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As the books of Martin Luther, and Tyndale’s translation of the New Testament, entered Scotland, they were received with great interest. Students at St. Andrews University began to take their faith seriously. Patrick Hamilton, a student at St. Andrews, wrote a book that was condemned as heretical. He fled to Germany, met with Luther and soon returned to Scotland. Hamilton began preaching the Protestant Faith with great boldness.
Hamilton’s last words were: “How long, O Lord shall darkness cover this realm? How long will you suffer this tyranny of men? Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
Soon, however, the Scottish authorities reversed their initially pro-Reformation policies and began to threaten Protestants.
Cardinal David Beaton, Archbishop of St. Andrews had 5 Protestants executed in 1544 and twice tried to have the popular Wishart murdered. After one failed attempt on his life, out of concern for his safety, the Protestants organised for Wishart to move his location daily, to avoid capture. John Knox, armed with a large double handed, broadsword was part of the bodyguard appointed to travel with Wishart. Those who came to a service by George Wishart, found, instead of the normal mass in Latin, congregational singing, and a fiery, hour-long sermon in their own tongue.
Over the next few days, the congregation persisted in extending to him the call. Then, while attending a local church service, in St. Andrews, Knox heard Dean John Annand affirming Catholicism, claiming that it was “the Bride of Christ.” Knox stood up in his pew and interrupted him, declaring that the Roman Church was no bride of Christ, but a prostitute. The Roman papacy had degenerated further from the Faith of the Apostles than the Jews had from Moses when they had crucified Christ.
At this, the congregation loudly demanded that Knox justify his remarks in a sermon the following Sunday – which he did. Knox declared that the Roman church had become the synogogue of Satan. He pulled no punches and one observer noted that while others snipped at the outer branches of the papacy, Knox “struck at the root to destroy the whole!” This was the beginning of the public career of one of the most powerful preachers of the Reformation era.
About 150 galley slaves, or forsairs, rode 6 to the oar. The 25 oars were each about 45 feet long. The rowers were kept chained to the oar, when not doing other duties. The comites on the ships carried whips to ensure that the convicts and prisoners of war pulled their weight. Galley slaves were considered a cheap and expendable form of fuel for ships.
Knox was about 33 years of age when he was condemned to the galleys. His strong character, which was evidenced throughout the rest his life and ministry served him well throughout this ordeal. On one occasion, while mass was being celebrated on the galley, and the Salve Regina (O, Holy Queen) was sung, a statue of the Virgin Mary (Nostre Dame) was handed around for all on board to kiss. He refused: “Trouble me not; such an idol is accursed!” When this statue was again thrust before Knox’s face to kiss, he grasped it and threw the idol overboard declaring: “Now, let our lady save herself. She is light enough, let her learn to swim!”
Knox admitted that the prisoners on these galleys were “miserably treated.” They were also placed under pressure to renounce Protestantism and embrace Catholicism.
When Knox was invited to become Bishop of Rochester, he declined.
It is interesting to note that although his “Book of Common Order” was rejected by the exiles in Frankfurt, in 1560 it became the official worship book of the Church of Scotland.
In December 1557, a group of Scottish nobles drew up a covenant to “set forward and establish the most blessed Word of God and His Congregation” to renounce Catholicism and to establish the Protestant Faith as the official religion of Scotland. This group became known as the “Lords of the Congregation.”
Luther was protected by Prince Fredrick of Saxony, Zwingli by the mayor and council of Zurich, Calvin had the support of the Geneva City Council, the English Reformation at that time had King Edward VI. However, since no civil authority in Scotland was able to provide protection for Protestants, Knox believed that the abusive powers should be overthrown. In this Knox stands alone amongst the leading Reformers of the 16 th Century. He openly challenged the standard interpretation of Romans 13 held by such Reformers as Luther, Zwingli, Tyndale and Calvin.
In 1558, Knox published his most notorious “The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women” aimed directly at “Bloody Mary” – The Queen of England at that time.
Knox stated that no woman could be a legitimate ruler – certainly not one who persecuted true Christians. “Bloody Mary” was a rebel against God, “a traitoress and rebel against God.”
Knox declared that it was against the Law of God and nature for such a woman to rule any kingdom, it subverted both the Divine and natural order. He called for the faithful to “remove from honour and authority that monster in nature.”
In his, “Appellations To the Nobility and Commonality of Scotland” he extended to the common people the right and duty to rebel against tyranny.
However, most saw it as a monumental political mistake and distanced themselves from Knox. Knox admitted: “My First Blast has blown from me all my friends in England!”
Queen Elizabeth I was appalled at Knox’s tract. Knox’s explanation that “the monstrous regiment of women” that he was referring to were “Blood Mary” Tudor of England, Mary of Guise and Mary, Queen of Scots, didn’t seem to repair the breach. Nor did Knox’s public statement of support for the new Queen, Elizabeth I, as the Protestant Queen of England, repair the damage of his once strong links to the Church of England.
To counter Mary of Guise, and her French troops, the Scottish Lords of the Congregation drew up the Treaty of Berwick, February 1560, with the English. The Treaty was so effective that, on 6 July 1560, the French and English both agreed to leave Scottish soil. Without French interference, the future of the Reformation in Scotland was assured!
Later that month, the Scottish Parliament met at St. Giles, in Edinburgh, for a great Thanksgiving service where Knox preached to them. The Parliament then ordered Knox and 5 of his colleagues to write a confession of faith. Hurriedly put to paper, in 4 days, The Scots Confession is vibrant and spontaneous, filled with prophetic and militant language. It was adopted by Parliament, and remained, for 90 years, the Scottish churches official theology. (In 1647, it was superceded by the Westminster Confession.)
“The second kind is: to honour father, mother, monarchs, rulers and superior powers; to love them, support them, obey their orders providing they are not contrary to God’s Commandments, save the lives of the innocent, overthrow tyranny, defend the oppressed, keep our bodies clean and holy, live in soberness and temperance, deal justly with all men in word and deed, and finally, to subdue any desire to harm our neighbour…Contrary acts are sins.” (Article 14)
The Scots Confession makes clear that no civil power is absolute. Civil leaders are permanently on probation and no Christian should give unqualified and absolute allegiance to any government. Christians must reserve the right of just rebellion against tyrants.
No other Reformation Confession ventured so far into such dangerous waters, providing theological justification for rebellion against tyrants. As Knox declared: “Dangerous times demand vigorous faith.”
On August 17, Parliament abolished the mass, repudiated papal jurisdiction over Scotland, and rescinded all laws at variance with the Reformed Faith.
Also in 1560, Knox’s wife, Marjory, died.
Although the Reformation Parliament of 1560 had worked with John Knox to mandate a Calvinist Scotland, the return of the Catholic Mary Queen of Scots, in 1561, put that in jeopardy. As Queen, she refused to assent to the new order and Scotland remained officially Catholic. Mary Stuart was heir to England’s throne if Elizabeth died. With her strong ties to Philip II in Spain, and the Guises in France, the Catholic threat to Scotland’s emerging Reformation was serious.
The Scots were well aware that, in the Netherlands, Protestants were being tortured, beheaded, hanged, drowned, burned and buried alive by the Vatican’s heavy hand. They had recently witnessed the wave of horrible executions under “Bloody Mary” in neighbouring England. As rumors circulated that Mary Stuart would marry Don Carlos, the son of Philip II of Spain (the arch persecutor of Protestants), Knox preached a withering sermon declaring that: “all papists are infidels!”
Philip II was well aware that Mary Stuart was the Vatican’s best hope of restoring Catholicism to England: “She is the one gate through which religion can be restored in England. All the rest are closed.”
IMMORALITY AND INTRIGUE
Mary Stuart married Lord Darnley of England, hoping to unite the Catholics of England and Scotland. When the Queen became pregnant, her young husband accused the Queen of adultery with her private secretary, David Rizzio. Lord Darnley (now King Henry) participated in the murder of Rizzio, 9 March 1556. On 15 June 1556, Mary Stuart delivered a son: James Charles Stuart (who grew up to become James I of England).
In revenge for voicing his suspicions, Mary Stuart arranged, through her boyfriend, the Earl of Bothwell, the assassination of her husband, King Henry (Lord Darnley). Mary coaxed Henry back to Edinburgh, lulled his suspicions and arranged for him to be blown up by explosives. Both Protestants and Catholics in Scotland were outraged. Mary had Bothwell stand a mock trial, at which he was acquitted, then gave him Dunbar Castle and various lands to his associates.
Knox was called before the Queen’s Council - where he voiced his suspicions. Then he confronted Bothwell with charges of adultery, complicity in murder, and rape. When Bothwell married Queen Mary, May 1567, the nation became convinced that she had helped murder her husband. There were widespread calls for her to be deposed and the people turned against her. Knox demanded that the Queen stand trial for murder and adultery – both capital crimes. Mary Stuart was forced to abdicate and the nobles organised a swift coronation of the infant, James V of Scotland (later he would become James I of England and of the United Kingdom).
James Stuart, Mary’s half brother, became Regent of Scotland. James Stuart (1531 – 1570) had been an influential figure in Scottish politics. By age 19, he was already a member of the Privy Council. He became Mary Queen of Scots’ Chief Advisor when she returned to Scotland. However, as he was won over to the Protestant Faith and became a member of the Lords of the Congregation, he used his power to maintain and extend the influence of Protestantism. When Mary was forced to abdicate in 1567, and her infant son, James VI was crowned, Stuart was appointed Regent. He was described as: “a Puritan with natural charm and diplomacy.”
Elizabeth’s army crushed the Catholic rebellion, and after numerous other intrigues and conspiracies to assassinate her and place Mary on the English throne were exposed, reluctantly agreed to her trial and execution.
The assassination, in February 1570, of the Protestant Regent of Scotland, James Stuart, plunged Scotland into civil war. Later that year, Knox suffered a stroke. But he continued to preach throughout the last months of his life. Even as his health was deteriorating, he insisted on being carried to the pulpit.
Before he died, 1572, Knox had the joy of seeing the Reforms of 1560 ratified by the Scottish Parliament. Papal authority in Scotland was outlawed. All future rulers of Scotland were to swear to uphold the Reformed doctrine. The day before he died Knox said: “I have been fighting against satan, who is ever ready for the assault; I have fought against spiritual wickedness and have prevailed.” The dedicated labours of John Knox resulted in Scotland becoming the most Calvinist nation in the world.
Otto Scott in “The Great Christian Revolution” summarizes his achievements: “Knox had humbled a reigning monarch, toppled a government, ousted a hierarchy, converted the people and could regard, towards the close of his life, the landscape transformed by his efforts and the teaching of his mentor, Calvin. Knox’s triumph in Scotland…severed a tentacle of France and lessened the threat to the Reformation of England.”
At his grave, one man declared: “Here lies a man who neither flattered, nor feared, any flesh.”
One of Knox’s followers had declared that his preaching was “able in hour to put more life in us than 500 trumpets continually blustering in our ears.”
The 19 th Century historian, Thomas Carlyle, describe Knox as: “a most surprising individual to have kindled all of Scotland, within a few years, almost within a few months, into perhaps the noblest flame of sacred human zeal and brave determination, to believe only what it found completely believable, and to defy the whole world and the devil at its back, in an unsubduable defense of the same.” To Carlyle, Knox was the very epitome of stalwart leadership, “the most Scottish of Scots…nothing hypocritical, foolish and untrue can find harbor in this man… fearing God and without any other fear.”
Douglas Wilson in his biography of Knox “For Kirk and Covenant” describes Knox as: “like Daniel in the Old Testament, he was forthright in his condemnation of sin, unguarded in his pronouncement of truth, and single-minded in his adherence to the Word of God. Like King Josiah, in ancient Israel, he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, never turning aside to the right hand or to the left. Like the great general Joshua, he dutifully obeyed the clear commands of Scripture, always steadfast and unwavering. But such character traits and such stands, however compelling, are inevitable costly. It nearly cost Knox everything during his lifetime and it has earned him the odium and ire of virtually every secular historian in the years since…a simple compromise here or there might well have saved him from imprisonment, exile and anathema. But he refused to compromise. He could have tried to work within the system. He could have tried conciliation, accommodation, or negotiation. But he refused to compromise, risking everything for the sake of principle.”
John Calvin described Knox as: “God’s firebrand”and as a “brother…labouring energetically for the faith.”
Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, had been heard to declare, trembling and in tears: “I am more afraid of the prayers of John Knox than of an army of 10,000.”
John Knox’s famous prayer: “Give me Scotland or I die!” was thoroughly answered in his lifetime.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7
Dr. Peter Hammond
Reformation Society
PO Box 74
Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa
Email: info@reformationsa.org
Web: www.reformationsa.org.za