rch, to feed upon the truths of God's word; and the teaching of Wishart
had confirmed his determination to forsake the communion of Rome, and join
himself to the persecuted Reformers.

Urged by his companions to take the office of preacher, he shrunk with
trembling from its responsibility, and it was only after days of seclusion
and painful conflict with himself that he consented. But having once
accepted the position, he pressed forward with inflexible determination
and undaunted courage as long as life continued. This true-hearted
Reformer feared not the face of man. The fires of martyrdom, blazing
around him, served only to quicken his zeal to greater intensity. With the
tyrant's axe held menacingly over his head, he stood his ground, striking
sturdy blows on the right hand and on the left to demolish idolatry.

When brought face to face with the queen of Scotland, in whose presence
the zeal of many a leader of the Protestants had abated, John Knox bore
unswerving witness for the truth. He was not to be won by caresses; he
quailed not before threats. The queen charged him with heresy. He had
taught the people to receive a religion prohibited by the state, she
declared, and had thus transgressed God's command enjoining subjects to
obey their princes. Knox answered firmly:

"As right religion took neither original strength nor authority from
worldly princes, but from the eternal God alone, so are not subjects bound
to frame their religion according to the appetites of their princes. For
oft it is that princes are the most ignorant of all others in God's true
religion.... If all the seed of Abraham had been of the religion of
Pharaoh, whose subjects they long were, I pray you, madam, what religion
would there have been in the world? Or if all men in the days of the
apostles had been of the religion of the Roman emperors, what religion
would there have been upon the face of the earth?... And so, madam, ye may
perceive that subjects are not bound to the religion of their princes,
albeit they are commanded to give them obedience."

Said Mary, "Ye interpret the Scriptures in one manner, and they [the Roman
Catholic teachers] interpret in another; whom shall I believe, and who
shall be judge?"

"Ye shall believe God, that plainly speaketh in His word," answered the
Reformer; "and farther than the Word teaches you, ye neither shall believe
the one nor the other. The word of God is plain in itself; and if there
appear any