Page:Elegy upon the death of that famous and faithful minister and martyr Mr. James Renwick.pdf/9

(9) The adversaries Tyranny disclos’d,

Their calumnies confute, that him oppos’d;

That those despised truths have overcome,

For which contending, he got martyrdom,

His testimony for his Master’s cause,

The churches 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,

Wherefore 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 charg’d,

Tho‘ to the height of hainousness enlarg’d;

Because these soul-enriching Rendezvouse,

Of Christ's Militia, in the fields, or house.

The devil’s grand eye-sore, and great vexation,

Of all his friends, and foes of reformation;

(Where hungry fools with heavenly food were nourish’d

And where a banner faithfully was flourish’d.

For the Regalia of the churches head,

And liberties, wherewith he hath her freed.)

He never suffer would to be suppress’d,

Nor that the duty should not be confess’d;

Now when it was declared capital,

And when by law discharg’d as criminal;

And by its old promoters now deserted,

Whom Popish tolerations now perverted.

In such a case he vigorously contended.

That meetings could 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 jeapordice,

Of having blood mixt with their sacrifice.

This also was his crime, or rather crown,

That he would not a Popish monster own;

Sitting upon a throne of tyranny,

Usurp'd by rapine blood and treachery;

Nor pay allegiance to his absolute power,

As pimp employ’d for the Romish Whore;

Nor say, a robber’s sacrilegious 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 indicted,

Because to bear the dross he us invited;;