AN ELEGY, UPON The Death, of that Famous and Faithful Minister and Martyr, Mr. JAMES RENWICK.  
Composed immediately after his Execution at Edinburgh, 17. Feb. 1688.  Rev. 2.19. I know thy Works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's Seat is: And thou holdest fast my Name and hast not denied my Faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was My Faithful Martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.  printer's device (possibly of R. Sanders of Glasgow; not present in McKerrow), of a winged cherub on a dolphin, bearing a laurel branch and a rod 
Printed in the Year, 1688.   

AN ELEGY, UPON The Death, of that Famous and Faithful Minister and Martyr, Mr. JAMES RENWICK.  

HEre's work, alas! for Mourners, to deplore  
This fatal stroke, sadly presaging more!  
In such a day, let's hang our harps on willows:  
It's not a time of laying heads on pillows:  
In such a day of wrath, and Consternation,  
In such a day of Dread, and Desolation;  
A day of trial, and of treading down,  
A day wherein our head hath lost its Crown,  
A day of Blasphemy, Rebuke and Trouble,  
A day of Darkness, and of Sorrows double,  
A day of great Vexations, and Confusions,  
A day of great temptations, and Delusions,  
A day of Jumbling, manifold Distractions,  
A day of Stumbling, manifest Defections,  
A day of Famine of the word of Life,  
A day of Sinning, Suffering, and Strife:  
When Babel's Brats the world so much encumber,  
When Zions' Sons daily decrease in number,  
When now the Godly cease, the Faithful fail,  
When few are left, their Funerals to bewail,  
When nought but Thorns, where Corn grew, we can find,  
When Gold is gone, and dross but left behind,  
When our Elijah's, Israels' Chariot's gone.  
When yet, alas! these Mantles left with none,  
When many Hypocrites Christ's Fan discovers,  
When few are left, that are his loyal Lovers,  
When for his laws, these few are sore oppressed,  
When for his cause, they're pillaged and distressed,  
When those are hunted, and always afflicted,  
When of all help, and harbour interdicted,  
When chased through Country, and pursued in City,  
When banished, butchered, yet, in stead of pity,  
(When counted slaughter sheep, and daily killed,  
By such as sit at ease) they much are filled  
With insolent contempt, and sad reproaches,  
Which of all falsehood, still the father broaches:  
When Popish Tyrants, vile Beelzebubs drudges,  
On thrones of tyranny, are owned for judges,  
When now, like stupid asses, Men are mute,  
When such Usurpers challenge absolute  
And arbitrary power, to sacrifice  
Religion, Laws, and Lives, and Liberties;  
When faithful gospel preachers are so few,  
In sharing times, to give a warning due;  
When now foul murdering wolves, Christ's flock devour.  
When watchmen wanting are on Zions' Tower,  
When few that's called so deserve the name,  
But many are the age's bane and shame;  
When now in stead of valour for the truth,  
And crying loud with trumpets at their mouth,  
Upon such loudly clamant, clear occasions;  
(When Babel's bastards boldly make invasions,  
By blinding bribes, corrupting flatteries,  
By cunning craft, and cheating shams, and lies  
Upon our Covenanted Reformation,  
And all our Liberties of Church and Nation  
Betrayed, by this Popish Toleration.  
Whereby this absolute power is recognosced,  
And all its proud encroachings are ingross'd,  
Over Laws Divine, Humane, all made void,  
Religions legal bulwarks all destroyed,  
All Blasphemy, Idolatry, and sin,  
Now suffered, yea invited to come in;  
The church of all her privileges robbed,  
And with a Kiss, under the fifth rib stobbed;  
In Liew of all her laws, securities,  
All Oaths, and Vows, and solemn promises,  
Having no more assurance, than a blind  
Promise, of one, whom no such bond can bind:  
Her doctrine, worship, and church government,  
According to our Solemn Covenant,  
All hereby undermined and overturned,  
For which her sons should all have rather mourned)  
Our Ministers for sin have made Addresses,  
Charmed with Babel's flattering Carcases,  
Bewitched with this intoxicating drink,  
Which Hell did brew, and Rome with art did blink:  
Cast to a deep Zeal-quenching Lethargy,  
purchasing hereby ease, and liberty,  
On terms of selling truth, and shifting duty;  
Whereby Christ's bride's deprived of all her beauty.   

In such a day to lose a faithful witness,  
And champion, accomplished with fitness  
To strive for Christ's prerogatives, and laws,  
Must be bemoaned by all that love his cause.  
Come therefore all ye Doves, that dwell i'the rock,  
〈◊〉 and deplore this wrath presaging stroke;  
Come chased birds hotly purfued to mountain;  
Come hunted hearts, which pant and bray for fountains!  
Come wand'ring sheep, without a shepherd straying;  
Come bidden ones, afraid of false bewraying;  
Come all ye faithful followers of the Lamb,  
Whose hearts in Zeal do for his glory flame,  
Whose hearts in fervent love to Christ are burning,  
Whose hearts do melt out at the eyes in mourning;  
Come, with a flood of tears the valleys fill,  
And make your voice resound from hill to hill;  
Cause all the mountains circling round from Carrick,  
With roaring noise, rebound as far as Berwick;  
From Carn-table skirts, and Ahingilloch,  
To Marocks towering heights, and heads of Killoch;  
From Tintoch-tops, and all the hills of Clidsdale,  
To all the hills of Galloway, and Nithsdale;  
From these about Black-gannoch, and the Lothers,  
To Craufoord-muire, and Tweddal hills, and others;  
Wherein ye hunted were, through all the glens,  
Wherein ye hiding places sought in dens,  
Wherein ye often forced were to flights,  
Wherein ye often filled were with frights,  
Wherein your hands were strengthened, heads supported,  
Your minds confirmed, and your hearts comforted,  
While your Renowned Renwick, now a Martyr,  
Was passing through, preaching in every quarter,  
His Master's glorious and gracious banner  
Displaying faithfully, in lovely manner:  
Like to a voice in wildernesses crying,  
Making a noise most sweet, as swans when dying,  
Declaring all God's counsel, and revealed  
Truths, which alive blasserted, dying sealed  
But now in those waste desolate recesses,  
No voice is heard, but mourning for distresses:  
No voice is heard, but that of grievous groaning,  
The glory gone, deplorably bemoaning,  
Come therefore and put on your sable, Saints,  
Fill all the hills and vales with sad complaints,  
Whereof the Echo may be heard in Heaven,  
In lamentation for the blow that's given,  
Unto the wounded weeping remnant left,  
Which of their Renwick is of late bereft,  
By murdering violence of beasts of prey,  
Rome's bloody whelps, torn from his house of clay,  
How may his little flock, alas, complain  
How may they now, so great a loss sustain▪  
Scotland hath lost, the world hath lost a man,  
Whose room supply, there few surviving can▪  
The church hath lost a son more pure and dearer  
Than Ophirs gold the truth a Standard-bearer;  
Zion hath lost, by this complex disaster,  
A Witness, Wrestler, Mourner, and a Pastor;  
The scattered sheep, a most laborious Leader;  
Poor hungry souls, have lost a painful Feeder;  
The sufferers, have lost a Sympothiser;  
The doubtful halting souls, a good Adviser;  
The weak, a wise encouraging Supporter;  
The wanderers and mourners, a Comforter;  
The tempted souls, a Counsellor in terrors;  
The Ignorant, a Guide to keep from errors  
The Zealous, from extremes a holding Bridle;  
The lazy sort, a Spur from being idle;  
The temporising sort of faint complyers,  
Duty's deserters, and Christ's truth's deniers,  
May boldly now proceed in their backsliding,  
Since that they are delivered from his chiding,  
Who never ceased to be a free Reprover,  
Nor sins and snares in season to discover.  
How insupportable is such a cross!  
How irreparable is such a loss!  
Oh, let us now make search that we may know  
What may the meaning be of such a blow!  
What sins have this procured, let's meditat,  
What further sorrows  prognosticat?  
Our misimprovements let us now confess  
Of such enjoyments, our unworthiness  
Of Renwicks' gracious message, little prized,  
And of his precious Ministry despised,  
Our barrenness, and base ingratitude,  
Our weariness of that Angelic food,  
Whereof the worth we know now by the want,  
And must henceforth in tears the loss lament;  
These have this Rod in righteousness extorted,  
From a just God, and left us uncomforted;  
A Rod which we may sadly now suppose,  
A fatal forerunner of future woes,  
Impendent on this base degenerate age;  
The perishing of worthies must presage,  
That they delivered are from that which we  
Are called to fear, but cannot bear, nor flee:  
But though our loss be great, his gain is glory,  
His Life, his Death, shall be renowned in story;  
Which death to us most costly and most painful,  
Shall to the Covenanted cause be gainful;  
In that, in place of a reproached Pastor.  
A Martyr now renowned by this disaster.  
Is left us, to their everlasting shame,  
Who ceased not with lies to load his Name,  
And with reproaches foully to bespatter,  
Which malice did contrive, and madness scatter;  
Which fraud invented, as its father feigned  
Fury did vent, and folly entertained.  
Now shall his Name in Monuments of praise,  
(Which to his fame posterity shall raise)  
Still stand recorded, that he was a Martyr,  
Fruitful in life, faithful in his departure:  
Contemned indeed by Apostats, and Scorners;  
But eminent among all Zions' mourners:  
For love undoubted, and undaunted faith,  
For constancy unto his final breath,  
For patience abiding in all trial,  
For piety, and humble self-denial,  
For meekness true, in condescending tender,  
For strickness due (he'd not a hoof surrender)  
For uniform true Zeal and Moderation,  
Of more than ordinary Elevation;  
Which with an equal pace did still advance,  
'Gainst all Defection and extravagance:  
All Bastard Zeal opposing with all boldness,  
As well as dead Laodicean coldness:  
For Ministerial diligence much famed,  
A Workman needing not to be ashamed;  
In preaching all the Counsel God revealed,  
His Ministry on many souls was sealed,  
Which in his Master's strength he did commence,  
And unto its fulfilment did advance,  
Against the violentest opposition,  
That ever any Youth in his condition  
Had to conflict with, and at such a season,  
When dangers seemed invincible to reason:  
For like another Athanasius bold,  
He all the world opposed and controlled,  
And had all sorts of men upon his top,  
All Prelatists, all Vassals of the Pope,  
Who did pursue him with all rage and rigour,  
With might, and malice, violence, and vigour:  
Those Brethren also, whom, though still be loved,  
He could not join with, but their sins reproved,  
Who unto men their Ministry subjected.  
Or had submit to mischiefs they enacted,  
Or by Disorders had their charge perverted  
Or had their duty in its day deserted,  
Or were in soul Compliances involved.  
Or those to doub and plaster were resolved  
Or shamefully were silent at the times  
Iniquities, when duties went for crimes;  
With those to strive, Zeal for his master's glory;  
And indignation at their silly, sorry,  
Foolish, and feeble, fainting, cowardice,  
(That few their all for truth durst sacrifice)  
His generous soul did vigorously excite,  
For which by some he was opposed with spite,  
With malice, envy, and with cruel rage,  
That nothing could unto his death assuage,  
Yet mangre all assaults, his bow abode  
In strength, his hands confirmed by jacob's God:  
By frowns, from duty, ne'er could he be daunted  
By flatteries, he ne'er could be enchanted;  
No fear of danger could him ever fear,  
From diligence; Nor disadvantage mar;  
Nor any want of good accommodations,  
Can stop his pastoral exercitations;  
In painful preaching, visiting, baptising,  
In conferences, and in catechising;  
Even when in wandering he had no repose,  
But hags, or hiding holes, in fear of foes:  
Nothing to lay his weary head upon;  
No couch but grass; No pillow but a stone;  
No better chamber oftimes he could have,  
Then a dark den; No closet but a cave;  
Yet under all this inconvenience,  
He could possess his soul in patience;  
His master's favour above all things loving,  
Himself as his true Minister approving,  
By purity, by chastity unfeigned,  
By verity in sanctity maintained,  
By wisdom, patience, by the spirits light,  
By righteousness on the left hand and right,  
Caring for neither calumnies nor honour,  
So that he might his conscience exoner;  
As a deceiver, yet approven true;  
As though well known, yet known but to a few;  
As daily dying, and yet living still,  
As chastened, yet above their reach to kill;  
As sorrowful, yet joying evermore;  
As poor, yet making many rich in store;  
In many wants, in manifold distresses,  
In pinching, prison, and in wildernesses,  
In painful labours, and in weary watching,  
In cold, and hunger, still in fear of catching;  
In many perils, both by sea and land,  
〈◊〉 enemies, and from false brethren's hand  
Holland in part, Britain, and Ireland know,  
What perils he was forced to undergo  
In none of which, he any rest could find,  
But everywhere, both foes & friends combined,  
By tongue and hand, him still to persecute,  
In a most keen and violent pursuit:  
Hence such a prize was set upon his head,  
As did entice to catch him, quick or dead,  
Hell's hottest Harpies; Villains, vilest Vermin,  
Who by all means to take him did determine:  
Therefore, in fury they the chase did follow,  
By Hue and Cry, and many hideous hollow;  
Through Cities, Country, Villages of Boors,  
Through writtest Mosses, and through wildest Muirs,  
Through highest Mountains, and remotest Glens,  
Compelling him to Caves, and hidden Dens:  
Where weary, cold, and hungry, he could find  
No comfort, but what from the Heavens shined;  
Yet after all their proud designs were done,  
His work, to them proved Sisyphus his stone;  
Still with renewed force, afresh returning,  
The bush did burn, but did not waste in burning;  
His despicable Followers, though few,  
The more they were afflicted, more they grew:  
All Proclamations, cruel Prohibitions,  
All Circuit-Courts of Spanish Inquisitions,  
(Imposing conscience cozening Oaths and Bonds,  
Recusants, banishing to Forreign-Lands,  
Or Murdering by bloody Butchers hands  
Can never either yet their cumbers finish,  
Nor so much as their Numbers yet diminish,  
Nor crush, nor cool his unapalled Zeal,  
Nor of his Ministry cancel the Seal,  
Engraven on the hearts of many hearers,  
Who were Jehovah's followers and fearers:  
Which now's impressed with a deeper stamp,  
Since the expiring of this burning Lamp;  
Whose latest sparklings hath so brightly blazed,  
That many eyes were dazzled and amazed,  
To see now visibly without a cloud,  
(And legibly in Characters of blood)  
The adversaries tyranny disclosed,  
Their calumnies confute, that him opposed;  
That those despised truths have overcome,  
For which contending, he got Martyrdom.  
His testimony for his Master's Cause,  
The Church's Liberties, and Nations Laws;   

For which in Life, he mightily contended)  
Now by his Death to many much commended;  
Who searching what could be the cause, or crime,  
Wherhfore he lost his Life at such a time;  
Did find that only he was too distinct  
In speaking that, which many others think.   

This was the only Crime, was on him charged,  
Tho' to the height of heinousness enlarged;  
Because these soul enriching Randezvouse,  
Of Christ's Militia, in the Fields, or House,  
The Devils grand eyesore, and great vexation,  
Of all his friends, and foes of Reformation;  
(Where hungry souls with heavenly food were nourished,  
And where a Banner faithfully was flourished,  
For the Regalia of the Church's Head,  
And Liberties, wherewith he hath her freed)  
He never suffer would to be suppressed,  
Nor that the duty should not be confessed;  
Now when it was declared Capital,  
And when by Law discharged as Criminal;  
And by its old Promoters now deserted,  
Whom Popish Tolerations have perverted:   

In such a case he vigorously contended,  
That Meetings should be valiantly defended,  
By Arms defensive, which the Law of Nature,  
And Law of God, allows to every creature:  
When now they were in daily jeopardice,  
Of having blood mixed with their Sacrifice.   

This also was his Crime, or rather Crown,  
That he would not a Popish monsieur own;  
Sitting upon a Throne of Tyranny,  
Usurped by rapine, blood, and treachery;  
Nor pay alledgiance to his Absolute power,  
As pimp employed for the Romish Where;  
Nor say, a Robbers Sacriledgions Rod,  
Was now the Sacred Ordinance of God;  
When such in Sacred writ, is called rather  
A Fox, or Dog, than a Politic Father.   

In fine, for this he also was endited;  
Because to bear the Cross he us invited,  
Rather than pay an execrable Cess,  
Imposed our Gospel meetings to suppress,  
For raising Forces Tyranny to strengthen,  
Our much entrhalled misery to lengthen,  
For ruin the weak Remnant left devoting,  
The Church and State Supremacy promoting,  
〈◊〉 Tests of lawless Loyalty enacted,  
〈…〉 betraying Liberty exacted,  
The full amount then of his Accusation,  
Of all his troubles, the alone occasion,  
Was, that at wickedness he'd never wink;  
But still spoke out, what others durst but think:  
From which, unto the death he would not swerve,  
But boldly spoke his mind without reserve,  
To Prelatists, and Papists, in their fury,  
And to Professors sitting on his jury:  
Invincibly he all their tricks withstood,  
Inflexibly resisting unto blood:  
And for his Life to Supplicat disdained,  
Lost he should have his Testimony stained;  
By which, though blood of l●mb he overcame,  
And loved 〈◊〉 too de●● at the same  
Which s●●●fully h'affirm●● during brea●●,  
And faithfully confirmed by his death;  
In such a measure of Humility,  
Of Patience, Meekness, Zeal, and Constancy;  
That it to Enemies hath been confounding,  
To Neutralists conviction much redounding,  
To Hesitants and Halters Confirmation,  
And to all Zione mourners Consolation.  
Hence in a bloody Chariot he hath gone,  
To see, and stand before, Emmanuel's Throne;  
His hands with Palms, his head with pleasant Bays,  
His  in white, do sparkle glistering Rays  
Of Glory; Glory singing, and salvation  
To Him that brought him out of tribulation;  
Unto the Throne and Temple of his God,  
Where everlastingly he hath abode:  
Where without intermission night or day,  
Where without interruption or delay,  
Without all cares, without all saints or fear,  
W●●●out all snares, wi●●●●● all plaints or t●●●s,  
He ●●ves, be sings, he sees the Lamb that's ●●●ing,  
And unto Lovely Living Waters leading:  
Where leave we him, full of Jehovah's Joy,  
Whom no more sin, nor sorrow, can annoy;  
And rest lamenting, while in the vale of tears,  
Our growing grief, and fresh recurring fears.    

An Anagram on his Name, MASTER JAMES RHENVICK I AM CHRISTs MEEK SERVANT.  
Another. MASTER JAMES RENVICK MINE MARCK IS EVER THE SAME.   

An Acrostic on the same.  

Meekness and Magnanimity most rare,  
Advanced thy Actions, with advantage fair,  
Submissive Self-denial, suffering slights,  
Tuisted with True Zeal, for Emmanuel's Rights,  
Extolled the Early in Esteem and Fame,  
Renowned Renwick, EVERMORE THE SAME,   

Jehovah, 〈◊〉 Jireh was thy constant Joy,  
Along thy Always arduous employ:  
Mag●●●'d Martyr! men the much admire  
Enemy's 〈◊〉 Envy, and enraged ire,  
Shaming themselves, thy sufferings to bespatter   

Rep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s Restless, with renown did scatter.  
En●●●●●● Enterprises in all dangers,  
Noble thy Name have notified to Strangers.  
Vexations Various, suffered variety,  
Embalmed thy Innocence to memory.  
Comfort from Christ did stop all thy Complaints  
Killed thou for keeping, His Commandments.