Thus died the faithful, pious, and zealous Mr. James Renwick on the third day over the 26th year of his age, a young man and a young minister, but a ripe Christian and renowned martyr of Christ, for whose sake he loved not his life dear unto the death, by whose blood and the word of his testimony he overcame, and thus got above all snares and sorrows, and to the conviction of many that formerly reproached him was as signally vindicated of, as he was in his life shamefully reproached with all the aspersions, obloquies and calumnies, that were cast upon him for prosecuting that testimony for truth, which now he sealed with his blood, in such a treasure of patience, meekness, humility, constancy, courage, burning love and blazing zeal, as did very much confound enemies, convince neutrals, confirm halters, comfort friends, and astonish all.
He was of stature somewhat low, of a fair complexion, and, like another young David, of a ruddy and beautiful countenance. Most men spoke well of him after he was dead; even his murderers, as well as others, said, They thought he went to heaven. Malignants generally said, He died a Presbyterian. The viscount of Tarbet (one of the counsellors), one day in company, when speaking of him, said, "That he was one of the stiffest maintainers of his principles that ever came before them. Others we used always to cause one time or other to waver, but him we could never move.—Where we left him, there we found him. We could never make him yield or vary in the least. He was the man we have seen most plainly and pertinaciously adhering to the old way of Presbyterian government, who, if he had lived in Knox's days, would not have died by any laws then in being." He was the last that on a scaffold sealed his testimony for religion, liberty, and the covenanted work of reformation in Scotland.
Besides what hand Mr. Renwick had in the informatory vindication, and the forementioned testimony against the toleration (both of which have long ago been published), there was also of late, by some well wishers to the same cause and testimony, published a collection of very valuable prefaces, lectures and sermons of his, in two volumes; as also another collection of very choice letters, wrote by him from July 8. 1682, to the day of his death, Feb. 17. 1688. There is also a treatise of his upon the admission of ruling elders, which the reader will find affixed to his life and vindication of his testimony wrote by Mr. Shields.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, &c.—These are they which came out of great tribulations, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.—I saw, under the altar, the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth—Here is the patience of the saints, here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.—Heb. xii. 1. Rev. vii. 14. and vi. 9, &c. xiv. 2.
N. B. In Scotland during these twenty eight years persecution, according to calculation, above 18000 people suffered death, or the outmost hardships and extremities; whereof 1700 were banished to the plantations, besides 750 banished to the northern islands, of these 200 were executed. Those who suffered by imprisonment, confinement and other cruelties of this nature, were computed at or above 3600, including the 800 last mentioned, and 55 who were panneled to be executed when apprehended. Those killed in several skirmishes or on surprise, and those who died of their wounds on such occasions were reckoned to be 680. Those who went to voluntary banishment to other countries, &c. were calculated at 7000. About 498 were murdered in cold blood without process of law, beside 362 who were by form of law executed. But the number of those who perished through cold, hunger and other distresses, contracted in their flight to the mountains, and sometimes even in the article of death murdered by the bloody soldiers, cannot be well calculated, but will certainly make up the number above specified. And yet like the Lord's church and people of old, while in Egypt, the more they were oppressed the more they grew, the blood of the martyrs being always the seed of the church. Yea to the honour of truth, and the praise of that God whom they served, they were so far from being spent, wasted or eradicated, that at the revolution they could raise a regiment in one day without beat of drum, the ancient motto of the church of Scotland being verified now as evidently as ever, Behold the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
See a more full account of these sufferings in the memoirs of the church of Scotland, from page 290 to 295.
The Life of Mr. Alexander Moncrief.
In virtue of an act of the general assembly 1642, appointing a list of six able men for the planting of vacant churches, Mr. Moncrief was pitched upon for the church of Skunie in Fife; and upon Sept. 26. 1643, was received there with great contentment.