Renwick's Visit to Peden's Death-bed Part II

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Continued from:
He told how:

He lifted up the standard where Cargill laid it down,
Where Cameron left it, as he rose to wear the martyrs crown.
To the hungering souls in Scotland he had broke the bread of life,
And shunned all innovations and all bitter roots of strife;
But chief of all, his aim had been to guard with faithful hand
The Gospel’s native purity, and the Covenants of the land.
Because he could not dance in step with the piping of the times,
And dreaded all compliances as heaven-defying crimes,
Those that his brethren should have been, did all affection quench,
Nay, cut him from theire fellowshi8p even as a rotten branch.

While thus he told how best-loved friends were severed from his side,
Tears of deep agony gushed forth, and mournfully he cried:
‘Woe’s me that I in Meshech am a sourjourner so long!
That I in taberacles dwell to Kedar that belong!
My sould with him that hateth peace hath long a dweller been;
I am for peace, but when I speak, for battle they are keen!’
And he spoke with him most cheeringly, with reverent, tender love,
And he prayed as they alone can pray whose heart’s home is above!
He prayed that in His own good time, the Lord would grant release,
And let his servant, worn with age and toil, depart in peace;
That all his works and sufferings, with acceptance might be crowned,
And the fruit, in ages yet to come, might gloriously abound.

‘Tis time we part, not far from hence the slayer hath a den,
And I know the night-shades gather thick, around old Blaxeden.’
‘Rough is the path before thee, planted thick with thorns and briars,
And a spirit meek and fearless, and a wary step requires,
And they feet are soft and tender yet; but keep a constant eye,
Unto Thy Master’s will, and thou shalt quit the stage with joy;
While they who walk with stately step, and bend their necks in pride,
Shall soil their garments, and be fain their squalid looks to hide.

‘Who trust in self, are forth at sea in a frail and broken ship;
Who build their church upon the breath of a Princes or courtiers lip,
Are building on the shifting sand, and on the fleeing cloud;
And stand they may, so long as they are tools to serve the proud.
Trust thou for ever in the Lord! for everlasting strength
Is in His arm, and He shall rise to plead they cause at length;’
And he drew him nearer, and he plced his hand upon his head,
And, with a pause of inward prayer, thse solemn words he said:-
‘God be they sun and shield! Farewell! And when we meet again,
It will not be as now, my son, in peril and in pain!’
And slowly Renwick left the bed– his finger raised above!-
The old man’s eye still following him, with look and tears of love.
–James Dodd’s

Renwick's visit to Peden's Death Bed Part I

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The names and circumstances may change, but the nature of things rarely change for those of us in perilous, and/or persecuted times.

Through the small and dingy lattice gleamed the last red beams of day—
One wintry burst from the setting sun—where the dying prophet lay;
Where, from his weary wanderings, with toil and suffering worn,
He had come close to his pilgrimage within his native Sorn.
His eyes are closed, but not in sleep—he murmurs forth a prayer,
That poor and wasted remnant, Lord, do Thou in sweet mercy spare!

The wolf has burst into the fold, the shepherds they are gone,
In all our hills and valleys round we are not left with one.
As he entered, Peden raised his eyes, and asked the strangers name,
And what the errand was for which to this lone place he came:–
‘Father, my name is Renwick, I have come to speak with thee—
To see thee in these troublous times, and crave thy prayers for me!’

The old man’s face with something flushed between the scowl and sneer,
For false reports against the young were scattered far and near:
‘Are you the Renwick that has made such noise throughout the land?
Turn round about, and let me view your measure as you stand.

Narrow thy shoulders, frail thy limbs; slim youth, thy heart is bold!
If thou dost not think that thou alone canst Scotland’s Church uphold!
‘O father, do not mock me thus; to thee my spirit cleaves;
The railing Shimeis pain me not, but thy least whisper grieves.

The noise and strife are not by me, my Lord’s reproach I bear;
And in the scandal of His Cross I also have found my share:
They seek to drive me from the land, a hissing and a scorn!
O father, hear and pity me, my heart with grief is torn!

The old man softened as the dew, and Renwick’s hand he takes—
‘Tis a bloody land—a treacherous time! We walk on asps and snakes,
Sit down by me, and tell me o’er the story of thy life
For well I know that cruel words cut sharper than a knife.

Peden did not die in a cave as is often reported. I think that is a bit of Covenanter Folklore, and myth to add to the legend that Alexander Peden was. But it isn”t true though he did spend some time living in a cave before that.

James Renwick's triumph of soul over the body Part II

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At length, in February, 1688, having come to Edinburgh, he was discovered in the Castlehill by a tide-waiter who was searching for smuggled goods, and who stumbled on a nobler sort of contraband. He tried to escape* at a back-door and fired a pistol which drove back his enemies, but in running down a street lost his hat, was recognized and secured. He was treated on the whole with marvellous lenity. The blood-suckers seemed weary of their work. They were, besides, deeply impressed by his youth arid his appearance. A grim Burley, a dark Hackstoun, or a grey-haired Blackadder, would have found no favour in their eyes. But this delicate, beautiful, and brave youth they were very much inclined to spare. They would had he made the slightest concession. But his mind was made up. He seemed, also, weary of life, arid speaks of being a ” broken-hearted man.” He was dying, too, at any rate, and perhaps wished to die with a public testimony upon his lips, and with Edinburgh and Scotland looking on. Perhaps, indeed, long wandering, arid anxiety and sicKness and solitude, had somewhat affected his fine mind. Nevertheless, at the justiciary, he behaved with uncommon courage arid calmness’; arid his answers to his judges were sharp arid ready in the extreme. When asked, for instance, if he had taught it to be unlawful to pay cess to his present majesty, he owned he had ; and added, ” Would it have been thought lawful for the Jews, in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, to have brought every one a coal to augment the flame of the furnace to devour the three children, if so they had been required by the tyrant ?” He was found guilty, and condemned to execution on the following’ Friday. He was asked if he would jlike longer time, but seemed rather anxious thari otherwise to “be at the end of his journey. He was, however, reprieved for a ‘ few days, during which time he was visited both” by episcopalians and papists, who used every effort to move his resolution, and to induce him to petition for life, but in vain. Bishop Paterson was very kind, and left at last in grief that ” such a pretty lad should be of such prin- ciples.” An impudent popish priest, who had intruded on him, was repulsed with manly indignation, so that it became a proverb in the Tolbooth ” Begone ! as Renwick said to the priests.” .With his mother and sisters, who were in town, he held many and most affecting inter- views. The fatal morning at last came, and Renwick bravely girded up his loins to meet it. When he heard the drums beating for the guard, he fell into an ecstasy, and said, ” ‘Tis the welcome warning to my marriage the bridegroom is coming I am ready I am ready.” He was asked whether he would like a minister with him at the last, but declined, saying, ” I want none with me but this one man,” pointing to one of his friends. He went forth to the scaffold as he would have gone to a bridal “as one in a transport of joy.” There seemed a presentiment in Edinburgh that this was to be the last of the martyrdoms, and that Renwick was to be the last of his noble kindred. His fame, too, had of late years been peculiarly blazed abroad, as one who was keeping alive the embers of Cameronianism by his single breath, and evading the keenest pursuit. Never, accord- ingly, had there been such a crowd assembled in the Grassmarket, as on that day. We can easily realize the scene. Faces, doubtless, were there, clad in the ghastly smiles of a triumph which was felt to be short others looking on with stern, silent disapprobation and concen- trated rage some openly weeping, and protesting against the deed and here and there flitting among the throng, the cloaked figures and disguised countenances of men, who, though in danger of the same doom, could not help venturing out from their hiding-places, to see their comrade or spiritual father die. But, whatever were the feelings or the words of the multitude, all was reduced to dumb show by the stormy music of the drums, which extinguished, so far as the people were concerned, the last words of the martyr. Unappalled he mounted the scaffold. He first sang Psalm cm, and then read Keve- lations xrx. -a. chapter describing the avatar of the avenger of Christian “blood, whose name is Faithful and True, and whose eyes are as a flame of fire, and which might well seem prophetic of the deliverance of the Scottish church which was at hand. He then prayed, and thousands who could not hear his words, must have been deeply moved at the expression of his upturned countenance, which had become “like the face of an angel.” It was the 18th of February, and clouds were darkening the sun, as he said, “I shall soon be above these clouds j and then I shall enjoy Thee and glorify Thee without interruption, or intermission, for ever.” He next addressed the people, renewing his testimony against the various corruptions of the period. At the top of the ladder he prayed again, and at length expired with the words in his mouth, “Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit, for thou hast redeemed me, Lord God of truth.” He was just twenty-six years of age. [George Gilfillian]

James Renwick's triumph of soul over the body Part I

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Why am I posting these account of the suffering servants of God on the wild Scottish hill sides from centuries ago on my website? Because I feel such affinity to their sufferings, to that of my own. The cause and effect are different, yet only I know what I endure in any single day, trapped in this prison of my body in of solitude and isolation continuously, while sick unto death. Thougj different tactics, different methods, it still came down in the end to upholding and not compromising the truth I love, being the reason I am so alone, and suffer all I do, all but forgotten by everyone outside of my window, and no one having the least clue of the suffering that is going on within the confines of this small apartment I inhabit. I know the depth of the agonies of soul, that their kinds of suffering it makes for. I know how it is to have God alone to depend on and keep you through what would be unthinkable to many, and how glorious he appears amid it. So this is why I have taken to posting some of these accounts, because I believe I get an insight into their sufferings, in a very real way, that not many alive in England will have today. I’m posting it, because though it is about men and women who I don’t know apart from history, to me its very personal.

James Guthrie had been the first minister who had suffered in the cause—James Renwick was the last. He may be called the Malachi among those modern minor prophets. He is described a little fair-haired man, with a comely countenance, and great unction and sweetness of address. His letters, which are published, given evidence of learning, ardent piety, and something which verges on genius. In one of them, for instance, he speaks of the muirs and mosses of Scotland being flowered with martyrs. He speaks repeatedly of
Luther in the loftiest terms, ,and seems quite familiar with his writings. His last letter closes thus: “I go to your God and my God. Death to me is as a bed to the weary.” He had a singular history. When a child of two years old, he, of his own accord tried to pray. Some years later he was tortured with doubts as to the being of a God. Once looking at the mountains surrounding Glen cairn, in Nithsdale, the parish of his birth, he cries out, “If these were all devouring furnaces of burning brimstone, I would be content to go through them all to be assured that there was a God.” These doubts passed away, and, like Chalmers at one period of A his life, he seems to have passed some entire years in devout solitary contemplation of the work and being of a God. He was sent t the university where he supported , by teaching gentleman’s sons. In July, 1681, when only nineteen years of age, he saw David Cargill executed in Edinburgh; and event which sent him home a “sadder and wiser man.” His mind was forthwith made up, tears on his eyes and cheeks, to connect himself with the extreme section of the Covenanter’s. After visiting Holland and receiving licence there to preach, he returned and added the weight of to his youthful scholar-ship, ardour and eloquence, to the Cameronian cause. His preaching gave a new impulse to the fading energies< of the party. His beautiful, boyish appearance---the fire which shone on his eyes and cheeks,-- his "pleasant melting voice,"--the "seraphic " of his speech, served to unite in him the charms of a bridegroom and the energies of an apostle. Peden and he were close friends. He spent two memorable nights with John Brown, the Ayrshire carrier. One chill dark November night, a thin, travel, well-worn stranger entered John Brown's hut at Priesthill. His shoes were worn off his feet--his plaid hung dripping around him---John Brown himself was absent--the good wife looked at him with a certain suspicion, and it was left to her little daughter, Janet to do as well as she could, the offices of hospitality to the uninvited and unexpected guest; yet so carefully did the child take off his plaid and so place him in the corner next to the fire, that the stranger burst into tears, and into a blessing on the "bairn." At this juncture Brown himself returned; he recognized Renwick, and a night of plaintive, yet joyous talk and reminiscences succeeded. After a day and another night of he same mutual intercourse, refreshed and strengthened he parted from John Brown to meet no more on earth, and went on his way. For years he led a wandering life, preaching whenever he could find an opportunity to the "puir hill folk." After the Sanquar declaration against the authority of James, which he penned, he became the object of unmitigated persecution; a reward of one hundred pounds was offered for his head, and fifteen distinct searches were made for him. Once he escaped by throwing himself into a hole on the side of a hill which was protected from view by a heap of stones. His activity at this time was amazing. With all the rapidity of enthusiasm did he pass from parish to parish, baptizing, catechizing, preaching, protesting against King James and his July indulgence. Like that glorious monk in the "Roman," he became a "a polyglot of Prophets"--a "manifold infection" of earnest and solitary protest. At length his health began to fail, he could no longer mount or ride on horseback, and had to be carried to the place where he was to preach. Yet, once there, recognizing an audience of the right kind, and feeling the fresh breeze of the mountain on his fevered forehead he revived, he strengthened, he enlarged, he poured out the emotions of his heart and he wrongs of his party in a very sea of eloquence, and the dying "boy" Renwick, was felt to be inspired. In him soul triumphed over the body, and seemed when it reached its climax to lift up the frail frame in scorn, and to say, "what proportion between this instrument and that effect?" Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord.
---George Gilfillian

I hope to conclude this on James Renwick tomorrow, with the account of his martyrdom.

Dying Testimony of James Renwick

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The dying testimony of Mr. James Renwick, Minister of the Gospel, and to the Truths and Duties for which was judged, and other contraverted in our time, who suffered at the Grass-market in Edinburgh, February 17th, 1688. Emitted from his own hand, the days before his suffering, &c.

My Dear Friends in CHRIST,

It hath pleased the Lord to deliver me up into the hands of men, and I think fit to send you this Salutation, which I expect will be the last, when I pore my heart upon it, before God; I dare not desire to have escaped this lot, for no less could have been for his glory, and vindication of his cause on my behalf; And as I am free before him of the profanity, which some either naughty wicked, or strangers to me have reported that I have been sometimes guilty of; so he hath kept me from the womb, free of ordinary pollution of children, as these that hath been acquainted with me though the Tract of my life do know, and now my blood shall either more silence reproaches or more ripen them for judgement, but I hope it shall make some more, sparing to speak of those who shall come after me; and so I am the more willing to pay this cost, for their instruction, and my succeeders ease, since I came to prison; The Lord hath been wonderfully kind to me, he has made his Word to give me Light, Life, Joy, Courage, and Strength; Yea, it hath dropped with sweet smelling Myrrh unto me; particuarly these passages and promises, Gen:22: 12. Latter part of the verse. For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not witheld thine only son. Neh. 8:10. Later part of the verse.Neither be you sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Job 3, 17. There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary be at rest. 18. There the prisoners rest together, they hear not the voice of the oppressor. Job 23: 10. But he knoweth the way that I take; when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as god. 11. My foot hath held his steps, his ways have I kept, and not declined. 12. Neither have I gone back from the Commandment, of his lips, I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my neccessary food. 13. But he is of one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth even that he doth. 14. For he performeth the things that he is appointed for me; and many such things are with him. Psalm 105. Latter part of the verse. The word of the Lord tried him. Luke 21:12. But before all these they shall lay their hands on your and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before Kings and Rules for my Name sake. 13. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. 19. In your patience, posess ye your souls. The Gospel according to S. John. Heb. 12:13. To the General Assembly of the church of the First Born, which are written in Heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the Spirits of just m en made perfect. Jam: 1. 12, Blessed is the Man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall recieve the Crown of Life, which the Lord hath promises to them that love Him. Peter 5:7. Casting your cares upon him, for he careth for you. 8. Be sober, be vigilant, because your Adversary the Devil, is a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour. Revl 3:8. I know thy works; behold I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it; for thou hast a little strength, and hath kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my Patience, I also will k eep thee from the hour of Temptation, which shall come upon all the World, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11. Behold, I come quickly; hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12. Him that over cometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the Name of my God and the Name of the City if my God , which is new Jersalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and I will write upon him my new Name. Reve. 19. 20. And the Beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he decieved them that had recieved the marke of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast into the Lake of Fire burning with brimstone. 21. And the remnant were slain with the Sword of him that sat upon the horse. Which Sword proceedeth out of his mouth; and all the Fowlsl were filled with their flesh. And many other Scriptures.

O what can I say to the Lord’s Praise! It was but little that I knew of him before I came to prison; I have found sensibly much of his divine strength, much of the joy of his spirit, and much assurance from his Word and Spirit, concerning my salvation, my sufferings are stated upon the Matter of my doctrine, for there was found with me, the sum of my last two sermons at Briads-Craigs, which I wrote after I preached them; The former thereof was upon Ps 46:10. Be still, and know that I am God; I will exalt among the heathen, I will be exalted in the Earth. And the latter upon Heb: 10:38. Now the just shall live by faith. but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in Him. And so I was examined upon the Application and made therein unto the sins of the time: All which I owned once and again, as it is to be seen in my Indictment, and I being tried, and an Assize set; I adhere to my former confession explicity, so my sentence of Death was drawn forth, upon these three heads;

First, Because I could not own James Vii, to be my lawful Sovereign.
Secondly, Because I taught the unlawfulness of paying the cost expressly extracted for supressing the faithful and free preaching of the Gospel.
Thirdly, Because I taught it was the peoples duty to carry arms, at the preaching of the Gospel, now when it is persecuted for defending themselves, and resisting unjust violence.

I think such a Testimony, is worth many lives, and I praise the Lord for his enabling me to be plain and positive in all my Confessions; for therein I found peace, joy, strength and boldness. I have met with many assaults in prison, some from some of the indulged party, and some from some of the prelaticks; but by the strength of God I was enabled to stand, that they could neither bow me nor break me; I was also assaulted by some of the popish party, I suppose they were some of the Ecclesiastical creatures; but they sound none of their own Stuff in me, I told them after sundry Debatings, That I had lived and die and enemy to their way: howsoever I was pressed by sundry to seek a reprieve, and my answer was always that I adhered to my former confession, and if they pleaed to set the appointed time of my death let it stand, and if they pleased to protract it. Let them protract it, for I was ready and willing to beoth live and to die, howbeit their came a reprieve for eight days but I had no hand in it; They still urged, would I say that I desired time for conference iwth some persons anent my principles: I answered, That my time was in the Lord’s hands, and I was in no hesitation or doubt about my principles myself, I was not be so rude as to decline conference with any, so far as it might be incovenient for me in my present circumstnaces, but I will seek it with none. I have no more to say upon this head, but my heart doth not smite me for anything in the matters of my God since I came to prison; And I can further say to his praise with some conseientiousness of integrity that I have walked his way and kept his charge though with much weakness and many infirmities whereof ye have been witnesses. Now my dear Friends in precious Christ, I think I need not tell you; that as I have l ived, so I die in the same persuasion, with the true Reformed and Covenanted Presbyterian church of Scotland, that I adhere to the testimony of the day, as it is held forth in our informaty vindication and in the testimony against the present toleration; and that I own, and seal with my blood all the precious truth, eve the contraverted turths that I have taught; So I would exhort every one of you, to make sure your personal reconcilaition with God in Christ; for I fear many of you have that yet to do, and when ye come where I am to look pale death in the face, ye will not be a little shaken and terrified, if ye have not laid hold of eternal life. I would exhort you to much diligence in the use of the means, to be careful in keeping up your societies, to be frequent and ferverent in secret prayer, to read much the wtitten Word of God, and to examine yourselves by it; do not weary to maintain in yoru places and stations the present testimony; for when Christ goes forth to defeat Antichrist; with that Name written on his Thigh, and on Versture King of Kings and Lord of Lords, he will make it glorious in the earth, and if ye can be transmit it to the posterity, ye may count it a great generations work, But beware of the ministers, that have accepted of this toleration, and all others than bend that way, and follow them not, for the sun hath gone down upon them. Do not fear that the Lord will cast off Scotland, for he will certainly return again, and shew himself glorious in our land, but watch and pray, for he is bringing on a sad overthrowing stroke, which shall make many say, That they have eaisly got through that hath got a scaffold for Christ, and do not regard their present sufferings of this world, for they are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed, I amy say to his praise, that I have found his cross sweet and lovely unto me; for I have had many joyful hours, and not a fearful thought since I came to prison; He hath strengthened me, for to outbreath man, and ourface death. And I am now longing for the joyful hour of my dissolution, and there is nothing in the world that I am sorry to leave but you, But I go to a better company and so I must take my leave of you all. Farewell my beloved, sufferers and followers of the Lamb; Farewell Christian intimates; Farwell Christian and comfortable Mother and Sisters/ Forewell sweet societies; Farewell desireable General meetings; Farwell night wanderings in the cold and weariness for Christ; Farewell sweet Bible, and preaching of the Gospel; Farwell sun, Moon and stars and all sublumary things; Farewell conflicts with a body of sin and Death–Welcome scaffold, for precious Christ; Welcome heavenly Jerusalem; welcome innumerable company of angels; welcome General assembly, and church of the First Born; welcome Crown of Glory, white robes and songs of Moses and the Lamb; And above all, welcome o thou blessed Trinity and one God! O Eternal One! I commit my soul unto thy eternal rest.

JAMES RENWICK. fEB. 13TH, 1688

MY DEAR FRIENDS IN CHRIST,

I see now what hath been the language of my Reprieve, it hath been, that I might be further tempted and tried, and I praise the Lord he hath assisted me, to give further proofs of steadfastness; I have often been assaulted by some popish priests, but the last time they came, I told I would debate no more with such as they were, and that I have lived and would die a Presbyterian, Protestant and testify against the Idolatrous, heresies and superstition, and errors of that Anti-Christian way; but yesterday, I was cast into deep exercise, and made to dwell under an impression of the dreadfulness of everything, that might grieve the spirit of God. I found sin to be more bitter than death, and one hours hiding of God’s face, more insupportable. And then at night, I was called before a part of the Council, and the Chancellor produced the informatory vindication, and asked if I knew it; I answered, I knew it; And being interrogated, I confessed that I had a great hand in writing of it, they pressed me to tell my assistances, I told them they were those whom they persecuted, but would satisfy them no further; they also urged me upon pain of torture; to tell where our Societies were, who kept our General Correspondences, and where they were kept. I answered, though they should torture me, which was contrary to all Laws after sentence of death, I would give them no further notice than the books gave, I was moreover threatened to tell of my haunts and quarters, but I refused to make known to them any such thing; so I was returned to prison. such exercise as I had, was very needful for such a trial; and I would rather endure what they could do unto me; Than have dishonoured Christ, offended you, and brought you into trouble:–But I hope within less than three days, to be without the reach of all temptations.

Now, I have no more to say, Farewell again, in our Blessed LORD JESUS.

Feb 15th 1688. James Renwick