twenty guilders for the
use of the church, but they jointly declared that they would be at all
the charges themselves.

But the next difficulty was, that being told it was impossible for any
to pass without subscribing their catechism, &c. and observing that
their forms and corruptions are therein justified, Mr. Renwick
resolutely answered, He would do no such thing, being engaged by solemn
covenant to the contrary. This was like to spoil all, but at length they
condescended that he subscribe the confession and catechism of the
church of Scotland, a practice never before heard of in that land; which
was accepted. The day of ordination being come, Mr. Renwick was called
in a very respectful way. After spending some time in prayer, the
examination began, which lasted from ten in the morning, to two o'clock
in the afternoon. Then

His friends, who were attending in the church, were called in (amongst
whom was his honoured friend Mr. Hamilton, and another elder of the
church of Scotland[230]), to be witness to the laying on of the hands;
which, after the exhortation, they performed with prayer, the whole
meeting melting in tears; and thereafter he had a discourse to the
classes. With this solemnity the classes were so much affected, that at
dinner (to which he and his friends were invited) the preses declared
the great satisfaction all the brethren had in Mr. Renwick, that they
thought the whole time he was before them, he was so filled with the
Spirit of God, that his face seemed to shine, and that they had never
seen nor found so much of the Lord's Spirit accompanying any work as
that, &c. But no sooner were these difficulties over, than others of a
more disagreeable aspect began to arise, which if they had appeared but
one day sooner might have stopped the ordination, at least for a time.
But the very next day, Mr. Brakel told them, That a formed libel was
coming from the Scottish ministers at Rotterdam, containing heavy
accusations against the poor society people in Scotland, &c. which
they behoved either to vindicate, or else the ordination must be
stopped, but this being too late as to Mr. Renwick, it came to nothing
at last.

After his ordination, he had a most longing desire to improve his talent
for the poor persecuted people in Scotland, who were his brethren; and
having received large testimonials of his ordination and learning
(particularly in the Hebrew and Greek tongue) from the classes, and
finding a ship