was rather a feeble conclusion. Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. [Sidenote: LETTER OF SADOLETO TO GENEVA.] But they probably saw that they were powerless to do more. The cardinal-bishop hoped to gain over the Genevese ‘by wheedling them with fine words to turn them away from Jesus Christ,’ says a contemporary, ‘and by blaming the ministers of whom God had made use for reforming the town.’[790] On March 26 his messenger, Jean Durand, of Carpentras, was admitted into the hall of the council, and delivered the missive addressed by his bishop to his _well-beloved brethren_ the syndics, councils, and citizens of Geneva. There was not a word about the conference at Lyons. ‘It has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to me to write to you. The reason is that while at Carpentras I have heard reports concerning you which partly make me sad and partly give me hope.’ Knowing how seductive flattery is, he writes the most beautiful eulogy of Geneva. ‘I love the noble aspect of your town, the order and form of your republic, the excellence of the citizens, and, above all, the exquisite humanity which you display towards all foreign people and nations.’ But by the side of this flattering picture he hastens to place a portrait not so pleasing of the reformers. ‘Certain crafty men, enemies of Christian union and peace, have cast into your town the seeds of discord. I hear on one side the weeping, sighing, and groaning of our holy Church. On the other side I perceive that these innovators are not only pestilential to souls, but also pernicious in a high degree to public and private affairs.’ Next he himself makes an almost evangelical profession. He exalts the Word of God which, says he, ‘does not entangle minds in difficult processes of reasoning; but, a heavenly affection of the heart coming to its aid, offers itself with clearness to our understandings.’ He exalts the work of Christ, ‘who was willing to be our salvation, by suffering death in the flesh and afterwards resuming an immortal life.’ He even exalts justification by faith, _faith alone_, which all Roman controversialists curse. ‘This everlasting salvation comes to us,’ said he, ‘by faith alone in God and in Jesus Christ. When I say _by faith alone_, I do not mean that charity and the duty of a Christian are dispensed with.’ Sadoleto was undoubtedly sincere in these professions. He belonged, as is known, to a small body of men feebly inclined towards the Gospel, who were at that time supported by the papacy in the hope that they would be the means of bringing back the Protestants. But he must have known well that the doctrine of the reformers, far from dispensing with duty and charity, asserted them, made them possible, and at the same time necessary.