Page:Life of John Knox (4).pdf/20

20 effectually propagating the doctrines of the Reformation, of which Edinburgh was assigned to his care. Knox, assisted by his brethren, afterwards composed a Confession of Thith, and compiled the first books of discipline for the government of the church. These were ratified by a convention of Estates held in the beginning of the following year (1561), and an act passed prohibiting mass, and abolishing the authority of the Pope.

On the return of Mary, daughter of Mary of Guise, from France, and so well known afterwards throughout all Europe for her beauty, her accomplishments and her misfortunes, after the death of her husband Francis II, the celebration of mass in the chapel royal excited a great timult many crying out, "The idolatrons papists shall die the death, according to God's law;" and John Knox, in a sermon preached the Sunday following, after showing the judgments inflicted on nations for idolatry, added, "one mass is more fearful to me than in ten thousand armed enemies were landed in any part of the realm of purpose to suppress the whole religion?" In consequence of this language he was sent for by the queen, who accused him of endeavouring to excite her subjects to rebellion, of having written against her lawful authority and of being the cause of great sedition. To this he answered, among other things "that if to teach the word of God in sincerity, if to rebuke idolatry, and to will a people to worship God according to his word, be to f se subjects against their princes, then cannot be excused; for it hath pleased God in his mercy to make me one amongst many to disclose unto this realm the vanity of the papistical religion.-And touching that book, that seemeth so highly to offend your majesty, it is most certain that if I wrote it I am content that all the learned