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the fame day: And thofe who attended the executions, were required to fay, Whether thofe men fuffered justly or not.

Mr. Renwick's difficulties multiplying, the Lord was pleased to lighten his burthen by the help of Mr. David Houston, from Ire land, and Mr. Alexander Shields, who united with him in bear ing a public teftimony against the prevailing evils of the times. Yet he met with unkind treatment even from those who profeffed to be friends to religion, but none of these things moved him: he continued with great diligence in his mafter's work, altho' his body, was fo much weakened, that he was obliged to be carried to the place of meeting; yet he never once complained of his afflictions, but patiently endured them, as feeing him who is invifible. In the, mean time the perfecution increafed, fo that within five months, no less than fifteen very ftrict fearches were made for him, and an hundred pounds feiling offered to any one who would bring him in dead or alive.

In the beginning of the year 1688, being now near the end of his courfe, he ran very faft, and worked hard, both as a minifter and as a chriftian. As he went to Edinburgh in his way to Peebles, he narrowly escaped being apprehended. From thence he went into Fife, and preached on feveral fabbaths. On the 29th of January, he preached his laft fermon at Borrowftonnefs. He returned to

Edinburgh and lodged in a friend's houfe upon the Castle-hill, whe was faid to deal in uncuftomed goods. A cuftom-house officer hearing him at prayer with the family fufpected who he was, and came next morning with fome other officers, on pretence of fearching for prohibited goods. Mr. Renwick hearing the noise, came out of his room, and was challenged by the officer. Upon which Mr. Renwick went out at another door, but as he was running, he fell feveral times, and at laft was taken and carried before a committee of the council, who ordered him to prifon. He. nów betook himself to prayer, intreating for grace to bring him thro' approaching trials, and that his enemies might not be fuffered to torture his body; both which requests were granted, and by him thankfully acknowledged before his execution. Before he receiv ed his indictment, he was taken before the Chancellor, and examined refpecting his owning the king's authority and feveral other particulars; Mr. Renwick delivered himself with fuch freedom and boldness as aftonished all that were prefent,

After receiving his indictment, his pious Mother was permitted to see him, to whom he spoke many comfortable words. He la mented that he was now obliged to leave his poor flock, and declared, that, notwithstanding the great perils and hardships he had endured for the truth's fake, yet if he was again permitted to preach in the fields, he durft not deviate from the Truth, but fhould look upon himself as obliged to bear a faithful teftimony aga aft all ungodlinefs as he had done before: Adding, “I defire that none will be troubled on my account, but rather ejoice with me, for I am now joyfully waiting in hope for my coronation hour."

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At another time, his Mother asked him, how he found himfelf? He answered," Since my laft examination I can fcarcely pray, I am fo taken up with praifing God; and am fo ravished with the joy of my Lord." His Mother expreffed her fear of fainting away, when the fhould fee his head and his hands fet up among the rest of the Martyrs over the gate of the city. He smiled and faid, "You shall never fee them there; I have offered up my life unto the Lord, and I have prayed unto him that he would bind them up; and I am perfuaded that they will not be permitted to torture my body, nor to touch one hair of my head, farther than to take away my life." At first he was much afraid of the torture, but now having obtained this confidence in God, that terror was removed; and he faid, "I would rather that they should caft me into a chaldron of boiling oil, than that I fhould do any thing against the truth." When fome of his friends were permitted to fee him, he exhorted them to make fure of their peace with God, and to be ftedfaft in his ways." And when they lamented his lofs, he answered "You should rather praise the Lord, that I am taken away from thofe reproaches which have nearly broken my heart, and which could only be wiped off by laying down my life for

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Feb. 8, he appeared before the Jufticiary, and when his indictment was read, the Clerk afked him, if he adhered to his former confeffion, and acknowledged all that was in the indictment? He anfwered, "All, except where it faid, I caft off all fear of God, that I deny, for it is, because I fear to offend God, and violate his law, that I am here this day, ready to be condemned." After fome further examination, he was brought in guilty, and fentence paffed upon him, That he fhould be executed in the GrafsMarket on the Friday following. Lord Linlithgow, Juftice-gene, ral, afked if he defired a longer time? He anfwered," It is all one to me; if it be protracted, it is welcome: if it is fhortened, it is welcome; my Mafter's time is the beft time." Being returned to prifon, without his knowledge, he was reprieved till the 17th of February. It is rather remarkable, that altho' none of those who fuffered in the former part of this dreadful period, fpoke to the Judges with more freedom and boldness, than Mr. Renwick, yet none were treated with fuch moderation. The lenity of the Judges was admired by many; for they permitted him to say what he pleased, without threatening or interruption, although he gave none of them the title of lord, except Linlithgow, who was a nobleman by birth. Bishop Paterfon, often vifited him in prison, and endeavoured to procure a fecond reprieve for him, which would easily have been granted, had he himself petitioned for it. The Bishop asked him, if he thought that none could be faved, but those who held his principles? Mr. Renwick anfwered, "I never faid, nor thought fo: but there are truths which I fuffer for, and I have not rafhly concluded upon them, but deliberately; and of a long time I have been fatisfied, that they are fufficient points

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to fuffer for." The Bishop took his leave, declaring his forrow, that he fhould be fo tenacious of his principles: And the night before Mr. Renwick fuffered, the bishop fent to him again, declaring his readiness to ferve him to the utmost of his power.

Dalrymple, the king's advocate, paid him a vifit, and declared that he was forry for his death, and that it fhould happen in his time. Yet notwithstanding this, he was kept fo close a prifoner that he could get nothing wrote; he had only just begun to write his teftimony and this was taken from him, and he was deprived of pen, ink, and paper. A friend asked him, how he was ? He anfwered, "I am very well; but I fhall be better within three days." And then faid to his mother, "The laft execution I was a witnefs of, was Robert Grays, and I had then a strong impreffion upon my mind, that I fhould be the next. I now fee a neceffity for my fuffering, for my death will be of greater ufe, than my life would have been, had I lived many years." One afked him what he thought God would do with the remnant that he left behind? Mr. Renwick anfwered, "It fhall be well with them, for God will not forfake his inheritance."

On the day of his execution, the chief jailor begged, that at the place of execution, he would fay nothing about the caufe of his death, and that he would forbear all reflections. Mr. Renwick anfwered, "What God fhall give me to fpeak, that I will fpeak, and nothing lefs." The jailor faid, "You may ftill have your life, if you will only fign this petition." He answered, "I never read in the fcripture or in hiftory, that the martyrs petitioned for their lives, when they were called to fuffer for the truth, tho' fome of them remonftrated agafnft their lives being taken away; but I judge, that in my circumftances, to fign that petition, would be to recede from the truth, and to decline from the testimony of Chrift."

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His mother and fifters, having obtained leave to fee him, after taking a little refreshment, he returned thanks, and faid, "O Lord, thou haft now brought me within two hours of eternity, and this is no matter of terror to me, any more than if I was to lie down on a bed of rofes: Nay, thro' grace, I can fay, to thy praife, I never had any fear of death fince I came to this prifon; but from the place where I was firft taken, I could have gone very comfortably to the fcaffold. O how can I contain the thoughts of this, to be within two hours of the crown of glory!" horted them much to prepare for death, "For it is (faid he,) the king of terrors, though now it is not fo to me: Let us be glad and rejoice, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and the bride has made herfelf ready. Could I ever have thought that the fear of fuffering and of death would have been fo taken from me! But it is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in my eyes! I have many times counted the coft of following Chrift, but never thought it would be fo eafy; and who can tell the honour and happiness of that word, "He that confeffeth me before men, him will I confefs before my Father?" I am now near the end of

́time, and I defire to blefs the Lord, it affords me unspeakable peace, that he has kept me from complying with his enemies in any degree." Perceiving his mother weep, he faid, "Remember, he who loves any thing better than Chrift, is not worthy of him. If you love me, rejoice that I am going to my Father, to obtain the enjoyment of what eye hath not feen nor ear heard." Then he went to prayer, and pleaded much in behalf of the fuffering remnant; declaring with great confidence, that he was ftrength ened to hope, that the Lord would yet be gracious to Scotland.

Upon hearing the drums beat for the guards to attend, he said in a tranfport of joy, "Yonder is the welcome warning to my marriage; the bridegroom is coming, and I am ready; yes, I am ready." Then taking leave of his mother and fifters, he intreated them not to be difcouraged on his account; adding, "Before all is done, you fhall fee matter for praise in this day's work." Being taken to the council-houfe, where his fentence was read, they defired him to speak what he had to fay there. He answered, I have nothing to lay to you, but this one word, Jer. xxvi. 14, 15. “ "As for me, behold I am in your hand do with me as feemeth good and meet unto you: But know ye for certain, that if you put ne to death, ye will furely bring innocent blood upon yourfelves." He was told that the drums would beat at the fcaffold all the time, and therefore they advifed him to pray there : he replied, "I will not be limited in what I fhall fay; I have premeditated nothing; but I will fpeak what the Lord fhall give me." They offered him any minifter to go along with him: But he answered, "If I would have taken any of them for my counsellors or comforters, 1 fhould not have been here this day. I defire none with me but this one man;" meaning a friend that was waiting upon him.

He went to the fcaffold with great chearfulness, as one in a tranfport of triumphant joy. There being an innumerable multitude of fpectators, and the drums continually beating, but little could be heard. Mr. Renwick fung the 10gd Pfalm, and read Rev. xix. then he prayed, recommending his foul to God thro' the Redeemer, and his caufe to be vindicated as the Lord fhould fee good. Among other things he faid, "This is the moft joyful day I have ever feen in this world; a day that I have longed for very much I praise the Lord, that he has honoured me with the crown of martyrdom; an honour which the angels are not privileged with." He complained of being difturbed in the worfhip of God, but faid, "I fhall foon be above thefe clouds; then I thall enjoy my God without interruption or intermission, for ever." Prayer being ended, he faid, "Spectators, I am come here this day to fuffer for the truths of Chrift; truths for which I am neither afraid nor afhamed to fuffer: I bless the Lord, that he ever accounted me worthy, or enabled me to fuffer any thing for him: and I defire to praise the riches of his grace, that he

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hath not only kept me from the grofs pollutions of the times, but alfo from the many ordinary pollutions of children; and as for fuch as I have been ftained with, he hath wafhed and cleanfed me from them in his own precious blood. I die a Proteftant, and I leave my teftimony in favour of preaching in the fields, and of all thofe truths which have been fealed by the blood fhed upon the fcaffolds in this land; against all profaneness, and every thing contrary to found doctrine and the power of godlinefs; particularly againft all encroachments made upon the kingdom of Chrift, the Prince of all the kings upon earth, who must have the glory of ruling in his Own houfe the Church." "You who are the people of God, do not be weary of maintaining the teftimony of the day, in your feveral tations and places; and whatever you do, make fure of an intereft in Chrift; for there is a ftorm coming that will try your foundation. And you who are strangers to God, break off your fins by repentance, elfe I fhall be a fad witness against you in the day of the Lord."

Here they obliged him to defift, and to go up the ladder, where he prayed and faid, "Lord, I die in the faith that thou will not leave Scotland; but that thou wilt make the blood of thy witneffes the feed of thy Church, and return again and be glorious in this land. And now Lord, I am ready; the bride, the Lamb's wife, hath made herself ready." The napkin being tied about his face, he faid to his friend who attended him, "Farewell; be diligent in duty, make your peace with God through Christ. There is a great trial coming. As to the remnant which I leave I have committed them to God. Tell them from me, not to be weary nor difcouraged, the Lord will provide them minifters, and make thofe defpifed truths glorious in the end." He was then turned over with these his laft words, "Lord, into thy hands I commend my Spirit; for thou haft redeemed me, O Lord God of Truth!"

Thus died the faithful, pious, and zealous JAMES RENWICK, when he had juft entered upon his 27th year; a young man, and a young minifter, but a ripe chriftian, and a renowned martyr of Chrift, for whofe fake he loved not his life unto death, by whofe blood and, the word of his teftimony he overcame; and, to the conviction of many who had formerly defpifed him, was fignally vindicated, being fo wonderfully fupported, and favoured with the prefence of God in the trying hour. Such a treasure of patience, meeknefs, humility, conftancy, fervent love, and courage. ous zeal, the Lord had given this youth, as confounded his enemies, comforted his friends, and very much astonished all...

Mr. RENWICK was low of ftature, of a fair complexion, and of a ruddy and beautiful countenance. Moft men fpoke well of him after he was dead: even those who condemned him to death, as well as others, faid, that they believed he was gone to heaven. Lord Talbot, one of his Judges, declared, "Mr. Renwick was VOL. XIX. October 1796.

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