Life of John Knox - M'Crie - VI - Period 5 commenced

Required reading
The life of John Knox by Thomas M'Crie (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Period 5 by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'Through the exertions of our Reformer, during his residence among them in the beginning of the year 1556...'

My summary
Following through on his acceptance of a call to return to Scotland, Knox leaves Geneva and begins to make his way through Europe.  But on the way Knox hears that some of the Scots have repented of their invitation to him.  Greatly upset, Knox writes to them explaining how he feels and resolves to stay in France.

While in France he writes a number of documents, including:
(i) letters to the Scots that encourage holiness and warn against Anabaptism;
(ii) the Geneva Bible;
(iii) the First Blast of the Trumpet against the monstrous Regiment of Women (provoked by Queen Mary's attack on the church).

At the end of today's reading Knox receives another invitation to return to Scotland.

What grabbed me
Good to see Knox's caution in letting his words run away with him, particularly after his treatise against female queens: 'His original intention was to blow his trumpet thrice, and to publish his name with the last blast, to prevent the odium from falling on any other person. But, finding that it gave offence to many of his brethren, and being desirous to strengthen rather than invalidate the authority of Elizabeth, he relinquished his design of prosecuting the subject. He retained his sentiments to the last, but abstained from any farther declaration of them, and from replying to his opponents; although he was provoked by their censures and triumph, and sometimes hinted, in his private letters, that he would break silence, if they did not study greater moderation.'

Wisdom is shown in picking which battles are worth fighting and which are not.

Next week's reading
Continue Period 5 by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'Our Reformer continued at St. Andrews till the end of June, when he came to Edinburgh, from which the regent and her forces had retired'.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.