The booty of the church of St.Jean had been sold at auction.
There must be no more robbery and pillage, says Calvin, writing on May 13, to the Lyons preachers.

The ruffians who rob ought rather to be abandoned, than associated with to the scandal of the Gospel.

"Already reckless zeal was shown in the ravages committed in the churches" (altars and images had been overthrown), "but those who fear God will not rigorously judge what was done in hot blood, from devout emotion, but what can be said in defence of looting ?" Calvin spoke even more distinctly to the "consistory" of Nimes, who suspended a preacher named Tartas for overthrowing crosses, altars, and images in churches (July-August, 1561).

The zealot was even threatened with excommunication by his fellow religionists.

{113a} Calvin heard that this fanatic had not only consented to the outrages, but had incited them, and had "the insupportable obstinacy" to say that such conduct was, with him, "a matter of conscience." "But _we_" says Calvin, "know that the reverse is the case, for God never commanded any one to overthrow idols, except every man in his own house, and, in public, those whom he has armed with authority.