2. The Sacraments of the New Testament ought to be ministered as they were instituted by Christ Jesus, and practised by the Apostles; nothing ought to be added to them; nothing ought to be diminished from them.

3. The Mass is abominable idolatry, blasphemous to the death of Christ, and a profanation of the Lord's Supper.

"But why may not the Kirk," demanded Dean Wynram, "for good causes, devise ceremonies to decore [adorn] the Sacraments and other God's service?"

"Because the Kirk," answered Knox, "ought to do nothing but in faith, and ought not to go before, but is bound to follow, the voice of the true pastor. It is not enough that man invent a ceremony, and then give it a signification according to his pleasure; for so might the ceremonies of the Gentiles, and this day the ceremonies of Mahomet, be maintained. But if that anything proceed from faith, it must have the word of God for the assurance, for ye are not ignorant that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Now, if ye will prove that your ceremonies proceed from faith, and do please God, ye must prove that God, in expressed words, has commanded them; or else shall ye never prove that they proceed from faith, nor yet that they please God, but that they are sin, and do displease him, according to the words of the Apostle, 'Whatsoever is not of faith is sin."

"Will ye bind us so strait," again interposed the Sub-prior, "that we may do nothing without the express word of God? What! if I ask a drink, think ye that I sin? and yet I have not God's word for me."

"I would not," rejoined the stern Reformer, "we should jest in so grave a matter. I wonder that ye compare things profane and holy things so indiscreetly together. The question was not nor is not of meat and drink, wherein the kingdom of God consists not, but the question is of God's true worshipping, without the which we can have no society with God. And here it is doubted if we may take the same freedom in the using of Christ's sacraments that we may do in eating and drinking; one meat I may eat, another I may refuse, and that without scruple of conscience. I may change one with another, even as oft as I please. Whether may we do the same in matters of religion? May we cast away what we please and retain what we please? If I be well remembered, Moses, in the name of God, says to the people of Israel, 'All that the Lord

thy God commands thee to do, that do thou to the Lord thy God, add nothing to it, diminish nothing from it.' By this rule think I that the Kirk of God will measure God's religion, and not by that which seems good in their own eyes."

"Forgive me," said the Dean, who was not much in earnest to maintain his point, "I spake it but in jest, and I was dry; and now, Father," turning to Friar Arbuckill, “follow the argument -ye have heard what I have said, and what is answered to me again."

Then struck in Arbuckill, confident of victory, "I shall prove plainly that ceremonies are ordained by God."

"Such as God has ordained we allow," said Knox, quietly, "and with reverence we use them. But the question is of those that God has not ordained, such as in baptism are spittle, salt, candle, hood (except it be to keep the bairn from cold), hards, oil, and the rest of the Papisticall inventions."

Arbuckill." I will even prove these ye damn to be ordained of

God."

Knox.-"The proof I would gladly hear."

Arbuckill." Says not St. Paul that another foundation than Jesus Christ may no man lay. But upon this foundation some build gold, silver, and precious stones; some hay, stubble, and wood. The gold, silver, and precious stones are the ceremonies of the Church, which do abide the fire and consume not away. This place of Scripture is most plain."

Knox.-" If I had sought the whole Scriptures I could not have produced a place more proper for my purpose, nor more potent to confound you. The ceremonies of the Kirk, say ye, are gold, silver, and precious stones, because they are able to abide the fire; but I would learn of you what fire it is which your ceremonies do abide. And in the meantime, till that ye be advised to answer, I will show my mind, and make an argument against yours upon the same text. I have heard this text adduced for a proof of purgatory, but for defence of ceremonies I never heard nor yet read it. But omitting whether ye understand the mind of the Apostle or not, I make my argument and say, that which may abide the fire may abide the word of God; but your ceremonies may not abide the word of God; ergo, they may not abide the fire; and if they may not abide the fire, then are they not gold, silver, nor precious stones.

Arbuckill." I deny your minor, to wit, that our ceremonies may not abide the trial of God's word."

Knox. "That abides not the trial of God's word which God's word condemns. But as the thief abides the trial of the inquest, and thereby is condemned to be hanged, even so may your ceremonies abide the trial of God's word; but not else. And now in few words to make plain that wherein ye may seem to doubt-to wit, that God's word damns your ceremonies, it is evident; for the plain and straight commandment of God is, 'Not that thing which appears good in thy eyes shalt thou do to the Lord thy God, but what the Lord thy God has commanded thee, that do thou.' Now unless that ye be able to prove that God has commanded your ceremonies, this his former commandment will damn both you and them."

The conclusion of this debate was comical, and must be given. in Knox's own words as a specimen of his characteristic vein of irony and humour :

"The Friar, somewhat abashed what first to answer, while he wanders about in the mist, he falls in a foul mire; for alleging that we may not be so bound to the word, he affirmed 'that the Apostles had not received the Holy Ghost when they did write their epistles, but after they received him, and then they did ordain the ceremonies.' (Few would have thought that so learned a man would have given so foolish an answer, and yet it is even as true as he bore a grey cowl.) John Knox hearing the answer, started and said, "If that be true I have long been in an error, and I think I shall die therein." The Sub-prior said to him, "Father! what say ye? God forbid that ye affirm that! for then fareweel the ground of our faith." The Friar, astonished, made the best shift that he could to correct his fall-but it would not be. John Knox brought him oft again to the ground of the argument; but he would never answer directly, but ever fled to the authority of the Kirk, whereto the said John answered oftener than once, "That the spouse of Christ had neither power nor authority against the word of God." Then said the Friar, "If so be, ye will leave us no Kirk." "Indeed," said the other, "In David I read that there is a church of the malignants, for he says Odi Ecclesiam malignantium. That church ye may have without the Word, and doing many things directly fighting against the Word of God. Of that church if ye will be, I cannot impede you. But as for me, I will be of none

other church except of that which hath Christ Jesus to be pastor, which hears his voice, and will not hear a stranger."*

This passage from Knox's own pen is an apt introduction to that chapter of the History of the English Reformation which stands connected with his name. It paints very graphically the man as he was, and determines with the greatest precision the religious and ecclesiastical ground upon which he stood, at the time when, in the full maturity of his character and powers, he placed himself at the service of the Church of England, at the invitation of her Rulers.

The year in which Knox entered upon this service was a memorable epoch in the history of the English Reformation. Ever since the accession of Edward VI. the purification of the National Church from the corruptions of ages had been gradually but steadily advancing; and early in this year (1549) the first Prayerbook, called after the young King, received the sanction of Parliament, and was published for the use of the Church. Its earliest editions bear the date of the month of March. Exactly a year earlier the "Order of the Communion," which formed an important part of this book, had been issued by itself as a first step towards a Reformed Liturgy, accompanied with a Royal Proclamation, in which the young Monarch "willed all his loving subjects with such obedience and conformity to receive this our ordinance and most godly direction, that we may be encouraged from time to time further to travail for the Reformation, and setting forth of such godly orders as may be most to God's glory, the edifying of our subjects, and for the advancement of true religion-which thing we (by the help of God) most earnestly intend to bring to effect. God be praised, we know both what by his Word is meet to be redressed, and have an earnest mind, with all diligence and convenient speed, to set forth the same as it may most stand with God's glory and edifying and quietness of our people, which we doubt not but all our obedient and loving subjects will quietly and reverently tarry for." It was this Royal promise which was now fulfilled, in its first instalment, in the famous "Book of the Common Praier and administracion of the Sacramentes and other rites and ceremonies of the Churche, after the use of the Churche of Englande." Knox arrived in London just in time to obtain an

* Knox's "History of the Reformation in Scotland," Works, vol. i. pp. 194-200.

early copy of this important document-to which much of his coming action was to have reference-from the printing press of Richard Grafton, Printer to the King.

It was a highly important and valuable step in advance. What had long been "commonly called the Mass" was now called by preference "The Supper of the Lord and the Holy Communion," and was now to be ministered in England, as it had been for fiveand-twenty years in the reformed churches of the Continent, "under both kinds." Many superstitious ceremonies and practises had been swept away, though not a little of this kind still remained for future retrenchment. The new Liturgy still lagged far behind the wishes and the views of the most zealous of the Reforming party-much as it outran the desires and shocked the prejudices of the opposite party who still formed the immense majority of the nation, and would have preferred the reconciliation of the kingdom to the Roman See. The book could not command the zealous service of more than half-a-dozen of the Bishops in introducing it into their dioceses; and during the whole brief reign of Edward there were several counties in the remoter parts of the kingdom where it was never introduced at all.

John Hooper, who returned from a two years' residence in Zurich a few months after Knox's arrival in England, and immediately became the most popular preacher in London, has left, in his letters to Bullinger, several graphic and highly interesting sketches of the strangely piebald and confused condition. of ecclesiastical matters which then prevailed.

Writing to Bullinger from London, June 25, 1549, he says, Great, great, I say, is the harvest, but the labourers are few. May our most indulgent Father send forth labourers into the harvest. Such is the maliciousness and wickedness of the bishops (referring to the Popish bishops, and especially to Bonner, Bishop of London) that the godly and learned men who would willingly labour in the Lord's harvest are hindered by them; and they neither preach themselves nor allow the liberty of preaching to others. For this reason there are some persons here who read and expound the holy Scriptures at a public lecture, two of whom read in St. Paul's Cathedral four times a week. I myself, too, as my slender abilities will allow me, having compassion upon the ignorance of my brethren, read a public lecture twice in the day