tion of ministers, at the conclusion of which he addressed Knox, who was present, in these words: "Brother, in the name of God and of his son Jesus Christ, and in the name of all, that call you by my mouth, I charge you that you refuse not this holy vocation." Knox returned home, and remained in the deepest dis tress of mind, until he was con⚫ strained to accept the invitation, which was given him, and to become a public preacher of the true Gospel. His distress is to be attributed to his view of the solemn duties and awful responsibility of the minister of Christ, who will be required to give an account of his stewardship, as well as to his sense of the dangers and trials, which he would be called to meet, in consequence of his exposing the corruptions of the Romish Church. His determination resulted from a conviction, that it was the will of God he should stand forth in defence of the truth; and, relying upon the protection of God, he gave his fears to the winds. terms of the capitulation, at the solicitation of the Pope and of the Scottish clergy, were violated; for those, who were taken, instead of being set at liberty on their arrival in France, were detained as prisoners of war. The principal gentlemen were thrown into different dungeons, and Knox with others was confined on board the galleys, bound with chains, and treated with great severity. Great efforts were made, but in vain, to induce him to conform to the popish worship. One day a painted image of the virgin was presented to a Scottish prisoner, supposed to be Knox himself, to kiss; but he refused, declaring that such idols were accursed. As the officers insisted upon his compliance, and put the image to his face, he took hold of it, and watching an opportunity threw it into the river, saying, Lat our Ladie now save hirself; sche is lycht anoughe, lat hir leirne to swyme. It is not stated, whether or not this object of worship went to the bottom; but the Ladie, after this incivility, was not again obtruded upon the prisoners. In his first sermon, in the parish church, he boldly attacked the whole system of error, declaring the Romish Church During his confinement, Knox to be the synagogue of Satan, wrote two or three small tracts and the Pope to be the Anti- to confirm his religious friends christ, the man of sin. So suc-in Scotland in their attachment cessful were his labors, that to the truth. When dangerousmany of the inhabitants of the ly sick with a fever, he exprestown, in addition to those in the sed his confident persuasion, castle, made a profession of the that he should recover, and again protestant faith, and he adminis- open his mouth to the glory of tered to them the sacrament of God in the church of St. Anthe Lord's supper. drews. At length, after being confined 19 months, he obtained his liberty in Feb. 1549. In June 1547, a French fleet with land forces sent to assist the governor of St. Andrews, invested the castle, and obliged the besieged to capitulate. The He repaired to England, and as his character was well known, the government, being anxious 148 for a reformation of religion, sent him as a preacher to Berwick, where he remained two years. pains, that we presently suffer, Cranmer offered him the vacant Here he labored with the utmost zeal to demolish the idolatry of the popish church and to propagate the protestant doctrine, and his exertions were attended with a blessing, especially among the soldiers of the garrison. In the beginning of 1551, he was removed to New-ed to the law which obliged mincastle, a sphere of greater usefulness; and in the same year was appointed one of king Edward's chaplains in ordinary. Being consulted in regard to some alterations in, the book of common prayer, he caused the notion of the corporeal presence of Christ in the sacrament to be excluded, and guarded against the adoration of the elements. While he resided at Berwick, he became acquainted with Miss Marjory Bowes, a young lady of an honorble family, whom he afterwards married. At this period he usually preached every day in the week, and was indefatigable in his studies. The adherents of popery persecuted him in various ways; but he triumphed over their malice. His constitution having been much enfeebled by his confinement in the French galleys, in the year 1553 he suffered several violent attacks of the gravel. In a letter to Miss Bowes, he says, "your messenger found me in bed, after a sore trouble, and most dolorous night; and so dolor may complain to dolor But the inwhen we two meet. finite goodness of God, who never despiseth the petitions of a sore troubled heart, shall, at his good pleasure, put an end to these isters to allow the unworthy to participate of the sacraments. Kneeling at the Lord's supper he also considered as an invention of men. By the special request, of king Edward VI. he was also offered a bishopric, which he refused, declaring at the same time, that the episcopal office was not of divine authority. He could not admit, that the king, any more than the Pope, was the head of the Church; he acknowledged none to be true bishops, but such as preached personally without a substitute; and he could not consent to the introduction of ceremonies, not authorized by Scripture. Among other things he also objected to the secular titles and dignities of the bishops, and to the total want of ecclesiastical discipline In preaching before the king, he was most faithful and pungent in reproving some of the great officers of state, observing at one time in allusion to the prime minister and lord high treasurer, who were present; “I am greatly afraid, that Achitophel be counsellor, that Judas bear the purse, and that Shebna scribe, comptroller, and treasurer." be After the death of Edward, which occurred July 6, 1553, and the accession of the bigotted and catholic Mary, he retir ed to the north; but in the following month he returned and resumed his labors, the queen having publicly promised not to disturb the conscientious protestants. But the Roman Catholic religion was soon restored, and the protestant worship prohibited by law, so that before the close of the year many ministers were committed to prison. Being in imminent danger, Knox was induced by the intreaties of his friends, although with reluctance, for he thought "he never could die in a more honest quarrel," to flee to Diep. pe in France, where he landed January 28, 1554. At this place he made a strict scrutiny into his ministerial conduct, while favored with the opportunity of preaching the Gospel, and found much to deplore and confess. He was much dissatisfied with himself. He lamented, that he had not been more faithful in feeding the lambs and sheep of Christ; that selfish motives had sometimes hindered him from visiting the ignorant and distressed; that in his public services he had not been sufficiently faithful and fervent; and that sometimes he had been idle and too attentive to his comfort, when he should have been occupied in the discharge of his official duties. Although few ministers have been equally diligent; yet he had reason to say; "O Lord! be merciful to my great offence; and deal not with me according to my great iniquity, but according to the multitude of thy mercies." He soon transmitted to Eng. fand an exposition of the sixth psalm, and a large letter, for the purpose of warning his protestant friends against a sinful compliance with the idolatrous worship of the popish religion. In the eloquent conclusion of the letter, he says, "Let it be known to your posterity, that ye were Christians and no idolaters; that ye learned Christ in time of rest, and boldly professed him in times of trouble. The precepts, think ye, are sharp and hard to be observed; and yet again I affirm, that compared with the plagues, that shall assuredly fall upon obstinate idolaters, they shall be found easy and light. For avoiding of idolatry, ye may perchance be compelled to leave your native country and realm; but obeyers of idolatry without end shall be compelled to burn in hell. For avoiding idolatry, your substance shall be spoiled; but for obeying idolatry heavenly riches shall be lost. For avoiding of idolatry ye may fall into the hands of earthly tyrants; but obeyers, maintainers, and consenters to idolatry shall not escape the hands of the living God. For avoiding of idolatry, your children shall be deprived of fathers, friends, riches, and of rest; but by obeying idalatry they shall be left without God, without the knowledge of his word, and without hope of his kingdom. Consider, dear brethren, that how much more dolorous and fearful it is to be tormented in hell than to suffer trouble on earth; to be deprived of heavenly joy, than to be robbed of transitory riches; to fall into the hands of the living God, than to obey man's vain and uncertain displeasure; to leave our children destitute of God, than In February 1554, he left Dieppe, and traveiling through France came to Switzerland, in which country he visited with much satisfaction most of the protestant churches. At Geneva he formed an intimate friendship with CALVIN and in that city he resolved to reside during the continuance of his exile. Although about the age of 50, he now applied himself to study with the ardor of youth, and among other acquisitions made some proficiency in the Hebrew language. It was supposed, that in this year eight hundred learned English protestants fled to the continent. Many of them established themselves at Frankfort on the Maine, and having requested Knox to become their minister, he, with the advice of Calvin, repaired to that place in November, and entered upon the duties of his office. In March 1555, he was however induced to retire from Frankfort in consequence of the bigotted attachment of a part of the congregation to the forms of the English church; and he returned immediately to Geneva. In August 1555, superior to the fear of danger, he took a journey to Great Britain. Landing on the borders of Scotland, he immediately went to Berwick, and found his wife and her mother still firm in their attach ment to the pure Gospel of Christ. He soon went secretly to Edinburgh, and in that city and in different parts of the kingdom preached incessantly; and for some time before it came to the knowledge of the clergy. They were alarmed by the progress of the truth under his preaching; but they called in vain upon the queen regent to apprehend and punish him. Having summoned him before a convention of the clergy, he obeyed the summons; but his enemies not being confident of the regent's support, and aware of his great talents, did not appear against him, but under pretence of informality cast the summons. Being invited to take charge of the English congregation at Geneva, he was induced to listen to the request, and in July 1556 left Scotland with his family. The clergy then immediately renewed the summons against him, and as he could not appear, they sentenced his body to the flames, and his soul to hell, and burned him in effigy. His visit to Scotland was of vast importance. He dissuaded his brethren from attending the Catholic worship, and from encouraging in any manner its "damnable idolatry," and by his advice they held frequent family meetings, which greatly promoted the protestant doctrine. His withdrawment from the kingdom was the means of preserving his life, and of enabling him at a future time to enter again upon his labors with complete success. (To be continued.) RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS. For the Panoplist. WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY To trace the features of the Christian character, in a person like St. Paul, is both pleasing and instructive. In him these features are marked, prominent, distinct; and, in their symmetry, they form a model, as nearly resembling the divine pattern, as any ever witnessed in a mere man. In his writings we learn the elevation of his feelings; and we view with admiration the ardor, with which he approached the standard of excellence. In connexion with the words, which stand at the head of this paper, he exhibits the strength of his hopes; and declares the object of them to be so interesting and glorious, as that all the concerns of time, in comparison with it, lose their importance. That any persons in their attention to an object which is future, and which, to the eye of reason, is both unseen and uncertain, should become so entirely absorbed, may, to a careless, and stupid sinner, appear strange and enthusiastic. But let such an one be informed, that those, who indulge the hopes which animated the apostle, are guided by motives different from any, and from all, that direct the efforts of men in relation to their worldly concerns. They walk by faith, not by sight. In the case of St. Paul and his companions, this principle of action was lively and powerful. All, in whom it is found, move in a higher sphere, aim at a nobler end, and share in a brighter inheritance, than the wisdom, the riches, and the parade of this world, can proffer, or bestow. Reader, permit me to tax your time and thoughts, with a few remarks, explanatory. of the apostle's language. To walk is often used, in Scripture, to behave, i. e, as descriptive of moral and religious conduct. To walk by jaith, is to rely upon Christ for salvation, and to live in the firm belief, that the promises of his word will be accomplished. It implies a reliance upon Christ, as freely given us in the Gospel and the receiving of his grace, "to make progress in holiness and towards eternal glory." In the Gospel, Jesus Christis revealed as the only Savior of sinners. Here his character is exhibited, and all the duties he requires of his followers are explicitly stated. He, who receives this testimony concerning Christ And as true, believes in him. if he likewise receives with joy and gratitude, the requirements of Christ as reasonable; if he places confidence in the doctrines of Christ, imbibes their spirit, and is, habitually influenced by them, he may be said to walk by faith. Faith respects objects unseen. Hence the apostle defines it to be. the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. The rewards, which the Gospel proposes, are proper objects of |