clamation, in which, by his prerogative | In this third indulgence, his majesty, in and absolute power, his majesty at once his usual strain, "by his sovereign auabrogates and annuls all acts of parlia-thority, prerogative royal, and absolute ment and laws against Roman Catholics, power," suspends all penal and sanguigives them the free and public exercise nary laws made against any for non-conof their worship, and renders them eligi-formity to the religion established by ble to all places of public trust, abolishing law; granting to the Presbyterians the test, and enacting a new oath, which" leave to meet and serve God after their affirmed chiefly the entire supremacy and own way and manner, be it in private absolute power and authority of the houses, chapels, or places purposely hired sovereign.* or built for that use, so that they take care that nothing be preached or taught among them which may any ways tend to alienate the hearts of our people from us or our government." It was, however, expressly provided that they were not to meet in the open fields; and all the laws against field-preaching were left "in full force and vigour," on the ground that, after this act of royal grace and favour, there was not a shadow of excuse left for them. This, which was called King James's First Indulgence, gave satisfaction to no party but the Papists. The Prelatists were irritated and alarmed to see their own weapons wrested out of their hands, dreading that the power which they had so long and relentlessly employed against the Presbyterians might soon be put into the hands of Papists, and directed against themselves. The Presbyterians generally regarded it with suspicion and distrust, viewing it as not intended for their relief, but as a deceptive mode of restoring Popery; and the Covenanters not merely rejected it, but set its threats at defiance, and continued their field-preachings as usual. His majesty had now declared himself an advocate for liberty of conscience and universal toleration. But few were deceived by these hypocritical pretences. All true Protestants, whether Episcopalians, Presbyterians, or Dissenters, per On the 31st of March a second indul-ceived clearly enough, that direct favour gence was published, by which the council were empowered to dispense with the oath, and to suffer Presbyterian ministers to preach in private houses during his majesty's pleasure. This was equally disregarded by the Presbyterians, with this exception, that some of the ministers preached in private houses, having been requested to do so, irrespective of the indulgence; and this was represented by the council, in their letter to the king, as the compliance of the whole body. The king, imagining that his schemes were producing the desired effect, issued a still more extensive toleration to the Dissenters in England; but neither did this hollow and crafty stratagem delude that conscientious body of Christians, who, greatly to their honour, declined to avail themselves of the power of retaliation against the Established Church, which was so far placed within their reach. to the Papists was intended; and it was not unfairly surmised that, by the universal toleration, the king hoped to throw the various denominations of Protestants into such a state of rivalry and collision, that they would weaken each other, and prepare for the establishment of Popery upon their ruins. There is little reason to doubt that such was his majesty's aim and expectation; but both the immediate and the ultimate consequences were very different from what he intended and hoped. In England a sharp controversy was carried on against the distinctive tenets of the apostate Church of Rome, in which, as might be expected, both from the goodness of their cause and the high talents of the learned and eminent men who engaged in it, the English divines were signally victorious. The universities also joined in the opposition to Popish ascendency; even royalist Oxford, notwithstanding its previous declaration of passive obedience, resisted when oppression was directed against itself. The nation began to awaken, alarmed by the rapid strides which his majesty was making towards Popery, and by the utter dis regard for all liberty, civil and religious, | to do what in reality amounted to at least which he displayed in his impetuous a partial admission of the royal suprehaste to accomplish what he regarded as the great object of his life. macy in matters spiritual. Yet a considerable number of the ministers concurred in writing and transmitting an ad dress of thanks, but ill accordant with the free and independent principles of the Presbyterian Church.* The firm, unyielding Covenanters adopted a more consistent course. The conferences in which they had been engaged with their more compliant brethern during the preceding year had caused them to institute a thorough inquiry into the nature and value of their own leading principles, the result of which was the publication, early in this year, of a work entitled "An Informatory In this work they republished their former declarations, giving a mitigated explanation of some objectionable sentiments and expressions, but reasserting the great principles in defence of which they had suffered, and were willing still to suffer, every extreme of persecution. The writing of this work had tended both to give clearness to their conception of what these principles were, and to confirm them in their resolute determination to resist every infringement of what they firmly believed to be principles of infinite value and eternal truth. They therefore rejected at once any and every indulgence or toleration of man's inalienable right to worship God according to the direction of His own revealed word and will, and the dictates of an enlightened conscience; especially when such indulgence was founded upon and proceeded from that pernicious principle, the unlimited prerogative and ab In Scotland the third indulgence led to a result different in aspect, but not more favourable to the designs of the king. Almost all the Presbyterian ministers in the kingdom availed themselves of the opportunity which it gave them of resuming public worship, and collecting again their scattered congregations. Many, both ministers and people, were released from prison, returned to their long-lost homes, and engaged with renewed fervour in the reconstruction of the Presbyterian Church by the revival of its unforgotten forms of government and discipline, the reunion of its scattered but still | Vindication," &c. living members, and the resuscitation of its imperishable principles. Several of the ejected or intercommuned ministers who had fled to Holland, returned and resumed the discharge of their sacred duties among their countrymen in their own beloved native land. Thus did the Presbyterian Church begin to "shake herself from the dust, and to put on her beautiful garments yet the yoke was not wholly loosened from her neck, nor was her robe unstained. A meeting of ministers from different parts of the country was held in Edinburgh, to deliberate respecting the course which ought to be followed in this change of circumstances. It was generally agreed, that the benefit of this indulgence should be accepted; but a strong difference of opinion arose, whether an address of thanks should be transmitted to the king. Fortunately for the character of the Presbyterian Church, so large a number of the ministers disap-solute power of the monarch,-a principroved of any address of thanks to a Po- ple equally inconsistent with the laws of pish tyrant for giving what he had no God and the liberties of mankind. Alike right either to give or withhold, that the defying the tyrant's threats and spurning meeting separated without consenting to his favours, they resolved to hold on their transmit such an address as from the unswerving course, to continue their body, leaving it to individual ministers field-preachings, and to oppose the exerto act as they might think proper in the cise of arbitrary power on the one hand, matter. This, however, while it pre- and a course of weak and sinful submisvented a total loss of character, was an sion on the other.† Men may censure ominous manifestation of weakness, and their conduct as too rigidly unaccommowant of resolute adherence to Presby- dating but none who understand the subterian principles. Not merely no address ject will deny that at least "their failof thanks should have been sent from ings leaned to virtue's side," and that them as a body, but there should have * Wodrow, vol. iv. p. 428. been a prohibition issued, forbidding any It Faithful Contendings, p. 310; Hind Let Loose, p. 182. and then returned to Edinburgh, where he lodged for the night. On the very next day, the 1st of February, early in the morning, he was seized, dragged before the council, committed to prison, and heavily fettered like a condemned felon. His accusation was based chiefly on his their principles and proceedings bore a closer resemblance to those of the First and Second Reformations, than did the measures adopted by the greater number of the more compliant and larger party. Still, notwithstanding these dissensions, the Presbyterian cause grew and prospered generally. Some important regu-disowning the king, refusing to pay the lations were framed by the meeting of ministers, for the guidance of the body in the great work, on which they were about to enter, of reviving the worship, government, and discipline of the Presbyterian Church. All cess, condemning the toleration, main- [1688.] The year 1688, destined to be so memorable in the annals of civil and religious liberty, wore at its beginning in Scotland the aspect of returning persecution. The bold language and unyielding behaviour of Renwick and the Covenanters provoked the council, and led to redoubled efforts for the seizure of that fearless asserter of religious purity and freedom, and for the enforcement of all the acts against field-preaching. A proclamation was issued also, condemning all books which defended the conduct of the Presbyterians, censured that of the persecutors, and assailed Popery; from which the Bible was scarcely exempted, although its suppression was deemed yet premature. Several instances of cruelty and oppression inflicted upon the perse-a concession as would have justified the cuted wanderers might be mentioned; but omitting these, we proceed to relate the sufferings and death of the last and one of the most distinguished victims of prelatic tyranny. It has been already stated, that the small band of determined Covenanters refused to accept the indulgence offered by King James, which was accepted by so many Presbyterian ministers. In this refusal Renwick not only heartily concurred, but was anxious that those who might accept it should at least guard against giving utterance to any such sentiments as might disgrace the Presbyterian cause, and widen the breach between them and him, which he so much deplored. For this purpose he wrote a paper containing his views, and went privately to Edinburgh to lay it before the meeting of ministers held there. When this was done, he went to Fife, where he continued preaching some time, "Wodrow, vol. iv. p. 444. council in sparing his life. He was visited by one of the bishops, by some of the curates, and by the lord advocate; but he remained unshaken in his principles, and calmly resolute to lay down his life rather than consent to their violation in the slightest degree. He had been exposed to much calumny and reproach for his unbending maintenance of them, in his conferences with other Presbyterian ministers; and he judged rightly, to abandon them through the fear of death, if unconvinced that they were erroneous, would cast great discredit upon these principles, discourage those who had been his faithful followers and fellowmartyrs, and be utterly ruinous not only to his own character, but also and especially to his peace of mind. For him to die was infinitely less terrible than to disown the Covenants, cast a stumblingblock in the way of God's people, and violate his own allegiance to Christ. Finding that there was no prospect of his submission, orders were given for his | ral meeting in the parish of Galston, execution. On the day appointed, the where Mr. Shields preached in defiance 17th of February, he obtained permission of the sanguinary laws still in force. for his mother and sisters to spend a little against them. The soldiery were sent time with him in the prison. To them he immediately to pursue the delinquents; spoke even in terms of joyful anticipation but though they pillaged the country se of his near approaching death-hour, ad- verely, only one youth fell into their dressing to them the kind and gentle lan- hands, who was killed on the spot with guage of warm and pure affection, which, out so much as the form of a trial while it smoothes the stream of sorrow, Several of the indulged ministers were increases its depth and perpetuity. When interrupted in their ministry and brought the hour approached, the council, appre- to trial on account of alleged violations hensive of the effect which might be pro- of the terms of the late indulgence. By duced, sent to request him neither to pray these proceedings the country was made nor address the people from the scaffold; fully aware that the king's boasted uniintimating that, if he would not comply versal toleration was not intended to be a the drums should be beat so that not a measure of mercy, but merely a decepword should be heard. He refused to tive pretext for the restoration of Popery comply; and accordingly, whenever he to universal power in the kingdom. attempted to speak, his voice was drown- It is not our province to trace the civil ed, or nearly so, in the harsh discordant events of this period, by which the revosound of the beaten drums. Yet a few lution was effected, especially as it may broken sentences were caught by the be assumed that these are familiar to alkeen ears of his admiring followers and most every reader. A few sentences will friends, and treasured up as the precious contain an outline sufficient for our purfragments of a distinguished martyr's dy-pose, which is merely to preserve the coning testimony.* So died James Renwick, three days after he had completed his 26th year; a youth in years, but an experienced Christian, and a most faithful, zealous, and indefatigable minister; in temper mild, gentle, and patient,-in manners courteous and amiable,-in controversial discussion clear, vigorous, and eloquent, as his writings amply prove, in principle a Presbyterian of the ancient and heroic mould, inflexible as Knox and vehement as Melville, though unequal to either in genius and power. This singularly pious and highly-gifted youth was the last who publicly sealed with his blood his testimony in behalf of Scotland's Covenant, and the Divine Mediator's sole sovereignty over his Church. tinuity of the narrative, that what belongs peculiarly to the church of Scotland may chiefly engage our attention, and at the same time be seen in proper sequence and natural connection. The attention of all lovers of freedom had for some time been directed to the Prince of Orange, husband of James's eldest daughter, and heir-presumptive to the crown. But on the 10th of June the queen gave birth to an infant prince, by which the joy of the Papists was raised to the highest pitch, and the nation generally alarmed by the dread of a succession of Popish sovereigns. At the same. time, the acquittal of the seven bishops, who had been committed to the Tower by James because of their petitioning against being compelled to read one of his arbitrary indulgences from the pulpit gave occasion to the display of the nation's joy at the defeat of absolute power. The vigilant eye of William marked well the importance of the juncture. He saw the Scottish Presbyterians availing themselves of the king's deceptive truce, to muster their strength, and to recover that position which belonged to them as form The dreadless banner of the Covenant, which Renwick had so long upheld, was not allowed to fall prostrate to the earth when his hand was cold in death. It was seized and borne aloft by the Rev. Alexander Shields, who had previously been a sufferer in the same cause, and who, having been called by the society people to be their minister, boldly stept into that honourable but most perilous path of duty. They held a large gene-ing the great majority of the population in the kingdom. He perceived that * Wodrow, vol. iv. pp. 445-454; Life of Renwick; James had succeeded in alienating the af Cloud of Witnesses. fections of the English Church and peo- | Any thing more servile, and at the same ple, while yet his popish support was in- time despotic and persecuting in its spirit, considerable. The nation, he perceived, it is impossible to imagine; and as this was ripe for a change, and the favourable moment was come, which, if not promptly seized, might never return. The birth of the infant prince put an end to all indecision, as it put an end to his hope of ascending the throne by natural succession. Having made the necessary preparations for an enterprise so momentous, he committed the cause solemnly to God, set sail, and landed at Torbay, without having encountered any opposition, on the 5th of November. was the last public act of Scottish Prelacy, at the close of its bloody reign, it deserves to be recorded, as a proof that it was still the same slavish, intolerant, irreligious, and persecuting system which it had ever been, and as a warning also, that Prelacy and civil and religious freedom cannot exist together in Scotland. On the 10th of December there occurred a riot in Edinburgh, caused chiefly by the students of the college and the city apprentices, which ended in their driving a body of troops out of Holyrood House, which had been fortified and gar In the meantime, James had been acting like a man under the spell of infatuation. In England he ceased not to ir-risoned, rifling the Abbey, and burning ritate the feelings of that high-spirited the images and other idolatrous symbols people, already provoked beyond endur- employed in the popish worship. This ance by his despotism. He attempted the riot the council had not power to quell; perilous measure of remodelling the ar- and the Duke of Perth, the chancellor, my, from which he was compelled to fled from the capital in terror of his life. desist. He drew the greater part of On the 14th the council published an act the forces from Scotland, with the view for disarming Papists, and at the same of employing them to keep his refractory time protecting their persons and properEnglish subjects in obedience, but leav- ty against tumults, which was intended to ing his Scottish minions destitute of pow- prevent the recurrence of similar riotous er to maintain his interests in that coun- scenes. On the 24th they issued a protry against the rising and rapidly increas- clamation, founded upon a rumour that ing strength of the Presbyterians. A the Irish Papists had been called on by proclamation was issued for raising the the king to invade Scotland. In this promilitia in Scotland; but that was little clamation they require all Protestant subelse than putting arms into the hands of jects to put themselves in a state of defence, his opponents. Yet the Scottish council for securing their religion, lives, liberties, showed their willingness, if not their and properties, against the attempts of power, by transmitting an address making Papists; and all heritors are summoned offer of their lives and fortunes to the to meet, well armed and provided, at the king, and requesting directions how to head burghs of their respective counties, act in such a dangerous juncture. When and to place themselves under the comthe Prince of Orange issued his declara- mand of the persons named in the proclation and manifesto, that document was mation. This was a virtual repeal of the prohibited to be circulated or read; but whole proceedings of the government the zealous Covenanters assisted greatly during the preceding twenty-eight years, in spreading it throughout the length and in which to appear armed in defence of breadth of the land, in spite of all prohibi- life and religion was condemned and puntions, and it was received with general ished as treason. After this act the Scotsatisfaction. On the 3d of November, all tish privy council voluntarily dissolved the Scottish prelates, except two, concurred and disappeared, leaving the people in a in sending a letter to the king, containing great measure to their own government, the most extravagant eulogiums on that and to the defence of that form of reli tyrant and his course of government, gion to which they were most attached. avowing their steadfast allegiance to him, This, therefore, we may regard as the 66 as an essential part of their religion," end of the long and bloody persecution and wishing him "the hearts of his subjects and the necks of his enemies.' • Wodrow, vol. iv. p. 463. The address of the Pres с 11* byterian ministers to the Prince of Orange furnishes a noble contrast to this servile letter, as will be shown in its proper place. |