At this time he received letters from the English church at Geneva, which had separated from the one at Frankfort, commanding him, “in God’s name, as he was their chosen pastor, to repair to them for their comfort.” Having preached in almost every congregation he had formerly visited, and sent his wife and mother-in-law before him to Dieppe, he sailed from Scotland in the month of July for Geneva. No sooner had he left the kingdom than the bishops summoned him to answer a charge of heresy; and, on his non-appearance, burnt him in effigy at the cross of Edinburgh. Against this sentence, in 1558, he published his “Appellation,” addressed to the “Nobility and Estates of Scotland.” In this composition, which has been much admired, after appealing “to a lawful and general council,” and requiring of them that defence which, as princes of the people, they were bound to give him, he adds, “these things I require of your honours to be granted unto me, viz. that the doctrine which our adversaries condemn for heresy may be tried by the plain and simple word of God; that the just defences be admitted to us that sustain the battle against this pestilent battle of Antichrist; and that they be removed from judgment in our cause, seeing that our accusation is not intended against any one particular person, but against that whole kingdom which we doubt not to prove to be a power usurped against God, against his commandments, and against the ordinance of Christ Jesus, established in his church by his chief apostles; yea, we doubt not to prove the kingdom of the Pope to be the kingdom and power of Antichrist, and therefore, my lords, I cannot cease, in the name of Christ Jesus, to require of you that the matter may come to examination, and that ye, the estates of the realm, by your authority, compel such as will be called bishops, not only to desist from their cruel murdering of such as do study to promote God’s glory, in detecting and disclosing the damnable impiety of that man of sin the Roman Antichrist; but, also, that ye compel them to answer to such crimes as shall be laid to their charge, for not righteously instructing the flock committed to their care.” In March, 1557, sensible of his importance, a letter, subscribed Glencairn, Erskine, Lorn, and James Stuart, was transmitted to Mr Knox at Geneva, entreating him to return home. Having communicated its contents to his congregation, for which he provided another minister, and taking the advice of John Calvin, and other ministers, he set out for Scotland.