These persecuting ideas "were only a mistaken theory of Christian duty, and nothing worse," says Dr.Lorimer.

Nothing could possibly be worse than a doctrine contrary in the highest degree to the teaching of Our Lord, whether the doctrine was proclaimed by Pope, Prelate, or Calvinist.
Here it must be observed that a most important fact in Knox's career, a most important element in his methods, has been little remarked upon by his biographers.

Ever since he failed, in 1554, to obtain the adhesion of Bullinger and Calvin to his more extreme ideas, he had been his own prophet, and had launched his decrees of the right of the people, of part of the people, and of the individual, to avenge the insulted majesty of God upon idolaters, not only without warrant from the heads of the Calvinistic Church, but to their great annoyance and disgust.

Of this an example will now be given..