The prophet's message to Eli, "Wherefore the Lord God of Israel said
* * * THEM THAT HONOUR ME, I WILL HONOUR," (1 Sam. ii. 30,) declares a
fundamental law of the divine government, which the history alike of
individuals and of communities has illustrated in all by-past ages. The
works of many men of eminent talent and remarkable energy--admired in
their own day,--have speedily passed into oblivion, or have been
productive of few permanently salutary results. Despising God, "they
have been lightly esteemed." Those, on the other hand, who honoured God,
and were devoted to His service--however humble their talents or
position in society,--however contemned and persecuted by the
world--have been honoured of God. Their labours have been accepted to
advance His glory in the earth--their memories have continued long
fragrant, and their principles and character have furnished the most
valuable instruction and the brightest examples to future generations.
Of this we have a striking instance in JAMES RENWICK,--the last, and in
various respects the most illustrious of the Scottish martyrs of the
seventeenth century. Hated and persecuted in his own day, by the men in
authority in Church and State--caluminated and reproached by ministers
and others, who professed evangelical sentiments and affected piety--and
his principles generally misrepresented and condemned even to our own
day,--there is yet abundant evidence to show that the Master whom he
faithfully served, and for whose cause he willingly surrendered his
life, singularly owned and honoured him. His faithful contendings and
arduous labours contributed not a little to subvert the throne of a
bigot and tyrant, and to achieve the nation's liberties. They served
also to secure the purity and independence of the Church, and to
transmit a legacy of imperishable principles to future times, when "the
handful of corn" upon the top of the mountains, "shall shake with fruit
like Lebanon." Scant and fragmentary as are the memorials of
Renwick--clothed in the most homely garb, and written with no artistic
skill, they have yet been the means of nurturing vital piety in many a
humble breast and household, in these and other countries, from the
martyr era, to our own day; and not a few of the most devoted ministers,
who have earnestly contended for precious truth, and been wise to win
souls to Christ, have received from the record of the labours and
sufferings and testimony of Renwick, some of their first solemn
impressions for good, and propelling motives to holy diligence and
self-devotion. As the story of Joseph in the Old Testament has been
remarkably blessed, above other parts of the divine word, for promoting
the conversion and early piety of the young, so the unadorned narrative
of the life, labours, and death of the youthful Scottish martyr, has led
not a few to prefer the cause and reproach of Christ to the world's
favour--to imbibe his spirit, and to imitate him, in seeking ends the
most important and glorious.
Renwick's work in the Church is not yet fully accomplished, nor is the
influence of his name losing its attractive power. On the contrary,
there is evidence, increasing as it is cheering, that while the one is
drawing to it more earnest regard and willing workers, the other is
constantly becoming more powerful and widespread. Let any person compare
the manner in which the later Scottish martyrs--Renwick and the Society
people,--were spoken of in the histories, civil and ecclesiastical,
emitted in these countries, forty or fifty years ago, with the altered
tone of historians of a recent date, and he will see that posterity is
beginning to do tardy justice to the memories of men of whom "the world
was not worthy,"--- who were the noblest, most disinterested patriots of
which their country could ever boast, and whose services to the cause of
pure and undefined religion were invaluable. Occasionally, we yet find,
in the works of some popular writers, Renwick and his fellow-sufferers,
designated enthusiasts and fanatics, their principles misrepresented,
and some of their most heroic deeds held up to ridicule and scorn. Even
the brilliant Macaulay, while exposing to deserved condemnation their
cruel and heartless persecutors, and while depicting with graphic power
some of the incidents of the deaths of the Scottish martyrs, yet shews
his strong aversion to evangelical principle and godly practice, by
applying to the honest confessors the same opprobrious epithets. The age
in which the martyrs and their principles were kept entombed, by heaping
on them reproach and slander, is past, however, not to return again.
Their names are destined not to perish. God designs in his providence to
honour them more and more, by bringing more clearly to light the great
principles for which they contended unto blood, striving against sin.
The era long predicted and desired is approaching, when the saints shall
rise to reign with Christ on the earth, when the spirit which
distinguished them shall be extensively revived, and the great
principles of their testimony shall be triumphant.
Meanwhile, the resurrection of the _names_ of the confessors and martyrs
of a former age, is a sure indication of the resurrection of their
principles too. Through the evidence furnished by the faithful
contendings and devoted lives of men of sanctified wisdom and high-toned
piety, and the light reflected from the story of their sufferings and
triumphant deaths, we cannot doubt that numbers will be led to earnest
inquiry concerning the principles for which they testified in life, and
in confirmation of which they willingly laid down their lives, that they
might transmit the precious heritage to future generations. The result
will be a wider appreciation of the value and excellency of a
martyr-testimony; and in the period of promised light and enlargement,
the lifting up of a standard in many places, and by strong hands, in
behalf of the same great principles.
As prefatory to the memorials of the piety, wisdom, and devotedness of
the martyr Renwick, it appears desirable to present a brief sketch of
his personal history--to notice the particular time in which he
laboured, and the principles for which he contended,--his martyrdom,
character, and the distinct and honourable position assigned him in the
great work of maintaining and advancing the Redeemer's cause in the
earth.