So the
talk wandered to other subjects. Only, when the Queen was
summoned at last to dinner ("for it was afternoon") Knox made
his salutation in this form of words: "I pray God, Madam,
that you may be as much blessed within the Commonwealth of
Scotland, if it be the pleasure of God, as ever Deborah was
in the Commonwealth of Israel." (1) Deborah again.
(1) Knox's Works, ii. 278-280.
But he was not yet done with the echoes of his own "First
Blast." In 1571, when he was already near his end, the old
controversy was taken up in one of a series of anonymous
libels against the Reformer affixed, Sunday after Sunday, to
the church door. The dilemma was fairly enough stated.
Either his doctrine is false, in which case he is a "false
doctor" and seditious; or, if it be true, why does he "avow
and approve the contrare, I mean that regiment in the Queen
of England's person; which he avoweth and approveth, not only
praying for the maintenance of her estate, but also procuring
her aid and support against his own native country?" Knox
answered the libel, as his wont was, next Sunday, from the
pulpit. He justified the "First Blast" with all the old
arrogance; there is no drawing back there. The regiment of
women is repugnant to nature, contumely to God, and a
subversion of good order, as before. When he prays for the
maintenance of Elizabeth's estate, he is only following the
example of those prophets of God who warned and comforted the
wicked kings of Israel; or of Jeremiah, who bade the Jews
pray for the prosperity of Nebuchadnezzar.
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