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

J.IFE OF JOHN KNOX.
133
on which, to face danger is to evite it, to flee from it is
to incur it. Had the reformers, after announcing their
intentions, suffered themselves to be intimidated by the
bravading attitude and threats of the archbishop, their
cause would, at the very outset, have received a blow,
from which it would not easily have recovered. This
was prevented by the firmness and intrepidity of Knox.
Fired with the recollection of the part which he had
formerly acted on that spot, and with the near prospect
of realizing the sanguine hopes which he had cherished
in his breast for many years, he replied to the solicita¬
tions of his brethren,—That he could take God to wit¬
ness, that he never preached in contempt of any man,
nor with the design of hurting an earthly creature; but
to delay to preach next day (unless forcibly hindered),
he could not in conscience agree : In that town, and in
that church, had God first raised him to the dignity of a
preacher, and from it he had been reft by French tyran¬
ny, at the instigation of the Scots bishops: The length
of his imprisonment, and the tortures which he had en¬
dured, he would not at present recite ; but one thing he
could not conceal, that, in the hearing of many yet
alive, he had expressed his confident hope of again
preaching in St. Andrews: Now, therefore, when provi-
'dence, beyond all men’s expectation, had brought him
to that place, he besought them not to hinder him. “As
for the fear of danger that may come to me,” continued
he, “ let no man be solicitous ; for my life is in the cus¬
tody of Him whose glory I seek. I desire the hand nor
weapon of no man to defend me. I only crave audi ¬
ence ; which, if it be denied here unto me at this time,
I must seek where I may have it.”
This intrepid reply silenced all further remonstrances;
and next day Knox appeared in the pulpit, and preach¬
ed to a numerous assembly, without meeting with the
slightest opposition or interruption. He discoursed on
the subject of our Saviour’s ejecting the profane traffic-
ers from the temple of Jerusalem; from which he took