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

220 life of John knox.
tion extended only to the time of their residence in the
city. Upon their return, it is prohahle that the court
judged it unadvisable to enforce an order which had al¬
ready created much discontent, and might alienate the
minds of the people still farther from the present admi¬
nistration. Accordingly, we find him exercising his mi¬
nistry in Edinburgh with the same boldness as former¬
ly. Complaints were made to the Council of the man¬
ner in which he prayed for the exiled noblemen; but
secretary Maitland, who had formerly found so much
fault with his prayers, defended them on the present oc¬
casion, saying that he had heard them, and they were
such as no body could blame.
Christopher Goodman had officiated with much ac¬
ceptance as minister of St. Andrews, since the year 1560;
but he was prevailed on, by the solicitations of his
friends in England, to return, about this time, to his
native country. The commissioners from St. Andrews
were instructed to petition the General Assembly, which
met in December this year, that Knox should be trans¬
lated from Edinburgh to their city. They claimed a
right to him, as he had commenced his ministry among
them; and they might think that the dissensions be¬
tween the court and him would induce him to prefer a
more retired situation. But the petition was refused.
This Assembly imposed on him several important ser¬
vices. He was commissioned to visit the churches in
the south of Scotland, and appointed to write “ a com¬
fortable letter,” exhorting the ministers, exhorters, and
readers, throughout the kingdom, to persevere in the
discharge of their functions, which many of them were
threatening to throw up, on account of the non-payment
of their stipends, and exciting the people among whom
they laboured to relieve their necessities. He had
formerly received an appointment to draw up the
Form of Excommunication and Public Repentance. At
this time he was required to compose a Treatise of
Fasting. The Assembly, having taken into considera-