16 INTRODUCTION. of the church, July 29, 1551 ; and having chosen a temporary minister and deacons, they sent to their brethren, who had fled to other places, inviting them to Frankfort, where they might hear God's word truly preached, the sacraments duly administered, and the requisite christian discipline properly exercised : privileges which could not be obtained in their own country.. The members of the congre- gationsent for Mr. John Knox fromGeneva, Mr.James Had- don from Strasburgh, andMr. Thomas Lever fromZurich, requesting them to take the oversight of them in the Lord. The church at Frankfort being thus comfortably settled with pastors, deacons, and a liturgy, according to its own choice ; Dr. Richard Cox, a man of a high spirit, coming to that city, with some of his friends, broke through the conditions of the new-formed church, and interrupted the public service by answering aloud after the minister. On the Lord's day following, one of the company, equally officious as himself, ascended the pulpit, and read the whole litany. Mr. Knox, upon this, taxed the authors of this disorder with a breach of the terms of their common agreement, and affirmed, that some things in the Book of Common Prayer were superstitious and impure. Dr. Cox reproved him for his censoriousness and being admitted, with the rest of his company, to vote in the congregation, obtained a majority, prohibiting Mr. Knox from preaching anymore.+ But Mr. Knox's friends applied to the magistrates, who commanded them to unite with the French church both in doctrine and ceremonies, ac- cording to their original agreement. Dr. Cox and his party finding Knox's interest among the magistrates too strong, had recourse to an unworthy and unchristian method to get rid of him. This divine having published a book, while lie was in England, entitled " An Admonition to Christians," in which he had said, " That the emperor was no less an enemy to Christ than Nero," these overbearing fellow- exiles basely availed themselves of this and some other expressions in the book, and accused him of high treason against the emperor. Upon this, the senate being tender of the emperor's honour, and unwilling to embroil them- selves in these controversies, desired Mr. Knox, in a respectful manner, to depart from the city. Sohe left the place, March 25, 1555. * Troubles at Frankeford, p. 1-3. + Cox and his friends were admitted to vote in the congregation, through the particular solicitationsof Mr. linox.-Ibid. p. 33. Ij
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