(Continued from page 386.)
AS I testify and bear witness against the wrongs done to the holy Lord by all ranks, the tyrant and his accomplices, and all who strengthen that throne of iniquity, so also I testify and bear witness against that church-destroying party, the ministers of Scotland, for the great and many wrongs that they have done to the Lord’s cause, both first and last. And particularly—
First, I testify and bear witness against their sinful and shameful surrendering up of the privileges of the Lord’s House into the hands of men, by leaving their flocks, as hirelings, when they saw the wolf coming (Isaiah x. 12), whereby they did virtually non-ministrate themselves, by their becoming servants of men, not remembering that they were ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. v. 20), nor minding the practice of the holy apostles (Acts iv. 19, 20, 29).
Secondly, I testify and bear witness against them for their
handling the Word deceitfully, for their ambiguous way of doctrine, and not being particular in their applications, unless it had been against these whom the Lord raised up to be zealous and faithful, and by this means called duty sin, and sin duty, making light to become darkness, so that many poor things did stumble and fall. O sad, sad, to think on the blood of souls which is in the skirts of these men.
Thirdly, I testify and bear witness against that church-destroying indulgence, first and last, whereby that idol was worshipped in his blasphemous supremacy, and which hath wrought to the hands and accomplished the designs of the malignant adversary all along. I bear witness and testify against the compliance therewith, and connivance thereat, both of ministers and people; against silence thereat, and unfaithfulness in not witnessing faithfully against the same; yea, and against all the sins of the time, as the Lord hath commanded (Isaiah lviii. 1).
Fourthly, As I testify and bear witness against these ministers, for their unfaithfulness all along, so also I testify and bear witness against their malice at these whom the Lord stirred up to be faithful in their places and stations, particularly their censuring of worthy Messrs. Welwood, Kid, and Cameron, for faithfulness to their Lord and Master; Mr. Cameron being censured merely for preaching against that sinful indulgence. Also I testify and bear witness against them for their false calumnies and reproaches cast upon the way and people of God, particularly on those forenamed worthies and Mr. Cargill, all faithful messengers of Jesus Christ, and on the much honoured Robert Hamilton, that valiant contender, both at home and abroad, for his Master’s truths, against whom their hands have been in a signal manner, because he hath been honoured of the Lord to have his hand against their treachery. O Scotland, Scotland! many pastors have destroyed the Lord’s vineyard in thee, O Scotland (Jer. xii. 10). Thy prophets, O Scotland, are like the foxes in the deserts, they have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge, for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. They have seduced the people, saying, Peace, peace, when there was no peace. One built up a wall, and lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar (Ezek. xxxiii. 4, 5, 10); but blessed be the Lord’s most holy name, who hath delivered His people out of their hands, and performed His promise (Ezek. xxxiii. 23).
Fifthly, I testify and bear witness against people’s joining in any part of their ministry with any of these Scotch ministers this day in Scotland, or forth thereof, because they have all betrayed the Lord’s cause and fled from His camps; and whatever disagreement may be amongst themselves, yet they, like Pilate and Herod, become good friends by their joining in one body in condemning and reproaching the pleasant witnessing remnant, off whose hands the Lord hath taken many noble testimonies, sealed with much precious blood. And particularly, I testify and bear
witness against people’s joining in any part of their ministry with these men, viz.:—Messrs. W— K—, J— R—, T— H—, elder, in Scotland, J— H—, in England, T— H—, younger, at Utrecht, G— B—, at Rotterdam, and that bitter and base reproacher, J— W—. Not that I think these men worse than the rest, but because some plead so much for them that they are better; but to me they are all in one category, and they ought to be so unto all men. For—
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They join hand and issue with the rest in pleading for defection, in reproaching and condemning our cause, our worthy contenders, and their faithful testimonies sealed with much precious blood.
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They stand on the other side, and in the cross way to cut off these that do escape of Jacob (Obad. 11, 12, 13, 14), therefore shame shall cover them, and they shall be cut off for ever (verse 10).
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They handle the Lord’s Word deceitfully, making it like a nose of wax to serve their turns, misapplying it against those who have it on their side.
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Never one of them professes to be faithful, yet they are, Reuben-like, unstable as water, professing one thing at one time, and another thing at another, one thing to one person, and another thing to another. But O praise to the Lord who hath helped some to obey His command (Prov. xix. 27; xxiv. 21; 2 Thess. iii. 6, 14).
Sixthly, I testify and bear witness against Mr. T— D—, for the offence he gave to that society he was in at Utrecht, in first agreeing so positively and peremptorily with that sound conclusion, viz., that it was unlawful to hear that church-betraying man, Mr. F— at Rotterdam, preach, and then going immediately and hearing him; and I testify and bear witness against all joining with the said Mr. T— D— in his ministry, while that he stands to the defence of, and will not acknowledge the same, and until that amendment be seen of his other gross practices.
Seventhly, I testify and bear witness against joining in his ministry with that man Mr. P—
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For his refusing to come out to the work of the Lord, and being useful to his people in this sad day, when they had none to take them by the hand, and none to exhort to duty and dehort from sin.
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Because he is not clear as to what is people’s duty, and unwilling that they should obey the Lord’s command (Romans xvi. 17), and avoid such as cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which they had learned.
Eighthly, Notwithstanding of his being hitherto helped to contend in many things valiantly against the adversaries, yet I testify and bear witness against that man J— R—
- For his unsuitable withdrawing from these who were both straight and zealous, and joining in with a company of persons
who are a scandal to the way of God, and a reproach to truth; some of them deserving death by the law of God and man, and others of them a high degree of church censure.
- For his misrepresenting us and our doings, and writing many gross untruths of us, which is known by all those who are members of our general meetings.
Ninthly, Being in a special way sent to this land by the faithful, wrestling, true Presbyterian party of the purely reformed Church of Scotland, I desire, wherever I am or may be, to contend for that cause against all error and everything inconsistent with the doctrine of truth. Therefore I testify and bear witness against the vast and sinful toleration of all error and sectaries in the Belgian Church, particularly their giving places of power and trust to that erroneous, church-destroying party of Cocceian principles; also against their sinful formalities, such as they use in the administration of the sacraments, and such as their formal prayers, which their professors and doctors use in their public and private colleges; and also against all their superstitious customs, such as their observing of holy feast days, as they call them, the organs in their churches, and the like—all of which they have as the relics of idolatry; and against every other thing amongst them contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godliness.
And as, on the one hand, I testify and bear witness against all these superstitions, so, on the other hand, I add my testimony and seal to any faithful contending that hath been in this land against the same, by strangers or by the natives thereof, such as Mr. Coolman—his contending against the foresaid sins, as also Mr. Brakell—his testimony given at Leewarden, asserting the rights and privileges of Jesus Christ in His own house, and freely declining any magistrates’ usurping thereof.
Now, much honoured Sir, I have here, with all brevity possible, left my mind, my fixed and deliberate judgment of all matters in our day, having studied to be plain and particular in everything, for it is that which the Lord is calling for at the hands of all who desire to be contenders for His precious truths. Oh! we ought not so to speak in His matters as that equivocation or ambiguity may lurk in our words, so that they are still needing a commentary; and I am sure they who know what peace as to duty is, will be made to find no small peace in plain dealing for their Lord and Master, in all things seeking His honour, and not the credit of any man, the great failing in which hath broken the Church of Scotland. Therefore, through His grace and strength, I firmly resolve to be plain, free, and faithful for Him in the station which He is now calling me unto; but His way of dealing hath been so with me this long time, and especially of late, that I think He is training me up for another work, which also He may shortly put in my hand, viz., the sealing of all these precious truths with my blood, as well as the subscribing them with my hand. And O, how honourable! how glorious, and how acceptable a work would
that be, if He give strength and frame sufficient, for which I desire to rely and depend upon Him. Yet if His holiness shall not call me thereunto, I must reverence His gracious way of dealing with me, seeking me thereby to be the more fit for this work; for at this day none should set about it but such whom He makes denied to their life and to all things in the present world. O, that He would make poor me so to be in the day when the manifestation thereof is called for at my hand; but be before me what so may, O! I am many ways obliged to run for Him any of His errands upon all hazards; for in a special manner I hold my life off Him, having wonderfully got a new tack of it from Himself, when men thought to have taken it from me. O, what shall I say of Him: He is God, He is God, and a wonderful, kind, and merciful condescending God unto me. Now, O Zion’s friend, covenanted Scotland’s friend, and my dear friend, let us join hand in hand, in order to the advancement of the kingdom of our Lord in the stations He puts us into, and set ourselves against all men who are professing or practising against the same. And my soul desires to bless that holy God who hath made you hitherto a brazen wall and an iron pillar against them, seeking only His honour and glory, and not the friendship and favour of men. O go on valiantly in His way! Ye have many sweet (O sweet) experiences of His helping you, and when many hands were against you, His hand—O praise to His holy name—hath been mostly with you; yea, and because of His hand’s being with you, the hands of men have been against you. Because He was a friend, and was honouring you, they became your enemies. O rejoice, and again I say, rejoice, because He hath thought you worthy to suffer straits, distresses, and sweet reproaches for His name’s sake. O, these noble badges of honour that these reproaches are, especially these cast upon you by that backsliding and church-destroying company of ministers in Scotland, and forth thereof belonging to that nation; and do not think that they will let you alone yet, for they set themselves against all that are zealous for God and His covenant, but in a special manner against you, for which my soul desires to honour you, craving, from my real affection to yourself, and as an honour put upon me, that there may be kept up betwixt us a mutual correspondence and heart sympathy one with another, desiring to believe that the Lord will help and honour us to keep His way. So leaving you and the Lord’s cause, covenanted sweet Scotland’s cause (which only is our concernment), upon His own hand, who can wisely, O wisely, manage His own affairs.
Having written and subscribed this testimony with mine own hand at Groningen, the fourteenth day of April, one thousand six hundred and eighty-three years, I desire to remain a friend to Zion’s friends, and an enemy to her enemies, and (much honoured Sir) your assured friend and servant in the Lord,
JAMES RENWICK.