Scotland/Scots > Life of John Knox ; and, The life of Alexander Henderson

LIFE OF JOHN KNOX.
but into the sanctified phrensy of prophecy and inspira¬
tion.”
Knox returned to Geneva, and applied himself to
study with all the ardour of youth, although his age
now bordered upon fifty. It was about this time that
he seems to have made some proficiency in the knowledge
of the Hebrew language, which he had no opportunity
of acquiring in early life. It is natural to enquire, by
what funds he was supported during his exile. How¬
ever much inclined his mother-in-law was to relieve his
necessities, the disposition of herhusband seems tohaveput
it greatly out of her power. Any small sum which his
friends had advanced to him, before his sudden departure
from England, was exhausted; and he was at this time
very much straitened for money. Being unw’illing to
burden strangers, he looked for assistance to the volun¬
tary contributions of those among whom he had laboured.
In a letter to Mrs. Bowes, he says, “ My own estate I
cannot well declare; but God shall guide the footsteps
of him that is wilsome, and will feed him in trouble
that never greatly solicited for the world. If any col¬
lection might be made among the faithful, it were no
shame for me to receive that which Paul refused not in
the time of his trouble. But all I remit to His provi¬
dence, that ever careth for his own.” I find from his
letters, that remittances were made to him by particular
friends, both in England and Scotland, during his resi¬
dence on the continent.
In the mean time, the persecution growing hot in Eng¬
land, great numbers of the protestants made their es¬
cape, and sought refuge in foreign countries. Before
the close of the year 1554, it was computed that there
were no fewer than eight hundred learned Englishmen,
besides others of different conditions, on the continent.
The foreign reformed churches exhibited, on this occa¬
sion, an amiable proof of the spirit of their religion, and
amply recompensed the kindness which many foreigners
had experienced in England, during the reign of Edward.