Life of John Knox - M'Crie - VII - Period 5 continued

Required reading
The life of John Knox by Thomas M'Crie (Available from Amazon or free here) - 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'.

My summary
Knox begins preparations to move back to Scotland, but surprisingly is refused entrance into England.  Queen Elizabeth has taken offence at his tract against female queens and will not allow him passage.

Then a new trouble brews with the Queen Mary of Scotland who, in a political move to claim the throne of England, suppresses Protestantism. 

Knox returns and after preaching in Perth a riot ensues which leads Queen Mary of Guise to march against the town.  War does not erupt but tensions are high when Knox ascends to preach again.  He wins public support and the town demolishes images and monuments of popery.  This example was then followed in other parts of the kingdom.

M'Crie then gives an interesting discussion of whether it was right to destroy great works of art in the name of the Reformation.

What grabbed me
Great response from Knox when it was threatened that soldiers would shoot him if he appeared in the pulpit: '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 solicitations of his brethren, - That he could take God to witness 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 tyranny at the instigation of the Scots bishops : The length of his imprisonment, and the tortures which he had endured, 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 Andrew's : Now, therefore, when Providence, beyond all men's expectation, had brought him to that place, he besought hem 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 custody of Him whose glory I seek. I desire the hand nor weapon of no man to defend me. I only crave audience ; which, if it be denied here unto me at this time, I most seek where I may have it."'

It is God who takes life away, not man.  We are immortal until our time is done.

Next week's reading
Conclude Period 5.

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