The peaceful, triumphant death of Renwick, shows impressively that there is a reward to the righteous; that a life of self-denial and devoted piety appears at the close, enstamped with heaven’s approval; and that labours and sufferings for Christ’s sake conduct to the joy of completed victory, and to perfect communion with the Redeemer, and the redeemed in glory.  “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace.” (Ps. xxxvii. 37.) “After this, I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kingdoms, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.  And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” (Rev. vii. 9, 10.)

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote 1:  Hist of Ch. of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 64]

[Footnote 2:  Calvin and Geneva, vol.  I., II.]

[Footnote 3:  See Appendix,—­Note A.]

[Footnote 4:  Dodds’ “Fifty Years’ Struggle,” p. 275.]

[Footnote 5:  See “Faithful Contendings.”]

[Footnote 6:  Dodds’ “Fifty Years’ Struggle,” p. 275.]

APPENDIX.

It has been common in some quarters of late, to speak of Renwick and his associates in testimony-bearing and suffering, as only contending against the unconstitutional and persecuting measures of the government of the Royal brothers,—­and to declare that, had they lived to witness the change of government which took place at the Revolution, they would have joyfully hailed it as the realization of their eager aspirations,—­and would have incorporated readily with the national society.  Thus, Dodds in his “Fifty Years’ Struggle of the Scottish Covenanters,”—­while acknowledging the important services rendered to the cause of the Prince of Orange, by the bold and resolute position taken by the Cameronians, represents Renwick, as not only “the last martyr of the Covenanting struggle,” but also as “the Proto-martyr of the Revolution.”  He adds, “Like the shepherd overwhelmed in the snow-storm, he perished within sight of the door.  The door of deliverance was speedily opened, on the arrival of William, in November, 1688.”  And, again, speaking of Cameron, Renwick, and the stricter Covenanters, he says, “So far, the REVOLUTION SETTLEMENT—­in the main adopting what was universal, and rejecting what was exclusive, or over-grasping in their views,—­was the consummation and triumph, civilly and politically, and to a large extent, ecclesiastically, of the FIFTY YEARS’ STRUGGLE OF THE SCOTTISH COVENANTERS.”  These statements, though plausible, and such as seem likely to be readily embraced by those who have no relish for a full Covenanted testimony—­or who desire to maintain fellowship with corrupt civil and ecclesiastical systems, are liable to one fundamental