deed to the praise of his free grace, that he is continuing and increasing his kindly dealing with my soul. O that I could praise him and commend him to all flesh." This shows how devoutly he was exercised, how pure were his motives, in entering on the ministry, and what a deep sense of his own insufficiency he entertained.

On the day after his ordination, a communication was received by Mr Brakel, stating that a formal libel was to be forwarded from the Scottish ministers in Rotterdam, containing very serious charges against the society people in Scotland, which must be answered, or else the ordination delayed. This, however, came one day too late, and could not now affect Mr Renwick; and the friendly disposition of the Classis towards him was not on this account in the least degree lessened.

CHAPTER II.

Mr Renwick's Return to Scotland.-State of the Country at this time. His first Public Appearance in Darmead Moss.

So strong was Mr Renwick's desire of visiting Scotland, that immediately after his ordination he hastened to Rotterdam to embrace the first opportunity of sailing to his native land. In Rotterdam he was assaulted by several of the ministers with regard to his principles, and the conduct of the societies in Scotland; but he was nothing moved, he answered all with meekness, he continued firm to his purpose, and was determined to follow, in the strength of his Master, what appeared to be the plain line of his duty.

In a short time, finding a ship ready to sail, he embarked at the Brill, but being detained a few days waiting for a fair wind, he was so disgusted with the profanity of those on board, who were continually pressing him to drink the king's health, and threatening to inform on him in case of a refusal, that he left the ship and took his passage in another bound for Ireland. When at sea, a violent storm arose, which compelled them to put into the Rye harbour in England at the very time when

there was so great an uproar throughout the kingdom respecting the Ryehouse plot. This incident threatened to involve him in no small distress, and he narrowly escaped being apprehended. Both the tide-waiters and the master of the vessel were inclined to betray him into the hands of his enemies; but, by the kindness of Providence, he eluded the snares that were laid for him, and in the beginning of August, after a perilous voyage, he arrived at Dublin. Here he had frequent interviews with the ministers who were resident in the place, with whom he warmly and affectionately remonstrated on account of their defections and their lukewarmness in the cause of Christ. His reproofs, though not accompanied with any reforming effect, were at least well taken, and the persons with whom he conversed conceived a good opinion of him as a godly and zealous youth, and they exerted themselves in procuring for him a speedy passage to Scotland. His voyage to what Mr Peden used to call, when in Ireland, the "bluidy land," was accomplished with much greater difficulty than Mr Renwick anticipated. The master of the vessel, who was no friend to the covenanting cause, was induced, notwithstanding, to set him ashore during the night, otherwise he would have been seized on the first moment of his landing. Thus was this devoted servant of Christ restored to his native land through many difficulties and perils; he was preserved and sanctified for the great and good work, in which, for about the space of four years and a-half, he laboured in the light of his Master's countenance, with all fidelity and painfulness, till he sealed his testimony with his blood. At the time when Mr Renwick set his foot, as an

ordained minister, on the Scottish shores, the country was in a melancholy condition. The persecution had now risen to a dreadful height; and so frequent were the murders on fields and scaffolds, that the period was emphatically denominated the killing time. The whole land was overrun with oppression, and violence had risen up like a mighty flood, pouring its desolating waters over every district where any symptoms of civil and religious liberty showed themselves. The bigoted and ruthless rulers in Church and State vented, without restraint or compunction, their fury on the unoffending people of God, who were subjected to unheard-of suffering. And for what was it they suffered? Why, the great and leading offence was, their holding the doctrine of the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ as the King and Head of his own Church. It was for maintaining this, in the face of the usurpation of it by a profligate prince, that their enemies saw fit to yoke the car of oppression, and to drive it remorselessly over the breadth and length of a prostrate land. Nor were the principles of civil liberty lost sight of by our persecuted ancestors; and because they dared, as men and as citizens, to assert these, the sword of despotism was lifted up to hew them to pieces; so that, in the united character of Christians and of patriots, our forefathers maintained a noble struggle.

Their non-compliance with the iniquitous laws of the time subjected the Covenanters to incredible hardships. A lawless soldiery were let loose on the country, to plunder and kill at their will, those who would not subject their consciences to the dominant party. Their recreant persecutors yielded their con

victions to the will of a despot, and, to serve a purpose, forswore the vows under which they lay; but the sufferers for conscience' sake maintained their original position, and rather than swerve from which they were prepared to endure the loss of all things, and even of life itself. Their craven-hearted rulers might openly and avowedly perjure themselves, but the virtuous peasantry were not to be seduced by their example; it was their determination to cleave to the Lord in what they conceived to be the obvious paths of duty; and bravely did they maintain this determination, and thereby proved themselves to be a race of as noble, principled, and upright hearted men as the world ever saw. They were men who reflected an honour on the nation in which they lived; and had their princes used them well, and according to the terms of their covenanted engagements, they would have been a rock of defence to them, and the stability of their throne.

It is a grievous slander to represent the Covenanters of Scotland as a race of turbulent and seditious men, whose principles forbade them to live in subjection to lawful authority. They were the last men in the nation who would have risen up against the righteously constituted authorities of the land; and if they had not been forced to defend themselves against an illegal aggression, we would never have heard of their opposition. They were men of a peaceable disposition, good and loyal subjects, but slaves. "The Reformers of Scotland," says Dr M'Crie, "were always Covenanters, and always loyal, but never slavish." Who, we ask, were the rebels of these times, the subjects who adhered to the constitutional laws, or the rulers who violated the social