The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

The LIFE OF JOHN KNOX.

The LIFE OF IOHN KNOX.

JOHN KNOX was borne in Gifford, near Hadington, in Lothian, the year of Christ, 1505. of honest Parentage: His father was a brothers son of the House of Ranferlie, which is an ancient Family of Gentlemen in the West. When he left the Grammar School in the Country, he was sent to the University of Saint Andrews, to study under M. John Mair, who in those days was very famous for his Learning, which particularly did consist in the ergotic or disputative part of Philosophy, and in School-Divinity, wherein formerly, for many years together, almost all Learning was placed. In a very short time, John Knox became such a Proficient, that in this kind of knowledge wherein his Master most excelled, he surpassed him; and being yet very young, was thought worthy of Degrees in the School: Moreover, before the time ordinarily allowed by the Canons, he entered in Church Orders. Thereafter, laying aside the idle Disputes and Sophistry of the School, he betook himself to the reading of the Ancients; namely, of Augustine, with whose Writings he was much taken, by reason of their plainness and solidity. Last of all, he betook himself to the earnest study of the holy Scriptures; wherein having found the Truth of God concerning the salvation of Mankind fully revealed, he in good earnest did embrace it, and freely professed it; yea, made it his main work to make it known to all men, and believed by them; in which work he was very active and vigilant, at home and abroad, namely, at home. For the Cause of the Truth he suffered very much by Sea and by Land, in mind and in body; among foreigners, and amongst his own Countrymen, as ye may see in this History of the Church, which now here we present unto you: Which History, namely, so much of it, I mean, as formerly was published, hath gone commonly under his ⟨image 10⟩name, because he is the man of whom most is spoken throughout the whole History, as being a most earnest and diligent agent in the business of Reformation in the Church: Next, because he hath penned with his own hand, or spoken by word of mouth, the most part of the most remarkable and most useful things for Posterity in the History. Thirdly, the whole History is gathered out of his Papers and Manuscripts: And so ye see why it is generally received to be of John Knox. But to return to his Life.