, if they discover open vice in any one, the latter may be exhorted by one of the ministers in a brotherly way to amend his life. If he will not listen to the exhortation, then let the minister report to the assembly what he has done for the reclamation of the sinner. If he still persist in evil, then the time will be come to excommunicate him; that is, to treat him as cast out of the society of Christians. Should there be any who only laugh at your excommunication, it will be for you to consider whether, in the long run, that contempt for God and his Gospel is to be suffered.’ After thus insisting on a moral life, the reformers required that the confession of faith which they had presented should be put in force. ‘It is much to be suspected,’ said the ministers, ‘if it be not even plainly apparent, that there are many of the inhabitants of this city who have not by any means submitted to the Gospel, but still cherish in their hearts all manner of superstitions. It would be a highly expedient course to begin in the first place to ascertain who are willing to avow themselves of the Church of Jesus Christ, and who are not. If those who are in agreement with us in respect to the faith are to be excommunicated solely because of their vices, much more ought those to be excommunicated who are wholly opposed to us in religion; for there is no division greater than that which is made by the faith. As yet it has not been ascertained what doctrine each man holds; but this is _the real beginning of a church_ (_le droit commencement d’une Église_). The remedy which has occurred to us is that all the inhabitants of this city should be bound to make confession and give a reason for their faith. And you, Gentlemen of the Council, make you confession in your council, and thus, by example show what each man will have to do.’