BIOGRAPHY.

SOME ACCOUNT OF MR. JOHN KNOX,

TRANSLATED CHIEFLY FROM THE LATIN OF MELCHIOR ADAMUS.

SCOTLAND had the honour of producing this great and eminent luminary; who became the principal instrument in God's hand, of effecting the reformation in that kingdom, at a time when papal darkness, ignorance, and superstition, had involved the whole nation in shades of deeper than Egyptian night. He was born at Gaffard, near Haddington, in the County of east Lothian, A. D. 1505; and received his academical education in the university of St. Andrew's, under the tutorage of the celebrated John Mair, or Major: and soon gave proof of the astonishing genius with which providence had endued him, by his swift and profound advances in all the walks of scholastic science. Having mastered these, he studied with great diligence, the writings of Austin, and of Jerom: which, running in a more simple and easy channel, moved him to forego the needless intricacies of the philosophic theology he had formerly imbibed; and to embrace that simplicity, with which both Christ and his apostles were content, and which they commended to their disciples. He soon perceived that these scholastic niceties when pushed to excess, are directly opposite to the genius of the gospel; and open the way, not to Christian knowledge, but to the endless mazes of sophistry and strife of words.

VOL. IV.

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Coming acquainted with the famous Mr. George Wishart (afterwards martyred for the protestant faith), it pleased God so to bless the conversation of that holy man to Mr. Knox, that it issued in the effectual conversion of the latter: who, being very honest, and very courageous, published a confession of his faith, at Edinburgh, in which he boldly and clearly avowed the blessed principles of the reformation. The Romish bishops and clergy, alarmed at the open defection of so eminent a man, and who had taken priest's orders in their church but a few years before, endeavoured first to suppress his book, and then to seize the author himself. He was accordingly apprehended, and condemned to suffer death; but by the good providence of God, being set at liberty, he left his native country and retired to Berwick, from whence he proceeded to Newcastle, and then to Warwick; in all which places, he preached the gospel in its purity, with great zeal and unremitting labour, and with success equal to both; so that his name now became more public and diffused than ever.

Edward VI. was then king of England. The fame of Mr. Knox soon reached the ears of that excellent prince; who showed him no small favour and encouragement. His majesty first made him his own chaplain, and then licensed him as one of the six itinerant ministers, who were empowered to preach the gospel in all places throughout the kingdom. In process of time Edward offered him a bishopric; which, however, Mr. Knox declined to accept.

That hopeful and pious king dying, A. D. 1553, his sister Mary succeeded to the crown, whereby the reformation here, bade fair for being extinguished, almost as soon as lighted: many great and learned men, as well as others, being put to death; and those, who could, securing their lives by voluntary banishment. Among the latter, Knox was one;

who fled first to Francfort; and from thence to Geneva, the common asylum of distressed Christians. There he enjoyed the intimacy of Calvin, and spent his time chiefly in preaching, and comforting the afflicted exiles.

A. D. 1559, he returned into his own country; where he again preached the truth, with incredible power and success. Although the French faction was at that time very powerful in Scotland, and the devil's emissaries strove hard to ruin the protestant interest in that kingdom; yet Knox continued resolute, laborious, and undaunted as ever; solidly and unanswerably, both by his writings and from the pulpit, asserting, that Christ alone is the foundation of our acceptance with God, and his obedience the only meritorious cause of our justification. But as our Lord himself and his apostles underwent hatred, banishment, and persecution; so was Knox obliged to leave Edinburgh, and repair to St. Andrew's ; whither when he came, he met with many adversaries.

About this time, viz. in the year 1572, in the month of August, such a scene opened in France, as scarce any history can parallel: I mean the massacre at Paris; where, beginning with admiral Coligni, it so raged against all who held the truth, without regard to age, sex, or quality, that it was truly said, there was more blood than wine spilt at that Thyestaan marriage.

This dreadful slaughter gave the deepest concern to Mr. Knox, as it did every where to all lovers of the gospel; and added fresh weight to his former sorrows. But shortly after, matters taking a more favourable turn in Edinburgh, many who had been banished thence, returned: and among the rest, Knox was invited back, by letters from the parliament. Thither, therefore, he came, accompanied by a great number of godly and learned men; and had not been there long, before he entered on his

ministerial office, and preached publicly to the people. But as his voice was rather low and weak, he could not be well heard by the prodigious multitudes that attended. On which, he besought the parliament to furnish him with a place more commodious which being granted, he preached some sermons to the people on the sufferings of Christ, from the 26th of Matthew; often beseeching God, to take him home while he was in that exercise.

Still continuing unable to supply the cure of so large a church, especially as his body was much weakened and emaciated by study and fatigue, and the hardships he had formerly undergone; leave was given to the people of Edinburgh, to choose him such an assistant, as Knox and they should deem most capable and worthy, and to present him, when chosen, to the ecclesiastical synod, for their approbation and licence. By common consent, Mr. James Luson, of the university of Aberdeen, was the person pitched upon; and he was accordingly invited by letters from the city, and from Mr. Knox: who perceiving in himself that the time of his departure was at hand, among many arguments he made use of to quicken Luson's pace, said, in the postscript of one of his letters; "make haste my brother; else you will come too late to see me alive."

The good man being arrived at Edinburgh, and having preached several times in public, was on the 5th of November, 1572, declared by Knox, to be pastor of that church. In that assembly, Knox took occasion of preaching his last sermon, and of telling the people how many and great things God had done for him, and what deliverances he had wrought in his behalf; and likewise reminded them, with how much diligence and faithfulness he had preached the gospel to them: and congratulated the church of Edinburgh on the favour God showed them, by deputing so able a minister to succeed him; adding, at the same time, most fervent prayers for the tem