dated by his martyrdom, he became more bold and intrepid. Upon the death of cardinal Beatoun, he preached openly in St. Andrew's against the absurdities of popery; and having attached himself to the murderers of the cardinal, upon their surrender, he was with them conveyed into France.

While there, he wrote a confession of his faith, and sent it home to his friends in Scotland. Not long after this he returned home, and preached privately at Edinburgh, at the time of Mary's return into Scotland. According as the cause of reformation acquired strength, he increased in fervid opposition to popery, became the soul of the party, and communicated his feelings and sentiments to the

rest.

Speaking of the conduct of that parliament, who sanctioned the confession of faith, and settled some other articles favourable to the reformation; Robertson says, The vigorous zeal of the parliament overturned in a few days the ancient system of religion which had been established so many ages. In reforming the doctrine and discipline of the church, the nobles kept pace with the ardour and expectations even of Knox himself. But their proceedings, with respect to these, were not more rapid and impetuous, than they were slow and dilatory, when they entered on the consideration of ecclesiastical revenues. Among the lay members, some were already enriched with the spoils of the church, and others devoured in expectation the wealthy benefices which still remained untouched. The alteration in religion had afforded many of the dignified ecclesiastics themselves an opportunity of gratifying their avarice or ambition. The demolition of the monasteries having set the monks at liberty from their confinement, they instantly dispersed all over the kingdom, and commonly betook themselves to some secular employment.

The abbot, if he had been so fortunate as to embrace the principles of the reformation from conviction, or so cunning as to espouse them out of policy, seized the whole revenues of the fraternity, and, except what he allowed for the subsistence of a few superannuated monks, applied them entirely to his own use. The proposal made by the reformed teachers, for applying these revenues towards the maintenance of ministers, the education of youth, and the support of the poor, was equally dreaded by all these orders of men. They opposed it with the utmost warmth, and by their numbers and authority easily prevailed on the parlia ment to give no ear to such a disagreeable demand. Zealous as the first reformers were, and animated with a spirit superior to the low considerations of interest, they beheld these early symptoms of selfishness and avarice among their adherents with indignation; and we find Knox expressing the utmost sensibility of that contempt with which they were treated by many from whom he expected a more generous concern for the success of religion, and the honour of its ministers.

About this time the protestant church in Scotland began to assume a regular form. Its principles had obtained the sanction of public authority, and some fixed external policy became necessary for the government and preservation of the infant society. The model introduced by the reformers differed extremely from that which had been so long established. The motives which induced them to depart so far from the ancient system deserve to be explained.

As the vices of the clergy had, at first, excited the indignation of mankind, and roused that spirit of inquiry, which proved so fatal to the whole popish system; and, as this disgust at the vices of ecclesiastics was soon transferred to their persons,

and shifting from them, by no violent transition, settled at last on the offices which they enjoyed; the effects of the reformation would naturally have extended not only to the doctrine, but to the government in the popish church; and the same spirit which abolished the former would have overturned the latter. But, in Germany, England, and the northern kingdoms, its operations were checked by the power and policy of their princes; and the ancient episcopal jurisdiction, under a few limitations, was still continued in those churches. The episcopal hierarchy appears to be more conformable to the practice of the church, since christianity became the established religion of the Roman empire. The ecclesiastical government was, at that time, plainly copied from the civil; the first not only borrowed its form, but derived its authority from the latter; and the dioceses and jurisdictions of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops, corresponded with the division and constitution of the empire. In Switzerland and the low countries, the nature of the government allowing full scope to the genius of the reformation, all pre-eminence of order in the church was destroyed, and an equality established more suitable to the spirit of republican policy. The situation of the primitive church suggested the idea, and furnished the model of the latter system, which has since been called Presbyterian. The first christians, oppressed by continual persecutions, and obliged to hold their religious assemblies by stealth, and in corners, were contented with a form of government extremely simple. The influence of religion concurred with the sense of danger, in extinguishing among them the spirit of ambition, and in preserving a parity of rank, the effect of their sufferings, and the cause of many of their virtues. Calvin, whose decisions were received among the protestants of that age with incredible submission,

was the patron and restorer of this scheme of ecclesiastical policy. The church of Geneva, formed under his eye, and by his direction, was esteemed the most perfect model of this government; and Knox, who, during his residence in that city had studied and admired it, warmly recommended it to the imitation of his countrymen.

But, on the first introduction of his system, Knox lid not deem it expedient to depart altogether from the ancient form. Instead of bishops, he proposed to establish ten or twelve superintendants in different parts of the kingdom. These, as the name implies, were empowered to inspect the life and doctrine of the other clergy. They presided in the inferior judicatories of the church, and performed several other parts of the episcopal function. Their jurisdiction, however, extended to sacred things only they claimed no seat in parliament, and pretended no right to the dignity or revenues of the former bishops.

The number of inferior clergy, to whom the care of parochial duty could be committed, was still extremely small; they had embraced the principles. of the reformation at different times, and from various motives; during the public commotions, they were scattered, merely by chance, over the different provinces of the kingdom; and in a few places only were formed into regular classes or societies. The first general assembly of the church, which was held this year, bears all the marks of an infant and unformed society. The members were but few in number, and of no considerable rank; no uniform or consistent rule seems to have been observed in electing them. From a great part of the kingdom no representatives appeared. In the name of some entire counties, but one person was present; while in other places, a single town or church sent several members. A convention, so feeble and

irregular, could possess no great authority; and conscious of their own weakness, the members put an end to their debates without venturing upon any decision of much importance.

In order to give greater strength and consistence to the presbyterian plan, Knox, with the assistance of his brethren, composed the first book of discipline, which contains the model or platform of the intended policy. They presented it to a convention of estates, which was held in the beginning of this year. Whatever regulations were proposed with regard to ecclesiastical discipline and jurisdiction, would have easily obtained the sanction of that assembly; but a design to recover the patrimony of the church, which is there insinuated, met with a very different reception.

When the lords of the congregation assumed their authority, Knox was appointed protestant minister of Edinburgh; and while they were assembled at Perth, disregarding a summons from the queen-regent, he preached a violent sermon against. popery, and all the monuments of it. The populace, roused by his fervid eloquence, assaulted the priests, and demolished the monasteries in different parts of the kingdom. The example of Knox was imitated by the rest of the clergy. While the civil government was severely convulsed, the clergy struggled hard to form a system agreeable to their wishes.

In the first parliament, however, which met after Mary's return, no attempt was made to obtain her consent to the laws establishing the protestant religion. Her ministers, though zealous protestantsthemselves, were aware that this could not be urged without manifest danger and imprudence. She had consented through their influence, to tolerate and protect the reformed doctrine. They had even prevailed on her to imprison and prosecute the