YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

SERMONS AND LIFE

MR ROBERT BRUCE.

THE WODKOW SOCIETY,
M3TITDTED MAY, 1841,
FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THB WORKS OF THE FATHEE8 AND EARLY
WRITERS OF THE REFORMED CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.

SERMONS

BY

THE REV. ROBERT BRUCE,
MINISTER OF EDINBURGH.
REPRINTED FROM THE ORIGINAL EDITION OF M.D.XC. AND M.D.XCI.
WITH
COLLECTIONS FOR HIS LIFE,
BY THE
EEV. EOBERT WODEOW,
MINISTER OF EASTWOOD.
NOW FIRST PRINTED FROM THE MANUSCRIPT IN THE LIBRARY OF
THE UNIYERSITT OF GLASGOW.

EDITED BY THE

EEV. WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM, D.D.
TRINITY COLLEGE CHURCH, EDINBURGH.

EDINBURGH :
PRINTED FOR THE WODROW SOCIETY.
M.DCCCXLiri.

EDINBURGH PRINTING COMPANY, SOUTH ST DAVID STREET.

PREFACE.

Eobeet Bruce, Minister of the Gospel at Edinburgh, was one of
the most distinguished men whom Scotland has ever produced, and
rendered invaluable services to his Church and country. His la
bours as a preacher of the Gospel were signally blessed to the sal
vation of souls; he took a prominent and influential part in the
important contest which the Church of Scotland carried on against
King James, in defence of her rights and liberties as a Church of
Christ; and he was instrumental, more than any other man, in
bringing about the passing of the Act of Parliament 1592, c. 116,
which is to this day the great charter of the constitutional privileges
of the Church of Scotland. Andrew MelviUe, his illustrious coad
jutor in that great struggle in which they both suffered so much,
describes him as a " hero adorned with every virtue, a constant
confessor, and almost martyr of the Lord Jesus." Livingstone
says, " Mr Eobert Bruce I several times heard, and, in my opinion,
never man spake with greater power since the Apostles' days."
Full materials for a history of Bruce's life have been preserved
by Row, Calderwood, Blair, and Livingstone, all of whom were per-

VI preface.

sonaUy acquamted with him, and regarded him with the profoundest
admiration and reverence. The materials which have been preserved,
chiefly by Calderwood, have been put together by Wodrow in his
Life of Bruce, which forms the first part of the following volume,
and is now published for the first time from the manuscript in the
possession of the CoUege of Glasgow, which the Senatus Acade-
micus have kindly allowed to be transcribed for that purpose.
The only important transaction connected with Bruce's history, of
which Wodrow has not given an account, is the process which was
raised by the King against Mr David Black, and which was taken
up by the Church, as a common cause, involving great principles
and important rights. The reason assigned by Wodrow, (p. 44,)
for omitting this subject in Bruce's Life, was, that he meant to
state it fully in Black's Life, and as it is the only thing wanting to
make his Life of Bruce complete, it may be here briefly adverted to.
There is reason to believe, that the important documents which
were issued by the Church in connection with the process against
Black, and which are given in the printed Calderwood, (p. 336-
348,) were chiefly composed by Bruce, and there was one memo
rable scene, in which it is known that he was the principal actor.
We learn from Spottiswood, (p. 424,) that It was Bruce who, in
the name of his brethren, gave the striking answer to a proposal of
compromise made to them by the King, which is contained in the
following extract from Calderwood, (p. 349 :)
" The Treasurer and the Provost of Edinburgh, directed by the
King, craved conference with Mr Eobert Bruce, Mr Eobert Eollock
Mr James Melvine, and Mr James Nicolson. They report that

preface. VU
notwithstanding his Majesty and Council had found themselves
judges, and admitted witnesses ; yet his Majesty meaned no rigour
nor extremity against the said Mr David, but rather for enter
taining of peace with the Kirk, would pardon him, providing the
brethren would bring him down, and cause him declare the truth
in his conscience, concerning all the points libelled. After deKbera-
tion they answered, that if it were Mr David's particular, or hurt,- or
danger, that were in question, or of any of the brethren, his Majes
ty's offer were to be thankfully accepted ; but seeing it was the li
berty of Christ's Gospel that was so grievously wounded in the
discipline thereof by the proclamation and charge given out on Sa
turday, and in the preaching of the word by usurpation of the ju
dicatory (i. e. right of judging) thereof by the interlocutor pro
nounced that day, it was a matter of such weight and importance,
in the estimation of aU the brethren, that if the King had taken Mr
David Black's life, and a dozen of others with him, he could not
have wounded the hearts of the brethren more, nor done such in
jury to the Lord Jesus ; and, therefore, either these things behoved
to be retreated and amended, or else the brethren could in no ways
be content, but would oppose themselves to such proceedings to
the extreme hazard of their lives. The messengers finding the
matter more weighty nor they did before, were much moved, and
reported their answer to the King that same night. The day follow
ing, that is, Wednesday the 1st of December, a gentleman of the
King's Chamber came timeously in the morning to one of the bre
thren, and showed to him how the King was much moved with their
answer, and had thought upon the matter all that night with little
rest, and requested that the preacher be calm that day, not doubting
but his Majesty would satisfy them. The other answered, that could

Vlll preface.

not be obtained, unless there were evident appearance of amending
wrongs ; for the brother who was to teach had God to answer to,
and his brethren's expectation, whom he could not offend, for plea
suring all the kings of the earth."
Wodrow, in his Life of Bruce, refers to the Appendix for several
papers which are not found there. The references to them In the
Life would have been omitted, had it been known at the time that
they had not been inserted in the Appendix ; but in consequence
of the delay that had taken place in the transcription, It was ne
cessary to proceed with the printing of the Life, before the manu
script of the Appendix came into the Editor's hands. The papers
referred to by Wodrow in the Life, but not inserted by him in the
Appendix, are the first letter of Chancellor Maitland, — {I^ife, p. 18,)
— Bruce's account of his receiving imposition of hands, — (p. 76,)
— his meditations immediately before Cowrie's Conspiracy, — (p.
84,) — his letter to his wife, — (p. 91,) — his letter to the town-
council of Edinburgh, — (p. 118,) — and three papers by Bruce and
three letters addressed to him, connected with the latter period of
his life,— (p. 133 and 134.)
As an unworthy Insinuation against Bruce's character, made by
Maitland in his History of Edinburgh, has been recently revived,
it may be proper to insert Dr M'Crie's exposure of it, contained in
a note to his Life of Melville, (vol. I. p. 299.) " Maitland, after
mentioning that Bruce ' threatened to leave the town' of Edln--
burgh in 1589, says, the reason ' may be easily guessed at,' as he
agreed to stay upon ' the increase of his stipend to a thousand
merks.' If, Instead of guessing, that writer had made himself ac
quainted \\-\i\\ facts, he would have known that Bruce, at the neriod

preface. IX
referred to, had not yet consented to settle at Edinburgh, and had
a call to St Andrews, which he preferred ; that the minister who
held the first charge in the metropolis required a stipend much
greater than that of his colleagues, inasmuch as the task of keeping
up an extensive correspondence on the affairs of the National
Church was devolved upon him, and that the independent spirit
and scrupulous honour which Bruce evinced through the whole of
his life, raised him above the suspicion of being actuated by such
mean and mercenary motives."
The reader wiU not be displeased to be reminded of another
passage about Bruce from the same most admu-able work." After
mentioning his banishment, in consequence of his doubts about
Gowrie's affair, M'Crie says, — {Life of Melville, vol. ii. p. 81 and
82,) — " The truth is, that from the moment that Bruce was removed
from Edinburgh, it was determined that he should never be al
lowed to return. He was tantalized for years with hopes of
being restored to his place. The terms proposed to him were either
such as it was known he would reject, or they were evaded and
withdrawn when he was ready to accede to them ; and he was
afterwards persecuted till his death, (a period of above 30 years,)
by the mean jealousy of the Bishops, who set spies on his conduct,
sent informations to Court against him, and procured orders to
change the place of his confinement Irom time to time, and to
drag him from one corner of the kingdom to another. The whole
treatment which this independent minister received was disgrace
ful to the Government. Granting that he gave way to scrupulosity,
— that he required a degree of evidence as to the guilt of Gowrie,
which was not necessary to justify the part which he was required

X preface.
to take in announcing it,— that there was a mixture of pnde in his
motives, and that he stood too much upon the point of honour,
(concessions that some wiU not be disposed to make,) still the
nice and high sense of integrity which he uniformly displayed, nis
great talents, and the eminent services which he had performed to
Church and State, not to speak of his birth and connections, ought
to have secured him very different treatment. But the Court hated
him for his fidelity, and dreaded his influence in counteracting Its
favourite plans. There was another consideration which rendered
his pardon hopeless. James was conscious that he had deeply in
jured Bruce."
Fleming, in his Fulfilling of the Scriptures, says, that some
of the stories concerning Bruce, which had been handed down
by tradition, were so strange and marvellous, that he forbore to
publish them, and Wodrow " set them down rather for preser
vation and farther inquiry than for present publication, till they be
farther considered," (Life, p. 148.) But we have thought it right,
upon the whole, to give Wodrow's " Collections" complete, though
alive to the unfair use that may be made of some of them, and dis
posed to approve of Fleming's abstinence and Wodrow's caution in
this matter. The report which is given by Wodrow (p. 153) of a
private conversation between the King and Bruce, is inconsistent
with the conviction to which Bruce seems ultimately to have at
tained, or, at least, approximated, as to Gowrie's guilt, and may
thus be regarded as affording evidence that stories were circulated
and believed concerning him wHch were not fuUy authenticated.
In M'Gavin's edition of the Scottish Worthies (vol. i. p. 152)

preface. XI
there are mentioned, among the works of Bruce, letters to M.
Esplgnol, the Duke of Parma, and Colonel Semple ; but these let
ters are written by another person of the same name, who was a
Popish priest, and the mistake must have originated in merely turn
ing over the pages of Calderwood without reading it.
It is true of Bruce, as well as of Melville and Henderson, that
his reputation, and his claim to the respect and gratitude of his
countrymen, rest rather upon what he effected during his life than
upon the writings he left behind him. StiU his Sermons, which
constitute the principal part of the follovdng volume, have been
always regarded as very interesting and valuable productions,
and not unworthy of their author. They were published, " as
they were received from his mouth," and though he superintended
the publication, he does not seem to have either furnished a mar-
nuscrlpt copy of them, or to have written them over again for the
press. Bruce's Serrdons have never been reprinted in the original lan
guage. An English translation of them was published at London
in 1617, with the title, " The Way to true Peace and Eest, de
livered at Edinborough in Sixteen Sermons on the Lord's Supper,
Hezekiah's Sickness, and other select Scriptures, by that reverend
and faithful Preacher of God's Word, Mr Eobert Bruce, for the
present Minister of the Word in Scotland." We have inserted
the Epistle Dedicatory and Address to the Eeader, prefixed to
the English edition. They are both subscribed J. H. We have
also taken from that edition " The Contents and Substance of the
Sermons."

xn preface.
The seventeenth sermon was published separately at Glasgow
in 1740. It is described in the title-page as " never before
printed." We know nothing of the publisher, or of the source
from which the manuscript was obtained, but as, though it does
not seem to be very correctly printed, there is, to say the least, no
internal evidence against its genuineness, it has been thought right
to subjoin it to the rest, that the collection of sermons might be
complete. As Bruce's Sermons are, to use the language of Dr M'Crie,
(Life of Melville, vol. ii. p. 423,) " curious as specimens of com
position in the Scottish language, within a few years of the time
when it was generally laid aside by our writers," they are here re
published from the original Scottish edition, with, however, some
slight variations, which it may be proper to explain.
There was then no regular standard of spelling, and the same
word is not unfrequently spelled in two or three different ways
even in the same sentence. It has not been judged necessary to
retain this peculiarity, and a uniform mode of spelKng has been
introduced, that form of the word among the different varieties
being adopted, which most neariy approaches the modern English
speUing. In the Scottish, rj is often used for /, v for u, and vice
versa, and almost always z for tj. These peculiarities have not
been retained. But with the exceptions now specified, the lan
guage in tiie present edition Is the original Scottish. With
some of the more common Scottish pecuharities, the reader will
very soon become familiar, such as or for before, nor for than, gif
and an for if wtdle or quhile for till, quhilk for which, thir for these,

preface. Xlll
man for must, in for into, and into for in, and in the end of a word
for ing, ma or mair for more, and, generally, the frequent use of
the letter a for o. As to the few obsolete words which occur in the
sermons, they wUl occasion no difficulty to those who have read
James MelviUe's Diary, with the explanations which the Editor
has there introduced.
W. C.
Edinburgh, Ftb. 1843.

THE
WAY TO TEVE
PEACE AND REST.
DELIVERED AT EDINBOROVGH
In XVI. Sermons : on tlie Lords Supper : Hezechiahs
SichneJJe : and other JeleSt Scriptures.
By that reuerend & faithfull Preacher of Gods word :
M"". Robert Brvce, for the prefent
MInlfter of the Word in Scotland.
Dulda nan meruit, qui nan guftauit amara.
lOHN 10. 27. 28.
Myfheepe heare my voyce, and I know them, ^~ they follow me.
And I giue vnto them eternalllife, and they fhall neuer periJTi, nei
ther fliall any man pi ache them out of my hand.

LONDON.
Printed hy R. Field for Thomas Man, and lonas
Man, dwelling in Pater-nofter row at
the figne of the Talbot. 1617.

TO THE RIGHT WORSmPFDLL
MAISTER ADEIAN MOOEE, Esquire, &c. ;
AND TO THE NO LESS RELIGIOUS AND VIRTUOUS GENTLEWOMAN,
MISTRESS MARIE MOORE, HIS WIFE,
PATRONS OF PIETY,
ALL PKACE AND HAPPINESS IN BOTH WORLDS.
Right Worshipfuel,
It must not seem strange unto you that a new occasion hath made
also a new change of style, since occasion daily showeth so many
changes in the world ; amongst all which alterations, I must beg
of you still to continue your countenance unto these few plain
homely Sermons. In token that no change (I hope so long as I
live) shall keep me from manifesting unto the world (as all occa
sions shaU serve) how much in duty I am bound to your true un
feigned love and undeserved favours to me, the unworthiest of all,
for which I can but wish you to be ever attended with those two
falthfiill companions of the Saints, peace of conscience, and joy in
the Holy Ghost, and at the last to have a speedy hearing when
your spirits shall fail, to transport them into Abraham's bosom,
there to enjoy eternal and unspeakable rest, for ever and ever.
Yours in all duty much and ever bound,
I. H.

TO THE RE ADEE.

Gentle Reader, The Author of these Sermons not being present
at their going to the press again, to review and correct them, I
doubted whether, in these learned and curious days, such homely
lines as tliese might not be distastefuU amongst such multitudes of
learned ones, every where swarming in the press ; so much the
rather, since their Author hath ever thought so meanly of himself,
that no work of his could be worthy of the press. Notwithstanding,
since the importunity of many did long since (as it were) wring and
extort these few Sermons from him, in the beginning of his mini
stry, before things could be so well, ripely, and methodically di
gested, as possibly he could have wished if now they were to do,
I have made bold also once again to send them unto thy view,
chiefly to the hungry, because (as Solomon speaketh) he who is
full despiseth an honey-comb, but to the afflicted soul every sour
thing is sweet. The first five, on the Lord's Supper, were Eng
lished by a late gentleman of worthy memory, M. S. MitcheU, who
was gathered to his fathers before he could see them at the press;
the rest were perused and Englished by another friend. All the
care and pains taken hath been for God's glory and thy good. If
it please thee now therefore to use Philip's counsell to Nathaniel,
and see whether any good things come out of Nazareth, it may be
thou shalt not think thy pains and time lost ; which, that thou
mayest the sooner do, I cease to trouble thee, remaining
Thine in the Lord Jesus,
LH.

CONTENTS.

Pace
Wodrow's Life of Rev. Robert Bruce, .... 1-160
Appendix to Wodrow's Life of Bruce, .... 161-201

SERMON L
1 Cor. xi. 23. — Entreating of the Sacraments in general :
Showeth the definition and divers acceptations of the word Sacra
ment ; what the signs in the Sacrament are ; why they are caUed
signs ; what the thing signified in the Sacrament is. The neces
sity of the application thereof. How the sign and the thing sig
nified are joined together. The illustration of this conjunction :-
what considerations are needful, when the sign and the thing
signified are given and received. The other part of a Sacrament,
which is the Word. To what uses the Sacrament serveth us
more than the Word. Faults which pervert the Sacrament, &c.,
SERMON II.
I Cor. xi. 23. — Entreating of the Sacrament of the Lord's
Supper :
Showeth the divers names, both in the Scriptures and by the
ancients, given unto this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. The
ends why this Sacrament was instituted. The things, both out
ward and inward, contained in this Sacrament. That the things

xviil t'ON TliN18. Pack
signified in both Sacraments are one : but the signs are not one.
Why in Baptism there is but one sign, and in the Lord's Supper
two. What power aad perpetuity the bread hath to be a sign.
How the signs and the things signified are conjoined in the
Sacrament. How the sign and the thing signified is received.
What inconveniences are cast in by the Papists against this
spiritual receiving,^of Christ in the Sacrament. How the soul is
said to eat the body and drink the blood of Christ. Faith is that
which coupleth us to Christ. A similitude explaining the same, Iii

SERMON III.
1 Cor. xi. 23. — Entreating of the Sacrament ot the Lorti'k
Supper :
hShoweth our union with Christ by virtue of communion of the
same Spirit. The definition of the Sacrament of the Lord's
Supper. Why this Sacrament is called a seal : why a holy seal.
Why the seal is said to be annexed to the covenant. Why the
Sacrament should be administered publicly. Why this seal must
be ministered according to Christ's institution. That the Word
and element must concur in the institution of a Sacrament. What
we mean by the Word, in a Sacrament : what the Papists under
stand by the Word, in this action, and our differences from them.
How the outward elements are sanctified. How the Papists
sanctify these elements. The refutation of transubstantiation by
divers arguments. The reason why the Papists cannot think
Christ's body present in the Sacrament, unless it be really and
substantially present. The divers opinions concerning the pre
sence of Christ's body in the Sacrament. How a thing is said
to be absent and present. How the body of Christ is present.
Our difference with the Papists, to whom the words ought to be
directed, &c., ••....... 61

SERMON IV
1 Cor. xi. 28.— Entreating of Preparation to the Lord's
Supper :
Showeth that a man must make this trial in his conscience. The

contents. xlx
Page
definition of conscience. The causes why conscience was, by
God, left in us. The way how to keep a good conscience. In
what things we must chiefly examine our consciences. How to
try our peace with God and love with our neighbours. Of man's
first misery and recovery ; and so how faith is wrought in the
heart ; how it is nourished in us, . . . . . 101

SERMON V.
1 Cor. xi. 28. — Entreating of Preparation to ths Lord's
Supper :
Showeth how a sincere faith is known. That he who for Christ can
renounce himself, cannot be disappointed of his expectation. That
faith is the free gift of God. Certain effects whereby we may
know if we have faith. That because it is joined with doubting,
it must be nourished. That faith and doubting may lodge in
one soul. That a faith mingled and mastered with much doubt
ing, is yet a true faith. That faith smothered, yet is not extin
guished. A sure rest in the most dangerous tentations. The
definition of love. What our love unto God and our neighbour is, 131

SERMON VI.
Isaiah xxxviii. 1, 2, 3. — Entreating of Hezekiah's Sickness :
Showeth that the greatest are not exempt from great and sore trials.
That Hezekiah's disease was (though not in the greatest ex
tremity) that which we by an emphasis call the sickness. Why
God thus visiteth his children. The time when the King fell
into this disease. What is our dutyln the like case of distress,
from the Prophet's plain dealing with the King. That the Pro
phet (as appeareth) was not too rigorous in his denunciation, in
adding affliction upon affliction to the King. The King's excel
lent behaviour in this sickness : his gesture in the same, express
ing the signs of a good conscience. His recourse (ia extremity)
to the same great power which now did smite him, and seem to
be his enemy. Our lessons from thence, . .103

XX contents. Pace
SERMON VII.
Isaiah xxxviii. 4, 5, 6.— Entreating of Hezekiah's Sickness :
Showeth the speedy issue and hearing of the King's prayer. Our
lessons from thence. It is a mercy to be visited at home, as this
King was. The author of the King's comfort was God, using
the means of his minister and Word. Why mention is made of
David in this comfort the King received. Why David is called
the King's father. Our lessons from this preface. That the
Lord is near the prayers of his children. That as this King re
ceived more than lie asked from God, so, for the most part, do
all tlie saints, ......... 179
SERMON VIII.
Isaiah xxxviii. 7-11. — Entreating of Hezekiah's Sickness :
Showeth why the King sought a sign. How some refuse signs.
How the sign was showed. Why the sign was wrought in the
dial. Why in the body of the sun. What profit is to be gather
ed of signs. By whose power this sign was wrouglit. The force
of prayer. The King's thankfulness for the benefit received.
A short sum of the King's life. Our lesson from thence. The
King's song, showing first when he was troubled. The diversity
of the fear of death in the godly and wicked. The way to eschew
the fear of death. The reasons why death seems now so grievous
to the King, A censure of these his reasons, ... 193
SERMON IX,
Isaiah xxxviii. 12, 13, 14. — Entreating of Hezekiah's Sickness :
Showeth the similitude whereby the King amplified his present
lamentation. Why the Patriarchs conversed in tents. Our uses
thence. The extremity of the King's disease. Why God suffer
eth his children to fall into such extremities. Our lessons thence.
By what means the King, in this extremity, seeketh unto God.
Why the King sought the prorogation of his days. In what re-

contents. XXI
Page
spect it is lawful to seek the prolonging of our days. That faith
and doubting may remain in one soul. If Christ, in his agony,
had contrary voices, no marvel this King had also. How this
King teacheth us to pray in extremity, . . . . 215
SERMON X.
Isaiah xxxviii. 15, 16. — Entreating of Hezekiah's Sickness :
Showeth the King's thankfulness, in three things. That a good
conscience giveth thanks for everything received. How the King
expresseth the greatness of the mercy received. What effects
this mercy did breed in him. How the sweetness of this mercy
did make him burst forth in praise of the Word. How a man
shall know if the Spirit of life be begun in him. How the Spirit
is said to be nourished in us, and how banished, &c., . . 237
SERMON XL
Isaiah xxxviii. 16, to the end of the Chapter. — Entreating of
Hezekiah's Sickness :
Showeth how, from the other effects of the Word, the King con-
tinueth to extol the same. The time when this King did thus
fall sick. The manner of the King's delivery. That sin is the
only thing punished in the wicked, and purged in the godly. That
remission of sins cureth aU diseases. That when God forgiveth
sins, he also forgetteth them. That God only forgiveth sins.
The cause and reasons why God did forgive this King his sins.
Doctrine from thence, why the Lord worketh by means and se
condary causes,  • 254
SERMON XII.
Psalm Ixxvi. 1-8. — Entreating of the Great Delivery, in 1588,
FROM THE Spanish Tyranny :
Showeth the purpose of the Prophet in this Psalm. What is meant
by the name of God. That the true knowledge and praises of

xn contents. Page
God accompany each other. The profit whioh cometh to us by
thanksgiving. That it is a mercy to have God near us, and to
dweU with us. The place of this overthrow. What that is which
driveth God from any place. How this victory was obtained.
How the Lord is said to rebuke. God's former dealing with his
Church. To what end the Lord appointeth enemies unto his
Church. How of God's great mercies foUoweth admiration, 279

SERMON XIIL
Psalm Ixxvi. 8-12. — Entreating of the former s<ubjeot ;
Showeth that God only did this great work. The effects that this
great work brought forth. One lesson from thence. The time of
this great judgment. The times of God's sitting and rising. To
what end God commonly riseth. An objection of the Church
prevented. Exhortation to thankfulness. That we should, upon
extraordinary mercies, chiefly stir up ourselves to the same, 301
SERMON XIV.
Psalrn xl, — Preached in a Public Fast enjoined by Authority.
The parts of this Psalm : — In the first part, from David's experi
ence, divers observations. How hope differeth from faith. The
life of hope, Hope and mourning may stand together. How to
obtain patience in trouble. How to know when God heareth our
prayer, though he grant not instantly our suit. How constant
mourning in trouble unto God argueth certain deliverance. Why
the Lord delayeth to help his servants, The end why our prayers
are heard. Two sorts of abusing the grace of God, . . 327
SERMON XV.
2 Tim. ii. 22.— Preached at the Public Repentance of the Earl
Bothwbll, in the Church of Edinburgh :
Showeth the sum and meaning of the words. What these thino-s be
which all young men should fly. What is meant by the lusts of

contents, XXIU Pagk
youth. Whence the restraint of sin doth come. By what means
the Lord restraineth sin in us. What things young men should
seek after. The definition and sorts of repentance. In what re
spects worldly sorrow is called a blind terror. What godly sor
row is, A caution to be observed in repentance. What the
greatest sin a man can commit is. The effects of godly sorrow.
The manner of repentance. Why some parts of repentance have
the name of mortification and vivification. That, in the work of
repentance, the devU stayeth nothing more than our sincere con
fession of sins. A caution to beware of presumption. That there
be two sorts of repentance, &c., ...... 345

SERMON XVI.
2 Tim. ii. 15 — In way of an Exhortation to a Provincial
Assembly :
Showeth at whose hands the Pastor ought chiefly to seek appro
bation. How to obtain true approbation. The weight of mini
sterial function. The groundwork of the Ministry. Whereupon
it consisteth. What it is to rule in the Lord, &c., . . 369

SERMON XVIL
Heb. xii. 1. — The Christian Race, or the Heavenly Footman.
" Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which
doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that
is set before us,"  381

COLLECTIONS

AS TO

THE LIFE OF MR ROBERT BRUCE,
MINISTEE AT EDINBUEGH.

BY

THE MY. ROBERT WODROW,
MINISTER OF EASTWOOD, AND AUTHOR OF THE HISTORY OF THB
SUFFERINGS OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.

COLLECTIONS

AS TO

THE LIFE OF MR ROBERT BRUCE,
MINISTER AT EDINBURGH.

INTRODUCTION.

There were few, if any Ministers, or Christians, in Mr Bruce s
time, or since, that came up his length, far less excelled him, iu
solid serious piety, eminent wisdom and conduct, real learning and
knowledge, remarkable faithfulness and courage, and singular com
munion with God, and extraordinary communications from him.
It is a pity that as much as can be now recovered concerning him
should not be preserved and handed down to posterity.
Indeed, his share was so great in the management of the Church
for several years, and his Influence not small on the peace of the
nation, by his singular wisdom, that a fuU account of his life would
help to state several important parts of our Church History ; and
since many wicked and groundless reproaches are cast upon him,
and through his sides, upon the Eeformed Presbyterian Constitution
of this Church, It is but justice to the Church of Scotland, and to
him who deserved so well at her hand, to remove them, and set
things in a fair and just light.

wodrow's life op BRUCE.

MATERIALS.
I am In case to do this, at more length than yet has been done,
from the particular accounts Mr Calderwood has left of him, in his
MS. History, several of which are not in the print, the others are,
and I shaU intersperse some other particulars from Mr Eobert
Blair, Mr John Livingston, and Mr Eow, Avho were his contempo
raries, and have left us several remarkable things about him; and add
some other passages, from good Informations come to my hand
concerning this great man. And first, collect mostly from Calder
wood, the most important public steps of his Hfe, and then give
some hints at his character, inward exercises, and some extraordi
nary passages, as weU vouched as things of that nature can be ex
pected to be. HIS BIRTH, 1559.
Mr Eobert Bruce was born about the year 1559. Providence
brought him into the world while we were, in this land, groaning under
the Egyptian darkness of Popery ; and when the fury of the Papists
had almost extmguished the first efforts of some few to shake off" their
yoke, and when Mr Knox and others of our first reformers were
forced to abscond, the Lord, to whom all his works are known from
the beginning, was providing instruments to recover the standard
of pure reformation from their hands, when afterwards a door
opened to them to set it up, and to help to hand it down to us in
its primitive purity. his PARENTAGE AND EDUCATION.
He was second son to a very ancient and honourable, I had
almost said, a noble family, Bruce, Laird of Airth, in the shire of
StirUng, one of the ancient barons of Scotland, who, I am informed,
claim their descent from the Eoyal Family itself.
His father sent him to the University of St Andrews, where he
made good proficiency in the philosophy of these days, and com
menced Master of Arts ; after which, his father, wUling to give him

wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE. 5
liberal education, and designing him (he himself at first also inclin
ing this way) for the study of the civil law, sent him over to France,
as was at that time ordinary, where, and in the Low Countries, par
ticularly at the University of Louvain, he applied himself closely to
the Law and Humanity, In which he was inferior to few In his
days. Providence had other work for him ; and his acquaintance
with the Eoman and other laws, particularly those of his native
country, were not useless to him in the quite different work his
Master put in his hand.
STRANGELY DETERMINED TO THE STUDY OF DIVINITY.
When he returned from his travels and foreign studies, he went
and attended the Court and Lords of Session, and had the manage
ment of his father's afifairs, and the business of a good many other
friends and acquaintances put In his hands. His reputation for
knowledge In Law and Practice was so much daily advancing, that
a design was formed to make him one of the Senators of the Col
lege of Justice ; and, with this view, his father provided him In the
lands and barony of Kinnaird. But aU this time, as we shaU find
himself just now acquainting us, during no less than ten years, he
found strong inclinations in his breast to apply himself to the study
of Divinity, and the highest of all Laws ; and had, for some time
before he left the profession of Civil Law, no rest or comfort, save
in the close study of the Scriptures and company of good persons ;
yet the multiplicity of his father's and friends' afiTairs continually
importuning him, made him strive against these strong iiicHnations ;
and. Indeed, he got them pretty much quelled, till the Lord took
an eflTectual way of dealing with his conscience. In the washing of
regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, shed down abun
dantly upon his soul, which, in his own narrative, just now to be
inserted, was in 1581. 1583, HE GOES TO ST ANDREWS.
After which, though for three years he continued involved in the
lawftil things of this life, it was with no small uneasiness to himself.
At length he could resist the IncUnations to that work, where the

C wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE.
Lord had much service for bim, no longer; and he opened his
mind to his father in the year 1583, and told him that he could
have no rest, and, indeed, he thought he could not live much
lono-er if hindered from it, till he went and applied himself to the
study of Theology. His father was abundantly unwiUing to the
proposal, and his mother more ; yet, v>rhcn they saw him peremp
tory, and this was what he could no longer resist, they yielded.
" The Lord's purpose must stand, and the thoughts of his heart, to
all o-enerations." And Mr Bruce's singular usefulness In convert
ing and edifying multitudes afterwards, discovered those impres
sions and inclinations to be perfectly free of Ulusion and enthu
siasm, and part of the Lord's singular call to singular work.
WHERE HE CONTINUED TILL 1587.
About October 1583, Mr Bruce, with his father's consent, came
to the College of St Andrews, where that truly great man, and
honour to our country, Mr Andrew Melville, taught Divinity in the
New College. He waited on his lessons for some months, tifl, as
we may hear in his Life, Mr MelvUle was forced to fly to England
upon the great turn, first at Court, and then in the King's dealing
with the Church, which then fell out. Mr Bruce waited on Mr
Melville, and most affectionately attended and assisted hira till he
got safely to England ; after which, he returned to the College,
and prosecuted his studies with the greatest intention. He said
to Mr James MelvUle, who, when he came, I think was with his
uncle in St Andrews, one day walking in the fields, " That he had
been drawn, per force, as it were, to the study of Divinity, and
that by a mighty inward v/orking, which suffered him to get no
rest but when about this purpose, adding, that ere he cast himself
again in that torment of conscience, which was laid on him for re
sisting the calling of God to the study of Theology and the Mi
nistry, he had rather go through a fire of brimstone, half-a-mile
long." After he had studied close for some time, he was very un-
wUUng to have any discourses more publicly. It was usual for the
students of Divinity in that College at their meals, which were at
a common table with the Masters, to read a chapter of the Scrip-

wodrow's life op BRUCE. 7
ture, and shortly to open it up, and gather some notes from it. Be
fore he would take his turn with the rest of the scholars there, he
desired that he might have some private exercises with Mr James
MelviUe and Mr Eobert Dury, which they had at first once a week,
thereafter thrice a week, in a large room in the College. There they
handled a chapter of the Epistle to the Eomans, and then of that
to the Hebrews. But before they came any length on that to the
Hebrews, they prevaUed with Mr Bruce to take the whole upon him,
and they were his hearers, to their great joy and comfort. From this
they drew him to the school, where the students had their private
exercises before the masters ; then to take his course at the tables,
and then to the morning doctrines upon the Sabbath ; to which a
multitude of the best people of the town resorted. Thus, as my
author, Mr Calderwood, remarks, " It pleased God at that juncture,
to their singular upholding and encouragement In his service,
to begin to train up that most notable preacher for the time of
restitution of his decayed and captivated Jerusalem." And, indeed,
after the dark cloud that came on at this time, and continued till
the 158G was over, Mr Bruce was just ripe for more public ap
pearances. HIS OWN ACCOUNT OF HIS CALL TO THE MINISTEY.
As a voucher for what is above, and the best introduction I can
give to Mr Bruce's entry to the ministerial work, I shaU insert here
his own account of his call to the ministry, dictated by him in his
old age, 1624, as appears by the paper itself, from an old copy in
my hands, written, as I guess by the hand and speUing, about that
time, which perfectly agrees with the copy in Calderwood; and it
contains a short history of his life, in his ovrn words, which, In my
opinion, deserves to be preserved.
" As touching my vocation to the ministry, I was first called to
my grace, before I obeyed my calling to the ministry. He made
me first a Christian, before he made me a minister. I repugned long
to my calling to the ministry ; ten years at least, I never leaped on
horseback, nor lighted but with a repugning and justly accusing

8 wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE.
conscience. At last it pleased God, in the 1581 year of God, In
the month of August, in the last night thereof, being in the place
of Airth, lying in a chamber, caUed the new loft chamber, in the
very night while I lay, to smite me inwardly and judicially, in my
conscience, and to present aU my sins before me in such sort,
that he omitted not a circumstance, but made my conscience to
see time, place, and persons, as vively as in the hour I did them.
He made the devU accuse me so audibly, that I heard his voice as
vively as ever I heard anything, not being sleeping but waking.
So far as he spoke true, my conscience bare him record, and testi
fied against me very clearly ; but ivhen he came to be a false ac
cuser, and laid things to my charge which I never had done, then
my conscience failed him, and would not testify with hira ; but In
these things which were true, my conscience condemned me, and
the condemnator tormented me, and made me feel the wrath of
God pressing me down, as it were, to the lower hell. Yea, I was
so fearfully and extremely tormented, that I would have been con
tent to have been cast into a cauldron of hot melted lead, to have
had my soul relieved of that Insupportable weight. Always, so far
as he spoke true, I confessed, restored God to his glory, and cried
God's mercy for the merits of Christ ; yea, I appealed ever to his
mercy, purchased to me by the blood, death, and passion of Christ.
This Court of Justice holden upon my soul, it turned of the bot
tomless mercy of God to a Court of Mercy to me ; for that same
night, or ever the day dawned, or ever the sun rose, he restrained
these furies, and these outcries of my just accusing conscience,
and enabled me to rise in the mornino".
"There was a brother of the ministry lay in the place beside me this
night. I recommended my dolorous estate to his prayers, but I found
him a comfortless comforter. Always, this visitation was the first
thing that chased me to my grace. I resisted long before, but after
this resolved to go to St Andrews to Mr Andrew MelviUe, and there
to layout my dolerance in his bosom, and to communicate aU ray griefs
with him. It was long before I got leave to go, my mother made rae
such impediment. My father at last condescended, but my mother

wodrow's LIFE OP BRUCE. 9
would not, until I had denuded my hands of some lands and
casualties that I was infefted in ; and that I did wUUngly, cast
my clothes from me, my vain and glorious apparel, sent my horse
to the fair, and emptied my hands of all impediments, and went to
the New CoUege ; and there I abode long ere I durst open my
mouth ; I was so bashful, and oppressed with shame and blushing.
Mr Andrew would have had me to the schools to exercise, but I
durst not begin there. I was content at last to be heard privately,
and went to a chamber, and caused Mr James MelviUe, and Mr
Eobert Dury, and some of the best, hear me ; and from that we
went to the board and noted, and went to the school and taught
my day about with great confluence and motion, as there are many
yet alive can testify.
" At the last, in 1587 year of God, In the month of June,
there was a General Assembly to be holden at Edinburgh, and
Mr Andrew took me over with him. At the very same time Edin
burgh lacked pastors, and they made a leet of some, and gave
them up to the General Assembly, and put in my name among the
rest ; and would have me teaching among the rest before the day
of the Assembly ; and, after long entreaty, I condescended, and
taught upon the spiritual armour in the 6th of the Ephesians. The
Assembly sat down, and was very frequent, I remember. Mr
Udal, the Englishman, was there, and sundry other strangers. At
the last, the leets came in question who should be chosen. Surely
with universal consent, I was chosen and appointed, very few ex
cepted; so it was laid upon me sore against my will ; for at the same
time I had an outward calling to St Andrews, with the consent of
the whole University, and aU the gentlemen round about. I have
yet all their subscriptions to testify, and surely I liked better to go
to St Andrews, for I had no will of the Court, for I knew very
well that the Court and we could never agree ; and, therefore, I re
fused long the brethren of Edinburgh, and went over to St Andrews.
I remained no space there ; but incontinent I was sent for by the
Provost and Council of Edinburgh ; James Dalzell, the provost's
good-son, and sundry others, were sent for me. Loath was I to go ;

10 wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE.
tlicy threatened me with authority, so I advised with my God, and
thought it meet to obey ; but not to take on fuUy the burden, but
to essay only how the Lord would bless my travels for a while ;
for I found in me such a parpan' of Iniquity, dividing betwixt his
Majesty's comfortable presence and me, that I thought it was not
his Majesty's pleasure that I should take the full burden upon me,
until this parpan was demolished, and Impediments removed. And
so, by process of time, at the last I condescended, and I remained
not fully twelve years in Edinburgh, when I was chased out, and
liave been now banished twenty-six years. I was twice in France ;
once before my calling, next in calling for the Master of Gowrie ;
and am not yet free of continual exercises, yea, fears, certainly to
be put away again.
" The Lord, of his Infinite mercy, make me to end my course
weU; make me to end it with joy; make me to fight out a good
fight, to keep the faith, to perfect my ministry, with the appro
bation of God in Clirist, and of a good conscience. Amen."
REFLECTIONS UPON IT.
This natural, plain, and undisguised account, brings its own evi
dence Avith it ; and though there be some extraordinary circum
stances attending it, I cannot see how any rational person can
justly doubt his own narrative of them, especiaUy when it comes
from a person of his education, knowledge, and weight ; and was
to people then alive fully supported by his singular wisdom and
usefulness in the oflSce thus caUed unto. As far as I can guess, he
continued in St Andrews tiU Mr Andrew MelviUe returned with
tlie banished lords and gentlemen, my Lord Angus and others.
And after with much difficulty Mr MelviUe was got back to his work
In the New College, I find Mr Bruce preaching with liim at St
Andrews. ' Parpane, partition, or division wall.

wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE. 11
PREACHES AT ST ANDREWS, 1586.
In the winter 1586, and when the pretended Archbishop Adam-
son preached, notwithstanding his pleasant and ready utterance,
the sincerely religious in St Andrews left the Bishop's sermons, and
heard him. Mr Andrew MelviUe was so taken with Mr Bruce's
singular gifts and grace, that he used his influence, which then was
not smaU, to get Mr Bruce called to Edinburgh, and got it effec
tuated next year.
THE ASSEMBLY APPOINT HIM TO EDINBURGH, JUNE 1587.
The Assembly met at Edinburgh, June 1587, where Mr MelviUe
was chosen Moderator. He had brought Mr Bruce with him to the
Assembly, as we have seen. In the flrst session Mr Bruce is named
among the brethren with whom the Moderator was to consult, and
with difficulty Mr Bruce was prevailed with to preach there. A
charge in Edinburgh was at present vacant by the death of Mr
James Lawson ; and, as I find in the Eegisters of this Assembly,
session 14, " The Commissioners for the town of Edinbursh re-
quested that Mr James MelviUe, or Mr Patrick GaUoway, might be
appointed to succeed in the place of ]\Ir James Lawson, their late
pastor ; and, in case there be any lawful impediment, that the As
sembly appoint some other qualified man." Mr James and Mr
Patrick alleged sundry impediments, which were found lawful;
wherefore the Commissioners for the town desired Mr Eobert
Bruce might be appointed to supply that place. The Commis
sioners being removed, the whole brethren voted the said Mr Eo
bert to be a meet pastor for the said flock — a man endowed with
many good qualities answerable to that place ; and assented, in
case his own consent might be obtained ; and ordained Mr Andrew
Melville and Mr David Lindsay to travel with him In their name,
and to exhort hira, in the name of God and of his Kirk, to accept
the charge. In the 16th session, " Mr Eobert being present, and
desired to accept of the said charge, declared he was not yet re
solved to accept of the sarae simpliciter, always he would commu
nicate his labours to tliat flock till the next Synod ; and if lie found

12 wodrow's life OF BRUCE.
himself resolved then, and meet for the charge, he should continue ;
otherwise, he should be free."
PREACHES THERE TILL NEXT ASSEMBLY.
I see by the Eecords of this Assembly that Mr Bruce Is named,
with many others the gravest men of that Assembly, to present the
Articles they had ordered to be presented to the King and Parlia
ment. Accordingly, Mr Bruce preached in Edinburgh some time ; but
his inclinations leading him to St Andrews, where he had a call,
and his aversion to preach where the Court was continuing, he
went over for a time to St Andrews, towards the end of this year ;
but the people of Edinburgh were the more joined to hira the
longer he preached among them, God working eminently by him,
and his doctrine being extraordinary powerful ; and, therefore, very
soon after his going to St Andrews, commissioners were sent to him
to entreat him to return to Edinburgh. I find, In Mr Calderwood, an
act of the Town CouncU of Edinburgh, which, as I take It, accord
ing to the English computation, relates to this tirae, and it follows :
¦ — " Ultimo Januarii 1587. — The whilk day, WiUiam Little, Pro
vost, the BaiUies, Dean of Guild, Threasurer, and Town Council!,
being for the most part conveened, forasmikle as the Generall
Assembly has found Mr Eobert Bruce an apt and meet minister
for this Brough, In place of Master James Lawson, and have given
their consent thereunto ; as also, that they, with the Kirk and Ses
sion of this Burgh, and multitude of this toun, have conceived a
good oppinion of him, upon the proof he hath given of his sound
doctrine ; therefore gives commission to John Arnot, BaUIe, John
Johnstone, and WiUiam Smeaton, to pass and confer with him upon
his remaining here, and upon his charges and expenses, while the
town and he further agree. Extracted furth of the books of Coun-
cUl of the Burgh of Edinburgh, by Mr Alexander Guthrie, com
mon clerk of the same.
" Alex. Guthrie."

wodrow's lite of BRUCE. 13
CHOSEN MODERATOR OP THE ASSEMBLY, FEB. 1588.
I find Mr Bruce In Edinburgh, February 6, 1588, when the
General Assembly convened, extraordlnarUy, upon the alarm the
King and all ranks had of the invasion from Spain, by the known
Spanish Armada ; and such was the reputation Mr Bruce was In
for wisdom and management at such an extraordinary juncture,
that he was chosen Moderator to this Assembly ; where such vigor
ous methods were taken against Popery and Papists, as, had they
been foUowed forth by the King and noblUty afterwards, might
have prevented much of the increase of Popery, which afterwards
came in this land. To these the Moderator contributed not a little.
WHEN THE TOWN OP EDINBURGH RENEWS THEIR APPLICATION
FOR HTM, AND THE ASSEMBLY URGE HIM TO ACCEPT OF EDIN
BURGH CALL.
In the 10th September, " WUlIam Little, Provost, and John
Johnston of Elphingstone, compearing from the town of Edin
burgh, desire that Mr Bruce may be requested to accept of the
charge of the ministry at their kirk upon him, which he has not
yet done ; adding, that if they could not find one fitt presently to
be placed in Mr Couper's place, who had been ordained to be re
ceived at Glasgow, the Assembly would give liberty to the Pres
bytery of Edinburgh to transport such an one to that vacant place
as they could aggree with : The towns exempted by the Acts of
the Kirk being exeemed." Both which were granted by the As
sembly.
THIS REPORTED NEXT ASSEMBLY, AND MR BRUCE DELAYS ; AND
CONTINUES PREACHING THERE.
The next Asserably convene at Edinburgh, August 6, where Mr
Bruce has the exhortation, or sermon, as last Moderator ; and the
town of Edinburgh insist, and repeat their desire, that the As
sembly would request Mr Bruce to accept upon him the ordinary
charge of the ministry in the tovm.
In the 10th Session Mr Bruce gave his answer, — " That he could

14 wodrow's life of 15RUCE.
not presently accept of the said ordinary place ; alwisc offered his
Libours, as he had done of before, tiU the next Assembly. The
Assembly thought it not expedient to urge him farther for the pre
sent." WITHOUT imposition OF HANDS.
This is all I find upon Mr Bruce's first entry in Calderwood, and
tlie Eegisters of the Assembly. We shaU afterwards find that he
continued discharging his work of a Minister in Edinburgh tiU tho
year 1598, when some bustle was made about his want of solemn
ordination by imposition of hands. How this came about, I can
not give so full an account as I would incline to do, had I mate
rials ; but I meet with no more in any papers of this time come to
my hand, save what I have set down. I know the Prelatlsts make
some noise against Presbyterians, upon this head of conniving at Mr
Bruce in administration of the Sacraments, without being regu
larly ordained to the ministry. If there was any omission in this
matter as to him, I shall not take upon me to defend it ; It Is the only
Instance of irregularity of this kind which I know of, that is ob
jected in this Church; and if the extraordinary circumstances he
was in, and singular things In his case, and the extraordinary coun
tenance he had of his Master In his ministerial work, take not off
any aUeged singularity here, in the eyes of Impartial judges, I have
no other thing at present to offer ; and as practice in his case has
never been improven by Presbyterians In Scotland, to any devlar
tion frora the reasonable and ordinary method of ordination of gos
pel ministers by imposition of hands, so I am of opinion that such
a case as his was wiU never occur again.
REASONS OP HIS NOT RECEIVING ORDINATION AFTERWARDS.
It is very plain he had the repeated call of the people. He had the
repeated concurrence of the General Assembly to take the pastoral
charge of the town of Edinburgh. Both these he falls so far in
Avlth, as to take the pastoral charge for some time In that place, at
the pressing instances of both. This way he continued for about

wodrow's life of BRUCE. 15
twelve years In that city. What hindred his being set apart by or
dination of hands, I do not know at this distance. It seems to have
continued for some time under difficulties, as to the fixing of his
constant relation to that place, and the Assembly decline urging
him. There is a passage In Mr Livingston's account of Mr Bruce,
that seems to bear the occasion of his not receiving ordination
after it happened. How far the method taken by the ministry
with him is to be vindicated. Is not my province now to consi
der ; but after that was over, without any concert upon Mr Bruce's
part, T think his declining receiving imposition of hands is what
may be weU accounted for in him. The passage runs thus in
Mr Livingston's remarks, who was intimately acquainted with Mr
Bruce. FROM MR Livingston's account of his first celebrating
THE communion.
" After he had studied some tirae at St Andrews, there were
found more than ordinary gifts in him, so as he was most earnestly
and unanimously caUed to be minister in Edinburgh; but for a while
only preached, and could not be moved to take on the charge, till
one of the ministers, by advice of the rest, entrapped him ; for that
minister, one day giving the communion, had desired Mr Eobert
Bruce, who was to preach in the afternoon, to sit by hira ; and when
he himself had served two or three tables he removed out of the
church, as being shortly to return, but sent in word to Mr Bruce,
with some of the elders, that he would not return at that time ;
and, therefore, Mr Eobert behoved to serve the rest of the tables,
or else the work raust be given over ; and, therefore, when the eyes
of the elders and the whole of the people were upon him, and
imany also cried to him to serve the table now fiUed, he went on,
land administered the communion to the rest, with such singular
.assistance, and elevated afi^ections among the people, as had not
tbeen seen In that place before ; and for that cause he would not
^thereafter receive, in the ordinary way, the imposition of hands,
iseeing, before he had the material of it, to wit, the approbation of

16 wodrow's life of BRUCE.
aU the ministers, and had already celebrated the communion, which
was not by a new ordination to be made void."
remarks on this.
And as matters now stood, I do not see how he could, without a
considerable hazard of shaking the people who had received the
sacraraent at his hands. In this case of necessity, not of his oivn
making, but brought upon him by the ministers, as Mr Livingston
says, at the desire of the rest, and with consent of the elders and
the people, which went very near a formal act for his ordination,
under his remaining reluctancy. Bating the imposition of hands,
which in this case could not be had, I say, in such circumstances,
I cannot perceive how he could afterwards subject to ordinary im
position of hands, when matters were come this length, without giv
ing great matter of doubting to multitudes. Neither do I find for
many years, tiU matters were sadly altered, and the court were
fishing after occasions against him, that he was required to re
ceive ordinary ordination, and then, after eight or nine years, preach
ing and dispensing the sacraments with such sensible approbation,
as he was favoured with frora heaven, it was still the harder for
hira to do anything that might bring his ministerial actings in ques
tion. SINGULARLY USEFUL IN EDINBURGH.
To return after this digression, which I thought in some measure
necessary, Mr Bruce, after some trial of the pastoral work at Edin
burgh, finding the divine presence vrith him, and seeing the blessing
of God upon his labours, accepted the charge, and performed aU the
ministerial duties in Edinburgh ; and as after this, for several years,
he bore no smaU part of the burden of the pubUc affairs of the
Church, so he was reraarkably useful in preservation of the peace
of the country, and helpful to the King and nobUity by his wise
advice, and the great respects aU ranks carried to hira.
PARTICULARLY IN THE KING'S ABSENCE AT NORWAY.
This appeared particularly when the King went to Norway, No-

wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE. 17
vember 1589, to bring home the Queen. During his absence for
nearly half a year, though the Papists were busy and numerous, and
not a few feuds and heats among the nobUity and gentry, yet aU
was kept perfectly calm and peaceable ; and this was owing to Mj
Bruce's management at Edinburgh, in conjunction with the weU
affected nobiUty, barons, and the ministers in every shire ; as the
King himself owned more than once, to himself and others.
king's LETTER TO HIM, NOVEMBER.
Mr Calderwood observes, that in November 1589 the King wrote
a friendly letter to Mr Bruce, " wherein he thanked him for the
care he had for the peace of the country in his absence, acknow
ledging he was worthy of the quarter of his petite kingdom." Upon
the 2d of December, I find the King sent the foUowing letter : —
ANOTHER LETTER PROM THE KING TO MR BRUCE, PROM UPSAL,
DECEMBER 1589.
" To our Trusty and weU-beloved Mr Eobert Bruce,
Minister of the Evangel at Edinburgh.
"Trusty and weU-beloved councillor, we greet you weU. Ye know
how earnestly we recommended to your care the prosecution of this
platt, for the sustentation of the Ministry, at'our last parting ; and
having this occasion, we cannot weU omit to remember you of new
thereof, as we have done the rest whom we have solicited for that
service ; praying them to keep such days and place as we have ap
pointed for that errand : and spare no travel, to let us find, at our
home-coraing, that your occupation In that work has not been fruit
less, it being a matter that we would wiUingly see through ; and
wherein ye wiU give us good occasion to thlnli us In good earnest
addebted to your service, if by your means it may be brought to
that perfection which we intended, God wUling, to have brought [it] to,
before we give orders, out of our proper living. So, resting in this
to your wonted care and dUigence, we commit you heartUy to God's
care and protection. — ^From Upsal, this 2d day of December 1589.
" James E."
b

18 WODRO-VV'S LIFE OF BRUCE.
REMARKS ON HIS BEING STYLED COUNCILLOR.
How Mr Bruce gets the style of councUlor here, I shaU not en
quire. There was a particular commission given before the King
left the country, to certain noblemen, councUlors, and others, for
forming a constant platt about Ministers' provision, with a council
power ; and Mr Bruce and several other ministers were named
among them. And I know the King recommended the care of the
peace of his kingdom in his absence to Mr Bruce, and desired him
to give his best assistance and consent to those to whom he had
entrusted public affairs : But whether these were the reasons of
this style, I know not ; only this is plain, that Mr Bruce never took
on him the office of a privy councUlor. He had a juster notion of
the ministerial work, than to think it consistent with a cIvU office
and dignity of this nature. However, he did not refiise to give his
advice and assistance, at such a juncture as this, and as a subject,
in the best way he was able.
chancellor's LETTER TO HIM.
At this same time ChanceUor Maitland wrote a letter from Upsal
to Mr Bruce, which, lest this account I am giving sweU too much,
I shaU turn over to the Appendix.'
In January 1590, there were no small fears of an attempt upon
the town of Edinburgh, from Papists who had large expectations of
assistance from the Duke of Parma. In this case, Mr Bruce was
very helpful to the Magistrates of Edinburgh. For preventing any
surprise, matters were so managed, by a weU-led correspondence
with aU the quarters of the country, that aU the Popish designs
misgave. king's letter, FEB. 19, 1590.
Upon the 19th of February, the King, with his own hand, wrote
the foUowing letter, which, as it discovers this young King's pedant
ry and light use of the Scripture, the darkest place of which he
had been writing a Commentary upon, so it discovers the great
' Copied from Cald. Hist. MS. vol. iv. p. 446-7.

wodrow's life OP BRUCE. 19
trust the King put in Mr Bruce, and the obligations he reckoned
himself under to him.
" To our Trusty and^weU-beloved Mr Eobert Bruce,
Minister of the Evangel at Edinburgh.
" Good Mr Eobert, — Besides the welcome news that, by your
last letter you sent^ unto me, you pointed out so vively therein
your honest meaning to my service, besides the good report I have
otherwise of your daUy travels for that effect, now during my ab
sence, as I think myself beholden, while I Uve, never to forget the
same. And now, Mr Eobert, since, by the season of. the year, I
may perceive that your fashrie in that is near an end, and that you
might fight out the rest of your battle with greater courage, nam,
perseveranti in JinemfJ^c, I pray you awaken up all men to attend
my coming, and prepare themselves accordingly ; for my diet will
sooner hold than is looked for ; and, as our Master sayeth, ' I wUl
come as a thief in the night, and whose lamp I find burning, pro
vided with oil, these wUl I give thanks to, and bring into the ban-
queting-house with me ; but those that lack their burning lamps
provided with oU wiU be barred out at the doors ; for then will I
not accept their crying. Lord, Lord, at ray coraing, that have for
gotten me aU the time of my absence.' How properly this meta^
phor conveneth to my purpose, I leave to your judgment. For
God's sake, take all the pains you can to turn our folks well against
our home-coming, lest we be all shamed before strangers; and ex
ercise your new office of redder and compounder. I think this
time should be a holy jubilee in Scotland, and our ships should
have the virtue of the ark, in agreeing, for a time at least, naiurales
inimicitias inter f eras; for If otherwise it fall out, quod Deus avertat,
I behoved to come home Uke a drunken man amongst them, as the
prophet sayeth, which would keep decorum to coming out of so
drunken a country as this is. I pray you recommend me heartUy
to the good Provost of your town ; and, in anything he can, pray
him to assist my affairs, as I have ever been certain of his good
wUl in more services. EspeciaUy, desire him to further aU he oan

20 WODROW'S LIFE OF BRUCE.
the reeking out of three or four ships to meet me here, and convoy
me home ; as more particularly the CouncU's directions wUl inform
him. And likewise, I doubt not he wiU assist the Master of Work
in getting as many good craftsmen as may be had for ending out
the half-perfected Abbey that lies in such a dead-thraw, as did the
hostie of hoc est mim corpus betwixt the spaigned priest's hands.
Thus, recommending me and my new rib to your daUy prayers, I
commit you to the^only AU-sufficient. — From the Castle of Crone-
burgh, the 19th of February 1589, (1590.)
" James E.
" P. S. — Eecommend me heartUy to my three ministers, and
show Mr Patrick, my man, that I am sorry he has been so long
hained from Court ; but he may the better wait on there after."
chancellor's letter to MR BRUCE.
At the same time the ChanceUor wrote a letter from the same
place to Mr Bruce, in another sort of style, and becoming the
gravity and decorum due to himself and the person he wrote to,
which, because it is pretty long, I have turned it over to the Ap
pendix.' king's letter to him, APRIL 4.
Upon the 4th of AprU 1590, the King wrote another letter, with
his own hand, to Mr Bruce, which is but short, and free of the
eaUies and bombast in the former, and so I insert It here : —
" To our Eight Trustie and weU-beloved Mr Eobert Bruce,
Minister of the EvangeU at Edinburgh.
" I have received, Mr Eobert, by the Colonel, a letter of yours,
the counsel whereof, as I heartUy thank you for it, so I promise
you I am resolved deUberately to follow it ere my home-commg.
I pray you continue careftd in aU my affaire, as you have been, till
' See Appendix. Copy taken from Cald. vol. iv. p. 179-181.

wodrow's life of BRUCE. 21
my home-coming; for now your fashrie, God wiUing, wUl last you
but few days. I have heard of all the General Assembly's pro
ceedings, whereof 1 Uke very well. As to the contents of their let
ters, I shall, God wiUing, satisfy all expectations at my home-com
ing. I doubt not of your diUgence to persuade the town of Edin
burgh to guard themselves, in such form as the bearer hereof has
direction to them. I hope, by this letter come to your hands, it
shall be time for you to pray for a good wind to us; so fareweU till
meeting. — ^From the Castle of Croneburgh, the 4th of AprU 1590.
" James E.
" P. S. — I pray you let not this calm luU the town of Edinburgh
asleep ; for in deadest calms, you know, sudden and perilous puffs
and whirlwinds wiU arise."
chancellor's letter to him, APRIL 4.
With the same bearer the ChanceUor wrote a letter to Mr Bruce,
which deserves a room in the Appendix.' These original letters,
as they are worth the preserving, so they show the just senti
ments the King and his best servants had of Mr Bruce's good ser
vices in this juncture, when the King was necessarUy abroad.
queen's coronation and ANOINTING BY MR BRUCE.
The King and Queen arrived in the Firth, and landed at Leith
upon May 1, this year ; and the Queen was crowned in the Abbey
Church, Sabbath, May 17, and anointed by Mr Eobert Bruce.
This honourable employment put upon him I should not have no
ticed, were It not to obviate the mean and poor representation Bi
shop Spottiswood gives of the Ministry of the Church of Scotland at
this time, and the weak reasoning he falsely fathers upon them,
when I am persuaded since the Eeformation we have had scarcely
ever such a set of men for piety, zeal, learning, and wisdom, as at
this time the Church was blessed with ; such as Mr Bruce, Mr
' Copied from Cald. vol. iv. p. 194.

22 wodrow's LIFE OP BRUCE.
Andrew MelvUle, Mr Davidson, Mr Pont, BalcanqueU, and others
I might name. CALDERWOOD's account OF IT.
Let me then, though it's indeed not a matter of any consequence
in itself, state what passed from Calderwood, and compare this
with Spottiswood's unfair representation of it, and balance the pro
bability of the two accounts ; which is aU one can do at this dis
tance. Mr Calderwood teUs us that the King and the Danes
would have had both the Queen's Coronation and public entry into
Edinburgh upon the Lord's Day. Mr Davidson opposed the
Queen's entry its being upon the Sabbath, for which he was re-
vUed by the Magistrates, as also the other Ministers who joined
him in this ; and I doubt if any public entry before or since was
ever raade upon tbat holy day among Protestants. The reason
ableness of this brought over the ChanceUor to the Ministers' opi
nion, and her entry was delayed to a week day. The Ministers
had some reasonings whether It was lawful to have a Coronation
upon a Sabbath ; and, it may be, there has scarce been any since
that time on the Lord's Day. However, It was at length yielded,
from the reasonings upon the afl&rmative; which were, that the
Coronation was a mixed action in its nature, partly sacred and
partly civil, and somewhat Uke marriage ; and, in this solemn ac
tion, a mutual oath passed betwixt the Prince and the subjects,
and from both to God, and the Minister was to bless in the name
of the Lord. It was further agreed, my author observes, among
the Ministers convocate by Mr David Lindsay, that the ceremony
of anointing was no part of the office of a Minister; but, as it has
been a rite borrowed superstitlously by Christians from the Jews,
so now, if Princes would use it, it may be compUed vsith as a civil
ceremony; and that a subject may use it at the King's command,
not as a Minister, but as a civU person, providing a declaration be
made by the anointer, in time of the action, to that sense, that aU
opinion of superstition be removed; and the declaration was set
down in write. He adds, that Mr Eobert Bruce, Mr Eobert Pont,

wodrow's life of BRUCE. 23
Mr David Lindsay, Mr Walter BalcanqueU, and the King's own
Ministers, were appointed by the King to be present at the Coro
nation. The form was splendid enough, considering the time and our
circurastances in Scotland. But I wave the outward parade, par
ticularly narrated by my author, and only notice, that after the
Queen was placed in ber seat in the kirk, there were three sermons
made, one in Latin, another in French, and a third In English.
After sermons, Mr Eobert Bruce and Mr John Craig made short
discourses to the Queen, who then retired, and was conducted back
to her seat in her royal robes ; and when she was crowned, Mr
Bruce anointed first her right hand, then her forehead and neck ;
after which, the sword and sceptre were presented to her. The
solemnity continued from ten tUl five at night.
BISHOP spottiswood's ACCOUNT OP IT.
Bishop Spottiswood gives us a quite different view of this matter,
and teUs us, because none of the Bishops were present, nor could
be conveniently brought against that day, the King made choice of
Mr Bruce to perform the ceremony of coronation. This was a ne
cessary innuendo, in favour of the writer's order. It was weU the
coronation was valid, though done by presbyters ; but the InvaUdlty
of presbyters acting without prelates was scarce yet coined, at least
it had been unsafe for the author, who was not re-ordained even
when made a prelate. However, a salvo must be provided for the
absence of Bishops, which had been the more plausible, had It
been fact, and a little more agreeable to the story. He teUs in a few
lines after that the King threatened to send for Bishops, which I
take to be of a piece with the excuse, and can scarce guess who
these Bishops were the King would send for. Adamson was
sunk by this time into disgrace, Montgomery had renounced his
claim, and both the King in profession had disclaimed the Tulchan
Bishops, if they deserved that name, and the Church appeared
with warmth against these shadows of prelacy ; and unless it was
some Bishops the King had in petto, I can see no ground for the

24 wodrow's life of bruce.
writer's salvo, or the King's threatening. He adds, that some of ,
the curious Ministers excepted against unction, as Jewish, and
abolished by Christianity, chiefly Mr Davidson, an idle turbulent
man, who then had no charge in the Church, but had gained credit
with certain foolish people that would be thought more holy and
zealous than others ; and with him Mr Andrew Melville sided at
first. This virulent unmannerly expression against Mr Davidson
escaped me upon his life, where I hope the spring of it wiU be seen,
and the matter of it is taken off. Idleness certainly was none of
his faults ; his turbulence has been considered, but I wonder how
the Bishop vrithout blustering could write that he had no charge
in the Church, when he could not be ignorant of his relation to
Libberton, which elsewhere he owns, and of his caU to Edinburgh,
by the Synod, Presbytery, and Session. But all this IU nature is
vented against that good man, because of his opposing the profana
tion of the Sabbath ; for that is all the opposition I can find he
made in that matter. The learned reasonings that foUow to prove
anointing not Jewish, because used In other times and places;
nor introduced by Popes, or though it had been, not the worse for
that, are not worth considering. Indeed, in my opinion, the Hier
archy, and many things the wiiter was frank for, were worse rellques
of Popery than unction. He adds, nothing could remove their
scruples tiU the King threatened to bring a Bishop to perform the
action. This has been already considered, and Is at least very im
probable ; not to say Impracticable. Indeed, it appears to me to
be of a piece with their threatening Mr Bruce with censure if he
used unction, and Mr MelvUle's altering his opinion upon the King's
threatening ; that is not fact tUl I see it better vouched than by
the Bishop's word. BOTH BALANCED.
Mr Calderwood's representation of this matter is fair and credible ;
he had his accounts from Mr Davidson himself. It's not to be sup
posed that Mr Bruce, a person so zealous for aU reasonable tender
ness, would differ in this pobt from his brethren, nor that Mr Da-

wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE, 25
vidson and Melville, men of such learning and knowledge, would
bring forth such poor stuflf as this writer represents. But it's his
constant way, to point out these worthy persons In a fool's-coat,
which very UI befits them. We may, I think, then, see which of
the narratives to prefer. Both agree in what hath led me to what
I have been -too long upon, that Mr Bruce performed the corona
tion with all the accustomed rites, only Mr Calderwood adds, that
some write that " HamUton and the Duke put on the crown."
MR BRUCE IN GREAT FAVOUR TILL 1596.
For about five years after this, Mr Bruce was highly in favour
with the King, as Bishop Spottiswood owns, and tiU the year 1596,
when, the King came to form his project, graduaUy to bring in pre
lates and corruptions to the Church, and restrain the freedom of
Ministers and AssembUes, and to countenance Papists ; in aU whieh
Mr Bruce could not but endeavour to cross him. Never a minister
was in so great favour with the King, or more deservedly, as Mr
Bruce, and yet all this while he used the greatest freedom, though
stiU with caution, and without any just ground of ofifence, in his
reproofs to, and conferences with the King, of which I come now
to some instances. HIS ADMONITION TO THE KING, JUNE 6, 1 591.
The King's softness as to Papists, and his carelessness to execute
the laws, not only against them, but against every branch of wick
edness now abounding, brought him into great contempt, and
every one did according to his own eyes, as If there had been no
King or settled government. Therefore, upon the sixth of June
1591, Mr Bruce, preaching in the Little Kirk of Edinburgh, upon
Heb. xii. 14, 15, stated the question, the King being a hearer,
"What could the present disobedience to the laws mean, when
the King was among his subjects? seeing not long since, some
reverence was bom to his shadow, when he was absent." And an
swered, this flowed from a general contempt of the subjects ; and
therefore he advised the King to call upon God every day hetore he

26 wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE.
eat or drank, that the Lord would give him a resolution to execute
justice on malefactors, although it should be with the hazard of
his Ufe ; which, if he would enterprise courageously, the Lord
would raise up enew to assist him, and all these irapediments would
vanish away which are now in his way ; otherwise, added he, you
wUl not be suflTered to bruik your crown alone, but every man will
have one. Mr Davidson that same day, in the same place, com
plained of the neglect of the public administration of justice, and
the next day the King had a discourse to the Lords of Session,
anent the irapartial distribution of justice, and upon Tuesday
called the ministers before him and them, as I noticed on Mr Da
vidson's life already, in this year.
MR BRUCE AGAIN MODERATOR TO THE ASSEMBLY, 1592. — CONVER
SATION AFTER IT ABOUT KNOX, R. MURRAY, AND BUCHANAN.
Next year. May 1592, Mr Bruce was again chosen Moderator
to the General Assembly. This was not so ordinary at this time,
and was a proof of the high estimation this exceUent man was in.-
The Moderator and brethren appointed to present the articles of
the Assembly to the King waited on him, Wednesday, May 24,
when there happened a conversation, worth the preserving here.
The King turned very hot upon the Ministers, for speaking with
so much freedom in their pulpits against him and his nobUity, and
defending Mr Knox, Eegent Murray, and Mr George Buchanan,
who, the King said, could not be defended but by traitorous and
seditious theologues ; Mr Calderwood adds, the Ministers replied
soundly and boldly. In the afternoon, Mr Andrew MelviUe was so
earnest in defence of these worthy men, that the ChanceUor inte^
rupted him, and said, that was not the errand he came for ; the
other answered, that he would take no discharge at his hand, or at
the hand of any subject in Scotland in that matter. The King
found fault with Mr George Buchanan's treatise, De Jure Regni,
and with sundry other things in these worthy men. Mr Melville
answered, these were the men that set the crown upon your Ma
jesty's head. The King said that it came to him by succession^

wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE. 27
and not by any man. The other replied, they were the executioners
and instruments ; and whosoever informed him sinistrously of
these men, were neither true to the commonwealth, nor yet to his
Majesty. The King said, Mr Knox eaUed his mother a whore, and
allowed the slaughter of Davie' in her presence. Mr Pa. GaUoway
answered, if a King or Queen be a murderer, why should they not
be called so ? The King and Ministers parted in very UI terms.
After supper, Messrs Bruce and GaUoway were caUed in to the King,
who, by that tide, was tnuch calmer in conference, and next day
he promised to Ministers' Commissioners, that the acts against the
Kirk should be dlaannuUed. Mr David Black preaching on Friday
In the Little Kirk, where the ChanceUor was present, said the
slaughter of Davie, so far as it is the work of God, was approved
by Mr Knox, and no further.
OCCASION OF IT, THE E. OP MURRAY'S MURDER, FEB. 7.
The occasion of the complaints made at this time by the mini
sters, was the vUe murder of the Earl of Murray, and burning of
his House of Dunibristle,Feb. 7, this year, by the Earl of Huntly, as
he pretended by a warrant from the King, and the terrible lenity
shewn by the court in prosecuting that horrible fact. At the As
sembly, Commissioners were sent to admonish the King gravely in
the name of the eternal God, concerning the abounding murders
and oppressions daUy multiplied, through impunity and inlack of
justice, and represent to him the hazard true reUgion and the Elirk
was In ; and require him to discharge his Kingly office as to both,
as he would not draw down God's fearftd judgments on himself and
the land, aU which Mr Bruce deUvered with a peculiar gravity and
authority. How the King received them we have seen, but upon
reflection, and when his passion was calmed, he entertained softer
measures ; and at the ParUament, which began May 29 this year,
the act ratifying the Liberty of the true Kirk, General and Synodal
AssembUes, Presbyteries and Discipline, with several other good
laws, were passed. ' David Rizzio.

28 WODROW'S LIFE OF BRUCE.
ATTACK ON THE KING AT FALKLAND, JUNE 2 7, WITH MR BRUCE'S
NOTE AFTER IT.
After they parted, the King went over to Falkland, and, June
27, was attacked there by the Earl of BothweU, and very nar
rowly escaped through the seasonable appearance of the country
about. Upon the 29th the King came in to Edinburgh, and in
the afternoon was present at Mr Bruce's sermon. He preached on
Luke xlx. " O that thou had known," &c. ; and, directing himself to
the King, said, " Your Majesty hath had raany admonitions, as we
of the ministry and other estates have had ; but this last admoni
tion is sharper than any of the former. Now, they pretend to
come to seek justice for the last terrible murder, and how can you
punish others, when you are pursued yourself? He desired his Ma
jesty to humble himself before God, and confess his negligence, and
keep his promise better than he had done formerly." The King
stood to his own purgation, and controUed Mr Bruce in some
circumstances, as to which he had not fuU information ; and said
that the persons that attacked him at Falkland were the same
that made the attempt formerly upon the Abbey, rather fewer
than more; that they did not pretend to seek justice, adding, "This
I speak, that no man should be afraid of their numbers, nobiUty, or
any pretended quarrels, to assist me in pursuing these traitors." And
concluded with desiring all to thank God for his delivery, if they
would have any benefit by his governraent, which Mr Bruce, and
the people, joined heartily with.
HIS OBSERVATION, JULY 16.
Upon the 16th of July, the ChanceUor being present, Mr Bruce
preached on his ordinary, in the First of Samuel, and observed,
" That at Saul's inauguration, the people were present in great num
bers, for generaUy they have great expectations of new risen men,
but if they answer not their expectation, they contemn them ; and
If vengeance Ught on great men, not doing their duty, they care
not for it ; but look on it as the just judgment of God." Since

wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE. 29
the attempt of Falkland, there had been considerable changes at
Court, and Colonel Steuart was warded.
NOTE OF ANOTHER SERMON OP HIS.
These passages I have from Mr Calderwood. In a volume of old
MSS. Sermons, lately corae to my hands, I find two passages of
Mr Bruce's Sermons. The first of the notes related directly to
this time I am on, and it is probable the other likevrise ; and I in
sert them here, as instances both of this good man's holy boldness,
and tender regard to the King, and I give them in the words, and
syllabication, as they stand in MSS. which seem to be written
about that time, as foUows : —
"A note gathered out of a sermon, preached by Mr Eobert Bruce,
upon the introduction to the Books of Samuel, at Edinburgh.
Into the Books of Samuel, we may perceive that the Israelites sought
¦very instantly and vehemently a King, and would no wise be re-
fiised ; whiUj, in end, the Lord granted, but in great wrath. Ob
serve here, I see, we are never worse plagued nor when we get
our own wUl. Saul here breaks forth in aU kinds of evU ; he haunts
evU company-men, and loves them ; he pursues good men, and hunts
them, as David, Jonathan, and the Levites ; but he saves and
spares A gag, against God's command. Therefore, let the Prince
bewar& of the hatred of David, Jonathan, and the Levites. Let
him beware of Agag, that thou spare not him whom God biddeth
strike. But as thou have him in thy hand, so, according to the
power God has given thee, let justice be "executed upon him ; and
reform your aflfection in that point. Lay your affection on good
things, and godly men, and of the nobles, barons, and gentlemen,
amass to yourself a councU of the wisest ; that the foundations of
the country that are shaken may be established. If you do this,
no doubt you shaU stand, and the Lord wiU preserve you ; if you do
it not, I wiU not say what became of Saul. But no doubt, so
far as you are like him in sin, you must be like him ia judgment,
so you that are about him should exhort him thus to do ; seeing this
is the only way, whereby the foundations of the country that are

30 wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE.
shaken may be established. And it is our part, from our hearts to
crave it ; because, for as loose as he is, he is the greatest blessing
that ever we shaU see ; so that the carcass of a commonwealth, sup
pose it be now, shaU not be seen after him, but it shaU be rent
asunder, ay unto the last judgment. I speak it looking to the
gravity of the sins of this people, and to the curse that lighted
upon Eli ; that his sins could not be washed away. Therefore, it
is our part to crave most earnestly, that the Lord would enter into
his heart by his mighty power, so to double the force of his holy
spirit of judgment and government in him, of the unction of
princes, of magnanimity, and fortitude, that justice may strike
upon the malefactor. And this I speak not favouring of Bothwell,
or favour of no raan, but let justice strike flauntly on him, and
upon Huntly, and upon aU malefactors without exception; an^
this is the mean to estabUsh his throne, and whosoever says othei
wise unto him are flatterers, men that the country should stone to
death." ANOTHER PASSAGE OF A SERMON OP MR BRUCE'S.
The other is a note of a sermon of his upon Psalm xxxiv.,
" The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous," &c. Here, said
Mr Bruce, " the Lord borroweth his speech from the custom ol
great men, and princes, for our capacity. So it were happy if
princes would borrow and imitate the custom of the Lord, and, as
he employs his eyes and his ears upon righteous men, that are re-
Ugiously disposed towards good justice and judgment, so they
would wale such men to be about them as have a holy disposition
towards God and the country. If he would borrow this from the
Lord, surely that confusion that now rests upon the Kirk and com
monwealth could not faU forth. But when he bestows his favours,
his eyes and ears, upon evU men, young fools, and babies, upon
this faUs out the calamity of this Kirk and country ; and surely I
take this to be the spring of our calamity, that they bruik the ear
of our prince, that are not religiously disposed ; and we have it to
count and think, that this is one of our greatest judgments among

wodrow's life OP BRUCE. 31
many that accompames, yea, has Ken on the back of this country;
that ever since he was a prince, he has never been clad with such
company as was reUglously disposed towards God, or the execution
of justice or judgment 5 but his company has ever been wicked and
godless ; yea. Papists and idolators, for the most part, and I see
yet the secret judgment of the Lord stiU going forward, and not
relenting ; so that I look for nothing but evU, and worse, and worse,
and worse, tiU It come to the height ; and surely the only band-tem
poral that holds up the commonwealth here, which is ruinous on aU
sides, and in mislike to faU down, it stands upon that prince, who,
suppose he be many ways abused, out of question, if he were re
moved, so far as I can gather by natural appearance, and by the
wisdom of the book of God, by reason of the sins of this people,
I look not to see a crown or sceptre, but judgment to follow upon
judgment, and confusion multiplied on confusion ; so then, if we
be contracted with great extremities or not, so, of aU remedies, I
see not a better, than a contrite and broken heart, if So it were pos
sible we could obtain it."
JULY 17, 1592. — THE KING COMMUNICATES SOME LETTERS OF CON
SPIRATORS TO THE MINISTRY OP EDINBURGH.
By these passages, taken from his mouth, we may make some
judgment of the faithful and plain deaUng of this holy man ; and,
indeed, some expressions here look like predictions ; and I shaU
afterwards have occasion to notice some very extraordinary things
in this great raan. But to return to his life. Upon Monday, July
17, 1592, the King called for Mr Bruce and the Ministers of Edin
burgh, and communicated some letters found on a person taken at
Falkland attempt, many of them written by Mr John ColvUl's
hand, containing the whole purpose of the conspirators in ciphers
and contractions. The King divided the plotters into three kinds,
— ^BbthweU's faction, the Papists, and others drawn on for their
own particulars. The first two, he said, sought his life directly ;
he showed them, likewise, some contumeUous verses made upon
him, as was thought, by Hackerstone, one of BothweU's captains,

32 wodrow's life of bruce.
caUing him " Davie's son," and many other vUe aspersions ; adding,
that he thought good to acquaint them with these things, that they
might acquaint the people, who have a good opinion of you, and
credit you. Where we may see the King would, when it served
for his purpose, have the Ministers giving intimations of things
from the pulpit that concerned the pubUc, for as Uttle as he could
bear their reproofs of sin, the true spring of aU these hazards he
was in. TOWN OP EDINBURGH DIVIDED IN EIGHT PARISHES.
At this time, I find Mr Bruce and the rest of the ministers of
Edinburgh, with the Magistrates, agree upon dividing the town into
eight parishes;' and an intimation was made from pulpit, August
6, 1592, to this purpose : — " That by reason of the great dishonour
done to God, especiaUy in his holy Sabbath, by a great number in
this city, in time of divine worship, partly in ale-houses, partly at
profane games in backsides, partly in the open streets', and some
committing harlotry in honest men's houses; and that, besides,
there God's name is continuaUy blasphemed, and many other vices
abound, as daUy experience teacheth us ; as also, there are a great
many houses in diverse parts here that Uve oidy in receipt of stolen
gear, and entertaining of harlotry; which whole vices spring of
ignorance for lack of teaching, due examination and visitations, Uke
as our pastors, being so few in number, cannot in good conscience
discharge a pastoral duty in such a populous city, where vice so
much aboundeth, except a mean be found out how these enormi
ties in sorae raeasure may be remedied ; which cannot be done but
by the division of the town in competent congregations. For this
cause, the Kirk and CouncU hath thought good, for the present,
that this city be divided in eight congregations, and they to have
eight ministers, whose stipends must be suppUed by a yearly con
tribution of the godly and honest men of this good town, while it
please God that the good town be able of their own common good
to do it themselves." It took some time before this particular set-
' See Sermons, p. 366-7.

WODROW S LIFE OF BRUCE. 33
tlement took full effect ; and when the division was raade, as we
shaU hear, Mr Bruce was brought to difficulties.
OF MR BRUCE AND OTHERS BEING APPOINTED A COUNCIL FOR
THE CHURCH.
In November this year, Mr Bruce and other Ministers were ap
pointed as a standing meeting at Edinburgh during the present
hazard from Papists; which being matter of reproach to this
Church by Prelates, I shaU here set down the true matter of fact,
that the reader may see how groundless it is ; and it's warranted by
Calderwood and Mr James MelviUe in his Memorials. The pro
fanity of the land was very great at this tirae, the divisions araong
the nobUity were not small, the Papists were very bold, and the
King, partly from fear, and, indeed, his temper led him to an ex
cess here, especiaUy after BothweU's attempt at Holyroodhouse
and Falkland, and his peculiar affection to most of the Popish
Lords, too much encouraged them, so that matters were extremely
cloudy to all that had any concern for the Eeforraation. Colonel
Stewart, once called Earl of Arran, a person who encouraged both
BothweU and Papists, was like to win in upon the King, and many
alarms came daUy of designs frora abroad to introduce Popery.
At such a juncture, there were few or none to appear but the
Ministers ; and however ignorantly and groundlessly aspersed they
have been for their appearances, it was what evidently they were
bound to, both by conscience and office, and for the just respect
they had to the King. Accordingly, Mr Bruce and some others
were directed to wait upon his Majesty; which they did, and freely
laid before him the dangers hanging over Church and State. He
seemed not altogether insensible of them, and allowed letters to be
sent to weU-aflPected noblemen, barons, and others, to corae in to
Edinburgh and advise with the Ministers what was proper to be
done. They met, accordingly, in the Little Kirk. Their conclu
sions may be seen printed, (Calderwood, p. 271, &c.) Among
other exceUent provisions against the present danger from Papists,
the following was agreed to, which hath led rae into this matter :

34 wodrow's life op bruce.
— " That there be an ordinary councU of the brethren under
written, — Messrs Eobert Bruce, David Lindsay, Eobert Pont, John
Davidson, Walter BalcanqueU, James Balfour, Patrick Galloway,
and John Duncanson, who shaU convene every week once, or
oftener, as occasion shall crave, to consult upon such advertise
ments as shaU be made to them from divers parts of the country,
or otherwise ; and providere in omnibus ne quid ecclesia detrimenti
capiat. And, for the better execution of their conclusions, it is
ordained that there be an ordinary agent attending them till the
next General Assembly, (January next,) viz. Mr James Carmichael."
And his work, as well as theirs, is distinctly set down in Calder
wood. Now, this is the Council of the Church of which so much noise
has been made in prelatic writings ; and some English historians,
who copy after our Scots pamphlets of the prelatic side, neces
sarUy, because Presbyterians, have been at so little pains to give
just accounts of their own procedure, this meeting, only for sis
or eight weeks, by the King's allowance, under present threatening
dangers, has been represented as the constant practice of this
Church — an undue meddling with State affairs, taking the govern
ment upon them, setting up imperium in imperio, and what not;
whUe, in the meantime, it was both innocent and singularly useful
for the King's interest. Indeed, Bishop Spottiswood passes over
this meeting In November, and gives a pretty favourable view of
the General Assembly in January ; but then, elsewhere he gives
innuendoes of this CouncU of the Church. If the people of the
other side be offended at the title, for my share, I can easUy part
with it; and I know not rvhether it was the name taken by this
meetmg, or innocentiy given to it by Mr MelviUe in his account.
But I am sure the thing itself was necessary and useful at this time.
COLONEL STEWART COMES TO COURT WITH THE MINISTERS' OPPO
SITION TO HUI IN THEIR SERMONS.
In a few days after this meeting. Colonel Stewart, sometimes
caUed Eari of Arran, was written for by the King, and came to Court,

AVODROW'S LIFE OF BRUCE. 35
— a man extreraely hated for his vices and practices both with
BothweU and the Papists. And, upon his return, new difficulties be-
fel the ministers at Edinburgh, particularly Mr Bruce. November
27, Mr Bruce, and others, were sent to the King to signify how
dangerous and tmpopular the Colonel's return to Court was, and
to urge his departure. Upon the last of November, Mr Balcan
queU, in his sermon, pointed out the Colonel, and showed what
mischief he had done, and how much he had formerly abused the
King and nobility, adding, he that brought him in again (Duke of
Lennox) should feel the first dint of his batton. The King, when
he heard of this, was In a great heat,, and in the afternoon sent for
the Magistrates and Ministers. He charged Mr Bruce with har
bouring of Bothwell, which was not fact, and he begged his Ma
jesty's proving of it, or giving his author. Sundry were promised,
but none ever found. The Magistrates were bitterly reproached,
with sulfering Bothwell, a traitor, to lurk in their town ; while the
Colonel, a known abettor of him, was in Court. They aUeged
ignorance, and proraised dUigence in tirae coming. Next the King
feU foul on the ministers, for passing over Bothwell in their ser
mons, and inveighing only against Huntly and the Colonel. They
referred themselves to their hearers, and the Earl of Morton vin
dicated them fuUy to the King. They were desired next Sabbath to
make mention of BothweU's wickedness, and dehort aU from so
ciety with or entertaining of him, which they cheerfuUy did. The
King upbraided them with their treatment of the Colonel, after he
had been so long in affliction, and for other things, which they an
swered. Next Sabbath, Mr Davidson, preaching upon Exodus,
and handUng Moses and Aaron's resolute answering of Pharaoh,
noticed how the servants of Christ in Scotland had stUl withstood
the enemies of the Eeformation to their face ; beginning at the
Queen Eegent, and coming down to the Queen Mother, then to
some of the Eegents, then to the Guises' practices with Aubigney.
The tenor whereof, says he, appeareth In our time, and so with a pro
testation, that he had no hatred at his person, and a regard for the fa-
niUy he was come of, displayed the Colonel's vices, which he said he

36 wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE.
cotdd not but hate. Mr Bruce insisted upon the same strain after
him, and such was the danger apprehended from him, that all the
ministers reckoned it their duty to give fiiU warning ; and Mr Gallo
way, preaching to the King, told him he had now got about him the
scum and ofiPscourings of the wicked, and if that raan, the Colonel,
continued with him, he could not continue sincere in religion. Mr
Bruce, and the rest, warned freely likewise as to Bothwell. The
terrible courses the Colonel had formerly led the King to, and the
vices of the man, made aU this plain dealing weary at this juncture,
and it had this good effect, that he left the Court.
MR BRUCE CRAVES A PURGATION OF HIS HAVING HARBOURED
BOTHWELL.
Upon the 8th of December, Mr Bruce and some of his brethren
waited on the King, desiring a trial as to the charge of harbouring
BothweU. The King moved they might drop the matter, which
Mr Bruce refused ; and so Thursday-come-eight-days was appoint
ed for producing the witnesses, viz. the Master of Gray and Thomas
Tyrie. On the Sabbath, Mr Bruce, teaching on 1 Sara, xii., said
that the King was environed with Uars, for the most part vindicated
himself from the reproaches cast upon him, and told his flock, that
he was resolved to supersede preaching tUl he was purged from
that Infamous slander laid against him, that he and others had con
spired to take the crown off the King's head, and set it on Both
weU's. The Presbytery, Session, and Mr Bruce, urged the Master of
Gray by their letters to produce his evidences. At length he,
ashamed, purged Mr Bruce of all laid to his charge, and offered to
fight his honest quarrel with any man save the King ; for shame
he left the Court, and vindicated Mr Bruce by a letter. Upon the
day appointed, Mr Bruce with the Session, and many others, went
down to the Palace, and urged his trial ; the King desired him to
bury it, and complained he insisted so much ; but the CouncU and
Session signified that they could not be satisfied without a purgar
tion. No accuser appearing, the matter was delayed tiU the next
diet, when it was simpliciter deserted.

wodrow's life op BRUCE. 37
MR bruce's note, JANUARY 7, 1593.
Whereupon Mr Bruce returned to his work, and, January 7,
1593, the King carae to hear him. Mr Bruce exhorted the King
now to execute justice ImpartiaUy, otherwise the Chronicles, said
he, wUl keep in memory King James the Sixth to his shame. After
all this noise about Mr Bruce, and the freedom he stUl used with
the King, he continued, at least outwarcUy, in great favour with
him.

In August, Bothwell forced his way in to the King at Holyrood
house, asked pardon, and desired a trial as to his dealing with
witches against the King's life ; the last was granted, and he as
soilzied, and the King granted hira a free remission tiU November,
when the Parliament should sit, and confirm it. When this was done,
the King declared he was to go over to Falldand ; BothweU and
his faction endeavoured to stay him, and told hira if he went they
would go ; whereupon the King convened the Council, and sent
for the ministers of Edinburgh, and complained he was detained
prisoner, and undutlfuUy handled. Mr Bruce was singularly use
ful in this case ; at length the matter was coraproraised, and it was
agreed that the King should go where he pleased, and take whom
he pleased with him in company ; of which Mr Bruce gave the fol
lowing account in a letter to the Presbytery of DunfermUne.
MR bruce's account OF THIS IN A LETTER.
" Brethren, although It be not necessary, yet for the bearer's satis-
taction, ye shaU understand that from hard and high extremities,
we have brought the matter to a reasonable pacification. The
Council, Session, and Ministry of this burgh, are In a sort be
come surety that the King shaU keep and stand to his promise ;
the effect of it is this, that BothweU and his party shaU have a re
mission of aU past oflPences tUl the 10th of November, when the
ParUament Is to meet, and there these premises shaU be ratified.
My Lord BothweU, and his party, shaU remain from the Court in

38 wodrow's life of bruce.
the meantime, and their enemies, viz. the Chancellor, the Master
of Glamis, Sir George Hume, ray Lord Hume, together with tiie
Spanish faction, should remain off Court, after the issue of which,
the Lord Bothwell shaU have liberty to remain, bide, or go at his
pleasure. This far, for the bearer's satisfaction, referring the rest
to his sufficiency. No further, but I commit you to God. — At Edin
burgh, this 15tli of August 1593, your brother,
" Eobert Bruce."
After this, and another declaration, made by the King to Both-
well, upon terms, and BothweU's acceptance of thera, when called
to Linlithgow, reported to the King by Mr Bruce, for which I
refer to the printed Calderwood, yet the King, through the influ
ence of new CouncUs, altered his mind, and published a severe pro
clamation against Bothwell in September.
REMARKS ON SPOTTISWOOD'S ACCOUNT OF MR BRUCE's CONVER
SATION TO THE KING .AS TO STAYING PUBLICATION OP THE
earl's EXCOMiMUNICATION.
On the 8th October, the Synod of Fife excomraunlcated the Po
pish Earls. After a lame and partial account of this, which the
reader wUl see in a juster light in Calderwood, Bishop Spottis
wood gives the foUowing account of Mr Bruce, who, he says, was
then in great favour. When the Synod had passed sentence, they
desired the neighbouring Synods to intimate it. When the King,
who was incensed at the excomraunication of the Popish Earls,
heard of this, he caUed Mr Bruce, and willed him to stop thepubU-
cation of the sentence, as being unjust and Inforraal ; the persona
being neither cited to the Synod, nor cited to answer. These
reasons, I fancy, are of the Bishop's raaking, and may be easUy an
swered from the plain grounds the Synod went on. If this be
your order, said the King, that one Synod may excommunicate,
and at their desire the rest make Intimation ; who can be sure, or
how shall it be eschewed, but numbers shall this way be brought
lo trouble ? Mr Bruce might easily have answered this pretence of

wodrow's life op BRUCE. 39
danger, if the King did express himself thus. But aU the Bishop
tells us of his answer Is, that " his brethren had concluded the pub
lication, and that it was not in his power to stay it, and the mini
sters of Fife had their own reasons, and were answerable to the
General Assembly." All this, I fancy, is told for the sake of the
King's answer which foUows : " Well," said the King, " I could get
no rest till you got that which you call the Discipline of the Church
established ; and now that I have found It abused, and that none
among you have power to stay such disorderly proceedings, I will
think of a mean to help it." It was fit the Bishop should not omit
this saying of the King's. If any such conference was, it is plain
the Bishop has not given us all Mr Bruce would naturally say on
this occasion. He could not miss to acquaint the King, that no
Synod had power over another ; that it was in the option of Synods
to obey one another!s desires ; that the General Assembly was the
dernier resort ; and, according to his Majesty's own known speech,
if Synods did amiss, they would help it, and his Majesty need
think of no new means. But, indeed, I take this story to be much
of a piece with another he tells, p. 417, which I shall consider in
its room, that is a misrepresentation.
MR bruce's NOTE ON THE ACT OP ABOLITION.
Notwithstanding of the excommunication of the Popish Lords,
the King went on in his favour to them, and by his influence, got
the Act of Abolition passed in their favour. Mr Bruce, preaching
before the ChanceUor, Secretary, and Justice-Clerk, December 16,
said, the King's reign would be short and troublesome, if the Act
of Abolition were not aboUshed.
HIS NOTE as TO BOTHWELL AND THE KING, MARCH 1594,
Next year, 1594, the King went on in his severities against
BothweU, directly contrary to the agreement to which Mr Bruce
signed as a witness. In the end of March, Mr Bruce said fron;
pulpit, that, however BothweU were out of the way, the King
should never want a particular enemy tiU he fought the Lord's

40 wodrow's LIFE OP BRUCE.
batties against the wicked. That BothweU had taken the protec
tion of the good cause, at least the pretence of this, to the King's
shame, and he understood not how he could pursue BothweU till
he had proven the last band broken, and indenture betwixt them,
whereof he was one witness.
HIS ADVICE, APRIL 9, AS TO BOTHWELL.
BothweU kept the King continually in fear all this spring. On
the 9th of April, Sir Eobert Melville, and the Laird of Carmichael,
carae frora the King to the Presbytery of Edinburgh, to ask their
advice, how BothweU's forces should be holden out of these parts.
They judged this but a snare, and gave a general answer. Sir
Eobert urged a more particular answer ; they declined it. The
other complained the nobility had left the King. Mr Bruce said,
his doings and proceedings lost him esteem among all his subjects,
especially the meaner sort, who were oppressed, and though the
ministry should exhort them to assist him, they would not, if he
amended not; therefore, his advice was, that he would turn and re
pent of his sins.
MR BRUCE PREVAILS WITH ARGYLE TO OPPOSE HUNTLY.
Bishop Spottiswood tells us, that the suraraer when the King
gave a comraission to Argyle to repress the insolencles of Huntly
in the North, Mr Bruce took a journey with Mr James Balfour,
and persuaded the Earl, partly from hopes of a recompence from
England, and partly from hopes of a share in disposing the rebels'
lands, and prevailed with him. This, I Imagine, is designed to Insi
nuate that Mr Bruce was a tool to the Queen of England. That
princess was, indeed, heartUy against a Popish Interest here, and
all good Protestants, and especially the ministers, were in that
sense upon the EngUsh side, as Bishop Burnet, in his third volume
of the History of the Eeformation, justly notices. Little more offers
tUl the known 17th of December, when Mr Bruce his carriage lost
.him aU his good graces with the King, after which his life is almost a
contmued scene of suffering. For the two years foUowing, I find him

wodrow's LIFE OP BRUCE. 41
and other ministers publicly reproving the general neglect of the
execution of justice, and punishing crimes daUy almost committed.
SUMMER 1596, THE KING FRETS AT MR BRUCE HIS RECEPTION
IN THE WEST.
But I come forward to the year 1596, when his sufferings began.
In the summer, Mr Bruce was appointed by the Assembly to visit
the Kirks in the province of Glasgow, where a great deal of civility
was shown him by persons of aU ranks, his reputation being daily
growing for faithfulness, wisdom, and usefulness. The King, Mr
Calderwood notices, being galled with the freedom he had used in
BothweU's affair, fretted at the general respect shown him, and
vowed he should lose his head for his carriage in that affair. This
may in part let us see the groundlessness of that story Spottiswood
teUs of a conference betwixt the King and Mr Bruce this year.
REMARKS ON SPOTTISWOOD's ACCOUNT OF MR BRUCE'S SAUCY
RETURN TO THE KING THIS YEAR.
After the Assembly, the King being disappointed of his hopes of
favour to the excommunicated Earls, called for Mr Bruce, and
showed him " how much he needed the assistance of aU his subjects
in the matter of his succession to England ; that the absence of
the Earls would make him less respected abroad, and weaker at
home ; and that if he could bring them to acknowledge their offence,
and embrace the true reUgion, without which he would never show
them favour, he thought it would be wisdom to gain thera." Mr
Bruce, then in great favour with the King, adds our author, which
 I very much question, answered, " It would not be amiss to bring
home Angus and ErroU, if they would conform to religion. But
Huntly could not be pardoned, being so much hated of his sub-
. . . . . jects." This answer is very ill made for Mr Bruce, unless we shaU
; ; ; ; ; think hc had some pique at Huntly, which Is not pretended, and
;, :, ;, some other reason than Popery, which was the only thing that
.. ; ; . - made Mr Bruce, or any good man, be against their return. But
mil when another has a tale to raake for one side, his bias will soon ap-

42 wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE.
pear; and so he brings in the King giving Mr Bruce an unan
swerable return, that, " If Huntly satisfied the Church, and fulfil
led the conditions, he saw no reasons to exclude him, especially
having married his cousin-german, and being of most influence,
and would stand him more in stead than the rest." The King
gave Mr Bruce time to think on it, adds our author, to make his
triuraph over Mr Bruce the raore complete; and so he might, for
the raore he thought, the more strength he would see in what is
pretended to have been said. But all this is said only to bring in
Mr Bruce in a fool's coat, and to make room for his saucy answer.
At next meeting, the King, says the Bishop, asked his thoughts
on the former business. Mr Bruce replied as before, that Huntl/s
return would be iU interpreted, and offend all good men. The
King, he says, repeating his former reasons, added, that if he
brought one home, he would bring them aU. Mr Bruce replied,
" Sir, I see your resolution is to take Huntly in favour, which, if
you do, I wiU oppose, and you shall choose whether you wiU lose
Huntly or me, for us both you cannot keep." The Bishop adds,
this saucy answer the King never forgot, and it lost Mr Bruce the
favour he formerly had with him ; and no wonder, had it been true,
which is more than I can credit ; it being a story UI coined, di
rectly contrary to Mr Bruce's known wisdom and prudence, and
has through the whole of it so much weakness, and iU-nature, and
so Uttle show of reason in it, that if the Bishop had it told him by
any other, I cannot persuade myself he could believe It himself.
And it is plain not a minister in Scotland, far less Mr Bruce, would
have opposed any of the Popish Lords being received, upon then-
sincere embracing of the Protestant reUgion. But the Bishop's de
sign here is obvious, and of a piece with the rest of his manage-
raent as to Presbyterian ministers, who are all of them grossly mis
represented by this party vsrlter. I have taken the more notice of
this passage, as to Mr Bruce, because I find it is got In from him tp
the English writers, and from them to the Arminian Dutch writers,
particularly Brand's History of the Eeformation in the Low Coun
tries.

wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE. 43
THE ACCOUNT OP THE TUMULT, DECEMBER 17, 1596, MISREPRE
SENTED BY PRELATIC AND ARMINIAN WRITERS, WITH THE
ANSWERS TO THEM, AND THE SPRINGS OF THIS.
I come now forward to the beginning of Mr Bruce's public suf
ferings, at the known 17th of December 1596. There Is scarcely
any branch of our ecclesiastical story has been more misrepresented
than the procedure of the Ministers, in the case of Mr David
Black, and at the tumtJt which happened on the above mentioned
day. And a load of reproaches Is thrown upon Presbyterians in
Scotland, by a mere perverting of facts in these cases. The chief
articles of scandal are thrown upon this Church by virulent Bishop
MaxweU, in his Issachar's Burden, BramhaU, In his Warning, who
borrows much from Spottiswood's History, in their hands before it
was printed, and from them the scandal is propagated through the
English Historians, and Tory writers, particularly the known Mr Les
lie, who reprinted BramhaU's Warning, 1706, withoutthe least notice
of Mr BalUie's answer to it. Issachar's Burden has likewise been re
printed in the Phoenix, where It had been a piece of justice to have
reprinted Mr BaiUie's Historical Vindication, in answer to him.
Our Scots Prelatic Jacobite Clergymen, harboured in England
since the Eevolution, having little else to do but scribble, have
gathered up all the obloquy and reproach in these and other books
against Presbyterians, and propagated the scandal in their pam
phlets and books through England, without giving themselves any
trouble at aU to consider the replies given to Spottiswood's printed
calumnies by Calderwood,' to Adamson's and MaxweU's, in Mr
BailUe's Historical Vindication, and the facts advanced in the
printed 'Calderwood. And now the lies are propagating abroad by
the Arminian writers, who generally favour some of the Popish .
tenets, and consequently the Hierarchy, at least, must be enemies
to the scriptural and strict discipline of this Church; and, lastly,^ the
' This refers not to Calderwood's printed History, which is mentioned afterwards,
bnt to his Vindiciae Epistolse Philadelphi contra Calumnias Joannis Spotsvodi, &c.,
subjoined to his Altare Damascenum — [Ed.]
' This refers to the controversy whioh took place concerning the toleration of the
Episcopalians in Scotland, in 1703. The pamphlets published in this controversy

44 wodrow's life of bruce.
perversions of the reasonable toleration, which ought to be given
to persons of a different opinion, and turning the notion of tolera
tion to a boundless licentiousness, and running to the extreme,
contrary to wicked persecution for conscience sake, the giving an
universal boundless toleration to all opinions and practices, too,
which do not directly infringe upon the civU government ; aU these,
laid together, have raade way for multitudes their swallowing im
plicitly almost every thing that is said against the Church of Scot
land, and the Ministers thereof. It is the affair of the 17th of De
cember, and particularly Mr Bruce's share in it, that lies now before
me ; and I shaU give a plain narrative of raatter of fact, from Mr
Calderwood's MS. ; and leave the reader from that to gather the
groundlessness of the noise that since has been made about this by
the writers on the other side. Were I to give the fuU state of this
matter, but I am to consider it chiefly as it relates to the person
whose life I ara writing, 1 might remark raany things more gene
rally upon the state of matters at this juncture.
GENERAL REMARKS ON THE STATE OF MATTERS AT THE TUMULT,
DECEMBER 17, 1596.
The Popish excommunicated and forfaulted Lords were lately
come back to the country without allowance, and gave it out they
expected assistance and help frora Papists abroad. The divisions
were not only general through the country, through the neglect of
justice, and continual feuds among famUIes and clans, and the
murders and ravages daUy committed with impunity; but two
stated parties were formed at court itself, betwixt the Bed-chamber
men, or Cubiculars, as they were caUed, and the Octavians, or eight
persons taken in to manage the King's revenues, since ChanceUor
Maitland's death. These endeavoured to have in the Ministers to
their quarrels ; and, as far as I have observed, the most part of
the steps complained of in the Ministry of Scotland, since the Ee
formation, have been occasioned by state parties raising theraselves
contain a pretty full discussion of the disputed points in the History of the Chureh of
Scotland  [Ed.]

wodrow's life of BRUCE. 45
in by force or fraud with the Ministry. And in this case the con
fusions, December 17, were evidently the consequence of this state
division. Again, Mr Black's affair, which 1 shaU consider more
fuUy on his life, and the scandalous comings and goings, and breach
of conditions by the Court, together with the present danger of
Popery, fiUed the Ministers with most melancholy views. But after
aU, the course taken that day was perfectly innocent, as far as I can
observe, on the Ministers', particularly Mr Bruce's part ; and the
occasion of their extraordinary meeting was given by the one side
at Court, and the same persons raised the tumult ; and the pusU-
lanlmous King, misinformed, and not knowing circumstances, im
proved aU against the Ministry, and particularly Mr Bruce, being
fretted with the freedom taken In reproving vice.
particular ACCOUNT OP THIS TUMULT. — WHAT PASSED,
DECEMBER 15.
A pretty fiiU account of this matter is in the printed Calderwood ;
and Bishop Spottiswood's narrative, bating his disingenuous turns
and innuendoes, does not differ so much frora him as one would look
for ; and, therefore, I shaU the more shortly state it, and refer the
reader particularly to Mr BaUlIe's Vindication, p. 67-72. In short,
then, after the Commissioners of the General Assembly were
charged most groundlessly, by a severe proclamation, to leave the
town of Edinburgh, December 15, which they obeyed out of
regard to the King and for peace ; leaving the matters committed
by the Assembly to them, to the fidelity of the Presbytery of Edin
burgh, charging thera to look to the concerns of religion, at this
perilous juncture, when they were unduly hindered to do what the
Assembly had entrusted to them,
DECEMBER 16.
Upon the 16th of December the King, sensible of the hardships
of the yesterday's charge, as one would think, sent for Mr Bruce and
the three other Ministers of Edinburgh, desired a new communing
as to Mr Black's affair, and signified that he was so far from inclin
ing to a breach, that he had sent Mr James Balfour yesterday to
desire a new communing. Mr Balfour being present, said, he ac-

46 wodrow's life of buuce.
cordlngly came, to have delivered the King's message, but before
he could reach them, the charge was given, and the proclamation
pubhshed. The Secretary, touched with this, interposed, and said
the King would betake himself to the four Ministers of Edinburgh
only, as to the things in debate, and offered a new reasoning. Mr
Bruce answered, that In order to that, it were proper that the Com
missioners, acting by the General Assembly's commission, and the
King's allowance, calumnlously treated and put away by yester
day's proclaraation, should be publicly caUed back. The Secretary,
and that after consultation with the President and the King, pro
mised it should be so ; and nothing but healing was looked for.
Indeed, the tumult to-morrow Is ignorantly by some furious writers
charged on the Commission of the Assembly, or frightsome council
of the Church, as some of them blunder, but falsely. The chief men
at present at Court were Papists, at least popishly inclined ; and
whether they knew Huntly was to be with the King that night,
and under that view made the concessions to the Ministers, without
any view to-be kept, I shall not say. But it is certain the Earl of
Huntly, that sarae night, though excomraunlcated and banished,
came boldly to Court, which put the whole Protestants in the town
of Edinburgh in a terrible fright ; and no wonder, since he had
murdered the Earl of Murray, joined with the Spaniards in bringing
in their Armada, soUcIted the Prince of Parma for a new invasion,
raised an army against the King, and laid a design to have seized
the King's person, and murdered the ChanceUor, in his presence; and
fi-om such a person they wanted not grounds to fear a massacre.
DECEMBER 17.
Upon the 17th, early in the morning, some of the Cubiculars,
such as Sir George Hume, afterwards Earl of Dunbar, David
Murray, afterwards Lord Scoon knd Stormont, Sir Eobert Melville,
and others, as a preparative to the tumult they designed to raise
against the Octavians, wrote a letter to the Ministers, Spottiswood
says to Mr Bruce, signifying, that Huntly had been with the King
privately, tiU after twelve at night, which was afterwards found
false, and that evU was designed against them to-morrow ; indeed,

wodrow's life of BRUCE. 47
for several weeks that side had taken great pains to kindle a fire
betwixt the Octavians and the Ministers, that at length they might
have the King in their own hands. To the Ministers, they insinu-
. ated that the Octavians were the procurers of Mr Black's trouble,
had brought back the Popish Lords, would certainly alter reUgion,
that the President, Seaton, Mr James Elphinstone, Secretary Lind
say, and Mr Thomas HamUton, Advocate, were certainly Papists.
On the other hand, they told the Octavians that the Kirk per
ceived they were the accusers of the Ministers, and bringers in of
the Popish Lords; that a great many of the zealous professors
were, on their guard, and desired them to watch their houses ; upon
which, that very same night when Huntly came to Court, a charge
by proclamation was given, indicia causa, to twenty-four of the best
citizens In Edinburgh to leaVe the town, under pain of treason.
AU these things concurring together, Mr BalcanqueU, after ser
mon, desired the weU-affected noblemen, gentleraen, and citizens,
to asserable In the East Kirk after sermon, to consult what was
proper to be done. The meeting was nuraerous; and, indeed, they
were under apprehensions of a change of religion, if not a massacre,
from Huntly and the Popish Lords, who now had the King in
their hands. They met In the most peaceable manner, without
arms, as had been in use in all sudden emergents and dangers from
Papists since the Eeformation ; and aU they did was their draw
ing up a modest and legal petition to the King, " Begging that
he might secure them from the dangerous plots of Papists, that
Huntly might be removed from Court, and the Popish counciUors
might not vote in causes of Ministers, and the banished citizens,
with any cause given, might be either prosecuted, or might have
Uberty to return." The petition was sent by the Lords Lindsay
and Forbes, the Lords of Bargany and Balquhan, Messrs Bruce
and Watson. Mr Bruce had a speech to the King, then in the
Tolbooth with the Lords of Session, with so much strength of
reason and dutiful respect, as the King seemed not ofiFended with
it. However, he Inquired with some warmth at the Lord Lind
say how they durst meet without his allowance ; my Lord, think
ing this a Uttle out of the way, when their all was at the stake,

48 wodrow's life of bruce.
and they only in a legal and peaceable way supplicating, in some
concern said, when in such hazard he thought they raight lawfuUy
do raore than petition. The King left them abruptly, and gave
them no answer ; they returned to their constituents, and whUe
acquainting thera about then- cold reception, a cry frora without
was raised of a raassacre, as far as could be known, by the Cubi
culars ; and the whole town got to arras, and none more zealous
than Bishop Spottiswood, and his patron Torphichen. Mr Bruce
endeavoured to stay the meeting from dissolving, but in vain ; and
then he, with the Ministers of Edinburgh, in conjunction with the
Magistrates, at the King's desire sent from the Tolbooth, went to
the streets and calmed the people in half-an-hour's time, without
the least ill consequence ; and the King went down In fiiU peace
before twelve of the clock to his dinner, and came up again at two
to the Council, as Mr BaiUie tells us. When he went down, he
proraised to give a satisfying answer to the petition, and desired
thera to wait upon him in the afternoon. They got not access,
the King being now misinformed, and stirred up to take hold on
this opportunity to make himself rid of the Ministers and all their
adherents, being most falsely informed they had stirred up the
tumult. This is a hint of all the chief circurastances of this tumult,
that has been so much magnified, and had such terrible effects.
More particulars may be seen in Calderwood and Spottiswood,
who is entirely silent as to the idle stories in " Issachar's Burden,"
and other virulent libels written since.
DECEMBER 18.
Next day the King, by the advice of the Popish Faction, left
the town, charged by proclamation all that were not ordinary re-
sidenters in Edinburgh to depart in six hours, under pain of trear
son ; all the Courts of Session, Justiciary, and Commissariat, were
discharged to be held in Edinburgh, under pain of death ; and the
King went to Linlithgow, and nothing was to be heard at Court
that day, as Mr BaUlie observes, but hanging of Ministers and
citizens, beheading of noblemen, razing and ploughing of Edinburgh,
and sowing It with salt. Under these dreadful threatenlngs, one needs

wodrow's life of BRUCE. 49
not be surprised that the ministers and citizens of Edinburgh took
care to write to their friends of influence to countenance them in
this strait, when ready to be rained by Popish councils. Bal-
cleuch and others were wrote to, but the letter which made most
noise, and I am most concerned in, was that of Mr Bruce with his
brethren to the Lord Hamilton, which was written, not on the 17th
of December, as most of the prelatical pamphleteers represent it
ignorantly, but the day after, when under all the foreraentioned
threatenlngs ; and the vile perversions made of it make it neces
sary to set it down here.
MR bruce's letter TO LORD HAMILTON.
" Please your Lordship,^ — ^No doubt you have heard ere now the
effect of this long conference that has passed betwixt his Majesty's
CouncU and us. Many communings, and as many breaches. They
took their advantage ever under trust ; whUe at last the malice of
some counciUors is corae to this, that the ministers' stipends are
discharged ; the Commissioners of the General Assembly put off
the town ; Mr Black convicted of treason, and put in ward ; and
we, by an ordinance already set down, appointed to suff'er the Uke ;
and now, last of all, under communing also, a great number of
our folks who were zealous are charged off" the town, so that the
people animated, as efiFeirs, partly by the Word, and violence of
the course, took arms, and made some commotion, fearing the
invasion of us their pastors ; but, by the grace of God, we repress
ed and pacified the motions incontinent always. The godly barons,
and other gentlemen in town, have concerned themselves, and
have taken upon them the patrociny and mediation of the Kirk
and her cause. They lack a chief nobleman to countenance the
matter against these counciUors, and with one consent have thought
It meet that I should write unto your Lordship ; and seeing God
has given you this honour, we could do no less than follow his caU
ing in the brethren, and make it known to you, that, with all con
venient speed, your Lordship might come hither, to utter your
affection to the good cause, employ your credit, and so receive the
d

50 WODROAV'S LIFE OF BRUCE.
due honour that God caUeth you unto, as we doubt not but
you wUl do ; and commit your Lordship, in the meantirae, to the
protection of God. At Edinburgh, the 18th day of December.
" Your Lordship's, to be commended in God,
" Mr EoB. Bruce. Mr Will. Watson.
Mr Walt. Balcanquell. Mr Eob. Black."
ADULTERATED COPY OF WHICH IS SENT TO THE KING. — REMARKS
ON BRANDT'S ACCOUNT OF THIS IN HIS HISTORY OP THE LOW
COUNTRIES.
Mr Calderwood, In his MSS., adds, that the Lord HamUton ac
quainted the King, and sent a vitiated and adulterated copy of this
letter to hira, of which he inserts a transcript. The principal alter
ation I observe is, that the people, by the motion of God's Spirit,
took arras, and sorae lesser changes. From this copy, the misrepre
sentations and triumphs of the prelatic party are taken most
groundlessly ; and, from the sarae source, I see Mr Brandt, the Ar-
rainlan Professor at Amsterdam, in his History of the Eeforma
tion, lately translated, and published at London, vol. i. p. 457,
gives a most unjust representation of this affair, with additions,
that the people of Edinburgh took up arms by the Inspiration and
impulse of the Holy Ghost, as he says, fi-ora the letters of Damman,
Dutch resident at Edinburgh — {Epistolce EcclesiasticcB, p. 49-54.)
These I have not had occasion to compare with Brandt's citations
out of them ,• ' but, if they be just, these letters from which Borri-
chius — as I take the citation, another of Brandt's vouchers
upon this head — I suppose has taken his accounts, are a heap of
scandal gathered up from the Popish Lords, and other haters of
the 'ministers about the Court, who, having the King's ear, were
the persons the Dutchman has had his conversation with. This
violent remonstrant author goes out of his road to get a thrust at
' Damman's Letters sanction Brandt's statements, but Damman came to Edinburgh
only a few days before the tumult, and evidently reported what was commonly said
at Court upon the subject. In the second edition of the Epistolai, Damman's Letters
are found at pp. 35-38 — [£rf.]

wodrow's life of BRUCE. 51
the Church of Scotland, pages 454-458 ; and from the fore-cited
authors, Bramhal's Warning, and Basilicon Doron, has put together,
with abundance of virulence, in his way of telling them, a large col
lection of lies and misrepresentations, as wiU be evident to any
that shall compare them with our Scots historians, and in most
places even with Spottiswood himself, whom he does not so much
as once honour with a citation. Indeed, this Church could ex
pect no less than such unfair a representation, when haled in out of
the way by this bigotted party-writer.
MR bruce's discourse, DECEMBER.
To return to Mr Bruce. Upon the Lord's day, December 19,
preaching on the Fifty-first Psalm, he plainly told his hearers that
he and they were to be separated, and that their parting was at
hand ; and that " they (meaning the ministry) were to be severed,
but in mercy to thera, before a great judgment and wrath come
upon others. I know," said he, " some of you will be very glad,
others wUl be sorry, for our severing ; our life shall be extremely
sought ; you shall see it with your eyes, that God shall guard us,
and be our buckler and defence ; for look, how surely I see your
bodies, as surely I see his mercy towards us In this errand. The
hypocrisy of many, and the iniquity of some, shall clearly appear ;
therefore, make you for it, aU men shaU be tried. He that has
good stuff shaU utter it ; he that has it not the world shaU see his
hypocrisy. The Lord shall raake the world see the very thing that
I sec. The trial shaU go through all men, from King and Queen,
and coimcUl and nobility, from session to barons, from barons
to burgesses ; yea to the very craftsmen. The love of aU men
shall be seen, both towards God and the religion. Sorry am I
most to see such weakness in many of you, that you dare not so
much as utter one word for God's glory and bis good cause. No !
The quarrel is betwixt a greater Prince and them. What are we
but siUy creatures, siUy men, unworthy creatures ; yet it hath
pleased him to set us in this office, and make us his own mouth,
that we should oppose the manifest usurpation that is made upon
his spiritual kingdom, and this eflcroaching upon aU our spiritual

52 WODIiUW's LIFE OF BRUCE.
Uberties. I am heartily sorrow that our holy and gracious cause
should be so obscured by the late tumult, and that the desperate
enemies should be so emboldened to pull down the crown off
Christ's head. It becoraeth us to learn obedience by suffering.
I had rather have been banished Scotland for ever, ere one drop of
their blood had been spilt that day. Let us suflFer cheerfuUy, and,
in the meantime, stand to the cause. The Lord so bear us out,
that if the greatest were sitting there, ^^•c shrink not to admonish
them with aU reverence. I hear, and am sorry to hear, that some
men, who have received great graces beyond their neighbours, em
ploy their ingyne and wit to the hurt of Christ and his ministry,
writing to the hurt of a desolate king and country. I affirm they
run as direct a course to the wreck of king and country, let be re
ligion, as if they had combined and taken information of Pope,
King of Spain, and the apostate Papists in the country. What !
Suppose the prince see not his own weal, and the weal of the coun
try, and a deceived heart is deceived, yet their experience should
see further. Suppose It be his heart's desire to entertain a pest, a
secret fire. In his own breast, that will break forth in a devouring
flame at last, should they to whom God has given eyes to see
consent thereunto, and vote rather to his afiPectlon than to his
standing and welfare ? Is there a more forcible mean to draw down
the wrath of God than to let Barabbas, as you heard well taught
Friday last, that nobUitat and renowned malefactor, pass free,
and begin the wars against Jesus Christ and his ministry ?
What greater solace, contentment, and joy, can come to the heart
of the intestine enemy than to hear of this ? Might not this forged
caviUatlon against Mr David Black, (as I know by the conscience
and deposition of the party accused,) might it not have ceased
and lain over for a tirae, tUl either the desperate and cruel enemy
had been reclaimed and won, or, otherwise, had been forcibly ex
pelled and banished the country ? But now, to increase this fury,
and nourish his desperate attempts. It is not a matter keeped
secret, but known well enough, that some of the traitors that came
last home have proraises of money, and succours shall shortly fol
low. When the cardinal shall hear of this dealing, shaU he not

wodrow's life OP BRUCE. 53
be animated to prosecute his intended hopes, and precipitate the
ruin of this senseless secure isle ? What shall the religious of both
countries think of this ? Is this the money to advance the prince's
grandeur, and turn the hearts of the people towards his highness ?
It grieves me also that so many should applaud and rejoice in our
visitation, and that some of them who bear office, and have borne
office in this town, should elk matter of grief; and to hear that so
many, of divers callings and sundry ranks, should be so soon ready,
some to employ their wit to devise, some their tongue to libel,
others their pen to write, others their feet to run, so busily against
Christ and his servants, of whom they have received, as their own
tongues at least confessed, so much comfort. Last of all, it put.s
on the capstone that so many of our own brethren should not be
so faithful as their worthy calUng, and the dignity of the cause
caUeth for. Fie upon false brethren ! they that had their tongue
so sharp, whose speeches went rife in the country, to see them so
double now, so faint-hearted, when it coraes to the choak; not
only dare they not speak the thing that they think, which is a
shame in a pastor, but speak the plain contrary, and directly
against their former doctrine, oath, and subscription. These times
have discovered great secrets ; and, therefore, the Lord has a sin
gular work, a work of notable trial. In this fearful prosecution.
Suppose matters be far out of order in respect of things we have
seen, yet aU is In good order with God, whUe this work of dis
covery be ended. We have ever been praying for planting, but
pot for good planting ; we never cast our eyes upon wholesome
and spiritual plants, but upon men who have aU their Christianity
upon their tongue, and in a show, but nothing in their practice.
I had rather have one sincere heart planted, that is, brought out
of nature by the work of the Spirit of grace, nor twenty, or a rood
of these fine counterfeits, with aU their fine learning. These men
are the wreck of the kirk, for the graces they have are not sancti
fied ; they will speak t'ne truth a while tiU they be put at, but in
continent they turn and raake their graces weapons to fight against
Christ and his kingdom ; for there is none so malicious as an apos
tate. From the time once they begin to slide back, they will do evil

54 wodrow's life of bruce.
that good may corae of it, pretend their calUng, and intend another
thing, I warrant you, until the time the Lord raake cast the dirt
of their own actions upon the face of their own consciences, to con
found them with shame ; and till the time when we who are weak
indeed be humbled in our consciences, for over-much bearing with
them, for not resisting then- corruptions, I will not say flattering
them, I look never to see the banners of grace displayed as they
were wont to be. In the meantirae, brethren, our victory must
break out of our great patience, and our triumph out of our long-
sulFering. The Lord prepare us, in mercy, enlarge the bounds of
our wretched hearts, that they may be capable, and multiply his
holy and divine unction on them ; that his glory may break out
and shine in our constancy and holy perseverance ; and, on the
other side, that the tokens of his holy and just wrath may break
up and begin In the heart of the enemies, waken their consciences,
and open their mouths to confess their own turpitude, to the hon
our of the good cause, and the honour of him that ought It for ever."
This discourse of Mr Bruce's is much shortened in the printed
Calderwood, and, therefore, I thought it would run better entire
here ; and frora it we may know the real apprehensions this ex
ceUent person had of matters as they stood at this remarkable
juncture. PROCLAMATIONS, DECEMBER 20, AGAINST THE MINISTRY.
Upon Monday, Deceraber 20, two proclamations were published,
the one charging the four ministers of Edinburgh, and some special
citizens, Edward Johnstone, William Little,- Edward and James
Cathklns, Andrew Hart, bookbinder, and others, to enter In ward
in the Castle of Edinburgh within six hours, for treasonable stir
ring up the tumult, December 17 ; the other charging them to
compear before the CouncU at Linlithgow, December 25, to
answer super inquirendis. A charge was likewise sent to the magi
strates of Edinburgh to apprehend their ministers.
The King's anger being chiefly against the ministers, they were
advised to withdraw from the present fury. Mr Bruce inclined
much to stay, and abide the worst, but was moved, lest it should

wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE. 55
fare the worse with the rest, by separating from thera, to withdraw
also. He and Mr BalcanquaU, after staying three or four nights in
Braid, Brunston, and Newbattle, went to England, Messrs Bal
four and Watson went over to Fife, and lurked with Mr James
MelvUle, and in other places. The citizens appeared, and most of
them were warded in the castles of Edinburgh and Blackness, and
after a most narrow trial for many days, when no conspiracy could
be found against King or councillors, and the uproar was found to
be from a false alarm given to the town, they were at length let
out. These things, and the severe threatenlngs of the town nf
Edinburgh, with bringing In of Borderers to plunder it, and tbe
bond at this time pressed upon rainisters, wherein they were to
own the King sovereign judge, as to all things uttered or to be ut
tered, civU or criminal, In their sermons, and the proclamation re
quiring magistrates, barons, and gentlemen, to interrupt rainisters in
their serraons, if they heard anything seditious or reproachful
spoken in contempt of the King, his parents, progenitors, or coun
cU, and Imprison them tUl further trial, all these arbitrary steps, for
which occasion was greedily taken from the accidental tumult, or
rather the uproar, raised by sorae courtiers themselves, I leave to
be gathered from Calderwood and others, and confine myself to INIr
Bruce and his feUow-sufferers.
DECEMBER 27, MR BRUCE'S SECOND LETTER TO LORD HAMILTON.
December 27, before Mr Bruce went to England, he wrote the
foUowing letter to the Lord HamUton, after he got notice of his
sending his former to the King somewhat altered : —
" My Lord, —I cannot marvel enough what should have raoved
your Lordship to have abused me in such a manner. I hear your
Lordship has presented a copy of my letter unto his Majesty ; a
copy (as I have seen) not transumed out of the original, but
a vitiated copy, marked, altered, and so adulterated, that scarcely
it keeps the right portraiture of my letter. I knew your Lordshij)
to be facUe, but, tUlnow, I never had a proof of your raalice. I am
assured your Lordship's sister's son, the Earl of Huntly, would not

56 wodrow's life of bruce.
have done the Uke to me that you have done ; and if I failed in
anything in that letter, I faUed only m this, in framing my pen
over fair to your Lordship's honour, (perhaps it should be humour,)
which I knew to be ambitious. The King takes It, as I hear, as if
I had pressed to set you in a chafr foreanent him : Surely ! it came
never in my mind ; and of all fools I had been the first, if so I had
done. But my meaning was only to use your raoyen and counte
nance, to intercede at his Majesty's hand. But such intercession
as ye have raade for me and the Kirk of God, such I doubt not
but the Head of the Kirk shall make for your Lordship before the
face of a raore fearful Judge, except he bring your Lordship to a
sense of your sin in this ; for look what inconveniences have en
sued on me, or shall ensue hereafter, either to rae or the good cause,
I ascribe all to that deed. As for me, notwithstanding the strait
Avherein I am, I would not change my estate with your Lordship ;
for if conscience be such a thing as I take It to be, I am sure, how
ever she now sleeps in your Lordship, it shall awaken, and then
I shall have a greater pity on your Lordship than you have had
compassion on me at this time. I counted myself in the number of
your Lordship's friends ; but if you use your friends so, I crave no
longer to be counted of that nuraber. I see it is a tirae of trial,
wherein every one shaU utter such stuff" as Is lurking within
him. The Lord, that has led us in this temptation, lead us safely
back, to his glory and our everlasting comfort. To him and his
mercy I will corarait your Lordship, notwithstanding the great grief
your Lordship has put to ray heart. Of the place of our sojourn
ing, the 27th of this instant Deceraber 1596.
" Your Lordship's patient,
" Far disappointed of his hope,
" Mr E. Bruce."
MR bruce's apology FOR HIMSELF.
When the ministers of Edinburgh retired they were highly re
proached ; and, particularly, Mr Hercules EoUock, once Master of
the Grammar School, spread a libel against them. His foolish verses

WODROVs LIFE OF BRUCE. 57
were answered by some well-affected persons at Edinburgh ; but
the rainisters theraselves wrote their own apologies. Mr Balfour
and Mr Watson wrote a vindication of theraselves and their breth
ren, which agreeing in substance with that of the other two raini
sters, Mr Calderwood has not inserted it ; but from him I give Mr
Bruce's and Mr Balcanquall's, with the prefatory letter, not in the
printed Calderwood. They are long, but contain the best account
that any where is to be had of this business of the tumult ; and so
I insert thera. (App. Copy MSS. Cald. vol. v. 165-189, and
coUate the Apology with the original, signed by Mr Bruce, p. 42
and 49, with the printed Calderwood.) Mr Spottiswood, who was
then a zealous defender of the rainistry, wrote over, and spread
with much keenness, Mr Bruce's Apology. This faithful narrative
was much confirmed by the long and particular Inquiry made at
Edinburgh, when, after many quires of paper were spent upon
their depositions, nothing could be found to make any citizen, let
be any minister, guilty of any conspiracy, or forethought uproar ;
but only they feared a raassacre, and the invasion of their mini
sters ; and in the time of the confusion two or three uttered rash
and Inconsiderate speeches, as Is usual in such cases, and the
Octavians gave It out that the Cubiculars raised the tumult, and
yet the ministers must bear the blame of all. Thus I have given
as short a hint of tliis remarkable turn of affairs as I could, and it's
not worth whUe, from the facts above narrated, to remove the
cunning turn Spottiswood gives to the ministers' disadvantage,
contrary to his own profession and practice. In substance, as to
the principal facts, he agrees with what is above, and the change
of principle and station is the only account can be given for sorae
misrepresentations mixed in, and his partial account of Mr Bruce's
letter to Lord Hamilton, and other mistakes. But the following
prelatic writers have far exceeded him in this matter.
STEPS TAKEN BY THE MINISTERS TILL THEY RETURN AND PREACH,
JULY 1597.
In the end of February 1597, the King convened the ministers

58 wodrow's LIFE OF URUCE.
with a design to weaken the discipline and divide the ministry,
which, though Spottiswood highly commends, Calderwood, in his
MSS., by thirteen arguments, proves to be an unlawful Assembly ;
and I see after a struggle tbey only declare themselves, to satisfy
the King, an extraordinary General Assembly. However, they
Interpose in behalf of the ministers of Edinburgh, and I find Mr
Bruce and the rest of the brethren got access to the King, April
24, and in conversation with them the King approved of their fly
ing, and said, if they had not fled, he might have done that in his
fury which he might have afterwards repented of. Next day they
were relaxed, but not permitted to preach tUl the 24th of Jidy.
Mr Calderwood, In his MSS., gives the foUowing account of the
steps taken with them : — In February they directed a letter to the
ministers, and a supplication to the estates, convened at Perth in
that month, wherein they crave an exact trial. The King caused
stop their supplication, alleging this was not the way to come by
his favour, and compose matters. Another supplication was pre
sented to the Council In their behalf. Some councillors complained
of it as recrimination rather than purgation, and the King said it
was prolix. They drew a shorter one, and acquainted the King
they were to present it. The King promised secretly to withdraw
from the Council and not oppose it, but instead of that prorogued
the Council. However, next comicil day their bill was read,
and the Council ordained them to enter their persons in ward, or
find caution so to do in ten days, whereas by law, being out of the
country, they ought to have had forty days ; likewise, the Coun
cil ordained thera not to come within two miles of Edinburgh.
The King finding they were not shaken with the hardness of these
conditions, sent Mr GaUoway and EoUock to converse with them,
promising, that If the conference came not to a peaceable issue,
they should have Uberty to enter ward. At this conference in
Niddry, the two ministers, In the King's name, desired to know
their own opinion how the slander should be purged, telling them
the King was presently satisfied they were innocent of the alleged
treason, and what they would do for his Majesty's satisfaction.

59
Mr Bruce and his brethren answered. Since his Majesty was per
suaded of their innocency, they did not see any need of satisfac
tion ; and as to any points alleged as the occasion of slander,
they fully vindicated themselves. In short, they were told that the
Being's mind was, that if their own consciences accused thera of
anything, they should not think shame to confess it, to God's
glory; and such as scrupled not at anything done by them,
should confess an oversight, in as far as the tumult was offensive
to his Majesty ; which, when reported to the King an what they
were satisfied with, he insisted for confession of sin, at least un-
klndness to him. But they, not convinced of guilt In the matter,
could not yield, and offered to abide a trial.
MR bruce's SPEECH TO THE KING, APRIL 24, 1597.
At length they were admitted to the King's presence, April 24.
Mr Bruce said to the King, " Certainly, Sir, if I could have fore
seen, or any way foreknown, the consequence of the action we had
in hand that day, I would not for aU the earth have entered in it ;
but that consequent was merely accidental, and grieved me as much
as anything that ever feU out in ray time in Edinburgh. Alwise
since you have begun so well, I pray your Majesty to continue,
and let me receive the room I want to have In your Majesty's
affection. For my part, I will promise to serve you, and study by
aU means to your preservation, so that I shaU not be privy to the
touch of the lap of your mantle, let be your person." The King
answered. Surely, Mr Eobert, you shall receive your room which
you had In my affection ; but let me expostulate with you a little.
And after some conversation, wherein Mr Bruce seemed so to
satisfy the King that he was pleased to say that he would give
him both heart and hand. So the ministers entered the town that
night, and were relaxed next day.
king's conference WITH THEM BEFORE THE ASSEMBLY.
Four days before the next Assembly the King had another con
ference with them. The King asked their mind concerning the

60 WODROW'.S LIFE OF BRUCE.
absolution of Huntly, and their contentment to receive four otlier
ministers to Edinburgh at their re-entry. As to the first, they
said that Huntly's absolution would depend much upon the report
of those to whom that matter was comraitted. If they were sus
pected, and found not to have dealt uprightly, the Assembly would
subjoin others of greater fidelity and sincerity ; and they were of
opinion the Lady Huntly should be dealt with before her husband
were received. To the other they agreed. And next day the
King sent np the Clerk-Eegister to the CouncU of Edinburgh, and
enjoined them to suit for their town four ministers, and four
others. At the close of the Assembly they were sent for to Dun
dee, and Mr Eollock and Galloway carae to thera, and desired
them to reraove out of Edinburgh, and choose any other place
they thought good. They answered, this was plain contrary to
the last conference they had with his Majesty ; and before they
blotted theraselves with such an ignorainy, they would renounce
the favour they had got, and submit themselves to trial, though it
should bring their heads under the axe.
THE ASSEMBLY REFERS THEIR CASE TO THE COMMISSION, WITH
REMARKS ON THAT COURT.
At length, according to their forraer comrauning with the King,
they came In before the Assembly, and laid their general ministry
in Edinburgh at the feet of the Assembly, to the end that tho
work of the division of the town In quarters might succeed, which
was by the Assembly referred to the commissioners appointed by
them. The King now having corrupted some ministers, and got
them named in the commission, was highly in liking with that
meeting, though before the 17th of December, when the commis
sion was composed of firm and zealous ministers, he highly com
plained of thera as a standing Council of the Church, and en
croachment on his authority, an unlawful Court, and what not;
but now having got them modeUed according to his mind, every
thing he was concerned in was generaUy remitted to them ; and,
indeed, by them he brought in voters in Parliament and Prelates in

wodrow's life of BRUCE. 61
this Church. The commission meeting at St Andrews in July,
after they had injuriously removed Messrs Black and Wallace from
thence to gratify the King, the commissioners, lest they should
draw too niuch odium upon them, moved the King to allow the
rainisters to continue in their general ministry at Edinburgh till
the affair of the division of the town, and colleagues to thera, could
be completed.
Thus, at length, Mr Bruce got back to his flock ; but this be
ing only a force upon the King, and though done by the corarais
sioners of the Assembly, most of whom were gaping for bishoprics,
it was only to gain a little popularity, and as soon as possibly they
could, they were wiUing to be rid of such a man, and get the set
tlement of Edinburgh, which took a little time, so managed as
brought Mr Bruce a great deal of trouble next year ; and in two
years after, the affair of Gowrie's Conspiracy brought him under
greater sufferings ; and, in the issue, they got rid of him.
MR bruce's new trouble AS TO THE ENTRY OP MESSRS HEWAT
AND ROBERTSON TO EDINBURGH, JANUARY 1598.
In January 1598, the affairs of the four new ministers to Edin
burgh bred much debate, and Mr Bruce had much difficulty about
it. The coraraissioners of the Assembly, who had this raatter
coramitted to them, agreed, in the beginning of January, as Spottis
wood teUs us, upon Mr Eobert Eollock, Principal of the CoUege,
Mr John HaU, muilster of Leith, Mr Peter Hewat, and Mr George
Eobertson, young men. For the two last, much ojpposltion was
made by Mr Bruce, because he thought them too young to be
placed In Edinburgh, and the people were altogether unwilling to
accept them. Mr Calderwood, In his MSS., gives a detail of the
many turns in this matter, which I shall give from him. The
ministers of Edinburgh being caUed before the coraraissioners of
the Asserably, the King being present, Mr Eollock, moderator,
told them that their places were vacant by their dimission at tiie
Assembly, and his Majesty and the commissioners wiUed him to
take the charge of a particular flock. Mr Bruce said. Let me know

62 WODROW'.S LIFE OF BRDCE.
Avho shaU be my colleague, and I shall give a direct answer. Mr
James Balfour answered to the same effect ; Messrs BalcanquaU
and Watson referred the choice to themselves, as they would be
answerable to God. The King said to Mr Bruce, He should not
know his colleague. The other answered. If that be your mind, fill
the rooms as you please. The commissioners, not easy under this
answer, sent two of their number to Mr Bruce, and signified to
him that they could not part with Mr Hewat or Eobertson, but
the other two should be at his nomination. Mr Bruce wanted not
the nomination, but only to be satisfied In a coUeague, and desired
Mr Patrick Simson ; failing him, INIr HaU ; failing him, Mr WUliam
Aird ; or, fading hira, Mr Adara Colt ; but all these were refused
him, though one of thera was in the leet agreed on when the rest
of the brethren had accepted their colleagues and particular charges.
The commissioners agreed at their next meeting that Mr Bruce
should continue in his general ministry tiU the Assembly ; but the
King in three or four days sent for Mr Bruce, and commanded
him to betake himself to a particular charge, or leave the town.
The other told his Majesty that the commissioners had allowed
hira to continue as he was till the Assembly. The King answered.
He would not aUow of that licence, and willed him to be at a point
instantly. Mr Bruce desired eight days to consider : the King
allowed him one, and that was the presbytery day.
Upon the raorrow, when the presbytery met, Mr Hall complained
the three ministers and the two young men, that they had given
their consents to the commissioners of the Assembly already and the
King without Mr Bruce's consent ; this they denied, and oflfered to
affirm the contrary before the King. The presbytery advised Mr
Bruce to accept, with a protestation against the form of the young
men's entry. Mr Bruce went down to the Palace and did so.
Then the coraraissioners urged the session of Edinburgh to accept
the two young raen. They answered. They could not tUl the two
other colleagues were heard. The coramlssloners refused to report
that answer to the King, and the ministers themselves made the
report. The King said, If these two young men preached not, no

wodrow's life of BRUCE. 63
other should preach in Edinburgh. The ministers answered. They
could not resist his Majesty's wUl, but behoved to protest against
the manner of these men's entry. The King said. Protest as you wUl,
I will have it done. Next presbytery day the ministers agreed, for
peace, that an act of session should be made touching the over
sights in that settlement ; and that the Provost's forra of dealing
should not prejudge the Kirk in tirae to corae, and an act of
CouncU in the same forra reglstrate in the town books ; and the
young men crave the approbation of the presbytery by their own
bUl, otherwise they be not suffered to enter. Meanwhile the commis
sioners came to the session, and desired the young men to be re
ceived, declaring their wilUngness, If there was any difficulty in their
entry, to reform it by advice of the presbytery. The coraraissioners
being removed, and their promise, and the King's earnestness con
sidered, Mr Bruce declared hiraself content they should be re
ceived ; but not till the condition was perforraed, and he saw God's
blessing on their travails. The young men were caUed in, and the
moderator told them the presbytery's mind. Mr Eobertson an
swered. He was sorry there should be any deformity in his entry,
for that might be an occasion of casting him forth afterward, and
so demanded the right hand of fellowship. The moderator gave
him his hand. When he sought Mr Bruce's, Mr Bruce said. Par
don me, I cannot do it till the conditions be performed ; and when
I have seen some arguments of God's blessing on your travails,
you shaU have both my hand and heart. Mr Eobertson started
back, and refused to accept, and went out of the kirk. The rest
of the rainisters coraplained Mr Bruce would cast all the work
loose, and bring inconveniences on thera all. Mr Eobert, extreme
ly grieved with their speeches, removed out of the raeeting, saying,
it behoved him to be, like Jonas, cast out of the ship. He was no
sooner gone but Mr Eobertson came In, and was received, and took
his seat in session.
At next presbytery, when the conditions were to be performed,
Mr GaUoway brought with him a great number of the commissioners
of the Assembly ; and the matter was agitated, and it was carried, by

Gi wodrow's life of BRUCE.
a i)lui'alit}', that the inserting the process in the books of session
and presbytery was all the reformation necessary at this time.
Mr Bruce declared, if they would reforra that raatter no further,
he would ha^c no fellowship in that entry. That same niglit, Mr
BalcanquaU, at the desire of the young men, extracted the sen
tence of the i^resbytcry, which being presented to the session next
day, they were both admitted. Mr Bruce absented from meeting
with the session for some time.
MR bruce's INWARD STRUGGLE AND SENTIMENTS ON THE WHOLE
(JF THIS AFFAIR, FROSI HIS OWN MEDITATIONS OR DIARY.
This is Mr Calderwood's account of this matter. I wish lie had
been a little more particular as to the oversights, as he terms them.
All that I can gather frora Calderwood in other places is, that the
magistrates, at the King and Comraission of Assembly their do-
sire, brought on tlic settlement of these young men against the
general inclinations of the people, and the opinion of the rest, part
of the session, and the whole ministers at first, though two of thera
came into it. This was one of the most gravelling things ]\Ir
.Bruce had met with, to have debates not only with King and
coramlssioners, but his own fellow-labourers, as appears by tlie
following passage Mr Calderwood cites from his Meditations, ^^ hicli
I take to be his Diary ; which, as it lets us see how much we may
depend upon Mr Calderwood's accounts of Mr Bruce, he having
access to his Journal and Diary, which we shall afterward hear he
kept, so in itself it is very affecting, and worth preserving, and
gives us a view of Mr Bruce's sincerity and deep exercise, as well
as his balancing things on all hands in this matter.
" I am (says Mr Bruce) left in very great doubts. Upon the one
hand, I ara sorry to leave the children of God in the city ; I am
sorry to want ray exercise, that presence of God that sanctifieth
me, and feared to incur the bruit that I have left ray station ; that
I have given over the battle, and put up my sword. On the other
side, I see this manner of entry Is not sanctified, but very corrupt ;
I see no spiritual authority in them to bear out this work, and if

wodrow's life of BRUCE. 65
we shaU accept of them at this time, I see a dangerous prepara
tive estabhshed In this city, to be a precedent for aU the kirks of
Scotiand, and for aU the kings that shaU succeed our King, to do the
like. If I hold out and accept not, my removing may be a ground
another time to reform the corruption ; if I accept, I cannot see
how it can be reformed in any time hereafter. I Uke not to abide
in their company to whom I oppone and gainsay in their entry.
Eenting of actions foUows renting of hearts ; loath am I to be a
beholder and spectator of such a decay, that have seen the glory
of the former work. What is most expedient I am most uncer
tain ; but I am instant with his Majesty, that, with the light of his
Spirit, it may be given me to see which of the two wUl please him
best ; that, by his powerful grace, I may be resolved to follow the
light. Yea, I crave also, that he who has my heart and tongue in
his hand, may so govern both, that they cast me not in his Majes
ty's disgrace, but that I may keep his favour and his countenance,
vrith the daily growth of his inward grace; howbeit it were
never far so against ray affection, bodily ease, and outward com
modity. The Lord grant [this] for his Christ's sake."
procedure of the ASSEMBLY, AND THE KING'S DECLARATION
IN IT, CONCERNING MR BRUCE, AND THE MINISTERS OF EDIN
BURGH, MARCH 1598.
The next Assembly, which met in March 1598, and brought in
the ministers to vote in Parliament, approved the procedure of the
commission of the last Assembly, as to the planting of Edinburgh,
and ordained the ministers of Edinburgh to accept of particular
flocks, under pain of deprivation, and the commissioners to go on in
planting of Edinburgh ; and the ministers thereof, tiU they meet, to
continue In preaching and administration of Sacraments. And the
King, in Assembly, declared himself to be content and satisfied with
the ministry of Edinburgh, and that his highness did bear no
grudge nor lU-wiU at any of them, for any accidents that have
fallen Out in any time bygone ; but that he and they (to which the
ministers of Edinburgh wiUingly consented) should never caU any

66 wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE.
of those accidents, fallen out in any time bygone, to remembrance,
neither make mention of them in private speeches nor public ser
mons hereafter. Before the King was brought to this, Mr Bruce
offered five or six times to enter ward, and to abide the law for
the fact committed, December 17. The King said. Were it not for
pleasuring the coraraissioners of the General Asserably, (with whom
now he took plain part,) a dozen of them had trotted over Tweed
ere now. But recovering himself frora his passion, and remembering
the game he had to play at this Assembly about the vote in Par-
liaraent, he declared himself contented as above. Yet, for aU this
declaration, he could not easUy conceal his dislike at Mr Bruce,
when the case of Edinburgh came again in hands.
MINISTERS OF EDINBUEGH CALLED TO FIX.
This April 14, the commissioners of the Asserably called before
them the ministers of Edinburgh, that they might each of them ac
cept of a particular flock. This, as to the circumstance of imposi
tion of hands required of Mr Bruce, was the occasion of much
trouble to Mr Bruce. Mr Calderwood, in his printed History,
gives a pretty distinct account of this matter, but raany things be
ing there omitted, which are in the MSS., I shall give as distinct
a narrative of this part of Mr Bruce's life as I can.
WHAT PASSED AS TO MR BRUCB's RECEIVING IMPOSITION
OF HANDS.
The King was present, as generally he used to be, with the com
missioners of the Assembly, and Mr Bruce was desired to speak by
his brethren as their mouth. The moderator asked Bruce if he
was wUling to accept a particular flock in Edinburgh, in terms of
the Assembly's act. He answered he was. It was next asked. How
soon ? He answered. As soon as you please. At the King's direc
tion, he was told that he must receive ordination besides the rest.
He answered. He woidd not be made a spectacle, and offered him
self ready to obey the decreet of the Assembly ; yea, to do any other
thing a pastor of Edinburgh had to do. It was promised to him

wodrow's life of BRUCE. 67
that his coUeagues should be raoved to do the Uke, which satisfied
him ; and there had been no more bustle for this matter. If, by the
influence of the commissioners, the King had not interposed, and
declared he would have Mr Bruce alone to be received with Im
position of hands. This he refused. The coraraissioners desired him
to advise tiU to-morrow. In a reasoning to-morrow, in Mr GaUo-
way's house, it was agreed, that aU of them should take imposition
of hands; and they went aU down to the palace to acquaint the King.
His Majesty was peremptory, and said, Mr Bruce behoved to take a
new ordination. Mr Bruce answered, there was not a word of a new
ordination in the Assembly. The King affirmed the contrary. Mr
Bruce put hira in reraembrance, that the only term they used was the
imposition of hands. "Thatis aUke," saidtheKIng. "Not aUke," said
the other ; " for this rite may serve for confirmation as weU as or
dination." The King slipping from them, the commissioners desired
Mr Bruce to enter into no further contestation with the King ; and
promised to give him a certificate in writing, that hands were not im
posed on hira for ordination, and that Mr Eobert Pont should de
clare the sarae before the people, and approve his bygone calling
and rainistry there ; and his colleagues should receive the like Im
position ; with which Mr Bruce was satisfied.
But next Lord's day, they caused an edict to be served for him
in special, after the doctrine, by which he suspected they were
going on in the King's purpose of proper ordination ; and when Mr
Bruce complained of this treatment to Mr Pont, he seemed igno
rant of it ; and when urged with their promise, Mr Bruce and Mr
Pont agreed upon a form of the declaration to be made and sub
scribed, which Mr Pont promised to get passed by the coraraission
ers, AprU 17. The coraraissioners came up the town to receive the
return of the edict ; and the people, instead of objections, carae in, and
with one consent, took instruments he was their lawful pastor. "When
they removed, Mr Bruce addressed himself to them ; asked why they
had taken a different way with him from the rest ; desired them to
be plain with him, in expressing their meaning in the ceremony
of imposition of hands, and to subscribe the declaration agreed on

68 wodrow's life of bkuce.
with Mr Pont, acknowledging his lawful calling to Edinburgii, and
to be a pastor of it, and took instruraents that he was ready to
obey the Assembly's act, and to do any thing any other pastors of
Edinburgh would do. After which Mr Bruce went down to tiic
palace, where getting access to the King, before Sir Patrick Mur
ray, he desired his Majesty would renounce all jealousy and sinis-
trous opinions he had conceived of him, and think of him as a sub
ject well aflPected to his service, whereof he should give full proof
if his Majesty pleased to employ him. The King promised to tliinic
no otherwise of him, and declared he was wUling he should continue
in Edinburgh. Mr Bruce desired to know If It were his Majesty's
pleasure, peremptorily, that he should take imposition of hands,
adding, that he did not think his Majesty would do any thing to
disgrace his former caUing, or prejudge his forraer ministry ; and
if the coraraissioners only sought a ratification of his former call
ing, he would not stand with them for a ceremony, so much tlie
rather that his Majesty was bent upon it. The King answer
ed, he had commanded Mr Pont to approve his former travels, and
calling In his doctrine. Mr Bruce thanked his Majesty, and said
only, he desired to have a declaration passed by the commissioners
to that effect, which he should seild to his Majesty. The King pro
mised it should be done. Mr Bruce straight sent the form to Sir
Patrick Murray, who sent back word he should get it passed, and
return it to him ere eight hours at night ; but when Mr James
Mitchelson and Mr Thomas Buchanan came to the King, he again
altered his raind, and no return carae.
Upon the 18th of April the town of Edinburgh met and the
people to receive their ministers according to their different quar
ter. The North-east quarter resorted to the College Kirk, to receive
Messrs BalcanquaU and Eobertson ; the North-west to the Great
Kirk, to receive Mr Watson and Mr John Hall ; the South-west to
the Upper Tolbooth, to receive Mr Eobert EoUock and Mr Pont ;
and the South-east quarter to the East or Little Kirk, to receive
Mr Eobert Bruce and Mr James Balfour for their rainisters. Be
fore entry into the kirk, Mr Bruce dealt with the coininissioncrs to

WODROAV'S life OF BRUCiE. 69
subscribe the declaration as above, but aU they would do was to
aUow Mr Bruce to come out If he heard any thing that misliked
him. Mr Pont, who presided in the action In the East Kirk, spoke
many things to Mr Bruce's commendation, and acknowledged hira
a lawfuUy called minister in Edinburgh ; and then asked if he would
take Imposition of hands. Mr Bruce craved leave to raake his
answer In audience of the people, and accordingly went up to the
pulpit with Mr Font's allowance, "and proved that he lacked
nothing that was essential to a lawful caUing ; yet now,'' said he, "It
hath pleased the Lord to try me by calling ray forraer calling In
doubt ; and the comraissioners of the General Assembly have urged
me with a new ordination to the ministry, as if I had never been
a rainister of Edinburgh. This nevir ordination I cannot accept,
except I would proclaim myself to have run unsent to this people
these eleven years bygone. As to the ceremony, because I
take it to be indifferent, and that it may serve as weU for confir
mation as ordination, I wiU not refuse it if that may please you,
(directing hiraself to so many of the comraissioners erf the Assem
bly as were appointed to be present,) to subscribe this testificate,
that I may be sure you mean no other thing ;" and then read it in
their audience ; and pressed Mr Pont in the pulpit with him to
sign it, offering him the pen. He decUned, and handed it down to
Mr Mitchelson and Mr Buchanan sitting below, by Bailie Inglis,
who urged them vehemently to sign It ; but they refused, and said,
they would ratify whatever the speaker had said. Mr Bruce urged
them, that in eflfect, Mr Pont had spoken all that was in the paper,
adding, " Testify so much by your subscription. If you raean not
truly, why do you deceive me and the people ?" But nothing
would prevail Avith thera ; upon which Mr Bruce offered to withdraAV,
and let them go on with Mr James Balfour. Mr Mitchelson see
ing this, caUed him back, and desired him to sit doAvn beside them,
and he should have satisfaction. He, expecting they Avould sub
scribe, returned, but the coramlssioners refused ; the elders cried
out, " We receive him as our lawful pastor ;" and desired Mr Pont to

70 AA'ODROAV'S LIFE OF BRUCE.
give his blessing and admit ; but he Avould not, and concluded Avith
prayer. The elders desired the complalners In the afternoon to raake a
favourable representation of what passed to the King ; which they
proraised frankly. How they perforraed wiU appear frora what pass
ed the day foUowing. When Mr Bnice went down to the King,
the commissioners were with his Majesty. When he was adraitted,
the King asked, " What motion Avas it you made in the East Kirk
yesterday ?" The other replied. He did nothing offensive as far as
he knew. "What meaned you," said the King, "to usurp the pulpit?"
" I did it," said the otlier, " with the preacher's leave ; and otherwise
the people would not have heard rae." " What said you, then ?" said
the King. " I said, Sir," said the other, in effect, " that I had
lawful calling, and the thing craved of rae was not lawful." The
King ansAvered, " I dare say, upon ray conscience, you liave no law
ful caUing." " Your raajesty speaks as you are inforraed," said the
other, " but I rest upon ray inward warrant and outward also." Next,
the King challenged that he said to Mr Buchanan, he had rather
had given his life ere he had done it. Mr Bruce appealed to him, and
declared his words were, " His life was not so dear to hira as the hon
our of his calling." " What writ was It," said the King, " that you
urged them to subscribe?" "The very same they had promised to
sign on Saturday and Monday." " Who promised?" said the King.
" Mr Eobert Pont, and Mr David Lindsay, John Duncanson, Mr
James Mitchelson, and Mr Thomas Buchanan," said Mr Bruce.
" Then they are false knaves," said the King ; " for they said other
wise to me. They refused they had promised." Mr Bruce oflPered
to prove it by witnesses, INIr Buchanan said he only promised to ap
prove what Mr Pont had said. "Well," said Mr Bruce, "Mr Pont
called me a lawful pastor, and owned my calling." That was also de
nied ; and Mr Bruce offered instantly to bring one hundred witnesses.
After several contradictions of this sort, the King said to Mr Bruce,
"Answer to the point, Have you disobeyed the ordinance of the com
missioners of the Assembly?" "It was never intimated to me," says

AVODROW'S LIFE OP BRUCE. 7 1
Mr Bruce. " Eead it then," said the King, " I\Ir James." It being
read, Mr Bruce said, that was the first time ever he heard it. " Ee-
move," said the King, " and we will judge, notwithstanding, whether
you have disobeyed or not." When he removed, he was immediately
caUed in, and told it was found he had disobeyed ; and was straight
turned out again ; and when caUed in the King told him, that it was
his part to prevent disorder araong pastors, and knit thera in unity ;
and, therefore, he had taken upon hira, by his own authority, to
give hira a new day to obey the commissioners' ordinance, and they
would ratify his former doctrine, and such commission as he had
borne in the name of the kirk.
Mr Bruce thanked his Majesty, and asked if they would ratify
his forraer caUing, and that he had a lawful caUing to be a pastor
in Edinburgh. " WiU you have us to deal plainly Avith you ?" said
the King ; " 1 am not of that raind, nor is there any here will say you
have a lawful calUng to be pastor in Edinburgh, and you shall
hear thera aU." Mr Pont being asked by the King, answered he
was not resolved. The King left hira, and asked Mr David Lind
say. He said, "Mr Bruce wanted imposition of hands." Mr Bruce
desired the King to observe, that none of the two denied him to be
a lawful pastor. The King said, " Mr David, what say ye ? Is he a
lawftil pastor or no ?" The other answered, " In respect he wanteth
imposition of hands, I cannot say." Then the King asked Mr Eol
lock, who, directing his speech to Mr Bruce, said, " Sir, I grant you
have the presentation of the General Assembly, and consent of the
people, and that very great, but you Avant ordination." To the same
purpose spoke Messrs Buchanan, Mitchelson, GalloAvay, and Dun
canson. "Then," said the King, "you see they vote you no lawful
pastor." " Sir," said Mr Bruce, ".they obscure that conclusion. I had
rather been buried, if the Lord had assisted me, ere I had voted thait
of them ;" and asked Mr GalloAvay if he thought not his calUng as
good as his own. " My calling is better than yours," said Mr GaUo
way. "WeU," said Mr Bruce, "when you drew upon us all this work,
you would have said otherwise, and when you and Mr James
Mitchelson forraed the declinature, and wrote letters to the presby-

72 AA^ODROAVS LIFE OF BRUCE.
teries." " You can say no more," said Mr GaUoway. " I can say
more," said the other; " you have slipped from the cause, and left us
out. As for rayself, I thank the Uving God, I am not ashamed of it."
Upon this Mr Bruce was again turned out, and they proceeded
to the sentence of deprivation against him, except he obeyed their
first ordinance against the ninth of May. When caUed in, and the
sentence was read, Mr Bruce thanked God that he Avas ready, not
only to suffer that much, but to the very death, in that cause. If
God called hira to suffer It ; and directing himself to the King, said,
" I hope. Sir, you shall not charge rae Avrong in that cause, though
it Avere to the very scaffold." When he carae out and told what
passed, liis friends advised hira to appeal to the Asserably ; Avhich
he did, and took Instruraents in the hands of a notary. When Mr
James Balfour was called in, the King allowed It reasonable to ap
peal and protest; and after having received a charge by Mr David
Lindsay, he took his leave of his fiock. May 5.
PRESBYTERY OF EDINBURGH'S APPROBATION OF MR BRUCE'S
CALLING TO THE MINISTRY.
The Presbytery of Edinburgh, upon the second of May, gave tiieir
approbation of Mr Bruce's caUing, In the foUowing account : " The
quhilk day the brethren of the Presbytery of Edinburgh having
ripely advised, upon the desire of their brother, Mr Eobert Bruce,
wiUing them to declare whether he had been and is yet a laAvful
pastor of the Kirk of Edmburgh, having his caUIng of the Gene
rall Asserably thereunto : The Avhole brethren being present, gave
their resolute answer, without contradiction, that they had acknow
ledged, and did acknowledge, him to be a lawful pastor of the said
kirk, by whora God, In his mercy, had wrought In the said pastoral
charge, and by whose travaUs the whole Kark and themselves had re
ceived great corafort. Extracted out of the Eecords, by
" Mr Charles Lumsden,
" Clerk to the said Presbytery."
Much about this same time, Mr Bruce received the folio Avino' let-

AVODROAV'S LIFE OF BRUCE. 73
ter from that truly great man, Mr Patrick Simson, minister at Stir
ling, which no doubt was supporting to him : —
MR PATRICK SIMSON'S LETTER TO HIM, MAY 2.
" Eight Honourable and well-beloved Brother,— I re
ceived your letter, whereby I understand that your ministry in
Edinburgh these eleven years bygone has been caUed In question.
Dear Brother, this is one of Satan's old fetches toward you ; Avho,
as he was a great stay to your entry into this holy calling, so he
leaves not off yet to. practise his old and wonted malice against
you ; but be of good comfort, Sfr, the Lord, who sees that the drift
of Satan Is against his own kingdom, wUl fortify the plUars of his
own house, that they may stand out against the gates of hell. I
am sorry to hear teU that our own brethren are instruments of
your trouble ; for they seem to rae to be as unralndful of their own
speeches, as Aaron was unmindful of his own doings, when he stood
up against Moses his brother; for, notwithstanding the works
which confirmed the caUIng of Moses were written in the hands
of Aaron, yet he opponed himself to his brother. In like manner,
these brethren have many a time given good testimony to your
ministry ; but now, alas, are become unmindful of their own words, ¦
Avhich, notwithstanding, are written with the pen of God in their
OAvn consciences ; and you have a witness. In the secret of their
hearts, that your rainistry is of God, and that it hath watered the
husbandry of God more fruitfully than the ministry of any raan
Avho oppugns the same. I perceive that Mr Eobert EoUock stands
much on the lack of ordination in your ministry, which makes me
marvel how he could call himself a rainister of Christ's Evangel at
Edinburgh, in his Analysis upon the Epistle to the Eomans ; and
in the meantime wanting ordination to that ministry, if this forra of
ordination Avhich we want be so essential as he speaks ; albeit It
be not unknown unto him that he lacked the ordination, as the
children of Israel wanted circumcision In the wilderness ; for ye
Avere ever awaiting upon a good opportunity when the people Avotdd
divide themselves In competent parishes, to the end that ye might

74 AVODROW'S LIFE OF BRUCE.
be appointed to a special flock, Avbich ye could goodly attend upon.
But to raake an end of this point. If conscience raoved thera to ob
ject theraselves against your rainistry, they should have objected
It these eleven years bygone. And if any other cause move them,
' the ways of raen raay Avell seera good in their own eyes, but the
Lord pondereth the hearts.' And concerning the raatter wherein,
Sir, you crave my advice, ray simple judgment is this, that In case
the commissioners Avill approve your former ministry, you shall not
stand to receive Ira'Dosition of hands frora them, because the Gene
ral Assembly has t, t commanded, and you have promised (as ap
pears by the write I received) to do tbe same ; and the hungry
souls of the Lord's people of Edinburgh earnestly crave the com
fort of your ministry. And, finally, whatever iniquity be in their
hands at this time, I hope the Lord wiU pardon it in Jesus Christ,
If ye make earnest prayers for them as Moses did for Aaron and
Miriam ; and the blessing of God be on your ministry ; to whose
protection I heartUy recommend you, both now and ever. From
Stiriing, the first day of May 1598.
"Your Brother to command, " Pat. Simson."

IMPOSITION OF HANDS GIVEN HIM.
The Presbytery of Edinburgh, on the fifth of May, sent down
Messrs Balfour, BalcanquaU, Aird, and Lumsden, to the commis
sioners, to deal for Mr Bruce. The coraraissioners and they agreed
upon the forra of a declaration as to Mr Bruce's ministry ; and af
ter he had corrected a word or two. It lay in Messrs Gallo-way's
and EoUock's hands unanswered. Upon May 9, the King and
commissioners sent for Mr Bruce, and the King urged him to obey
the ordinance. He answered, that the coraraissioners and he
agreed upon a form with consent of the Presbytery. Mr EoUock
read It ; but the King took it and altered It, and gave It to Mr
Bruce to advise on. He laid it before the presbytery, who finding
the commissioners dealing disingenuously, and putting all upon the

wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE. 75
King, adhered to the former draught, which the King still refused
In the afternoon, Mr Eobert Bruce, wearied A\'ith these tossings,
went out of town. Mr J. Spottiswood overtakes him about half-a-
mUe out of town, and, in narae of the coraraissioners, said, they won
dered he should leave the town, when the process was not ended ;
and that he hiraself had ansAvered for him, that being found dis
obedient and deprived by their sentence, he had no more to do with
them ; but he was now come to him from them, to offer him admis
sion without any cereraony. Mr Bruce desired write on this, and
he should answer it. On Friday, Mr Spottiswood and two others
carae to Mr Bruce at Sraeton, who asked Mr Spottiswood if he
had brought write with him on his proposal. The other answered,
the King would not yield to the commissioners' desire in that, but
he had brought a form, Uttle different from his own, which Mr
Bruce offered to amend. The other told him he was not at liberty
to allow one word to be altered ; and so they parted. On the 15th,
Mr Bruce, at the earnest desire of his friends, returned to the town ;
and that day, Mr Andrew Knox, rainister of Paisley, and one of
the baUIes of Edinburgh, brought him a forra which he said the
comraissioners consented unto, but would have him to sign first ;
which he did, but afterwards the commissioners refused. Upon
the 16th day of May, the presbytery day, Mr Bruce desired the
presbytery's opinion, whether he should take a new ordination to
the ministry or not ; and removing, craved their Interlocutor; which
was, that he should not subject to a new ordination to the mini
stry. In the afternoon the commissioners met with the presby
tery, and a considerable nuraber of rainisters from the neighbour
hood, and sent for Mr Bruce. He was very unwUling to come, yet
at length presented hiraself, and desired a particular answer,
whether the commissioners sought his ordination to the rainistry or
not ? They decUned a direct answer. Mr Bruce, being ranch coni-
raoved at this, said to them, they had persecuted him extremely,
used tyrannous and imperious dealing toward hira ; that for his
part he did not know that he abused any of thera, in word or deed,
or used any recrimination, save to Mr Galloway, who provoked

7i; AVODROAV S LIFE OF BRUCE.
him bitterly Avitli hisinjuriousAvords before the King; adding, "Now
I take my leaA'e of you, bretiiren ; and from my heart wish you may
choose affliction rather than iniquity." Mr GaUoway said, he spoke
Avhat he said only as to Mr Bruce's Avant of imposition of hands. Mr
Balfour answered, he wanted imposition of hands also, and yet no
noise was made about him. Mr Bruce being gone out, the com
missioners offered another forra, Avhicli Mr Bruce disliked, and then
to admit him Avitliout Imposition ; which, when he Avas content of,
they resiled, and at length agreed to the form he had subscribed ;
and the King yielded, and named Friday the 19th for his admission.
And after debates as to Avhat Mr Pont was to utter in the pulpit,
it Avas agreed, that the form agreed to should be read, and no more
said. And thus Messrs Bruce and Balfour, after Mr Font's sermon,
iiad hands laid on them, and Avere admitted pastors to that congre
gation. To support Avhat is before set down, I add Mr Bruce's own
account of Avhat passed from a paper that looks like an original.'
Bishop Spottiswood gives some bitter turns to this affair, Avhich
I need not take off, after so large a deduction of it. He charges
Mr Bruce with the tumult in the church, of Avhich he vindicated
hiraself to the King ; and blunders (if it be not an error In the
print) as to the day, and says Mr Lindsay and Mr Douglas ad
mitted him, Avhich I cannot reconcUe with the above account ; and
It is more probable Mr Pont would be employed than another, being
before named, and most acceptable ; and ends aU with an innuendo,
that this noise Mr Bruce made was more of wilfuhiess than good
zeal, Avhich the above account sufficiently resists, and shoAVS Mr
Bruce's struggle carae merely from his concern not to invalidate
his former ministerial actings, or offend sucli as had received the
sacraments at his hands.
JANUARY 1599, CALLED BEFORE THE COUNCIL, AND AVHAT
PASSED THERE.
Though Mr Bruce Avas thus restored to the exercise of his ministry
at Edinburgh, yet his troubles stiU continued, tiU at length the King.
' See Appendix.

WODROAV'S LIFE OF BRUCE. 7 /
and commissioners got rid of him in January, next year, 1599.
Mr Bruce and the ministers of Edinburgh were called before the
King and CouncU for their freedom in reproving the evils In toAvn
and country. The reader will find in the printed CalderAvood the
present melancholy state of things. The King, by the influence of
Poplshly-afifected CouncUlors about him, was taking very Avide steps
in favour of Popery, and fast bringing in corruptions. The King
began to prorogate the tirae of General Asserablies, that he raight
get members framed and prepared to his pui-poses. Matters not
being ripe for ministers, voters in Parliament, directly to appear
as prelates, the Popish Bishop of GaUoway, a fugitive since the Ee
formation, was restored to his honours, dignities, and rents. The
King's book, entitled the Law of Free Monarchies, which was a
satire upon the Eeformation In Scotland, was printed. Beaton,
Popish Archbishop of Glasgow, was restored to his office, and sent
ambassador to France ; and the King's letter procured to the Pope,
with his Instructions to Drummond. In consequence of this, which
the reader wUl find in Calderwood, p. 427, Christmas Avas solemnly
kept at Edinburgh. Under aU these Mr Bruce and his brethren
could not be altogether silent. The King, galled Avith their ser
mons, sent up some acts of the late corrupt Assemblies against
ministers' freedora in preaching, and of the Convention of Estates,
by Sir Patrick Murray, to Mr Bruce, requiring his ansAver, Avhether
he would be judged by thera. His answer was, that he did not
refuse judgment, and the judge ought to consider by Avhat laws he
would judge him. Upon this the commissioners of the Assembly,
Avith Sir Patrick, called the ministers of Edinburgh before them.
Mr James MitchBlson told them, the King considered them as
branglers of the State, and did not reckon himself secure unless
they subscribed these acts of Assembly and the Estates. Their
answer was, that they did not decline judgment by these acts ; but
subscribing acts of that nature was a novelty, and such a prepara
tive as they Avould not begin. On the 8th and 9th of January,
they had conferences with the King, Avho urged them to subscribe
a declaration he set down In Avriting, either positively or negatively.

78 ¦ AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
They offered to subscribe the negative, if his Majesty would aUow
thera to set down their reasons with their subscription. This was
refused ; and so they were cited before the Council, where the
King merely declared he dreaded from thera bodily harm ; that they
Avere on a conspiracy, and men he looked for no good fi-om ; and
desired the Council to add a penalty to the acts of Estates. They
added an arbitrary punishment, leaving it to the King's detennina-
tlon. January 17, they again appeared before the King's Coun
cil. The King, after a long harangue, came to this issue, that he
wotdd pass all bygones, if they woidd promise, before the Council,
to obey all his laws, particularly the Act of Assembly and States
at St Johnston, and that in their sermons they would not meddle
Avith his laAvs or proceedings whatsomever. Before, In writing, they
offered to meddle Avith nothing In their sermons save what con
cerned religion, and Avhen the glory of God was impaired and the
estate of the Kirk endangered ; and now they answered, in all humi
lity, that they were accountable for their actions and ministry. As
to their actions, they were open to the world, and they were con
tent to be tried by the King and Council. Their affections were
toward his Majesty, and God Avould bear witness for them one
day. As to their rainistry, they were to raake account to the Lord
for it ; and that as to his Majesty's desire, they had given their
ansAver in Avriting, which they produced. The King said he would
have these two acts obeyed. They answered, they were ready to
be censured by thera when found transgressors, but could not pro-
raise to obey thera further than they agreed to the Word of God.
"It is direct anabaptisra," said the King, "to say the act of the As
serably agrees not with the Word of God, and to proraise to obey In
as far as lawful." They answered, they spoke according to their
light, and were ready to receive better fi-ora the Word ; and if his
Majesty preserved their religion and laws, they would keep within
the corapass of the acts ; but if anything shaU be done, as God
forbid, in prejudice of religion, " Wherefore serve we, (said they,) if
we shaU not show that the Word of God darans it plainly?" " WiU
ye suspect me ?" says the King. " We must suspect an angel," an-

wodrow's life OF BRUCE. 79
swered they, '' if another gospel be brought." " WeU," says the King,
in a passion, raany times repeating it, " upon your perU be it ; I
assure you you shall be punished." The rainisters desired, since
they could not bruik a good conscience, the King might dismiss
thera, and allow them to live as subjects. The King said, they
should not live in Scotland if they obeyed not these acts. The
comraissioners of the Assembly promised thera a favourable inter
pretation of the Assembly's act, but put it off from time to time,
and at length referred thera to the King, who continued in his
threatenlngs. king's PROCEDURE IN FEBRUARY ABOUT MR BRUCE's PENSION.
Next month, the King picked a new quarrel Avith Mr Bruce, and
dealt very arbitrarUy with him. Mr Bruce had a pension out of
the abbey of Arbroath of twenty-four chalders of victual, by a gift
under the Seals, for his Ufe. On the 10th of February the King
taketh it from hira, without calling or hearing of Mr Bruce as to his
interest, and openly assisted the Lord Hamilton's tenants when
they suspended Mr Bruce's charge. Mr Bruce offered to pass
frora his gift if the King would reserve it in his own hands, or be
stow it on settling of stipends ; but the King transferred it to the
Lord Hamilton, as a reward of what is above narrated ; upon which
Mr Bruce went on AvIth his process against the person concerned
before the Lords of Session. The King came in and threatened
the Lords, and asked, who Avould be so bold as to vote against hira ?
Five or six answered, " Except his Majesty would take it on hira, by
his absolute power, to discharge thera, they would vote according
to laAV and their office ;" and all, save one, voted for Mr Bruce. After
the interlocutor in his favour, the Treasurer, Prior of Blantyre,
was first warded In the Castle of Edinburgh for insisting In Mr
Bruce's favour, and next consigned to Inverness, and at last forced
to demit his office ; which he was unwilling to do tUl the King
paid him what he was owing. These things fell out in March,

80 AVODROAV's LIFE (IF BRUCE.
TIIE king's VIOLENCE AGAINST MR BRUCE.
The King's Avrath Avas very high against Mr Bruce at this time,
and for fifteen weeks, every Aveek, on Saturday, he Avas so mean as
to send some message or other to disturb him. The Queen Avas
employed to pacify him, but in vain. The answer she gaAC from
the King was, if Mr Bruce Avould give it under his hand that he
Avould not spcaic again^ him, his laws, and proceedings, he should
he as much in his faA'our as CA'cr;* which he could not coraply Avith
if the King Avent on opposing the interests of religion ; and motion
Avas made to hira to go AvIth Colonel INIurray to Flanders till the
King's passion Avas over, to Avhicli he yielded. If the presbytery
and his folk Avould give him permission. But that they refused.
The King declared he hated hira more than BothweU, and the
comraissioners of the Asserably privately added oil to the flames,
and said he was a troubler of the Kirk, and would fain have been
rid of him, because he stood in the way of their designs for pre
lacy. Tlie commissioners of the Assembly endeavoured to draAv
Mr HaU and Mr Balfour to be enemies to him, as they acknow
ledged to him ; and the King threatened him and all his friends in
the Session, and among the advocates, for that process about his
gift for life. In a short time after, the King, to cross Mr Bruce,
discharged the taking down of a parpan' wail in the Great Kirk to
enlarge the East Kirk, where Mr Bruce preached, and the audi
tory Avas great. The Council, Session, and Presbytery, pressed it.
AU this violent opposition put Mr Bruce and Mr James Balfour to
seek a transportation ; but not thinking the Convention at St An
drews a meeting of sufficient authority, the matter Avas delayed till
the Assembly. DEBATE IN OCTOBER ABOUT TIIE ENGLISH COMEDIANS.
In October this same year, another debate fell in betwixt the
King and ministers of Edinburgh about some English comedians,
whom the King had alloAved, by a Avarrant, to hire a house in Edin
burgh. The comedies were profane and irreligious, and they them-
' Partition.

AVODROW's LIFE OF BRUCE. 81
selves open profaners of the Sabbath. The four sessions met, and
passed an act, declaring it scandalous to resort to their plays. The
King took this as contrary to his allowance. The ministers waited
on him, and Mr Bruce told him the ill eflFects of these plays, their
profanity, and the reflections In some of them on hiraself and the
Queen, and that there were acts of Parliaraent against them. A
proclamation next day was issued, charging the sessions to repeal
their acts, under pain of treason. The sessions raet, and the mini
sters declared against repealing the act ; however, the rest did
vote to repeal it ; and the ministers refused to intimate the repeal
which the King required, because the act had been intimated from
ptdpits, and the ministers had preached against the profane come
dies. MR bruce's NEAV TROUBLE ABOUT HIS PENSION, IN DECEMBER.
InDecember, Mr Arthur Fulhle, [?]and sorae of the coraraissioners
of the Assembly, pushed the King, after he had dropped the raatter
of Mr Bruce's pension, to revive the process before the Session
while he was absent at his mother's burial. The process was
Avakened in his absence ; and the Lords Avere threatened if they
voted in Mr Bruce's favour, and the advocates also if they pled
in his favour. When Mr Bruce returned he went to the King,
and desired to know how the process vi'akened since he had ob
tained, as he thought, his Majesty's favour. The King said, "I made
a promise last year to these men, when you impugned ray laws in
your sermons." " But," said the other, " your Majesty has been
satisfied with rae since, and gave me an anterior promise ; and I
have your Majesty's grant, written with your own hand, Avherein
you were pleased to say I deserved it, though it had been the quarter
of your kingdom ; which I shall keep as a monuinent to posterity,
as your Majesty also bade me." The King turned calm, and said,
" Save my honour, Mr Eobert, and I shall not hurt you." " What
way ?" said the other. " Come up the morn," said the King ; " subnoit
to my wUl, and render the gift." " Pardon rae," said Mr Bruce, " I
wiU not benefit my enemy, nor give my right to any subject ; but if

82 AVODROAV's LIFE OP BRUCE.
your Majesty wUl have It to your OAvn use, I avUI give up my grant
most wiUingly, providing you gratify not my competitors, nor be
reave me causelessly of my right, for the pleasure of any other sub
ject." This the King promised it should be so, in the presence of
Sir George Elphinstone. To-morrow, when the matter was caUed
before the Lords, Mr Bruce compeared, and declared, " I had my
gift of his Majesty's free liberality. If his Majesty thinic that gift
meet for liis OAvn use, look, how freely his Majesty gave It me, I
Avill as freely render it again. But as for my Lord HamUton, or
any neighbour raan of the rainistry, I ara no way obliged to them ;
so I look his JMajesty avIU suffer rae to enjoy my right against
thera." The King desired him to refer it to his courtesy. Mr
Bruce said, he was Avilling to refer that much to his courtesy, either
to take it to himself, or suffer hira to enjoy it. The King appeared
Avell ideased and satisfied. How this matter ended will be best
knoAvn by Sir Bruce's complaint to the Presbytery of Edinburgh
In the end of December, Avherein he says, as Calderwood's MSS.,
from whence I take aU this, has it, that though he had as good a
right, and as sure, to that gift as to his heritage, two decreets were
given against him, and the Chancellor refused his biU, being ex
pressly discharged by the King, as he said, and now could have no
benefit of the law; — that, contrary to the acts of Assembly at Mon
trose, 1595, who had modified his stipend, and had given him an
assignation to Avhat he had now, and subscribed it, yet now the
comraissioners of the Parliaraent had broken the assignation, and
given it to the minister of Arbroath ; — that the King would not
suffer the clerk to extract the submission in the terms he gave It ;
but threatened him Avith hanging if he abstracted not in ample
form, Avithout the conditions he naraed, and gave Mr Fulhle a grant
simpliciter, and in araple forra ; — that none of the presbytery took
notice of this injury done him save Mr BalcanquaU, whom the
King quarrelled for accompanying Mr Bruce to wait tn him ; and
now he had gotten two chalders and eight bolls added to his stipend,
in hopes he Avould desert hira ; — that the coramlssioners of the As
sembly, particulariy IMr GaUoway, threatened him, who, being pre-

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 83
sent, Avas silent. And, lastly, he complained that the commis
sioners of Assembly did very seldom attend the presbytery, and
did Avhat they liked. Thus, as my author says, the King broke
Mr Bruce's gift contrary to his promise, annuls the decreets In his
favour, passeth by the assignation of the Assembly, and alters the
quality of the victual as well as the quantity, and gives him only
eight chalders during pleasure. Upon the 18th of January, next
year, Mr Bruce Avent to the Palace to deliver his gift. He got not
access ; and the Eang sent hira word that the Laird of Kincavell,
his brother, might corae to him at another time, and he should
know his pleasure. But Mr Bruce discharged his brotiier to take
this bm'den on him.

1600.
The Assembly convened, July 1600, at Montrose, Avhen I find
Mr Bruce was on the leet for Moderator ; but the rainistry being
now fast coming into the King's measures, and the King opposing
him, Mr Wilkie was chosen. 1 find him and Mr James MelvUle,
naraed among the commissioners of that Assembly, among the rest,
who, save one or two, Avere all going Into the King's designs. But
the affair of the Earl of Gowrie and his brother faUIng out on the
fifth of August this year, Avas the beginning of a more severe trial
to Mr Bruce.
MR bruce's meditations ON THE THIRD AND FOURTH NIGHTS OF
AUGUST, 1600.
Mr Bruce seems to have been prepared, in Providence, for the
direct trial he had to undergo AvIth relation to Gowrie's Conspiracy,
in his ordinary course of close intercourse Avitli his Master, in the
great duty of meditation and prayer. Among some papers come
to my hand, once belonging to Mr David Calderwood, I find Mr
Bruce's meditation on the night preceding the fifth of August :
These, AvIth the supplications and letters, and Mr Bruce's own ac
count of Avhat happened hira in this process about GoAvrie, and the

84 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
after parts of his life, I am ready to think are extracts out of Mr
Bruce's Diary, Avhich Calderwood got from himself or his friends ;
and the rather, that one of them, the Apology, already placed in the
Appendix, Is signed with Mr Bruce's own hand; and the handwriting
of most of them seems to be the same with the subscribed Apology,
which makes me apprehend that they all may be Avritten by the same
person, with Mr Bruce's aUowance. ]\Ir Calderwood hath given
the substance of most of them in his MSS., save the account of his
trouble at Inverness ; hoAvever, I incline to give Avhat I take to be
j\lr Bruce's own account of thera In his own Avords, iti the Appen
dix ; and I begin with his meditation the third and fourth nights
of August 1600. It stands in Appendix.
GOAVRIB's CONSPIRACY, AUGUST 5.
GoAvrie's Conspiracy is not what lies at present in my Avay. Mr
Calderwood, in his MSS., tells us, " That on the fifth of August,
the Earl of Gowrie and his brother were slain at Perth for attempt
ing a conspiracy against the King, as was aUeged, but not believed,
by raany ;" and then inserts, in a rauch fairer Avay than Bishop
Spottiswood takes In this matter, the discourse printed by autho
rity, and translated likcAvise into Latin, entitled, A Discovery of
the Unnatural and Vile Conspiracy attempted against his Majesty's
Person, at St Johnstone, upon the fifth day of August, being Tues
day, 1600, Avlth the Depositions serving to confirm the sarae, and
Mr Galloway's Discourses to the People, to confirm thera in the be
lief of the accounts given out by the Court, Avhlcii differ little frora
tlie discourse published by authority ; and then he sets clown the
censure of tbat printed discourse, arising frora the Aveighing of the
probabilities and likelihoods, and comparing the discourses and de
positions with themselves, Mr Galloway's harangues, and the re
ports that went abroad, and leaves this business undetermined.
Because this Avork is designed for preservation of principal papers,
and this discourse above mentioned is in print, and Mr Bruce suf
fered so much and long merely for his doubts on this raatter, I do
not take it altogether to be out of the way to insert the censure, as

WODROAV'S LIFE OP BRUCE. 85
Mr CalderAvood names it, upon this aflFaIr of Gowrie, App. Copy
Cald. vol. V. 405, (It was thought strange, &c. to 414,) that the
world may have aU my author kncAV about this dark part of our
history. MR BRUCE AND THE MINISTERS OF EDINBURGH THEIR TROUBLE
ON THIS HEAD, AUGUST 6.
To corae to Mr Bruce's trouble upon the head of not keeping
the pubUc thanksgiving appointed for the King's delivery frora this
conspiracy. Upon the sisth of August, by ten o'clock ui the fore
noon, the ToAvn Council received a letter from the King, giving
them account of his delivery, and commanding the ministers to re
turn public thanks. The ministers were called, and the letters
read, and they required to call together the people, and givS
thanks. When consulting upon this, the magistrates Avere called
to attend the Privy Council. The ministers had agreed among
themselves to keep in the general, and not enter into particulars ;
because the reports even among courtiers varied among them
selves, and the King's letter did not speak of treason. When
coming out, they found the magistrates called to the Privy Coun
cU, and a charge to them to attend. Thither they went, and ap
pointed Mr Bruce to speak. The Chancellor desired them to go
to the church, and praise God for the King's miraculous deliverance
from so vile a treason. Mr Bruce answered, as they had unani
mously agreed they were not certain of the treason, and had
various reports, but would go, and, in the general, bless God for
his Majesty's deliverance from great danger ; otherwise, if their
Lordships pleased to delay tUl they got certainty, (for it Avas but
about two hours since the first notice carae,) they should not only
blaze the treason, but be glad to see Gowrie's bouse raade a jakes.
The Lords urged thera to keep by the terms of the King's letter.
They insisted he did not term it treason, and that there Avere dif
ferent accounts of that affair. M bile they were reasoning, Mr
David Lindsay comes In to the CouncU from Falkland, Avhere he
had heard the King teU the matter ; and It was thought proper
that he, having the narrative out of the King's own raouth, should

86 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
be employed to praise God ; anent which the rainisters' opinion Avas
craved. Mr Bruce said, he was weU content, if he spoke nothing
but that for which he would be ansAverable to God. So the
CouncU, Magistrates, &c., went AvIth him to the Cross, Avhere Mr
Lindsay had a harangue, and the people Avith uncovered heads
praise God. The bells rang, fires were put on, and aU other de
monstrations of joy. The ministers thought the Council was satis
fied ; but misreports were made to the King.
AUGUST 12, TIIEY ARE BANISHED EDINBURGH, AND DISCII.ARCED
TO PREACH.
Upon Tuesday, August 12, the ministers Avere cited before
the King and Council. The King asked Mr Bruce, Avhy they
had disobeyed him and his Council, and refused to praise God for
his deliverance ? He ansAvered, They did not disobey, but Avere
ready to do it in general terras, as they had all done on the Sabbath
after ; but they could not condescend to particulars, in respect they
had no certainty. " Had ye not my letter ?" said the King. " Your
Majesty's letter bore no particulars, but made mention only of dan
ger In general ; and that Ave Avere content to follow." " Could not
my CouncU assure you of the particular treason ; and did not they do
so ?" And the president answered, They had. Mr Bruce said, " Sir,
with their honours' leave, they had received no information save
David Moses' biU, and John Graham of Balrynle's report ; and the
two so clashed, that no man found certainty." The secretary and
president affirmed the reports agreed. Mr Bruce offered to pro
duce David IMoses' letter, and let thera be compared. The King
waived that, and asked, " You have heard rae, ray rainisters, the coun
cU, and Earl Mar ; are you now persuaded fully or not that it is
treason?" " Surely, Sir," replied Mr Bruce, " I would have fiirther
light before I preached it treason to persuade the^ people. Were I a
private subject, not a pastor, in the report I Avould rest on your Ma^
jesty's report, as others do." The King asked at Mr John Balfour,
"Are you fuUy persuaded?" He answered, " I shaU speak nothing to
the contrary, Sir." "But are you persuaded ?" said the King. " Not
yet," said he. Mr Watson answered the same Avay. I\Ir Balcan-

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 87
quaU said. He wotUd affirm all that Mr David Lindsay said yester
day in pulpit before his Majesty. "What said he?" asked the King.
" He founded himself upon your Majesty's report, and faithfully re
hearsed it ; so shall we." Mr Lindsay being interrogated, If he Avas
persuaded of Avhat he said yesterday ? answered. He was, in his con
science. " Now," said the King to Mr BalcanquaU, " are you per
suaded ?" He answered, " I would have further time and light."
Mr Hall said. He would have the civil trial going before. Mr Hewat
said. He belicA^ed his Majesty's proclaraation. They were reraoved,
and in a little called in, save Mr HcAvat, and the Chancellor in
timated sentence, whereby they were discharged preaching in the
King's dominions, under pain of death, and charged to remove out
of Edinburgh in forty-eight hours, and not come within ten miles
of it, under pain of death.
THEIR SUPPLICATION REJECTED.
Next day, they jointly gaA'c in a supplication to the Council,
offering " To give God thanks for the King's delivery, most heartUy
to raake faithful report to the people, as his Majesty had delivered
the account to thera of the whole history of the treason, and to
speak nothing in the contrary ; but to do all the good offices which
might serve to nourish the hearts of the people." Nobody ques
tioned but this, subscribed by common consent, would have satis
fied. But the supplication was rejected, and the answer written
on the back, thus : — " That they should confess a fault, and crave
his Majesty's pardon raost hurably ; that they should esteem the
history of the treason an undoubted truth, and publish It as un
doubted truth to their folks." I need not add, that they came not
in to these hard and irapossible conditions. However, they again
supplicated for the prorogation of their day, that they might have
time for light ; which was also refused. And so, on Thursday,
August 14, they left the town. Mr Calderwood remarks, that this
occasion, and indeed a very slender one it was, was gripped at to
overthrow the ministry of Edinburgh, who crossed the Court in aU
their evU proceedings, and were a terror to the Session, nobility.

88 AVODROW'S LIFE OF BRUCE.
and others, for then- Impiety, Injustice, and unrighteousness ; and
Mr Bruce, in a particular manner, for his uprightness and opposi
tion to Episcopacy, now bringing in, for Avhich he was never suf
fered to return, though the rest Avere. Thus the CouncU and King
usurped the ecclesiastical authority, in depriving them, by their sen
tence, of the exercise of their ministrv.
king's LETTER TO THE SYNOD OF LOTHIAN, AUGUST 24.
The King went on in his rigorous courses upon this matter,
which increased the suspicion of many, especially after the deposi
tions of Avitnesses were taken, tbat there Avas not so much in the
conspiracy as Avas given out ; and, by the advice of the commis
sioners of Asserably, directed the letter foUoAving to the Synod of
Lothian, and I suppose to some others also : —
" To our Trusty Friends, the Ministers of tiie Synod of Edin
burgh, to be delivered to them by ]\Ir David Lindsay, or
their last IModerator.
"Trusty Friends, — We greet you weU. The ministers of
Edinburgh being discharged their preaching by us and our Coun
cil, for their unnatural and undutiful behaviour tOAvard us in this
late danger, whereof it pleased God miraculously to deliver us, we
have, by advice of the same Council, resolved that they shall never
be restored again to their own places. Since, In that case, we
dread no less than the hazard of our Ufe, and the perilling of our
estate, as avc have at more length declared to the comraissioners,
by whose advice their rooras are declared to be vacant, that others
raay be provided thereunto. Likeas, by the advice of the sarae
commissioners, we have appointed a meeting at Edinburgh, upon
the second of October next, not only upon order taking In that
matter, but for consulting upon such other things as shall be thought
good to be propounded In name of the Kirk, for the weal of their
and our estate, at our next Parliament, appointed the first day of
November next ; and, therefore, have thought good to wUl and de
sire you to direct two of the Avisest and best-affected of your nura-

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 89
ber to keep the said diet, and instructed sufficiently to give their
advice and concurrence with the said commissioner in the premises,
as you wUl testify your dutifid affection towards us, and the quiet
ness of our and your estates ; and, in respect of our so happy de
liverance on Tuesday, we have, by advice foresaid, appointed that
every Tuesday thereafter shall be a day of ordinary sermon within
every burgh in the bounds of the Synod ; and, in the like manner,
commanded, by public proclaraation, that the last day of Septem
ber next, and the Sunday next thereafter, shaU be kept solemnly
for giving thanks to God for our deliverance from so evident a
danger, which we have thought meet also to intimate to you by
this letter, beside our proclamation, that ye pretend no ignorance.
So we corarait you to God. From Stirling, August 24, 1 600.
"James E.
" P. S. — Let your Synod be convened the third Tuesday of Sep-
teraber next, for directing of coraraissioners for the effect foresaid."
treatment OF THE MINISTERS OF EDINBURGH, SEPTEMBER, AAaTH
THE CONFERENCE BETWIXT MR BRUCE AND THE COUNCIL, SEP
TEMBER 11.
September 5, the ministers of Edinburgh were charged to com
pear before the King and CouncU at Stirling, for their obstinate
bUndness, as it was termed. The reader wiU see in Calderwood
how they were treated, even after they had declared their satis
faction. Mr Hall feU into the King's measures. Mr BalcanquaU
was connived at. Mr Balfour and Mr Watson were declared
transportable by the next General Assembly. My present work
leads me to Mr Bruce. When he compeared, September 11, the
ChanceUor caused hira declare upon oath where he had been since
put out of Edinburgh, and in what corapany. And when asked, If
he was resolved upon the treason ? he answered, " I am in the way
of resolution, but not fully resolved." The King told him, " All his
brethren were fiiUy resolved ; what could hinder him ?" He an
swered, " They must live in their faith and I in mine ; so far as I
know, I shall preach, and no further. Two things moved me to

90
enter in a Avay of resolution. I heard that Craigengelt, who died
piously, at his execution confessed that he had ground fi-om Hen
derson (whose deposition, Calderwood observes, contradicted this
story) that Gowrie was Interested in the treason ; and I am in-
quuing further into the truth of this account, and If it hold, he is
one testimony of a pious man at death. So I ara in the road of
diUgence. Next, if Andrew Henderson die Avith that confession, I
will be satisfied." The Chancellor said, " Will .you troAV a con
demned man better than King and Council ?" The other an
swered, "If he die penitently, and God receive the soul, I tiunlc
Ave may receive the testimony." " He saved the King's Ufe," said
the Comptroller. " I know not," said Mr Bruce ; " but this I will
say, that he ought to die, Avere it only that he employed not the
Avhlnger he is said to have thrown out of Gowrie's brother's hand,
Avherewith he was going to kUl ills Majesty, in the traitor's heart."
The King said, " I see you will not trust me nor the noblemen
AvIth me, tiU you try me." " Sir," said Mr Bruce, " the wUl can
not be constrained ; I raay well lie to you Avith my mouth, but I
cannot trust but after trial." " I see," says the King, " you would
make me a murderer. It is knoAvn Avell I Avas never blood-thirsty ;
and if I would have taken their lives, I had causes enough, and
needed not have hazarded rayself also." " Sincerely," said Mr
Bruce, " I would not make you a murderer ; yea. Sir, suppose I
knew it were so, I would neither withdraw my affection nor obe
dience from your service ; I Avoiild only press to draAV you to re
pentance, in respect you are not subject to our punltion." The Earl
of IMar said, " I Avonder you wUl not trust men that saw a hand in
his throat, and heard the King cry murder." " My Lord," said
Mr Bruce, " if you saw and heard, you may the raore easily credit."
One Avould have thought that he would have asserted he did so ;
yet he did not : and when raany caUed out to Mr Bruce, " AA'hy
stand ye in a thing that is so plain?" Mr Bruce answered, " Because
I would not have you to seek raore of me than I knoAV ; I never heard
my Lord Mar nor the Duke speak their minds on that subject. I
have not liberty to go where I may have fuU resolution." " You say,

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 91
then, that you are in the way of resolution," said the King. " WeU,"
says the King, " try true ;" and he was dismissed with a favour
able countenance, as he thought. But they knew that the things
he was informed of were not true. When reraoved, the macer
came to him, and charged him to enter ward in the house of Airth
tlU the 8th of October, and then pass off the country. I'hls ac
count my author gives me from a letter of Mr Bruce's, Avherein he
notices, that if they had spoken one way, he had not been thus
dealt with ; that the rest were obliged to make their repentance
In the matter in several kirks ; that Mr Galloway, who stayed and
used interest for the rest, went out of town when he compeared ;
but, he adds, that a plot was laid for him whatever had been
said, and he had more peace than he doubted his brethren had.
To vouch Avhat is above, I have added Mr Bruce's letter to his
wife, with an account of what passed in Stirling. See App.
MR HEAVAT'S letter TO HIM.
Mr Bruce's day was prorogued, at the entreaty of the Synod of
Lothian and the persuaded ministers of Edinburgh. Mr Calder
wood Inserts the letters of Mr Hewat and others to him, Avhlch do
not contain much, and I shall not SAvell this account with them.
Mr Hewat tells him he had prevailed with the King, at the instance
of the Synod, for a prorogation of this day ; which was a benefit to
the kirk ; that the King would AviUingly have him conform to his
brethren ; and, in that case, he might be as far in the King's affection
as any man. Mr Bruce answers him, " That whatever his brethren
did, he did not count this short prorogation a benefit ; that he might
have had a longer ; but since they had interposed in the Synod
he would embrace it, though he thought it would at length irritate
the Prince, and raake him harder upon him. He wishes rather
they had shown hira what they had done, and satisfied him upon
the grounds they went upon, and their warrant ; for he still wants
ground to go upon." He adds, " I am troubled for want of a full
persuasion, which Is the work of the heart, and should not fall un
der censure. The Lord help my unbelief ! I had mister of His

92 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
fulness in the articles of my belief, though they lean on undou')ted
grounds." He expresses much affection to the King, and desires
him to comraunicate his light unto him, and give him one argu
ment, importing a necessary conclusion. Mr Balfom-, BalcanquaU,
and Hall, wrote hira another letter, September 18, wherein they
express their deep concern in him, proraise aU in their power for
his relief, and propose his writing a letter to Mr GaUoway to use
his interest, which they expect he will do. Mr Bruce, in his
return, Septeraber 24, teUs thera, " That he did not condemn their
proposal, and Avas very ready to use the assistance of his meanest
brother, and forgive his greatest enemy ; but proposes his difficul
ties, and gives them a deduction of Mr Galloway's opposition to
him, his refusing reconciliation, and endeavouring to unministcr
him, and refusing to act for him when pressed at Stirling ; when he
questions if Mr Galloway could prevaU without he came up to the
King's wUl, and even In that case not to restore him to Edinburgh.
He adds, probably his letter would be propaled and made a bauchle
of, and assures them he was never loved at Court as a minister ; but
when he had credit he used it for a brother unbidden ; and desires
them to remember that a better cause than his particular is going
to Avreck — the discipline of the Kirk, and daily encroachments are
made upon Christ's spiritual kingdom ; and teUs thera, if Mr Gal
loway would use his credit for the Kirk, he would look for good
frora him, and his eldest child should not be so dear to him as he ;
though he had consented to their deposition, and in the Synod said
their places Avere vacant. He believes all his trouble comes from
hira and Mr Mitchelson, and, tlU their bowels raove to the bleed
ing Kirk, he is unwiUing to trouble them. However, he submits
his thoughts to theirs, (to whom he is writing,) and desires them
to send better light if they have it."
MR bruce's proposal TO THE EARL OF MAR, AND MAE'S
DECLARATION ABOUT GOWRIE.
Much influence was used for Mr Bruce. Upon a proposal of Mr
Simson' s, Mr Bruce wrote to my Lord Mar, that he was ready to

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 93
snib the sinister interpretations the people Avere running to, as to
the King, and divert them from them, if allowed to preach. My
Lord Mar, in his answer, complains of his being hard to credit
things, and takes it on him, before God In heaven, that the most
misheant treason that ever was committed against a Prince was
that day committed against the King, as he himself heard and saw.
This is the strongest testimony 1 see Mr Bruce had, If the noble
man's character was to be depended on, of which I know nothing.
Mr Bruce's departure was prorogued till November 2. Before Mr
Bruce left the country, he drew up the foUowing paper, which he
left with his congregation. I give it from an old copy, once in Mr
Calderwood's hands ; it run thus : — " Suppose none of you, brethren,
can be ignorant of the cause wherefore I am departed my coun
try, yet, for your better inforraation, I thought It meet to set it
down briefly. Upon the sinistrous and malicious declaration that
was given up to his Majesty against us, the rainistry of Edinburgh,
as if Ave had simply refused to give thanks to God for his Majesty's
deliverance and preservation, It pleased his Majesty and the Lords
of his Privy Council to convene us before them, where we cleared
ourselves, both of our deed the last Sabbath, which was the 10th
day of August, imraedlately before, as also by our present offer and
supplication in time to come ; but leaving this point, as a point
Avhere Uttle or no advantage was to be had, it pleased his Majesty
to urge us Avith one further, to wit. What persuasion we had touch
ing the truth of his Majesty's report, and whether we would urge
it In pulpit as a very truth to our people? We answered. As to
our persuasion, avc reverence his Majesty's report as subjects, and
shotdd speak nothing to the contrary thereof. But to urge in pulpit,
under the authority of our ministry, as a very truth, untU the time
we had further Ught, we could not ; for then Ave behoved to speak
in faith ; and as the mouth of God, we should abstain frora any
thing that might diminish his Majesty's credit, and estimation in his
subjects' hearts, and avert the people also from their rash and un
charitable constructions. But in the discharge of our calling, we
could urge nothing as an undoubted truth, while we ourselves Avere

94 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
not persuaded in conscience. Upon this Ave Avere removed, and sen
tence given out against us, as ye knoAv, Avherein Ave Avere discharged
so many miles, as also our proper ministrations, under the pain of
death. We obeyed the charge, and held ourselves quiet in the
country ; ay and AvhUe a new charge is given out against us,
Avherein there is new ptmlshment appointed to be inflicted upon
us ; and that for obstinate blindness, as they termed it, that we
continued so long tirae doubtful. ^Ve compeared all at Stirling ;
and upon the second day of September, this further punishraent was
given out, to Avit, banishment from Scotland and England ; and iu
banishment to remain, ay and Avhlle It pleased his Majesty to
think otherwise. A montli Avas given me for my provision, dur
ing the which tirae I used all means for the mitigation of this ex
tremity. For I shoAved his Majesty, tbat the health of my body
serAcd me neither for France nor Flanders, as I have experienced
of before ; and suppose it should now, the health of my mind
stands chiefly in the exercise of my mean gift, Avhich I could not
enjoy any otherwise but in our neighbour country ; and as to my
conformity to the rest of my brethren, I should give thanks to God,
as I had offered ; yea, I should divert the people from their lewd
opinions, and uncharitable constructions of theu- Prince. This I
offered anew, to clear my affection of the burden of calumniation
laid upon it, as If I had been troubled with maUce, or some pre
pared report or other, nor for any ground or resolution in con
science,'  as yet ; for I had two great extremities to
eschew. On the one band  tiful disobedience to
my Prince ; on the other  uncharitable and false
judgment towards the dead. But to this hour aU was reasoned,
and nothing Avould satisfy unless I found myself fully resolved.
This Is the cause, brethren, wherefore I am put fi-om my flock, dis
charged of my ministry, holden from my family, keeped in w.ird
these three months, secluded from all parts a\ here 1 might ha^ c
comfort, banished of Scotland and England, A\hich Is worst, exponed
to the rage of an undantaned element, in the most tempestuous and
' Tliese blanks are occasioned by a torn corner of the MS. and cannot be supplied.

wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE. 95
unseasonable time of the year. I, and all my coUeagues in the rai
nistry, were all involved in one and the sarae alleged disobedience ;
yet ye see some of us keeped, some are removed. I speak not this,
certainly, that in any wise I envy my brethren, for they have more
mister to be pitied nor envied ; but only to show that it's not our
merits, but our persons, that are respected. This is the plain and
simple truth, which ye, brethren of Edinburgh, can very well testify;
for ye were sufferers with me in the first charge, and present with
me in Stirling when I got the last. And now, seeing the days of my
k'st prorogation are near expired, wherein I have oraitted no dUi
gence, left no part of the compass unsaUed, to see if I raight In any
wise enjoy both my conscience and my native country ; but to this
hour I could come no speed. So it forces me to choose ane pre
sent iniquity, that is, to lie against my own soul, and say I am per
suaded, whereas I ara not, or ane present banishraent. And by the
direction of God's Spirit I have chosen banishment, which to this
end I signify to you, brethren, not only because it is like to be my
farewell, and one of the last duties that I am to crave of you ; but
also that it may please you to add your testimony to this truth, and
by your subscription to bear hand thereunto ; for your testimony
viiU serve rae to two uses, and raay be, to be a defence against the
scourge of an evU tongue ; for I know ray innocency shall be oppress
ed, what In one way, and what other, raen wUl press in my absence
to give out far otherwise against me. My inward testimony, I
praise God, makes me to rest, as sufficient for me : but yet, under
the shadow of your outward, I wUl find some further refreshment ;
for what was true in our Master, as the Head, ought to be as true
in every one of us, as merabers. Now, he saith of himself, in the
18th of John, the 37th verse, ' For this cause I ara bom, and for
this cause I came to the world, that I might bear witness to the
truth.' For, brethren, for this cause we are bom, and promoved to
the holy ministry, even to bear witness to the truth, as preachers
of the truth. It wUl serve rae, next, to be a ground of corafort, when,
as I shall see that the truth of my cause cannot be so far sneered
down by men, but it shaU have a show of witnesses, both in heaven

96 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
and in earth, to bear hand to ray innocency. Fear not, brethren,
that this shaU raeet you to your prejudice ; for my raind is, to kee]i
it privy with myself, that it may die and live with rae ; and I
Avould wish you also to reserve a double of it beside yourselves, as
well for the help of your memories, as for the information of the pos
terity, Avhen neither I nor ye wUl, perhaps, be extant, for the clear
ing of our ministry."
Some days before his departure to tlie ship wherein he resolved
to go to France, he wrote the foUowing letter to the King : —
MR bruce's letter TO THE KING, OCTOBER 1 600.
" Please your Majesty,^ — Hearing that your Majesty was
nothing relented of your former wrath against me, and being now
upon the point to show my obedience to your Majesty's last charge,
I could not omit this as my last duty, to entreat your Highness'
clemency, and mitigate the extremity of this intended wrath. I
ara not ignorant of that speech, that the wrath of the prince is the
messenger of death ; so that I crave that God, for Christ's sake,
may add his blessing, and work effectually in your Grace, as shall
be expedient for his OAvn glory, and your Majesty's perpetual
preservation. To be short, then, to shoAV my conformity with the
rest of ray brethren of the ministry, as at all times, so now especi
ally, and my reverence to your Majesty ; and to clear my suspect
ed affection therein, I offer to give to the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, in him, and through him, my most hearty thanks for all
your Majesty's deliverance, from the cradle to this present hour ;
but mainly for that deliverance AvhIch he granted to your Majesty,
in St Johnston, on Tuesday, the fifth of August, far above aU our
deserts, and your Majesty's expectations. I offer also to stir up the
people to that same duty, and attour to divert the people, so far as
lies in me, from their lewd opinions, and uncharitable constractions,
anent your actions, and namely, in this turn. Finally, there is no
duty your Majesty can crave of me, without the manifest oflPence of
God, and hurt of my own conscience, but I wiU do it, Avith as
good a heart as ever I did any thing in this earth, that if, by any

wodrow's life op BRUCE. 97
means, I may testify my good affection to your Majesty, my Sove
reign, and enjoy my natural air, and such other comforts as the
Lord hath given me, under your Majesty's reign, which I most
humbly crave of your Majesty, beseeching the Lord to move your
heart herein, for his Christ's sake. So, awaiting for your Highness'
answer, in aU humUIty, I take ray leave."
THE king's remarks ON IT. — HE ARRIATES IN FRANCE, NOV. 8.
When Mr Bruce was on his journey to the ship, Mr Calderwood
adds, that Balvaird returned with the answer to his Avife, and told
her the King had interlined the letter, and added some words in
the margin, which, if Mr Bruce did not utter in the pulpit, there
was no biding for him in Scotland ; desiring that he might have
the letter a day or two, and he would re-deliver it ; but he gave it
to his uncle. Sir Patrick Murray, and it was never re-delivered.
What the alterations were the King made, or whether ever it carae
to Mr Bruce's hands, he does not tell. It seems not probable
they were such as he could go in to, considering the King's
violence against him. And so, under several remarkable provi
dences, as to the ship he was in, he saUed from Queensferry, Nov.
2, and arrived at Dieppe, in France, Nov. 8.
CALLED TO LONDON, AND COMES DOAVN TO BERWICK, MAY 1601.
Next year the Lady Mar obtained a licence to Mr Bruce to
come to England, whither he did not return tiU twice wrote for by
Mr Edward Bruce, Abbot of Kinloss, and resident at London, to
come over and confer with my Lord Mar, the King's ambassa
dor. After much dealing betwixt thera and him, they brought him
with them to Berwick in the end of May, and .there he stayed till
he had the King's licence to return. Because I love to preserve any
thing of his, I give what passed at this time from his own letter
to his wife, though it be a Uttle long.

9

98 AVODROAV S LIFE OF BRUCE.
HIS LETTER TO HIS AVIFE, JUNE 5, GIVING ACCOUNT OF AVIIAT
PASSED AT LONDON.
" My Heart, — I received your letters last Thursday, at night,
the one dated on the 3d, and the other on the 2d of June, where
by I understand you are desirous to know hoAV far I have conde
scended. Ere I come to the particular itself, at my first entry
to the ambassador, wherein I Avas much crossed by Mr Andrew
Lamb, though I covered it, I shoAved my Lord Kinloss what I
Avas content to do, and Avhat I was not content to do. I was con
tent, seeing the parUament, AvhIch is the great assize of the coun
try, had found and tried these persons to be guilty, and that upon
their conscience ; and so the civil trial had gone before me ; I was
content to find myself satisfied to rest there, and speak nothing to
the contrary ; for it becomes a subject to reverence the law of the
country, namely, Avhen he knows nothing to the contrary ; and this
is not only my judgment, but the judgment of the whole honest
brethren of this country. When I Avas at London, they showed
me that they were urged touching Essex, as 1 was urged touching
Gowrie ; and as they were content to reverence the law, to trust
and rest satisfied, touching the trial of that great assize passed
against Essex, so am I content to content me at present with that
trial passed against GoAViie ; and as they were not content to pub
lish Essex his treason from the pulpit, from their OAvn knowledge,
and their own persuasion, no more was I content to publish Gow
rie's from my OAvn knowledge and persuasion ; for, as to me, I was
never persuaded of it, and I showed to my Lord Kinloss and Mar,
that it was not possible to any man to be fuUy persuaded, or take
It on their conscience, but so many as saw and heard.
" And at the first, both the Lords said, they would not urge me,
neither Avith ray conscience, nor with a fuU persuasion, nor with
preaching either. And to trust and reverence the law, I was weU
content as becomes a subject ; with that they were content at the
entry ; and continued content a long time, tiU near the end. A little
before going aAvay, they began to cast at my stand, and my Lord

WODROAV'S LIFE OF BRUCE. 99
Kinloss shoAved me that the King would not stand content with my
distinctions. I behoved to find myself either fully persuaded, and
resolve to preach it, or there was no liberty for me. Then I began
to find fault that they were never content and satisfied with my
answer, as I had Avrltten both to France and Scotland ; and now,
since they had draAvn such service out of me, as was indeed very
steadable to the cause, they cast at my hand, and kept not touches
with me, and sought of rae things impossible ; yea, the very persua
sion I could not get to the articles of my own beUef, that they
craved of me In so doubtsome a matter. ' What,' says my Lord,
' are you not fuUy persuaded of the articles of your beUef ?' ' Not,
my Lord,' said I, ' as I should be ; if you and I both were per
suaded that there were a heU, we would do otherwise than we do.'
And so, after many sharp and spiteful taunts and speeches, both
publicly and privately, we dismissed our conference ; so that I
looked for nothing but extremity. I durst not bide from my Lord's
table for suspicion, and when I was at it, I knew myself if I was
grieved or not ! I found great courtesy by some of the servants,
namely, Mr John Archibald ; but indeed, otherAvise, I found my.*
self not in mine OAvn element. There were certain honest men
waiting on, that would fain have conveyed me homeward. They
urged rae to speer, and know when it should be leisome for me to
go ; but they would teU me nothing, whether I should go back
ward or forward, home or afield; and to certify me the more,
they would not have you to come to me in EngUsh ground. I bore
all this as I might. I took Mr Andrew Lamb, and one Mont-
gomerie, a Scotsraan also, who had uttered his mind clearly to me,
and oftentimes upbraided me, to see if they could draw speeches
out of me ; but I thank God, suppose it was not without a battle,
I suffered their persecution. So I continued a long time, and still
haunted my Lord's house notwithstanding, untU it came to the
point of their going away. They took up themselves, and first Mr
Edward sends for me ; and Ave entered in conference, and he showed
me that he trowed preaching should not be sought of me, in re
spect it Avas not needful, because the raatter was already buried;

100 WODROAV'S LIFE OP BRUCE.
and as to ray persuasion, tiiey should raake no mention of the ful
ness of it ; they should only hold them in the general, that I was
content, and resolved to reverence the trial that was already taken
in the Parliament. ' Hold you in the general,' said I ; ' raove no
particulars to me, and I shall raove none to you.' And so telling me
my Lord Arabassador A^"Ould speak Avith rae hiraself the raorn, he
disraissed me. ' What needs that ?' said I ; ' cannot ye say all that
he can speak ? for I have no will that my Lord and I should cross
each other.' ' You may hold on In the general,' says he, ' as you
have spoken to rae ; for ray Lord will speak to you.' ' Well,' said
I, ' since it can be no better, I shaU raake rae for It.'
" Upon the raorn, which was the very day he Avent aAvay, my Lord
sent for rae and said, ' I thought meet, Mr Eobert, to hear out of your
OAvn mouth, how you are resolved yet in this matter ; for I must
make my report to his Majesty thereof.' ' My Lord,' said I, ' your
Lordship knows that his Majesty, in the Castle of Stirling, before
the Council, urged me with a full resolution ; for, suppose I said
to his Majesty, as your Lordship remembers, that I was in the way
of resolution ; and if Andrew Henderson died constantly with this
deposition, I should also find rayself fuUy resolved. His Majesty
chopped ay on that word ' fully ;' therefore he banished me. Where
fore, if your Lordship stand on such terras, as to crave a fuU per
suasion or resolution of me, I have that sarae answer to give.' My
Lord answered, ' We wiU not trouble you with that, neither with
conscience, neither with a full persuasion or resolution ; but answer
rae this only, Avhether are you resolved to trust it or not ?' ' I shall
answer your Lordship directiy,' said I. ' In respect of the civil trial
that is passed in the Pariiaraent, I think it becomes me, and I am
already resolved to trust it, and reverence it.' ' That is enough,'
said he. ' Now I am satisfied. I shaU once put you and the King
together, and you shaU dress out the rest of it among you.' So Ave
agreed fully in terms. j\lr Edward and I afterward entered upon
my Lord's raeaning, when he said he would put the King and
me together. 'He means,' said Mr Edward, 'that he would
once make you a Scotchman, and then let the Kirk and you

WODROAV'S LIFE OP BRUCE, 101
justle out for the rest of it.' 'But,' said I, 'ray Lord, that
is not enough ; for that is but the beginning of a plea, for his
Majesty may press me with giving in iny bill, and preaching of it,
as he did tiie rest ; and if I refuse, put me in a straiter ward, and
trouble me A^•orse than I am ; and, therefore, I pray you, betray me
not, but deal faithfiiUy with me.' ' The Avorst,' said he, ' shall be
your banishment again.' ' Yea, but,' said I, ' my Lord, I have no
wUl to come to that hazard ; for if you banish me again, you wUl
not let rae look hereaway.'
" So, ray heart, howsoever they gave me fair words after this,
and said they should warrant it should never corae to this, yet
I assure you I fear thera greatly ; for it was in the raouth of
many of their servants, as I tried, what satisfaction the King
could get for my obstinacy if I preached it not, and came not to a
public satisfaction as Avell as the rest. Mrs Bowes spoke with
my Lord Mar even in the bygoing, when I was in Esk, and re
quested my Lord for rae, and showed that it was not reasonable
that I should be urged to preach it ; yet he gave so cold an answer
to that, that she had no good hope of it. Therefore, I pray thee,
be wise ; and if they will assure thee that the King Is satisfied, as
they are satisfied, with this general ; and that there is no farther to
be laid to my charge, I will corae in, and verify to his Majesty the
thing that I have spoken ; but if they say only they avIU bring us
together, and let the Kirk and rae agree among ourselves, I count
not this a benefit. But let me stand where I am : take no war
rant that way ; for I had rather yet be banished England and
Scotland by his Grace, ere they were able to stain the glory of ray
rainistry ; for this has been my petition to God ever since I came
out of France, and I took the sacrament of the Lord's body In
France on the sarae condition, that the Lord Jesus should lead
me safely out of this temptation, without impairing my union
with hira, without the hurt of the peace of my conscience, and
without the loss of the credit of ray ministry in the hearts of his
dear children. The Lord increase my faith to look for this ! for I
desire not ray country otherwise. So you have both the general and
particular, and aU that was done by me, so far as I can remember.

102 WODROAV'S LIFE OF BRUCE.
If they will speak otherwise, God wIU judge liars In his oavii time.
My Lady Bowes has desu-ed me to raake you try and inquire if
Eoger Ashtown has deUvered such things to the Queen as she sent
to her ; and if she has deUvered them as from her, if she may have
her OAvn thanks. This do secretly. My Lady wUl tarry here yet
on you tiU Monday or Tuesday, but longer she may not stay ;
therefore, advise Avith God what you may do ; for I thank God It
is the weal of his work in me that I respect above my OAvn plea
sure ; for if you can try they mean not sincerely, the sooner that
ye come to me the better, that whUe we have this licence I may
denude myself of such things as I raay put safely off my hands in
the persons of my chUdren. So the Lord give us both an holy wis
dom, and holy hearts to God, and, in God, to each other. You may
let Mr James Watson see this, with a command of secrecy, that he
may inform other friends as be, perhaps, brought to doubt of me ;
and such other friends as you think meet, make thera partakers
also. I have no cause neither to try nor to distrust of God's Pro
vidence, wherefore I should choose iniquity before affliction ; there
fore, the Lord estabUsh ray heart, by multiplying of his powerful
Spirit upon me, that I may dweU with him, and in him for ever.
I commend you and your chUdren to the word of his grace. At
Berwick, the fifth of this Instant of June.
" Your loving husband, not wearied, I assure you,
of the Lord's cross, but weary of the treacherous
flattery of men."
MR SIMPSON'S LETTER TO HIM, SEPTEMBER 29.
Mr Bruce stayed at Berwick tUl October this year. In Sep
teraber, Mr HcAvat brought him the King's letter and Ucence to
come to Scotland upon his sending his resolution in writing, which
he did, and Mr Hewat reported again to him that the King was
satisfied with it. WhUe in some doubt, Mr Simpson sent him the
foUowing letter : —
" Eight Honourable and Loving Brother in Christ,  I
have waited this long time for some certainty in your affiiirs, and

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 103
was very sparing to write till I knew what to write. Now, It hath
pleased the Lord to bring your turn to some end ; for my Lord of
Mar hath obtained a Ucence to you, after long travels, to return to
your native country, and to travel in any part of it ; to do your
leisome business, Edinburgh only excepted, Avith some mUes there
about ; together with a dispensation of the act of CouncU made
anent your inhibition to preach in any part of this country ; which
part of the act, also, the whole General Assembly, convened at
Burntisland, found fault with, and the King's Majesty proraised
that part of the act should be deleted. Always, Sir, after this
Ucence was obtained, it pleased his Majesty to pass another, which
was sent to you ; yet, lest you should be in any doubt of my Lord
Mar's part, I wiU assure you first, that my Lord Mar made the
chief travels to obtain it. Next, that he obtained the first licence ;
only, a blank was left in it of the number of mUes about Edin
burgh where his Majesty would not have you to repair. Before
this blank was fiUed, another licence was got and sent you. I have
spoken my Lord in your turn, who ig not grieved that any other
person have the name and honour of the travels that his Lordship
has taken ; only he is glad of your returning ; and if you please to
have the Ucence he obtained ex abundanti, you shaU have it, together
with his Lordship's ovra letter, wherein I doubt not but ye shaU
perceive that he is minded to procure you aU the friendship at his
Majesty's hands that Ues in his power. My Lord is plain with
me, that the King at present cannot be moved to agree that you
should come to Edinburgh. Always, brother, the heart of a king
is as a boat upon the waters, and the Lord steereth the rudder of
it as his Majesty pleases. Therefore, Sir, this present shall be to
bespeak you to make no delay in returning, to the end we may en
joy the benefit of your presence and ministry, if it please the Lord,
which strangers have enjoyed this time past. Thus, remitting aU
other things tiU meeting, commends you to the protection of the
Almighty. From Stirling, the 29th of September 1601.
" Yours to command, in Christ,
" Patrick Simpson."

104 WODROAV'S LIFE OF BRUCE.
MR BRUCE RETURNS, AND IS AA'^ARDED IN HIS HOUSE AT KINNAIRD.
 ARTICLES FROM THE KING TO HIM, JAN. 1602.
Upon the receipt of this, Mr Bruce desired the licence and let
ter spoken of, and Mr Sirapson went with thera. Upon these he
chiefly depended, and returned to tbe country, and thought to
have been set at liberty in eight days ; but was commanded to
keep Avard in his own house at Kinnaird. There he continued tUl
15th January next year. Then the King appointed him to meet
some he named, to meet him at CralgralUar, whither he met Avith
Mr Patrick Simpson, to be a Avitness. He had the following paper
delivered to hira, to Avhich an answer was craved in writing : —
" INSTRUCTIONS FOR HIS MAJESTY'S COMMISSIONERS, DIRECTED TO
MR ROBERT BRUCE.
" Whether, If he be thoroughly resolved now of the forra and
manner of that treasonable attempt committed against his Majesty
at Perth, and especially of his Majesty's honest mind, intention,
and miraculous deliverance, and of Gowrie and his brother's vile and
bloody conspiracy, intended to take away his Majesty's life ; as it
is particularly set down in the printed book and acts thereanent,
or not ?
" As his doubting of that turn has been the principal cause of
the doubts of many, and of his Highness' slander in that point, if
he be willing to utter in pulpit, in such places as shaU be appointed,
his resolution thereof, according to the form of the said article, as
clearly as any of his Majesty's good subjects have done ; craving
pardon, and excusing his long Incredulity, and the slanders arising
therefrom, and wishing the people that anyAvise doubted thereof, as
they were ever ready to conceive doubts upon unjust grounds,
only raoved by his example, so now to be content, by his means,
rightly to be resolved thereof? {Sic suhscribitur) " James E."
HIS ANSWERS.
Accordingly, Mr Bruce gave to them his answer in writing, as

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 105
follows :— " Seeing his Majesty's coraraissioners have required me
to give my answers in writing to certain articles given to me, under
the name of Instructions, I answer plainly, that, as to the matter
Avheretipon these Instructions are passed, I have already satisfied,
first, his Majesty's ambassador, Avhose satisfaction to me was his
Majesty'ssatisfaction. Next, when his Majesty craved my resolution
In writing by Mr Peter Hewat, who was sent to me for that effect,
and I gave my resolution In writing; and suppose Mr Hewat
brought me then a warrant to come, yet, in respect his Majesty's
letter, directed to me at that same tirae by Mr Hewat, coraraanded
me not to repair within his realrn till once his Majesty had found
satisfaction by my writing ; I did so, and stayed tUl Mr Peter,
who was his Majesty's raouth to rae, plainly testified, by his own
writing, that his Majesty was satisfied ; yea, I stayed long after,
and aU to be certified of his Majesty's satisfaction ; and found, so
far as I could learn by all raen, that his Majesty would never put
me to further trouble touching that matter, so that I cannot but
marvel greatly whereupon these articles should grow. These men
who put me to this business, doubtless envy my peace, and are nowise
wearied of my long banishment ; yet I wUl look that a Christian
duty should be kept to me, and that the faith that is given to me,
both by word and writing, should not be violated ; and If these
bands cannot bind Christians, what shaU I say ? I have a body
and some goods, let his Majesty use these as God shall direct hira ;
but as to my inward peace, I would pray his Majesty, in aU huml-
Uty, to suffer rae to keep it, as God of his mercy shall enable me ;
for I am of that mind, that no good subject has gone fiirther in
that matter than I have gone ; and, therefore, if my Aveal were
sought, the thing that I have said behoved to give satisfaction.
This far, for answer to his Majesty's commissioners.
" Suppose this be my answer to you, brethren, Avho are his Ma
jesty's commissioners, (for it becomes me with you to stand upon
my lawful defence,) yet, lest this manner of doing should appear
a tergiverslon In rae, I answer to the substance of both the ar
ticles directly ; and, first, whereas it Is said that I am the principal
causcj and consequently the principal author, of his Majesty's slan-

106 wodrow's life of bruce.
der, this is a very heavy imputation. I grant if any of my ac
tions could produce this effect, as a proper eflfect floAving imme
diately from them, surely, by aU laws, I behoved to merit great
punishment ; but how is this proved, I pray you ? Because I
doubted, I grant, but not simply ; for, as his Majesty's subject, I
never refused to do the duty of a subject, but as the mouth of God
to utter in pulpit, under the authority of my caUIng, here I be
hoved to stand tlU I see very good light ; for I ara commanded to
speak then from the Word and my own persuasion ; to speak as
the oracles of God, and do nothing Avith a doubting conscience.
So my deed cannot produce this, as a proper effect; yea, how
should it be my deed, seeing it was never in my mind ? yea, the
very flat contrary. If I had known guiltiness, as I know it not,
yet, notwithstanding, to have procured his Majesty's peace, both
iuAvard and outAvard, I Avould have endeavoured, by all humble and
loving duties that lay In my power ; so, seeing God and my con
science speak for me, and clear me of that imputation, I regard
the slander the less, because he is only allowed whom God com
mands ; and I had rather give my life ere it be made out by any
necessary consequence in the world. But will you suffer me to
tell you the truth ? — that was the great and principal cause of the
people's doubting, the strict urging of the ministry, the variety of
reports, and the sparing of Henderson. These are the true causes,
so far as I can gather. I had been very malicious if that mind had
been In rae ; for I Avould have been very loath that any should
have dealt so Avith rayself.
"Now, as to my preaching, I never as yet had a caUing of
God to any place of that land save to Edinburgh. There I
found his Majesty's blessing in some measure. Place me there
where God placed me, and I shaU teach as faithful and whole
some doctrine to the honour of the magistrate, as God shaU
give me grace ; but to go through the country, and make pro
clamations here and there, it avUI be counted either a beastly fear
or a beastly flattery in rae ; and, in so doing, I should not exeem
doubts neither, but raise greater, do no good to the cause, but
great harm ; for people look not to words, but to grounds. And, as

wodrow's life of BRUCE. 107
to myself, I wiU ever be a partial and a sparing blazer of my own
infirmities ; others wiU be far better heralds of my infirmities than
myself. My incredulity has already turned to my pain ; and if it
be season to ask, I would gladly know. These good subjects that
say they have uttered this form of article from the pulpit, as it is
touched here, I wish they would put their hands to it, that we
might trust them ; for writing is the surest and most diutumal testi
mony ; otherwise, those who speak so, and make his Majesty be-
Ueve they do, but abuse him with words, and mask a feigned
heart with the veU of fairded language, thinking thereby to de
volve the whole weight of the former Imputation on me ; but God, in
his own time, I doubt not, shaU clear me of it ; and I beseech the
true and living God to teach me the art of true and dutifiil obe
dience, and from the heart to render aU these humble and submls-
sive duties that an obedient subject ought to render to his prince,
and to make me falthftil and obedient to the end to him that
caUed me."
conference BETWEEN THE KING AND HIM AT BRECHIN, IN APRIL.
What Influence these answers had upon the King, or whether
they were presented or not by the commissioners, my author does
not signify ; but I find the King and commissioners would willingly
have had Mr Bruce coming greater lengths than he had freedom
to come. And, Indeed, it seems the gaining of him appeared of
considerable advantage to them ; and, therefore, the King takes un
usual pains upon him, not that ever he designed to permit him to
return to his charge at Edinburgh, or at least the commissioners of
the Assembly, and ministers made, or seeking to be made, bishops,
would never suffer this ; but to draw him as great lengths as pos
sible, and then to make their OAvn improvement of this. Accord
ingly, In the beginning of April, the King, by a letter from the
Earl of Mar, caUs him to wait on him at Brechin. When he came
in to the room, the King received him very lovingly, in appearance ;
and having removed all company, he asked him if he was resolved.
Mr Bruce said he was. The King asked him, "What moved

108 AVODROW'S LIFE OF BRUCE.
hira ?" The other answered, " The Earl of Mar's solemn declaration
had great weight with him ; and he thought a Christian of his qua-
Uty would not mansAA-ear himself." Tiie King said, " Hoav could
he SAvear, since he neither saw nor heard ?" and Avould know his
Avords. Which the other told, I suppose these above set doAvn.
The King said, " I see ye Avould not trust me." Mr Bruce said.
He liad not opportunity to be informed by his Majesty. The King
said, He had sent Sir Thomas Erskine to hira to Inforra him. The
other ansAvered, He had satisfied hira in part, but what was be
tween his Majesty and the Master of Gowrie he doubted of
Then the King deduced the tragedy from the beginning, and al
lowed Mr Bruce to utter his doubts upon every branch, witli a
gentleness which the other admired. At length he urged him to
preach the articles as sent him ; the other answered, He had given
his ansAver in writing ; and offered, at London, what aU men thought
reasonable, and more than preaching, to subscribe his trusting,
what Avas already ended by Parliament. " If you trust,'' says the
King, " why may you not preach it ?" Mr Bruce answered,
" That, indeed, he gave it but a doubtsome trust, and had learned
from Bernard, that in doubtsorae things, to give an undoubted trust
is temerity, and in undoubted things, to give a doubtsorae trust is
Infirraity, and I ought to preach nothing but the Word of God."
The King answered, "Obedience to princes, though wicked, is in the
Word ; and I durst lay a wager there is not a word of King James
VI. in the Scripture." The other answered, "If there be a
King in it, your Majesty is there." The King urged him that none
of the ministry had refused but he ; and he Avas singular, and
the sole and only ground of his slander. Mr Bruce said. He was
not altogether singular ; and to clear himself of this imputation,
said. He had offered to subscribe his resolution, which was a more
lasting and constant testimony than any given, and what none had
done but he. The King caUed for it ; but Sir Patrick Murray, to
whora Mr Bmce gave it, had it not there. " But what fault find
ye in ray articles ?" said the King. " One thing I mind," said Mr
Bruce. " You require me to be resolved, according to the printed

WODROAV'S LIFE OP BRUCE. 109
book, where there are sundry things false." This the King denied ;
and Mr Bruce off'ered to prove it. " WeU," said the King, " we
shall put out that clause. What further have you to say against
subscribing my articles ?" Mr Bruce desired to see them ; and they
were not at hand.
ANOTHER CONFERENCE AT PERTH, JUNE 25.
After this conference Mr Bruce was confined to the parish where
his house was, and suffered to preach there, and nowhere else. On
the 25th of June the King caUed him to Perth, and after Sir Patrick
Murray had produced the articles, the King asked Mr Bruce if he
was willing to preach according to them. The other answered. No ;
because preaching was his instructions and commission, and no
prince hath power to give instructions to another prince's am
bassador ; and said he was Christ's arabassador in preaching. His
letter was produced before he left the country, wherein, as Mr
David Lindsay, and the commissioners of the Assembly, said, he
had offered to preach as rauch as was in the articles. When the
letter was read, Mr Bruce said, they had not received his offer, but
banished hira, and he was not bound now by it ; yet asked If the
letter Avould satisfy, and they would urge him no further. " Nay,"
says the King, " you may say aU in the letter, and not be fully re
solved. Was you resolved at that time ?" " No," says the other.
" How could you proraise to give thanks for ray deliverance ?" said
the King. " It was ray duty," said the other, " though you cast
yourself into danger." "I told you that," said the King; and
asked Mr Bruce, " Are you not resolved ?" He answered he
was, that it be only as a subject. Said the King, " Are you re
solved to preach ?" " I am," said the other, " discharged to preach
the pleasures of men ; but place me where God placed me, and I
shaU teach as faithful doctrine as God shaU give grace. We have
not had that custom to be enjoined to preach, nor dare I promise
to keep that injunction ; it Ues not in my hands. I know not cer
tainly what God will suflfer me to speak. I may stand dumb ;
therefore. Sir, leave me free, I beseech you ; and as I shaU find myself

110 AVODROAA-'S LIFE OF BRUCE.
assisted by the Spirit, and warranted by the Word, I shall not fail
to preach." " That Is plain Anabaptisra," said the King. "It's a
cabala and tradition. You shaU preach as the rest have done, or else
I cannot be satisfied ; and ye shaU go." " Set down, I pray your
Majesty," said the other, " your disjunctive ; the one shaU be as
welcome, God wiUing, to me as the other. I have rocked certain
ly a piece of ray heart, to satisfy your Majesty ; and now, seeing
you cannot be satisfied, except I make shipwreck of all, let me go.
In God's narae I ask it. Suppose I have some commodities, as other
mean gentlemen haA^e in your Majesty's country, yet. Sir, I never
desired to have seen your Majesty or my country, till I was certain
ly informed that your Majesty was satisfied." " What warrant had
ye ?" said the King. " Who Informed you ?" " If it please your
Majesty," said the other, "I had first a warrant froin the mouth of
your ambassadors at London, who assured me their satisfaction
should be yours ;" and when the King said, they would not say so,
Mr Bruce caUed Mr Patrick Sirason, to vouch that my Lord Mar
said as rauch, and Avent on : — " Please you. Sir, besides this, I have
your Majesty's own warrant by letter, AviUing me to send ray reso
lution in writing, and you would be satisfied ; which I did, and ought
not to be urged further." The King said, " My letter bears no such
thing, and I have a copy of it." Mr Bruce offered to venture the
whole cause on it. The King went to his cabinet, and stayed a
good whUe. When he came out, the commissioners of Assembly,
particularly Mr David Lindsay, said, " Sir, since Mr Eobert is po
sitive, leave the preaching free to his own will ; let as corae to the
subscription. Are you content," said they to Mr Bruce, " to sub
scribe the King's innocency, and their guiltiness ?" " Not in these
terms," said the other. The King urged solemnly, and said, " I
will haA'e you not only clearing rae, but my whole company."
" Your whole corapany," said Mr Bruce, " need not ray clearing ;
neither Avill they seek it. I am bound to your Majesty, and will do
all that lies in ray possibility." " Then," said the King, " you
must subscribe ray innocency." " Your own conscience can do that
best. Sir," said the other ; " it's very hard for me to do it."
" Why ?" says th« King. Mr Eobert begged he might haA^e leave

AA'ODROAA^'S LIFE OF BRUCE. Ill
to be silent, lest he should offend his Majesty. " I avIU not be of
fended," said the King ; " speak freely." Mr Bruce then told his
Majesty he had been reading Amandus Polanus on the slaughter
of the Magicians, whom the King of Babel comraanded to slay.
That author disputeth the question, Avhether the King of Babel did
weU or not : First he saith, animi gratia, it would appear he did
weU, for he had the plain law of God for him in many places, yet
he concludes against the King, that he did not weU ; for, howso
ever he had the law, yet he looked not to the law, nor had re
gard to God, nor his glory ; therefore, saith he, howsoever the ma
gistrate hath the sword, and raay most justly execute, yet, if he hath
nothing before his OAvn eyes but his own particular, and neither God
nor his glory, he Is a murderer. "Now, Sir, I pray you, what can
I or any man say, what your Majesty had before your eyes, or what
particular view you had." " That is true," said the King ; " and,
therefore, I vrill give you leave to pose me upon the particulars."
"Then, first," said Mr Bruce, "if It please your Majesty, had you
a purpose to slay my Lord ?" " As I shaU answer to God," said
the King, " I isnew not that my Lord was slain, tUl I saw him In
his last agony ; and I was very sorry, yea, prayed from my heart
for him." " What say you then of Mr Alexander, Sir?" said Mr
Brace. " I grant," said the King, " I am art and part in Mr Alex
ander's slaughter ; for it was my own defence." " Why brought
you him not," said the other, " to justice, seeing you should have
had God before your eyes ?" " I had neither God nor the devil,
man, before my eyes," answered the King in some froth ; " but my
OAvn defence." The King took aU these points upon his salvation
and damnation ; and added, he was once rainded to have spared Mr
Alexander, but being moved, {i.e.') in passion, for the time the
motion prevaUed. Further, Mr Bruce asked his Majesty, If he had
a purpose that day in the morning to slay Mr Alexander. The
King answered on his salvation. That day, in the morning, he loved
him as his brother. Mr Eobert signified that he was persuaded, by
the King's oaths, that he was innocent of any purpose to slay
them In the morning ; but since he confessed he had not God nor

112 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
justice before his eyes, was in a heat, and a mind of revenge, he
told hira he could not be altogether Innocent before God, and had
great cause to repent, and crave raercy for Christ's sake.
I have given these conferences frora Mr CalderAvood, who signi
fies that he has thera frora the MSS. history of this matter, Avrltten
by Mr Bruce himself, at greater length than at first I designed ; but
as these contain the native state of this affair, and Mr Bruce's own
account of what difficulted him, so they contain several facts, rela
tive to this dark conspiracy, and the King's vindication, as far as
solemn oaths by him and others can go, that I believe are no-
Avhcre else to be found ; and I have stiU an Inclination to preserve
facts as much as I can, on aU sides, and leave others to draw con
sequences frora thera.
MR BRUCE SUBSCRIBES HIS RESOLUTION, JUNE 25.
In the end Mr Bruce yielded to subscribe his resolution, accord
ing to the Act of Parliament. This resolution was written and sub
scribed upon the back of Mr Bruce's letter to the King, a little be
fore he went to France, set down already, and the tenor of It I
give from the Eegisters of the Asserably : — " At Perth, 20th of
June 1602. Further, concerning the heads within contained, I am
resolved of his Majesty's innocency, and of the guUtiness of the
Earl of GoAvrie and his brother, according as It's declared by the
Act of Parliament ; and, therefore, acknowledge the great mercy
of God towards his Majesty, whole kirk and country, in his Majes
ty's deUverance ; for which I thank God from my heart.
{Sic suhscribitur) " Mr EoBERT Bruce."
THE assembly's DETERMINATION AS TO MR BRUCE, NOV. 1602.
Mr Calderwood, from the foresaid MSS., gives as the reasons of
his subscribing the resolution, " That, because he thought it the
duty of a subject to reverence the laws of the country, except he
knew them to be contrary to the Word of God ; and, next, because
he thought he was bound to free hiraself of the Iraputation laid to
his charge by the King and others, that, come death or life to him.

WODROAV'S LIFE OP BRUCE. 113
he might be seen not the author of the slander ; and, lastly, be
cause the King faithfuUy promised no more should be required of
him ; and though he wanted not doubts and fears, and had not that
satisfaction of mmd he used to have, by the influences of the Spirit
in the road of prayer, that he wished for in doubtsome cases ; yet
when there was a strait, and a public law, he thought it best to fol
low the last till the Lord should clear him fully." AU the cora
mlssioners and Mr Patrick Simson subscribed as witnesses ; and the
King granted him a warrant, to travel where he pleased, save to
Edinburgh, and four mUes about it. From this, and what is above,
Spottiswood's injurious representation of this matter wUl appear,
as I shaU notice when I end this subject.
HE IS URGED TO GO AND STAY WITH THE EARL OF HUNTLY.
In August Mr Bruce was called to Falkland by the King. Mr
Lindsay, after Bishop of Dunkeld, acquainted him that the King
was to send him North, to stay with the Earl of Huntly, and travel
with him for his conversion, and wished him to yield ; for, other
wise, the King would order him to preach at Perth on August 5.
Mr Bruce said. He was sure the King would not urge that ; for he
had his royal hand and promise not to press him to preach. The
other answered, " The King reckoned he had done his duty as a sub
ject, but not as a pastor." Mr Bruce told him if it was so, he would
blame him and the rest of the commissioners with breach of promise,
and lay all the ill consequences at their door roundly. This was a
fetch of the coraraissioners, as my author says, to be rid of Mr
Bruce, noAv at liberty, as the impeder of the course of Prelacy. The
King urged him to go North. He desired to have a surety for his
safety, and did not know if the Earl desired him ; and added, as
long as the Earl protected Mr John Hamilton the apostate in his
country, he could neither be in earnest, nor himself safe. The King
wUled Mr Bruce to come to Falkland, September 15, when the
Earl was to be with him, and would satisfy him. Mr Bruce went,
but the Earl was not come ; and so this matter dropt.

114 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
THE assembly's DETERJIINATION AS TO MR BRUCE, NOV. 1603.
The religious people of Edinburgh, without exception, were
longing to have Mr Bruce back to the town, and began to enter
tain some hopes of it from the subscription ; but nothing less was
designed by the managers among the ministry and the King.
When the Assembly, after a prorogation by the King fi-om the day
It was adjourned to, met at Holyroodhouse, in November this
year, the town of Edinburgh sent two commissioners, George
Heriot and John Eobertson, to desire his coming back to them.
The Asserably received the proposal with applause, but the King
and Mr Patrick GaUoAvay, the moderator, aUeged they had sundry
things to propound before that Avere granted. The King particu
larly desired the Assembly might determine Avhether Mr Bruce
should not be appointed to utter in pulpit what he had promised
by his letter before he left the country, and the resolution he
had subscribed at Perth. ]Mr HaU being first asked, answered.
Patties behoved first to be heard ; and so Mr Bruce was ordered to
be sent for. He came, but this raatter was shuffled over to the end
of the Assembly, where, without calUng or hearing Mr Brace, the
Assembly concluded as foUows : — " Touching the request made by
the moderator, in name of the Avhole Assembly, in favours of Mr
Eobert Bruce, his Majesty declared he Avould do in that matter by
advice of the commissioners of the General Assembly, and as Mr
Bruce, by his own behaviour, .should give hira occasion ; and be
cause Mr Bruce had, by his missive to his Majesty before he left
the country, and also by the ratification and fiirther explanation
thereof In Avriting, at St Johnston, the 25th of June 1602, declar
ed his resolution of his Majesty's innocency, and the guiltiness of
the Earl of Gowrie and his brother, and promised to divert the
people, in as far as in him lay, from their lewd opinions, and un
charitable constructions anent his Majesty's actions, namely, in
this town; therefore, his Majesty desired the determination of the
Assembly, whether the said Mr Eobert likewise should make the
same declaration in pulpit, according as it is set down at length in

AVODROAV's LIFE OP BRUCE. 1 1 5
the said missive, and explanation thereof, at Perth, (above insert.)
The which, the whole Assembly, after voting, thought not only rea
sonable, but also concluded that the said Mr Eobert ought to do
the same." REMARKS ON IT.
Tins proposal of the King's was formed by the court ministers,
cunningly enough. They insinuate that Mr Bruce had ratified the
letter at the Conference at Perth, whereas he excepted against his
preaching, and the comraissioners passed frora it, and his subscrip
tion was only insisted on ; and he says himself he had the King's
promise no raore should be insisted on after the subscription. Be
sides, his restitution to his charge Is waived by the King, and left
to the coraraissioners and his own future behaviour ; and it is fier-
taln, after his once preaching according to these Instructions, they
were resolved he should not return to his charge.
MR bruce's TROUBLE AFTER THE ASSEMBLY.
After the Assembly the King sendeth for Mr Bruce to the
Sciennes. There the ministers of Edinburgh and others were con
vened. Mr James Mehdlle told him the act of Assembly, though
passed with opposition, would be a further warrant to him to return
to Edinburgh than he had before. Mr Bruce owned it was, but
wished the Assembly had heard him, and left him at Uberty to do
as the Lord directed him. They aU declared this reasonable. When
they came to town Mr HaU invited him to dine with him, and
promised so to adjust the matter as he should be satisfied. His
brethren at Edinburgh said he insisted on trifles ; and he found Mr
Hall worse upon his score than the King. He parted frora them in
great grief; and was confined to his chamber till the King sent for
him, and urged him to preach as in the act. Mr Bruce answered,
" Suppose I were ready to preach, aUow me to ask, how long shall
I continue Avith ray flock afterward ?" " Marry," said the King,
"even as I find you to favour or disfavour rae in your preachings."
" That Is hard," said the other ; " for many wrong Informations and

116 AVODROAV's LIFE OP BRUCE.
misconstractions may be brought to your Majesty. Alwise, if it
please your Majesty to let me have my liberty, 1 wUl do as God
shaU direct me ; if otherwise, I turn me here to the comraissioners.
Let rae see your act, which I have not seen, and I shaU give my
answer the morn." This Avas granted. To-morrow, when he came,
the King was gone to the hunting. Next day he desired access to
the King. Beltrees told him the King was not at leisure ; and
he was to enjoin hira a text, and prescribe what he was to speak to
the people. So Mr Bruce desired his cousin, Beltrees, to purchase
hira the King's allowance to go home to his own house. Beltrees
sent him a letter in the King's name, that if he resolved to reside at
Edinburgh, he must lay his account to satisfy them at his first en
try ; and advises him to do so, for reraoving eye-casts ; and to go
out p{ town tUl he should again write to hira.
HIS LETTER TO BELTREES, DECEMBER 1.
Upon the last of Noveraber Beltrees Avrites to him, that he made
his excuse for not preaching, and teUs him he might preach next
Sabbath, if he came up to the King's terras ; which were, that he
do the duty of a pastor, and reraove all scruples from the people,
as well In clearing his Majesty's innocency, as the guUtlness of the
Earl and his brother ; and if he think of preaching, he must ac
quaint the King two or three days before. Mr Bruce, finding that
satisfying the act would not please the King and commissioners,
unless he preached in their terms, and Avent a greater length than
he could, resolved to retire. And the coraraissioners, four of whom
came to the kirk as spies, when it was expected that he should
have preached, gave it out that he had deserted his kirk, and had
got full Uberty to enter when he pleased, Avhen, in meantime, aU
terms were broken to him. December 1, he returned to his own
house, and wrote the letter which stands. Appendix, Copy Cald.
vol. V. p. 536, 537.
Upon the 30th of December, Mr HaU, with sorae of the people
of Edinburgh, carae to Mr Bruce at his house, with a comraission
to inquire why he entered not to his caUIng, when liberty was

AVODROAV's LIFE OP BRUCE. 117
granted him by King and kirk? he answered. Liberty was not
given him to enter upon his calling, but to preach injunctions
which the kirk was not accustomed vrith, and Avhich he could not
obey without offence of the Son of God. Mr HaU denied there
were injunctions laid on him. Mr Bruce proved it from the place,
the day, and tirae, their being enjoined hira ; aU which the act of
Asserably left hira at liberty in ; and the very words prescribed
by the King, as Beltrees, both by word and Avriting, had signified to
him, from the King's OAvn mouth. The other said, Beltrees would
not stand by these. Mr Brace said he would ; and aU this was con
trary to the act, which left him at Uberty ;'and so it was not obedience
to the act that was sought, but his disgrace, which would render his
ministry unprofitable. Mr HaU urged aU required was lawful. Mr
Bruce denied this; and told him the substance of what he was con
tent to say in pubUc ; and added. In his peremptoriness in this mat
ter, he foUowed the pattern of the best and most learned ministers
in England, in Essex, particularly Mr Waltown, minister at Lon
don, who refused, and in conference with himself signified, that,
when caUed before the councU, he told their lordships that he re
fused, not simply, but only to declare as from himself, for he neither
said, heard, nor knew, anything of himself ; the knowledge he had
was from their lordships and the bench, and that far he was con
tent to declare out of pulpit. They left Mr Bruce seemingly sa
tisfied.

FEBRUARY 1603.
About the middle of January next year, 1603, Mr Bruce, at
Beltrees' desire, sent him the letter he had written to him in the
Eing's name, and his own answer to It, both which were deUvered
to the King ; and he, at the next meeting of the commissioners,
desired them to depose Mr Bruce, for disobedience to the Assem
bly's act. They answered, they had no power to depose him. He
asked next, if they had power to reraove him from Edinburgh,
and declare his place vacant. They said they had, and agreed

118 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
on summonses. In this time, IVIr Calderwood observes, from Mr
Bruce's Meditations, that his exercise Avas, " That if it were the
Lord's good pleasure to exercise him Avith a new temptation, and
puU the people and ministry from him, that it Avould please God,
instead of prince, priest, or people's favours, to triple his Spirit upon
hira, and let him see in his heart his face brighter and brighter, a
threefold measure of his favour to supply his outward wants."
Before the summonses were executed, CorneUus English and
George Heriot, firm friends of Mr Bruce, were sent from the
councU of Edinburgh to entreat him to come to toAvn, and go to
the King, and show himself ready to obey the act, and put the
blame off hiraself. Mr Eobert, with some difficulty, yielded, and
came In January 19, and next day sent the letter to the town-
council, that stands, App. Copy Cald. p. 543, 544. That same
day, Mr Bruce sent Mr English and Mr Heriot to the King to
acquaint him he Avas ready to re-enter at his calling. At first
the King seeraed content, but after conversation Avith Sir Patrick
Murray, he feU out in very hard speeches against Mr Eobert be
fore them and aU present, and abused him so, that they were sorry
that they had brought him to town. In end, the King came to
this, that INIr Eobert Bruce should advertise him two or three days
before he preached, that he might order whom he pleased to hear
him. Upon January 27, Mr Bruce sent a letter to James Aiken-
head, desiring him to acquaint his Majesty, according to his com
mands, that he was ready to enter into his calUng next Sabbath,
and should do aU that lay in his power to please his Majesty in
God. The baiUe went and deUvered the letter to Mr David
Lindsay, to give to the Kmg. Mr Lindsay, when he read it, said to
the baUie, " This wUl not do ; he must obey our injunctions." After
he and Mr HaU had conferred long with the King about the letter,
Mr HaU went to Mrs Bruce, and signified that the King would have
these words "In God" mended, and instead of these, "according to
the act," put in. Mrs Bruce desired Mr HaU to write the answer
himself to her husband, Avhich he did, and wrote two letters to Mr
Bruce, which stand, App. Copy Cald. vol. v. p. 546 547. In

AA^ODROAV'S LIFE OF BRUCE. 119
short, Mr Hall declares that the King wUl not declare his avUI
about his re-entry to Edinburgh as yet ; that he wUl have his first
sermon to be a sermon of satisfaction, and no part of his entry to
his charge.
By these letters, Mr Bruce clearly perceived that aU sought of
him was a sermon of satisfaction, which entirely depended upon
the King's interpretation, which would depend on his information,
which would not be favourable, and more would be required ; and
so to keep himself out of a labyrinth, and to eschew further irrita
tion, he resolved to retire ; for he could find no call to these sermons
of satisfaction, and so expected no assistance In or blessing upon
them ; and went out to that zealous and reUgious gentleman. Sir
John Cranston of that Ilk, expecting daUy summonses to hear
and see his place declared vacant ; but the comraissioners altered
their purpose, and resolved not to sumraon Mr Bruce, but declare
the place vacant, in regard the blarae was in him, and not in the
King; which they did February 25, and the King sent up Sir
Patrick Murray to the toAvn-council for their consent. Mean-
whUe, Mr Eobert, understanding that his oflFers and forraer letter
were not known to many merabers, wrote his mind more fuUy in
the letter that stands, App. Copy Cald. vol. v. p. 549. The
council resisted tUl threatened with letters of homing, and then
they sent Mr Hall to the King to acquaint him, that if forced to
obey, they would do it with a protestation, that it was against their
mind and conscience. So the raatter was put off tUl Queen EUza-
beth's death, when the King had other work in view.
REMARKS ON BISHOP SPOTTISWOOD'S ACCOUNT OP MR BRUCE'S
CARRIAGE AS TO GOWRIE'S CONSPIRACY.
Thus I have mostly, from original papers, given a large detail of
Mr Brace's trouble in the affafr of Gowrie's Conspiracy, and done
it at the greater length, because It is little known as It reaUy stood,
and this good man has been much aspersed ; and from this the
unfairness, yea, falsity, of Bishop Spottiswood's representation will
appear. The Bishop was, indeed, during some parts of it, in

120 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCK.
France, where he Avent to the mass, and very hardly escaped the
censure of our corrupt Assemblies. But he could not, I think, but
knoAV this matter to be otherAvise than he represents it, p. 467. In
short, Mr Bruce was so far fi-om urging the Earl of Mar to mediate,
that Avith unAvUUngness he carae to London. He Avas so far from
promising to preach his resolution, that he urged not to do it, and
it was passed ; and I Avonder how the Bishop charges Mr Bruce
with inconstancy, for he appears to have been firm and constant,
even to what the Bishop would almost think stiffness and peremp
toriness. The Bishop confounds his letter to the Earl of Mar
with that to the King. He Avent not, neither was he permitted to
go, to Edinburgh tiU the Assembly ; and all this is a poor story to
expose Mr Bruce, Avhose character is above being soiled by such
an author, as blunders so often, in so few lines, as he generally
does, when upon Presbyterian ministers.
MR bruce's last CONVERSATION WITH THE KING, APRIL 5,
AVIIEN GOING TO ENGLAND, 1603.
Upon the King's accession to the English throne, all ranks came
to Edinburgh to congratulate his Majesty. Upon sorae intimations
tbat Mr Bruce was expected at such a juncture, he came, April 4,
and found that the King's countenance and favour was not to be
had but by the acknoAvledgment of a fault to the King upon his
knees ; and, in that case, his publishing it in the pulpit would be
superseded, and the King would receive him to favour. When
]Mr Bruce heard these hard conditions, he desired the noblemen,
his friends, to excuse hira at the King's hands frora the throng and
shortness of tirae; but the King, hearing he was in town, sent
James Murray of Polraaise to hira the day he went off to England,
AprU 5. Mr Bruce had drawn up the raatter of his speech if ad
mitted, and communicated it with Mr James MelviUe, who heartily
approved of it. After breakfast, Mr Bruce was taken into the
King's bed-chamber, whither the King came after he had put on
his boots. Mr Bruce, with much reverence, approached him, and
spoke to this purpose : — " Sir, I have raarked four things in this

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 121
great Avork of your Majesty's advanceraent ; first, that the God of
heaven and earth has placed you on aU these three earthly thrones
without the loss of the credit of yom- holy reUgion, and hm-t of the
inward peace of your conscience ; next, without shedding a drop
of your blood, Avhich is less than conscience ; thirdly, without the
loss of your Majesty's subjects' purses, which Is less than blood ;
and, last of aU, he has directed the tongue of that worthy lady and
noble Queen, together with the affections of the whole CouncU of
England, that had they come out of your own bowels they could
not have more alfaldly conspired to your proraotion. These
things crave a twofold duty of your Majesty ; first, that ye take
heed to your own heart, that the glory and glare of these earthly
things deceive you not ; that you make them not your reward, nor
place the corafort and consolation of your heart in thera ; but rather
as they are given, use thera as steps and degrees to step up to the
crown that cannot fade nor faU ; next, seeing the God of heaven
has manifested his unspeakable care in preserving so many croAvns
and kingdoms for you. Sir, your Majesty cannot eschew the note of
ingratitude if you extend not your Majesty's credit, and eraploy not
your whole care for preservation of his own kingdom." The King-
answered, " Mr Eobert, by God's grace, I shaU not place my com
fort or consolation in them, or in any earthly thing. As for preser
vation of his kingdom, if I wotUd preserve my own life, I must
study to preserve it ; for we have common friends and common
enemies ; the Papists that shoot at that kingdom, shoot at my life
also, as I know certainly. As touching this wonderful mercy of God,
Mr Eobert, if ye be remerabered, I have oftentimes told you that
God would bring this mercy about after this sort," and named some
places to him. So Mr Bruce took his leave, and had as good a
countenance of the King as ever he had in his Ufe ; and after the
King mounted his horse, Mr Bruce went again to hira, and was as
weU received as any subject of his rank in Scotland ; and the King
said, " Now aU particulars are passed between me and you, Mr
Eobert." I am ready to think Mr Bruce, In the end of the year
1603, carae to his house in Monkland, and stayed some time, as we

122 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
shall see he did about sixteen years after this ; and either thither,
or to his house of Kinnaird, the session of Glasgow sent him an
Invitation to take a share in the ministry of that town. This I find
in their Session Eecords : — "Febraary 9, 1604. The session earnest
ly crave that Mr Eobert Bruce may be desired to teach the Word
of God In the High Kirk for a time, and appoint some to pass Im
mediately to the said Mr Eobert, and show him their desire, and
travel with hira to get the sarae obtained at the said Mr Eobert's
hands." I do not find that Mr Bruce corapUed. He stiU took his
relation to Edinburgh as subsisting.
MR bruce's NEAV TROUBLES, 1604 AND 1605, AND HIS SUPPORT
UNDER THEM.
Mr Bruce had nothing but peace aU the rest of this year, 1603.
Next year, he was threatened by the prelatical coraraissioners of
the Asserably to be deprived of his liberty and life for the affair of
Gowrie. Mr Calderwood remarks, from his Diary, that at this
time, when under great discourageraent, he had one night a very
supporting discovery in his sleep. " He saw great difficulties re
presented to him In his way, and thought he behoved either to
pass through them or die by the way. At last he resolved to hazard
all in following what he thought obedience to God; and when
passing on, he felt a strong motion upon his spirit to say. In and
through Michael, the captain of the Lord's Host, I shall prevaU :
O, Michael ! Michael ! who is Uke the strong God !" Mr Bruce
was rauch comforted with this, and set it down in writing when he
awoke. February 27, 1605, the comraissioners suramoned him to
hear and see himself reraoved from his function In Edinburgh. He
compeared, and after long reasoning with hira, they inhibit him to
preach. He appealed to the Assembly, and still continued to
preach. In July, ChanceUor Seaton sent for Mr Bruce, and told
him he had a comraand from the King (no doubt at the Instigation
of the commissioners) to discharge him from teaching ; yet, he said,
he would not use this authority, only requested him to desist from
preaching eight'or ten days, that he might get a ncAV answer frora

wodrow's life op BRUCE. 123
court. Mr Bruce thought this so small a matter, and the time so
short, that he yielded; but that very same night, when he Avas
faUen asleep, his conscience awakened upon him, and the Lord
made It accuse him in this raanner : — " How durst you make a
proraise ? Who gave you power to promise not to preach ? Should
you not have advised with my Word, and had my warrant ?" He
acknowledged his fault, and craved raercy, yet the trouble of his
mind continued and increased so, that his body turned feverish,
and he feU a vomiting and very iU ; yet, in the morning, it pleased
the Lord to reUeve hira, and he promised faithfully never to obey
such a comraandraent any more. That same week, when he went
home, he preached to my Lord Elphinstone and his lady in the
garden, for the Lord had visited them Avith the pestUence.
AUGUST 18, HE IS CHARGED TO INVERNESS, AND GOES THITHER,
AUGUST 27.
Upon the 18th of August Mr Bruce was charged to ward in
Inverness, within ten days, under pain of horning. The aUeged
causes in his charge were, " his apprehending a most sinistrous
distrast and opinion of the King's sincerity in the treason of Gow
rie ; his uttering his distrust in public and private meetings, and
drawing the simple to his opinion ; his entertaining a frequent re
sort of the ministry and people, and meddling Avith the affairs of
the King and estate ; censuring the doings of rainisters, and there
by fostering factions and divisions in the Kirk, private grudges
and miscontentments against the present government." The real
cause was his opposition to Prelacy, and his hearty zeal against it.
On the 27th of August he entered Inverness, and took instruments
of his entry. HIS LETTER TO THE KING, PROBABLY 1 605.
I have raet with the two following letters lately, in the Advo
cates' Library, both of them original. They want a date. They
seem to have been before Mr Bruce's going to Inverness, and
written to prevent it ; but it seems that was not to be done. The

124 AVODROAA^'S LIFE OF BRUCE.
first of them is to the King, and rans :— " Please your Majesty,
Upon the direction sent to me by your Highness's CouncU I thought
it meet, by mine own letter, to testify my resolutions to your Ma
jesty in the raatter of Gowrie. Your Majesty cannot be ignorant
in what terras I passed ray resolution at St Johnston. That re
solution is as yet extant, subscribed by many honest A^itnesse3.
To that resolution, both In matter and raanner, I adhere, and from
it I am not rainded to pass, by God his grace. This resolution
gave your JNIajesty perfect contentraent then ; and I doubt not but
it wUl do the like yet. So, looking that your Majesty shaU be
fuUy satisfied In that raatter, I rest,
"Your Majesty's raost humble and obedient subject,
" Mr Eobert Bruce."
to the council.
The letter above Avas enclosed in the foUowing, sent to the Privy
CouncU at Edinburgh, upon their letter direct to Mr Bruce. Both
of them seem to have been in the year 1605. The last runs thus :
— " Please your Honours, I received your letters on Saturday the
13th instant, and for satisfaction thereof I have directed my let
ter, containing my own resolution, to his Majesty. My resolution
now is relative to ray resolution at St Johnston, which was dictated
by his Majesty's self, and subscribed by many honest witnesses be
sides me, who are yet living. This resolution gave his Majesty
perfect contentment, and I doubt not but it wiU do the like yet ;
for unto that resolution I adhere, both in matter and raanner, and
ara ready to testify the same as often as his Majesty pleases, by my
OAvn hand- writing. So, looking that your honours shaU not be far
ther troubled in that raatter, I rest,
"Your Honours to be coraraanded to his poAver, In God,
" Mr Eobert Bruce."
mr john forbes, and mr robert boyd of trochridge, their
letters to him.
WhUe there, Mr John Forbes wrote a letter to him frora Black-

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 125
ness, wherein he opened. the grounds of the persecution of the
ministers, and the King's displeasure at the Chancellor, next year.
It contains several secret springs of those transactions, and I shaU
bring it in upon Mr Forbes' Ufe when I come to it. Indeed, the
greatest and most learned men among us corresponded with him.
In the year 1610, 1 find a letter from Boyd of Trochrldge to Mr
Bruce, acquainting him Avith the reasons of his returning to France,
and regretting the hardships upon rainisters, and the setting up of
Episcopacy ; which I refer to his life.
As to the remaining part of his life, I have very little more than
Is to be found in the printed Calderwood, and so shaU be very
short upon it, and conclude with this great man's character. Some
scattered passages, and more extraordinary passages, I have from
good hands about him, and an account of his works he has left be
hind hira.
CONTINUES AT INVERNESS POUR YEARS, AVITH HIS ILL-TREATMENT
THERE.
Mr Bruce continued at Inverness about four years, where he had
very great success in his rainisterial work. Many were converted,
and multitudes edified. He preached every Lord's Day forenoon,
and every Wednesday ; and read and exhorted at the prayers every
evening whUe there. At Inverness he was very hardly used by
the magistrates, who made him as uneasy as possibly they cotdd.
The minister of that town also contended much with hira, and
every year was bringing him Into new troubles ; yea, he Avaa in
hazard of his life by the malice some people bore against him.
One day he was going through Fisher Street with two friends,
some viUain shot a gun at him, and the baU missed him by a few
inches. He was afterwards found to be the old Lady Sutherland's
officer's son. Being thus most uneasy there, at the desire of the
magistrates of Aberdeen, he came to that town, venturing upon
his old licence, before his confinement ; but eoraplalnts being made
against his preaching there, after he had stayed about a quarter of

126 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
a year at Aberdeen, he Avas charged to return to Inverness, Avhere
he continued tUl the beginning of the year 1613.
MR bruce's letter TO THE KING ABOUT HIS COMING TO
ABERDEEN.
WhUe Mr Bruce was at Inverness, finding that his coming to
Aberdeen Avas misrepresented and ill taken, he wrote the following
letter to the King, which I give from the original in the AdA'Ocates*
Library, as foUoAvs : — " IMay it please your Majesty, Hearing that
ray coming to Aberdeen was interpreted to spring of contempt, I
thought it my bounden duty to purge myself to the utterraost
thereof ; for I count conterapt of God and his Lieutenant the high
est crirae tiiat is. Therefore, for ray purgation, I say, whatsoever
is done with a Avarrant of God and man cannot incur the suspicion
of a contempt, let be an actual ; and, indeed, if there had been a
prescription or limitation of time in my licence, I had failed in pass
ing the bounds thereof; yea, not only that, but I awaited upon
the proper tirae wherefor my Ucence was given rae, and took the
benefit when the necessity of my Infirmity constrained me ; and
being more respective than that, I took it not tiU the Bishop of
Murray brought me the advice of the Bishops of St Andrews and
Glasgow to do so. And if I had received the meanest slgnifica^
tion that could be, that the embracing of the benefit at that time
would not stand with your Highness's contentment, I would most
gladly have abstained therefrom ; for I have laid my account, by
God's grace, never to involve me in that guUtiness. So, to end,
there is nothing done by me wherefor my former benefit should
be retrenched. And most humbly I crave, that your Majesty's cen
sure go not before my procuring ; but that my repairing to Aber
deen, for my better health, and comfort of my wife and children,
may stand with your Majesty's favour. So, resting ever,
" Your Majesty's most humble suitor and orator,
" Mr Eobert Bruce.
"Inverness, the 28th of March."

WODROAV'S LIFE OP BRUCE. 127
HIS LETTER TO BELTREES, FEBRUARY 1613.
In February that year, I find, by his letter to Sir James Sem
ple of Beltrees, his cousin, which stands, App. Copy Cald. vol.
vi. p. 330, that great interest had been made for him at Court,
and hope given him of getting Uberty to come south. Meanwhile,
upon the death of Mr John Strachan, minister of Forres, he sup
plied that toAvn for sorae months, at the desire of the magistrates
and people. Indeed, any occasion to remove from Inverness was
welcome to him. His son being at court, at length prevailed for
a Ucence to come and live at his own house at Kinnaird. Thither
he returned, August 1613. There he continued to preach for
about three years, during which time he had great and strong con
solations, but at other times was much cast down. Bodily infir
mity and sickness carae upon him now apace ; and when he ex
pected to be in peace, new troubles and vexation came to him from
the rainisters in Stu-ling and Linlithgow presbyteries. When the
discipline of the Church was puUed down, and Prelacy set up,
great corruptions broke in upon aU ranks, and several of the mini
stry were not free from profaneness. Mr Bruce could not bear this
in any, but least of aU in ministers, and bore testimony against the
common evils In his doctrine with all caution ; and reproved tippling
and drunkenness, and changing from kirk to kirk, at bishops' plea
sure. . This pointed at the rainister of Stirling, who had changed
several places. In a little time he died. Mr Bruce was caUed to
supply that town during the vacancy ; and now and then he
preached at communions, and with brethren of his acquaintance.
He was traduced by the rainisters of Edinburgh for behaving hira
self like a general bishop, and going from place to place, whereas
the severity of the Prelates obliged him to these frequent removals.
HE REMOVES TO HIS HOUSE AT MONKLAND, 1619. — OCTOBER 25,
1620, CITED BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
In March 1619, upon a letter from the King, procured probably
by the rainisters of Edinburgh, who aUeged he pointed one day

128 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
at them in his doctrine at Cramond, when preaching on false apos
tles, the CouncU charged him to remove out of Stirling, and con
fined him to his OAvn house at Kinnaird, and a raUe round it. In
a Uttle time he procured a warrant from the Council to remove to
another house of his in Monkland, not far from Glasgow. There
he taught in the parish kirk for some time, tiU Bishop Law, grieved
at the great resort of people to hear him, sent Mr Patrick Walkin-
shaAV to signify to him he must keep his own house, otherwise
he would pass the sentence of deprivation on him. It was one of
the articles of the Bishop's complaint against hira that he keeped
private fasts in his house at Monkland, which it seems was reck
oned a great fault by the Bishop. He had only two while at
Monkland, Avhere Mr Eobert Boyd of Trochrldge, Principal of the
College of Glasgow, and Mr Eobert Scott, minister tliere, were
Avith him, and the Avhole number of persons present did not exceed
twenty. In a little he Avas obliged to leave his house there.
Thus, this excellent person Avas tossed from place to place. The
Bishop had tabled complaints against Mr Bruce at London, that
he keeped private fasts in his own house ; and, when at commu
nions, he did not observe the Articles of Perth, but dispensed the
sacrament conforra to the constant practice of this Eeforraed Kirk,
upon which a letter from the King was read in Council, October
25, 1620, requiring him to be cited before them and tried; and
commanding them to ward hira in Aberdeen, if he did not obey
the Acts of Perth Asserably. When the letter was read, the
Chancellor said. It was not their province now to judge of kirk
affairs ; the Bishops have a High Commission of their own to try
these things. Secretary HamUton asked him, Whether he would
question Avhether his Majesty's letter should be obeyed or not?
The ChanceUor answered. He thought they might reason whether
they might be the Bishops' hangmen or not. So the CouncU re
ferred the business to the Bishops. Mr Bruce's exceUent wife died
In a little time after this ; and so he was spared for some whUe.

AVODROAV' ,S LIFE OF BRUCE. 129
CITED AGAIN BEFORE THE COUNCIL, SEPTEMBER 1621, AND
AVARDED IN THE CASTLE OP EDINBURGH.
Next year, after the ParUament confirmed the Articles of Perth,
no little suffering foUoAved to raany worthy rainisters. Mr Bruce
could not miss his share. On the 29th of August a letter came
from the King to the Council, requiring them to cite hira before
them, for breaking the bounds of his confinement, and coraing to
Edinburgii the tirae of the last Parliaraent, to raove sedition. On
the 19th of September 1621 he compeared, and denied the sedi
tious conterapt libelled against hira. He declared he had never
contemned the meanest magistrate, let be the greatest ; and had
demeaned himself so, and still would, as never to come within the
compass of the laws. He complained, though he had his Majesty's
OAvn letters, wherein he declared hiraself so rauch obliged to hira
for his services, that he thought the quarter of Scotland too little
to give him for a recompence, yet, at the instigation of the Bi
shops, he Avas now exhausted in his living, estate, and person, and
nothing almost was left but his vital spirits and breath, which ap
parently were now sought ; but the King was not readier to seek
these than he was to render them, providing his innocency were
tried, and being found innocent, he was ready to suffer ; and al
lowed thera to try hira Avith their thieves hole or axe, and he was
only careful not to suflfer as an evil-doer. The Chancellor passed
fi-om the contempt and sedition in the libel, and insisted on his
breach of confinement. Mr Bruce desired his accuser and wit
nesses might be brought against him, and complained that com
mon forras of law were never keeped with hira, but arbitrary mea
sures taken. They would give hira no accuser ; but required hira
to answer whether he had broken his confinement ? Mr Bruce said,
" My Lord, if you will pose me as a friend, not as a judge, I Avill
answer truly. I broke ray confinement out of mere necessity.
Since my A^ife's death I have none to do for me. I wrote to the
Secretary for a Ucence to corae to Edinburgh, but had no ansA\'er.
I had a raatter of 20,000 merks in dependence, Avhich needed my

130 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
personal attendance. I came in very secretly. At the last Par
liament where his Majesty was, I was at Edinburgh much more
openly, and no din about it." The ChanceUor said, " If you had
wrote to me, I would have given a licence." However, he was
AA-arded in the Castle of Edinburgh. The Bishops absented that
day from the Council, though they were his delators, and at the
bottom of his trouble.
LIBERATED THENCE, AND WARDED IN HISOAAT^ HOUSE, DECEMBER 12.
Upon the 12th of Deceraber Mr Bruce was brought frora the
Castle before the Council, and the King's pleasure intimated to hira,
that he go home to his oaati house, and remain tiU the 12th of
April 1 622, and then transport hiraself to Inverness, there to re-
raain, and within four railes of It, during his Majesty's pleasure.
The CouncU took it upon thera to allow him to stay at Kinnaird
for some time, and wrote up to Court, desiring the winter season
raight be over before Mr Bruce was sent to Inverness, consider
ing his age and infirraity. About the end of March they received
a letter frora the King, Avherein he blamed them for this delay, and
alleged that It was not for love of Mr Eobert, but to keep up a
schism In the Kirk ; and told them, that be would not aUow any
more Popish pUgrimages to Kinnaird, and ordered hira presently to
be sent to Inverness. All this spite against hira carae frora his
opposition to the present corruptions. He had repaired his OAvn
parish kirk of Larbert, and preached in it, upon which he was
confined to his own house, tUl he should go to Inverness; and
the Prelates grudged hira the corafort even of his own house.
HIS SUPPLICATION TO THE COUNCIL AGAINST HIS GOING A SECOND
TIJIE TO INVERNESS, ABOUT MARCH 1622.
Mr Brace endeavoured to prevent his second confineraent at
Inverness, by a supplication to the Council ; but in vain. How
ever, it Is worth whUe to insert his suppUcation, as containing the
state of his case ; and I give it from a copy in the Advocates' Libra
ry. It runs thus :— " My Lords op Secret Council, Unto your

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 131
Lordships humbly raeans and shows I, your servitor, Mr Eobert
Bruce, minister — That whereas the last day when I was brought be
fore your Lordships, I was commanded to address myself to the
burgh of Inverness, and there to remain, and within four mUes
about the town, during his Majesty's pleasure ; likeas the time for
my address there approaches daUy, whereunto, although I acknow
ledge myself bounden in conscience before God, and my allegiance
to the King's Majesty, my Sovereign, to give aU due obedience,
as by God's grace I never mind to be disobedient to his Majesty
or your Lordships, In any of your Lordships' directions in this kind;
yet the indisposition and inabUity of my person, conjoined with ray
great age, forces rae hurably to show unto your Lordships how
unable I ara to undertake and underly such a journey and charge ;
for I am become so feeble and weak, and ray aged and wearied
person is so far worn and wasted with grief and care, and other
visitations, wherewith It hath pleased the Lord in his mercy to
chastise rae, that hardly do I travel anywhere without hazard of
my Ufe ; and if it shaU please God to visit rae with sickness, either
at Inverness or by the way, it is not likely that I shall ever . . .
.... the same. And touching the imputation laid upon rae,
whieh was the cause of his Majesty's off'ence, and of this hard
course taken with rae, I thank God I was free and innocent there
of, and I cleansed myself thereof in your Lordships' presence — it
being a point very far from my profession, to be a mover or stirrer
up of sedition, as his Majesty was inforraed of me ; and, from my
heart, I detest such seditious practices, as being most impious and
wicked, and repugnant to the holy ordinances of God, whereby we
are coraraanded to give all due obedience to our superiors. And
as I showed unto your Lordships ray coraing to this burgh the
time of the Parliament was upon mere necessity, and to eschew
the danger of homing, wherewith I was threatened for twenty
thousand raerks ; and during the short tirae of my abode here, (at
Edinburgh,) which was not thirty-sis hours, I spoke not with a
Parliament-man, except the Lord KUsyth, whom I employed to
be cautioner for me, and had no kind of raeddling with the affairs

132 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
of the Parliament, because they concerned me not ; but kept
myself very quiet tiU ray Avaygoing ; and, during the tirae of ray
warding in the Castle of Edinburgh, was so modest, calm, and
peaceable, without meddUng with the matters of the Kirk now in
question, as I hope nothing can be objected to me. And if his
Majesty would be graciously pleased to suflfer me to spend the few
remnant of my aged and wearisome days at my own house, I AvUl
be very glad, and wUlIng to be perpetually confined there, and two
miles round about ; and I shall never transcend that bounds, nor
meddle a\ ith any matter concerning the policy or government of
the Kirk. Most humbly beseeching your Lordships to have consi
deration of my estate, and, either by yourselves, or by your Inter-
ces.^ion at his Majesty's hand, to grant me some ease and relief in
tliis heavy charge laid upon me, whUk Avill be my utter overthroAV
and Avreck ; and your Lordships' answer,'' &c. This affectionate
petition had no effect. GOES TO INVERNESS, APRIL 1622.
When Mr Bruce went to Inverness, April 18, 1622, he was very
hardly used. He could not get a house to take for money. The
Lord Enzie vexed him with reproachful speeches against the mi
nistry, and pretended to find treason in Mr Bruce's doctrine. Mr
John Gordon, minister at Strachan, stirred up my Lord against
him, the occasion of which was ; Mr Brace one day preaching on
dolour of raind, showed that they were unskilfiil physicians for
that disease, who would prescribe a glass of wine or WaUace's book
to read upon. Mr Gordon was present without Mr Bruce's know
ledge, and his own conscience appUed what was said to hiraself, and
after that, he reproached Mr Brace, and stirred up enemies against
him to his utmost. Such was the opposition at Inverness, that Mr
Bruce was forced to remove to Chanonry, but the religious people
at Inverness prevaUed Avith him to return. WhUe the Lord En
zie was at Edinburgh, Mr Brace had rest ; when he came North
his battle was renewed. At length my Lord Lovat made up a
kind of reooriciJiation.

AVODROw'S LIFE OP BRUCE. 133
OBTAINS LIBERTY AND COMES SOUTH, SEPTEMBER 1624.
At Inverness Mr Bruce continued tlU Septeraber 1624, Avhen he
obtained a Ucence to come South about his necessary domestic af
fairs. The conditions of his warrant from the CouncU were so
strait that he was resolved to return North again, but he got his
time prorogued tUl winter was over ; and in March next the King
died, and the severity against him was mitigated, and he not urged
to go to his confineraent.
MR bruce's account OP HIMSELF AND HIS TROUBLES, PROM THE
YEAR 1603 TO 1624, WHEN HE CAME PROM INVERNESS.
Thus, I have given the best account I could of Mr Bruce's
troubles and tossings from 1603 to King James's death, frora
Calderwood and other papers corae to my hand; but that the reader
may have Mr Bruce's own account of this part of his life, which
contains several particulars not mentioned, and many circumstances
oraitted in what is above, I take it in here from the above mention
ed papers, and have kept by the old style and syUabication, which
I wish the generaUty of my readers may understand. This I take, as
I mentioned already, to be part of Mr Bruce's original diary, and,
therefore, the more worth preserving. This confirms what is above ;
and if any circumstances or facts above differ frora this, in my
opinion they are to be corrected by it.
THREE LETTERS, ONE OF WHICH FROM MR DAVID HUME TO MR
BRUCE, IN THIS PERIOD.
This large account stands in App. It begins abruptly; but
I give all that is corae to my hands. It Ues in three distinct
papers, but in as far as I can judge they follow each other, and
Ihere is nothing wanting, at least they are all I have met with.
I have added three letters, directed probably to him, the first be
fore his going to Inverness for the first time, the next after the
conversation at Linlithgow, and the third frora Mr David Hurae
of Godscroft without date, but probably In this period. They

134 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
are added to the above papers of Mr Bruce's OAvn writing ; as also
several from Mr Andrew MelviUe, in another hand ; and, therefore,
being doubtful if Mr MelvUle's are to hira, I have placed them In Mr
MelviUe's Life. These three letters to Mr Bruce stand in App.
LIVES AT HIS OWN HOUSE TILL HIS DEATH. — MR BRUCE
CONFINED AGAIN.
During the remainder of his Ufe he Avas permitted to live at his
OAvn house of Kinnaird, where Mr Livingston remarks, that the
parish of Larbert, having neither stipend nor church fit to preach In,
he repaired the church at his own charges, and discharged all
ministerial duties to that people. There multitudes came frora all
corners to hear him. Mr Livingston was his hearer most part of
the suraraer 1627. ToAvards the end of the year 1628, upon new
inforraations frora the Bishops, Mr Bruce was, by the King's letters
to the Council, confined again to his own house, not far from
Stirling, where he resided since his leaving Inverness ; and for
any thing I know this confinement was never taken off till his
death. MR bruce's letter TO A FRIEND, JANUARY 1629.
Nothing hath offered to me after this, save two letters of his in
the year 1629. They are but copies, and I cannot answer for their
exactness, but I here insert them as I find thera. The first is to a
friend, Avritten January 1629, In a homely and famiUar style, with
out any view of being pubhshed. It runs thus : — " Brother, my
HEART, 1 write unto thee to prepare thee In good earnest, and
Avith a good heart, Ufted up and poured out upon God in Christ.
Take pains, my heart, great pains, inward and secret pains ; nothing
is won without great dUigence. My enemies, the worst that they
can do the Lord has turned Into the best. I never got such ac
cess In ray tirae as I have gotten since I went from you. The
treasures of his riches have been opened unto me. There was never
sucii foul flesh has gotten a more gracious, raore sensible, raore
poAverful approbation of my ministry in Edinburgh, of my fidelity

AVODROW's LIFE OF BRUCE. 135
therein. His Spirit has testified to ray spirit, not only by real joys,
spiritual and elevated light, but by vocal speeches within me, in
the daylight, that I heard so sensibly, with great effusion of tears,
so far, not only by approbation, but to my comraendatlon, that I
adraire how he should bestow such gracious speeches upon so
wretched a creature as I was. Indeed, I grant the will was with
rae, but not so bent as it should have been neither ; for I was over
timorous, and laden with diversity of infirmities ; the spirit in
some measure ready, but the flesh was weak ; yet his Majesty, my
gracious God, my God in Christ, accepts of it, as if it had been
the most perfect and exact service in the world ; yea, I admire
how so true a raouth could speak so far in approbation of a silly
poor wretch. My heart ! howsoever Edinburgh [on the raargin
here is added. He raeans the corrupt ministry of Edinburgh] has
cast rae off, rejected and banished me out of their parts, I lap
no sooner on my horse, but the gates of heaven were cast open
to me ; I got such applause in my heart, Avith such floods of tears,
with such real and constant approbation, that miy heart could not
wish for greater access. And on the second day of the sarae
raonth, I got another approbation In distinct terms, the Spirit tes
tifying to my spirit so audibly, (as it were,) that I admired how his
Majesty could raake so much of so little doings, and so mean ser
vice ; and surely I cannot say that ever that day goes over ray
head wherein I get not a sign and a sense of his comfortable pre
sence. I got two within the town also very significantly. M. C.
came, in the middle of the first of them. In my own chamber. I was
reading. Indeed, and on my meditation ; and so, ray heart, al
though raan has left me, and, namely, your ministry ; yet, my sweet
Lord has not left me. I never forgathered with a better Master ; I
never got a sweeter fee and better wages, and 1 look for a very
rich reward. So ye have cause, not only to pray, but to praise God
greatly for me ; that he is so bountiful, and that he meets rae above
my very expectation. There comes never thing to me, trouble or
alteration, but he gives me warning before, mollifying my heart so
notably, and gives me such tears of joy, that I ara ever asharaed of
myself, that I cannot be thankful, Alwise, I get out these Avords,

136 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
to you aU, and, namely, to your sisters, that gave me such signs
of reverence, that my God remains my God in a copious manner ;
that there is a great curse upon Edinburgh, and namely, upon the
ministry and magistracy, be learned as they avIU, and count them
selves so. I wiU assure you, as far as I have learned, they are not
taught of God, nor sent in mercy by his Holy Spirit unto you ; and
I am content this writing be plain, to testify my censure. They have
gone about to make me odious to his Majesty, and to ail honest
men. But, indeed, I shaU not meet them so. It Is long since my
Lord Ochiltree Avrote to his lady, or she Avrote out of your town,
that they studied to disgrace rae at his Majesty's hands ; and then
they could not get him persuaded ; but now he has written to the
Council with his own letter. I came never to Edinburgh but upon
a charge of the Lord's letter, and teached on the Sabbath, to sanc
tify the Sabbath, and to hold in my gift ; and this cannot be a
crime, because it is warranted both by God and the King. Alwise
for it I am shut out, and made incapable of mutual consolation,
I have been longer than became me, but it is an ease to my mind,
yea, I beseech God to teach me, as he has done those twenty days
bygone, by sweet seals. Now to these sweet seals I commend you,
AndrcAv Hart's Avife, EUzabeth Michelson, EUzabeth Craig, and all
the rest of them that has the raark of Christ in their forehead, with
my pastoral blessing ; and so rests,
" Your loving pastor in Christ,
" Mr Eobert Bruce.
"Kinnaird, the 20th of Jan. 1629."
OBSERVATIONS ON IT.
This paper, in the copy whence I take it, hath this title, " A letter
Avritten by that Faithfiil Servant of God, Mr Eobert Bruce, to a
Friend, after he was deposed fr-om his Ministry in Edinburgh." I
Avould from this have suspected the date 1629 was wrono- ; but it
seems that about this tirae, when he Avas confined to his house, as
Ave have seen, Deceraber 1628, the bishops had llkcAvIse pas.-ed
a sentence of deposition upon hira, by Avhich, it appears, he was no
loser, but had a SAveet balance of special and extraordinary com-

AVODROW's LIFE OF BRUCE. 137
munlcations. I set down his expressions as I find them. Some of
them are very singular, and what some wiU call enthusiasm ; blind
folk should not judge of colours. Mr Bruce, especiaUy when suf
fering, had extraordinary coraraunications, as others have had as
well as he. What he says of real speeches within him, and other
expressions out of the ordinary way, I understand of the consola
tions and approbations, he says, he found brought to him in a series
of scripture expressions suitable to this case, which differs vastly
from enthusiasra ; but this only by the by.
ANOTHER LETTER OP HIS, MARCH 30, 1629, UPON A PASQUIL
WRITTEN BY ROBERT MONTEITH AGAINST HIM.
The title of the other letter is : " To a Friend, showing the differ
ence between the Speeches of a Eegenerate Man and an Ungene-
rate, of a Natural and a Eeal Christian." It runs thus: — "My Heart,
I have seen your letter, ftdl of peace, indeed ; and I have seen your
pasquU, as fuU of war. Ye have to look upon the 12th of Luke, and
the 49th verse, ' I ara come to send fire upon the earth, and it Is
my will that It be kindled ;' and he subjoins, as you may read
here, ' And the brother shall rise up against the brother, the father
agahist the son, and the son against the father, and those of a man's
OAvn house shaU be his enemies.' As to him that made that pasquil,
I know him not ; alwise, for his objection of ignorance, 1 take Avith
it, and does confess the same. Surely I may say, both whoUy and
truly, that I have taken pains to banish it for these fifty years ; and
I may say justly, that I have been a continual student ; and I
hope I may say it without oflfence, that he is not within the Isle of
Britain, of my age, that takes greater pains upon his Bible ; I must
leave the blessing to the great God. He that Avrites yon letter,
says, plainly, ' he sees ;' and therefore his sin remains with him. But
as for me, I agree to what is written in the 9th of John, ' If ye said,'
saith our Lord, ' that you were bUnd, you should have no sin ; but
now, by reason you say ye see, therefore your sin remains.' [Upon
the margin of the copy of this letter are these words, ' It was
one Eobert Monteith who wrote this pasquU, and thereafter fled

138 WODROAA^'S LIFE OP BRUCE.
the country, for adultery committed with the Lady Priestfield.']
Indeed, I say truly, I am blind, and Avould fain have ray eyes
opened of ncAV. Indeed, the tirae has been, when it pleased his
Divine Majesty to open mine eyes, and to present my Avhole sins
unto me, and to let me see time, and place, and person, to cast me
down terribly, and then to pour in after this his redolent balm on
the bleeding Avounds of a festered conscience ; and to raake rae to
know myself, that my sins were forgiven me ; to know by senses,
and to know by perfect feeling ; to know by experience, and by expe
rimental knoAvledge ; and, except I Avould lie, I want not, now and
then, documents, frora his OAvn Spirit speaking to my spirit, that he
counts better of me and ray labours than they are worthy. But
he doth it in rich mercy, and happy am I that I entered to serve
him, and sorry am I that I cannot mend my hand ; and glad
Avould I be (he knoAvs) to do the thing that might honour him,
that might procure my credit, advance ray credit, or keep my
credit, at his glorious hand ; and through the merit of Christ, the
Spirit and faith of Christ, surely I am of that mind, and look, in his
mercy, to my last breath, to grow In credit, and to keep my credit
with His Divine Majesty ; and that, by rencAving of my daily repent
ance, to live and to die a penitent sinner. As for ray corapetltor,
the law discharges him plainly to hate his brother in his heart.
Yon beUeIng of rae Is a great arguraent of malice. I have seen the
day, Avhen the best subject in this country durst not have done the
like ; but what is it that false brethren wiU not do ? False to God,
never true to man. ' He that thinks himself something, when he is
nothmg, deceiveth himself.' ' The wicked shaU grow worse and
worse, deceiving, and being deceived ; ' and I hope, surely, before
he die, that the Lord shall make his own conscience to torture him
for the venom he has spewed out, not only against me, but many
servants of God. The ministry of Edinburgh has Avritten to the
King, as they did before, and indirectly sought my life, lands, and
aU. The Lord OchUtree has written to his lady of the same, when
she was with you In Edinburgh, and Sfr WUliam Alexander, secre
tary, has said it to an honourable gentieman ; and surely the Bishop

wodrow's life op BRUCE. 139
of Eoss was more favourable than the ministers of Edinburgh.
How many, how few, are guilty I cannot tell. It were IU for me,
if my gracious Lord, whom I would fain serve, spake so of me ; but
seeing I have hira so graciously speaking, by his Word and Spirit,
abundantly in my favour, I need not care much ; for he whom
men commends or discommends, is not comraended or discom-
ra ended, but he only whom God commends ; and I crave only that
God would work in their consciences, and put hand in their hearts,
that if they appertain to his election they may learn to speak the
truth ; and as for me, I stand and fall to my own Master and Lord.
Your letter has drawn these few lines from rae. They have put
me out from my fiock, and they hold me out, and yet I cannot be
quit of their railing. I wiU give them leaA^e to starap on me as
they please now ; but they that fear God truly will never think the
worse of me ; and so long as I have God in Christ on my side, I
care the less what any debauched sycophant or graceless Arminian
think of me. The Lord raake us true to God for ever ; to whose
SAveet and gracious mercies I commend thee, and rests, your loving
father, and faithful friend,
" Mr Eobert Bruce.
" Kinnaird, the 30th of March 1629."
REMARK ON IT.
What reason the transcriber had for putting the above title to this
letter, I do not well see. At the end of the letter, he adds, " other
letters of his are to be seen ;" and then gives some of Mr Euther-
ford's letters from Aberdeen, 1637 ; and says, " I have set down
these letters of Mr Brace and Eutherford in this place, to testify
their zeal to God's glory, and the truth of Jesus Christ, and also to
testify against the godless prelates and corrupted preachers, and false
brethren, who so unnaturaUy persecuted them, and many others,
who were faithftil and dear servants of God, unknown to me."
And after having observed the cruelty of Bishop Spottiswood
against that worthy nobleman and sincere Christian, the Lord Bal-
merlno, he concludes with this reraark : " All those years, from the

140 AVODROAV S LIFE OF BRUCE.
concluding of Perth Articles In Parliament, until the Covenant Avas
rencAved, 1638, a great curse and barrenness lay on the ground of this
kingdom, so that so long and so great a dearth was never heard of
before, of so long a continuance. But in the year 1638, the Cove
nant being renewed, God wonderfiiUy renewed his blessings on the
fraits of the ground, the like whereof was not in aU those twenty
years before." These letters (and it Is a pity we have no more of
them) and this remark are taken from a MS. in my hands, written
about the year 1639, by one Thomas Wood, containing a transcript of
Knox's History, some other papers after him, with a collection of
papers, in the years 1638 and 1639.
AT THE COMMUNION OF THE SHOTTS.
He Avas at the knoAvn communion of the Shotts, 1630, where
there was a great gathering of eralnent Christians from all parts of
Scotland, and bore a share In preaching, and joined in meetings for
Avrestling and prayer, which were kept In that place, almost day and
night, for four or five days. Upon the back of so much wrestling
the remarkable conversion foUowed, upon Monday after that sacra
ment. HIS DEATH, AUGUST 1631.
Mr Bruce continued at his Master's work, as his advanced years
allowed him, tiU August 1631. He longed much for his dissolu
tion before it came. Mr LlAingston tells, that about the year 1627
he heard him say, " I wonder how I am keeped so long here : I
have now lived two years in violence ;" raeaning he was two years
beyond the set ordinary tirae of man's days, threescore and ten
years. He had no pain or sickness almost at his death. When
his sight faded him he caUed for the large house Bible, and caused
put his finger upon the twenty-eighth verse of the eighth chapter
to the Eomans, and told them he died In the faith of what was in
that chapter ; and firmly beUeved that all things, even death itself,
should work together for his good, and In a littie slept in Jesus.
He died August 1631, In the seventy-seventh year of his age, and

. AVODROAV's LIFE OP BRUCE. 141
Avas honourably accompanied to the grave Avith four or five thousand
persons. The writer of the CoUectlons from 1532-1641 gives us an
account of Mr Bruce's death and burial, as in July 1631. His words
are : — " Upon the 27th day of July 1631, the reverend and worthy
pastor and messenger of God, Mr Eobert Brace, departed this
Ufe, Avith godly and comfortable speeches and sentences of the
Word of God, to the comfort of all that were present. He took a
kind of palsy some few days before his death, whereby he lost his
sight. As he was renowned In his life, which no doubt arose by
God's good favour and providence, for his reverence to God and
his Word, and his faithful and constant carriage in his caUing, and
otherwise, so was he honoured after his death with the love and
approbation of aU honest people, and at his burial, where there
Avere great numbers of all ranks of men, both nobles and inferiors ;
and with aU honesty and modesty requisite he was buried in an
aisle of the Kirk of Larbert, biggit in his own time ; but there was
no funeral sermon, for that was not his desire in his life."
MR bruce's CHARACTER.
After so large an account of this great man's Ufe, I shall not,
neither, I hope, need I offer at his character. The reader will be
able, in some measure, to form it from facts ; which, in my opinion,
is the best way of forming a judgment of persons. However, that
I may conceal nothing come to my hand about this worthy person,
I shall subjoin the accounts given of him by his contemporaries.
FROM MR JOHN ROW'S MS. HISTORY.
"Mr John Eow, In his MS. History, terms him a very pious
man, and pastoral preacher. No man that knew him, or ever
heard him preach, but Is persuaded that he altogether contemned
the office of diocesan bishops. For that cause he suffered much
trouble ; and in ids last AVords, Immediately before his death, he ad
hered to Avhat he had been preaching all his days.'''
' AA''odrow Sncioty editinn of Rnw'.q lli.story, p. 4'2'2.

142 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. .
AIR JOHN LIA'INGSTON.
Mr John Livingston, who was pretty much his hearer at Larbert,
and intimately acquainted with hira for several years before his
death, in his MS. Observations on the Ministers he was acquainted
with, begins it with .Mr Bruce, and says : " No raan in his time spake
with such evidence and power of the Spirit. N o raan had so raany
seals of conversion ; yea, many of his hearers thought no man, since
the Apostles, spoke with such power. He had a notable faculty of
searching deep in the Scriptures, and raaking the raost dark mys
teries most plain ; but especiaUy In dealing with people's consciences.
He was much exercised in conscience hiraself, both in public and
private. He was very short In prayer when others were present ;
but every sentence Avas like a strong bolt shot up to heaven. I
have heard hira say that he wearied when others were long in
prayer ; but being alone, he spent much time in wrestUng and
prayer. I went once with the tutor of Bonnlngton to see him In
Andrew Ainslie's house in Edinburgh. It was about eight o'clock
in the morning, and he was in bed. He said to us, ' You must go
and leave me for some time. I thought yesternight, when I lay
down, I had a good measure of the Lord's presence ; and now I
have wrestled this hour or two, and have not yet got access.' He
had a very majestic countenance, and whatever he spoke in pub
lic or private, yea, even when he read the Word, I thought it had
such a force as I never discerned in any other man.'"
MR BLAIR.
Mr Eobert Blair, in his own Life, MS., gave rae this account of
Mr Bruce : — " I went to the north, and the converse and company
of the Lord's suffering ministers there was admirably refreshful,
especiaUy at Turriff, where Mr David Dickson Avas confined, and
at Inverness, where Mr Eobert Bruce was the second time con
fined. That ancient heroic servant of Jesus Christ, who, consider
ing how long a journey I had raade, frora Glasgow to Inverness, to
visit him, about 148 mUes, did impart to me the meraorable passages
' Livingstone's Memorable Characteristics, p. 14 and 13.

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 143
of his life In a large book, wherein was set down what hard and
sore exercise his soul had been under, both before his entry to the
ministry of Edinburgh and after, wherein he relates that he was full
three years so assaulted and disquieted, that he never said, ' My
God,' but he was chaUenged and disquieted for the same. There also
he relates the strong consolations whereby the Lord had comforted
him ; among which two were raost eminent, whereby he said the
Lord strengthened him before he feU under the King's displeasure.
Wherein were also contained many choice letters, written either to
him or by him.'" This is the MS. we have seen Mr Calderwood
often cite. FROM CALDERWOOD.
The last writer, in his preface to his learned and useful Altare
Damascenum, takes notice, that If severities must be used against
preachers, to be sure it was unaccountable when turned against such
men-as Mr Brace, Mr Andrew Melville, Mr James Melville, Mr John
Welsh, and others. Of Mr Bruce he says : " Eobertus Brucius, vir
genere et virtute nobiUs, maj estate vultus venerabUIs, qui plura
animarum miUIa Chrlsto lucrifecit, cujus anima, si uUius mortalium,
absit verbo invldia, sedet in celestibus, ex ecclesia Edinburgena 23
ab hinc anno, extrusus, et in hunc usque diem, terris jactatus, et
undis. Anima mea cum anima tua, Bruci, si ex aliena fide esset
pendendum." FROM MR ROBERT FLEMING.
The pious and worthy Mr Fleraing, in his Fulfilling of the Scrip
ture, page 358, &c., gives his character at sorae length ; and some
parts of his account of him I shall transcribe here, though the book
be not scarce. " Whilst he was in the ministry at Edinburgh he
shined as a great light through the whole land, the power and
efficacy of the Spirit most sensibly accompanying the word he
preached. He was a terror to evil-doers, and the authority of God
did so appear in him and his carriage, with such a raajesty in his
countenance, as forced fear and respect from the greatest in the
' Blair's Memoirs, p. 38 and 39.

144 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
land ; even those Avho were avoAved haters of godliness. Yea, it
Avas known what awful Impressions King James himself had of him ;
and once he gave that testimony before many, that he judged Mr
Bruce was worth the half of his kingdom.
" He was a man that had much iuAvard exercise about his own
personal case, and had been oft assaulted anent that great founda
tion truth, the being of a God, which cost him many days and
nights AATestling. When he came up to the pulpit, after he had
been silent a little, as was his usual way, he could have said some
times, ' I think it's a great raatter to believe there is a God ;' telling
the people It was another thing to believe that than they judged.
But it was also well known by his friends and intiraates, what ex
traordinary confirraatlons he had from the Lord therein, and what
near familiarity he did attain in his secret converse with God.
Yea, truly, I have had some things from persons worthy of credit
thereanent, which would seem so strange and marvellous, that I
forbear to set them doAvn.
"The great success of his rainistry at Edinburgh, Inverness, and
other places, whither Providence called him, is abundantly known.
While he was confined at Inverness, that poor dark country was
marvellously enlightened, many were brought into Christ by his
rainistry, and a seed soAvn in these places, which to this day is not
worn out.
" He was one that had the spirit of discerning, in a great mea
sure ; did prophetically speak of many things Avblch afterwards
carae to pass ; yea, which I had attested by sober and grave Chris
tians Avho Avere farailiar AvIth hira, that divers persons that Avere dis
tracted, and some who were past all hopes of recovery in the fall
ing sickness, were brought to hira, and, after prayers by hira in their
behalf, were ftdly recovered. This may appear very strange, but
it is also true that Mr Brace was a great wrestler, avIio had more
than ordinary familiarity with his Master.
" He was deeply affected with the naughtiness and profanity of
many ministers then in the Church, and unsuitable carriage of
others to so great a caUing ; and did frequently express his fear,

WODROAV'S LIFE OP BRUCE. 145
that the ministry of Scotland would prove the greatest persecutors
of the Gospel it had. If there were a fuU coUection of those re
markable passages which have been knoAvn to others in his life, it
would further witness what an extraordinary person Mr Brace was."
From these hints of Mr Fleming, the same account of him pub
lished In Mr Clark's " Lives of English Divines" is taken. I wish
Mr Fleming had given us more of the accounts he had from good
vouchers, even though singular and extraordinary.
SOME SINGULAR PASSAGES OP HIS LIFE.
I shaU, to supply this in part, set down next what I have met
with as to some singular and extraordinary parts of Mr Bruce's
life, with the vouchers I have for them ; though I believe they
are but a smaU part of what might have been preserved, had this
account of his Ufe been written fifty or sixty years sooner.
Several things of this nature have been hinted at already, in
his caU to the ministry, the extraordinary effusion of the Spirit
when he first dispensed the Sacrament of the Supper, and some
expressions in some of his serraons that appear prophetical. But
waiving these, I come to other strange passages which I referred to
this place, and shaU hint at them as they offer. Several of them I
have without the particular date and time.
AS TO MR Gibson's sentence.
Mr Calderwood remarks in his MSS., that in the year 1588, at
the Assembly where Mr Brace was first moderator, that when the
affair of Mr Gibson, rainister at Pencaitland, came in, Mr Bruce
withdrew himself, when the sentence of suspension of that worthy
man from the ministry, for some free and, perhaps, unadvised
speeches relative to the King, was passed. He teUs us the reason of
his AvithdraAving was, that the night before Mr Bruce was admonish
ed in a dream not to be present when that raatter was agreed to,
which had been for sorae tune in dependence, and met with opposi
tion from several members ; and that Mr Bruce thought he heard
these words audibly spoken to him, ne intersis condemnationi servi
k

146 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
Dei. Mr Gibson's suspension Avas taken off' by tiie next Assembly,
he compearing and removing some of the grounds upon which It
Avent. AS TO J. AVATT'S DEATH.
The same author observes, that AprU 17, 1601, John Watt, Dea
con of Deacons (or Deacon-Convener) of Edinburgh, was shot dead
suddenly in the Borough Muir of Edinburgh, by sorae unknown per
son Avho had hira at envy. This man, after the knoAvn 17th of De
cember, had offered to invade Mr Brace's person, for which reason
lie Avas a favourite at Court ; and the trial of one Alexander Slum-
mond, who was suspected, but without cause, to be the instrument
of "\A^att's death, was very narrow, but tended only the more to vin
dicate him. Mr Bruce did say to some friends, that he was per
suaded a judgment from heaven was abiding Mr Watt for his in
jurious treatment of him ; and when he came to this hasty end, they
could not but observe Mr Bruce's words fulfilled.
HIS COMMISSION AVHEN GOING TO INVERNESS.
When Mr Bruce was going to his confinement at Inverness,
Avhether the first or second time I cannot determine, but I IncUne
to think it might be the last, AprU 18, 1622, lam informed by the
minister of Larbert, one of his successors, that the foUowing account
is weU vouched and believed in that place. That day, when Mr
Bruce left his own house of Kinnaird to go North, a considerable
number of gentlemen, his relations and acquaintances, and some
ministers, came to him to take their leave of him, and some to ac
company hira part of his way. When the horses were aU drawn,
and he had taken his leave of them, and the whole company were
mounting, his horse was brought out last. Mr Brace came towards
hira, and just as he was setting his foot in the stirrap he stopped,
and stood Avith his eyes fixed towards heaven, in a rause for nearly
a quarter of an hour. The rest were aU mounting and mounted,
and rode softly on ; and none of the company observed it but an
intimate friend of his, who stopped his horse, seeing him in that

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 147
posture, and waited tUl he mounted his horse, which he did very
cheerfully ; and they soon overtook the company. His friend took
the freedom to ask him what he was doing, when in the great muse
he seemed to be in before taking of his horse. Mr Bruce answered
hinl, " I was receiving my commission and charge from my Master
to go to Inverness, and he gave it me himself before I set ray foot
in the stirrup ; and thither I go to sow a seed In Inverness that
shall not be rooted out for raany ages." I have elsewhere pubUcly
taken notice of the accomplishment of this intimation given him.
Some of Mr Bruce's converts were alive, though but very few,
Avhen Mr Angus M'Bain, Episcopal minister there, had his mind
enUghtened, and was brought to take up the corruption of Epis
copacy, and pubUcly owned himself sorry for his conformity
about the 1684 and 1685. His rainistry at Inverness was sin
gularly countenanced of Heaven, to the awakening and conver
sion of many, and I hope much and new good seed is sown there
since. HIS VISION OP A BOOK.
Mr Livingston, in the MS. formerly cited, teUs us, that being
at Larbert, 1627, Mr Bruce told him In private that he had dreamed
a dream, (and several of his extraordinary communications have
been during his sleep, and in the night season,) and had seen a
great long book, with black boards, flying in the air, and many
black fowls flying about it. That as it touched any of them, they
feU down dead. That he heard a voice as audibly as Mr Living
ston heard him speak, " This is the Ire of God upon the ministry
of Scotland." That he presently feU a^weeping and crying to God,
that he might be keeped faithful, and not be one of those who
were stricken down dead ; and when he awoke he found aU the pU-
low wet with his tears.
HIS STOP AT A COMMUNION TABLE.
I have several other singular passages from one of his successors,
Mr White, minister of Larbert, which are handed down from per-

148 AVODROAV S LIFE OF BRUCE.
sons present, and firmly believed there. When dispensing the sa
crament of the Supper to his people, Mr Bruce Avas about to serve
a table AvhIch was fiUed. When he rose up to speak he remained
sUent ; at length, he broke out with a very great concern, and said,
" Certainly there is sorae person at this Holy Table guilty of some
dreadful sin unrepented of; for my Master has shut my mouth, and
I can say nothing tUl he remove ; and in tiie Lord's narae, I charge
him to remove frora this Holy Table ;" and then sat down again.
While aU were musing, and Avaiting for the event, a man rose frora
the table, and went out of the church. Mr Bruce Avent on and
served the table Avith A'cry much freedom. The man was noticed,
and inqufred after ; and, AA-hen dealt with, confessed he Avas habit
ually guilty of a most horrid sin.
ABOUT A MAN DROAVNED.
The same person gives the following accounts, which it may be
are some of the things that Mr Fleming had accounts of frora cre
dible persons, and thought them so strange that he did not publish
them ; and I set them down here rather for preservation, and fur
ther inquiry, than for present publication, till they be further con
sidered. There was a person in his congregation at Larbert, who
had been for some tirae under great discourageraent, and deep soul
exercise. After Mr Bruce had for some time conversed with him
one day at his own house, it turned late, and there had been great
rain, and the waters were big. The man left Mr Bruce, and would
go home. Mr Bruce urged him to stay with hira till to-raorrow ;
but by no means could prevail. When he went away, Mr Bruce
declared he was afraid there was somewhat before him. Next
morning he was found drowned in a water. Mr Bruce, when he
had heard he was missing, sent out to help to seek for hira, and
ordered that, when he was found, his clothes should be narrowly
marked. One would think he had got a sign from the Lord with
relation to him ; for he said. If his clothes and skin were dry about
his heart, he was persuaded of his sah^ation ; if not, he would de
termine nothing about his eternal state. Accordingly, when he was

WODROAV'S LIFE OF BRUCE. 149
found, the man's clothes upon his left side, even to his shirt and
skin, were found perfectly dry when they got him, for a hand-
breadth or tAvo about his heart, though all the rest were Avet throng!
and through.

ll

.ABOUT A DYING PERSON.
At another time, he was caUed a little unseasonably to visit a
sick person in Larbert ; and it was some time before he could be
ready. When he came in to the house, before he spoke to the
dying person, he said, " I perceive my Master has been here before
me, and done the Avork ; so that there is Uttle need of rae." And
Avhen he Avent to hira he found him in an excellent case, and very
ready to depart. A STRANGE PASSAGE UPON A RAINY DAY.
Another passage is yet more singular, and yet I find that it is
credited ; but certainly it ought to be further inquired into, and
received and told with caution. Mr Bruce, when at Larbert, was
highly valued by the honest and faithful ministers in the neigh
bourhood ; and on presbytery day they used to come by him, and
were fond of the benefit of his company in riding to the Presby
tery. One presbytery day, when he and another minister were riding
to the presbytery seat, there came on a raost violent rain ; Mr
Bruce was at this time tender and sickly. They rode pretty
quickly, and Avere upon close conversation ; when they aUghted,
the other minister Avas wet to the skin through his clothes ; and,
turning to Mr Bruce, said, " Sir, there has been a terrible rain ; I
wish you be not the worse of it. I am wet through and through."
When he looked to Mr Bruce, he saw him not very wet, only like
a little dew upon his clothes, and was perfectly stunned ; and said,
" Sir, how can this be, you seera scarcely wet at aU ?" The other
seeraed to Avonder at It, and said, " Brother, I truly wonder at
this. It seeras ray God has cast a cloak over rae."

150 WODROAV'S LIFE OF BRUCE.
HIS BODY FRESH NEARLY EIGHTY YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH.
The same person adds, that some years ago, when Mr Bruce's
grave Avas opened, to lay in his gi-andchild, his body Avas almost
fresh and uncorrupted, to the great wonder of many ; and if I right
remember, the grave was again filled up, and another raade. The
fresh body had no noisorae smell. It was then nearly eighty years
after he was buried. My informer was minister of Larbert when
this happened. HIS OPINION OF TAVO PERSONS THAT CAME TO HIM.
He adds, that one day two persons of his parish came to him,
and coramunicated their souls' case to him. He heard them both.
As he did usually when he had time, he retired to secret prayer and
meditation. When he came out, he spoke very doubtfully as to
one of thera, advised him to be upon his guard, and to take heed
to himself, lest he declined. To the other he spoke most comfort
ably, and said, " Be of good cheer, there will be a good issue of
your case." Accordingly it fell out ; the first went quite wrong,
and quit his profession, and turned to nothing. The other held on,
and had a most comfortable issue.
HIS EMINENCE IN PRAYER, AND INSTANCE BETWIXT SERMONS.
AU who have left us any accounts .of Mr Bruce agree in this,
that he was a person eminent in the gift and grace of prayer.
Besides what is above, Mr Livingston and Mr Fleming give this
account of him : — When he preached at Larbert Kirk, there was
near by a chamber, where he used to go in betwixt sermons. One
day, some nobleraen and gentleraen, who had been hearing him,
Avearied betwixt sermons, when he stayed longer than he used. They
having a good way to ride after sermon, they called for the beUman,
and desired hira to go to him In the little room, where he was re
tired, and knock softly at the door, and, if he opened, to acquaint
him, they desired he might begin as soon as convenientiy he could,
because sorae of them had far to ride. The beUman did as he

AVODROW's LIFE OF BRUCE. 151
Avas commanded ; but Mr Bmce was taken up so in wrestling that
he did not hear him. However, the beUman, while at the door,
heard some of Mr Brace's words, which, poor man, he did not un
derstand ; and so he came back to those that sent him, and told
them that he did not know when the minister would come out. He
believed there was somebody Avith him, for he heard him many
times say, with the greatest seriousness, " That he would not, —
he could not go, — unless He came with him ; and that he would not
go alone ;" adding, that he never heard the other answer him a
word. When he came out in a little, he was singularly assisted ;
and that afternoon was remarkably useful to many. Mr Fleraing
gives another instance, much of the same sort, before a sermon of
Mr Bruce's at a solemn occasion. — {Fulfilling of the Scripture, p.
370, 371.) ANOTHER AT A MEETING OP MINISTERS.
This last named Avriter adds another instance of his extraordinary
wrestling. A little before his death, Mr Bruce was at Edinburgh,
and at this time, through his age and weakness, he was obUged to
keep his chamber. At that time there was a raeeting of godly serious
rainisters at Edinburgh, upon the accounts they had got of the Inno
vations the Bishops were about to bring in upon this Church, parti
cularly their design of Introducing the Comraon Prayer Book.
When they knew of Mr Bruce's being in tOAvn, a good raany of them
came to his charaber, and communicated to him the accounts they
had of the prelates' designs, and their own procedure. After some
conversation, Mr Bruce at their desire prayed, and in his prayer he
laid before the Lord the substance of what they had been repre
senting, which. In short, was the present lamentable state of the
Church ; and this he did with such an extraordinary raotion upon
the hearts of aU present, and so sensible an out-pouring of the Spi
rit, as scarce any present were able to contain themselves ; and
Avhich was rauch raore extraoirdlnary, there were several persons In
the other rooras of the house, who, tUl afterwards, did not know
that In Mr Bruce's room they Avere at prayer, Avho, at that in-

152 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
stant, felt an unusual motion, and seriousness upon their minds,
though they knew not the cause of it. That great and learned
man, and ornament of his country, ]Mr John Wemyss of Lathocker,
Avas occasionally present at that meeting with Mr Bruce, and Avhen
he came out, said, " O 1 Avhat a strange man is this, for he knocked
down the Spirit of God upon us all," aUuding to a motion Mr Bruce
used with his hands upon the table at Avhich he stood. This, Mr
Fleming says, he had from the gentleman's daughter, in whose house
this happened, an eminent Christian.
SOME OTHER PASSAGES ABOUT HIM. — HIS EXPRESSION ABOUT
DR LEIGHTON.
Several other scattered passages concerning this eminent person
I shaU add, and haste to a period of these collections. Mr Living
ston teUs us, that one day he was in his house ; that morning Mr
Bruce had heard of Doctor Leighton's severe censure at London,
through Bishop Laud's influence. That day he was very late before
he came out of his closet. When he came out his face was swol
len Avith weeping, and one raight easily have guessed Avhat work he
had been taken up with. In a little he told Mr Livingston the ac
counts he had frora London, and " that his grief and distress was
not mainly for Dr Leighton, but chiefly for himself; for, said
he, had I been faithful, I might have got the pUlory, and some of
ray blood shed for Christ, as weU as he ; but he has got the croAvn
from us aU." And yet it wUl appear from what is above, that few
in his day, and many fewer since, have corae up his length in faith
fulness and zeal ; but generaUy those that go farthest in what is
good, are most sensible of their shortcomings. Mr Bruce, in his
prayers that night, insisted mostly on humUity to Dr Leighton.
HIS SAYING TO BISHOP SPOTTISAVOOD.
His zeal against such as he thought betrayers of the interest of
the Church was very conspicuous. From his successor above cited
I have this account : That Archbishop Spottiswood came to visit him
in his OAvn house of Kinnaird, when Mr Bruce was pretty old and

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 153
infirm. When he came in, he would not be rude to him in his OAvn
house, yet he Avould not own him in any of his titles, and did not
desire him to stay. The Bishop, when he saw this, said, "Mr
Bruce, do ye not know rae, and who I ara ?" The other answer
ed, " Sir, I know you to be a traitor to God, and to the Church of
Scotland. I have nothing to do with you ; you may begone when
you please."
HIS EXPRESSION TO KING JAMES, AND INSTANCE OP HIS FREEDOM
WITH HIM.
Mr Livingston teUs us, that he heard Mr Brace, a little before
King James's death, say, " I would desire no more for a request, but
one hour's conference with King James. I know he has a con
science. I made him once weep bitterly in his own house at Holy
roodhouse ;" which brings to my raind a passage I had frora a wor
thy aged rainister, (ray father,) which he had frora Mr Brace's con
temporaries : That when the King came first to Edinburgh after the
affair of Gowrie, he sent for Mr Bruce, and upbraided hira for his
and the rest of the rainisters of Edinburgh, their refusing to give
Into the proposal made by the councU to them, as Ave have heard.
Before all that were present, Mr Bruce said. He were the raost un
grateful person upon earth, if he did not praise God for his Majes
ty's deliverance; but he was under some difficulties in his mind, from
the various reports that had come abroad of that matter ; and if his
Majesty would go in with him to his closet, he would essay to sa
tisfy him in that matter. The King Avent In Avith him, and shut
the door; and after Mr Bruce had gone through several circum
stances of that affair, in which the King stood to his own defence,
Mr Bruce said to the King, " Sir, there Is none present but an all-
seeing God, and I wUl take the freedom to pose your Majesty, as
you wUl answer to him. Whether you dare deny your guilt of the
blood of these men, or one of them, that day ?" The King broke
out in tears, and said, " Mr Eobert, it's too true ;" and fell into such
a seeming passion, that Mr Bruce was forced to endeavour to com
pose him, lest the corapany in the other room should hear hira. I

1 54 wodrow's life op bruce.
cannot possibly reraeraber the tirae when this happened; but I
think ray inforraer said it was at the King's first meeting with Mr
Bruce after August 5.
The same person told another account of Mr Bruce's freedom
Avith the King. One day he was preaching before his Majesty at
Edinburgh, and the King was sitting in his own seat, with several
of the nobUity waiting on him. The King had a custom very
frequently of talking with those about hira in tirae of serraon. This
he fell into that day. Mr Bruce soon noticed it, and stopped, up
on Avhich the King gave over. The Elng fell a talking to those
next him a second time, and Mr Bruce stopped a second time, and
if I reraeraber, sat down in his seat. When the King noticed this
he gave over, and Mr Bruce Avent on In his subject. A third time
the King fell a taUdng. Mr Bruce was very much grieved that
the King should continue in this practice, after the modest reproofs
he had already upon the matter given him ; and so a third tirae he
stopped, and directing himself to the King, he expressed hiraself to
this purpose : " It's said to have been an expression of the wisest of
kings, (I suppose he raeaned an apocryphal saying of Solomon's,)
When the lion roareth, all the beasts of the field are at ease ; the
Lion of the Tribe of Judah is now roaring, in the voice of his Gospel,
and it becomes all the petty kings of the earth to be silent."
HE is the instrument OF MR HENDERSON'S CONVERSION.
Mr Bruce was one of the most poAverful and authoritative
preachers of his age, and though, as to his voice, he was not a
Boanarges, yet being, as Mr Fleming observes, of a slow and grave
deUvery, he spake as becometh the oracles of God, with great
authority, composure, and weight, and many of the most stout
hearted of his hearers were made to tremble, the secrets of their
hearts were made manifest, and multitudes of his hearers went
away with undeniable proofs of Christ speaking in him, and that
God was Avith him of a truth. His success, as Mr Calderwood, we
liave seen, remarks, was very great ; many thousands Avere gained to
Christ by his labours. I shall only give one instance ; and I may

AVODROW's LIFE OF BRUCE. 155
say it was one of the greatest fishes caught in his net, and that was
the excellent Mr Alexander Henderson, of whom Mr Fleraing
gives the foUowing accoimt : —
Mr Henderson, at his first entry into the parish of Leuchars, was
highly Episcopal in his opinion, and brought in by the Bishop of
St Andrews against the consent of the parish ; so that upon the
day appointed for his adralssion the people shut the church doors,
and his admitters were obliged to break up a window, and that
way to procure him entrance. A little after his settlement there,
which was before the pretended Asserably at Perth, where Mr
Henderson was named to be one of the ministers of Edinburgh,
— but this faUing in, which I ara to narrate, I iraagine, stopped his
settlement there, — ^Mr Henderson having heard Mr Bruce was to
be at a communion at some distance from Leuchars, was very de
sirous to hear him preach, and went to the place, where few knew
him, and placed himself in a corner of the church where nobody
should notice him. When Mr Bruce entered the pulpit, and rose
up to preach, as his custora was, he stood silent for some minutes,
which astonished Mr Henderson a little ; but he Avas yet much
more moved by the first words he uttered, which Avere those of our
Lord: "He that cometh not in by the door, but climbeth up
another way, the sarae is a thief and a robber," which words Avere
powerfully sent home upon his conscience, and, by the blessing of
God, as he afterwards owned, were the instrument of his first
conversion. HIS EXPRESSION A LITTLE BEFORE AND AT HIS DEATH.
The sarae writer acquaints us with two other passages concern
ing Mr Bruce some time before his death. He was much confined
to his house by age and infirmity ; there he was much visited by
his Christian friends and brethren. One of thera asked him,
" How matters stood betwixt God and his soul, under his frailty
and bodily decays ?" Mr Bruce answered him, " When I was a
young man I was diUgent, and lived by faith in the Son of God ;

156 AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE.
but now I am old, and not able to do so much ; yet he condescends
to feed me with lumps of sense."
That morning before the Lord caUed him to his rest in a Acry
easy raanner, for he had little sickness or pain, but a Aveakness
through age, he came to breakfast at his table. After he had
eaten, as his use Avas, a single egg, he said to his daughter, " I
think I am yet hungry ; you may bring me another egg," and In
stantly fell silent ; and after having mused a little, he said,
" Hold, daughter, hold ; my Master caUeth me." With these
Avords, his sight faded him, and he called for the Bible, as has been
noticed ; but finding he was not able to read, he said, " Cast me
up the eighth chapter to the Eomans, verse 28 to 39," rauch of
Avhich he repeated, particularly, "I ara persuaded that neither life
nor death shaU be able to separate me from the love of God, which
is in Christ Jesus my Lord,'' and caused put his finger upon them ;
Avhich Avas done. "Now," said he, "is my finger upon them?"
They told him it Avas. Then he said, " God be with you my
children. I have breakfasted with you, and shall sup with my
Lord Jesus Christ this night," and straight gave up the ghost,
Avithout one groan or shiver. Thus this great champion for the
truth, and the croAvn and interest of his Master, who knew not
Avhat it Avas to be afraid of the face of man, Avas taken off" the field
as more than a conqueror, and had an abundant entrance admini
stered to him into the everlasting kingdom of his Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ.
It remains only noAV that I give some hints of the Avorks he hath
left behind him, Avhich I shall give In the Avords of the pious,
learned, and dUigent coUector of our Scots writers, the Eev. Mr
Laurence Charters, since I have none of Mr Bruce's books at
present by me. "Mr Eobert Bruce, minister at Edinburgh, a
preacher of great reputation. He published —
'Five Sermons anent the Lord's Supper,' 8vo, 1590.
' Some other Sermons,' 8vo, Edin. 1591.
'The Way to True Peace and Eest,' 8vo, Edin. 1612.'
' This is just the English translation of the two preceding, and was published not
at Edinburgh, but London.

AVODROAV's LIFE OP BRUCE. 157
He was in his old age silenced, and often confined to several
places." I shaU end this account of Mr Bruce, which he that shall be so
happy as to faU upon his own Diary and Letters, if they yet re
main, raay enlarge, with advantages I wanted, Avith a short copy
of verses Mr John Bell, minister at GlasgOAV, sent to Mr Bruce,
1588, with a copy of handsome Latin A^erses upon the scattering of
the Spanish Armada, printed In " Bell's Eoma Eestituta."
Clarisslmo viro Eoberto Brussio Edinburgensis
Eccleslse pastori.
Lux optata diu, vix expectata, piorum
Solaraen, secli gloria rara tui.
TUustris proavis, pietate illustrlor, ingens
Presulis atigusti munere cur a Dei.
Accipe tincta licet nuUo sale carmina, tantis
Intento rebus, si tibi forte vacat.
Auribus Ula tuis, non seqtie digna videri
Possunt, ac anirao res placet ipsa raeo.
At tibi, qui me jungit amor, fore grata legenti
Spondet, et auspiclis uberiora tuis.
Joannes Bellus.
his children.
I am inforraed Mr Bruce left several children behind hira, but
had little corafort In them. He had a daughter, who was a great
grief to hira, and a son, who fell in with Prelacy. But of this last
my Informer Is not certain.

APPENDIX

LIFE OF MR ROBERT BRUCE,

REV. ROBERT WODROW.

APPENDIX TO
WODROW'S LIFE OF BRUCE.
No. I.
CHANCELLOR MAITLAND'S LETTERS TO BRUCE.
Vide Life, p. 20 and 21.
1.
To my loving Brother, Mr Eobert Brace, Minister of Christ's
Evangel at Edinburgh.
Brother, — ^By your letter of the 28th of November, delivered
to me the 4th of January, (whereof I thank you most heartily,) I
understand what was then the estate of that realm, more quiet than
there was appearance at his Majesty's departure, which Is chiefiy
to be imputed to the mercy of God ; as also, all men standing
upon their OAvn guard, leaning to no other protection, the practice
of busy men tending to incompatible ends, and your own travels
In composing dIflFerences, and watchful eye, and pains taken to ob
viate too factious persons, has been no smaU occasion of quietness,
in hoc quasi interregna. Ye have been occupied, beside your ordi
nary charge, to keep aU things in good frarae there, whereof his
Majesty has understood by divers raeans, and so conceives of you
as one in that realm most careful of him and of his estate, as ye
wiU more amply understand by his own letter. My chief care was
to persuade his Majesty's returning before the closing of the seas,
which I could not obtain (for such occasion as, I doubt not, ye
I

162 APPENDIX Tl/
have knoAvn ere now) by such as were directed from us since thai
tirae. I ara holden, perplexed, and encumbered to conserve hi,-
Majesty's tocher, which moved me chiefly to be so far opposite in
opinion to his Majesty and others here, and to withstand the re
solution taken for his repairing from Norway to Denmark, fore
seeing (besides the cumber and cost to these countries, and their
Majesties' travel in so longsome a journey) Avhat occasion of ex
penses he should have in a foreign part in the eyes of strangers,
where dlAcrs Dukes of Germany used to repair, Avhose company,
example, and honour of his rank and name above theirs, should put
him to exorbitant charges ; as also, intervicAv of princes produces,
not oft the expected fruit, but breeds rather emulation than in
crease of amity or good intelligence ; and here Ave are further from
home, and must have a more longsome public and perilous voyage
in our returning than Ave might have had out of Norway, Avhicli Is
little above three days' sailing from Scotland.
Although my arguraent and opposition were not effectual to stay
the journey, yet I hope to get the raost part of the tocher preserved,
Avhich will not be without great trouble and difficulty. To save the
Avhole will be impossible, in respect of our slender provision ; and
honour and necessity being so urgent, the next remedy is to haste
his Majesty's returning, wherein I shall be an earnest solicitor, and
have already dealt with them of chiefest authority here, who have
already given command to begin to prepare the navies. It is looked
for here that some ships sliaU be directed from Scotland with the
first commodity, with thfi most expert mariners and skilful pilots,
to conduct this navy, specially into the Scotlsh waters, where
these men lean not greatly to their own experience. If such had
been in the fleet the last year, his Majesty would not have needed
to have enterprised this voyage. They are, indeed, necessary, and
would serve to great purpose if they might conveniently be had.
His Majesty's diet will not be divulged, and no certain day
fixed to his loosing ; and he intends, in aU events, to be first Avarn-
ed. I hope in God his arrival there Avill be sooner nor is ex
pected ; and if any busy brains be set on work, their practices

wodrow's life op BRUCE. 163
shall be prevented, and they surprised unawares. We hear from
Germany many of the princes there are weU aflPected to the same
truth, and that many of them agree fuUy Avith us in reUgion.
There is good hope of reformation in many of their estates, if It
were wisely traveUed ; as also, that they would gladly yield to a
contra league to occur to that antlchristlan one which threateneth
all Europe. We are arch to meddle deeply therein, fearing to irri
tate the jealousy of our neighbours, who would misconstrue aU our
procedure therein if we should deal without their privity ; yet
raoyen should be raade to prepare the minds of such as Ave raay
move, attending the concurrence, or, rather, the motion of England
to that purpose.
The Dukes of Magdeburgh and Brunswick are shortly to be here,
when the marriage of the eldest sister should have been accom
plished ; but, for ray oavu part, I thought it was not raeet for his
Majesty that it should be celebrated during the tirae of his Ma
jesty's residence here for raany considerations. It is indirectly
gotten delayed tUl Sunday after Whitsunday. As we raay have com
modity of bearers, ye shaU be advertised of our proceedings and
occurrences here. My wife has advertised me what aid and cora
fort she has of you ; wherefore, I cannot forbear to give you raost
hearty thanks. I have written to the Clerk of Eegister, and others,
to further the plat; Avhich is the thing in that realm I most affect.
I know ye wiU both be a promoter and careful solicitor thereof.
His Majesty has not only promised, but solemnly vowed a frugality
at his returning, whereof he has good example here on all estates,
especially the Queen, his mother-in-law, whom her daughter, our
mistress, is like enough to imitate, and wUl not be found prodigal,
but rather inclining to the contrary. So I have the better esperance
vows shaU be performed, whereof there is already some beginning.
I shaU, by God's grace, observe your counsel, and not deceive your
opinion ; whereof I remit to tirae and occasion to give full testi
monies. In the meanwhUe, after my heartiest commendations to
yourself and the remnant brethren there, I wish you in Christ

164 APPENDIX TO
Jesus that which ye raost desire, who must preserve you eter-
naUy. From the Castie, Cronburgh, the 12th February 1589.
It is believed assuredly here the Queen has conceived. God of
his mercy bless us with a godly young Prince, to his glory and the
settling of our estate. If so be, we wUl think our travels weU be
stowed. Yours always as his own, Jo. Maitland.
2.
To my special loving Friend, Mr Eobert Bruce, Minister of
Christ's Evangel at Edinburgh.
I am glad to understand, by your letter, how God has miracu
lously preserved that realm in quietness, by the expectation of all
men, which, as I wish God to" continue, so doubt I not seditious
Papists and popish-affected Atheists will busily travail to disturb ;
we hear some ruraours of their practices, and the late Spanish bark
discovered the dissiraulated hypocrisy of sorae. His Majesty takes
very hardly the enlarging of the Scotlsh pUot and Spaniards, and In
tended dismissing of that bark and her equipage, and Avrote horae to
restrain thera, and try them by all means, as weU torture as other
examination, for he understands there is more in that errand nor Is
confessed. I hear the band of the Bridge of Dee begins to revive,
AvhIch, if my advice had been so followed, and our own feUowship
had not countenanced and dealt for them, and obtained their ap
pointment in my absence, should not have had the influence and
power to have uttered their evil will, as I hear they would if they
durst ; and yet, would we soundly concur among ourselves, their luck
will be no better this year nor former years. His Majesty con
tinues of as constant and forward disposition as can be Avished ;
whereof, by God's grace, I hope to see him give, within short tirae,

wodrow's LIFE OP BRUCE. 165
effectual demonstration. As to me, although to cover their treasons,
they seem to take them particularly to ray part, yet, I thank God,
tirae and their behaviour hath detected their designs. The more they
fret, the less I fear ; the more they threaten, the more earnest shall
I be to prosecute and advance the cause and course we had in hand,
for promoting whereof I shaU neither spare my credit, hazard of life,
nor whatsomever God shaU put in my hand, without fainting or
sAverving from whatsomever present respect, or future event, or
looking for truth or gcod-wiU of faithless enemies to God, their
prince and country.
I shaU not leave oflF to urge, with aU instance, his Majesty's
return, which, as I wish to be hasty and prosperous, so shall I
press it to my bitterness. The only stay I fear is the attending
upon sorae ships from Scotland, without whose conduct the princes
and state wUl be loath to hazard their Majesty to skUl of any
here, who are not weU acquainted with our coast and waters. If
they be not directed away, I pray deal with aU instance to hasten
them, that we linger not here for lack of convoy. I hear a
great part of the envy was wont to lie on me, is derived on you.
I shall do what I can to hasten me home to sustain ray part, lest
ye be overcharged. I know since our departure you sustain a
great burthen ; but I doubt not but God shaU strengthen you, and
make you able, both in spirit and body, to sustain it, it being chief
ly for his cause. I am glad my Lord Hamilton has carried himself
so discreetly, and would wish that men who count themselves more
stayed should gh^e proof of the like constancy. Because letters re
ply not, but would be foUowed with dUIgent agents, I have ad
vised his Majesty to send home the Laird of Carmichael, a man
well affected in religion and course, to irapart his mind and direc
tions to noblemen and counsel there, yourself, the toAvn of Edin
burgh and others, by your advice, whom I have wUled to commu
nicate unto them my mind and opinion in all things, and to use
your direction in such things as ye shall think convenient for the
establishing of religion, the quietness of that state, and his Highness'
service. So, remitting aU things to his declaration, after my hearti-

166 APPENDIX TO
est commendation, I commit you from ray lieart to God's holy pro
tection. Frora Elsinore, the 7th day of AprU 1590.
Yours always as his own,
John Maitland.
I cannot forbear to give you hearty thanks for the comfort, good
advice, and assistance, given to my wife In my absence ; Avhich I
shall do my best endeavour to acquit as thankfully as God shall
give rae the Influence. No. II.
APOLOGY FOR HIS FLIGHT,
with prefatory letter addressed to the brethren.
Vide Life, p. 57-
PREFATORY LETTER.
Increase of all spiritual strength and wisdom, together with
the practice of holy obedience, be multiplied unto you.
Notwithstanding, brethren, that it stood us greatly in hand to
have obviated the foul slanders and odious calumnies given out
against us, by some public answer long ere now ; yet we stiU fore-
bore, hoping this way to reclaim our enemy, and to raise in him
some bowels of pity and compassion of our estate ; partly fearing
also his Majesty's further irritation. We sent some grounds and
scroUs secretly, for satisfaction of om- friends, but with express com
mand, that they should [not ?] see the Ught, nor come in public,
except there were no hope of recovery in them ; yet, we cannot teU
how it cometh to pass, these scroUs feU into the President's hand ;
he incenseth his Majesty, and moveth him to a farther choler by
thera, so that now we are forced to alter our purpose, and suffer
these things come forth, which other ways gladly we would have
buried for ever, and give our pen now sorae further liberty nor
otherwise avc thought to have done. He that fears God Avill

WODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 167
excuse us; for their desperate maUce forceth us to break our
silence, and clear our innocency after a sharper manner nor Ave
intended. Gladly would we have keeped peace in God with aU
men, especially them Avhom his Majesty so far honoured, and
placed in so high rooms, if they could have keeped any hoe or
measure in their crooked course. There was no untruth in those .
scroUs, nor no such thing as could justly irritate any raan. We
purposely abstained from all bitter speeches, from aU doubtsorae
and uncertain bruits. In this answer we keep the substance of the
scroUs ; but we eke and pair as Ave see most expedient.
This grieveth us most of all, that his Majesty should take these
things as spoken to hira, and misconstrue our good meaning. We
hear that his Majesty took offence chiefly at two things contained in
these scrolls. In this Apology we have left out both ; and if we knew
that [there] were any other thing herein that might offend his Ma
jesty, Ave shotdd gladly abstain therefrom ; such reverent affection
Ave always bear to his Majesty's honour. And suppose we be now
so straitened that we are forced to seek our corafort under the
feet of strangers, araong such godly and learned men as tender us
in God, where our report would be both trusted and reverenced,
Ave know kings have long ears ; let his Majesty backspear us as his
Majesty pleaseth ; if his Majesty shall not find that we have kept an
honest and loving duty, with all reverent estimation of him, we are
content that his Majesty withdraw his countenance and authorit}'-
from assisting so raany proud and furious adversaries, against so
few poor and siraple raen, that have fighting enough at horae in
their private and domestic state, pinched with poverty, and with
Avant of all outward things, suppose they were not oppressed and
assaUed with so many wolves and vultures, without all help or re
fuge in the earth. For therein consisteth, especially, the honour of
princes to pity the miserable, to reUeve the oppressed, to rescue the
wrongs of the poor, to tender and to respect the weaker part, espe
ciaUy In keeping a good conscience where right and truth standeth
Avith them, this should redound to the imraortal renown of his Ma
jesty's princely estate to all posterity. We know what they pretend,
; nd how they insinuate theraselves in his Majesty's affection ; that

168 APPENDLS TO
it is for his honour, and for the privileges of his crown, that they
strive. We remember to have often heard of his Majesty's own
mouth, that he craved no fiirther honour and jurisdiction nor is
due to hira by the Word of God. If it may be found by the ad
vice of holy and learned raen, Avithin or Avithout the country, that
we have withdrawn any part or parcel of that honour from his Ma
jesty, Ave are not only content to confess our fault publicly, but
also underly such civil punishment as his Majesty pleaseth to
impose ; for we are bound in conscience to give his Majesty aU
honour and reverence, to obey aU his laws and commandraents, so
far as they agree with the Word of God, under the pain of dam
nation ; as his Majesty, on the other part, is bound to receive and
believe our doctrine that are sent unto hira, under the same pain,
so far as it agreeth with the Word of God.
Now, the question faileth in, Avhether our doctrine or prayers agree
with the Word or not ? This question must be tryed, offeree, by the
Word ; the Word is the touchstone that must decide the raatter.
Now, who has the keeping of this touchstone ? Apparentlyt hey
must first judge and control this doctrine. If his Majesty please to
corae doAvn, and condescend in particular, Avhat he would have asked
of us in doctrine, and foreborne, we shaU give his Majesty present
and ready answer ; but under a general, under the colour of the
naraes of sedition and treason, to discharge the rebuking of sin, we
are assured his Majesty will never think it reasonable. If we speak
by guess of any man without a warrant ; if we make things public
that are privy in theraselves ; and if we, in Avord or deed, seek his
Majesty's dishonour before his people, we have noimraunity by the
pulpit, we are content to be punished to the exaraple of others,
for we are not in that error as sorae esteera of us, as to think that
our life is either immeasurable or uncontrollable. The gifts and
graces of God's Spirit were only Avithout, and beyond all measure,
in our Head and Saviour Christ, in respect he was God. Also, he
behoved to be above aU, and subject to the controhnent of none.
We have them in a small measure, according to the measure of his
donation, and the measure which we have received is so far from a
perfection, that we have mister to see the thing, that we see daUy

WODROAV'S LIFE OF BRUCE. 169
tetter and better. Yea, we are so far frora vindicating a perfection
in anything, that we acknowledge om- best things to be raised with
imperfection. We claim no perfection, but a good conscience In aU
things ; only let us play the part of faithful watchmen, to give
timeous warning, to reprove public and known sins, and that only
toh e end that our people admit no contagion, and the sinner
may be severed from his sin. If it be possible.
For this last point touching the charge, that is both inevitable and
indispensable ; for we are expressly discharged to coramunicate with
any man's sins, of what caUing and rank soever he be, except we
AvUl wUfuUy involve ourselves In his guUt and punishment also. If
it be a reforraatlon according to the Word that they seek, we will
not only join the right-hand of fellowship with them, if they please,
but we will also yield to it in aU humUity. If, otherways, it be a
plat overthrow, as weU of the true and free worship of God, esta
blished in the Word and by the late Act of Parliament, (suppose it
be a custom with us, that dispensations with acts should be better
favoured than the acts themselves, yet, in aU other nations it ia
counted a great indignity,) as also of our persons, his Majesty wiU
give us leave to resist as God shall furnish us grace ; and we crave
no further but that his Majesty wIU hear us without prejudice, and
judge thereafter as the cause meriteth, and as we have deserved at
his Majesty's hand. We take us not to his Majesty, neither to the
nobiUty of Scotland, neither yet to the barons and gentlemen,
neither yet to any old councillor ; we take us only to the
Sessloners. These are th% raen that have raised this tempest,
and puUed down this storm upon us ; against them Ave speak,
of them we mean, and to them we turn our pen. We cannot
crave the overthrow of our discipUne and liberty, the persecution
of our persons, the trouble of the kirk, the division of the whole
country Avhich is like to ensue, at no raan's hands else, save at
theirs only. It may be they have had (as it is very likely) many
other compUces in the work, yet none took it upon so particularly,
drew the draught, nor laid the plat, but these four.
The President is the ringleader in this work, the accuser of the

170 APPENDIX TO
brethren, the urger of their trouble ; looking, no doubt, for the office
of Chancellor by these means. Against these, some of them at least,
the Kirk was minded to have used their censures, and to have ap
plied the last raedicinable censure ; nor they would not incur the
offence of his Majesty. We spared thera, but they have not spared
us ; so It is against them that we have to do. We crave aU that
fear God to mark them, and to mark the course of God's judg
ments foUowing them. For, if they be not spectacles of the Lord's
wrath, except they prevent it, by speedy and' unfalned turning his
further fury, there were never men in this earth. They could not
choice a more proper subject to exercise of their ingine, and to
essay their craft on, nor us. They have leaped the Avail where
they thought it Aveakest. We are weak, indeed, yea, just right
nought — the very refuse and offscourings of this world ; yet our
hope Is In the name of the Lord that made the heaven and the
earth. Ye have not learned Anna's song, as appears. She sings
that no man shall be strong in his oavu strength ; and the Apostle
bids us be strong In the Lord, and in the power of his might.
We AviUingly rejoice in our infirmities, that the power of Christ
may dwell in us. When we are weakest, then are we strongest. He
caUeth those things that are not, and, by calling, he maketh them
to be. Suppose Ave be weak, he that is  and liveth in us, is
not weak. There is a power in him passing the power of raan,
passing the power of kings, passing the power of angels ; yea,
passing the power of all the creatures together. By the silly nets
of poor fishermen he drew in the pride of the Avorld, and made
thera die AviUingly for their beUefs, and for believing what, I
pray you ? even of things contrary to the laws of the world, and to
the will of raan, namely, that this Jesus Christ crucified is God ;
and that [it] is a bUssful thing to endure all sort of trouble for his
sake. Ye know not, as appears, whence we are, nor whither we o-o ;
ye might have known us, by our Avalking these years bygone, that
we Avere of another generation than ye ai-e. We profess ourselves
to be the successors of them who, through faith, subdued kingdoms
quenched the violence [of J fire, escaped the edge of the sword of

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 171
weak were made strong ; Avho Avere tried by raockings and slanders,
by bonds abd imprisonments, of whom the world was not worthy ;
Avho, through their faith, obtained a good report. Ye shaU find it
is with him ye have to do, and not Avith feeble flesh. It is a fearful
thing to faU in the hands of a consuming fire.
But, brethren, it is our sins that have promoved these raen, and
have enarraed them, and set them on work against us. If godly
King Josiah, when he heard the Book of the Law read, and com
pared the age of his forefathers Avith the present state of the king
dora, rent his clothes for the horror of the judgments tbat he heard
denounced in the law — If the Prophet Jeremiah in his time, so soon
after Josiah's death, when defection began but to break out, and the
whole land to decline from the ancient ways of the Lord, upon the
consideration of God's fearful judgments to ensue, brake forth into
such deep and fearful laraentation that he wished to himself a cottage
in the AvUderness, where he might remain, never to return to the land,
to behold either the enormities present, or the calamities to come,
but there continually to lament, and shed forth abundance of tears
for the wrath and desolation that was to faU upon It, wishing his
head a fountain of tears, and his eyes as buckets thereto — what oc
casion of lamentation and sorrow have we in these most dangerous,
yea, almost desperate days, wherein ungodliness and unrighteous
ness, that were wont of before to round and whisper in the ear, to
cover the face for shame, is grown now so pert and Impudent, that
she dare step up to the market-cross and draw the mask, set out
her shameless forehead, and spew out of a foul mouth vUe blas
phemies against God and his servants ? What heart would not
break and melt to behold the estate of that country ; the breach
whereof Is like the ocean sea, wherein the best raen, as would ap
pear, are content to be blinded, wink with their eyes, stop then-
ears, turn away their shoulder, lest they should hear the cries of the
daughter of Zion. Behold her b-Ood and wounds ; lout down and
help her. There is none that caUeth upon God, yea, there is not one
that stirreth up hiraself (as the prophet speaketh) to take hold on
God.

1 72 APPENDIX TO
Seeing matters go so hardly, brethren, Avhat resteth, then, for
us to do, but that we should press to raake our right use of all these
things ? And, first of aU, let us labour our own hearts to bring them
to a true sense and feeling of sin, to waken thera out of the cradle
of security, Avherein the sinners of this age are so lulled in sleep,
that the raost part go laughing to heU. Let us strive in prayer to
bring ourselves to a taste of a groaning and broken spirit. Let us
fetch our sighs frora the very deep and bottora of our souls ; and
let us practise the Christian virtues which we have been preaching
unto others, to wit, repentance, faith and hope, love, patience,
sanctification ; whereby we may glorify our God, edify our flocks,
give good example to strangers, and keep joy in our own souls,
with assurance that we shall see his face in glory. If we shaU sanc
tify and prepare ourselves this way, there is no doubt but our de
liverance in mercy shaU shortly foUow. But, in respect this prepara^
tion is not in ourselves, to shake it out when we please, let us crave it
of God. He has promised to give both by his Prophet Zechariah,
in the 12th chapter, 10th verse — " I will pour out," saith he, " upon
the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of
grace and suppUcations." There the preparation ; and, immediately
on the back of this preparation, in the beginning of the 13th chap
ter, he promises, " There shall be a fountain opened to the house of
David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for unclean
ness." There the delivery. If Ave be prepared in mercy, we must
be delivered in mercy. Let us, therefore, urge the Lord with his
promise, that in this great security, and want of all outward things,
we be not also pinched inwardly, for lack of SAveet and" saving
health to our withered souls ; he is bountiful, and full of corapas-
sion. Pray for us, brethren, in spirit, that we make our Christ our
joy, our gain, our glory ; and there is none able to fill our heart,
and satiate our affection in these three but he. To him be praise,
glory, and dominion, for ever and ever.
From the mountain of the Lord's Providence, who Is our only
secret place at this time.

wodrow's LIFE OF BRUCE. 173
APOLOGY.'
2 Peter iii. v. 17. — " BeAvare lest ye be plucked Avith the error of the
Avicked,and faU from your stedfastness." Philem.v. 22. — "Through
your prayers we trust to be given again unto you."
The cross of Christ is never free of the caluinnies of the Avicked ;
and it is Satan's craft to sow lies always of the Lord's servants, but
especially under their persecutions, that so the holiness of the cause
for which they suflFer raay be obscured, and the glory of their suf
ferings raay quite be extinguished. This was his dealing with our
Lordand Master in the days of his huraility. The Apostles in their
tirae, and the raartyrs of the priraitive kirk, proved the sarae.
WTierefore, we have not to count It a strange thing that this way
our innocency is traduced, and that while we suffer for the good
cause of God, we are by many condemned as malefactors. In aU
these reproaches which I hear to be given out against us, though
the testimony of a good conscience uphold us, yet, moved by many
reasons, I have thought raeet to declare, by way of apology, our
innocency in aU these criraes of treason and sedition wherewith we
are so falsely charged ; and set down the just and lawful warrants
of our present eschewing, which, being considered, wiU satisfy, I ara
assured, every man that standeth in doubt of either of these. Such
as have set tliemselves raaliclously against us, the good cause, and
kirk of God, avc rerait to that Eighteous Judge, that shall revenge
himself with power, and, ere it be long, reward them according to
their works. history OF THE BROIL, DECEMBER 17, 1596.
Then, I wiU first repeat the history of that broil, as it feU
out on Friday, the 17th of December, and, by the true narra-
1 Calderwood, in his printed History, (p. 369,) introduces this Apology with the
statement, that it is given " conform to that copy which was written by Mr John Spot-
tiswoode, afterwards Bishop of St Andrews, his own hand, for he would seem so frank
in the cause, that he would needs write it with his own hand, and give it a sharper
edge."

] 74 APPENDIX TO
tion thereof, discover the falsehood of these calumnies, Avhicli part
ly are contained in these proclaimed libels, and partly are given
out by them in their councUs and other meetings against us. The
truth is, that the said day, immediately after doctrine, certain noble
men and barons, by our desire, convened themselves in the East
Kirk, Avhere Ave Imparted to them our state, and made thera privy
to our griefs ; for Ave thought raeet to stir their affections after
this sort, that, with the greater Instance, they might intercede
at his Majesty's hand, and purchase, by their credit, that which
we could in no Avise obtain by all our doleances given from time to
time. I Avas chosen mouth in that meeting ; and I refer me herein to all
that Avere present (and they Avere many famous men) if my speeches
tended to any other scope save this only. With one consent, the
Lords LIndsey, Forbes, the Lairds of Bargenie and Blairquhan, Avere
nominated ; and I, by the brethren, Avas desired to go with them
and propone the raatter to his Majesty. We were of mind to have
gone doAvn to the Abbey, but, hearing his Majesty was in the Tol
booth, we turned our course that way, we found his Majesty in the
Upper House, and spoke to him in these terms,- so near as I can
reraeraber : — " Sir," said I, " the barons, brethren, and gentlemen,
apprehending the danger to religion, in this dealing against the mi
nistry, and true professors thereof, have directed some of our num
ber to your Majesty." " What danger see ye ?" says the King.
" Under communing," said I, " our best affected people, that ten
der God's glory and religion most, are charged off the town. The
Lady Huntly, wife to the apostate, is entertained at court; and
we have great suspicions that her husband is not far off. AU
these indicate oui- dangers." " What have ye to do with that?"
says his Majesty; and with this he departed, pressed, as appeared
to us, by thera and others about him. So we communicated our
answer to the brethren in this sort : — We went to his Majesty, as
ye desired us, but are not well accepted, nor yet our griefs re
ceived ; and so we have to consider what is next to be done.
It was thought meet to reserve the grieves to a better time, and,

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 175
in the raeaiiAvhile, to knit up a covenant with the Lord, to stand to
our profession, and the defence of the good cause, to the last breath.
Thereunto all agreed, testifying the same by holding up of their
hands. There Avas a great applauding of aU the raultltude that was
in the kirk hereto ; but I besought them for sUence, and to behave
theraselves quietly, for the regard they had to the good cause. They
keeped peace ; and, while we are proceeding, a cry coraes off the
street with these words : — " Save yourselves ; a tumult is In the
gate." There goes another cry through the street — " Arm !
a"m !" The people, marveUing what the matter might be, leaped
to the gate, thinking there had been a fight amongst parties. The
greater number of honest burgesses being in their houses, sent to in
quire the matter. They hear that we are invaded, and the cry
Avent that the ministers are slain : whereupon they run out in
haste Avith their arms. The barons and gentlemen that Avere in
the kirk get up and do me the courtesy to put rae in my lodging,
and then they retire to their own ; being rainded, after they should
know Avhat the matter meant, to return to the kirkyard, for they
also feared our iuvaslon. I remained a whUe in my house ; sorae
of my brethren passed to the street to behold the manner, and
incontinent returned. They sent for me ; and by this were the
barons and gentleraen come back to the kirkyard. They show
that there was araong the people a great disorder, but it was a
false alarra ; for no man could perceive the cause of the fray.
We lamented It heavUy, and sent . for some of the magistrates ;
requiring them to pacify the people, as they promised to do.
The Lord Mar, and some with hlin, came from his Majesty, with
very fair and gracious speeches as we could have wished. Af
ter which we go to the East Kirk, and being quietly set, we direct
the sarae commissioners for the most part that went before, to shoAv
his Majesty that the tumult grieved us very sore, and to beseech
him for some substantious reraeed to aU these evils. His Majesty
accepteth our desire in very good part, and AviUeth us to propone
our petitions in writing to the Council at afternoon, promiseth
a reasonable ansAver to them all ; and, farther, to certify us all of
his Majesty's affection to religion and the preachers thereof, the

176 APPENDIX TO
Lord ColoneU, the Lairds of Traquair and Cessfurd, are sent from
his Majesty, Avho put us in expectation that all matters should be
fuUy pacifled; then we dissolve with a singular contentment of
heart, giving pubUc thanks to our God, Avho by his Providence had
so Avell disposed of all things that day, as no raan received any harm,
and the people had so quietly, at the voice of the magistrates, re
tired to their houses.
This is the true history of all that which passed amongst us
that forenoon. INlany beheld It ; and if I feigned anything, I
might be called an impudent man. Let the libel published
against us be examined according hereto, and ye shaU perceive it
patched of a number of manifest untruths. It confounds these
tilings that In themselves are disjoined in place, persons, and
tirae, for the tumult was long after the raeeting of the barons.
The turault was in the street, and the raeeting was in the East
Kirk. The raeeting stood of lords and barons in a sraall num
ber. I'he tumult Avas of the mean people in great nuraber.
To say the turault was the birth of the raeeting, I cannot see in
what probability it can be affirraed ; for the flrst raeeting was lawfully
warranted by the Word of God, by the laws of the realm, and such
a meeting as we had been In use of all times before, especially
these last months ; for every day almost we had our meetings, and
therein whiles few, whiles more, gentlemen with us ; as that day,
by occasion, there was a greater concourse of the nobleraen than
had been any time before. Neither may they allege a discharge
of these meetings by that proclaraation, which Avas published the
27th of Noveraber last, seeing we have our conventions estab
lished by act of Parliaraent in the year 1592, to the which no act
of CouncU can derogate ; and, next, we have for this his Majesty's
coraraission, by advice of his estates, given to certain of the raini
stry In aU parts of the country, for calling and convening with the
earls, lords, barons, freeholders, gentlemen, inhabitants of the
burghs, and others his Majesty's lieges whatsomever, at whatsom
ever places and days they should think expedient, and to require
the confession of their faith, their oaths, and subscriptions hereto,
and to the general band, Avhich Avas devised for the maintenance

WODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 177
of the true religion, with a sufficient wai-rant for them to convene
for that effect ; which commission his Majesty and Estates ordained
to be put In print, as same was done, and yet is extant and undis
charged. Further, the proclamation of November last was inter
preted by another edict of declaring that the same extended no
further than to the unlaAvftd convocation of his Majesty's Ueges in
arms ; so, then, the first meeting is necessarUy good ; and a cause
that is necessarily good cannot Avork an evU effect. If the tumult
be the effect of this cause, it raust be good ; or if it be evil, as it
appears to be, they must derive it frora another fountain. Surely
It is against all ii-eason, to raake a connection of Avicked events with
good and honest beginnings ; and so to do has always been denied by
all good laws and constitutions. I remember Bald, in Concil. :
Cccix. cites these laws, — " Si mulier ff. et, I. W. ff. vi honor, rapt,
et, per ilia jura scrihit, SI aUqtii justo modo se congregaverint, Ucet
ex tali congregatione sequatur postea malum, non tenentur qui
eos congregaverunt ; quia satis est, quod initlum fuerit licitum
et ob bonam causam." That is to say. If there be any persons
that lawfully have convened themselves, howbeit aii evU fact
fall out upon their gathering; yet they are not to be counted
guUty that convened thera, because it is sufficient to them that the
beginning was lawful, and upon a reasonable cause. I am led, as
ye see, to expone the cause of our meetings, and to lay out our
grievances to the view of all good men, Avhich I hear our enemies do
laugh at ; esteeming there is no such danger as we aflSrm to be.
Therefore, consider what a great decay Is threatened to reUgion by
the apostate Lords their peaceable coraing Into the country ; and
though forfaulted by the laws, for their odious treason against their
native country, prince, and religion, yet offers and conditions are
made to them easier than they could have wished. The Lady Hunt
ly, a professed Papist, is in favour at court, and all their favourers
are in chief credit at the sarae. During their absence, they were
known to traffic with Pope and Spaniard for supply of men and
money ; and promise of supply was made them, how soon they should

178 APPENDIX TO
return to their country. AU this was raade manifest to his Majesty
and CouncU, by the letters intercepted at MarseUles, sent frora
Eorae by the arabassadors of Spain to their master. The doubles
whereof were sent horae by Colonel Murray this last suraraer to
his Majesty ; yet no regard was had to the said mteUigence, how
beit the same contained the plan and purpose of the enemy, for
the subversion of religion, the surprise of the Avhole country, by
the possession of all the parts between St Andrews and StirUng,
and the destruction of his Majesty's person. These perils have
have been concealed frora the Estates, not revealed in a lawful
convention ; no order taken for the Avithstanding thereof; but con
ventions have been keeped in their favour, and licence given them
to remain, whereby they have been emboldened to a continual nego
tiation since that time, and have made leagues and bands, and joined
to themselves many associates ; and where it had been necessary to
have pursued them with all rigour, and their cautioners, for coming
into the country without licence, in place thereof, a cruel pursuit
has been devised against some brethren of the ministry, for certain
speeches uttered by them in the pulpit three or four years since,
purposely to draw the jurisdiction of the Kirk in question, to stop
the mouths of pastors frora the free rebuke of sin in all persons
Indifferently, that the said traitors raight have better access to his
Majesty, and, under a colour of their peace, practise their treason
able atterapts, precogitated and concluded long of before. For this
have the coraraissioners of the General Asserably been discharged
to convene themselves in any sort. Proclamations have been
given out slanderous to the ministry, and hurtful to the Uberties
of the Gospel ; and the raore we complained, the worse we were
received. That he is blind that sees not the causes of our grief,
more than necessary to be insisted on. This is the first point of
the Ubel.
They aflftrra next, that we were the bounders out of the personal as-
sisters and applauders of the tumult. If we were the bounders, then,
I ask, who stayed it ? Who restrained the furies ? For the most
of the magistrates say they were incUned to us ; so we behoved

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 179
either to be quenchers of the fiame, or there were none to
quench it. And to say we were the personal assisters. Is not that
a vile calumny ? Did I go out of the kirk or kirk-yard ? Had I
any sort of armour ? Did not the brethren that went to the gate
go in their gowns ? Tended not aU their speeches to ends plat
contrary, namely, to the quieting of the commotion ? This is so
weU known, as the enemy may not deny It, be he never so mali
cious ; nay, certainly there was nothing more against our hearts.
For we saw well the advantage that the enemy would take by It,
to obscure the holiness of our cause, and irritate the Prince against
us; so all our care was to pacify the tumult. We report us to the
comraissioners that come from his Majesty, namely, the Provost of
Edinburgh, the Lairds of Traquair, the Lord ColoneU, the Laird
of Cessford, and my Lord Ochiltree, if all our answers tended not
to have his Majesty satisfied.
They are not asharaed to say that our drift was to offer vio
lence to his Majesty. I leave that as an absurd blasphemy,
unworthy to be answered. And I say. In the uprightness of
heart, I had rather quit my natural soil for ever, ere a drop of
blood of any of these councillors (hoAV great soever their malice
be against us) had been drawn that day, for we know well it should
have been laid upon us always. But praised be our God, that pro
vided otherwise. We sang this song the Sabbath after, and this
song we sing yet ; for it becoraes us to resemble the sheep of our
Master's seizure. Let the wolves and dogs that are without his
sheep-cot keep their natural, and satiate their lust as they are
wont to do. As for us, the Lord wUl provide in mercy. I speak
the truth, I lie not. The Lord bears record upon my conscience,
that, in sincerity of heart, I walked that day always studying to
have things pacified upon whatsomever conditions ; for I liked no
way the form of proceeding. And, therefore, I appeal the de
visers, penners, and allowers, of that detestable libel before the
High Tribunal, where no doubling shall be, and forging shall not
be accepted. And, O God ! raise thou in their hearts a tribunal ;
cite and accuse them, by their own consciences, that in the light

180 APPENDIX TO
thereof they raay see their iniquity, and In the force and fury thereof
they may feel the grief, the shame, the despair, the just torment
that useth to foUow such lying detractions. If our intention was
such as they have libelled, then let this working light on us ; but
If we be unjustly traduced, of thy mercy, and for thy glory sake,
clear our cause, as we confide graciously thou wUt.
MR bruce's letter TO THE LORD HAMILTON.
Now, we hear that a letter of ours, directed to the Lord Hamil
ton, and presented by him to his Majesty, is much aggredged ; if
it be ours, our subscriptions shall bear it ; if it be a copy. It raust
agree with the original, or else we are not to ansAver to it ; if it be
such a copy as we have seen, Ave protest it is altered so far that
our sense and meaning riseth not so clearly thereof as in the ori
ginal. In our letter, we craved no other thing but that he, with
the rest of the barons, as a chief nobleman and peer of this realm,
would intercede and employ his credit and Influence at his Majesty's
hands, to see, if It were possible, the Kirk restored to the freedom
she was Avont to have. If our letter had fallen In the hands of be
nign interpreters, we needed not to have feared the misconstruc
tion thereof; but Avhat is so well spoken that may not be thrawn
and perverted to a wrong sense ? Of all the fools in the world, we
had been the first, if we had meaned, as I hear It is taken, to set
hira in the chair before his Majesty ; we were better acquaint with
his weakness and faciUty nor so ; and surely we had made an ill
change. AVe promise you, if they file us in this point, they file most
innocent men ; for it carae never so much as in our mind, and shall
never come, through God's grace. We knew before his other Im
perfections, but now we have a proof of his maUce ; and, I think, he
that has dealt so untruly with the servants of God, shaU never be
true to any. I say, farther. Could we desire hira to any other end
nor we desired the barons ? We desired them to intercede only,
as they wUl testify themselves ; so we craved no more of him but
mediation. If there was any fault in that letter. It was in that I
framed my pen to his ambitious humour ; and yet, I trust, I passed

AVODROW's LIFE OF BRUCE. 181
not ray bounds, neither wrote I to hira any letter this long tirae
before; and I had not written this if he had not been a suitor
thereof; for sorae brethren, resident at his own kirk, show, that he
took in IU part, that was so overseen and neglected. They desired
to put him to a proof; and such a proof as this is AvUl serve for our
time. For myself, it Is weU knoAvn I neither spake nor wrote to
him these two years, for he hounded out his man, the parson of
Crawfordjohn, to seek my Uving indirectly ; and after he saw he
could not have it without my OAvn advice, he raoved the person to
stir up sorae of the brethren of the ministry against me, and came
in person, and stood up in the last General Assembly, holden at
Montrose, and opponed himself in my face, by word and writing
against me. Since that time I craved no favour of his Lordship,
and hoped for little ; neither has he disappointed rae of ray expec
tation that way. Then, wherefrora, I pray you, should this rauta-
tion proceed so suddenly to set hira up so high ? Surely, before
Huntly came home, I am of the opinion that no raan of ray caU
ing Avas farther in his Majesty's affection nor I ; and I ara per
suaded, if the Papists had not returned toward us, I had continued
so ; and Avhat has been ray part to his Majesty at all tiraes In pri
vate and pubUc, I report rae to sorae of his Council. I raight also
report rae to her Majesty : she can testify what was ray care and
solicitude for him ; but this letter,' say they, has discovered me to
be an hypocrite. None wUl say so who has any right sense ; but
I fear a short time will discover us both, and, alas ! with our great
loss ; yea, with an Irreparable loss. Alas ! that he should be so
far blinded to trample so fouUy on God's glory and us. The Lord
mitigate his judgments toward him which this doing portends.
Thus far for clearing my innocency, and to vindicate my mini
stry from these furaes and raists whereby they seek to obscure the
purity thereof, wishing all the faithfid to think charitably of us,
and to pity the cause of the Gospel, and pray with us for a ncAv
re-edifying of the spiritual work, which is so far overthrown in
this country.

182 APPENDIX TO

DEFENCE OP THE MINISTERS PLIGHT.
I go to the warrants of our flight, Avhereanent I avIU labour to
be short ; for I think no man will controvert this, that it is laAvful
to fly In time of persecution. Our Master gives us our Avarrant in
the 10th chapter of MattheAV, 23d verse, " When they persecute
you In one city, flee into another ;" in the 9th chapter of the Acts,
25th verse, the disciples laboured for Paul's escape at Damascus,
whUe he Avas pursued and sought for by Aretas, as is to be seen in
that history. The Fathers in the Primitive Kirk (as Athanasius,
Chrysostom, and Polycarp, Avho Avas after a martyr, their doings
prove) did esteem the same to be laAvful. Neither is flight always
an argument of fear and lack of courage. The Greek proverb, ai/?jj
6 (finiyuv vaXiv /jjay^riBirai : He that flees wIU flght again, requires a
wise foresight in men, and forbids fool-hardiness. It is natural to
fear death, and provide for life, and to be prodigal of the life which
God has given us, I see it noAvhere allowed. I account hira pro
digal of his life that lawfully may eschew a peril, and has the
means offered hira for eschewing, yet he neglects It ; and I call
that a lawful eschewing which agrees Avith the estate of our caU
ing, and fights not Avith the glory of God, the principal end of all
our actions. Now, the glory of God is sometimes more advanced
by the saving of his servants from the enemy's fiiry, than by
their exposing to the sarae. Our Master's many escapes before
the appointed time, and in the first persecutions of the Kirk the
faithfid AvithdraAving themselves to solitary places, makes this
manifest ; and it makes for the weal of the flock that the pastor in
dangerous times even hide himself; for whUe he Uves, there is
hope that the Avolves raay be scared by one raeans or other ; neither
is the pastor to be counted desertor gregis, qui deseritur a grege.
Then I shoAv, that, in our present flight, we have aU the causes
and respects foresaid, as warrants upon every one of thera, not sup
posed, but undoubtedly true. I think ye shaU be satisfied on this
point. So I have, first, to quaUfy our persecution ; and, next, to
give you the reasons of our choice, for proof of the persecution.

AA'ODROAV's LIFE OP BRUCE. 183
For proof of the persecution, I allege their proclaraatlons set
forth against the ministers these months last, wherein are con
tained a number of slanders and infamous reproaches laid to the
preachers of the Word ; as thereby, also, our meetings have been
discharged, and all assistance to be given us by barons, or others
whatsomever, has been forbidden. I may aUege, their mocks
and scoffing speeches uttered against the ministry in their coun
cUs, and other places, where it is marvel to think hoAV we are
traduced. Surely In this they go beyond Ishmael. I bring,
thirdly, the preparative past in the servant of God, Mr David
Black, Avho was challenged. In a raatter of doctrine, upon a spi
ritual subject, and howbeit he lawfuUy declined, and in every
point cleared hiraself sufficiently against that Ubel in form, as it was
libeUed, yet they found themselves judges, proceeded to his convic
tion, and commanded him to Avard. Now, I reason, if they urged
him after such a sort in a spiritual subject, in a matter of doctrine,
in a chaUenge, so weU cleared, what should we have looked for, being
charged upon a criminal point so highly aggravated, that carried
with it so many appearances in the eyes of iU-affected men ? And,
shall I omit that ridiculous interlocutor, whereby the councU usurps
the judgraent of doctrine, and application thereof, by which our
office Is in effect discharged ? Fourthly, They prejudice us in their
proclamation, on Saturday the 18th of December, manifesting their
cruel intention to us-ward, wherein they condemn us as raisers of
the tumult, though neither heard nor brought to our answer.
Fifthly, Consider the manner of the charges. They command our
flocks to apprehend us, AvhIch was to use us as open malefactors.
No man can take it otherwise ; they make the place of our ward the
Castle of Edinburgh, which to me was a suspicious ward, as all
men know. When this faUed, they charged us openly at the market-
cross to eorapear within three days after, to answer for the treason
able atterapt against his Majesty ; and before what judges ? Even
those that had showed theraselves our eneraies ever since the be
ginning of the troubles, and had broken the appointment that was
once fuUy agreed between his Majesty and us. I wiU not blarae
aU the council ; for some of that number, I doubt not, carry an

184 APPENDIX TO
honest heart to the good cause, his Majesty, and the common
wealth, and others amongst them desire quietness and peace to
the Kirk for the surety of their OAvn estates. I will not blame
these neither, lest I appear too sharp a censurer ; but of these men,
I mean that noAv bear chief sway, and are in greatest credit, Avbo*
are knoAvn to have a course direct against religion, and for this
have pressed to cast doAvn all our discipline, and are begun to in-
treat the rainisters of the gospel very hardly, is it meet, or was
it meet, that we shculd accept these men to be onr judges ? Last,
on this point, I inquire, if this be not Julian's persecution, to dis
charge the stipends of the ministry, except they subscribe a bond
devised by them for entrapping all the teachers, one by one, as
they see time. Then, it is manifest that there is a persecution.
For our choice, I allege, first, the testimony of a good conscience,
Avhich assures us that Ave liaA'e done the best for the tirae, and God
Is our witness we had only a respect to his glory and weal of
the cause, as feeble nature would suffer. What care we had also
of our flock, we remit that to their own testiml>ll^^ They know
Ave Avould not have forsaken them, even to the laying down of our
lives for them, if they Avould have stood for themselves and our
just defence ; but they conceived, as we saw, a hazard to thera
selves by our remaining. They had condescended to offer us to the
enemy's fury, and grcAv so faint-hearted, that, I may complain, we
Avere forsaken of that people, and IU dealt AvIth those for whom we
have oft-times stood before the Lord. I wUl construe the best
always of the greatest nuraber of thera ; but I pray the Lord, from
ray heart, to avert his wrath from that city, which I fear. We have
with this the advice of the commissioners of the General Asserably,
together with the advice of our brethren of the presbytery ap
proving our choice ; for they saAv our outgoing might serve more
for the weal of the cause than our remaining, If we escaped their
cruelty, as some hope was, (as for ray OAvn part I never feared my
life ;) yet I looked that none of us should have escaped a long and
dwining imprisonraent, without a manifest hazard and craze of con
science ; and as for the slander of our taking the crirae upon us by
flight, it was too Aveak a reason to have stayed us. Our Master

wodrow's life of BRUCE. 185
was chaUenged for being an enemy to Caesar, and yet innocent
he Avithdraws hiraself till the time appointed carae. Paul is ac
cused for making sedition in Jerusalem by his doctrine, yet he
tarrieth not to answer ; so our suffering, of what sort that ever it
be, is free of such slanders, and we hold these not to be the least
part of our sufferings. But now we hear it is said and flieth in
the mouths of raany, that our word and deed agree not ; our actions
and doctrine are contrary. In doctrine we promised to spend our
blood : in deed, we flee to spare our blood. For answer, we said
at no time absolutely, but at all times by God's grace, Ave should
seal up that truth with our blood. This we said, and when it shall
please hira to caU us to that effect, I doubt nothing but he shall
strengthen us to foUow his caUIng ; but presently he caUeth us to
flee, to reserve our life to a better tirae ; so, whether we flee, or
whether we bide, from him we shall never fly, by his grace, and
without hira we shaU never bide. There be few caUed to the
honour of raartyrdora ; and, as to ourselves, the Lord knows we
account ourselves most unworthy of it. It may suflfice us well to
be counted in the number of his witnesses, to give him a testimony
in mean sufferings, nothing doubting but, if he call us to that
honour, he shaU also enable us. That with him we fly at this
time, it appears many ways ; but, naraely, in the cause, in the just
and most urgent cause, that moveth us thereto. There Is no law
ful cause of flight, so far as we know, save only that whereof we
have spoken, persecution. This cause, in our case, is manifest,
and In a high degree, as ye have seen ; so our flight must be just.
Our Master comraands, if Ave be persecuted, to flee. Now, his
coraraand craves ready obedience. It is not our part to dispute,
consult, or drive tirae, but to foUow if it were blindlings. Beside
his caUing in his Word, we have his calUng to this by his Spirit in
our consciences ; for our hearts were never so tranquU at horae,
nor we had never so clear testiraony of his favour, as we have had
since that time ; yea, we have his calling also by his Spirit in the
brethren, as I said, in a writing agreeing hereto. And, last, we
have undoubted evidences of his calling in his Fatherly Providence

186 appendix to
since that time, providing receipts, providing sureties, mollifying
the hearts of strangers, making all things facUe for our convoy.
Now, what were we to resist such evidences or to contemn such
warnings ? We account it to tempt ; yea, avc might be thought
to presume, and to be prodigal of our life, AvhIch would have been
reserved for his further service ; and the way of presumption is not
otu- Avay. It is not the high way ; the Avay of fear and trembling is
our way. We leave the way of prefldence to thera that pre-
surae of their own strength, and abound in their OAvn sense. He Is
raore nor blind that sees not the Lord approving our choice daUy,
and justifying our flight to the eyes of the blind Avorld ; for when
the gentlemen and good burgesses for our cause, that are not with
in the compass of any law, are so far abused, Iioav far, think ye,
should we be if we Avere in their grips ? Suppose they were
grieved at us it was somewhat tolerable ; for we spoke in their play,
and discovered their drift to the Avorld ; but to be grieved at
gentlemen, and such as gave us a night's lodging only, we
can see no reason but wUl and malice. Surely, for our parts, Ave
are as indifferent to bide as to go ; as ready for the one as for
the other ; and if our flocks, at their pleasure, had not perse
cuted us ; and if they in time past had showed themselves in
different judges, and not plain enemies , and if our innocency, by
this late incident, had not been so far obscured ; yea, I say more,
if they had been at themselves, and not so far carried away with
preposterous troubled affection, supposing the thing that was not,
Ave durst hardly have committed ourselves to their judgraent ; but
seeing them in a fury, and so far blinded thereAvIth, we thought
meet to let the blood recoU from their heart, and suffer them to re
turn to a sounder raind and judgraent before we entered ; but I am
in great doubt If ever they shaU return, " nam neque imperium,
neque philosophia rautataffectus, sed SpiritusDorainI renovans." It's
true they have gotten the first feU ofus, and they have accounted us
as already guilty, but Avrong account is no payment. We Uve ia that
hope, by God's grace, the time shaU come, wherein we shaU be
heard before more mdiflFerent judges, and If that faUs, we appeal to

AVODROW's LIFE OP BRUCE. 187
the great and righteous judgment of Hira, who shall rescind all
-wrong sentences, and raake every raan's conscience show hira the
right, either to his weal or to his woe, and that for ever. Where
the Spirit of God is there is liberty ; they are only free Avhom the
Son of God maketh free : " Blessed is he to whom the Lord im-
puteth not his sin." Up heart, therefore, converse with him ; in him
thou art free. In him thou art strong, in hiin thou art wise. ScA^er
not, increase thy union, pour thy affection more .and more on him,
grow in love ; and love shaU raake all things easy. The Lord en
large our hearts and make thera capable. Lord, pour out thy Spi
rit and raake thera spiritual, and give thy gift of perseverance, that
we raay continue to the end. And in the end I wUl conclude, (be
cause to you, my brethren, I chiefly write.) I wish you to re
member, that to stand for us is a part of your duty, by letting our
innocency be knoAvn to the faithful ; and labour, I beseech you, to
keep the good and holy cause for which we suffer free of aU slanders
as possibly may be. It is a time of trial ; a gentle, I say, and not
a flery trial ; then fle on us if we show not the Lord's strength in us,
and patience in this time which shall not be long. If the enemy's
fury be not restrained, we raay certainly look for greater cruelty,
and if the Lord shaU call us to suffer death for his truth, should we
not suffer ? if he call us to banishraent, wherein, oft-times, are more
evUs than in death, let us erabrace It also. But aAvay with this,
that the discharge of our stipends should raove us a whit to con
sent to iniquity. The Lord wUl provide for all your necessities ;
therefore, encourage one another and be strong, for the Lord will
tread Satan under foot shortly. And as to those that have broken the
peace of our kirk, trampled upon God's glory in us, exponed his
Majesty to so appearing danger, let be, the secret wrath of an angry
God, and off'ered our chief city, which In times past was the only
terror of the eneray, to a prey ; can we think that the Lord sleeps,
and sees them not, nor their doings ? Will he never restore Holy
Sion to her decking and glorious ornaraents ? Yes he will, and in
the sight of men shall he glorify himself of the wicked, ere It be
long. Now the God of aU strength strengthen you, and be with

188 APPENDIX TO
you. Faithful is he that has caUed you, who wUl also do it. Pray for
us. I charge you, in the Lord, that this letter be read to all the
brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you !
Amen. From the place of our sojourning, the 4th of January
1596. Your brother, suffering for the Gospel,
E. Bruce, Minister of Christ's Evangel.

No. III.
CENSURE UPON THE AFFAIR OF GOWRIE.
Vide Life, p. 84, 85.
It Avas thought strange that tAVO youths, of so good education
and great expectation, should, upon a sudden, fall to the extremity
of wickedness and villainy. The Earl Avas brought up under Mr
Eobert Eollock, and Avas dearly beloved to him for his good be-
haAiour, and the virtues Avhicli appeared to be in hira. After the
Earl passed his course, the Master succeeded in the sarae education.
The Earl, soon after he carae frora the schools, Avent to Italy, ap
plied hiraself to his studies in Padua, Avherein he profited so well,
that for the estimation they had of his learning, besides his virtues
and good carriage, he was raade Eector for a year of the Univer
sity of Padua, Avhere his name and arms are yet to be seen. Ee-
tui-ning homeward, he stayed in Geneva a quarter of a year, where
he lodged in the house of Mr Beza, Avho loved him so dearly, that
he never raade raention nor heard of his death but with tears. Out
of Geneva he sent a letter to his old raaster, Mr Eobert EoUock,
Avherein he gave tokens of his zeal to religion, and showed the
great contentment he had in his feUowship with Mr Beza, and other
learned men there. Mr Beza, within a year after, Avroteto his two
exUed and distressed brethren, WiUiara and Patrick, and oflPered
them sure receipt and harbour in Geneva, If it pleased them to ac
cept of it.

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 189
It was thought strange that they should invite the King to their
OAvn house, and there attempt anything against his life, for how
could they be but comptable for the King, he coraing within their
gates ; yea, and invited to come, as is aUeged in the discourse ?
The pretence of the invitation, to wit, to see a pot of gold or
foreign coin in gold, seemed not a device fit to be proponed to the
King in such a manner, to wit, that he must come in person to see
it, as if the King might not commit the credit of such a matter to
another. Hoav could the King suspect that it was foreign coin brought in
by sorae practising Papists, to be distributed In the country, as is
aUeged in the discourse, and such a quantity of gold portable in a
pot, or in a man's arra, to disturb the peace of this country ?
If the King suspected that the fellow that carried it was some
Scottish priest, or seminary disguised, why did the Latin edition
conceal that he was suspected to be a Scottish priest or seminary ?
It may be the Papists would have said it was a lie. If Mr Alex
ander was miscontent Avith the King's delay, and protested he
feared his Majesty's long delay and slowness of resolution, would
breed leisure to the feUow who was bound to cry and make such
noise, as would disappoint the secrecy of the purpose ; might not
the King or any man have thought, that the fellow had leisure
enough to cry before the Master came to hira, and such like when
they carae to Perth, if it was to be feared, why went they not di
rectly first to the fellow AAath the treasure ?
If the King, in the way between Falkland and St Johnston,
(when Mr Alexander, after the conference with the Duke, was so
earnest, that none should be suffered to go with the King to the
place where the fellow was, tlU the King had seen him,) began to
suspect some treasonable device, why went the King forward
with such a suspicion, suppose never so light, for so feckless a
matter ?
If the Earl Avas advertised that the King Avas coming to dinner,
how could the Earl go to dinner before the King came ? Why was
there not better cheer prepared, if it had been but to colour the en-

190 APPENDIX TO
terprise ? If the King suspected some treasonable device, how
could he go Avhither Mr Alexander would lead him, not stayino-
upon Sir Thoraas Erskine, when he did call for some other ; or Iioav
could his fear but increase, perceiving INIr Alexander ever to lock
the door after them ?
It was thought a fooUsh thing in Mr Alexander, and unlikely, to
hold the point of a dagger to the King's breast, and then to stay
upon parley. If the King had but his hunting horn about him,
and Mr Alexander a sword, how could the King go alone Avith him,
suspecting any treasonable device ? If Mr Alexander threatened
the King Avith the dagger, what assurance had he that the King
would behave himself quietly till he Avent out and brought his bro
ther ? Or how could he rely upon an oath extorted through fear ?
If the armed man in the study, who should have been the exe
cutioner, trembled and quaked like a condemned man, hoAV could
Mr Alexander leave him to be the King's keeper tiU he came back
again ?
It Avas thought strange that a man should be eraployed to be
executioner of such purpose, and not be made acquaint with It be
fore, but to be put in per force, not knowing to Avhat end.
If jNIr Alexander had a sword Avhen he returned to the study, it
was thought a foolish thing to present a garter to bind the King,
the matter requiring speedy execution, and if he presented a dagger
at the first time, his purpose had been to shed blood, which could
not but be marked ; and, therefore, the report of strangling, and
of a case to put him in, was thought very unlikely. It Avas thought
very unfit to execute the enterprise whUe the King's train was
passing by under the wlndoAv, and when they might have heard
the noise.
It Avas thought strange and unUkely that the King should draw
Mr Alexander, that was thrice as strong, to the Avindow, brlno-hlm
per force out of the study, and drive him back per force to the door
of the turnpike. Mr Patrick GaUoAvay, in his harangue, caUs this
a miracle. Many wonder why Mr Alexander Avas not preserved alive, and

AVODROW's LIFE OF BRUCE. 191
brought to a trial if he was guilty of any such enterprise ; for when
Sir Thomas Erskine and Sir Hugh Herries met hira in the stair, he
had been sore wounded by Sir John Eamsay ; his sword not drawn,
and having no dagger in his hand, raight not such a man wounded,
and in a manner unarmed, thrust, and shot down, at pleasure, easily
have been taken ? The Earl likewise, after he was stricken, might
have been preserved aUve.
If the armed man trembled and quaked when Mr Alexander
held out the point of the dagger to the King's breast, how could
Andrew Henderson, who aUegeth he was the armed raan, throw the
dagger out of Mr Alexander's hand, being a strong man, and he
trembling and quaking ?
If Mr Henderson threw the dagger out of the Master's hand, as
he aUegeth In his deposition, how could the Master trust him
with the keeping of the King tlU he returned again, as the dis
course relateth ? Henderson deponeth. That he puUed the Master's
hand from the King's mouth, and opened the window and the King
cried out. The discourse relates, that the armed man opened the
window before Mr Alexander returned again, and that the King
drew Mr Alexander per force to the window, which he had caused
the other man per force open before ; and the Latin discourse adds,
that he called upon some of the King's servants. If any had been in
the streets.
Mr Galloway, in his harangue at the cross, reported that the
armed man Avas standing with a drawn dagger in his hand to do
this filthy turn. The discourse relateth that Mr Alexander drew
the dagger frora the raan's girdle. Mr Patrick, in his harangue,
reported that the Master locked the study door behind him, when
he came last in. In the discourse it is said, that the Master for
haste left the study door open at his last uicoming, and that, there
fore, the King Avrestling with Mr Alexander, brought him per force
out of the study, the door being left open by Mr Alexander. Besides
these considerations, rising upon the conferring of the discourse,
Henderson's deposition, and Mr Patrick Galloway's harangue,
there were others grounded upon certain reports which followed.

11(2 APPENDIX TO
When it Avas told the King, after the Earl's home-coming, that he
rode up the causeway of Edinburgh with a great company of his
friends, the King in a great anger said, there were more Avith his
father when he Avas conveyed to the scaffold.
At the Convention Avliich was holden shortly after the Earl's
horae-coming, the Earl, leaning upon the back of the King's chair,
whUe the King Avas at breakfast, the King entered In conference
with him upon dogs and hawks. In end, he asked at the Earl, what
Avould make a Avoraan part with child ? The Earl answered. Sun
dry things, but specially if a woman vrith chUd got a fright. The
King, after a scornful laughter, said, " If that had been true, my
Lord, I had not been sitting here ; " and so called to remem
brance the slaughter of Signior David, whereat his goodsu- was a
chief actor.
When at the Convention he crossed the King's intention about
the taxation, a courtier. Sir David Murray, now Lord Scoon, (as
it Is reported,) said in the audience of sundry, " Yonder is an un
happy man. They are but seeking occasion of his death, AvhIch
now he has given."
When the King chaUenged the Earl for looking down upon
Colonel Stewart, the man who apprehended his father, that was
executed at StirUng, he answered, " Sir, I shall never seek him ;
but it Is not seeraly he should cross ray teeth."
Dr Herries being offended at Mrs Beatrix, the Earl's sister, one
of the Queen's Daraes, for laughing at his boat foot, taking her by
the hand, and looking upon her loof, said, " Mistress, ere it be
long, a great disaster shaU befal you."
WhUe the Earl was in Strabran, fifteen days before the fact, the
King wrote sundry letters to the Earl, desiring hira to come and
hunt with him in the woods of Falkland, which were found in ray
Lord's pocket at his death, as is reported, but were destroyed.
Two days before the slaughter, Mr WiUiam Euthven, the Eari's
uncle, was Avritten for by the King to meet hira at Perth upon the
5th of August.
The Earl intended a journey to Lothian upon the 5th of August,

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 193
on purpose to entreat his mother to hold house with him, but was
stayed by Mr Alexander's going to Falkland, awaiting upon his
returning ; as also, he was looked for in Seton about the same
tirae to corae to see her who was after Countess of Angus, there
being among them a purpose of match.
The Earl being at dinner, who had heard the King was coming,
and near at hand, said — " What sorrow means aU this haste ?" was
not weU pleased with himself for the bad cheer was made ; and ex
cused himself to the King, that he looked not for him tUl less than
an hour before he carae.
The Earl's cloak was bound about hira with strings when he
went out to the Inch to meet the King, and, such like, when he
encountered with Sir Thomas Erskine in time of the fray, and
made hira at the first unwieldy.
The Earl, in time of the fray, went up the quiet turnpike, not
ahvays condemned before, as was aUeged, but because his brother,
Mr Alexander, was lying dead In it. None Avent up the stair with
the Earl but only Thomas Cranston; not seven or eight, as is
aUeged in the discourse, and Mr Patrick's harangue. Hugh Mon-
crief and Patrick Evet went up after my Lord was slain, and were
driven back by the King's servants. The Earl's officer of Stra
bran, named Baron, drew a sword in the close ; but went not up
the stair. Alexander Euthven of Forgun went not within the
gate, because he had neither sword nor whinger ; neither yet had
he when he drove Sir Thomas Erskine to the ground with the vio
lence of a buffet, when he was in hands with the Earl. But when
he understood the Earl was slain, he came again and cried up —
" Come down, thou son of Signeur Davie ! thou hast slain an lion-
ester man nor thyself." Yet many years after he got the King's
peace, and died in peace. George Craigengelt, lying IU at ease,
came not tUl the deed was done. When he heard the noise, he rose
and came to the close, and cried up with the rest of the town there
convened — " Give us out our Provost, or the King's green coat
shaU pay for it." It is reported that Henderson was eating an egg
in the kitchen, and when the fray arose went in to the toAvn, and that

194 APPENDIX TO
his Avife was heard cry — " Blessed be God, my husband was not
araong them," Andrew Euthven and George DcAvar, the Earl's
caiter, neither had nor drew weapons. IMr Eobert OUphant was
not in St Johnston at the time ; Harry Younger Avas in Dundee ;
the Earl's porter noAV serveth the Lord Scoon, and Logic is his
notary. When the Master was found dead, he had neither whinger nor
dagger ; and the rapier he had was so rusted in the scabbard, that
scarce two men could pull it out by force.
The striker of the Earl is not weU knoAvn, for Sir Thomas Cran
ston was betwixt Sir John Eamsay and him ; and one of them
that viewed his body that night perceived, by the entry of the
stroke or wound, that he was stricken behind his back.
The Laird of TtilUbardine, and a nuraber of the surname of Mur
ray, Avere in St Johnston that day at a bridal of one George Mur
ray ; Avhether of set purpose let the reader judge, for the Murrays
of Strathern, of the house of TuUibardlne and Balvaird, have gotten
his offices and living in these parts divided araongst them.
TuUibardine, the sherlflPship of Perth ; Sir Mungo Murray, his
brother, the house of Euthven, and lands belonging thereto ; Sir
Davld Murray, of the house of Balvaird, the Abbey of Scoon, and
now is Provost of St Johnston. The Earl's greatness was a great
eye-sore to the Murrays of these bounds, the house of Abercorn
being excepted. It is reported, that TuUibardine coming to the
close of the lodging, after the fact was committed, danced for joy ;
but little cause he has to dance at this hour.
When it would be made out that one called Leslie, or another
caUed Gray, or a third called OUphant, Avas the armed man in the
study, he Avas laid upon one Harry Young, Avho was in Dundee
when the fact Avas comraitted ; and he Avas coming to Falkland
to make his purgation to the King. A commission Avas given
to Baron Lindsay, or one Burley's brother, to apprehend him,
they being on the fields Avith Henry Bruce, noAv called Colonel
Bruce. The poor man seeing thera, fled among the com to
hide himself. Henry Bruce finding him, thrust a rapier through

AVODROAV's LIFE OF BRUCE. 195
him, and so slew him. He was brought to the Cross of Falk
land. Then Mr Patrick GaUoway, preaching before the King,
said, " Thank God, Sir, the traitor, that should have slain you,
could not be gotten quick, but he was gotten dead." But as soon
as it was tried, and constantly reported that the man was in Dun
dee when the deed Avas done, it was laid upon Andrew Hender
son, the Earl of Gowrie's chamberlain, that he was the armed
man that was in the study, and that he conveyed himself privily
doAvn the stair, after Sir John Eamsay had stricken Mr Alexan
der ; but Sir Thomas Erskine and Sir Hugh Herries, who carae
Incontinent to the stair, and dispatched Mr Alexander, saw him
not coraing down the stair, or out of the turnpike, or any other
that we have yet heard of ; so invisible Avas he in that fury and
tumult, as was not unknown to the Eing himself before ; and if
he had, a Avonder it is that the King did not ask his name, when
he was Avith him alone in the study. But they behoved to guess
at sundry names before they carae to his. Mr Patrick Galloway,
well acquainted with him before, by reason of a pension which he
paid to him out of Scoon, (doubled after, for his service at this
time,) pleaded for hira against every man, that he ought not to
suffer death. Howbeit it stood to the King's credit, that he should
make an open confession upon the scaffold.
When it was told Mr Patrick that Mr Eobert Bruce Avould not
believe, unless Andrew Henderson were put to death, and to take
upon his conscience at his death, that he Avas the alleged man in the
study, Mr Patrick said, " Sir, nothing avUI satisfy yon roan but
the life of hira who saved your life ; therefore. Sir, ye shall first
hang Andi-ew Henderson for treason, and Mr Eobert Bruce for hot
believing." Upon Saturday the 23d of August, Mr Thomas Cranston, George
Craigengelt, and John Barron, officer in Strabran, attenders upon
the Earl of Gowrie, Avere hanged in St Johnston, for drawiii--
swords in time of the tumult ; yet confessed they nothing Avhicli
might smeU of knowledge of any conspiracy. Mr Thomas Cran
ston, brother to Sir John Cranston of that lUf, exhorted the people

196 APPENDIX TO
to forbear imprecations against themselves, for he had now found
by experience that they wanted not their oavu effect ; for he him
self had used three kinds of imprecations, to wit, " God, nor a
sword go through, I shaU be taken for a traitor ; God, nor I be
hanged, I have been taken (said he) for a traitor ; but, I thank God,
I am not one. I was stabbed through with a sword at this last tu
mult, and now I am to be hanged." He conceived a fervent prayer,
at what time, in raidst of a cloudy darkness, glanced a sudden
brightness, to the astonishment of the beholders. Howbeit, for
these considerations above wiitten, raany did not, nor do not to
this hour, believe the discourse of the conspiracy, and the deposi
tions extant in print ; yet many were not curious to exaralne or
consider every particular circurastance of the discourse and depo
sitions, and were content to be ignorant, or to believe others not
inquiring so narrowly ; as sorae did, for then- OAvn satisfaction, sus
pend their own judgment tUl time of further revelation of the truth
of the matter.
Here Ave cannot but call to remembrance a Latin distich, printed
above the chimney-brace of EuthA'en many year since, which fol
lows : — A'ERA DIU LATITANT, SED LONGO TEMPORIS USU
EMERGUNT TANDEM QUAE LATUERE DIU.

No. IV.
FOUR LETTERS CONNECTED WITH THE NEGOTIA
TIONS ABOUT BRUCE'S RESTORATION TO HIS FLOCK,
THE FIRST AND LAST BY BRUCE, AND THE OTHER
TWO BY MR JOHN HALL.
Vide Life, p. 116, 118, and 119.
1.
Sir, — I was on my jom-ney homeward Avhen I received your last
letter ; and hearing that ye were gone to the country, I delayed

WODROAV'S LIFE OP BRUCE. 197
my answer tUl your returning ; therefore, now. Sir, for answer, first
I say, that if Mr Henry Blyth had any such commission of me,
or if the honest men wIU say so in ray narae, I wiU be content to
take that iraputation upon rae. But otherAvise, as it is true in
deed, 1 receive wrong. I am no ways ambitious of it ; for I have
been tAvIce thrust into it, and as oft out of it, and I have no wiU
that his Majesty be compelled to use his royal office upon the
remnant of my fraU Ufe. For these four or five years bygone, I
have been continually under a lingering and dwining death, which
I am assured hath been more troublesome and tedious to me, both
in body and mind, than that hour of death shaUbe, whenever it shall
please the Lord to caU me thereto. I have not forgot these voices
that oftentimes I wondered to hear, that his Majesty dreads from
us bodUy harm. These things raake rae look ere I leap, and advise
weU ere I enter ; and yet I speak not this, as if I were minded to
shake oflf my duty that I owe to my flock ; but if it would please
his Majesty to suflFer us to stand in that liberty whercAvith the Lord
has placed us, and to speak in the chair of truth, as the Word and
Spirit of truth should direct us, I would promise, by God's grace,
whenever the Word should give us occasion, as oft-times it wiU, that
then, from the authority, of the Word, I shaU repress aU sinister
constructions of his Majesty's actions, and, by the authority there
of, beat doAvn all seditions and insolent humours of subjects, that
would press to usurp upon their superiors ; and so from the Word, as
moved thereby, to speak upon these matters, which must have
a far greater grace, than to speak by way of Injunctions, or to
speak as it Avere a conned lesson, or an A, B, C, put In man's hand.
The one duty smeUeth of Divine theology, the other of court theo
logy, and does no good to the cause, but hurts greatly ; and as
God liketh a cheerful giver, so when the people see these things to
come freely of myself without constraint, nor yet put into my head,
they AviU reverence them the more, and have the greater weight
with them ; so, to be short, cousin, if this sort of service may be
acceptable to the Prince, I ara at command ; and, if otherwise, I
Avill hold me with the beneflt that I have gotten within the com-

198 APPENDIX TO
pass of obedience, and, by God's grace, shaU be unreproveable of
any. Having no farther for the present, I rest.
2.
Sir, — James Aikinhead, baUiff, gave intelligence to his Majesty,
that ye were purposed to preach next Sabbath, God wiUIng. And
I being doAvn in the Abbey, his ]\Iajesty gave me this answer, and
ordained me to signify the same unto you, that is, because your
advertisement was general, and thereby he could not understand
what ye were to do In the matter wherein he has been offended ;
also, he Avould assure you, that if ye entered into the pulpit, and
did not according to the Act of Assembly, it would be raatter of
great irritation. Therefore, by your ticket, you would certify again
that ye are ready to preach, and to satisfy his Majesty according
to the Act of Assembly ; or otherAvise, it avUI not be heard as a
suflficlent offer. Sir, if ye Avrite hereanent to me again, I shaU be
ready to deUver it, and show you the event.
Your brother in Christ,
Mr John Hall.

Sir, — After the receipt of your letter, I went to his Majesty,
and comraunicated to his Highness the desire of the said letter, and
used such hurable raeans as I could, either to obtain the sarae for
you, or else to find out his utmost resolution ; who, in end, delivered
his determined wiU in this raanner : — Seeing the ground of the Act
of the Assembly proceeded frora his Majesty's own good wUl for
furthering of the Kirk of Edinburgh, so by it he might be satisfied
to his honour ; and seeing the Assembly, as the Act beareth, de
vised and appointed the easiest way for you to content him, he de
clared himself then Avilling, after the accompUshment of the said •
Act by you, to declare his wiU anent your re-entry to your oflfice in
Edinburgh, with advice of the comraissioners thereof. Herefore,
his Majesty avIU in noways make any compromise in that matter,
nor give word nor warrant in Avriting for your reposition, tUl he be
first satisfied on your part. Secondly, He wiU not have your first

AVODROW's LIFE OP BRUCE. 199
preaching in Edinburgh to be accounted your re-entry to the mi
nistry there ; but only a sermon of satisfaction to his Majesty.
And, last. If ye have a mind so to do, and advertise him, that ye
AviU preach the first day according to the tenor of the Act foresaid,
ye shall receive a warrant ; and also, if ye do your duty, ye shall
not be found to go back from nothing proraised to the Asserably.
Sir, this is the effect that has followed of ray travel ; and, so far as
I can see, wUl be obtained at his Majesty's hand in this errand.
God direct you by his Spirit, as raay best serve his glory and the
help of this Kirk, that lieth so long waiting upon your labours.
{Suhscribitur ut supra.)
4.
Eight Worshipful Fathers and Brethren, — Lest any
man shotdd stand in doubt of my raind and last offer to his Ma
jesty, I thought good, with aU dUigence, to deliver the hearts of
men of that doubt, assuring all honest men, that I carae of mind,
and thought verily to have entered into my calling, seeing reposi
tion thereto as the ground of that act ; and, in my caUing, to have
done aU that lay in ray possibiUty to have satisfied his Majesty in
God ; and to this eflfect I craved the act of councU which stood
against me, which closed up ray mouth, might be deleted ; and
that I also might have a warrant from his Majesty, to testify his
Majesty's good vrill to my free and fuU reposition ; for the example
of Mr WUUara Watson learned me to seek these things in time.
And seeing these things were refused to rae, and a warrant to make
a sermon of satisfaction was only oflfered unto me, to eschew his
Majesty's irritation, as also to shun the bringing in of that pre
parative, touching sermons of satisfaction, I choosed rather to re
tire, Avith the peace I have already gotten, nor to do any thing
whereof I was not weU resolved as yet, how it might stand with
the good pleasure of my God ; for, in the chair of truth, to do
there as that Spirit and Word should direct me, if I should pro
mise any other thing, I might weU procure the wrath of God, and
kindle a fire within my own conscience ; but it lay not in my power to
perform any farther nor as the Lord should ftirnlsh. So I desired,

200 APPENDIX TO
as the free man of God, to go free to his chair of truth, hoping cer
tainly to have given satisfaction to all honest-hearted men. So, in
a word, brethren, assure yourselves that I was minded to have en
tered into my* caUIng, and to have done in that matter, touching
that act, and In aU other matters, so far as God, by his Spirit of
mercy, would have assisted me. And in this mind I reraain as yet,
and pray you to do all that lies in your possibility to pleasure his
Majesty in God ; to whose happy and blessed protection I commit
you and aU your affairs. {Suhscribitur ut supra.)
No. V.
LETTER TO SIR JAMES SEMPLE.
Vide Life, p. 127.
Eight Honourable Cousin, — You must give me leave to ut
ter my friendly counsel against you. To what purpose should
ye and Mr Ewart put rae in esperance of my liberty by your
letters ? Of yours I saw only one, and I have four of Mr Pe
ter's, assuring me of a comfortable Issue ; and, in truth, I gave such
credit, and was so certainly persuaded by him, that I sent horae
my wife and chUdren, and spoiled myself of all my outward com
forts, and exposed myself to the extremity of the season, in a cold
lodging in these miserable and barbarous parts, that I have almost
extinguished both my vital and sensitive spirits. Why would ye
not signify his Majesty's wiU plainly to me, or to Mr Peter?
Either his Majesty's pleasure should have been a law to me ; yea,
if his Majesty would comraand rae to the scaffold, I have a good
conscience to obey hira ; and it would be more welcorae to me nor
this lingering death that I am in. The time has been I have done
acceptable service, as his Highness' own hand-writing, beside me,
wUl bear record; which I shaU leave to my posterity, as their rarest
jewels. I thank God, I was never within corapass of law, and yet
ara worse used nor either Papist or Atheist. Always I crave no

wodrow's life op BRUCE. 201
more of you but a Christian duty. As I prayed you in my last
letter, so wUl I now. Feed me not Avlth compliments, the worst
shaU ay be welcome to me, by his grace who sustains me wonder-
fuUy. I am a raan that has tasted of so many afflictions, and I wot
not who crosses me : but, be it Papist or Atheist, bishop or mini
ster, I wiU lay over all my vengeance where it belongs. As to my
prayer in the end of my last letter to his Majesty, I hear, by Peter
Ewart, that I was quarreUed, as if I had prayed for reconciliation
in that particular. Indeed, If it had been so conceived, I raight
have been justly quarrelled ; but the Lord knows the contrary is
most true. I had no more mind of that treason at that time
nor the bairn that is yet unborn. As to the rest of my faults
ye make in my other letters, they are but bairnly ; for I sup
pose I wrote to you with my own subscribing hand, yet it is not
worthy to present his Majesty. I wale the best hand that I can
get, and for the oraission of my subscription what raarvel, seeing
I wrote not the body. And yet the writer thereof constantly af
firms that I subscribed, which makes me think that ye have not
received my closed letter to his Majesty, but the copy thereof,
which I directed to yourself to be perused, and not to be presented,
except ye knew it would not offend. I pray you, cousin, if ye de
light in my conversation, let the eflfect declare it, — let me find the
fruit thereof; and if ye be not able, let rae be in no worse case nor
I ara In by your deed ; for that were needless. Suppose ye have
got new friends, men I grant that are more able to profit you in
your outward estate, yet I wiU look that ye wUl observe a Christian
duty towards me. So, wishing you heartUy weU in the Lord, I take
ray leaA'e, and rests your most loving cousin, to his power in God.
Mr Eobert Bruce.
Inverness, the 10th of February 1613.

BRUCE'S SERMONS.

SERMONS VPON THE SACRA-
ment of the Lord's Supper :
PREACHED IN THE KIRK OF EDIN-
B VR GH BE M. ROBER T BR VCE,
MINISTEE OF CHEISTES
Euangel there : at the time of the cele-
bration of the Supper, as they
were receaued from his
mouth.
loHN. vi. 54. 63.
Quhafaeuer eateth my flefh, and drinketh my blood, hath etemall
life, and I will raife him vp at the laft day.
it is the Spirit that quikneth ; the fiefh profiteth nathiug ; the words
that I fpeake unto zou, are Spirit and life.

AT EDINBVRGH

FEINTED BY EOBEET WALDE-
graue, Printer fo the Kings Majejlie.
Cum Priuilegio Eegali.

MOST HIGH, PUISSANT, AND CHRISTIAN PRINCE,
JAMES THE SIXTH, KING OF SCOTS,
GRACE AND PEACE FROM GOD THE FATHER, AND OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Please your Majesty, — I Avas not of mind, at the first, that this
work should have come out in my tirae ; for the conscience of ray
OAvn weakness testifies unto me, that nothing worthy of light can
proceed from such a one. Yet, notwithstanding, being overcome,
at the last, by the instant suit of our Kirk and Session, I was con
tent that their authority should command me in this. And if it
shaU please the Lord to bless it in such sort, that poor and siraple
ones raay find either corafort or' instruction In it, suppose learned
ears find no contentraent, I wUl think myself abundantly satisfied.
For, seeing God has sanctified me, in some measure, to his work,
it must be an arguraent of his everlasting blessing, that if, while
life lasteth, it raay be eraployed always to the profit of his Kirk ;
for Avho am I, that should not eraploy his oavu graces to his own
glory ? And I pray God, that It may be found, in that great day,
that how mean that ever they be, yet they were accorapanled Avith
this special grace, that they were well used. And suppose ye be
a King, Sfr, of this kingdom presently, and apparent of another,
yet think AvIth yourself that all your magnificence, honour, wealth,
liberty, and aU the rare gifts Avhich God, of his raercy, has planted
in you, cannot be otherwise well employed, except they be em
ployed to the defence of the truth, and of that pure and sincere

4 THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
discipUne grounded thereupon, which, to your Majesty's great praisC)
and to our singular comfort, has this long time, by your Majesty's
authority, been estabhshed In this country : for this sort of doing
shows that God has not only raade you an heir to earthly king
doms, but also has appointed you to be a fellow-heir with Jesus
Christ, of that iraraortal kingdom and glorious Crown that cannot
fade or fall away. And as your Majesty's Ufe and liberty has
hitherto been conjoined with the standing and liberty of Jesus
Christ's kingdom within your country, continue and stick by this
Uberty, and, no doubt, Jesus Christ shaU stick by you. I wiU not
fash your Majesty with many words ; only this I do your Ma
jesty, to wit, that I clothe not this work with your Majesty's name
and authority for any worthiness that I thought to be In It — for it
is rudely set out in sensible and homely terras, as it was received of
my raouth, and as it pleased God for the tirae to give rae it ; but
I had this respect, that as it Is the first thing that proceeds fi-om
me, so I thought meet to make It the first testimony of my thank
fulness and sincere affection, as well to the truth of God as to your
Majesty's service, whom, under God, I tender as raine OAvn Ufe,
and would be glad that God would bless me with the influence
that might advance your Highness' name or estiraation, both here
In this present world, and in the world to corae. And, m the mean
time, because I may not as I would, I shall do as I may, in my
prayers continually remember your Eoyal person, together with the
Queen your bed-fellow ; and crave continuaUy of your race, at the
hands of the Almighty God, through the righteous raerits of Jesus
Christ ; under whose protection, for now and ever, I leave your
Majesty. Frora Edinburgh, the 9th of Deceraber 1590.
Your Majesty's raost humble and obedient subject,
Mr eobeet BEUCE,
Minister of Christ's Evangel.

SERMONS

UPON THE

SACRAMEFr OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.

THE FIEST SEEMON.
UPON THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERALL:
PREACHED THE FIRST OF FEBRUARY, 1589.
1 Cor. xi. 23.
For I have received of the Lord that which 1 also have delivered unto
you, to wit, that the Lorde lesus, in the night that he was betrayed,
toohe bread, Sfc.
There is na thing in this warld, nor out of this warld, mair to
be wished of everye ane of you, mair to be craved and sought of
everie ane of you, nor to be conjoyned Avith Christ lesus, nor anis
to be maid ane Avith the God of glory, Christ lesus. This
heavenly and celestiaU conjunction is purchased and brought about
be twa speciaU meanes : It is brought about be the mean of the
word, and preaching of the gospeU ; and It is brought about be
the meane of the sacraments and ministration therof. The word
leads us to Christ be the ear ; the sacraments leads us to Christ be
the eye ; twa senses, of aU the rest, quhilk God hes chosen as
maist meete for this purpose, to instruct us, and bring us to Christ.
For that doctrine raan be maist eflFectuaU and moving that
walkens and steirs up moniest of the outward senses; that doc-

6 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMOXS.
trine that walkens not onely the eare, hot the eye, the taist, the
feeling, and aU the rest of the outwarde senses, man move the
hart raaist, raan be maist effectuaU and pearcing in the saul. Bot
sa it is, that this doctrine of the sacraments movis, steirs up, and
walkins moniest of the outward senses ; therefore it man be (gif we
cum weU prepared to it) maist effectual to steir up the inward
senses of the duU hart. But there is a thing that ye man ever
remember ; there is na doctrine, nather of the simple word nor
yit of the sacraments, gif Christ abstract his Haly Spirit, that Is
able to move. Therefore, quhen CA'er ye come to hear the doctrine,
quhider it be of the sacraments or of the simple Avord, crave of
God that he wald be present be his Haly Spirit, or titherwais al
the doctrine in the earth avUI not avaUe you. Alwales, this doc
trine of the sacraments steires up and walkens raoniest of the out
ward senses, and therefore there is na questloun but It is ane efiec-
tual and potent instrument to walken, prepare and steir up our harts.
'7k° %The Then, to let you see quhat the word Sacrament meanis, and to
word Sacra- j.gjjjQQyg ^jjg amblgultie of it, it Is certaine, and out of aU ques-
tloim, that the Latine Theologs, quha were maist auncient, did in-
terprete the Greeke worde /j.y(STr,^iov, be the word Sacrament ; and
they used the Greeke word, not only to signifie the haU action, as
the haU action of baptlsme, and the haU action of the supper of the
Lord ; but they used the word raystery, to signifie quhatsoever is
darke and hid in It self, and not frequented in the coramoun use of
raen ; as, after this maner, the Apostle caUis the vocation of the Gen-
Ephes. 3, 9. tUs a mystcry. This conjunction quhilk is bea;un here betwixt us
Ephes. 5, 32. . . .
and Christ is caUed a Mysterie, and the Latine interpreters caUis it a
Sacrament ; and, to be schort, ye aatU not finde in the Booke of
God a word man- frequent nor the word raysterie. But as to the word
sacraraent, quherby they signifie the Greeke word, we find not this
word, be the same Theologs, to be tane sa largeUe, nather Is it tane
sa largely in ony pairt of the Booke of God. Alwayis, the Avord sacra
ment is very ambiguous In It self, and there raise about the ambigui-
tie of this word many tragedeis qnhilke are not yit ceased, nor avUI

the first upon the SACRAAIENTS. t
not cease, quhU the warld lasts : quher utherwais, gif they had keep
ed the Apostle's words, and caUed them, as the Apostle caUis them,
signes and scales, aU this digladiatioun, strife, and contention, ap-
pearandly had not faUen out. But quhere raen wUl be wiser nor
God, and give narals to thinges beside God, upon the Avit of man,
quhUk is but meere foUy, aU this curaraer faUis out. WeiU, than,
to corae to the purpose. The auncient Theologs tooke the word
sacraraent, as we may perceave, in a fourfauld maner. Somtime
they tooke it for the had actioun, that is, for the haU ministrie of
the elements : Somtirae they tooke it, not for the haU actioun,
but for the outward things that are used in the action of baptlsme
and of the supper, as they tooke it for the water and sprinkling
of it, for the bread and wine, breaking, distributnig, and eating
therof: Thirdly, agalne, they tooke it not for the haU outward
things that are used in the actioun, but onely for the material and
earthly thinges, the elements ; as for bread and Avine in the sup
per, and water in baptisme. And after this sort, sayis Augus
tine, " The Avicked eats the body of our Lord, concerning the sacra
ment oneUe ; that is, concerning the elements onelie :" Last of aU,
they tooke it not onely for the elements, but for the things signified
be the elements. And after this maner, Irenaeus sayis, that a sa
crament stands of tAva things, the ane earthly, the uther heavenly.
The auncients then, taking the worde after thir sorts, na question
aU thir wayis they tooke it rightly.
But IcATug the ambiguitie of the Avord, I take the worde Sacra
ment, as it is tane and used this day in the Kirk of God, for a haly
signe and seal that Is annexed to the preached word of God, to
scale up and confirme the truth contaiaed in the same word, in
sick sort, that I caU not the seal separated fra the word a sacra
raent : For, as there cannot be a seal but that quhilk is the
seal of ane evident ; and gif the seal be separated fra the evident, it
is not a seal ; but looke quhat it is be nature, it is na mair ; sa
there can not be a sacrament, except it be hung to the evident of the
word ; bot look what the sacrament was be nature, it is na mau-.
Was it a common peece bread, it remains common bread except it

o MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
be hung to the evident of the word. Therefore the word only
cannot be a sacraraent ; nor the element only cannot be a sacra
ment ; bot word and element conjunctly man make a sacrament :
and sa Augustine said weUl, Let the word come to the element,
and sa ye sal have a sacrament : in sick sort, that the word man
corae to the eleraent, that is, the word preached distinctly, and aU
the parts of it opened up, raan ga before the hinging to of the sa
crament, and the sacrament, as a seal, man foUow and be ap
pended therafter. Then I caU a sacrament the Avord and seal eon-
junctUe, the ane hung to the uther.
It is without aU controversie, and there is na debait in it, that
aU sacraments are signes. Now, gif a sacrament be a sign, as the
sign is in a relation, in that category, for sa we man speake it,
sa the sacrament raan be placed in that sarae categoric of relation.
Now, every relation, again, man stand of force betAvixt twa things ;
for ane thing cannot be the correlative of it self ; but, in a lawfiiU
relatioun, of force there raan be twa things, quhUk twa hes ever a
mutual respect the ane to the uther. Therefore, In every sacrament
that hes a relation, there man be twa things, quhUk twa hes ever a
mutual respect the ane to the uther. Take me away ane of thir
tAva things fra the sacrament, ye tyne the relation, and, tyning the
relation, ye tyne the sacraraent. Confound rae ane of thir twa
Avith the uther ; raake ather a confusion or perraixion of them, ye
tyne the relation, and, tyning the relation, ye tyne the sacrament.
Turne me over the ane into the uther, sa that the substance of the
ane starts up and evaiushis In the uther, ye tyne the relation, and
sa ye tyne the sacraraent. Then, as in every sacrament there is a
relation, sa, to kepe the relation, ye raan ever kepe tAva things seve-
raUy in the sacraraent.
Tiieheadsto Now, for thc better consideration and understanding of thir twa
intws'^ser- dlvcrs thluges, quhUkare relative to uthers, we sal kepe this ordour,
'"°"' 1. by Godis grace : First, Ave sal let you see quhat Is raeaned be a
2. signe in the sacrament. Nist, we sal let you understand quhat is
3. raeaned be the thinge signified. Thirdlie, howe thir twa are

THE FIRST UPON THE SACRAMENTS. »
coupled, be quhat power and vertue they are conjoyned, and quher-
fra this power and vertue dois fiowe. FourtUe, and last of al, we 4.
saU let you understand, quhither ane and the selfe same instru
ment givis the signe and the thing signified or not ; quhither they
be givin in ane actioun or tAva ; quhither they be oflfered to ane
instrument or twa ; or gif they be given after a maner or twa to
baith the instruments. Mark thir diversities ; the diverse maner of
receaAing, the dlA'ersitie of the instruments, and the diversitie of the
givaris, and ye saU finde Utle difficultie in the sacrament.
1. Now, to begin at the signes : Seeing aU sacraments are signes, ihesigncs
quhat caU we the signes in the sacrament ? I caU the signes in ment. ^
the sacrament quhatsoever I perceave and takis up be my out
warde senses, be rayne eye especiaUy. Nowe, ye see, in this sacra
ment there is twa sortes of thingis subject to the outward senses,
and to the eye especiaUy ; ye see the elements of bread and wine
are subject to rayne eye ; therefore, they man be signs. Ye see,
again, that the rites and ceremonies quherby thir elements are dis
tributed, broken and given, are subject to myne eye also. Then I
man mak twa sortes of signes, ane sorte of the breade and the
Avine, and we caU thera eleraentaU ; ane uther sorte of the rites
and ceremonies, quherby thu- are distributed, broken and given,
and we cal thera ceremonial. Be not deceaved vrith the word
ceremonie ; think not, suppose I caU the breaking of the breade,
the eating of the breade, and drinking of the Avine, ceremonies ;
think not that they are vain, as ye use that word ceremonie for a
vain thing, quhUk hes na grace nor profit foUowing after it : na,
suppose I cal them ceremonies, there is never a ceremonie quhilk
Christ instituted in this supper, but it is als essential as the bread
and the Avine are ; and ye cannot leave a jote of them, except ye
pervert the haU Institutioun. For quhat ever Christ commanded
to be done, quhat ever he spake or did in that haU actioun, it is
essentiaU and man be done, and ye cannot leave a jote thereof
but ye AviU pervert the haU actioun.

10 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
^"''ii^7 ^li® reasoun quherefore I caU them signes is this ; 1 caU them
signes. ^Q^ signes, be that reason that men comraonUe calUs thera signes ;
because they signifie only, as the bread signifies the body of Cluist,
and the wine signifies the blood of Christ. I caU them not signes,
because they represent only, but I caU them signes because they
have the body and blood of Cluist conjoyned Avith them. Yea, sa
tridle is the body of Clu-ist conjoyned AA-ith that breade, and the blood
of Christ conjoyned with that wine, that als soone as thou receavis
that bread in thy mouth, (gif thou be a faithfull man or woman,) als
soone thou receaAcst the body of Christ in thy sauU, and that be
faith. And als soone as thou receavis that wine in thy mouth, als
soone thou receavis the blood of Chi-Ist in thy satd, and that be faith.
In respect of this exlubitioun cheifiie, that they are instruments to
deUver and exhibite the thing- that they signifie, and not in respect
onely of then- representatloun, they are caUed signes. For, gif
they did natlung- bot represented or signified a tlung absent, then
ony pictm-e or dead image stild be a sacrament ; for there is na
picttu-e, as the pictm-e of the king, but at the sight of the picture
the king AviU come in yom- mmde, and it aatU signifie to you that
that is the king's pictm-e. Sa, gif the signe of the sacrament did
na fin-ther, aU picttu-es suld be sacraments ; but in respect the
sacrament exhibites and deUvers the thins that it signifies to the
saul and hart, sa soone as the signe is deUvered to the mouth, for
this cause especiaUie it is caUed a signe. There is na picture of
the king that avUI deUAcr the king unto j'ou ; there is na uther
image that avUI exlUbite the thing quiierof it is the image : there
fore, there is na image can be a sacrament. Then, in respect the
Lorde hes appointed the sacraments, as hands to deUver and ex
hibite the tiling signified, for this delivery and exhibitiotm chieflie
they are caUed signes. As the word of the EAangeU is a mighty
and potent instrument to our everlasting salvatioim, sa the sa
crament is a potent instrmnent appointed be God to deUver to vs
Chi-ist lesus, to om- everlasting salvatioun. For this spuituaU
meate is dressed and given uppe to us in spirituall dishes, that is.

THE FIRST UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 11
in the ministery of the word, and in the ministery of the sacra
ments. And suppose this ministery be extemaU, yit the Lord is
said to deUver spiritual and heavenly things be thir externaU
thinges. Quhy ? Because he hes appointed them as instruments,
quherby he avUI deUver his aAvin Sone to us. For this is certaine,
that nane hes power to deUver Christ lesus to us except God and
his HaUe Spuit ; and, therefore, to speake properly, there is nane
can deUver Chiist bot God, be his aAvin Spuit. He is de
Uvered be the mitiistei-y of the HaUe Spiiit ; it is the HaUe Spirit
that seals bim up ia our harts, and confirmis us man- and mair
in him: as the Apostle giAis bim this stUe, 2 Cor. i. 22. To
speake properly, there is nane hes power to deUver Christ bot
God the Father, or hiraselfe ; there is nane hes power to deUver the
^Mediatour bot his aAvin Spirit : Yit it hes pleased God to use sum
instruments and meanis, quherby he AviU deUver Christ lesus to
us. The means are thir, the ministery of the word, and the ministery
of the sacraments : and in respect he uses thir as meanis to deUver
Christ, they are said to deUver him. But here ye have to dis
tinguish betAvixt the principaU eflicient deUverer and the instru-
mentaU eflScient, quhUk is the word and the sacraments : Keep
ing this distinction, baith thn- are true, God be his word, and God
be his Spirit, deUvers Christ lesus to you. Then I say, I cal
them signes, because God hes maid them potent instruraentis to
deUver that same thing quhilk they signifie.
2. Nowe. I ga to the thing signified, and I caU the thing signified Quhat is the
be the signes in the sacrament, that quhilk Irenaeus, that auldfiedlnthe
Avriter, caUis the heavenly and spirituaU thing, to Avit. haU Chiist,
Avith his haU giftes, benefites, and graces, appUed and given to my
saul. Then I caU not the thing signified be the signs of bread and
Avine, the benefits of Christ, the graces of Christ, or the vertue
that floAvis out of Christ oneUe ; but I cal the thing slg-nified, to-
gidder Avith the benefites and vertues floAving fi-a him, the verie
substaunce of Christ himself quherefiu this vertue dois flow : The
substance, vrith the vertues. gifts, and graces, that flowes fi-a the

12 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
substance, are the thing signified here. For as to the A'ertue and
graces that fiows fra Christ, it is not possible that thou can be
partaker of the vertue that fiowes fra his substaunce, except thou
be first partaker of the substance it selfe : For how is it possible that
I can be partaker of the jtiyce that flowes out of ony substance, ex
cept I be partaker of the substance it seUe ffrst ? Is it possible that
my storaach can be refreshed Avith that meat, the substaunce quher-
of come never in my mouth ? Is it possible that my drouth can be
slokened Avith that drinke that passed never over my halse ? Is it
possible that I can sowck ony vertue out of onye thing, except I get
the substance first ? Sa it is impossible that I can get the juice and
vertue that flows out of Christ, except I get the substance, that Is,
hiraselfe, first. Sa I caU not the thing signified the grace and vertue
that flowes fra Christ onelie, nor Christ hiraselfe and his substance,
without his vertue and graces oneUe ; but joyntly the substance
with the graces, haU Christ, God and man, without separatioun
of his nattu-es, Avithout discretioun of his substaunce fra his graces,
I call the thing signifled be the signes in the sacrament. For
quhy? Gif na mafr be signifled be the bread bot the flesh and
bodie of Christ oneUe ; and na mair be signified be the Avine but
the blood of Christ oneUe, thou can not say that the bodie of
Christ is Christ ; it is but a covrpon of Christ : thou cannot say
that the blood of Christ is haU Christ ; it is bot a part of him, and
a coAvpon of thy Saviour saved thee not ; a part of thy Saviour
wroght not the Avark of thy salvation : and sa, suppose thou get a
coAvpon of hira in the sacrament, that coAvpon wald do thee na
good. To the end, therfore, that tins sacrament may nurish thee
to Ufe everlasting, thou man get in it thy haU Saviour, haU Christ,
God and man, with his haU graces and benefits, Avithout separa^
tion of his substance fra his graces, or of the ane nature fra the
uther. And how get I him? Not be my mouth. It is a vain
thing to thinke that we vriU get God be our mouth ; but we get
him be faith : As he is a Spirit, sa I eat him be faith and beleif
In my saul ; not be the teeth of my mouth, that is a vain thing.
I give thee, that thou might eat the flesh of Christ with thy teeth,

THE FIRST UPON THE SACRAMENTS.

13

and this were a cruel raaner of doing ; yit thou may not eat the
Godhead with thy teeth : this is a grosse faschioun of speaking.
Sa, gif ever ye get good of the sacraraent, ye man get haU
Christ ; and there is not ane instrument to gripp him bot be faith
oneUe : therefore, come Arith a faithfid! hart.
O ! but ye vriU speere at me, and appearandUe the definitioun Questiou.
laid doun of the thing signified gives a ground to it, Gif the flesh
of Christ, and the blood of Christ, be a pairt of the thing signified,
how can I caU his flesh a spirituaU and heavenly thing, and
Christ, in respect of his flesh, a heavenly thing? Ye avUI not
say that the substance of Christ's flesh Is spirituaU, or that the
substance of his blood is spirituaU ; quherefore, then, cal ye it ane
heavenly and spirituaU thing ? I vriU teU you : The flesh of
Christ is caUed a spiritual thing, aaid Christ is caUed spiritual, in
respect of his flesh, not that his flesh is becomd a spirit, or that
the substance of his flesh is becomd spirituaU : Na, it remaned
true flesh, and the substance of it Is ane, as it was in the wombe
of the virgin. His flesh is not caUed spirituaU nather, in respect it
is glorifled in the heavens at the right hand of the Father : be not
deceaved Arith that, for suppose it be glorified, yit it reraains^ true
flesh, that same flesh quhilk he tooke out of the wombe of the Aor-
gin. It is not spiritual nather, because thou seels it not in the
supper. Gif thou war quhere it is, thou might see it ; but it is caUed Answer.
spirituaU, in respect of the spirituaU ende quherunto it serAds to my
body and saul : because the flesh and blood of Christ serAas to
nurish mee, not to a teraporaU life, but to a spirituaU and heaven
ly Ufe.
Nowe, in respect this flesh is a spirituaU food, serving rae to a
spirituaU life, for this cans it is caUed a spirituaU thing. Gif it
nurished rae, as the flesh of beasts dois, but to a temporaU life,
it suld be caUed but a temporaU thing ; but in respect it nurishes
my sauU, not to ane earthUe and temporaU Ufe, but to ane heaven
ly, celestiaU, and spirituaU end, in respect of this end, the flesh of
Christ, and Christ in respect of his flesh, is caUed the spirituall
thing in the sacrament. It is caUed also the spirituaU thing In

14 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
the sacraraent, in respect of the spuituaU insti-ument quherby it is
recfeived. The instrument quherby the flesh of Christ is receaved
is not a corporal instrument, is not the teeth and raouth of the
body ; but it is spu-ituaU, it is the mouth of the sauU, quhUk ia
faith ; and in respect the instrument is spuituaU, therefore Christ,
quha is receaved, is also caUed spuituaU. In respect also that the
maner of receaAing is a heavenUe, spirituaU, and celestiaU maner,
not a naturall nor externaU maner, in respect that the flesh of Christ,
quhUk is gi-^en in the sacrament, is received be a spirituaU and se-
creet maner, quhilk is not scene to the eyes of men ; in aU thir re
spects I caU Christ lesus the heavenly e and spu-ituaU thing quhilk
Is signified be the signes in the sacrament.
The thing Now, I Say In the end, the thing signified man be appUed to
signified ^^ . . ....
man he np- US. Quhat aA^aUs it to rac to see my health m a btust, standing in
ane apothecarie's booth ? Quhat can it worke toward me gif it be
not appUed ? Quhat avaUs it me to see ray salvation afar ofi' gif
it be not applied to rae ? Therefore it is not aneugh to us to see
Christ, bot he man be given us, or els he cannot work health
and salvation in us. And as this salvation is given us, wee man
have a mouth to take It. Quhat avaUs it me to see meat before
me except I have a raouth to take it ? Sa, the thing signified
in the sacrament man be given us be God, be the three persona
of the Trinity, ane God, be Christ lesus, quha man give himselfe,
and as he gives himselfe, sa we man have a mouth to take him. Sup
pose he presents and offers him selfe, 3dt he can profite or availe
nane but them quha hes a mouth to receave hira. Then ye
see quhat I caU the thing signified ; hail Christ appUed to us, and
receaved be us ; haU Christ, God and man, without separatioun of
his natures, Arithout discretioun of his substance fra his graces, all
appUed to us.
Then I say, seeing we corae to the sacrament to be fed be
his flesh, and refreshed be his blood ; to be fed to ane heavenly
and spu-itual Ufe; and seeing there is na profite to be had of
this table Avithout some kynd of preparatloun, therefore, let na
man prease to ga to that haUe table, except in some raeasure

THE FIRST UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 15
he be prepared. Some vriU bee prepared in a greater measure
then uthers. Alwayis, let na man presume to ga to it, except in
some measure his hart be sanctified. Therfore, ray exhortation
concerning the way quherby every ane of you ought to prepare
your selfis, that ye may dresse you the better to the table, is this :
There is never ane of you that coraes to the table of the Lord,
to cast before the Lord your integritie, .justice, and uprightnes;
but quhasoever gals to the table he ought to ga with the acknow
ledging and confessioun of his raiserie ; he ought to ga with a sor-
rowfuU hart, for the sinnes quherin he hes offended God; he
ought to ga with a haitret of they sins, not to protest that he is
haUe, just, and upright, but to protest and confesse that he is
miserable, and of aU creattu-es the maist miserable. And, there
fore, he gals to that table to get support for his raiserie, to get a
gripp of raercie at the throne of grace, and to get remissioun and
forglvenes of his sumes ; to get the gift of repentance, that mair
and mair he may studie to Uve uprightUe, haUe, and soberlle, in aU
tirae comming. Therefore, except ye have entred in this course,
and are of purpose to continue in this course, to amend your life
bigane, to repent you of your sinnes, and be the grace of God to
Uve mair uprightUe and soberUe nor ye have done, for God's cause
ga not to the table. For quhere there Is not a purpose to do well
and to repent, of necessitie there raan be a purpose to do iU ; and
quhasoever coms to that table with a purpose to do IU, and without a
purpose to repent, he comes to mocke Christ, to skorne hira in his
face, and to eat his aAvin present conderanation. Sa, let na raan corae
to that table that hes not in his hart a pm-pose to do better ; that
hes not a hart to sorrow for his sinnes bigane, and thinks not his
bigane foUe and raadnes over raeekle. Let na raan come to
that table without this, under the paine of damnatioun. But gif
ye have in your hart a purpose to do better, suppose your bigane
life hes been dissolute and loose, yit gif ye be tuitched in your
hart with ony feeUng or remorse of your bigane Ufe, ga not fra
the table, but cotne with a protestatloun of thy miserie and Avretch-
ednes, and come Arith a hart to get grace. Gif Avith a dissolute

16 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
life, I meane not of open slaunders, thou have also a purpose not to
amend, but to doe war, for God's sake absteine. This far for the
thing signified.
Into this generaU consideration there rests thir thinges yit to be
maid plaine tmto you : Firste, howe the signes and the thing sig
nified are coupled togidder, and how they are conjoyned : Nixt, It
rests to be tauld you how the signe is deUvered, and how the
thing signified is deUvered, and hoAv baith are receaved als wefll as
they are deUvered. This beiag done, I saU speak shortly of the
uther part of the sacrament, quhilk is the word : And, last of
all, we saU let you see quhat sort of faultes they are that per
verts the sacrament, and makes it of na effect. And gif time saU
serve, we saU enter in particular to this sacrament quhUk we have
in hand.
JgneVn'dthe ^- Then, to comc backe agaiue : In the third rourae. It coras In to
fie'd"fr ^^'"'he considered, how the signe and the thing signified are coupled ;
ed togidder. f^j, about thls coujunctlou aU the debait standes ; aU the strife
that we have with thera that varies fra the streight truth
standes about the raaner of this conjunction. Sorae wiU have them
conjoyned after ane way, and some after ane uther way ; and men
strives verie bitterUe about this mater, and continues sa in strife,
that thorow the bitternes of contention they tyne the truth. For
quhen the heat of contentioun rises, and speciaUy in disputation,
they take not tent to the truth, but to the victorie : Gif they may
be victorious, and it were but be a multitude of words, they re
gard not suppose they tyne the truth. Eeade their Avorks and
books about this conjunction, and ye saU crave rather conscience
nor knowledge ; yea, gif they had the quarter of the conscience
that they have of knowledge, na questioun this controversie
might be easUie tane up ; but men lacking conscience, and having
knowledge, an evU conscience perverts the knowledge, and drawee
thera to ane evU end. To tel you now how thir twa are conjoyn
ed, it AviU be farre easier for me, and better for you to understand,
to teU you first howe they are not conjoyned ; for I saU make it

THE FIRST UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 17
very cleare unto you, be letting you see how they are not conjoyned ;
but it is not possible to make it so cleare, by teUing you the maner
how they are conjoyned.
Ye may perceave cleareUe be your avrin eyes, that the signe
and the thing signified are not locaUy conjoyned, that is, they are
not baith in ane place. Ye may perceave also be your outwarde
senses, that the body of Christ, quhUk is the thiug signified, and
the signes, are not conjoyned corporaUie ; their bodies tuitches
not uthers. Ye raay perceave also, they are not visibUe con
joyned ; they are not baith subject to the outwarde eye ; sa it is
easle to let you see howe they are not conjoyned. For gif the
signe and the thing signified were visibUe and corporaUy conjoyned,
quhat misterd us to have a sign ? Quherefore suld the signe in
the sacraraent serve us ? Is not the signe in the sacrament ap
pointed to lead me to Christ ? Is not the signe appointed to point
out Christ to rae ? Gif I sawe hira present be raine awin eye, as I
do the bread, quhat mister had I of the bread ? Therefore ye
may see clearUe, that there is na sik thing as a corporaU, naturaU,
or ony sickUke physicaU conjunction betwixt the signe and the
thing signified. Sa I say, it is easie to let you see howe they are
not conjoyned. Then come on, how are they conjoyned ? We
cannot crave here any uther sort of conjunctioun nor may stand and
agree Arith the nature of the sacrament ; for na thing can be con
joyned Avith ane uther after ane uther sort nor the nature of it wUl
sufier. Therefore, there cannot be here ane uther sort of conjunc
tioun nor the nature of the sacrament avUI suflFer. Now, the nature
of the sacrament vriU suffer ane sacramentaU conjunction. O ! but
that is als hard yit 1 Ye are never the better of this ; but I saU
make it cleare, be God's grace.
Ye knaw every sacrament is a raysterie ; there Is not a sacrament
but it conteinis a high and divine mysterie. In respect, then, that a
sacrament is a mysterie, it foUowes that a raysticaU, secrete, and spi
rituaU conjunctioun agrels weiU vrith the nature of the sacrament.
As the conjunctioun betArixt us and Christ is ftiU of a mysterie, as
the Apostle lets you see, Ephes. v. 32, as it is a mysticaU and spiritual

18 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
conjunctioun, sa, na doubt the conjunctioun betvrixt the sacrament
and the thing signified in the sacraraent man be of the sarae nature,
mysticaU and spirituaU. It is not possible to teU you, be na ocidar
demonstratioun, how Christ and we are conjoyned. But quha ever
wald understand that conjunctioun, his minde raan be enlightened
Arith ane heavenUe eye, that as he lies ane eye in his head to see
corporaU things, sa he man have in his minde and hart ane
heavenUe eye to see this mysticaU conjunction, a heavenUe eye
to take up this secret conjunctioun that Is betAvist the Sonne of
God and us in the sacraraent. Sa I mister not to insist : Except
ye have this heavenUe Ulumination, ye can never understand,
nather yom- aAvin conjunction with Christ, nor yit the conjunction
betwixt the signe and the thing signified in the sacrament.
But I keepe my ground : As the sacrament is a raysterie, sa the
conjunctioun that is into the sacraraent, na dout, man be a mystical,
secret, and spiritual conjunctioun. Beside this, I let you see, be
the generaU deductioun, that in cA'ery sacrament there is twa
things ; quhilk twa hes a relatioun and a mtituall respect the ane
to the uther. Sa that a relatlA^e conjunction agrees AveiU AAdth the
nature of the sacrament. Then, speirsthou, quhat kind of conjunc
tion it is ? I give thee the conjunction that agrees Avith their na
ture, to Avit, a relatlA^e and a respective conjunction, sik a conjunc
tion quherin the sign hes a continuall respect to the thing signi
fied, and the thing signified to the signe. Then craAis thou, in a
word, the sort of conjunction that is betwixt the signe and the
This con- thing signified ? I caU it a secret and a mysticaU conjunctioun,
maid deir be that stauds iu a mutuaU relatioun betAvLxt the signe and the thiag
woanTe-""^' signified. There is ane uther conjunction beside the conjunctioun
™rfind that is betwixt Clirist and us, that may mak this conjunctioun be-
s?VifleT° tAvixt the signe and the thing signified in the sacrament mair
thereby. glgare ; and this is the conjunction quliilk Is betAvixt the word that
ye hear, and thing signified be the same word. Looke quhat sort
of conjunction is betwixt the Avord quhiUt ye heare and the thmg
signified that coraes in your mind ; the like conjunction is betAvixt
the sign that ye see and the thing signified in the sacrament.

THE FIRST UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 19
Ye may perceave easUie there is a conjunction be the effect, sup
pose ye cannot knaw the sort of conjunction. For quhy ? Ye
heare not the AVord sa soone spoken be me, but incontinent the
thing quhUk my word quherof I speake signifies comes in your
mind. Speak I of things bigane, of things to come, or of things
that are never sa far absent, I cannot sa soone speak to you of
them, in this language, but the thing signified coraes in your
rainde ; na doubt, because there is a conjunction betwixt the
word and the thing signified. Sa, every ane of you may easUy
perceave that there Is a conjunctioun betwixt the word and the
thing signified be the word. As, for example, suppose Paris be
far distant fra us ; yit speake I of Paris, the word is not sa soone
spoken but the toune vriU come in your raind : speak I of the king,
suppose he be far distant fra us, the word is not sa soone spoken
but the thing signified avUI come in your minde. Sa this comming
of the thing signified in the hart and mind lets you see clearlie
that there is a conjunction betAvixt the word and the thing signified
be the word.
To teU you of this sort of conjunctioun it is not sa easie ;
because the thing signified is not present to the eye, as the
word is to the eare. Gif every thing signified war als present
to your eye as the word Is to your eare, it were easie to see the
conjunction. But seeing the conjunction is mysticaU, secrete, and
spirituaU, therefore it is hard to raake you to understand It. Al
ways looke quhat conjunction is betAvixt the simple word and the
thing signified be the word, that same sort of conjunction Is be
tArixt the sacrament and the thing signified be the sacrament ;
for the sacrament Is na uther thing but ane visible word. I caU
it a visible word ; quhy ? Because it conveyes the significatioun of
it be the eye to the minde. As this is ane audible word, because
it conveyes the signification of it be the ear to the mind, in the
sarae sacrament, sa oft as ye looke on it, ye sail not sa soone see
that bread with your eye but the bodie of Christ saU come in your
mind ; ye saU not sa soone see that wine, but, after the preaching

20 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
and opening up of the parts of the sacraraent, the blood of Christ
saU come in your mind.
Now, this conjunction betAvixt the signe and the thing sig
nified In the sacrament stands chiefiy, as ye may perceave, in
twa points : First, in a relation betAvixt the sign and the thing
signified, quhUk rises of a Ukenes and proportion betAvixt thir
twa ; for gif there were na proportion and analogic betwixt the
signe and thing signified be the signe, there could not be a
sacrament or ane relatioun. Sa the first pairt of this conjunc
tion stands in a relation quhUk rises upon ane certauie simUitude
and Ukenes quhilk the ane hes Arith the uther. And this Uke
nes may be easUie perceaved. For, looke howe able the bread is
to nurishe thy body to this life earthlle and temporal ; the flesh of
Christ, signifled be the bred, is als able to nurish baith body and
sauU to Ufe everlastiag. Sa ye may perceave some kinde of pro
portion betAvixt the signe and the thing signified. The second
point of the conjunction stands in a continuaU and mutual concur
ring of the ane with the uther, in sUi sort, that the signe and the
thing signified are offered baith togither, receaved togither at ane
time, and in ane actioun ; the ane outwardUe, the uther Inwardly,
gif sa be that thou have a mouth in thy sauU, quhilk is faith, to re
ceave it. Then the second point of the conjunctioun stands in a
joynt offering, and in a joynt receaAing ; and this I caU ane concur
rence. Then speere ye, quhat sort of conjunction is betAvixt the
signe and the thing signified ? I say it is a relative conjunction,
a secret and a mystical conjunction, quhilk stands in a mutuaU re
latioun. There is na farther to be observed here except only this, that
suppose ye conjoin thir twa, be ware that ye confound thera not,
be ware that ye turne not over the ane In the other, but keepe
every ane of them iu their avrin integritie, Arithout confusion or
pennixtion of the ane Arith the other, and sa ye saU have the law-
fuU conjunctioun that sulde be in the sacrament.
There is not a lessoun that can be learned of this, at least that I

THE FIRST UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 21
can marke or gather, except onely the lesson of the kindenes and
goodnes of the everUving God, quha hes invented sa mony AVonderfriU
sortes of conjunction, and aU to this purpose, that we might be
conjoyned, to advance this great and mysticaU conjunction betwixt
the God of glorie and us ; in the quhilk conjunction, our AveiU,
feUcity, and happines in this Ufe, and in the Ufe to come, dois only
stand : That he is sa cairfuU to conjoyne himselfe vrith his word
and sacraraents, that we in his word and sacraments might be
conjoyned with hira. Gif we were moved with the care and love
of God, uttered in thu- conjunctiones, and It Avere never sa Uttle on
our pairts, assuredly we Avald not defraud our selfs of the fi:uit of
that happy conjunction, nor bring it in sik a loath and disdaine as
we do this day ; for we, be foUovring and preferring of our plea
sures to Christ and Ids counseU, hes made the storaachis of our
saules sa foule and UI disposed, that ather they receive hira not at
aU, or, gif he be receaved, he is not able to tarry : And quhy ? be
cause ane foul storaach Is not able to keepe him, for Incontiuent we
chok him sa, ather vrith the lustls of the flesh, or with the cares of
this world, that he is compeUed to depart ; and gif Christ be not
baith devoured and digested, he can doe us na good ; and this di
gestion cannot be quhere there is not a greedy appetite to the re-
ceit of him, for, gif thou be not hungry for lum, he Is not ready for
thee. And I am assured, gif aU the men in this countrie were ex-
arained after this rule, that there were nane that recevis Christ bot
he that hes a stomach and is hungrie for him, it fearis rae that few
stdd be found to receave him. It fears me, that we have tane sik
a loath and disdaine of that heavenUe food, that there is not sick a
thing as ony Mnde of hunger or appetite of it in our saules.
-And quhat is the cause of this ? I wUl teU you : Suppose Ave
have renounced the corporaU and grosse Idolatrie wherein our fa
thers were drowned and pltmged of before, and quhilk men in some
parts gals about to erect now ; yit, as the manners of this countrie,
and the behaviour of every ane of us testifies, there is never a man
that hes renounced that damnable idol that he hes in his avrin saul,
nor the invisible idolatry that he hes in his awin hart and mynd ;

22 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
there is never a man but to that same idoU quhereAvith he was con-
ceaved and borne, and Avheretinto he addicted hiraselfe and was a
slave of before, but to that idoU he givis his service yit ; and there
fore marveU not, C[uhen thou hes addicted thy service, set thy affec
tion, and poured out thy hart upon that pleasure of thine aArin, upon
that idoU of thy aArin, upon that lust and mischief of thy aAvin ;
raarvell not suppose thou haAC na appetite of Christ, nor of that
lieavenUe food. Quhen thou hes thy sauU powred ftirth on some
villany and wickednes, and hes send it far a feUd, hoAV is it possible
to thee to retire it, or draAV it hame agalne, to imploy It, quhere
thou suld, on Christ lesus ? Then let every ane, in his aAvin rank,
tak heed to his aAvin doraestUi idoU that lodges Avithin his aArin
heart, and presse to cleare him of it, or utherwayis ye cannot see
the face of Chiist, nor be partakers of his Idngdome.
There Is not ane uther lesson in Christianitie but this : This is the ,
first and the last lesson, to shake off your Itistis and affections,
peece and peece, and sa peece and peece renounce thy self, that thou
may erabrace Christ. I grant there is greater progresse in this point
in sorae nor In uthers ; some lesse, some mair profites in this ; but
except in sorae measure ye cast oflf your selfe, or quhatsoever in
your aAvin eyes ye corapt raaist precious, to corae be Christ, ye are
not Avorthie of hira : And this is verie hard to be done. It is verie
easie for a raan to speake it, to bidd a raan renounce his awin idoU,
quhilk I caU his affections ; but it is not sa sone done. Assuredly
the stronger man come In to ding out the affection ; yea, the
stronger nor the devU man come in to ding out the deviU, qulia
makes residence in the affection, or els he wUl remaine there for
ever. Therefore, there are not mony that hes renounced them
selfis ; and examin thine hart quhen thou wUl, gif there be ony thing
in the world that thou lovis better nor Christ, gif thou be not
content to leave father and raother, to leave wife and chUdren, or
quhat soever Is dearest to thee in this world, for Christ, thou art
not worthie of him. Gif thou be not content to cast oflf quhatso
ever maks thee a stranger to Christ, thou art not worthie of him.
And is this onie Uttle matter, seeing there is na part nor poAver of

THE FIRST UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 21)
our saul but It Is eneray to this, and repines to this heavenUe con
junction ? Is this onie Utle matter, to cast off and renounce our
selfis that we may come to Christ ? Ye saw never a greater mat
ter nor this. It hes not entred Into every hart to consider of this ;
for this work of our new creation Is ten ^thousand times greater
nor the work of our first creation. And, therefore, it were very
necessary that everie man tooke tent to himselfe : For the deviU Is
so craftle. In this point, that he erects ever ane IdoU or uther in
our saul ; and sometiraes under the shew of vertue, quhUk of aU Is
maist dangerous : -And in everie Avork that is in om- hand, gif it
war never sa haUe, he is at our right hande, and maks him to have
interest in it. And he contents himselfe not with this, under the
shcAve of A^ertues to disseave you ; but he is sa walkrife, that even in
the best turne, and quhen ye are best occupied in your maist ver-
tuous actions, he mixes them with sinnes, and sa dois the thing
that Ues in him to make you tine your profit, and loose your re
ward. For quhen ye are best occupied, he gals about to engen
der In you an opinion of your selfis, and sa defraud God of his glo
ry. Or utherwayis, in doing of good ttirnes, he makes you sa
slacke and negUgent, that gif ye do them, ye do thera caldUe, or
sa indiscreetly, that he maks you begin at the last first, and raakes
it that suld be first last ; and sa, as Martha was, to be occupied and
over bissie in they things quhiUi are not sa necessar as the things
quherin Marie was occupied. For she suld have preferred first
the hearing of the Avord, to the preparing of Christ's supper.
This is but to give you ane insight, and to let you see that the
devU is sa craftle, that ather he casts in a false conceat of our selfs
in doing ony turne, or els makes us to do that last quhUk suld be
first, or then maks us altogidder sa sluggish and sa negUgent, that
we do the work of the Lord caldly ; and sa, ane way or uther, he
halds us ever in a continuaU busines. Sa that Ave cannot be haUe
walkrife ; for we have to do with principaUties and powers, with
spirituaU Arickednes, quhilk are above us and vrithin us also. For
he is not that hes corruption vrithin hira, but Sathan is in him : Sa
we cannot be halfe walkrife, ever studying to cast out the deviU,

24 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
to renounce our selfis, and to submit us to the obedience of Christ.
This farre concerning the conjunction.
Howe the Now, sccuig that the signe and the thing signified are divers, it
signe and " ^ ^ & &
the thing rcsts to bc considered,^How the sign is delivered; and how the
signified are ^ _ ^ * ^
given and thing signified is deUvered ; and after quhat manner they are re-
receaved. ip />• . . i i*l'
Considera. ceavccl ? And, therefore, of this consideration ye have thu- things
of. to wey. Ye have first to consider, Quhidder baith the signe and
the thing signified be delivered to you be ea man or not. Second-
2. ly, ye have to consider, Quhidder the signe and the thing signified
3. be delivered to you in ane action or not. Thirdly, ye have to
consider, Quhidder baith thir things be given to ane instrument
'' or not. And, fottrtly, ye haA'C to consider, Quhidder the signe
and the thing signified be offered and receaved after ea maner or
not. NoAV, after that ye haAe considered all thir, in the ende ye sal
find that the sign and the thing signified are not given be ane man :
Ye sal find, nixt, that they are not given in ane sort of action :
Tlurdly, ye sal finde that they are not baith oflfered and given to
ane instrument : -And, fourtly, ye saU finde that they are not baith
given and receaved after ane maner. Sa, finding this diversitie,
ye have this to doe : Marke rae the diversitie of the propiners
and givers : Marke rae the diversitie of the actions : Mark rae,
thirdUe, the diversitie of the instruments : And marke, fourtly, the
divers raanner of receaving. Mark rae all thir dUigently, and ye
saU finde Uttle difficultie in the sacrament.
For, first, to mak it cleare unto you, I say, that the signe and
the thing signified be the signe are not baith given be ea man ; and
this ye see clearely. For as to the signe, that bread and that Arine,
ye see your seUe that the minister offers unto you the signe ; he
gives you that sacrament : As that sign is ane earthly and corporal!
thing, sa It is ane earthly and corporaU man that gives it. Now,
the thing signified is of ane uther nature ; for it is ane heavenly and
spirituaU thing, therefore, this heavenly thing is not given be an
earthly man ; this uncorruptible thing is not given be ane naturaU
and corraptible man ; but Christ lesus hes locked up and reserved

THE FIRST UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 25
the ministrie of this heavenly thing to hiraselfe onely. Therefore,
there is tAva givers in this sacraraent : The minister gives the
earthly thing ; Christ lesus, the Mediator, gives you the heaven
Ue thing in the sacraraent ; for Christ, in giving the earthly thing,
wUl not use his avrin ministerie immediatUe, nor the ministerie of
ane angeU, but oneUe the ministerie of ane earthUe raan.
And as to the dispensation of his awin bodie and blood, he avUI
not give It to na heavenUe creature, let be to ane earthly man ; but
he hes keeped this rainisterie to hira selfe, and he dispenses his awin
body and blood to quhom and quhen he pleasis : For quhy ? Gif
ony man in the world had power to give Christ's body and blood,
na question this man suld have power to cleanse the hart and con
science, for the blood of Christ hes this power with it, and conse
quently suld have power to forgive sins. Now, it is onely God that
may forgive sinnes ; and, therefore, it Is not possible that the ministe
rie of the heavenly thing can be in the power of ony man. Example
we have in lohn the Baptist, Mat. Ui. 11. Sayis he not, the rai-
nistery that I have is of the eleraent ? I ara coraraanded to mi
nister the element of Avater only, but as to the ministerie of the fire
and of the Spirit, Christ hes reserved it to himselfe. Therefore,
looke not to get the Spirit at man's hand, but at the hands of Christ
himselfe oneUe ; and without this inward ministerie, I wU not give
a straw for the outward ministerie. For ray outward rainisterie,
yea, suppose It were the ministerie of ane angeU, and suppose
Christ were present in Ms flesh to rainister unto you thir outward
things, except he conjoyne the inward raiolsterle of his Spirit there
with. It avaUes nathing. It raay weiU make up a dittay and proces
against you, against the day of that generaU assembUe ; but to your
salvation it wUl never profite you. Therefore, this ye suld ay
crave, that the Lord wald water your harts be his HaUe Spu-it, as
he waters your eares be the hearing of the word.
Then there is twa offerers : The minister offers the signe,
Christ lesus offers himselfe, the thing signified. The three persons,
ea God, offers the Mediator, or the Mediator offers himselfe, and
that be the power and vertue of his awin Spirit,

manners.

26 MR ROBERT BKUCE'S SERMONS.
The signe As there is tAva propiners, twa persons that offeris and giAis the
thing signifi- sacrameut, and the thing signified be the sacrament ; sa thir twa are
edin twa offcred and given in tAva actions. Christ, quha is the heavenUe
twainstru- thing, is offcrcd and given to you, be ane inward secret and spirit-
eftertwa uaU actlou, quhUls Is not subject to the outward eye: The signe,
againe, is oflfered and given in ane outward action, after a corpo
ral and visible maner. As there is twa sortes of actions, sa there
is twa sortes of instrumentes, quhereunto the signe and the thing
signified are oflfered ; for the thing signified, that is, Christ, is never
offered to the raouth of ray body. The blood of Christ, the flesh
of Christ, haUl Christ, or the Spirit of Christ, is not offered, nather
in the word nor In the sacrament, to the mouth of my body. Get
me that in ony parte of the Bible, that there is ony uther manner of
receaAing of Christ bot be faith, and tak it to them. Sa there is
not an instrument, as I taulde you, nather hand nor raouth, to grippe
Christ, bot faith onely. As Clirist, quha Is the thing signified. Is
gripped be the hand and mouth of faith, sa the signe, that signifies
Christ, is gripped be om- aAviii natttraU mouth and hand. Ye have
a mouth in your head, and in your body, als proper to gripp the
signe as fayth is to grippe Christ. Sa, the signe and the thing-
signified are offered and given, not to ane instrument, but to twa ;
the ane to the mouth of the bodie, the uther to the mouth of the
sauU. Now, look be quhat way thir things are offered and given,
be the same way they are receaved. As the signe is corporaU, and
naturaUy offered to a corporaU instrtunent, sa is it receaved after a
corporaU and naturaU manner ; for thou man tak the bread and the
Avuie ather be thy hand or be thy mouth. The thing signified is
not tane after a corporaU maner, bot after a secret and spirituaU
manner ; and as It Is offered, sa it is tane : There cannot be a thing
clearer ; the ane is tane after a natural manner, the uther after a se
cret and spirituaU manner. Sa, in this last part, ye have thu- thino-s
to mark ; cUstinguish rae betvrixt the outward action and the in-
Avard, betAvIxt the signe and the thing signified, and keepe me a
proportion and analogie betwixt the inwarde and the outward ac-

THE FIRST UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 27
tions. Thinke weUl with yom- seUe that, gif ye be a faithfull man,
Christ is als bissie working inwardUe in your sauU as the minister
is Avorking outwardUe toward yom- bodie. Looke hoAV bissie the
minister is in breaking that bread. In pouring out that wine, in
giving that bread and wine to thee ; als bissie is Christ in breaking
his aAvin body to thee, and in giving thee the juyce of his avrin bo
die, after a spirituaU and iavisible manner. Sa keepe me this dis
tinction, and thinke weiU with your seUs, that be faith, Christ Is
als weUl ocupied towards your saul, to nurish it, as the minister is
outwardly towardes your body. Keepe me this, and thou hes the
haU sacrament.
Then of this discourse and deduction ye may tak up a double
matter, quherof the sacrament stands. It stands of twa sorts of ma
terials, that is, of ane earthUe matter, and of ane heavenly matter ;
the sign and the thing signified : And as there is a double matter
in the sacrament, sa the sacrament man be handled after a double
manner, be ane outward action, and ane inward action. Keepe the
distinction in thir things, betAvixt the sign and the thing signified,
and ye sal not easUie sUp In the understanding of the sacraraent.
This being sayd, concerning the generaU consideration of the of the uther
elements, (for aU this apperteins yit to the elements,) it rests that sacrament,
we speake somequhat concerning the word, quhilk I caU the uther the word.
part of the sacrament. Quhat avc raeane and understand be the
word, I take the word, quhairunto the eleraents are annexed, for
that thing quhUk quickens this haUl action; qtihUli serves as It
were a saul, and gives Ufe to the haUl action. For be the word,
and the appointment of Christ in the word, the minister knowis
quhat is his part, the hearer knowis quhat Is his part, and every
ane is prepared how to deUver and how to receave ; the minister
how he suld deliver, and the hearer how he suld receave. Sa the
institution of Christ is the quickning of the haUl action. For aU
the action hes the Avarrand fra the institution set down in his word.
In the institution of Christ, there is twa things chlefiie to be con
sidered : Ye wiU finde in the institution of Christ a command.

28 Mil ROBERT bruce's SERJIUNS.
and ye wUl finde in it a promise : The command is this ; quliere he
sayis. Take, eat, the comraand obUshes you to obey, and craves
obedience. There is a proraise also in tbe institution, and it Is
conteined in thir words, This is my bodie. The promise craves faith.
As the command craves obedience, sa the promise craA'es beleif;
therefore, come not to the sacrament except ye brmg baith faith and
obedience vrith you. Gif thou come not with a heart minded to obey
Christ at least mair nor thou Avas wont to doe, thou comes to thine
aArin damnation ; and gif thou brings a hart ahvais voyd of faith,
thou comes to thine aAvin damnation. Sa, let CAcry ane that comes
to the sacrament bring with him a hart minded to do better, that
is, to obey and beleive Christ better nor he did of before. Except
ye bring thir twa, in some meastu-e, come not to the sacraraent ;
for whatever thou do, except it floAV of faith, can profite nathing.
This far concerning the word shortly.
Nowe there rests onely this, and it Avald be speered, Quhat mis
ter is there that thir sacraments and scales stdd be annexed to the
AVord ? Quherefore are they annexed, seeing Ave gat na raair In
the sacrament nor we get in the Avord ; and we get als meekle in
the very simple word as we gat in the sacrament ? Seeing, then,
Ave get na newe thing in the sacrament, but the same thing qululk
we gat in the simple word, quherefore is the sacrament appointed
to be hung to the AVord ? It is true, certainly, we get na new
tlung In the sacrament, nor Ave get na uther thing in the sacraraent
nor Ave gat in the word ; for quhat mair walde thou crave nor to
get the Sonne of God, gif thou get him AveiU ? Thy hart cannot
A\ish nor imagine a greater gift nor to have the Sonne of God,
quha is Iving of heaA-cn and earth. And therefore I say, quhat
new thing walde thou have ? For gif thou get him, thou gettis aU
things with hun ; thy hart cannot unagine a newe tliinge beside
him ; quherefore then is the sacrament appointed ? Not to get thee
a ncAv thing. I say it is appointed to get thee that same thing
better nor thou gat it in the word.
The sacraraent is appointed, that Ave may get a better grip of

THE FIRST UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 29
Christ nor we gat in the simple AVord, that Ave may possesse Christ '; ^^
in our harts and mindes mair frdlie and largely nor we did off''''"'«"'™°
*-" "^ possesse
before In the simple word. That Christ might have a larger Christ mair
; . ° ° fully nor lie
space, to make residence in om- narrowe hearts nor he could have the simple
AVord.
be the hearing of the simple Avord ; and to possesse Christ mair
fiiUie it is a better thing. For, suppose Christ be ea thing in him
selfe, yit the better grip thou haAe of hun thou art the surer of his
promise. The sacramentes are appointed that I might have hira
mair ftilUe in my satdl ; that I might have the bounds of it en
larged ; that he may make the better residence in rae. This, na
doubt, is the cause quherefore thir scales are annexed to the evident
of the siraple word. 2.
They serve to this end also, to scale up and confirm the truth They servo-
that is in the word ; for as the office of the scale hung to the evi- the trueth
dent is not to confirrae ane uther truth nor that quhUlc is in the the word.
CAident ; and suppose ye beleeved the evident of before, yit be the
scales ye beleeve it the better : Even sa, the sacrament assures me
of na uther truth nor is conteined within the word ; yit, because it
Is a scale annexed to the word, it persuades me the better of the
same ; for ay the mair that the outward senses be walkned, the
mair is the inward hart and raind persuaded to beleif. Now, the
sacrament Avalkens aU the outward senses, sick as the eye, the hand^
and aU the rest ; and the outward senses being moved, na question,
the Spirit of God concurring therewith, moves the heart the mair.
The sacraments are then annexed to the word, to seal up the truth
conteined in the word, and to confirme it mair and mau- in thy hart.
Then, quhat have ye to doe ? The word is appointed to worke be
leif, and the sacrament is appointed to confirme you in this beleif;
but except ye feele the truth of this inwardly in your harts, ex
cept ye have your harts als readie as your mouth, think not that
ony thing wUl avaUe you.
AU the scales In the warld avUI not worke, except the Spirit Ej^hortation.
of God concurre, and scale the same truth in your harts quhUk
the sacrament scales outwardUe. Except he mak cleare the
sight of thy mind iiiAvardlie, and Avorkc a feeling In thy hart,

30 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
baith word and sacraraent saU tine their fruit and effect quhUk
they suld have. AU the Scriptures are fuU of this. The had
Scriptures of God are but a slaying letter to you, except the
Spirit of God concurre to quicken inwardUe. Sa, your halU en-
devor suld be, to presse to feele Christ quicke in yom- awin harts ;
that finding hira in your harts, and seiiig him in your minds, baith
AVord and sacraments may be effectuaU ; gif not, your sauls remaines
dead, ye are not translated fra that death quhairin ye were con-
ceaved. Therefore, aU the study of Christians suld be, quhen they
see the sacraments, and heare the Avord, to labour to find and
feele in their hearts and mindes that quhilk they heare and see ;
and this I caU to find Christ quick in your aAvin saids. This cannot
be, except ye sanctifie his lodging ; for gif all the nukis of thy
saul remaine a midding, Christ cannot dwell there. And sa, ex
cept ye study to a continuaU sanctification, and sever your selfe fi-a
every thing that severs you fra Christ, it Is not possible that he
can live or dweU in you.
This is a great lesson, and it is not possible to doe this, except,
as I have said, a stronger corae In and possesse us, and make
us to renounce our selfs. Then, the seals had not been an
nexed to the word, except for our cause ; for there is na ne
cessitie on God's part, that God suld ather sweare, or con
firme be scales, the thing that he hes spoken ; for his word is
als good as ony aith or scale, but the necessitie coraes of us.
There is sick a great weaknes in us, that quhen he hes SAvorne,
and set his scales to his word, we are als ncAv to beleif, as gif he
had never spoken a word. Sa, to helpe our beleif, our weaknes,
and inhabUitie that Is in us, for we are sa unable be nature, that
we can beleeve nathing, but that quhiUi is of our selfis ; and the
mair we leave to our seMs, the farther we are fra God : I say, to
helpe this wonderfiiU weaknes, quhairby we are readie to mistrust
God in everie word he hes hung to his sacraments, and beside his
sacraments, he sweares the things that concerns maist our salva
tion ; as ye heard in the priesthood of Christ, Psal. ex. 4. He
AviU not speake onely, but he SAveares, and that for our Aveaknes

THE FIRST UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 31
and infirmltle ; but gif he abstract yit the ministerie of his Spirit,
aU thir means avUI do na good.
Now, quhat is the last thing ? The last is. How the sacrament p""yert"the
is perverted, and how we are defrauded of the fruit and effect sacrament.
thereof. Twa sort of faults perverts the sacrament, and defrauds
us of the profite and use thereof; and thir faults are ather in the
forme or In the person : In forme, gif the essential forme be spoiled,
we get nathing, for quhen the sacrament is spoUed of the essen
tiaU forme it is not a sacrament. There is ane essential forme ia
baptisrae, and ane essentiaU forme in the supper, quhUlis, gif they
be tane away, ye tine the use of the sacrament. The essentiaU
forrae of baptisrae is, " / baptize thee, in the name of the Father, the
Sonne, and the HaUe Ghaist :" Leave ye out ane of thir three, or
do ye it in the narae of ony ane of the three persons onely, ye tine
the essentiaU forme of baptisme. In the supper, gif ye leave out
the least ceremonie ye tine the essentiaU forrae, and sa it is not a
sacrament : I speake of the essentiaU forme, in respect of the Pa
pists, quha keeped the essentiaU forme in baptisrae, suppose they
have broght in trifles of their avrin and raixt with it ; yit, in respect
they keeped the substantiaU forrae, it is not necessar that they quha
were baptized under them be rebaptized. Indeed, gif the vertue
of regeneration floAved fra the person, it were sorae thing ; but in
respect Christ hes this to • give to quhorae and quhen he pleasis,
the essentiaU form being keeped, it is not necessare that this sacra
ment be reiterated.
Now, quhat are the faults in the person that perverts the sacra
raent ? The fault may be, ather in the persoun of the giver, or in
the persoun of the receaver. (I speake not of they common faults
quhilk are common to aU ; but of sUc faults as inhables the person
of the giver to be a distributer of the sacrament, and taks the office
fra him.) Sa, quhen the person of the giver is this way inhabled,
na question, it is not a sacrament. Then, againe, in the person of
the receaver, the fault may be, gif their children be not in the co
venant but out of it, they get not the sacrament. Indeed, if the

32 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
parents afterAA'ard comes to the covenant, the chUch-en, suppose
they be gotten out of the covenant, may be receaved. SikUke, in
the supper, gif a raan be ladened with ony burthen of sinne, Arith
out ane purpose to repent, he aught not to receaAC it. Sa, then,
gif ye lack a pm-pose to repent, ye tine the use of the sacrament. It
is only this purpose to repent that maks me, quha receavis the sa
crament, to get the fi-uit and effect thereof. Therefore, everie ane
that gals to that sacrament looke quhat purpose he hes in his
heart : Hes thou a purpose to shed blood, to ga to harlotry, or to
corarait ony uther UI a ice, or UI ttu-ne that is in thy heart, and Is
not of pm-pose to repent ; In shewing thee to be without re
pentance, thou sliewes thee to be without faith, and, consequentUe,
thou coras to thy daranation and not to thy sahation. Now,
take heed quhat is your purpose ; for, gif Arith a dissolute Ufe ye
haA'C a dissolute pm-pose, ye come to AOtu- damnation.
Conclusion, p • i » i i • i •
with an E.x- I Avas of mind to have entred particularly into this sacrament,
quhilk we have in hands ; but becaus the time is past, and som of
you (I dout not) are to communicate, only this : Eemeinber that ye
addres not your selfs to that table, except ye finde A'otir harts in
som sort prepared. The first gree of preparation stands In contri
tion, in sorroAving for sin, in a feeling of yotu- awin sins, quhauin ye
have offended God ; a sorroAv in your harts that ye have offended
sa gratious a God. Gif ye be able, as that Avoman was, be the
tears of contrit hart to Avash the feet of Christ, humbly to kisse his
feet, and to get a grippe of the foot of Christ ; suppose ye dare not
presume sa high as to get him haUl, ye are in a good case ; but gif
thou Avant aU thir, and lies them not in some measure, thou lacks
aU the grees of preparation : Therefore, let nane ga to the table ex
cept he have thir, in som measm-e. But quhere there is a displea
sure for sin, a purpose to do better, and an earnest sobbing and
sighing to get the thing that thou Avants ; in that saul quher God
hes placed this desire of Christ, it is the worke of God's Spirit, and
Christ AvU enter there. And, therefore, suppose that saul be far
fra the thing that he stdd be at, let him not refrise to ga to the

hortation.

THE FIRST UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 33
table ; but let hira ga Arith a professioun of his awin inflrmity and
weaknes, and vrith a desire of the thing that he wants. Every ane
of you that flnds your selfs this way disposed, let him ga, in God's
name, to the table.
And the Lord work this in every ane of your harts, that this mi
nisterie may be effectuaU in you at this time, and that in the right
eous merits of lesus Christ ; to quhom, Arith the Father, and the
HaUe Ghaist, be aU honor, praise, and glory, for now and ever.
Amen.

THE SECOND SEEMON.
UPON THE lord's SUPPER IN PARTICULAR.
PREACHED THE EIGHT OF FEBRUAKIE, 1589.

1 Cor. xi. 23.
For I have received of the Lord, that which L also liave delivered
unto you, to wit, that the Lord Lesus, in the night that he was be
trayed, tooke bread, Sfc.
Of the Sup- We ended the consideration of the sacraments in generaU in our
Lord in par. last lesson, (wcU-beloved ill Christ lesus.) Noav, It rests that avc
dresse us to the consideration of this sacrament of the supper In
particular. And that ye may the better attaine to the knoAvledge
and consideration of the great variety of matter that is conteined
In this sacraraent of the supper, I sal presse, as God wUl give me
the grace, to premit certaine things, for the easier understanding
of it.
Heads to be And, flrst of all, I saU let you see quhat names are glAcn to this
intreated. ^ ^
1- sacrament in the Bible ; and I saU shew you some names that are
2- given to the same sacrament be the auncients : Nixt, Ave saU let
you understand for quhat chiefe ends and respects this sacrament
3. Avas instituted and appointed be Christ lesus : ThirdUe, avc saU
come to the thmges that are conteined in the sacrament ; how thir
things are coupled, how they are delivered, and how they are re-

THE SECOND UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 35
ceived ; And, last, we saU raeet certaine objections quhUk raay be ¦*¦
casten In the contrare of his doctrin ; and, as God saU give the
grace, we saU loose them, and sa end this present exercise.
Noav, we find sundry naraes given to the sacrament of the sup- g"neraii!
per in the booke of God, and every name carries a special reason °_[^'^*.^gjj
Arith it. We find this sacraraent caUed " the body and blood of '"'"f f".""-
'J ment, baith
Christ." This narae is given it, na doubt, because it is a heavenly ¦" ^^ ^"''^
and spirituaU nuriture ; it conteins a nm-iture of the saull that is auncients.
able to nurish and traiue up the sauU to a Ufe spirituall, to that Ufe
everlasting : For this cause it is caUed the body and blood of
Christ. It is caUed also " the Supper of the Lorde," to put a dif
ference betwixt it and ane prophane supper ; for this is the Lord's
supper, a liaUe supper, not a prophane nor common supper ; a sup
per appointed for the increase of haUnes, for thc foode of the sauU
111 haUnes, to feede the saul to life everlasting ; not a supper ap
pointed for the beUy, for he had ended that supper that was ap
pointed for the beUie or ever he begoud this supper, quhUk was
appointed for the saul. A supper, na doubt, having respect to the
circurastaunce of tirae, be reason It was first instituted in the ar
ticle of that time, Avhen they used to suppe. It is caUed also, in
the Bible, " the Table of the Lord ;" it is not caUed the " Altar " of
the Lord, but the Apostle caUs it a table to sit at, and not ane altar
to stand at ; a table to take and receave, and not an altar to offer
and propine. It is caUed also " the Communion and participation
of the bodie and blood of Christ." We have thir names given to
it, beside sorae uthers, in the Scriptures of God.
The auncients of the Latine and of the Greeke Kirks gave it
sundry names, for sundry respects. They caUed it " a PubUc Ac
tion," and this was a very general name ; sometimes they caUed it
" a ThanksglAing ;" sometiraes they caUed it " a Banquet of Love ;"
and sometiraes they gave it ea narae, and sometimes ane uther.
And, at the last, in the decUning estait of the Latine Kirk, and in
the faUing estait of the Eomane Kirk, this sacrament begoud to
be perverted ; and with this decay there coraes In a perverse

36 MR ROBERT BHUCE's SERMONS.
name, and they caUed it " the ^Nlasse." They trouble theraselfs
meekle concerning the derivation of this name, quherefra this Avord
i? driven : Soinetirae they seeke it fra ane Hebrew origine, some-
tirae fra ane Greeke, and sometime fi-a ane Latine origine ; but it
is plaine, as the word sounds, that it is tane fra ane Latine origine,
and it is a word quhUk might have been tolerable quhen it Avas
flrst instituted ; for, na doubt, the sacrament, at the first institu
tion of this word, Avas not then halely perverted ; but iioav, see
ing that be the processe of time, corruption hes prevaUed sa far,
that it has turned over otu- sacrament into a sacrifice ; and quhere
Ave suld take fra the hand of God in Clirist, they make tis to
give ; this is plaine idolatry : .And, therefore, quhere the Avord Avas
tolerable before, now it ought not to be tolerable in ony Avay ;
It aught not to be suffered. And, out of question, gif we had
eaten and drunken als oft the body and blood of Christ in our
harts and satdes as Ave have eaten that bread and drunken that
wine, quliUlc are the signes of his bodie and blood, avc Avald not
have thoUed this word of the masse, let be thc very action of it,
to be sa rife in this countrey : But in respect we have but played
the counterfait, and defrauded our sauls of the bodie and blood
of Christ, and tooke onely the outward sacrament, therefore It is
that our zeale decayis, therefore it Is that our love decayis, there
fore it is that otu- knoAAdedge and light decayis ; and for fault of
zeale, love, and knowledge, the Avord of the masse is becorae cus
tomable unto you, and not onely the Avord, but the very action. I
AviU not ran out here, I am onely telland you quhat coraes of the
abuse of the hearing of the Avord, quhat judgeraent foUoAves upon
the abuse of the perception of tlie sacraraents.
Second head I ga to thc ulxt, that is, to the endes quherefore the sacraraent
genera . ^^^ appointed. Thls sacraraent was instituted in the signes of
Of the ends bread and Avine ; and was appointed chieflie for this end, to repre-
srcrament scut our spirituaU nuritm-c, the fuU and perfite nuriture of our sauU ;
wasmstitut-^j^^^ as he quha hes bread and wine lacks nathing of the fuU nuri
ture of his bodie, sa he or that saul quha hes the participation of

THE SECOND UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 37
the bodie and blood of Christ lacks nathiag of the fuU and perfite
nuriture of the saidl. To represent this fidl and perfite nuriture,
the signes of bread and Arine in the sacrament Avere set doAvne and
instituted. The second end quherefore this sacraraent was instituted is this,
that we might testifie to the world, and to the princes of the world,
quha are eneraies to our profession, that we raight openly avow
and testifie unto them our reUgion, and our manner of worship
ping, in the quhilk avc avow and worslup Christ ; and that we
might also testifie our love towardes his members, our brethren ;
this is the second end quherefore it was instituted. The third
end quherefore it was instituted is this, to serve for our speciaU
comfort and consolation, to serve as a soverain medicin for all
our spiritual diseases, as we find our selfs ather ready to faU,
or provoked to faU, be the devUl, the flesh, or the world ; or after
that we have faUen, and are put to flight be the devUl, and would
faine flee away fra God. God, of his mercie, and of his Inflnite
pitie and bothorales corapassion, hes set up this sacrament, as a
signe on a high hiU, quherby it may be seen on everie side, far
and neare, to caU aU them againe that have run shamefuUy away,
and he clockes to them, as a hen dois to her chickens, to gather
them under the vrings of his infinite mercie.
The fourth end quherefore this sacrament was instituted is this,
that in this action we might thanke liira for his benefites, and ren
der to him heartie thankes that he hes come doAvne sa faraiUarlie
to us, bowed the heavens, as it were, and given us the body and
blood of his awin Son, tbat we raight render unto hira hartle
thankes, and sa sanctifie his benefites to us ; for this thanksglAang
this sacrament was also instituted. This far concerning the ends
shortly. Now I come to the things conteined in this sacrament. Ye see Tin-id head
with your eyes there is casten before you corporaU thinges, visible ^'^"°"^'' '
thinges, sick as the bread and the wine ; there is, againe, hid fra of the things
the eye of your body, but present to the eye of yom- mind, spirit- this sacra-
G

38 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
ment out- uaU things, heavcnly and inward tldnges ; baith thir are in the
ward and ° •' & '
inwarde, sacraiiicnt. The corporal, Adsible, and outward things, they are
quherein i i • i . ¦ i i i
sundrie the thmgcs that are appointed to signifie the spiritual, heavenly,
intreated. aucl luAvardc things : And quhy ? Nathing without a reason.
Thir corporaU signes are appointed to signifie the spuituaU thuigs,
be reason we are corporaU ; we are earthlle bodies, we have
our sauU lodging within ane carnaU body, in a tabernacle of
clay, a grosse tabernacle, quhilk cannot be waUsned nor moved,
except be the things that are Ulie to it selfe : It cannot be in
duced to the consideration of heavenUe things, except be gross,
teraporaU, and corporal things. Gif avc had been of the nature
of the thing signified, that as the thing signified Is spirituaU
and heavenUe, sa we ahvay had been spu-ituaU and heavenUe, Ave
had not raistered a corporal thing. SIcUke, gif the thing signified
had been as avc are, corporaU, earthlle, and visible, avc had not rais
tered a signe to carry us to the consideration of it. But be reason
the thing signified is spirituaU and Ave are corporaU, therefore, to
bring us to the sight of thir spirituall things, he uses a corporal
raean and an outAvard signe.
This is the reason quherefore thu- coi-poraU signes are appointed
to signifie the spirituaU thing. The spirituaU thing in baith the sacra
raents is ane and the selfe sarae, Christ lesus, signified in baith the
sacraraents; yit, in divers respects, he is the thing signified in bap
tisrae, and he is the thing signified in the supper. This Christ lesus, in
Ids blood chiefly, is the thing signified in the sacraraent of baptisme ;
for quhy ? Be reason that be his blood he waschls the filth of our
sauls ; be reason that be the vertue of his blood he quickens us in
our sauls Arith a heavenUe life ; be reason that be the power of his
blood he ingrafts and imps us in his aArin body ; for that sacrament
is a testiraonie of the renussion of our sinnes, that is, of the cleanes
of our conscience, that om- consciences be that blood are Avaschen
inwardly. It testifies, sikUke, of om- new birth, that we are be
gotten spirituaUy to a heavenly life ; it testifies, sicklike, of the
joyning of us in the body of Christ. As it is a testiraony, sa it Is
a seale. It not oidy testifies but scales it up in our harts, and maks

THE SECOND UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 39
US in our harts to feele the taist of that "heavenly Ufe begun in us ;
that we are translated fra death, in the quhilk we were conceaved,
and Iraped in the body of Christ. Tak heed, then, Christ, in his
blood, as he is the lawer of our regeneration, is the thing signified
in baptisme.
In this sacrament of the supper, againe, this same Christ is the
thing signified in ane uther respect, to wit, in this respect : As his
body and blood serves to nurish my saul to Ufe everlasting, for this
sacrament is na uther thing but the image of our spirituaU nuri
ture, God testilung how our sauls are fed and nurisched to that
heavenly life, be the image of ane corporal nmiture; sa, in di
vers respects the same thing, that is, Christ lesus, is signified in
baptisme, and is signified in the supper. In this sacraraent, the
fraits of Christ's death, quhereof I spake, the vertue of his sacrifice,
the vertue of his passion : I caU not thir fruits, nor thir vertues
onely, the thing signified in the sacrament of the supper ; but
rather I caU the thing signified that substance and that person out
of the quhilk substance this vertue and thir fi-uits dois fiow and
proceed. I grant to thee, and it is maist certaine, that be the
lawfuU use and participation of the sacrament, thou art partaker of
aU thir fruites, yit thu- frultes are not the first and cheife thing
quherof thou art partaker in this sacrament ; but, of force, thou
man get ane uther thing first. It is true, that na man can be par
taker of the substance of Christ, but the same saul man be also par
taker of the fruits that fiowis fra his substance ; yit, notwith
standing, thou man discerne betArixt the substance and the fruits
that flowis fra the substance ; and thou raan be partaker of the
substance in the first roume. Then, in the nixt roume, thou raan
be partaker of the fruits that flows fi-a his substance. To mak
this clear, in baptisme the fruits of baptlsme are reraission of our
sinnes, mortification, the slaughter of sinne, and the sealing up
of our adoption to life everlasting. The substance out of the
quhilk thir fraits dois fiow is the blood of Christ : Ye man here,
of force, discerne betArixt the blood, quhUk is the substance, and be
twixt remission of sinnes, wasching and regeneration, quhUk are

40 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
the fruites that floAris fra this blood. SicUke, in the sacrament of
the supper, the fruits of the sacrament are the growth of faith, and
the lucres in haUnes. The thing signified is the substance, that is,
the body and blood of Clirist is the substance out of the qtihUk this
groAvth in faith and haUnes dois proceed.
Now, see ye not this ? Ye man discerne, then, betAvIxt the
substance and the fruits ; and ye man place the substance in the
first roume, sa that the substance of Christ, that is, Christ him selfe,
is the thing signified in this sacraraent. For your awin experi
ence makis this cleare unto you ; or your stomach be fiUed Arith
ony foode, ye man eat the substance of the food first ; or ye be
fiUed with bread, ye man eat the substance of that bread first ; or
yom- di-OAvth be quenched Avith ony drinlvc, ye man, of force,
drinke the substance of the drinke first ; even sa, after this same
manner, or the hunger of your saules be satisfied and the thirst
thereof quenched, ye man eat the flesh of Christ, and drinke his
blood first, and that be faith. Sa consider the ane be the uther ;
looke to quhat use bread and vrine serA^es to thy body, to the same
very use the body and blood of Cluist serves to thy sauU ; and he
that appointed the ane to serve for thy body, the same God ap
pointed the uther to serve for thy saul. Sa, look how impossible it
Is to thee to be fed Arith that foode that coms never In thy mouth, or
to recover health of that drog quhilk Avas never applied, nor come
never out of the apothecarie's booth : It is als impossible to thee
to be fed upon the body of Christ, and to get thy health of the
blood of Chiist, except thou first eat his body and drinke his blood.
Then ye see, that the tiling signified in the supper is not the frait
sa meekle as the bodie and blood of Christ lesus, quhUk is the
fountaine and substance quhcrfra thir fruits dois flow and proceed.
The thing Now, I say, suppose Cluist, quha is the thing signified, remaine
signified io • i • i i o o ^
baith the s.i- ay auc and the same in baith the sacraments ; yit the signes
craments is . ^^ . . . •/. l ¦ 1
,nne, the signs quherby this ane Christ is signifled m the sacraments are not ane,
nor of ane equall number nather ; for, in baptisme, the thing that
i-eprc-ents Christ is Avater ; in the supper, the things that repre-

THE SECOND UPON TOE SACRAMENTS. 41
sent Christ are bread and Avine. Water is appointed to represent
Christ in baptisrae ; and quhy ? He hes chosen out water, be
cause it is raeetest to represent the blood of Christ, to represent
our washing with the blood of Christ. For quhat is raeeter to
wash with nor water ? Sa there is nathing raeeter to wash the
sauU nor the blood of Christ. Into this sacrament he hes ap
pointed bread and Arine ; quhy ? Because there is nathing raeeter
to nurish the bodie nor bread and wine. Sa, the Lord hes not
chosen thu- signes Arithout a reason. As the signes in the sacraments
are not alwayis ane, sa the sarae in baith are not of ane nuraber ;
for in baptisrae we have but ane element. Into this sacrament
we have twa eleraents.
Now, quhat Is the reason of this diversity, that the Lord, in the^'^hy'"'"'?-
ane sacraraent, hes appointed tAva signs, and in the uther but ane is but ane
riTn. 11 "11 signCjandin
Signe ? I saU give you the reason ; he hes appointed only ane the supper
signe in baptism, to vrit, Avater, because water is sufficient aneugh
to doe the haUl turne. Gif AA'ater had not beene sufficient to repre
sent the thing signified, he wald have appointed ane uther signe ;
but in respect water dois the turne, and represents fiilUe the wash
ing of our sauls vrith the blood of Christ, quhat mister then have
we of ane uther signe ? Now, in this sacrament, ane signe wiU
not suffice, but there man be twa ; for quhy ? Wine cannot be
sufficient alane, nor bread cannot be sufficient alane ; for he that
hes bread onely, and wme onely, hes not a perfite nuriture corpo
raU ; therefore, that they might represent and let us see a perfite
nuriture, he hes given us baith bread and Arine (for the perfite nu
riture corporaU stands in meat and drinke) to represent the full and
perfite nuriture of the saul. Looke how fuU and perfite a nuriture
he hes to his bodie that hes store of bread and wine ; sa, he that
hes Christ laks nathing of a ftdl and perfite nuriture to his said.
Then ye see the reason quherefore there is twa signes appointed in
this sacrament, and oneUe ane signe in baptlsme.
There rests yit, concerning thir signes, twa thinges to be'^«aquc.=-

42 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERAIONS.
Quhat pow- speered : First, Quhat poAver hes that bread. In this sacrament, to
er hes that -, . . . in
bread to be bc auc siguc mau nor the bread that is used m common houses i
sacrament, Quhcrcfra flowcs that poAver ? Nixt, Gif it hes a poAver, how lang
that power ^Uidures and remains that power with the bread?
endures? ^^ ^^ ^^ ^rst, conccmlng the power quhilk that bread hes, beside
1. Answere, ony uther bread, I saUteUyou, that bread hes a power given to it be
hes that Chrlst, aud be his institution, be the quhilk institution it is ap-
chriTft^in- pointed to signifie his bodie, to represent his bodie, and to deUver
Btitution. j^g bodie. Then, speeres thou of the poAver ? That bread hes a
power fioAving fra Christ and his Institution quliUk uther common
bread hes not ; sa that, gif ony of you wald speere, quhen the mi
nister in this action is breaking or distributing that bread, pom--
ing out and distributing that wine, gif you wald speare, quhat sort
of creatures are yone ? A ready answere here ; they are haUe
thinges : Ye man give this name to the signes and scales of the
bodie and blood of Christ. That bread of the sacraraent is ane
haUe bread, and that Avlne is an haly wine ; quhy ? Because the
blessed institution of Christ lies severed them fra the use quhereun
to they served of before, and hes applied them to an haly use, not
to feed thc bodie, but to feed the sauU. This far concerning the
power of that bread ; it hes a power flowing fra Christ and his in
stitution. Now the second thing is this : How lang contmues this power
with that bread ? How lang hes that bread this office ? In a
2 Answere word, I Say, thls powcr sticks with that bread iaduring the time
That power Q^^jjg actlon, induriug the service of the table. Looke how lang
continues ^ o t)
induringthe|]ja,t actlou contlnucs, and that the service of the table lasts, salang
service of ? o
the table, it continues ane haUe bread, sa lang continues the power with that
bread ; but looke how soone the action is ended, sa soone ends the
haUnes of it ; looke how soone the service of the table is ended,
that bread becomes common againe, and the haUnes of it ceasis.
Then, this power continues not for ay, but it continues onely in-
during the time of the action and service of the table. This far
concerning the elements.

THE SECOND UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 43
There is, beside the elements, an uther sort of signe in the sa- of the cen;-
crament ; there is not a rite nor ceremony in the Sacrament of the signes.
Supper but everie rite and ceremonie is a signe, and hes the awin
spirituaU signification Arith it : As, namelie, looking to the breaking
of that bread, it represents to thee the breaking of the bodie and
blood of Christ ; not that his body was broken in bone or Uth, but
that it was broken Arith dolour, with anguish and distres of hart,
vrith the weight of the indignation and furie of God that he sus
tained for our sins quhUk he bore. Then the breaking Is ane es
sentiaU cereraonie ; the pouring out of the vrine also is ane essen
tiaU cereraonie : For quhy ? As ye see clearUe that be the wine
is signified the blood of Christ, sa be the pouring out of the wine
is signified that his blood was scA'cred fra his flesh, and the sever
ing of thir twa makes death ; for in blood is the Ufe, and conse
quentUe it testifies his death. The pouring out of the wine, then,
teUs thee that he dieth for thee, that his blood was shed for thee ;
sa, this is an essential ceremonie quhilk man not be left out. SicUke,
the distribution, giving, and eating of that bread are essentiaU ce-
reraonies : And quhat dois the eating testifie to thee ? The apply
ing of the bodie and blood of Christ to thy saul ; sa that there is
never ane of thir rites but they have theu- awin sigmfication, and
there can not ane of them be left out but ye sail pervert the haill
action. This far concerning the signes.
Now, quhat profite can ye make of aU this discourse ? Carry me
this lesson with you, and ye saU make your profite of tliir things : tion.
In respect that every signe and ceremonie hes the awin spirituall
signification, sa that there is not a ceremonie in this haUl action
that wants the aAvIn spirituaU signification. Take up this consi
deration, and thinke Arith your selfes in that tune especiaUy
quhen ye are at the table and in the sight of that action ; that
looke quhat thou sees the minister dooing outwardeUe, quhat ever
it be ; is he breaking that bread ? is he deaUng that bread ? Is
he pouring out that wine, and distributing that wine ? Thinke
weUl with thy selfe, that Christ is als bisle doing aU thir thinges
spiritually to thy saul ; he is als bisie giving to thee his awin bodie,

in the sa
craraent.

44 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
Avith his aAvin hand ; he is als bisie giving to thee his aAvin blood,
\rith the vertue and efficacie of it. SicUke, in this action, (gif
thou be ane faithfuU communicant,) looke quhat the mouth dois,
and how the mouth of the bodie is occupied outAvardeUe ; sa is the
hand and raouth of the saul (quliUli Is faith) occupied inAvardlie.
As the raouth takis that bread and that Avine, sa the mouth of thy
sauU takis the bodie and blood of Chiist, and that be faith ; for
be faith, and a constant perswasion, is the onely Avay to eat the
bodie and drinke the blood of Christ inwardlye ; and doing this,
there cannot but foUowe a fi-tutfiiU manducation. This farre for
the consideration of the signes.
Howe the Now couies In the matter quherein greatest difficultie standis,
signes and
the thing quhcrcof I spake the last day, as God gave me the grace ; yit in
conjoyned the particular Ave man speake, as avcU as In the generaU, but some
quhat mair schortUe. Then ye have to understande, for the better
information of your conscience, and for the better preparation of
your sauls, ye have to understand how that bread and that wine,
quhilk are the signes, are coupled Arith the bodie and blood of
Christ, quhUk are signified therby ; quhat sort of conjunction Is
this, and quherefra flowes this conjunction. I saU be short in it,
becaus I spak of it at great length the last day. Take heede, for
and ye give not attendance, it Is not possible that ye can take up
this conjunction. As to this sort of conjunction, Iioav thir tAva are
coupled, wald ye know it ? Doe tlus first : Take tent, first of
aU, to the nature of the signes, and to the nature of the thing sig
nified ; ye man take tent to baith their natures ; and quhy ? Be
reason nathing can be coupled nor conjoined Avith an uther but in sa
far as the nature of it wUl suffer : Gif the nature of it wUl not suflfer
ane conjunction, they cannot be conjoyned. Or, avIU the nature
of it suffer a conjunction, looke how far it AriU suffer a conjunction ;
sa far are they conjoyned.
Now, man I looke to the nature of the things that are con
joyned? Yis : Fu-st of aU, then, looke to the thing signified ; quhat
is the nature of the thing signified ? Looking to this, thou seeis

THE SECOND UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 45
that the thing signified is of a spirituaU nature, of a heavenUe and
mysticaU nature ; then conclude, na question this spirituaU thing
AviU suffer a spirituaU conjunction, a mysticaU and secret conjunc
tion. Looke over againe to the signe ; the signe of his natui-e, as
I taulde you in the beginning, hes a relation to the thinge signi
fied ; and the thing signified of his nature hes a relation to the
signe : Sa, then, the signe and the thing signified wUl suffer to be
conjoyned be ane mutual relation ; baith the sign and the thing
signified, in respect they haAe a mutuaU relation the ane to the
uther, they wUl suffer them selfes to be conjoyned be a relatlA'e
conjunction. Now, speer ye at me quhat sorte of conjunction is
betwixt that bread and that wine, and the bodie and blood of
Christ ? To teU you in a word, I say it is a secret and spirituall
conjunction, sick a conjunction as stands in a mutuaU respect be
twixt that bread and the bodie of Christ, and betAvixt that Avine
and the blood of Christ. Then, I say, it is a secret and a spuit
uaU conjunction. Thou wald not be sa inquisitive of this con
junction gif it were corporal, visible, or local ; gif thou saw them
baith before thine eyes, thou wald not speer how they are con
joyned, or gif thou sawe them baith In ane place ; but In respect
thou sees but the ane AAith thine eye, and the uther is hid, this
makis the conjunction the mair difficUl to be uttered and under-
standen. And hoAv is it possible that ye can take up this secret
and hid conjunction, except ye have the eyes of your raind Ulu-
rainat be the Spirit, quhereby ye raay come to the right under
standing of it? But gif ye have ony insight in thir spirituaU
matters, that comes be faith, this conjunction saU apeare als clelr-
ly be the eye of your faith as the physicaU conjunction dois to the
eye of your body. Now, avUI ye have this matter maide plaine ?
There is ane uther conjunction quhilk serves to make this con
junction very clear, to Avit, the conjunction betwixt the Avord
quhUk I speak and the thing signified be that same word.
Speake I of things to you in a language that ye understand, as be
God's grace ye understand this language now ; speak I of things
bigane, and it were never sa lang syne ; speak I of things to

46 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERJKJNS.
come, and they Avere never sa far off"; speak I of things absent,
and they were never sa far distant ; yit, sa sone as I speak the
word, quhither it be of things bigane or to come, the thing it selfe
AvUl come in your mind. The Avord streiks not sa soone in your
ear but the thing sigmfied be the same word coms in yom- mind.
Quhat maks the thing signified, suppose it be absent, to com in
my minde? This could not be except there were a conjunction
betwixt the word and the thing signified be the Avord : As for
example, speak I of the King, quha is now a good peece distant
fi-om us, (I pray God save hira 1) ye wUl not sa soone hear the
word, but the King, quha Is the thing signified be this Avord, wUl
come in your raynd ; speake I of things bigane, suppose they be
already expired, yit the thing signified AviU ay com in yotu- mind :
Sa tliere is a conjunction, ye see, betwixt the Avord and the thing
signified be the word. Tak heed to this conjunction, and ye sail
get the nature of the conjunction and cotqiUng of the sign vrith the
thing signified in the sacrament ; for looke quhat sorte of conjunc
tion is betwixt the word and the thing signified be the word, that
same sort of conjunction is betArixt the sacrament, quhUli is seen to
the eye of your bodie, and the thing signified be the sacrament,
quhilk is seen to the eye of your sauU onely. As for exanqjle, sa
soone as thou seeis that bread tane in the hand of the minister,
thou seeis it not sa soone, but incontinent the bodie of Christ raan
corae In thy raind : Thir twa are sa conjoyned that they corae
baith togither, the ane to the outwarde senses, the uther to the in
ward senses. This is not aneugh now ; but becaus, in the institu
tion, ye are coraraanded to ga farther, and not onely to look to that
bread and that wine, but to take that bread and that wine, incon
tinent as your hand taks the ane, sa your harts taks the uther ; as
your teeth eats the ane, sa the teeth of your sauU, qtihUk is faith,
eats the uther, that Is, appUes Christ to your sauU.
Sa, ye see, there is a conjunction here, secret and raystlcaU ;
and, therefore, Christ cannot be conjoyned but be a secret and
mysticaU conjunction. The conjunction betwixt Christ and us is
a secret and mystical conjunction, quhilk the Apostle, Ephes. v.

THE SECOND UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 47
caUs that spirituaU conjunction fuU of ane high mysterie. This
conjunction cannot be tane up at the first ; sa, seeing the conjunc
tion is secret and spiritual, and not perceaved but be the Spirit of
God, aU is for nocht except ye have some portion and measure of
his Spirit ; aU that is taught in the word and sacraments wUl never
do you good, avUI never carry your sauU to heaven, except the Spirit
of God Uluminat your raindes, and make you to find in your sauls
the thing that ye hear in the word.
Then learne this ; seeing the word cannot be understood but
be the Spirit of God, crave that the Lord wald Uluminat the eyes
of your mindes be his Spirit, and be ye als cairfuU to get the Spi
rit as ye are cairftdl now in the hearing of the word. This far
concerning the conjunction.
Now ye have hard hoAV the signe Is conjoyned with the thing How the
signified: Quhat rests there for you to know? There rests to the thing sig-
know, how the signe is receaved, and how the thing signified is re-™^^^^^"'^'
ceaved ; quhider they be baith receaved with ane mouth or not ;
quhider the signe and the thing signified be receaved after ane
fashion and manner or not : And marking rae the divers manner of
receaAing, and the diversitie of the instruments, ye saU not easUie
erre in the sacrament. The signe and the thing signified are re
ceaved be twa mouthes ; for ye see the signs, that is, that bread
and vrine quherunto they are givin, they are glA'en to the mouth of
the body. Then the raouth of the bodie is the instrument that re
cevis that bread and that wine, quhilk are the signes. As that
bread and that vrine are visible and coi-poraU, sa the mouth and
instrument quherby they are receaved is visible and corporaU. The
thing signified be the bread and wine is not receaved be the mouth
of the body : Na, the scriptures denies that plainUe ; but he is re
ceaved be the mouth of the sauU. Then there is twa mouthes ;
that bread and that Arine, quhilk are the signs, are receaved be the
mouth of the bodie ; Christ, quha is the thing signified, is receaved
be the raouth of the saul, that is, be a true faith. Sa, bring me
not to the table ane mouth onely, (for gif ye bring the mouth of

48 AIR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
your body only, aU is Avraiig !) but bring Avith you also the mouth of
the satdl, a constant perswasion in the death of Christ, and all gaia
AveUl. Now, as to the manner Iioav the signs are receaved, and the
fasluon hoAv the thing signified is receaved, ye may easUie knoAv,
that tlur corporaU and nattu-aU signes man be receaved after a
corporaU and naturaU manner ; they raan be taken Avitli the hand
or mouth of the bodie. Againe, a supernatm-aU thing man be re-
ceaA ed after a supernattu-aU manner ; a spuituaU thing man be re-
ceaA'cd after a spuittial manner. Sa, as the signes are corporaU,
and receaved after a corporaU manner, with the hand or the mouth
of the bodie ; sicUke, the thing signified is spirituaU, and receaved
after a spu-itual manner, A\ith the hand and mouth of the saull, quhilk
is true faith. Then 3'c have shortly tane up unto )'0u the haiU pre
paration that is necessarie for the understanding of this Sacrament.
Avhatkind of NoAv, qtihat doctiiu gather I of this ? Of the last point, quhere
perception is .-. . ^^, ..... • ' a i ^
established 1 Say that Lhrist is the thing signuied, and cannot be i)erceaved
nfent.^^'""^'''but bc faith, cannot be receaAcd nor digested but be ane faithfuU
sauU ; quhat kinde of perception estabUsh I in this saeiament ? I
establish na kind of perception of Christ but a spuituaU percep
tion ; he cannot be receaved nor perceaved but be faith ; and
faith is spu-ItuaU. Therefore, in the sacrament, I establish only a
spirituaU perception of Christ, and not ane oraU, camaU, or fieshie
perception. This is the ground ; now let see quhat inconvenient
can foUoAV upon this ground ? The Papists sayis, that upon this
ground this inconvenient saU foUow : Gif there be na perception of
Christ but a spirituaU perception, (say they,) then your sacraraent Is
inconveni- lu valu ; this sacramcut of the supper was instituted for naught.
inbetheVa°And qtihat Is their rcasou ? Gif there be na way, sayis the Pa-
the'sp^?itll^pist*j to perceave Christ but be faith, quhat misters you a sacra-
of Christ in iiient ? Ye perceave Christ be faith In the word, be the naked
menr""*' ^^^ simple preaching of the word, ye get faith ; sa the simple
Avord may staike you ; quhat mister have ye of a sacrament, gif
ye get not some new thing in the sacraraent quhilk ye could not

THE SECOND UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 49
get in the Avord ? This is their argument, quherof ye see their con
clusion to be this ; we get na uther new thing in the sacrament Krat incon-
, i.pii .1 •• venient.
uther nor we do in the word, gif there be na perception but spirit- That the sa-
uall: Ergo, the sacrament is superfluous. We admit the antece- superfluous.
dent to be true ; Ave get na uther thing, nor na new thing, in the
sacrament, but the sarae thing quliUk we gat in the Avord. I wiU
give thee to devise and Imagine with thy selfe quhat new thing
Avould thou have : Let the heart of man dcAise, imagine, and wish ;
he dm-st never haA^e excogitat to have sik a thing as the Son of
God ; he durst never have presumed to have pearsed the clouds, to
have gane sa heigh, and to have craA^ed thc Son of God, in his
flesh, to be the food of his satdl. Having the Son of God, thou
hes him qulia is the heir of all things, quha is King of heaA^en
and earth, and in him thou hes aU thinges ; quhat mair then can
thou vrish ? Quhat better thing can thou wish ? He is equaU
with the Father, ane in substaunce Arith the Father, true God, and
true man ; quhat mair can thou wish ? Then, I say, we get na
uther thing in the sacrament nor we get in the word ; content thee
Arith this : But suppose it be sa, yit the sacraraent is not super
fluous. But would thou understand quhat new thing thou gets, qidiat Refutation
uther things thou gets? I avIU teU thee. Suppose thou get thatinconveni.
same thing quhUk thou gat in the word, yit thou gets that same
thing better ; quhat is that better ? Thou gets a better grip of
that same thing in the sacrament nor thou gat be the hearing of
the word. That same thing quhUk thou possessed be the hearing
of the word, thou possessest now mair largely ; he hes a greater
bounds in thy sauU be the receaving- of the sacraraent, nor uther-
ways he could have be the hearing of the word oneUe. Then
speers thou, quhat new thing we get ? I say, we get this new
thing ; AVC get Christ better nor we did before ; we get the thing
that we gat raair ftflUe, that is, with a surer apprehension nor we
had of before ; we get a better grip of Christ now : For be
the sacraraent ray faith is nurished, the bounds of ray saull is en
larged, and sa,. quhere I had but a little grip of Christ before, as it

50 JIK ROBERT bruce's SERMONS.
Avere betAvixt my finger and my thumbe, now I get him in my
haiU hande ; and ay thc mair that my faith growes, the better grip
I get of Christ lesus. Sa the sacrament is feUoun necessarie, an
it were na mau- but to get Christ better, and to get a faster appre
hension of him be the sacrament nor we could have of before : For,
gif it Avere true that the sacrament is superfluous, be the same rea
son it saU foUoAV also that the repetition of the sacrament is super
fluous ; for quhen 3'e come to the sacraraent the second time, ye
gat na uther thing nor ye did the first time ; quhen ye come to
the sacrament the third time, ye gat na uther thing nor ye did the
first time ; and yit na man wUl say that the tliird and second com
ming is a superfluous thing ; and quhy ? Because in the second
comming my faith is augmented ; I understand better, I grow in
knowledge, I groAV in apprehension, I groAv in feeling ; and getting
the growth of aU thfr als oft as I come, there is na man wUl say that
the oft comming to the sacrament is superfluous, and it were Uk
day ains. Sa their flrst inconvenient avaUes not ; we get na new
thing in the sacrament, ergo, the sacrament Is superfluous. This
farre for the flrst.
Then there conies on ane uther thing on the same ground : Gif
Christ be not perceaved but be faith, then, say we, na vricked
bodie can perceave hira ; he that lacks faith cannot perceave hira ;
he that lacks faith raay perceave that sacraraent of that bread and
that wine, and raay eat of that bread and that wine ; but he that
lacks faith may not eat of the bodie and blood of Christ, signified
Second in- ^c that bread and be that Arine. Sa there is the ground : Na falthles
convenient. pgQpjg ga,n perccavc Christ, nor eat the bodie of Christ in the sa^
crament. Against this ground, they delash their artiUerie siclike,
and they bring then- argument out of the same words of the
Apostle quhilk I have read. The words are thir : He that eats of
this bread unwortliely, sayis the Apostle, and drinks of this cup un-
worthely, is guiltie of the body and blood of Christ : There is their
ground. Sa that their argument wUl suffer this forme, as gif they
Avoidd say, after this manner, Na man can be guiltie of that thing

THE SECOND UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 51
quhUli he hes not receaved; they have not receaved the bodie and
blood of Christ, therefore they cannot be guUtle of the bodie and
blood of Christ. But sa it is, the Apostle sayis they are guUty ;
therefore they have receaved the bodie and blood of Christ. I Refutation
answer to the proposition, and I say it is very false, they could cond incon-
not be guUtie of that bodie and blood except they have receaved it ;j™Jtg'3"
for they may be guUtie of that sarae bodie and of that sarae blood, ar*sundry
suppose they never receaved it. But tak heed to the text : The reasons gi-
^ ^ •' ven quhy
text sayis not that they eat the bodie of Christ unwortheUe, but *''^ wicked
.> .> ' are counted
it sayes that they eat that bread and drink that wine unAvorthely : g"'i'y °f ">«
•' _ •' _ _ •' body and
and yit, because they eat that bread and drink that Arine unworthe- biood of
f r-i ¦ c Christ.
Ue, they are corapted before God guUty of the body and blood of
Christ. Now, quherefore is this ? Not because they receave him ;
for gif they receaved hira, they could not but receave hira worthelie ;
for Christ cannot be receaved of any raan but wortheUe. But they
are corapted guUty of the body and blood of the Son of God be
cause they refused him ; for quhen they did eat that bread and
drinke that vrine, they might, gif they had had faith, eaten and
drunken the flesh and blood of Christ lesus. Now, because thou
refiises the bodie of Christ offered to thee, thou contemns this body
offered to thee, gif thou have not ane eye to discerne and judge
upon this bodie that is off'ered : For gif they had had faith, they
might have scene his bodie offered Arith the bread ; be faith they
might have tane that same bodie, and be faith they might have
eaten that sarae bodie ; therefore, lacking their spousing garment,
lacking faith, quherby they suld eat the bodie and drinke the blood
of Christ, lacking faith, quhUk Is the eye of the saul to perceave,
and the mouth of the satdl to receave that bodie quhUk Is spirit
uaUy off'ered, they are corapted guUtie of that same bodie and blood.
Now, come on ; this raay be raaid raair clear be a siraUItude. Ye
see araangs worldly princes theu- custome is, they wUl not suffer
their majestic to be interest In the smaUest thing that they have :
Quhere can there be a sraaUer thing that concernis the raajestie of a
prince nor a seall, for the substance of it is but wax ? yit, gif thou

52 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
disdainfully use that seaU, and conterane It, and stainpe it under
thy feet, thou art compted als giultie of his bodie and blood, as he
that puttis hand on him, and thou a\t11 be handled after ea Avay.
MeUde raair, gif thou corae as ane sow or as ane dog to handle the
seals of the body and blood of Christ, nieilde man- may thou be
compted to be guUtie of his body and of his blood.
This far for the eating of the bodie of Clirist. The Aricked
cannot eat the bodie of Christ, but they may be gtiUtle of it. The
Apostle maks this speach mair clear yit, be ane uther speach,
qiiluUj I haA^e sometune handled fi-a this place. I remember
that in Heb. vi. 6, it is said, that apostats, they that maids fUthie
defection, they crucifie the Son of God agane, and their faU
ing aAvay maks thera as guUty as they Avere qulia crucified him.
He is now In the heavens ; they cannot get him out of the
heavens to crucifie him, yit the Apostle sayis they crucifie him.
Quhy ? Because their malice Is als great as theirs that crucified
him, because they match in malice Avith them that crucified him,
sa that gif they had hira in the earth here they Avould doe the
Uke ; therefore they are said to crucifie the Son of God. Sicklike
in Heb. x. 29, there is ane uther speach ; the Avicked are sayd to
stramp the blood of Christ under their feet : Quhy ? Because their
malice is als great as theirs that stramped his blood. Noav, they
are compted, for this reason, to be guUty of the bodie and blood of
Christ, not because they eat Ins bodie, but because they refuse it
Exhortation, quhcu they might haAe had it. Noav, the time remaines yit quhere
in Ave may have the bodie and blood of Christ ; tlus tirae is very
precious, and the dispensation of times is A'ery secret, and hes there
aAvin boundes ; gif ye take not this time noAv, it avUI away. This
time of grace, and of that heavenUe food, hes been dispensed to'
you very lang ; but how ye have profited your life and behaviour
testifies. Take up, therefore, your selves in tune ; take your pen-
niworthes of it, for ye wott not how lang it lasts. Crave a raouth
to receave, als AveU the food of your sauU that is offered, as ye do
the food of yom- bodie ; and take this tirae quhile ye may have it,

THE SECOND UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 53
or assm-edly the time saU come quhen ye saU cry for it and saU
not get it ; but in place of grace and mercie saU corae judgraent,
vengeance, and the dispensation of Avrath.
They avUI not leave this matter sa; but they Insist yit, and thcy^iiridincon-
bring ma arguments to prove that the Aricked are partakers of the
bodie and blood of Christ. That bread, say they, ye AviU grant,
quhilk the vricked man eats, is not naked bread, but is that bread
quhilk is the sacrament. Now they make their argument : The sa
crament hes ever conjoyned Arith it the thing signified ; but the sa
crament is given to aU ; therefore, the thing signified is given to aU.
Quhat gif I grant to them aU this argument ? There suld na incon
venient foUowe ; for the thing signified may be given to aU, that is,
oflfered to aU, as it is off'ered to aU raen, and yit not receaved of aU ; Refutation of the thrid
given to aU, therefore receaved of aU, it foUowes not. I raay offer youinconveni-
twa things, yit it is In your awin avUI quither ye wUl take them or not ;
but ye raay take the ane and refiise the uther, and yit he that offers,
off'ered you the thing that ye refused as truely as the thing quhilk
ye tooke. Sa God deceavis na man nor woman, but with the word
and sacraments, assm-edly, he givis twa things, gif they Avould take
them. Into his word he offers the Avord to the eare, he offers
Christ lesus to the saul : Into his sacraments he offers the sacra
ments to the eye, he offers Christ lesus to the saul. Now, it raay
be, that quhere twa things are truly and conjointUe offered, a raan
may receave the ane and refuse the uther ; he receavis the ane be
cause he hes ane instrument to take it, he refuses the uther because
he lacks ane Instrument. I hear the word, because I have ane
ear to hear it vrith ; I receave the sacraraent, because I have a
raouth to receave it Arith ; but as to the thing quhUk word and
sacraraent represents, I may refuse it, because I have not ane mouth
to take it, nor ane eye to perceave it ; and, therefore, the fault is not
upon God's part, but upon our part. The wicked gets the bodie
and blood of Christ oflfered to thera conjointUe Arith the word and
sacraments ; but the fault is upon their part, they have not a
mouth to take him, and God is not bound to give them a raouth :
D

54 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
(Take heed to that.) .And were it not of his speciaU grace and
mercie he gives me ane eye to perceave him, and a raouth to receave
him, I would refuse hira as weUl as they do. Sa this arguraent dow
not ; Christ is off'ered to aU, ergo he is receaved of aU ; happy were
they an they receaved hira. This far for the third arguraent.
Howe the Quhat rests now for the fidl understandmg of the sacraraent ?
saul is said _ ^
to eat the There rests yit sorae things we raan understand now ; the sacra^
drinke the mental spcaches that are used in the sacraraent ; for ye see, Ave use
Christ. to speake of them, God uses to speake of them, and the ancients
uses to speake of thera. We use to say that the sauU eats the
body of Christ and drinkes the blood of Christ. Thir spcaches
Avould be opened up to you, how the sauU is said to eate the bodie
and drinke the blood of Christ. Thir spcaches are sacramentaU ;
ye are not the Ariser yit, but I saU make it cleare to you, be God's
grace. They are sacramentaU ; quhat is that ? Ye know it is pro
per to the bodie to eat and drinli: ; thir are the proper actions of the
body only. Now, he ascrives them to the saul be ane translation,
be ane figurative manner of speaking ; that quhUk is proper to the
bodie is ascrlA'cd to the said, and it is said that the sauU eats and
drinks. The eating of the sauU man resemble the eating of the
body. Then, the eating of the saul Is na uther thing but the apply
ing of Christ to the saul, to beUeve that he hes shed his blood for
me, that he hes purchased remission of sinnes to me. Now, corae
on ; quherefore caU you this ane eating ? Quhat caU ye the eating
of the bodie ; let see ? Eats thou not the bodie quhen thou appUes
the meat to thy raouth? Gif, then, the eating of the bodie be na
uther thing but the applying of meat to the mouth, the eating of
the sauU man be na uther thing but the applying of the nuriture
to the sauU. Then ye see quhat is meaned be the eating and drink
ing of the saul : Na uther thing but the applying of Christ to my
satdl, and the applying of his death and passion to my satdl, and
this is only done be faith ; therefore, he that lacks faith cannot eat
Christ. This far for the eating and drinking of the sauU, quhilk
are sacramentall speaches.

THE SECOND UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 55
Quhat rests now of aU thir great things and of all this doctrine obscrva-
that hes been taught : Learne me but this ane lesson : learne rae
to apply Christ rightUe to thy saull, and thou hes Avin aU ; thou art
a great theolog, and thou have learned this weU. For in the right
appUcation of Christ to the sicke sauU, to the wounded conscience,
and diseased hart, here beglnnes the fountain of aU om- felicitie, and
the weUsprIng of aU our joy. -And I saU teU you quhat this appU
cation workes ; looke quhat the presence of thy satdl within thee
(suppose thou want Christ in thy satiU) dois to this earthUe bodie,
to this lump of clay, as be the presence of the sauU it Uves, it moves,
it feUes ; as the sauU gives to the bodie life, moving, and senses,
that same verie thing dois Christ to thy sauU. Hes thou ains
gripped and applyed him to thee ? As the sauU qtuckens the bo
die, sa he quickens the satdl ; not with an earthly or temporal Ufe,
but Arith the life quhilk he Uves in heaven ; he maks thee to Uve that
sarae Ufe quhilk the angels lives in heaven ; he maks thee to move,
not vrith worldly motions, but vrith heavenly, spirituaU, and celes
tial motions. Again, he inspyres in thee, not outward senses, but
heavenly senses ; he works in thee a spu-ItuaU feeUng, that in thine
aAvin heart and conscience thou may find the effect of this word.
Sa, be the conjunction of Christ with ray sauU I get a thousand
times a greater benefit nor the bodie dois be the satdl ; for the bo
die, be the presence of the satdl, gets onUe ane earthly and tempo
raU Ufe, subject to continuaU miserie ; but be the presence of Christ
in my sauU I see a blessed Ufe, I feele a blessed Ufe, and that same
Ufe takes daUy mair and mair increas in me. Then the ground of
aU our perfection and blessednes stands in this conjunction ; and sa,
suppose thou Uved Methusalem's dales, and were ever cravand, yit,
gif in the last houre thou get this conjunction, thou raay thinke thy
traveiU weUl wared ; thou hes gotten aneugh. Sa suld ye not be
bissie m craving, gif ye were to Uve a thousand yeare ; for gif ye
get him in the last hom-e ye have gotten aneugh ; gif ye have got
ten Christ, ye have gotten aU with him : Sa the applying of Christ
to ray said is the fountaine of aU ray joy and felicitie.

56 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERAIONS.
And how get we this conjunction, let see ? This is a spirituaU '
conjunction ; a conjunction, hard and difficUe to be purchased, ob
tained, and gotten of us. How, then, is this conjunction brought
about ? Quhilk are the moyeners of this conjunction upon the part
of God, and quhUk are the moyeners upon the part of man, to get
me Christ, to put Christ lesus In my satd, and to make Christ lesus
ane with me ? There Is ane moyener tqion the part of God, that
helps to get us Christ ; and ther is ane uther upon our part. Upon
the part of God, there Is the HaUe Spuit : Quhat doth he ? He
offers the body and blood of Christ to me. Now, upon our part,
there man be a raoyener, or els, suppose he offer, we avIU not re-
ceaA'c ; therefore, of necessitie, there raan be faith in our sauls to
receave that quhiU? the HaUe Spirit offers, to receaA'c that heaA^en-
lie foode of the bodie and blood of Christ qiihiUi the HaUe Spirit
off'ers. Then faith and the HaUe Spirit are the twa moyeners of
this spirituall and heaA'enly conjunction. Be thir tAva moyeners, be
faith and be the Halie Spirit, I get the bodie of Christ, the bodie
of Christ is raine, and he is given to my satd.
Now, here coras in the question : Hoav can thou saA^, that the
bodie of Christ is given or delivered to thee, seeing the bodie of
Christ is sittand at the right hand of God the Father ? And looke
hoAV great distance is betAvixt heaven and earth, als great distance
is there betAvixt the body of Christ and thy bodie. How, then, say
ye that the bodie of Christ is given to you ? The Papistcs cannot
get this understoode ; and, therefore, they iraagin ane grosse and
carnaU conjunction ; except the Spirit of God reveale thu- things,
they cannot be understood. The Spirit of God raan Ulurainate
our minds, and be bissie in aU our hearts, or we corae to the under
standing of this. Then, would thou understand how Christ is given
thee ? This ground is true, that the bodie of Christ is at the right
hand of the Father ; the blood of Clirist is at the right hand of the
Father ; yit, notArithstanding, suppose there be als great distance
betwixt my bodie and the body of Christ as is betAvixt heaven and
earth, yit Christ's body is given to me : -And how is he given to

THE SECOND UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 57
me ? Be reason I have ane title of his body given to rae, the right
and title quhUk is given to rae of his bodie and blood raakes me to
possesse his bodie and blood : The distance of the place hurts not
my title nor my right ; for gif ony of you have a peece of land,
hand in the fardest part of Orknay, gif ye have a good title to it,
the distance of the place cannot hurt your title. Sa, I say, the dis
tance of place hurts not my title and my right that I have to Christ.
But suppose he be sitting at the right hand of the Father, yit the
title and right that I have to him makes him raine ; sa that I may
say trueUe, this man is ray propertie. Then Christ is not raade
mine because I pike hira out of the heavens ; but he is raine be
cause I have ane sure title and right to him, and having a sm-e title
and a just right to him, the distance of place, how far soever it be,
can in na ways hurt ray title nor ray right, but quherever he be he
is mine, because I have a right and title to him. Yea, not onely
have I a title to him, but this title is conflrraed to me ; for as I get
a title to him in the word, (and gif I gat not a title to him In the
word, I durst not corae to the sacrament,) sa in the sacrament I
get the confirmation of my title, I get the seale quhilk confinnes my
title. Then, to come to the point ; Christ's bodie is sittand at the right
hand of the Father, and pt he is mine, and is deUvered to me, be
cause I have right to his bodie, be quhere it wUl. He was borne
for me, given to me, and deUvered to me ; sa distance of place
hurts not the surety of ray title, as propinquitie of place helps not
the surety of the sarae. I give thee, that Christ wotdd bow the
heavens and twitch thee with his body, as he did ludas, yit this
could not helpe thee a quhit ; for gif thou had not a title to hira,
thou durst not caU him thine. Sa it is not the nearenes nor proxi-
mitie of places that makes Christ mine ; it is onely the right that
I have to hira. I have right to hira oneUe be faith ; sa be faith
oneUe Christ is raade raine. But they think they have gotten a
great vantage of us, gif we be sa far fra Christ as the heaven is fra
the earth ; but that saU be tane fra thera also, be God's grace. I
have a title to his bodie : his bodie is distant fra my bodie, yit his

58 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SER.AlONS.
bodie is not distant fi-a me ; that is, fra my satdl ; I say, his bodie
and my sauU are conjoyned. That is a strange ladder that wiU
Faith is thecUmbe betAvixt the heaven and the earth. I get a cord that gals
cord that .... . i i •
couples us betAvixt the heaven and the earth, that couples me and him to
gither ; and this is only true faith. Be true faith Christ, suppose
he be in the heaA'ens, is coupled and conjoined with me, quha am
Similitude hgrg on earth. How can this be ? I saU shew you how : Is not
tane fra the
sunnc. the bodie of the sunne in the lift ? It is impossible to you to
tvritch the bodie of the sunne, yit the bodie of the sunne and ye
are conjoined : Howe ? Be they sarae bearaes that shines on you,
be that Ught that shines on you. Quhy may not the bodie of
Christ, then, suppose it be in the heavens, be conjoyned with me
that am in the earth, to wit, be the bearas, be the Ught and glad-
nes that floAris fra his bodie ? My bodie and the body of Christ
are conjoined be the vertue and power that flowis fra his bodie ;
quhilk vertue and power quickens ray dead satdl, makis me to Uve
the Ufe of Clirist, to begin to die to my selfe ; and ay the mair I
die to my selfe, the raair I live to hira. This conjunction, now,
is the ground, as I tauld you, of all our feUcity and happines ; and
I have made it clear to you for the present, sa far as God hes yit
given me insight ; gif he givis ony' farther hereafter, as he communi-
cats it, ye saU haA'e It. Alwales, ye see this conjunction is raoyened
be twa speciaU raoyens ; be the raoyen of the Halie Spirit, and be
the raoyen of faith : Gif there be na uther moyener but thu- twa,
quhy craves thou a carnaU or a visible conjunction? Faith is in-
Aasible, and the Spirit is invisible ; therefore, thou cannot see it, nor
tak It up with the eye of thy bodie : The power of the HaUe Spirit
is sa subtlU, secret, and invisible, that thou cannot perceave it, nor
take it up Arith the eye of thy bodie, and he vriU Avork great effects
In thy sauU or ever thou tak up his working. In respect, there
fore, that the moyeners of this conjunction are sa subtiU, secreet,
and spuituaU, quhy thinks thou to get a sight of this conjunction
AA-ith the eye of thy bodie ? Quhy Imaglns thou sick a carnaU con
junction as this, quhilk would not do thee good suppose thou had it ?
KnoAvis thou not that the Spirit that couples us and Christ is infl-

THE SECOND UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 59
nite ? Sa that it Is als easie to the Spu-it to couple Christ and us,
how far distant that ever we be, as it Is easie to our satdl to couple
our head and the feet of our body, suppose they be distant.
Then, seing this conjunction is the ground and fountaine of aU Exhortation.
our happines, and seeing this ground of happines is sa subtiU, and
sa spirituaU, quhat is your parte ? Eeraove aU your outward
senses : Eemove aU your natm-al motions, remove your natural dis
courses, and your natural reason, and foUowe the sight and infor
mation of the Spuit of God : Crave that it would please him to U-
luminat your understanding, that be the Ught of his Spirit ye may
see cleirly the spirituaU conjunction. Except the eye of the Spi
rit be given you to take up this spirituaU conjunction. It Is not pos
sible that ye can get any insight in it. But avUI the Lord, of his
mercy, bestowe some raeasure of his HaUe Spirit upon you, out of
question ye saU soone come to the understanding of it, and ye saU
thinke the time happy that ever ye heard this word. Except ye
have some parte of this Spirit it is not possible that ye can be spi
rituaU : That quhilk is born of flesh and blood man remane flesh
and blood, except the Spirit come in and make it spirituaU ; there
fore ye raan be borne agane of the Spirit, ye raan be borne in the
bodie of Christ, his Spirit man quicken you. This is caUed the
quickening and Uving Spirit of Christ, be lohn : and sa soone as this
Spirit coras in us, quhat dois it ? It chases away darkenes out of
the understanding ; quhereas before I knewe not God, now I see
him not onely generalUe, that he is a God, but that he is a God in
Christ. Quhat mair dois the HaUe Spirit ? He opens the hart as
weU as the mind : and quhat dois he there ? That sarae thing quhere-
upon I bestowed the affection of ray hart, and Imployed the love
of my sauU, is, be the working of the HaUe Spirit, made gaU to me ;
he maks it yennome to rae, and to be as deadUe hated of me as poy-
son. He workes sick ane inward disposition in my sauU, that he
maks me to turne and ffie from that sarae thing quherupon I im
ployed my love of before, and to imploy it upon God. (Tins is a
greate perfection !) Alwales, in some measure, he maks me to love
God better then any uther thing ; he changes the affections of my

BO MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
sauU, he changes the faculties and quaUties of my satdl ; and stiji-
pose our hartes and raindes be made new, yit the substance of them
is not changed, but only the faculties and quaUties arc changed ;
in respect of the quhilk change we are caUed new creatures ; and
except ye be found new creatm-es ye are not in Christ.
Conclusion, Now, to comc to the point, this secret conjunction is brought
with ane ex
hortation, about be faith, and be the HaUe Spirit. Be faith we grip the
body and blood of Christ ; and suppose Ave be als far distant as
heaven and earth are, the Sj)irit serves us as a ladder to conjoyn us
Arith Christ : As the ladder of lacob, quhUk reached fi-a the grounde
to the heaven, to the selfe same use serves the Spu-it of God to con
joyne the bodie of Christ with ray sauU. Then, take up aU in a
word : Quhat maks you to have ony right or title to Clirist ? Na
thing but the Spirit, nathing but faith. Quhat suld be your studie
then ? Presse be aU means possible to get faith, that, as Peter, Acts
XV. 9, sales, your harts and consciences may be sanctified be faith.
And giff ye presse not as weUl to get faith in yom- hartes as in your
rainds, yom- faith avaUs not. Quhat avaUes the faith, that fleets in
the fantasie, and brings a naked knoAvledge, without the ojiening of
the hart, and consent of the vriU ? Sa there man be ane opening
of thy heart, and ane consent of thy wUl, to doe that thing that
God bids doe, or thy faith avaUes not. Then presse to get faith
in your hearts and minds ; and doing sa, ye do the dutie of Christ
ians. This is not done vrithout the dUigent hearing of thc word, and
diUgent perception of the sacraments. Sa, be dUigent in thir ex
ercises, and be diUgent in prayer ; praying in the HaUe Ghaist, that
he would nurish your saules inwardly, with the bodie and blood of
Christ, that he would increase faith in your hartes and mindes, and
make it to grow up mair and mair daUy, quhUl ye come to the fidl
fraition of that blessed immortaUtie. Unto the quhUk, the Lord of
his raercie bring us, and that for the righteous merits of Christ
lesus ; to qiihome, Arith the Father and the HaUe Ghaist, be aU
honor, praise, and glory, for now and ever. Amen.

THE THIRD SEEMON.
UPON THE lord's SUPPER IN PARTICULAR.
PREACHED THE FIFTEEN OF FEBRUARIE, 1589.

1 Cor. xi. 23.
For L have received of the Lord, that which I also have delivered
unto you, to wit, that the Lord Lesus, in the night that he was be
trayed, tooke bread, Sfc.
We heard (weU-beloved In Christ lesus) in our last lesson, quhat
names was given to the Sacrament of the Supper, als weU in the
Book of God, as be the auncients of the Latine and Orient Kirks.
We heard the cheife ends, quherefore, and quhereunto this haly sa
crament was instituted. We heard the things that were contained
into this sacraraent, quhat they were, how they are coupled, how they
are deUvered, andhow they are receaved. We heard also sorae objec
tions that might be casten in the contrair of this doctrine ; we heard
them proponed, and, as" God gave the grace, reftited ; and last of
aU, we heard how the faithful saul is said to eat Christ his bodie and
to drink his blood : We heard the manner how Christ is or can be
receaved of us ; and we concluded in this point, that Christ lesus,
the Saviour of mankind, our Saviour, cannot be perceaved, nor yit
receaved, but be a spirituaU way and apprehension ; nather the
fleshe of Christ nor the bloode of Christ, nor Christ himselfe, can be

62 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERAIONS.
perceaved but be the eye of faith, can be receaved but be the mouth
of faith, nor can be gripped but be the hand of faith. Noav, faith
is a spu-ituaU thing ; for faith is the gift of God poured doAvne in the
heartes and mindes of men and women, Avrought In the sauU of
every ane, and that be the mightie worldng and operation of the
HaUe Spirite. Sa, the onely way to grip Christ being be faith,
and faith of the aAvin nature being spirituaU, it foUowes, therefore,
that there is not a Avay to get a grip of Cluist but ane spirituaU
way : There is not a hand to grip Christ but ane spirituaU hand ;
there is not a raouth to digest Christ but ane spiritual raouth. The
Scriptures faraiUarly, be all thu- terras, points out the nature and ef
ficacie of faith.
s'liTto eat°" ^® ^^6 ^^i*i t° ^^^ t^^ ^^^^ of Christ be faith, and to drmke his
thefleshe ^lood be faith in this sacrament, cheifly in doing of twa thinges.
and drinlte / ./ o o
the blood of]7ipg^^ in calling to our remembrance the bitter death and passion
of Christ, the blood that he shed upon the crosse, the supper quhilk
he instituted in remembrance of him before he gaid to the cross,
the comraanderaent quhilk he gave. Do this in remembrance of me.
I say, we eat his flesh, and drink his blood spirituaUy, first, in
this point, in recording and remembring faithfuUy how he died for
us, how his blood was shed upon the crosse ; this is the first point,
a point that cannot be remembred truUe except it be wrought be
the raighty power of the HaUe Spirit : The second point of the
spiritual eating stands in this, that I, and every ane of you, beleeve
firraUe that he died for rae in particular ; that his blood was shed on
the crosse for a fidl remission and redemption of me and my sinnes.
The cheife and principaU point of the eating of Christ his flesh,
and drinking of his blood, standes in beleeving firmUe that that
flesh was deUvered to death for my sins, that that blood of his was
shed for the remission of ray sinnes ; and except everie satdl come
neere to him selfe, and firmly consent, agree, and bc perswaded
that Christ died for him, that sauU cannot be saved, that sauU can
not eat the flesh nor drink the blood of Christ. Then the eating of
the flesh and drinking of the blood of Christ stands in ane faith-

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 63
fuU memorie, in ane firrae beleife, and in ane true applying of the
inerites of the death and passion of Christ to ray aArin conscience
in particular.
There was sundrie things objected against this kind of percep
tion ; and I vriU not insist to repeat thera ; but beside aU the objec
tions quhilk ye heard objected against this kinde of spirituaU per
ception be faith, they say, Gif Christ his flesh nor his blood be
not perceaved nor receaved but be the Spirit, be faith in the Spi
rit, then, say they, ye receave hira but be ane Imagination ! Gif
he be not receaved carnaUy nor corporaUy, but onely be the Spi
rit and be faith, then Is he not receaved but bc way of iraaginatlon,
conceat, and fantasie. Sa they count faith ane imagination of the
mind, ane fantasie and opinion fleeing in the harnes of man. I can
not wite thera to think sa of faith, for as nane can judge of the
sweetnes of bony but they that hes taisted of it, sa there is nane
can discerne or judge upon the nature of faith but they that hes
felt, and taisted in their harts, quhat it is. .And gif they had taisted
and felt in their sauls quhat faith brings Arith it, alace ! they would
not caU that spirituaU jewel, and onUe jewel of the saul, ane ima
gination. They caU it ane iraagination, and the Apostle, descriv-
ing it, Heb. xi. 1, caUsitane substance, and ane substantiaU ground.
Looke how weUl thir twa agrees, ane imagination, and ane sub
stantiaU ground. They caU it ane uncertaine opinion fleeting in
the braine and fantasie of man : He caUs it ane evidencie and de
monstration, in the same definition. See how plat contrary the
Apostle and they are in the nature of faith. Upon this, they inferre,
that as it is true, in the generaU, he cannot be deUvered nor given
but that same way that he is receaved ; and looke, quhat way any
thing is receaved, that same way it is given and deUvered ; sa, after
them, he being receaved be way of imagination, he is also in their
fantasie given and deUvered be way of iraagination. For gif he
be not given, say they, to thy hand, to thy mouth, nor to the sto
mach corporaU, he cannot be given but be ane imagination and fan
tastical opinion. The reason that movis them to thinke that Christ
cannot be theirs, nor given to them truly, in effect, and ready, ex-

64 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
cept he be given carnaUy, is this ; that thing quhUk is sa far absent
and sa far distant fra us as the heaven is fi-a the earth, cannot be
said to be given to us, nor to be ours. But Arith yom- avrin con
fession, say they to us, Christ his bodie is als far absent frora us as
the heaven is frora the earth ; therefore Christ his bodie nor his
flesh cannot be given to us except be way of imagination, and so
not tnieUe nor in effect.
This argument, framed in this sort, would appear to have some
force and raoment, in the entrie ; yit let us examine the proposi
tion of it. The proposition Is this ; that thing quhUk is so far ab
sent frora us as the heaven is fi-ora the earth, cannot be said to be
deUvered to us, to be given to us, or any way to be ours. Now,
quhither is this proposition true or fals ? I say this, proposition is
flat fals, and the contrair is raaist true. A thing raay be given to
us, and raay becorae om-s, suppose the thing in person it selfe be as
far distant frora us as the heaven is frora the earth. And how prove
I this ? Quhat makes ony thing to be yours ? Quhat makes ony of
you to count a thing to be given to you ? Is it not a title, is it not
a just right to that thing ? And gif ye have as just right given un
to you be liira quha hes power to give it, and ane sure title made
to you be him quha hes the power, suppose thc thing that he giris
you be not deUvered into your hand, yit be the right and title
quhilk he makis to you, is not the thing yours ? This is out of
question ; for it is not the nearnes of the thing to my bodie and
to my hand that makes the thing mine, for it raay be in ray hand,
and yit not appertaine to rae ; nather is it the distance nor absence
of the tlung that raakes it to be mine ; but it raay be far absent
from me, and yit be raine, because the title is raine, and because I
have gotten a right to it of hira quha hes power to give it. Sa this
ground is true, it is a sure title and ane just right that makes a thing,
suppose it be far absent and distant fra us, to be ours. Now sub
sume : But sa it is, that a Uvely and true faith in the blood and
death of Christ, makes us to have ane sure title, and ane good right,
to the flesh and blood of Christ, and to his merites ; looke quhat he
merited be his death and shedding of his blood upon the cross, all

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 65
that, togither vrith hiraselfe also, apperteins to me, and that be a title
and ane right quhilk I have gotten to him of God, quhilk is faith :
-And the surer that my title be, the mair sure am I of the thing that is
given me be the title.
Now, this sacraraent of the supper was instituted to confirrae our
title, to scale up our right quhUk we have to the bodie and blood,
to the death and passion of Christ ; and sa the bodie of Christ is
said to be given to us ; the blood of Christ is said to be deUvered
to us, quhen our title quhUk we have of him, of his death, of his body
and blood, is confirmed in our hartes ; for this sacrament was institut
ed for the groAvth and increase of our faith, for the increase of haUnes
and sanctification ; quhilk faith, the greater that It be in our hartes,
the raair sure are we that Christ his death appertains to us. I grant
to thee, as I have said, that the flesh of Christ is not deUvered in my
hand, his flesh is not put in my mouth, nor enters not in my stomach ;
yit, God forbid that thou say he is not truly given. For suppose
Christ's flesh be not put in thy hand, nor mouth of thy bodie, (and
quherefore suld it ? Hes he not appointed bread and wine for the
nuriture of the body, and may they not content you? are they not suf
ficient to nurish you to this earthly and temporaU life ? he hes appoint
ed Christ to be deUvered to the inward mouth of the saull, to be given
in the hand of thy satde, that thy sauU may feed on hira and be quick
ened Arith that life quhere with the angels lives ; quherewith the Son of
God and God hiraself Uves ; sa the flesh of Christ is not appointed to
nurish thy body, but to nurish thy saul in the hope, yea, in the growth
of that imraortaU Ufe !) and, therefore, I say, suppose the flesh of Clirist
be not deUvered in the hand of ray body, yit it is deUvered to the part
that It suld nurish ; the sauU Is the part that it suld nurish, therefore,
to the saul it is deUvered ; yea, that bread and that vrine are na raair
reaUy deUvered to the body and to the hand of the body, nor the
flesh of Christ is deUvered to the saul, and to the hand and mouth
of the saul, quhUk is faith. Therefore, crave na mair a carnal de-
Uverie, nor pause not upon ane carnal receiving. Thou man not
think, that ather God gives the flesh of Christ to the raouth of the
body, or that thou, be the mouth of thy bodie, receavis the flesh of

66 JIR ROBERT bruce's SERMONS.
Christ. For ye man understand this principle in the Scriptures of
God ; our sauU cannot be joyned nor bound with the flesh of Christ,
nor the flesh of Christ cannot be joyned Arith our sauU, but be ane
spuituaU band ; not by ane carnaU band of blood or aUya, nor be
the twitching of his flesh with our flesh : But he is conjoyned with
us be ane spirituaU band, that is, bc the power and vertue of his
HaUe Spuit. And, therefore, the Apostle sayis, 1 Cor. xii. 13, that
be the raoyen of Ids Halie Spirit aU Ave, quha are faithfull men
and Avonien, are baptized in one bodie of Chiist, that is, we are con
joyned, and fastened iqi Arith ane Christ, be the raoyen (sajis he)
of ane Spirit ; not bc ane carnaU band, or be ane grosse conjunc
tion, but. oneUe be thc band of the Halie Spuit. That same Halie
Spirit that Is in lum is in every ane of us in some measure ; and in
respect ane Spirit is In him and in us, therefore, we are counted aU •
to be ane body, and to be members of ane spu-ituaU and misticaU
bodie ; and in that same A'ers he sayis, " M^e are all made to drinke
in ane and the selfe sarae Spirit,'' that is, avc are made to drinke of
the blood of Christ, and this blood is na uther thing but the quick
ening vertue and poAver that floAvs fra Cluist, and fra the raerites of
his death. We are raade aU to drinke of that blood, quhen we
drinke of the lively power and vertue that floAvs out of that blood ;
sa there is not a band that can couple ray sauU vrith the flesh of
Christ but onely a spirituaU band and ane spirituaU union, and
therefore it is that the Apostle, 1 Cor. vi. 17, sayis, "He that is
coupled vrith God, and conjoyned Avith our Lord, is ane spirit with
hira;'' and John, in his third chapter, sayis, "That quliilk Is borne of
the Spirit Is spirit :" Sa it is oneUe be the participation of the HaUe
Spirit that we are conjoyned Arith the flesh and blood of Christ lesus ;
that camaU band, quluther it be the band of blood, running thorowe
ea race, or be the carnal tvritching of flesh with. flesh, that carnaU
band was never esteemed of be Christ : In the time he was conver
sant here upon earth, he lute nathing of that band ; and as he hes
left behind him in his Booke, he had never that carnal band in ony
kind of reverence nor estimation, m respect of the spirituaU band ;
but as to the spirituaU band quhereby Ave are coupled with hira be

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. t>7
ane Spirit, he ever esteemed of this band in the time that he was
conversant in the world, and in his Booke he hes left the praise and
commendation of the spirituaU band.
To let you see how lightly he esteemed of the carnal band, of
the blood and allya, quhilk we regard sa melkle, ye have a place,
Luke viU. 20, 21 ; for there they come to hira, and they say, " Mais-
ter, your mother, your brother, and kinsfolks, stands Arithout, and
would see you, and be at you :" Ye hear his answere to their de
mand, how Uttle he esteemes of that carnaU band ; he answers, in
the 21st verse, in a raanner denying that band, and he sayis, " They
are ray raother and brethren quha heares the word of God and dois
it ;" as gif he would say. It is not that carnaU band that I esteeme
of, it is not that carnal conjunction that I reverence ; it is the spi
rituaU conjunction, be the participation of the Halie Spirit, quhere
by we are moved to hear the word of God, to give reverence to it,
and to obey it. This carnaU band was never profitable, as that
same Luke Aiu. dois plainly testifie. For, gif the tAritching of
Christ's flesh had been profltable, the multitude, quhereof mention
Is made in that chapter, that thrusted and pressed him had been
the better be their carnal twitching ; but sa it is, that there was
never ane of them the better of then- carnal twitching ; therefore,
the carnal tvritching proflts natliing. Sayis he not himselfe, John
vi., to draw them from that sinister confidence that they had into
his flesh onely, " My flesh profits nathing, it is onely the Spirit that
quickens ?"
-As to the uther tAritching, to tAritch him be the Haly Spirit, and
be faith in thy sauU; this twitching, be faith, hes ever been profltable ;
and we have a plain exaraple of it in the sarae chapter. Sicklike,
quhere there the poore woraan that was lang diseased with ane
bloodie issue, be the space of twelve yeares, and had wasted and con
sumed ane great part of her substance in seeking remeid, she findis
no helpe at the naturaU and bodelle physitlan. At last, be the ver
tue of the HaUe Spirit working faith in her hart, be faith she under
stands and conceavis that she is able to recover the health of her
bodie, and the health of her saull, at Christ lesus, quha come to

68 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
save baith bodie and sauU ; and upon this persuasion quliilk she hes
in her hart, that Christ may cm-e both bodie and sauU, she comes
to hira, and as the text sajds, she pressis thorowe the multitude
quhiU she come to him. And quhen she coraes to him, it is not said
that she tAritched his fiesh Arith her hand, in case the Papistes would
ascrive the vertue quhilk came out of lum to her carnal twitch
ing ; but it is said that she tAritched onely the herarae of Ids gar
ment Arith her hand ; and Arith faith, quhilk is the hand of the satdl,
she tvritched her Saviour God and raan. And to let you tmderstand
that she twitched hira be faith, he sayis to her, in the end, " Go thy
way, thy faith hath saved thee." She tAritched liira not so soone be
faith, but incontinent there coraes a power out of hira, quhUk poAver
and vertue she felt be the eflfect of it in her sauU, and he felt it
quhen it gaid fra him : The eflfect quhereby she felt it was the health
of her satdl, and the eflfect quhereby he felt it was the ganging fra
him; and sa soone as he felt it ga fra hira, he sayis, " Quha is this
that hath twitched me ?" Peter, quho was ever maist sudden, an
swers, and sayis : " Thou art thnimbled and thrusted be the multi
tudes, and yit thou speeris quha hes tAritched thee !" He ansAvers
againe, and he sayis : " It is not that twitching that I speak of; it
Is ane uther kinde of tAritching ; there is ane hes tvritched me, quha
hes dravrin a vertue and power oul of rae ; the raultltude taks na
vertue fra me." The poore woraan, thinking that she had done
araisse, and seeing that she could not be hid, she coras trembUng,
and she sayis, " I have done it :'' He answers her, in the end, and
he sayis, " Depart in peace, thy faith hes saved thee ;" thy faith hes
thrawin out a vertue and power out of me, that hath made baith
saul and bodie haUl. Sa that this tAritching of Christ hes ever been
profltable, is and saU be profitable. Like as the tAritching of Christ
vrith the corporaU hand hes never been, is not, nor saU never be profit
able ; for quhy ? Christ is not appointed to be a camaU head, to be set
upon the crags of our bodies, that he may doe the office of a carnal
head thereunto, to furnish naturaU motion and senses to our bodie.
Na, the scriptures caUs not Christ ane carnaU head ; but the scrip
tures caUs lum ane spirituaU head, to be set on the crag of our saul.

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 69
that is, to be conjoyned Arith our sauU, that out of him, in our sauU,
may distU haly raotions, heavenly senses ; and that there raay flow out
of him to us ane spirituaU and heavenly life. Then the Scriptures caUs
hira ane spirituaU head, as they caU us ane spirituaU bodie. .And as
the Ufe quhilk we get from him is spirituaU, sa aU our conjunction Arith
him is spirituaU ; and in respect he works that same operation in my
sauU quhilk the carnal head dois in the bodie, therefore, he is count
ed a spirituaU head ; therefore is he counted the head of his Kirk,
be reason he furnishes to hir spirituaU motion and senses, quhilk is
the Ufe of the IGrk. Sa, to be short, there is nathing in this con
junction carnaU, there is nathing grosse in it, there is nathing that
may be compast be our naturaU judgeraent and understanding ; and,
therefore, quhasoever would attaine to ony smaU insight of this spi
ritual conjunction betAvixt us and Christ, of force he man bow doAvn,
and earnestly incaU for the Spirit, or it is not possible to get ony
understanding, and it were never sa smaU ane insight, how the flesh
of Christ and we are conjoyned, except we have some Ught given
us be the Spirit, that Is, except our heartes be walkned be the
mightie working of the Spirit of Christ this saU remaine as a dead
and a closed letter to us.
Sa ye have to crave that the Lord, in his mercie, would walken ^''''°''"'"""'
you, Uluminat your understandings, and mak you to have a spi
rituaU Ught to discerne on thir spirituaU things : Nixt, ye man
studie and be cairfuU to remove aU vain cogitations and earthly
fantasies ; quhen ye enter to hear of sick ane high mater, ye man
cast off aU ffithy thoughtes, IU motions, and cairs of the world ; and
ye man shake off aU things that cloggs your hartes : And, thirdUe,
ye man come Arith a purpose to hear the word, to give dUigent ear
to the word, and -srith a sanctified heart to receave it, Arith ane
purpose to grow and increase In haUnes, as weUl in bodie as in saul,
aU the dales of your Ufe. And, comming vrith this purpose, na
question the Halie Spirit saU reveal the things to you that ye want.
And suppose this word passe, and bring not great commoditie for
the present, yit the HaUe Spirit hereafter saU reveale to thee the
truth of that quhUk thou hes heard now. Then, this is thc point

70 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
of aU ; be present in yotu- hartes and mindes, and let yotu- sauls bc
emptied of aU the cares of the world, that they may receave that
Uquor quhilk is offered in the hearing of this word.
The dcflni- Now I go forward, and I come to the dcscrlAing of the sacrament
tion of the „ .. i t n i •
sacrament of or the supper ; and 1 caU this sacrament of the siqiper ane halie seal,
the Lord's ., - p , . . .--,,
Supper. annexed to the covenant ot grace and mercie in L hrist ; a seal to
be ministred publikly, according alwayis to the haUe Institution of
Christ lesus, that, be thc lawftd rainisterie thereof, the sacramentaU
tmlon betAvixt the signes and the tlung signified may stande ; and
this union standing, Clirist lesus, quha Is the thing signified, is als
tndie deUvered to the increase of our nuriture spuittial, as the signes
are given and deUvered to the bodie to the nuritm-e teraporaU.
Quhy this Now wc saU cxamiuc the words and partes of this definition.
sacrament is ^
called a Ffrst of aU, I caU this sacraraent a seal, be reason that this sacra-
seal. ment serves to the same use to our sauUs that a common seale serves
to a common eAadent : As the seal quhUlc is annexed to the evi
dent confirraes and seals up the truth conteined in the evident, sa
this sacraraent of the bodie and blood of Christ confirraes and seals
up the truth of mercie and grace conteined in the covenant of
mercie and grace ; for this respect it is caUed a seal.
Quhy it is It is caUed a haUe seal ; quhy ? Because it is tane fra the prophane
called a haly . .
'^cii- use quhereunto that bread served in the night before, and that bread
is appUed to ane haUe use ; there is a power given to that bread to
signifie the precious bodie of Christ lesus, to represent the nuri-
ttu-e and feeding of our sauls : And in respect. It serves now in the
sacrament to sa haUe ane use, therefore I caU It ane haUe seal. As
to this word, it is not mine, it is the Apostle's word, Eom. iv. 11,
quhere he glAis the sacraraent the sarae name, and caUs it a seal.
And to teU you farther, gif the Avisdome of Christ, in his Apostle,
had been foUowed, and gif men had not invented new names of
their aAvin to this sacrament, but contented and satisfied thera selfes
Arith the naraes that God hes given be his Apostle, and that Christ
himselfe had given to this sacrament, I am assured nane of thir tra
gedies, nor great stormes and debaites, (quhUk never avIU cease,) had

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 71
faUen out ; but quher men wUl ga about to be wiser nor God, and
ga beyond God in devising names quhilk he hes never given, upon
men's aAvin inventions, sicke tragedies and debaits hes faUen out.
A lesson, be the way, let na flesh presume to be Ariser nor God, but
let them stoup and keepe the names quhilk God hes given to this
sacrament. I say, thirdly, annexed to the covenant, annexed and hung to the <*"'¦? "'^
•''•"_ ' _ ° _ sealissaidto
chartour, because it cannot be caUed a seal, properUe, except it be te annexed
. . . ... . *^ t^^ ^^^^
hangmg at ane evident. Looke quhat it is be nature ; that same thing nant.
is it, and na farther, gif it be not hangin to some evident ; it is only
the appension to the CAddent that makes men to count it ane seal ;
therefore it is nathing esteemed but being hung to the CAident.
Even sa it is here ; gif that sacrament be not ministred and hangin
to the preached word, to the preaching of the covenant of mercy
and grace, it cannot be a seal. But looke quhat it is be nature,
it is na mair ; as be nature it is but a comraon peece bread, sa it Is
na mair gif it be not hangin to the preaching of thc word, and
ministred thercArith as -Christ hes commanded. Therefore, I say,
the seal man be annexed, appended, and hangin to the evident, to
the preaching of the word for estabUshIng of thc evident, uther-
waies it is not a seal. But it is not sa Arith the evident, quhUk is
the word of God ; for ye know ony evident avUI mak faith suppose
it want a seal, and it avUI serve to mak a right gif it be subscrived
Arithout a seal ; but the seal without the evident avaUs nathing.
Even sa it Is with the word of God : Suppose the sacraments be
not annexed to the word, yit the word avUI do our turn, it serves
us to get Christ, it serves to ingender and beget faith in us, and
maks us to grow up in faith ; but the seal without the word can
serve us to na haUe use ; therefore, I say, the seal man be annexed
to the word preached, to the covenant of raercie and grace.
Now there foUowes in the deflnition, that this seal man be mi-auhy'^esa-
^ ^ crament
nistred piiblUdie : Quherfore say I pubUkUe ? To exclude aU pri- suid be mi-
vate administration of this sacrament : For gif this sacrament be uckUe.
ministred to ane privatly, it is not a sacrament. Quhy ? Because Firstreason.

72 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
the Apostle caUs this sacrament a communion. Minister ye it to
ane, ye tine the communion ; therefore, giff ye minister it privatUe,
ye tine the sacraraent : For this sacrament is a communion of the
bodie and blood of Christ ; therefore, of force, it man be be way of
comraunicatlon ; and sa the action man be publikUe ministred.
Second rea- Sccoudly, ThIs sacramcnt man be ptibUkUe ministred. Quhy ?
Because Christ lesus, quha is the thing signified in this sacrament.
Is not sick a thing as pertainis to ane man onely ; gif It were sa, he
might be prlvatlle given and rainistred : But seeing Christ, quhiUi
is the thing signified in the sacrament. Is a comraon thing apper
taining to everie faithfuU man and woman, therefore he aught to be
commonlie given to aU, in a comraon action, in a societle and con
gregation of the faithfuU.
Thirdly, This sacraraent is compted a thanksgiving to God the
Father for his benefits. Now, it appertains not to ane or twa, to
thanke God oneUe ; but as we are aU partakers of his temporaU and
spirituaU benefits, sa we aught aU pubUklie to give him thanks for
the sarae. Therefore, I say, in the definition, this seal aught to be
pubUckUe and not privatUe rainistred, as the Papists dois in their
private Messe.
Quhy this This seal man be pubUklie rainistred, according to Christ's in-
mtniTtred " stltutlou ; quhcreforc say I Christ's institution mair nor man's in-
christ'Tin-° stitution, or angels' institution ? Quhy hauld I ray selfe at Chiist's
stitution. ijjg^it^tion ? I saU teU you quhy ; because a man hes not power
to institute or make a sacrament ; because an angel hes not power
to make or institute a sacrament ; for nane hes power to raake nor
institute a sacrament but he that hes power to give Christ, quha is
the thing signified in the sacrament : But sa it is, that nane hes
Nane hes powcr to glvc Chrlst but athcT the Father or hiraselfe ; therefore,
power to in. 1 Dowcr to raake or institute a sacraraent but ather the
stitute a sa- ""^ ^ ^
crament but j^a^jigj. or the Souue ; oucly God raan raake a sacrament. Second-
God onely. , n r^ i, • t i • • i
Ue, This sacraraent is a part ot (jod s service and worshipping ; but
sa it is, that nane hes power to appoint ony part of his service, or
prescrive ony part of his worshipping, but onely God himsehfe :
Therefore, nane can raake a sacraraent but God himself. There

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 73
is na prince in the earth wUl be content to be served after ane uther
man's fantasie ; but he wUl prescrive his service according unto his
aArin fantasie ; how meUde mair is it meet that God suld appoint
his aAvin service and worshipping ! Therefore, there is nather raan
nor angel hes power to institute a part of the service of God ; the
sacraraents are ane part of his service ; therefore, there is na angel
nor man hes power to institute a sacrament. The greatest style
that ony man in the earth gets in the ministerie of the word and
sacramentes, is that style quhilk the Apostle gives them, 1 Cor. I.
4. There we are caUed stewardes and dispensers of the graces of
God, ministers of thc mysteries and liaUe things. It foUowes then
of this, that we are not authors, creators, or makers of them, but
onely ministers and dispensers of the sacraments. Sa it Is cleare
that na man nor creature hes power to make a sacrament : Then It
man be according to the institution of Christ, his institution man
be keeped. Look quhat he said, look quhat he did, look quhat
he coraraanded thee to do ; aU that man be said, done, and obeyed :
Leave thou a jote of that undone quhUk he commanded thee to doe,
thou perverts the institution ; for there is nathing left in register of
that institution but it is essentiaU. Sa, In the celebration of Christ's
institution we man take tent to quhatsoever he said, did, or com
manded to be done ; thou man first say quhatsoever he said, and
then do quhatsoever he did ; for the ministerie of the sacrament
man foUow after the word. First, thou raan say that quhilk Christ
coraraanded thee to say, and thou man teach that quhUk he cora
raanded thee to teach, and then minister the sacrament. Then, to we caii the
..... . . , word in the
keepe this institution, we man begin at the saying, and say quhat- sacrament
soever Christ comraanded us, thereafter faithfuUie doe aU that stitution.
quhilk he commanded to be done. Sa, quhat caU we the word ?
I caU the word the haUl institution of Christ lesus, preached and
proclaimed, denounced distinctUe, clearUe, and sensibUe to the
people. In sick sort, that gif we leave ony kind of circumstance or
cereraonie of this institution undone, we pervert the halU action.
It is agreed and condescended upon betwixt us quha celebrats 'W'ordand

74 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
eiementmanthis Institution, and aU the sects of this world quha hes separat them
concurre to -„,... .
the constitu- selves fra this institution, that twa things are necessare, and man
tion of a sa- . , i i . . « . .
crament. concuT to the nature and constitution of a sacrament, to wit, there
man be a word, and there man be ane eleraent concurrand ; there
is not a sect but they grant this, that the word raan concm-re Avith
the element or we get a sacrament. As they are easie to admit
this generaU, look how easie they are to admit this general, and how
weUl we agree Arith them in the generaU ; quhen It coraes to the
speciaU, and that we enter into particular in the handUng and treat
ing of the word, look how weiU we agree in the generaU ; in thc
partlculer we loope als far sundry. For quhen avc come to dispute
and reason on thir particulars : First, c[uhat Ave mean be the word :
SecondUe, how this word ought to be intreated : ThirdUe, quhat
vertue this word hes : FourthUe, how farr the vertue of this word
dois extend the selfe : -And, last of aU, to quhora the words ought
to be directed and pronounced. In aU thir partictders we are als
far sundrie as ever avc appeared to agree in the generaU.
Quhat we I leave my conference with any uther sect, and halde me vrith
he the wordthc PapIstcs, bccausc WC havc maist adoe Arith them. And, first
ment. of aU, WC havc to understand qtdiat we raean be the word, and quhat
they raean be it ? We, be the word, as I have said, understand the
haUl Institution of Christ lesus ; qidiatsoevcr he said, quhatsoever
he did, or commanded to be done, Arithout eiking, without pairing,
Arithout alteration of the meaning or sense of the word : This we
mean be the word in the sacrament.
Quhat understands the Papistes be the word ? They preach not
the institution of Christ, nor taks not the haUl institution as he left
it ; but instead thereof they select and pyks out of his institution
four or five words, and they make the haiU vertue of the institution
Quhat the to Stand m the foure or five words ; and it maid noght gif they con-
d'^'tand "' tented them with they words, because they are the words of the in-
be the wor'^Qfitution, but they eike to these words, they paire fra the words, and
in the sacra- ° ' ^
'"^'''' alters the meaning of these same words quhilk they keepe as they
please. That ye may ken this, in their messe, quhUk they caU the
supper, we sail let you see the substance of it. I devide the messe

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 75
in substantiaU things and accidentaU things. To the substance of
the raesse there are three things craved : There raan of force be a
Priest, that is, sick a ane as takes upon him the office of our Medi
ator, Christ lesus, to intercead betAvixt God and man : SecondUe,
to the substance of the messe is craved that the Priest offer the bo
die and blood of Christ. We come here to receave the thinges ;
there the Priest offers thera to God the Father : Thirdly, be this
work (say they) they obtaine aU good things ; be this work wrought
they obtaine remission of sins, als weUl to the dead as to the quick ;
but, in speciaU, they obtelne remission of sins to the Priest, quha Is
the distributer, and to him quhom to the Priest appUes that sacra-
fice : And as to the rest of the Kirk, quha are absent, they obtaine
this remission of their sinnes be this work generaUy. Thir three
things are necessare to the substance of the mess.
As to the accidents that man concm-r to the making of a messe,
they are of twa sortes : Some of thera are alwales necessar, Avith
out the quhUk that action cannot be. Some are not neces
sare, againe, and the action may be without them, but not Avith
out a deadUe sinne. Thir things that are necessare concernis
partly the Priest, and partUe the action It selfe. The accidents
that are necessary to the Priest are of twa sorts, ane sort arc sik
as without the quhUk he cannot be a Priest ; the uther sort the
quhUk Arithout he cannot be free of deadUe sin. The things Arith
out the quhUk he cannot be a Priest are thir : Except he have
power given of his Bishop to consecrate ; quhilk power Is instituted
be the unction and shaving of his crowne, except againe he have
power to speak, and that the roof of his raouth be haiU that he may
speak, he cannot be a Priest. Thir twa are alwales necessare, and
concurs to the person. Uther things, againe, are not so necessare ;
as the Priest raan be free fra suspension, fra cm-sing, deadUe sinne,
and aU ecclesiasticaU paine and censures ; thu- things are necessare
to the person. There is, againe, twa things necessare to thc action ;
ane sort without the quhUk the action cannot be; without the
Lord's Prayer it cannot be ; Avithout the five Avords of the insti-

76 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
tutlon it cannot be. Uther things, againe, are not sa necessare ;
as the consecration of the place, quhere the raesse Is said, the altar
stane, the blessing of the chaUce, the water, the raurgeons, singing,
he that suld help to say messe, and the rest. Sa they and we in
na Wales agrels concerning the word, quhat Is raeaned be it.
Into the second member, we are als far sundry, how tins word
ought to be intreated ? We say the word tane, as sayd Is, for the
haiU institution, ought to be Intreated after this manner : First,
there ought a laAvfidl pastor, quho hes his caUing of God to intreat
it ; and this lawfuU pastor ought to intreat the word laAvfuUy.
Quhat is that ? He aught to preach it, to proclaim it, and pubUck
Ue Arith a cleare voyce to denounce it. He aught to open up and
declare the haUl parts of it ; quhat is the people's part and quhat Is
his aAvin part ; how he aught to deUver and distribute that bread
and that wine ; how the people aught to receave of his hand that
bread and that Avine ; to infoi-me their faith how they aught to re
ceave Christ his bodie and his blood, signified be that bread and
that Avine ; as also, he aught to teach them how they suld come
Arith great reverence to that Table, and comraunicat with the pre
cious bodie and blood of Christ. This he aught to doe in ane fa-
mUiar language, that the people may understand hira, that they
may heare hira, that they raay perceave and take up in their hearts
the things that he speakes : For quhat avaUes it to you, to hear a
thing quhispered and not spoken out ; or, gif it be spoken out, quhat
avaUes it you to hear it gU" ye understand it not ? For except
ye hear Cluist in ane famiUar and hameUe language ye cannot un
derstand ; and except ye understand it is not possible to you to
beleeve ; and Arithout beUefe there is na application of Christ ; and
except ye beleeve and apply Christ to your selfis, yom- coraraing to
the sacraraent is in vaine. Sa, of force, gif this sacraraent be law-
fuUie handled, the pastor man preach the institution of Christ that
it may be heard ; and in ane faraUiar language that it may be un
derstood, in sicke sort that the faithftiU people may be Inforraed

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 77
how to reeeave, and the minister may know his part, hoAV to de
Uver and distribute. This, we say, suld be the right handling of
the haUe institution of this sacrament.
Now quhat doe they ? They, in place of a Minister, Pastor, or
Bishop, caU him as thou pleasis, quha is caUed lawfuUie of God, they
substitute a Priest, and surrogates ane hireUng, quha hes na caU
ing or office now in the Kirk of God. For the office of a Priest,
as they use there Priesthood, is na uther thing but the office of
Christ lesus, the office of the Mediator betArixt God and us. For
they make their Priestes daiUe to offer up Christ lesus to the Fa
ther. Now this is the Mediator Christ his office ; and he did it
ains for ay, and ains for aU, sayis the Apostle ; sa that they can
have na entry to doe this turne over againe : And in respect that
their Priests pressis to do this turn over again quhUk he has done
already, they doe it Arithout a coraraand ; they have not a warrand
in the word of God. But, givand that they had a warrand of their
caUing in the book of God, yit they handle the sacraraent aU
Avrang ; for quhair they suld speak forth clearly they whisper, and
they conjure the elements be ane certain kind of quhispering ;
quhere they suld speak it in ane knoAvn language, that the people
raay understand, they speak it in ane unknown language ; and sup
pose they spake it in ane knoArin and familiar language, yit, in re
spect they quhisper it, the people cannot be the better of it. And
quhat saU I say, seeing they handle the word this way ? Suppose
It be the very institution it selfe, yit they sa spoU it in the handling,
that it Is not an haUe sacrament. Then, we differ als meUde In the
second point, how the word aught to be handled and intreated.
Now the third point comes in, to Arit, Quhat vertue this word Third head
coDtrovGrt*
has, how far the vertue of this word extends the selfe ? In this ed.
head, we grant and acknowledge that the word has a virtue ; and the
word tane, as said Is, works something, even towards the same ele
ments of bread and Arine ; for we acknowledge that they elements,
be the vertue of this word are changed, not in their substance, not
in their nature, nor yit In then- substantiaU and natm-aU proper-

78 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
ties : But we grant that the elements are changed in ane qualitie
quhilk they had of before, in sick sort that thu- elements are tane
fra the common use quheretrato they served of before, and be thc
institution of Christ they are applyed now to ane haUe use. Look
how far the haly use differs fra the common use ; there Is als great
difference betwixt thc elements this day in the action, and the thing
that they were yesterday ; for I grant that the elements are chang
ed, and yit this change proceeds not of the nature of the eleraents,
fra ane closed vertue suiDposed to be in the words, nor fra the avIUs-
peiing of the words ; but It proceeds fra the AvUl of Christ, fra the
ordinance and appointment of Christ, set dovrae in his avrin insti
tution ; for that thing is halie quhUk God caUs haly, and that thing
is prophane quhilk God caUs prophane.
To let you understand how thir signes are made haly, it is neces-
How the sair that tlur twa things be considered : First, quha is he that makes
,ir™ancd- thcm haUc, quluther God, angeU, or man ? Secondly, quliaever he be
*^"'^' that makes them halie, be quhat mean and way makes he them halie ?
And be the consideration of thir tAva,we saU come to the considera
tion and right weying of the sanctification of the elements.
As to the first, we say, that God is oneUe he that may make a
thing quhilk was coraraon to be haUe ; so we say that God, be his
wiU and ordinance, declared and set doAvn In his word, hes raade
the things that wer common be his appointment to be haly. As
to the way and mean, quhereby they are made haUe, It Is the word
of God, the institution of Christ, the avUI of Christ, declaired in his
institution, that raakes them haUc. For the preaching and open
ing up of the word and institution of Christ lets us see that God
hes raade thir things haUe ; and not onely that he hes raade thera
haUe, but lets us see ane haUe manner how they suld be used, in
quhat place, at quhat time, with quhat heart, and to quhat end. Sa
it is the AvUl of Chiist, declared in his institution, quhairby thc
thinges that were common before are now made halie. There is
uther twa things, also, that maks the sarae elements halie ; and thir
tAva are used in this institution : There is prayer and thanksgiv-

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 79
Ing ; for prayer and thanksgiving makes the creatures of God to
om- use haUe ; quhere utherwayis, gif we receave the creatures of
God like dogs, and thank him not for them, it is ane sure token
that they were never sanctified to our use.
Be prayer we obtain grace and strength from God to use the
creatures and this haU action haUUe and lawfuUIe, as it suld be :
And, therefore, not onely in this haly action suld we begin with
God, and at the incaUing upon his name, but in aU actions of the
world we stdd beglnne in God's name ; sa, it is the wUl of God,
prayer and thanksgiving, conjoyned with the elements, that makes
them haUe, aU thu- three, contained in the action of the supper,
makes the scales haUe ; for beside the AvUl of God, declared in his
institution, in the supper we use ane incaUing, and in this incaUing
we use ane thanksgiving ; sa the elements are not made halie bc
the Avord of God oneUe, but be the use of prayer and thanksgiving ;
quhUk three are the oneUe mean and way quhereby thir things are
sanctified. To expresse and declair the sanctification of the element, the The word of
blessing and
EvangeUsts and the Apostle Paul uses Indifferentlie the word " to thanksgiv-
BLESS," and " to give thanks," and commonlie they place the one differentiie,
word for the uther ; for ye see that Marke and Panic usis the word pressed bo
" BLESS :" Mathew and Luke uses the word " to give thanks ;" """ ""**"¦
and aU in ane signification : -And Marke himself, in the xiv. of his
GospeU, 22d vers, speaking of the same action of the supper, he uses
the word " to bless," and in the 23d verse he uses the word " to
GIVE THANKS," and bathe in ane signification. To let you see that
the Apostle, Christ himselfe, and the EvangeUsts, uses the word
" TO BLESS," and " TO GIVE THANKS," IndiffercntUc, to signifie the
sanctification and consecration of the elements, except ye take the
ane for the uther it saU be hard to get ane good meaning out of the
Apostle's words ; for I remember the Apostle, 1 Corinth, x. 16, he
sayis, " the cuppe of blessing quhilk we blesse." Quhat is that ? I take
the word to signifie, as I have said, quhilk we blesse, that is, quhilk
Ave sanctifie and prepares bc blessing. Sa, to blesse and to gi^'e
thanks, in the supper, signifies na uther thing but to sanctifie ; or

80 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
utherAvaies, gif ye take the word in ane uther signification, ye sail
faU in ane errour : For quhy ? God is said to bless, and Man is
said to blesse : God is said to blesse, quhen he gives good thinges
to his creatures, for God his blessing is ever effectual, and there
fore he is said to blesse quhen he gives good thinges: Man,
againe, is said to blesse, ather privatUe or publUdie, quhen he cravis
blessing at the hands of God to any man ; qtdien he blesses in the
narae and at the coraraand of God any persone or people. Now,
if ye ascrive blessing in ony of thir twa significations to the cuppe,
it Is aU Avrang ; for we use nather to crave blessing to Insensible
elements, nor yit to blesse them in the name of God. And God
uses to give good thinges to the sonnes of men, and not to insen
sible creatures : Therefore, we are compeUed to use the word
" bless" in the third signification : The cup quhilk loe blesse, that
Is, quhilk we sanctffie and prepares be blessing. This far we un
derstand, for the sanctification of the elements.
Now, let see how they sanctifie thir elements, and quhat is the
form of their consecration ? Sa far as I understand of it, stands in
thir five words : Hoc est enim corpus meum. It stands in these five
words, and in the quhispering of them ; for gif ye quhisper them
not ye tine the fashion of incantation ; for the thing that we caU
sanctUieng they caU quhispering : And the quhispering of these flve
words they caU the consecration of the eleraents. And quhen the
AVords are after this way quhispered, they presuppone sick ane hid
and raonstrous vertue to be inclosed in the syUables, that the vertue
and power quhilk flowes fra they words is able to chase away halely
the substance of the bread : Sa that the verie bread and substance
of it is altogither destroyed be this power. Secondly, that this
power, that flowes fi-a thir words, is able to ragg and puU down ane
uther substance, to Arit, the flesh and blood of Christ lesus, that
sits at the right hand of his Father, and is able to put it within the
compasse of that bread ; that is a strange and ane great vertue, that
not onUe wUl thrawe doAvn that substance, but put it within thc
corapasse of that bread ! These sarae flve Avords, quhispered In this

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 81
manner, hes sick a monstrous operation, say they, that they are able
baith to chase away the ane substance, to rag doAvn ane uther, and
to put it Arithin the compasse of that bread. We altogither deny
that there is sik a vertue in thir words ; for, as I have said before,
we deny not that the word hes a vertue, but we deny that there is
sick a vertue inclosed in the words ; we deny the quaUtie of the ver
tue, and the quantltie of the vertue, or that it flowes frora sic a
fountaine. For we grant that the word hes a vertue ; there is never
a word that God spake here, but it hes a vertue joyned Arith it ; but
we deny that this vertue is inclosed in the syUables, in the whisper
ing or pronouncing of the words ; for gif there were sic a vertue and
power inclosed in the syUables, be that reason it suld foUowe that there
were a vertue in the flgure and shape of the letter that makes up
the words. Now there is na man vriU thinke that there is any vertue
In the flgure or shape of the letter ; and there is as Utle vertue in
the syUables, or in pronouncing of the words themselves ; sa we de
ny that there is any vertue inclosed in the syUables, or resident in the
word ; but we say that there is a power conjoyned vrith the word,
and this power is not resident in the word, but is resident in the
Eternal Word, In the essentiaU word, quherof lohn raakes mention
in the first of his EvangeU, " the Word quhilk was fra the begin
ning," that is, the Son of God, Christ lesus. We say there is not
a dram-weight of this vertue and power resident in na creature that
ever God created, but it is onely resident in Christ lesus ; and
therefore there flows na vertue from the syUables, nor fra the words
that are spoken, but fra Christ and his Spirit, quha gives the ver
tue to these words. Sa we differ in this ; we say that there is not
a vertue resident in the syUables, we say that the syUables and pro
nouncing of the syUables works nathing ; but we say that the vertue
is resident in the person of the Son of God, and he works be his
awin word.
Now we say, there cannot be sik a monstrous change as to say,
that the whispering of sa mony words suld change the awin sub
stance of the bread, rag doun the substance of the bodie of Christ, Kcfutation of the doc-

82

MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.

The flrst
fiorte of ar
gument.

trine of tran- and pttt hls bodlc In sa narrow ane corapas. We say that cannot
substantia- ii-Tn i -ll •¦
tion be three be; aud this I saU prove be thu- three rules, to wit, be the ven tie
guments. of the flcsh of Christ lesus, be the articles of our beleif, and be the
true end of the institution of this sacraraent ; and sa we saU see, be
God's grace, the inflnit absurdities that foUowes upon their opinion.
The first principle that I lay is this ; seeing that Christ lesus the
Son of God, in the time appointed, tooke true flesh of the womb
of the Vu-gin, and united himself with om- nattu-e In ane jiersonaU
union, to the end that our nature, qtthUk feU altogither fra integrity
in the first Adam, might recover the same In tbe second Adara ;
yea, not only the sarae, but sa meikle the greter as our second
Adara excels the first in aU degrees, and in respect he took on ane
body Uke unto ours in aU things, (sin excepted ;) sa, of necessitie,
it man folow that the definition of ane true bodie, and the insepa
rable properties thereof, man be competent to him. But thir are
the inseparable properties ; to wit, to he In ane certaine jdace, to be
circumscrived, visible, and palpable : For aU thir conveines {quarto
modo, as the Logicians sayis) to ane body, sa that they cannot be
separate fra the subject vrithout the destruction thereof. Then I
reason on this manner : All true humane bodie is in a certaine
place ; Christ lesus' bodie is a true humane bodie ; therefore it is in
a certaine place.
IcaU a place, a certaine condition of ane organicaU bodie, quhere
by it comes to passe that quherever the bodie be, of necessitie it is
limltat vrithin that place, and quhUl it Is there it cannot be els-
quhere. Crave ye the probation of ray proposition of the Doctors ?
Eead Augustine, Avritand to Dardanus, speakand of this sarae bodie
of Christ : Take away a certain roorae fra the bodies, and they saU
be in na place ; and gif they be in na place, they are not. This same
Augustine, writand upon lohn in his 30th Treatise : " The bodie
(sayis he) Into the quhilk the Lord raise, of necessitie it man be in
ane place, but his divine efficacie and nature is diffunded every
quhere." And in his third Epistle he sayis, " Hoavc meikle that
ever the bodie be, or how Uttle that ever the bodie be, it behoves
to occupy the bounds of a place." And besides thir, the historic of

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 83
the Acts proves, maist evidentlle, Christ's bodie to be In a certain
place, as Acts in. 21 ; the words are thir : " Quhom the heaven
must containe untUl the time that aU things be restored, quhilk
God had spoken be the mouth of aU his prophets." Suppose I need
not to insist in the probation of thir things, yit I foUow forth.
SecondUe, then, I reason after this manner : .AU humane bodie is
finite and circumscrived, but the bodie of Christ is a humane bodie :
Quhat warrands of the Doctours have I for this ? I leave many pur-
posUe, and takes rae oneUe to Augustine : He, Avrltand to Dardanus ;
" Beleeve," sayis he, " Christ to be every quhere ; in sa far as he is
God, but oneUe to be in heaven according to the nature of a true
bodie." And in his 146th Epist. " I beleeve," sayis he, " the bodie of
Christ to be sa in the heaven as it was in the earth, quhen he gaid
up to heaven." But it was circurascrived in. a certaine place in the
earth ; ergo, it is sa in the heaven, and, consequently, it cannot be in
the messe-bread and there baith at ane time.
The last reason is this : AU humane bodie is visible and pal
pable ; but Christ has a humane body, and he is corporaUy present,
as ye say ; therefore, Christ's bodie is Adsible and palpable. I prove
my proposition, be Christ's awin words, tane out of Lulce xxiv. 24,
39. Into the quhUk place, to persuade the Apostles of the veritie
of his bodie, and to prove, evidently, that it was not fantastlcaU,
he uses the argument tane fra thir twa quaUties ; and he cora-
raands his Apostles to feele and see, letting them to witt thereby,
that as thir twa senses are the raaist certaine of aU the rest, sa are
they raaist able to discerne quhither gif he was ane bodie or ane
spirit : as gif he would say, " Gif I be visible and palpable, ye may
be out of doubt, that I have ane true bodie." For, as the poet
sayis, quhUlc TertuUan cites also to this same purpose,
Tangere enim et tangi, nisi corpus, nulla potest res.
Be thir arguments, it may be evidentUe seen how this transub
stantiation may na wayis stand Arith the veritie of the bodie of
Christ lesus.
And as it fights Arith the flesh of Christ lesus, sa it repugnes di-

84 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
Second sort rcctllc agalust the Articles of our beleife ; for, into our beleife, Ave
of argu- 3 7'
ment. profcss that Christ ascended out of earth to the heaven, quhere he
sits at the right hand of the Father, quhere he govemes and directs
aU things in heaven and earth ; fra the quhUk place he is to come,
in the last day, to judge the world. This article lets us see that he
has fleeted his dwelling quhUk he had amangs us In the earth, and
has ascended into the heavens, quhere he sits at the right hand of
his Father, and saU remaine there, according to the testimonie of
Peter, quhilk I cited out of Acts IU. 21, unto the last day. Gif he
sits at his Father's right hand, and be to remaine in heaven quhiU
the last day, he is not corporaUy into the bread ; but the article
says, that he sits at the right hand of his Father, and Peter says, in
that place, that he is to be contained in the heavens unto the last
day ; therefore, this transubstantiation fights directUe against the
Articles of our beleife, and the manifest place of the Scripture.
Third sort ThirdUe, That it fights against the end quherefore this sacrament
men^"" ^^® instituted. It Is mair nor CAident ; for the end of the sacrament
is spirituall, as the effect that fiowes thereof is spirituaU, and the
instrument quhereby this spirituaU food is applyed to us is also spi
rituaU : But of ane naturaU and corporaU presence ane spirituaU ef
fect can never fiowe ; therefore, the corporaU and naturaU presence
of the bodie and blood of Christ lesus repugns du-ectlie to the end
of this sacrament ; for the corporaU presence man have a corporaU
eating, of this eating foUows a digestion in the stomach, and the
thing that is digested in the stomach is never able to feed thy soul
to life eternaU : Sa, this corporaU presence raan ay tend to ane cor
poraU end, quhilk is directUe contrair to the end quherefore this sa
craraent was instituted.

other argu- Attour, gif thc bread were transubstantiate, it suld becorae the
ments to the
same effect.

ments to the ^jjjjjg gignifig^ ; gjf it bccoracs the thing signified, this sacraraent

suld want a signe, and sa it suld not be ane sacrament ; for every
sacrament, as ye hard, is ane signe. Now, to say that the accidents
of true bread, as the hue and the roundnes of it, that they may

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 85
serve as signes, that is mair nor foUIe ; for betvrixt the signe and
the thing signified there man be ane conformitie ; but there is no
conformitie betArixt the accidents and the bodie and blood of Christ
lesus ; for, gif sa were, the accidents behoved to nurish us corporal
ly, as the body and blood of Christ lesus is appointed to nurish us
spirituaUy. Farther, gif the bread become the bodie of Christ lesus,
it suld foUow that he had ane bodie vrithout blood ; for he has insti
tuted ane signe apart to represent his blood. .Also, gif there had
been sick a wonderfiiU thing as they speake of in this sacrament,
there would have been plaine mention made thereof in the Scrip
ture : For, God himselfe works never a notable work but he utters
it ather in open termes, or private terraes, in the Scripture, that
thereby he may be glorified in his wonderfuU works ; as ye raay
read in the EvangeU lohn, ii. 8, quhere the water was changed into
Arine ; Gen. U. 22, quhere the ribb of Adara was changed into Heva ;
Exod. vU. 10, quhere Aaron's rod was turned into a serpent. There,
ye see, that changing is raanifestUe expressed : Therefore, I say, gif
there had been sic a monstrous change in thir elements of the sup
per as they affirme, the Scripture would not have concealed it, but
expressed it ; but, in respect there is na mention made of this change
in the Scripture, therefore, there is na sick change in this action.
Farther, gif there were sic a change as they speak, ather it is be
fore their words of consecration be spoken, or foUowes after that
sarae word be spoken. Gif the change be before the words of the con
secration be spoken, the consecration is superfluous, and their pro
position is false ; gif the change be after the word be spoken, " This
bread is my bodie," their proposition is fals also ; because the word
" bread " is spoken or the last syUable of these five words be pro
nounced, Thir, and infinite ma absurdities, foUowes of this doc
trine. And yit they obstlnatly persevere, and urges us vrith the letter,
aflfirming that the words of Christ are sa plaine that they admit
na figure. They would have spoken mair advisedUe, gif they had
sought counsaU of Augustine, to have discerned betwixt ane figu
rative speach and ane proper ; for he, into the third book, and six-
p

86 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
teen chapter of Christian Doctrine, speaks after this sort : " Gif the
speach," says he, " appear to comraand a wickednes or a mischiefe, or
to forbid ane happines, or ane welfair, it is not proper, it Is figii-
rate ;" and he stibjoynes, for ane example, a place out of lohn vi.
53, " Except," sayis om- Master, " ye eat the fleshe of the Son of
man, and drinke his blood, ye have na Ufe in you ;" quhereunto
Augustine adjoynes, "This speach," sayis he, "appeares to com
mand a mischiefe, therefore, it is a figurate speach, quhereby we are
commanded to communicate vrith the sufferings of Christ lesus, and
vrith gladnes to locke up in perpetuaU raemorie, that the flesh of the
Lord was crucified and wounded for us :" " For, utherwaies, it were
mair horrible " (as this same Augustine raakes raention in the se
cond book against the adversaries of the law) " to eat the flesh of
Christ lesus realUe then to mtirther hira, and raair horrible to
drink his blood then to shed his blood." Yit, notvrithstanding, they
hauld ay stUl on ea tune, and sayis that they words aught to be
tane properUe. Sa that it appeares, that of verie maUce, for con
tradiction's cause, to the end onely that they may gainstand the
truth, they avUI not acknowledge this to be ane sacramentaU speach.
For they are compeUed, nU they wUl they, in uther speaches of the
like sorte, to acknowledge ane figm-e, as Gen. xvU. 10, circumcision is
caUed " the covenant;" and Exod. xii. 11, the lamb is caUed"the
passover ;" and Mat. xxvi. 28, the cup is caUed "his blood;" and
Luke xxU. 20, the cup is caUed " the new testaraent ;" and 1 Cor.
X. 4, the rock is caUed " Christ." AU thir speaches are sacramen
taU, and receaAds a kind of interpretation, yit they maUcIously press
to deny us this, in thir words, {Hoc est corpus meum,) quhilk they
are compeUed to grant in the rest ; as speciaUy, quhere Paul caUs
the rock " Christ."
Noav, quhen they are dung out of this fortres, they ffie als un-
happely to the second, to Arit, that God, be his omnlpotency, may
mak the body of Christ baith to be in heaven and in the bread,
baith at ane time ; ergo, say they, it is so. Gif I denied their con
sequent, they would be AveUl fashed to prove it ; but the question

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 87
stands not here, quhither God raay do it or not, but the question
stands, quhither God vriU it or not, or may AriU it or not ? And we
say, reverently, that his Majesty may not AriU it ; for suppose it be
true that he may mony things quhUk he wUl not, yit it is as true
that there is mony things that he may not avUI, of the quhilk sort
this is ; and thir are reduced to twa sorts. First, he may not vrill
these things that are contrare to his nature, as to be changeable, as
to decay, and sic uthers : For, gif he might wUl thir things, they
suld not be arguments of ane puissance or of ane power, but rather
certaine arguments of his impotencle and infirraitle ; and, therefore,
suppose he may not vriU thir things, he leaves not off to be omnipo
tent, but sa meikle the rather his constant and invincible power is
knovrin. SecondUe, God may not wUl sorae things, be reason of
ane presupponed condition, as sick thinges quhereof he has conclud
ed their contrair of before ; of the quhilk sort is this, whUk is now
controverted : For, seeing that God has concluded that aU human
body suld consist of organicaU partes, and, therefore, to be compre
hended and circumscrived vrithin ane and the awin proper place ;
and also, seeing he has appointed Christ lesus to have the Uke body,
and that not for ane tirae, but eternalUe ; in respect of this deter
mined AriU, I say, God may not AriU the contrair now, ather to abo
lish this bodie quhUk he has appointed to be eternaU, ather yit to
make It at ane time, in respect of ane thing, a bodie and not a bodie,
quantified and not quantified, finite and infinite, locaU and not lo-
caU. For to vriU thir thinges quhilk are plaine contradlcent in
themselfes, he may not, na mair nor it is possible to him to avUI a
Ue ; sa it may be seen of aU men, that we preserve the omnipotencie
of God, and vrith reverence, fi-om our hearts, acknowledges him
only to be only omnipotent, and wUls aU men to esteeme them
as -calumniators quha abuses the ears of the simple anes, to persuade
them the contrair of us.
They are not content with this, but they say that the Lord may
AvUl a contradiction, and make baith the parts to be true at ane
time ; and to prove this they would bring in the miracles quhUk
God works ; as, they would say, every miracle includes a contradic-

88 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
tion. As, for example, God made a virgine to beare a son ; they
thinke this work brings Arith it a contradiction : To beare a son,
say they, is the ane part of the contradiction, and to bc a virgine is
the uther part of the contradiction. This Avork is a mu-acle, but
it irapUes na contradiction ; for concerning the haUe Virgin's birth,
therein is na contradiction. There was a niu-acle, indeed, that a
virgin suld bear a son contrare to the course of nature ; for to
be a virgin and yit to have a child arc not contradictorie, gif she
have conceaved and brought fiirth be miracle, as did the blessed
Virgin; but to be a virgin and not a virgin at ane time, this is the con
tradiction. Sa, Clirist's bodie, to be visible and mvislble, locaU and
not locaU, at ane time, is in everie respect the Uke contradiction,
and, therefore, impossible to be trae.
Their uther example of Christ's entering in, the doors being clos
ed and shut, quhat appearance of contradiction has it ? Can they
prove that he entered through the doores ? And gif he did, then
there was ane alteration of quaUties, and that be mu-acle, ather in
Christ's bodie or in the doores ; but na contradiction in nature, un
less you knoAv not quhat is a contradiction.
Their third and last exaraple of the fijrc in Nabucadnezer's oven,
quhUk consumed the ministers, but hurt not them that were in the
middest of it, appears to be of na weight, be that quhilk has afready
been answered. They iraagine, as appears, that in every rairacle a
contradiction Is Implied, quhUk is absurde. Gif they can prove that
this fire was baith hot and cold, they say something to the pur
pose ; but that it bm-ns up some and hurts not uthers, is na contra
diction ; because, be miracle the force thereof was repressed. Sa,
this second ground holds fast ; God may not avUI that thing quhilk
irapUes a contradiction ; but sa it is that thc reaU presence of the
bodie of Christ in the sacrament impUes a contradiction : for It
makes the bodie of Christ Adsible and invisible, compast and not
corapast, at ea time ; therefore, God may not avUI sick a thing.
Quhen they are dung out of this, they make their last refuge to
'''^*"°^' an peremptour defence in their opinion ; for, say they, Christ's body
3

Their last

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS.

89

is exemed fra physical rules, for theologie is not subject to physi
caU rules. It Is a verie IU gathered consequence to say that we
subject theologie to physicke ; because that we flrst, according to
theologie, quhilk is the law of God, and, nixt, according to physick,
quhUk is the lawe of nature, defends the naturaU properties of the
trae and naturaU bodie of Christ lesus. Then I grant this, that
theologie is not subject to physick ; quhat of this? Ergo, Christ's
bodie Is exemed fra physicaU rules. Hoav foUows that, I pray you ?
Be quhat law may ye exeme, or can ye exerae, the bodie of Christ ?
Be the law of nature ye cannot, for he was made of the seed of
David, and took on true flesh of the worab of the Virgin ; and far
lesse be the law of God, quhUlc Is theologie ; for ye know that
Christ Avas appointed frora aU eternitie to take on our nature, and
to become true man. Indeed, it Is true that the law of God can
not be subject to the law of nature; for the law of nature floAvs of
the law of God, as out of the avrin spring ; but is als trae that gif
ye exeme Christ's bodie fra the law of nature, ye saU exerae it
also fra the law of God. For I affirrae that the Scriptures sa
consents Arith the law of nature, that gif ye denie the ane ye saU
denie the uther, and gif ye admit the ane ye saU admit also the
uther. Therefore, gif you look weiU about you, ye saU find the
bauke in your avrin eye ; for ye pervert baith the law of God and
the law of nature, be ane new invented physicke of your awin ; for
quhasoever he be that attributes to ane and the self same body
natural and unnatural properties, quhilk directUe fights agains
them selfs, I say this man perverts baith true theologie and phy
sicke . But ye, to ane and the self sarae bodie of Christ lesus, at
tribute natural and unnatural properties ; therefore it is ye that per
vert baith the use of true theologie, and the ordour sett down and
estabUshed in nature. Crave ye the reason of my proposition ? I
say it behooves, als weUl in theologie as in physicke, of necessitie
ane of the contradlcent enunciations to be false. But ains to make
ane end Arith you, we saU answer to your last subterfrige.
For sa ye reason ; a glorifled being is not subject to physicaU
rules, but Christ's bodie is glorified, therefore it is not subject to

90 SIR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
physicaU rules. First of aU, or we answer directly, we man con
sider quherein stands the gloiificatlon of ane bodie ? and then, I say,
the answer saU be easie. The Apostle Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 42, speaks
after this manner. " Sa also," sayis he, " is the resurrection of the
dead. The body Is sowen in corruption and is raised in incomip-
tion ; it is soAvin In dishonor and is raised in glorie ; it is sOArin ui
weaknes and is raised in power." And a Uttle after, " Tlus cor
ruption man put on Incorruption, and this mortaUty man put on Im
mortaUtie." Be this clear antithesis Paul clearUe descrives the
glorification of ane bodie ; for he oppones thir twa, the unglorified
bodie and the glorified bodie ; and to the unglorified body he as
crives corruption, ignominie, infirraitle, carnalUtie, and raortaUtle ;
to the glorified bodie, againe, he attributes Incorruption, glorie,
power, spirituaUtie, and iraraortaUtie. Of this opposition, we may
gather easUie quhat the resurrection and glorification apports to the
bodie. Shortly, be them we see that the body is onely spoUed of
corruption, shame, infirmltle, naturaUtle, and raortaUtle ; and to take
up aU in ane word. It becomes onely spoyled of aU the infirmities of
our nature, that it may be clad vrith ane mair glorious apparreU, as
vrith incorruption, power, glorie, spirituaUtie, and immortaUtie. We
see, then, that this glorification imports ane change indeed. But
I beleive na man wUl be sa mad as to esteem this change to be
made in the substance ; for, gif sa Avere, the auld substance behoved
to decay, and ane new suld arise ; but we hear na word of sic things
in this description, and as Uttle is the change made in the quantltie ;
for we hear na word, nather of augmentation nor diminution of any
substance, quhilk behoved to be gif it were in the quantltie. The
fardest that we can perseave, tlus mutation consists in the quaUties
be the quhUk the bodie casts off the auld coate of infirraitle, and
clothes itselfe Arith the coate of glorie : For Chiist, after he raise,
he baith gaid and come, was seen and tAritched.
Of the things before deduced, it clearUe foUows, that in respect
the glorie of the bodie of Christ has Avrought na change in his na
ture and substance, and consequently in his naturaU dimensions,
nather yit in any uther essentiaU propertie, that therefore the glo-

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 91
rification of his bodie exemes it not fra the rules of physicke ; for, sa
lang as the nature of ane true bodie remaines, there is na superna-
turaU gifts quherevrith It may be glorified, were they never sa high,
sa far as may be gathered of the Scriptures of God, that may hurt
ather the nature or the naturaU propertie of it. For there is na
gift nor quaUtie that may hurt nature but that gift that is agains
nature ; but the supernaturaU gift is nather unnaturaU, nather yit
agains nature ; therefore it cannot hurt nor impair nature. And
my reason is this : These gifts that decores and beautifies nature,
they cannot hurt nor impair nature ; but aU supernaturaU gifts
beautifies and decores nature ; therefore they cannot take away
nather nature nor yit the naturaU propertie.
They leave us not sa, but out of this same doctrine of Paul, con
cerning the glorification of the bodie, they draw ane objection to press
us. Paul grants that ane glorified bodie is ane spfrituaU bodie;
but ane spirituaU bodie is ane invisible bodie ; therefore ane glori
fied bodie is invisible, and be the consequent the bodie of Christ is
inAdsible. Suppose the arguraent be not formaU, yit to make short,
I denie your assumption : For gif there were na mair but that same
word bodie, that word might be ane arguraent to you that the spi
rituaU bodie Is not invisible. But yit to open up the raatter mau-
clearUe, according to the mind of Paul, in that place, Paul, in ane
word, as it were, in the 44th verse of that same chapter, shews the
change that saU become in the quaUties of the body, be the resur
rection ; for he sayis, of ane naturaU bodie it saU becorae ane spi
rituaU bodie. He straightway, in the nixt verse ImraediatUe fol-
loAring, expones thir twa quaUties ; for in the 45th verse, that Is
caUed ane natural bodie, says he, quhilk is maintained and quickned
be ane Uving saul onUe, sic as Adam's was; and, again, that is
said to be ane spirituaU bodie quhUk togither, beside the saul, is
quickned with ane farr mair exceUent vertue, to witt, with the Spi
rit of God quhilk descended fra Christ, the second Adam, unto us.
Then, according to this ground, I answer Arith Augustine ad Con-
stantium : " As the naturaU bodie is not ane sauU but ane bodie ;

92 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
even sa the spiritual bodie is not said to be a sauU but ane bodie ;
and, be consequent, it is not Invisible."
But to take up this head, I saU give them oneUe ane knot to
loose, and sa raake an end of this point. Then I reason, Gif, there
fore, Christ's bodie is naturaUie and reaUy in the supper, be reason
that It is glorified, it foUows, consequentUe, that quhen It was not
glorified it could not be reaUie present ; but it was not glorified
quhen this supper was ffi-st instituted, therefore, it was not reaUie
present in the bread at Christ's first supper. Gif his body was not
natUraUy present in the bread at the first supper, it cannot be natu
rally present now ; for quhatsoever ye use now in the adrainistra-
tion of your supper, or of your messe, caU it as ye avUI, according
to your aAvIn confession, ye use It according to the ordinance, forrae,
and manner, that Christ lesus himselfe used in his first supper :
For ye say plalnUe, in your disputation at Poissy, and in aU the
rest of your works, that Christ lesus first of aU observed that form
quhUk ye use in your raesse, and left it to his apostles and to their
successors that they suld doe the Uke ; and sa be your awin words,
ye have drawnc your selfes in a hose-net, and crucified your raesse.
Quhat can ye answere to this ? Ye wUl not stand durabe, I ara as
sured ; for maintenance of your reUgion ye man say somthing ; for
gif this reason bear it away ye have done Arith It.
Then avc say, quoth thc Papistes, that suppose the bodie of Christ,
quhilk was locaffie present Arith the rest of his disciples, was not
glorified, yit the bodie quhUk he exhibite in the bread was glorifi
ed. Ye might as weUl have holden yotu- peace, and saide nothing :
For, take tent to the words of the text, as they are written, Luke
xxn. 17, quhere it is said, "And he tooke the bread, and quhen he
had given thanks, he brake it, and gave to thera, saying. This is my
bodie quhilk is given for you ;" and Paul, 1 Cor. xi. 24, hes thir
words, " Take, eat : This is my bodye, quhilk is broken for you." This
relative " quhiUv," is relative to the bodie quhUk was exhibited in
the bread ; for, according to yom- aAvin confession, these words are
pronounced upon the bread, and directed to It : But that sarae bo-

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 93
die was given and broken for us, that is to say, crucified and de-
raayned Arith anguish and dolors. Then I reason after this sorte :
To be crucified and broken vrith anguish and dolours can on na
wales agree and conveine with a glorified bodie ; but the bodie that
Christ exhibite in the bread Is sayd of the EvangeUsts to be cru
cified and broken for us ; ergo, that bodie was not glorified.
Now, last of aU, they are not yit content, but sayis Christ can
make the bread his body, and, therefore, his bodie is reaUy present.
That Christ can make the bread his bodie we grant ; for Christ,
being God, can do quhatsoever he avUI : OnUe let them shewe that
Christ wUl make of reaU bread his reaU flesh, and then this con
troversie is brought to ane end. Christ, indeed, makes the bread
his body, not reaUie but sacraraentaUie ; for Christ has not a bodie
made of bread. His body was made ains of the pure substance of
his blessed Mother ; ane uther bodie then this, or oftener made then
ains, has he nane ; quherefore, aU doctrine that teaches Christ's
bodie to be made of bread is Impious and hereticaU. The Papists'
doctrine of reaU presence teaches that Christ's bodie in the sacra
ment is made of bread, be changmg the bread into his bodie through
force of consecration ; quherefore we may bauldlie and trueUe con
clude that their doctrine of reaU presence is baith Aricked and he
reticaU. Now, in conclusion of this head, I beseech them, seeing
that reason fades them, that they fight not against God, for raain-
tenance of a Ue, how auld that ever it be, (for the DiveU is auld
aneugh, and yit he coulde never change his nature !) but let them
rather glorifie God, in confessing thir speaches to be sacramentaU.
Then, quhat is the reason and ground quherefore the Papists The reason
puUes doAvne the substance of the bodie of Christ and the blood oflhepTpiltes
Christ, and makes the very substance to be corporaUie, reaUie, and that"(!hrisfs
substantiaUie in the sacrament ? The reason is this ; because they ^"f^e''^";.
cannot see be their naturaU judgement, nor cannot understand be '™' '° "'f
¦^ *^ ^ sacrament
their natural wit, the trueth of this, to wit, how Christ's flesh and ^^"p* ^* ^^
. -, reallie, cor-
blood can be present m the sacrament except he be present to their p^'^^^^^ ^^^
substantially
present.

94 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
corporaU hand, to then corporaU mouth and stomach. Gif they had
ane Ught to inform them that Christ might be present In thc supper,
and not to the hande, to the mouth, or stomach, they would never
have thought of sick a monstrous presence as they compt to be there ;
but being destitute of the spiritual Ught they foUowe their naturaU
ohserva- rcasous, and makes a naturaU and carnaU presence. Sa that ye have
this lesson to note of this : there is na man that has not the Spirit
of God to understand this word, " This is my bodie,'' but out of
question he avUI doe as the Papistes does, that is, he avUI understande
it camaUy ; and sa they, misknoAving the right meaning of it, it is na
raarveU suppose they and we differ in this raatter.
The diverse For AvIU yc spcarc at the Papist, first, Gif the trae bodie of Christ
opinionsconcerning bc thcrc, or gif thc truc flesh and blood of Christ be there ? He
of the bodie AvUl Say, It Is thcrc. WUl ye speare, Quherein ? He wUl say. In
the sacra- and uudcr the accidents of the bread and Avine, under the hue and
roundness of the bread. WUl ye speare againe at him. Be quhat
instrument it is receaved ? He avUI teU you, Be the raouth and
stomach of the bodie. Sa this is their gross understanding of the
bocUe and blood of Christ. "WUl ye speare at the Ubicjuiter, Gif the
true bodie of Christ be present ? He vriU say. It is. WUl ye speare,
Gif it be in, Arith, or under the bread ? He avIU answere. It is in the
bread contentive, that is, that the bread contalnes it. WUl ye speare
at him, To quhat instrument it is offered ? He wUl answere. That the
bodie of Christ is offered to the mouth of our bodie, and that the blood
of Christ is offered to the mouth of our bodie, as the Papists dois.
Our opinion. WUl yc spearc at us, again. How Christ lesus his trae bodie and
blood is present ? We vriU say. That they are spirituaUie present,
reaUie presente, that is, presente in the supper, and not in the bread ;
we AvUl not say that his trae flesh is presente to the hande, or to
the raouth of our bodie, but we say it is spirituaUie present, that is,
present to thy spirit and faithfuU sauU, yea, even als present inward
Ue to thy satdl, as the bread and Avine are present to thy bodie out
wardUe. WiU ye speare, then, Gif the bodie and blood of Chiist
lesus be present in the supper ? We answere, in a word. They are
present in the supper ; but not in the bread and wine, nor in the

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 95
accidents nor substance of bread and vA'ine : And we make Christ
to be present in the supper, because he is present to my sauU, to my
spirit and faith : Also we make him present in the supper, because
I have him in his promise, " This is my body ;" quhilk promise is
present to ray faith, and the nature of faith is to make thinges that
are absent in them selves yit present : And, therefore, seeing he
is baith present be faith in his promise, and present be the vertue of
his HaUe Spirit, quha can say but he Is present in the supper ?
But yit the word would be opened up, Quhat we mean be the How a thing
word " present ;" how a thing is said to be present and absent ? present and
And knoAving this, ye saU finde aU the matter easie. I say, thinges
are said to be present as they are perceaved be ony outwarde or
inwarde sense, and as they are perceaved be ony of the senses, sa
are they present ; and the farther they be perceaved the farther pre
sent ; and be quhat sense ony thing is perceaved, to that same sense
it is present ; as, gif it be outwardUe perceaved be ane outward
sense, that thing is outwardUe present. As for example, gif it be
perceaved be the outward sight of the eye, be the outward hearing
of the ear, be the outward feeUng of the hand, or taist of the mouth, it
Is outwardUe present. Or, gif ony thing be perceaved be the inward
eye, be the inward taist and feeUng of the sauU, this thing cannot be
outwardlye present, but it man be spirituaUie and inwardly present
to the satdl. Sa, I say, everie thing is present as it is perceaved.
Sa that gif ye perceave not a thing outwardUe, it is outwardUe ab
sent ; and gif ye perceave not a thing InwardUe, it Is inwardUe ab
sent. It is not distance of place that makes a thing absent, or pro
pinquitie of place that makes a thing present ; but it is only the
perception of ony thing, be ony of thy senses, that makes a thing
present, and the not perception that makes a thing absent. I say,
suppose the thing itselfe were never sa far distant, gif thou per
ceave it be thuie outward sense, it Is present to thee. As for ex
ample, ray body and the sun are als far distant in place as the
heaven is fra the earth, and yit this distance stales not his presence
to rae : Quhy ? Because I perceave the sun be mine eye and
uther senses ; I feele him and perceave him be his heat, be his Ught,

96 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
and be his brightnes. Sa, gif a thing were never sa far distant, gif
we have senses to perceave the same, it is present to us. Then
the distance of place makes not a thing absent to thee, an thou
have senses to perceave it ; sickUke, the propinquitie of place raakes
not a thing present, and it were never sa near, gif thou have not
senses to perceave it. As for example, gif the sun shine in thy
verie eine holes, gif thou be bUnde he is not present to thee, because
thou cannot perceave him. A SAveete tune wiU never be present to
ane deafe ear, suppose it be sung in the ear of that man, because he
has not a sense to perceave it : And a AveUl tatdd tale AviU never bc
present to a foole, because he cannot understand it, nor has not
judgeraent to perceave it. Sa, it is not the nearnes nor the distance
of place that makis any thing jjresent or absent, but onUe the per-
ceaAing and not perceaving of it.
How the Now, the Avord being raade cleire, speere ye. How the bodie of
bodie of y^, . . . . .
Christ is Christ IS present ? To give our judgeraent in a word, as ye have
heard fra time to tirae, he is present not to the outward senses, but
to the inwarde senses ; qidiUk is faith Avrought in the sauU. For
this action of the sacrament and of the supper is partly corporaU,
and partly spirituaU. I caU this action partly corporaU, not In
respect only that the objects, that is, that bread and vrine are cor
poraU ; but also in respect my mouth, quhereunto thir things are
offered, the instrument quhereby and the manner how thir things
are receaved, are aU corporaU and naturaU. I caU the same action,
againe, partly spirituaU, not only in respect of Christ lesus, quha
is the heavenUe and spirituaU thing of the sacrament, but also in
respect of my sauU, quhereunto Christ is offered and given ; in re
spect the instrument quhereby and the manner how he is receaved
are aU spirituaU ; for I gett not Christ corporaUie but spirituaUie.
Sa, in thir respects, I caU this action partUe coqaoraU and partUe
spirituaU. Now, confound me not thir twa sorts of actions, the corporaU and
naturaU signs, Arith the spiritual thing signified thereby : Confound
not, againe, the mouth of the bodie Avith the raouth of the sauU :

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS.

97

Confound not, thu-dUe, the outAvard manner of receaving be the hand
of the bodie, with the spirituaU manner of receaving be the hand of
the sauU. And sa it saU be exceeding cleare to see that Uke thing
saU be present to the awin instrument ; thatis, the bodie of Christ,
quhUk is the spirituaU tlung signified, saU be present to the spuit
uaU mouth and hand ; and the bread and vrine, quhilk are the cor
poraU signes, are present to the corporaU mouth and hand. Then,
how is any object present ? A corporaU object Is corporaUy pre
sent, and ane inwarde object Is Inwardly present : Of quhat nature
is the thing signified ? It is of ane heavenUe nature. Then speare
ye. How he is present ? He is spirituaUie and heavenUe present to
thy sauU, and the mouth of thy sauU, quhilk is faith ; for it were a
preposterous thing to make the thing signified present to thy beUie,
or to the mouth or eye of thy body ; for gif sa were, it suld not be
spirituaUie present ; because every thing is present as it accords to
the aAvin nature : Is it a bodUy thing, it is bodUie present ; and gif
it be a heavenUe thing, it is spirituaUie present. Sa, I thinke, na
man can doubt how the bodie of Christ is present ; he is not car-
naUie present, but spirituaUie present to my sauU, and to faith in
my sauU. This far concerning the manner of his presence.
Now, the last part of our conference is this ; we have to consi- The last
der to quhom the words aught to be directed and pronounced : FortrOTersie^be-
we and the Papists diS'ers in this last head. We say that the'^fp^p'.^t"*
words aught to be directed and pronounced unto the people, to the
faithfuU communicants. They, be the plat contrair, sayis, that the
words aught not to be directed nor pronotmced to the people, but
to the elements ; and not to be clearely pronounced, but quhisper
ed on the elements : Sa that, gif they be spoken to the people, or
spoken plainUe, their charme avaUs not. Now, I say, as the action
is perverted be them in aU the rest, sa they pervert it in this point
also, in speaking that to the dumb elements quhUk they suld speake
to the people of God. For I saU prove it clearly be three argu
ments, tane out of the scriptures, that the words aught not to be
spoken to the bread, but to the people of God,

98 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
And, first, I say, the proraises of mercie and grace aught to be
directed and pronounced to them in quhora the Lord pei-forras them,
and makes them effectuaU. But sa it is that the proraises of mercy
and grace are performed and raade effectuaU, not In bread and wine,
but in faithfuU men and women ; therefore, thir proraises suld be
directed to faithfuU raen and woraen. Now, here Is the promise of
mercie and grace, " This Is my bodie, quhilk is broken for you."
And this promise Is made to na uther thing but to faithfuU raen and
women ; and sa to them onely It aught to be directed.
Secondly, We have to consider that this sacrament seals up a
covenant of grace and mercy. Now, with quhom makes God his
covenant of mercie and grace ? WUl he make a covenant vrith a
peece bread, or anie dumb element ? There is na man avUI enter
in a coveijant Arith his servant, let bc to enter in a covenant vrith a
dumb element. Sa, In respect this sacrament seals up a covenant,
this covenant of necessity raan be knit up with ane faithfidl saul, and
not with the dumbe eleraent ; and, therefore, thir words cannot be
directed to the elements.
ThirdUe, Looke to the end quherefore this sacraraent was ap
pointed : Is it not to lead us to Christ ? Is it not to nurish my
faith in Christ ? Is it not to nurish rae in ane constant perswasion
of the Lord's raercie in Christ ? Was this sacrament appointed to
make the eleraents gods ? Na, for vriU ye raarke God's purpose in
this institution ye avIU find that Christ has not set dovm his insti
tution to nobUitate the eleraents, to savor and respect the elements,
quhilk were bread and Arine yesterday, to be gods to-day. We,
on the contrair, sayis plalneUe, that the institution of Christ lookes
not to the elements to alter their nature. Indeed, it is appointed
to alter us, to change us, and to make us mair and mair spirituaU, and
to sanctifie the elements to our use. But the special end looks
to this, to make us haUe, and mair and mair to growe up in a sure
faith in Christ, and not to alter the elements, nor to make them
gods : And, therefore, be aU thir three arguments, it is evident that
the words aught not to be directed to the elements, but to the
people and faithftiU communicants.

THE THIRD UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 99
Now, to make an end of this ; there is ane thing Arithout the conclusion,
quhilk we cannot profit, let us discourse never sa lang upon the hortation.
right understanding of the sacraraent. Ye see, now, aU that is
spoken concerning the sacraraent is grounded and depended upon
. faith : Have a raan faith, albeit it were never sa smaU, he getts
some grip of Christ, and some insight in the understanding of this
sacrament ; but lacking faith, suppose a man pain hira selfe to make
the sacraments never sa sensible, it Is not possible that he. can get
a grip of Christ, or onie insight in him ; for vrithout faith we can
not be Christians, we can nather get a sight of God nor feele God
in Christ without faith. Faith is the onUe thing that translates
our saules out of that death and daranation quhereintUl we were
conceaved and born, and plants us into Ufe. Sa the haUl studie and
endeavour of a Christian suld tend to this, to crave that the Lord,
in his mercie, would Uluminat his mind with the eye of faith, and
would kindle In his heart a love of faith, and work in his heart a
thirst and desire of the object of faith, and mair and mair to thirst
and hunger for the food of faith that nurishes us to Ufe eternaU.
Without this faith (howsoever the naturaU man and understand
ing natural would flatter thy selfe) surely there is na blessednes,
but aU his Ufe is mair nor terrible miserie ; for quhatsoever it be
that flatters and pleases thee now, be it a thought or motion of the
mind or an action of the bodie that pleases thee now, vrithout faith ;
the same verie raotion, cogitation, and action, saU torraent thee after
this : Sa, Arithout faith it is not possible to please God ; and quhat
soever pleases not God is done to torraent thee. Therefore, crave
mercie for quhatsoever motion, cogitation, or action, quherein thou
has offended God, or be that same, God saU offend and torment
thee : And to eschew the offence of God, there is na raoyen but be
true faith. Therefore, the study of a Christian suld be to grow in
faith. Now, be hearing of the word thou gets faith ; and be receaving
of this sacraraent thou gets the increase of faith ; and having faith,
the receaving of the sacrament saU be fruitfuU ; but Avithout faith
thou eats thine awin condemnation. Sa the liaiU studie of ane

100 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
Christian is to get faith ; and this faith cannot be obtained Arith
idlenes, but be earnest prayer : Therefore, let every ane of you faU
doATO, and crave earnestUe this faith, and the increase of it, quhere
by ye raay be Avorthie receavers of this sacraraent, and that for the
righteous merits of Christ lesus : To quhom, Arith the Father, and
the Haly Spirit, be aU honour, praise, and glory, for now and ever.
Amen.

THE FOUET SEEMON.
UPON THE PREPARATION TO THE LORD'S SUPPER.
PEB.iCHED THE TWENTIE-SECOND DAY OF EEBRnAKIE, 1689.

1 Cor. xi. 28.
Let every man therefore examine himself, and so let him eat of that
breade, and drinke of that cup, ^c.
Suppose the doctrine of our tryal and due examination (weUl-be-
loved in Christ lesus) ought to go before the doctrine and receav
ing of the sacrament ; yit, notwithstanding, seeing that preparation is
always, at aU tymes, as weU necessare for the hearing of the simple
word as for the receaving of the visible sacrament ; (for no man can
hear the word of God fruitfuUy, except in some measm-e he prepare
his saul, and prepare the ear of his heart how to hear,) therefore,
the doctrine of preparation and due examination man come in the
aAvn place, and be A^ery necessare for every ane of you.
The Apostle, in the words that we have read, interponis his coun-
saUe, and gives his advice ; and not only gives his advice, bot gives
his admonition and comraand, that we suld not corae to the table of
the Lord, that we suld not come to the hearing of the word rashUe ;
but that everie ane of us stdd come to this hoUe work with reve
rence, that we suld prepare and sanctifie our selves in some mea-

102 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
sure ; and seeing- we go into the King of Heaven's table, it becomes
us to put on our best array ; and, in ane word, he takis up the liaiU
doctrine and matter of this preparation, quhUl as he sayis, " Let
every man and let every woraan try and exaralne themselves ;'' as
gif he would say. Let every ane of you try and examine your sauls,
that is, try the estate of your awin heart, and condition of your aArin
conscience : Look and behold in quhat estate your heart is vrith God,
and in what estate your conscience is Arith your neighbour. He
bids not your neighbour try you ; he bids not your companion try
your heart ; but he bids your self in person try yom- awin con
science ; he bids your self try your avrin heart, by reason nane
can bc certain of the estate of your heart, or of the condition of your
conscience, but your self. Now, he secludis not uthers frora the
triall of you neither, (for it Is leisuni to the Pastor to try you ;) but
others can nocht try you sa naiTOAvlie as ye yom- self can ; for na
man can know sa meikUl of rae as I know of my self ; na man can
be certain of the estate of your heart and condition of your con
science, and yit ye your selfis may be certain of it. As to others,
men may judge of your heart and conscience according to yom-
works and effects ; and except your Avorks and effects be very wicked,
and altogether vitious, we are bound in our conscience to judge
charitabUe of your heart and conscience. Therefore, there is nane
sa meet to try the spirit of a raan, to try the heart or conscience of a
raan, as is the man himself.
Thehearisto Now, that this tryaU may goe on the better favoredUe, ye have
be intreated „ . ,
in this ser- first to Understand,
Quliat it Is that ye suld try, quhat ye caU a conscience, quhilk
the Apostle conimandes you to try.
Secondly, Ye have to Avey and considder for what reasons and
causes suld ye try yom- conscience.
Thirdly, and last of aU, Ye have to see in what chief points ye
suld try and examine your conscience.
Then, that we speake not to you of things unknoAvn, it is neces
sare for every ane of you (seeing there is nane of you that lakes a

nion.

THE EOURT UPON THE SACRAIVIENTS. 103
conscience) to understand what a conscience is ; and so nearly as
God shaU give me the grace, I avIU bring you to the understanding
and knowledge of a conscience. I caU a conscience, a certain feel- Definition of
ing in the heart, resembling the judgement of the UAing God, foUow- with the ex-
ing upon ane deed done be us, floAring from ane knowledge in the {hepTtis
mind, accompanied Arith ane certain motion of the heart, to wit, ' """' '
feare or joy, trembling or rejoicing.
Now AVC shaU examine the parts of this definition. I caU it, first
of aU, ane certain feeUng in the heart ; for the Lord has left sic a
stamp in the heart of every man, that he doeth not that turne so se-
cretUe nor so quietly but he raakes his own heart to strike him and
to smite him ; he makes hira to feiU in his oavu heart whether he has
done weUl or UI. The Lord has placed this feeling in the heart :
Quhy ? Becaus the eyes of God looks not sa raeUdU upon the out
ward countenance and exterior behaviour as upon the inward heart.
For he saith to Samuel, in his First Book, xvi. 7th verse, " The
Lord beholds thc heart.'' Siclike, 1 Chron. xxAdii. 9, he saieth to
Solomon : " The Lord searcheth aU hearts, and understands aU iraa-
ginations of thoughts." Also lereraie, xi. 20, says, "The Lord
trys the reines and the heart." And the Apostle, 1 Cor. iv. 5, he
says, " The Lord shaU Ughten things that are hid in darkness, and
raake the counsels of the heart manifest." Sa, in respect the Lord
makes hira cheifly to have to do vrith the heart, therefore in the heart
he places this feeling, quhilk is the chief part of conscience.
I say, nixt, that this feeling resembles the judgement of God, for
this feeUng was left and placed in our saul for this end and purpose,
that we might have ane domestick and faraUiar judgeraent vrithin
our selfes, to subscrive and resemble the secret and invisible judge
ment of the high God; a particular judgement to go before that
generaU judgement, in that generaU and great day quher everie raan
saU be justified or daraned, according to the particular judgeraent
that is within his awn conscience. In the raean time, this con
science is left in us to raake out our haUl proces in this life, to hold
in the travels of the Uving God, as It were, in that last judgeraent.
For the books of our OAvn conscience in that last day sail be opened,

104 >fR ROBERT BKUCE S SEIIAIONS.
and every man sail receave accorduig to the report of the decreet
that is within his awn conscience ; therefore I say, that otu- con
science resembles the judgement of God.
The tlurd thing that I say is this : It foUoAvs upon ane deed done
be us, om- conscience nor om- heart strikes us not before the deed be
done. Om- heart strikes us not before thc eviU turn be committed ;
na, it goes not before the deed ; but thc straik of the conscience and
feeUng of the heart foUowis immediatly upon the deed, in sicke sort,
that the deed is not so soon done be thee but thy conscience applyis
it to thy selfe, and gives out the sentence against thy selfe. There
fore, I say, it is a feeling foUoAring upon ane deed done be us. And
nixt, I say, flowing fra ane knoAvledge in the mind ; for except the
conscience haA-e information, and except the heart know that the
turn quhUk is done is evUl, the heart nor the conscience can never
count it to be evUl ; therefore knoAvledge must go before the straik
of the conscience. Thy heart can ncA^er feel that to be caOI qidiUlc
thy mind knowis not to be eviU. So, laiOAvledge must ever go be
fore feeUng, and according to thc raeasure of thy knowledge, accord
ing to the nature and quaUtie of thy knowledge, accordinglie saU
the testimonie and straik of thy conscience be. For a Ught
knowledge, a doubting and uncertain knoAvledge, makis ane Ught
and smaU straik ; as, in the other part, ane haly and a soUd know
ledge, drawin out of the word of God, makis ane heavie straik of
the conscience : Sa the conscience man ansAver to the knowledge.
If we haA'C na other knoAvledge but the knowledge quhilk we have
by nature, and be the Ught and spunkes that are left in nature,
our conscience avUI answer na farder but to that knowledge. But
if, beside the light of nature, Ave have a knowledge of God in bis
Word, and a knowledge of God by his HoUe Sjiuit working in our
1; carts, otu- conscience then avUI go farder, and excuse or accuse us,
according to the Ught that is in the Avord : Sa that the conscience
is not acquired or obtained at quhat time we are enUghtened be the
Avorking of the HaUe Spirit and hearing of the word of God ; but
our conscience is born Avith us, is natural to us, and is left in the saul of
every man and woman ; and as there are some spunks of Ught left in

THE EOURT UPON THE S.VCRiUNIENTS. 105
nature, sa there is ane conscience left in it. And gif there Avere na
mair, that same Ught that is left in thy nature saU be eneugh to con
demn thee. Sa the conscience is not acquired, gotten or begun at the
hearing of the Word, or at that tirae quhen we begin to reforrae our
selfes, be the assistance and renevring of the Halie Spirit ; bot everie
raan be natm-e has a conscience, and the Lord has left it in our
nature ; and except that this conscience be reforraed according to
the Word of God, that same naturaU conscience saU be eneugh to
condemn thee eternaUie : therefore, I say, floAring from a know
ledge of the mind.
Last of all, I say, accompanied Avith a certaine motion of the
heart ; and we expresse this motion, in feare or joy, trembling or
rejoycing. In very great feare, gif the deed be exceeding heynous,
and the straik of the conscience be verie heaAde ; then the con
science takis never rest, for guUtines man ever dread ; bot gif the
deede be honeste, godUe, and commendable, it makis a blyth heart,
and makis the heart to burst out in joy. Sa, to be short in this
matter, (for I purpose not to make ane common-place of it,) ye see
that in every conscience there man be twa thinges : First, there
man be ane knowledge, and nixt, there man be ane feeUng, quhere
by, according to thy knowledge, thou applyis to thy aAvin heart the
deed done be thee. Sa that, according as the word itselfe testi-
fyes, it rises of twa partis ; it rises of knowledge, according to the
quhilk it Is caUed science ; and it rises of feeling, according to the
quhilk the " con" is put to, and it is caUed conscience. Then the
Avord " Conscience " signifyes knowledge, vrith appUcation.

This conscience the Lord has appointed to serve in the satdl of to quhat
n • uses the
man for mame uses ; ^ Lord has ap-
To Arit, he has appointed everie ane of yom- consciences to be ane con^denc'r
keeper, a Avaiter-on, and a careftd attender, upon everie action done '°,e°"ui o°
by you ; sa that that action cannot be so secretUe, so quietly, nor ™^"-
so thefteously convoyed, but, nU thou avUI thou, thy conscience saU
beare ane testiraonie of it ; thy conscience sail be ane faithfuU ob
server of it, and ae dav saU be ane faithftiU recorder of that sanieac-

106 MR ROBERT BKUCE'S SERMONS.
tion : So the Lord has appointed thy conscience to this office,
that it attends and waits upon thee in aU thy actions ; na thing can
sUp it.
SickUke, the Lord has appointed thy conscience, and placed it
in thy sauU, to be ane accuser of thee : so that quhen thou dois ane
eviU turne, thou has ane domestick accuser witlun thy awin sauU to
finde faulte Arith it.
He has also placed it in thy satdl to beare ane true and steadfast
vritnes against thee ; yea, the testiraony of the conscience reserables
not onUe a testimony or witnes, but the conscience is als good as
ten thousand Aritnessis.
The conscience also is left in thc sauU to do the part of ane judge
against thee, to give out sentence against thee, to conderane thee ;
and sa it dois, for our particular judgeraent man ga before the gene
raU and universaU judgement of the Lord, at that great day.
And quhat mair ? He has left thy conscience vrithin thee to put
thy aArin sentence in execution against thy selfe. This is terrible :
He has left it Arithin thee to be ane verye torture and a burrior to
thy selfe, and sa to put thy avrin sentence in execution upon thy
selfe. Is not this ane matter mair nor wonderfuU, that ane and the selfe
same conscience saU serve to sa manie uses in ane saul, as to be ane
continuall observer and marker of thy actions, ane accuser, ten
thousand witnessis, a judge, and a burriour and torraentour, to exe
cute thy aAvin sentence against thy selfe ? Sa that the Lord mis
ters never to seek a member of court out of thy awin saule, to make
out a laAvfuU proces against thee ; but thou saU have aU thir Avithin
thy selfe, to make out a fuU proces against thy selfe ! Take heed to
this, for there is never a word of this that saU faU to the ground, bot
either ye saU feid it to your weUl or to your everlasting woe. And this
secret and particular judgement that every ane of you carries about
Arith you bydis sa sure and sa fast vrithin you, that, doe quhat ye can,
gif ye wotdd imploy your haUl traveUUs to blot it out, thou saU never
get it scraped out of thy satdl ; gif ye were als niaUtious and were
become als AvIcked as aver anie incarnate deyiU Avas upon the earth,

THE EOURT UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 107
ye saU never get this conscience altogether scraped out of yom-
sauU : But nUl thou wUl thou, there saU als meikle remaine of it as
saU make thee inexcusable in the great day of the generall judge
ment. I grant thou maye blot out aU knowledge out of thy minde, and
raake thy selfe to become als bUnde as a raodewart : I grant also,
that thou may harden thy heart sa that thou wUl blot out aU feeling
out of it, sa that thy conscience wUl not accuse thee nor find fault
vrith thee, but thou saU have ane delite in Ul-doing vrithout a re
morse ; but I denye that ony gree of Arickednes in thc earth saU
bring thee to that pointe that thou may doe evUl Arithout fear ; but
ay the mair that thou dois evUl, and the langer that thou conti-
newis in evUl doing, thy feare saU be the greater ; yea, in despite of
the devUl, and in despite of aU the maUce of the heart of man, that
fear saU remaine : And suppose they would baith conspne together,
it saU not be able to them to banish that fear, but that gnawing
of the conscience saU ever remaine, to testifie to thee that there is
ane day of judgement.
I grant also, that there saU be ane vicissitude, and that feare saU
not alwayes remaine, but sail be some tiraes turned over in security ;
nather saU that security alwayes byde, but sail be turned over again
in fear ; sa that it is not possible to get this fear haUeUe scraped
out, but the greater that the security be, the greater saU thy fear
be quhen thou are walkened.
I grant, thirdUe, that this fear saU be bUnd ; for fra tirae a man
by evU doing has banished knowledge out of the mind, and feeUng
out of the heart, quhat can reraaine there bot a bUnd fear ? Quhen
raen has put out aU light, and left nathing in thair nature but dark-
nes, there oan nathing remain but a bUnd fear : So I grant that
the fear is blind, for nather know they quhairfra the fear coramis,
quhat progres it has, quhereunto it tendes, quhere nor quhen it saU
end ; therefore, they that are In this way inisseled up in their satdl,
of aU men in the earth they are maist miserable ; for als long as
thou may keep in thy mind a spunk of this knowledge and spirit
uaU Ught, in the qiihUk thou may see the face of God in Cluist,

108 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SEKAIONS.
quherein thou may see ane outgate in the death and passion of
Christ, and quherein thou raay see the boAveUis of raercy offered in
the blood of Christ ; gif thou have any spiuik of this light (albeit
it were never so Uttle) to direct thee ; and albeit this knoAvledge Avere
never sa evUl wounded, yit there is mercie eneugh for thee in Cluist !
But gif thou close up aU the windows of thy satdl and of thy hart,
and make thera to becorae palpable darknes, that thou nather know
qulierefra the terrour coraes nor yit seeis ony outgate, that Is the
miserie of aU miseries.
Application.. Wc have mouy things to lament. We haAe the estate of this
countrey to lament ; they are not present to quhom this doctrine
speciaUie appertains ; alwayis there is nane of you but ye have to
take heed to your consciences noAv, quliUl leisur is given you, that
ye banish not altogither this light quhUk is yit offered to you, and
quhereof some spunks yit remaines. For I see the raaist part of
our great men of tlus countrey running heacUong to banish the
spunk of Ught that is in them ; and they AviU not rest sa lang as
there is a spunk of it left quhUl it be titterlie bannished ; and quhen
they have done sa, alas ! quhat can foUow but a bUnd and terrible
fear in their conscience, quhilk they can ncA'cr get scraped out ?
A fear Avithout an outgate, a fear to grow and not to decay, a
fear to devour them halelie at the last. Therefore, every ane of
you take heed to this Ught that is Avithin you ; take heed that thc
foul affections of your hearts draAv not your bodies after them ; see,
at the least, that these affections banish not this light, and sa lang
as the Lord offers to you this Ught in time, crave that of his mer
cy he Avould give you that grace to embrace it, to take up a new
com-se, and yit to amend your Uves quhUl ye have time.
The bodie saU leave the sauU, and the sauU saU leave the bodie ;
but the conscience saU never leave the sauU ; but look, quherever
the sauU gals, to the same place saU the conscience repair ; and
looke in qidiat estate thy conscience is quhen thou dies, in the same
estate sail it meet thee in that great day. Sa that gif thy conscience
Avas a btirriotu- to thee in the tirae of thy death, gif thou gat it not

THE EOURT UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 109
pacified in the tirae of thy death, it saU be a burriour to torment
thee in that generaU judgement. Therefore, this raatter would be
weU weyed, and everie ane of you suld studie to have a good con
science, that quhen the sauU is severed fra the bodie, leaving your
conscience at rest and peace vrith God, it raay be restored to you,
and meet you again with als great peace and quietnes. This far
concerning conscience, quhat it is. I pray the Uving Lord sa to
sanctifie your raeraories that ye may keep thir things, and that every
ane of thir things may sa stickc with you, in some measure, that to
the end of your Ufe ye may reraeraber upon thera.
The second thing that we have to speak of is this : We have
to try and consider wherfore we stdd exaralne our conscience ; for
what causes suld a raan or woman be moved to try then- aArin con
science and satdl ? I saU take up the reasons shortUe. It becomes
every ane of you to trie your conscience : Quhy ? Because the
Lord AviU make his residence in na uther pairt of the satdl, but in
the conscience : He has appointed his dweUing to be in the heart of
man, and in the wUl and conscience of man ; and, therefore, it be
comes you to make his dweUing-place cleane, and to take heed to
your heart.
Nixt, suppose the Lord of heaven made not residence there, yit
in respect the eye of God is ane aU-seeing eye, and able to pearce
through the A'cry thicknes of the flesh of man, how darke and
grosse soever it bc, and to pearce through the very secret Mrnes of
thy conscience, (for unto the aU-seeing eye of God the maist se
cret hirne of the conscience is als patent, cleare, and manifest, as
onie outwarde or bodiUe thing in the earth can be to the outward
eye of the bodie.) In respect, therefore, that his eye is sa pearcing,
and that he casts his eye onely upon our heart, it becomes us to try
our hearts.
Thirdly, he is the Lord of the conscience; there is not a
monarch of the earth that has ony soveranitie or lordship over the
conscience ; onely the God of heaven, onlie Christ lesus, King of
heaA'cn and earth, is Lord of the conscience : He has i)0Aver onely

no

MR ROBERT BRUCE S SERMONS.

to save and tine ; therefore, quhen thou dresses thee to this Lord's
table, becomes it thee not to looke upon thy conscience, to trie thy
conscience, and to examine the estate of it ?
Last of aU, quhilk is ane of my chiefest reasons, it becoraes thee
to trie and exanune thy conscience. Quhy ? Because the health and
Avelfare of thy satdl depends upon thy conscience. Gif thy conscience
that is within thy satdl be avcUI, gif it be at peace and rest, thy sauU
is weUl ; gif thy conscience be in ane good estate, thy saul man be
in ane good estate ; gif thy conscience be in good health, of neces
sitie thy satdl raan be in good^health ; for the good health and weUl
of the satdl depends upon ane good conscience ; therefore, it be
coraes everie ane of you to try weUl your conscience. There is not
a laAv that ever was set down or devised, but of' all the laws that
ever was raade, it is leisorae to us to haA'c a care of our health, it is
leisome to us to seeke sic things as may procure our health, pre
serve and entertain our health : Now, subsume ; but the health of
thy sauU stands in the health of thy conscience and in preserving
thereof; therefore, be aU laAvs, thou aught to attend to thy con
science. Gif thou keep thy conscience weUl, thy sauU is in health ;
and gif thy saull be in health, let troubles come quhat avUI upon the
bodie, thou AvUt bear them out aU : But gif thy satdl be diseased,
and gif that dwining siknes occupy thy sauU (juhUk ane eviU con
science brings on, thou salt not be able to beare out the least
trouble that can corae upon the bodie ; quhereas, gif the conscience
were at rest and in good health, that trouble could not light upon
thy bodie, but thc strength of ane good conscience suld beare it out.
Then have ye not reason, and raair nor reason, to take tent to your
conscience, to exaralne and try your conscience, in quhat estate and
disposition it is ?

Certaine
lessons tu
be learned,
quhair through a
man may
preservehealth in
his con
science and
sauJl.

Now, because it is ane savourless jest to teU you that health is
necessare, and not to open up the way how this health may be ac
quired, preserved, and entertained, therefore, to keep yotu- con
science in quietnes and ui good health, I sail give you thir few les
sons. First of aU, Take heed that yc keep fast a persuasion of the

THE EOURT UPON THE SACRAMENTS. Ill
mercie of God In Christ lesus ; examine quhen thou Ues doAvn, and
exaralne quhen thou rises up, in quhat estate thou art with God ;
quhither thou raay look surely for raercie at his hand or not. Art
thou persuaded of raercie ? Assure thy self, thy conscience Is at
ane good point, thou has health in thy satdl ; for be keeping of faith
the conscience is preserved, as sayis the Apostle, 1 Tim. 1. 19, keep
this persuasion ; halde it haUl and sound ; hurt it not ; bring not
thy satdl in doubting sa far as thou may ; stay not nor hinder not
thy persuasion, gif thou would keep health in thy satdl ; for gif
thou doubt, or in onye wayes diminish thy persuasion and as
surance, assuredlye thy assurance cannot so soon be hindered
nor diminished, bot in that same article of tirae saU foUow the
dirainishing of the health of thy sauU ; yea, it cannot be, but in
that same article of tirae foUowes the hurt of thy conscience ; for
faith wUl not dweU bot in ane haiU conscience. Therefore, in quhat
article of tirae thou dois against thy conscience, in that same ar
ticle of time thou loses ane gree of thy persuasion of the mercy of
God ; and unto the time that thou faU downe at the feet of Christ
and obtain mercy for that UI deed, purchase peace at his handes, to
repaire thy persuasion, thou saU ever doubte of mercie, and want
health in thy conscience. Then, this is the flrst lesson, to keep
health in your sauUs, look and see that ye be persuaded of raercy.
The second lesson to keep a good conscience, or to keep health in
thy sauU, is this : Ye raan flee, eschewe, and forbeare quhatsoever
raay trouble the health of your sauU ; quhatsoever may trouble the
quietnes and peaceable estate of your conscience : Cast it out, forbear
it, and eschewe it. This generaU Is good ; but quhat is it, let see,
that troubles the quiet estate of the conscience ? Nathing in the
world but sin ; nathing in the earth but ane evUl nature ; there
fore, we raan, offeree, to keep health In our sauU, forbear and eschew
sin ; we man flee sin, and rid our hand of it. It is not possible,
that ye can baith keep a good conscience, and serve the affections
of your heart, and, therefore, to keep peace and health in thy sauU,
thou man bid thy lustes good night ; thou man renounce the lusts
and affections of thy heart, and thou man not doe as thou was

112 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
Avont to doe ; thou man not be given to the serAiee of thine aft'ee-
tions and of thine appetite, to put thera in execution as thou Avont
to doe ; but in case thine affection or lust coraraand thee to doe
onie thing, quhat is thy part ? Thou man try Iioav far this may
stand Arith the good wUl of God, and hoAV far that affection quhilk
commands thee may agree Avith the laAV of God.
Is there sic an harmony, that that qidiUk thine affection com
mands thee may stand Arith God's laAv and haUe avUI ? Na ques
tion it is ane sanctified affection ; thou ma}' put it In execution.
But after this triad, gif thou find thine affection to be exorbitant,
and out of rule, carrying the plat fra God, and agains his laAve ; be
ware of it, resist it ; bcAvare that thou put not the avUI of it in exe
cution ! Or utherwayis, gif thou ftilfiU the avUI of that affection
ane hour, quhat pleasure can that bring Avith it ? It may avcUI bring
with it a flattering pleasure in the entrie ; but it closes ever with
a bitter remorse in the end. Then to eschew this bitter remorse,
suld ye not aU trie your attections ? Ye man examine and try them
be the square of God's laAv ; ye man see hoAV far they agree Avith
his law, or how far they disassent from it ; and in sa fiir as they dis-
assent fra that laAv, let CA-ery man denie hira selfe, renounce his af
fections ; and sa, this triad being tane tlus Avay be thy selfe, it
sanctifies thine affections, makes Christ to lodge in thy satiU, makes
thy conscience to be at rest, and the Halie Spuit this Avay maks
baith bodie and satdl to be in good health and to rejoice. Then flee
fra sin : This is the second lesson.
The third lesson is this, StucUe to doe AveU. Vrotdd thou keep
health in thy satdl, studie to do better and better continuallie ; at
least, have a purpose in thy sauU and heart to take up a better course
dailie. QuhUk is the last lesson ? Seeing that quhen avc studie to
doe best, and that the just man, that is, the maist halie man, faUis
sa oft In the daye as seven tiraes in the day, yea rather seventye
tiraes seven tunes, quhat is thy parte in thir slippes and snappers ?
Suppose thou faU, as thou cannot eschcAv to faU, Ue not still there;
sleep not there qtdiere thou has fallen. It is a shame to slcepe
there ; therefore, rise againe. .Vnd Iioav should thou rise ? Bc

THE FOURT UPON THE SACR.VMENTS. 113
lifting up thy sauU, and running to the fountaine of grace and raer
cie ; be running to Christ lesus to seeke raercie for thy sauU, and
-to crave that he would send out of hiraselfe that raeasure of peace
that may put thy conscience at reste, and restore thy sauU to
health. Sa, lye not quhere thou faUes, but incontinent rise, and
crave raercie ; and in obtaining of mercie thou sail repair thy satdl,
thou saU amend thy Ufe by repentance, and be repentance thou
sail get peace ; thou saU have thy conscience at reste, and get
health to thy sauU.
Now, keep this ride, gif thou would keep thy sauU in health ;
look that thou sleep not in sin as David did ; lye not stUl quhen
thou art faUen, and sa faU out of one sm to another, as fra adulterle
to murther, fi-a murther to the nixt. As coraraonUe, gif a man
sleepis In sin and risis not in tune, ane sin vriU draw on another, for
there is never a sin the alane ; but ay the mair greate and heinous
that the sin be, it has the greater and war sins foUowing it.
Therefore, quhen ye faU, delay not to rise, but run to the. fountaine
of mercie, and seeke grace in time. Eun to prayer, run to the
Kirk of God, quherever it be, quhither it be In the field or in the
tOAvne. Eun to Christ lesus, and crave mercie at hira, that ye may
have peace in your consciences ; and sa be thir meang every ane
of you saU keep health in your satdes ; be tliir meanes ye saU learn
quhat difference is betAvixt this living word of mercie and grace,
quhUk sounds in our reUgion, and that slaying letter that slayis the
sauU of everie ane that heares it ; I meane that idolatrous doctrine
of that dumb messe.
I cast in this unto you, because I see that our haUl youth ¦ (for
the raaist part) are given to it ; and the Lord is beginnand to ab
stract his mercie and grace from this countrey for the contempt of
this quickning word, quhilk has sa clearUe sounded here, and quhUk
our noblemen, for the greatest part running headlong to the devil,
in a dumb guise, traveUs utterUe to bannish. Is not this a miser
able thing, that never ane of you has eyes to consider and discerne
upon the time of peace, mercy and grace, quhilk is sa abundantly
offered ? The Lord of his mercie give you eyes in time !

114 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
This far, concerning the reasons quherefore CA'cry ane of you suld
try and exaraine your aAvn consciences : And this triad aught not to
be for a day, or for a year ; but it aught to be every day and every
year of thy haUl Ufetime. For that conscience that suld rest for
ever vrith the Uving God, that conscience quhilk man ever look upon
the face of the Son of God, it cannot be over-weU stOAvred ; we can
not look over narrowly to it ; the mair curious Ave be in searching
out of this conscience, we are the better occupied. I speak of our
aAvn conscience, I speak not of our neighbour's.
In quhat J p^a to the Third : And I corae to the points quhereintiU everie
point we' ^ ^ i/. t •
suld ox- ane of you suld try and exarame your selfis. I giA-e you twa pomts.

annn our

conscience, quhcrcmtd every ane ot you ought to try and examine your con
sciences. Try thy conscience, First, in this point ; Quhither thou
be at peace Arith God, quha Is the Lord of heaven, or not : Nixt,
trie thy conscience in this point : Quhither thou be in love and
amitie Arith thy neighbour, or not.
Would thou knoAv quhither thy conscience be at unitie and peace
vrith God or not ? Thou saU know it is this way. The God of
heaven he can have na society nor can keep na corapanie AvIth that
satdl quhilk is alwayis unclean, that is every way defiled : na, he
cannot. Now I speake not sa precisely, that I raak a sauU to be
fuUie sanctified, and perfectly haUe in this life. Na, in this life
there is wonderfid iniquities, grosse sins, and great faults, quhere-
Arith even the righteous are defiled. But this is ray meaning ; there
is na satdl can be at peace Arith God, or quherewith the Lord can
have ony societle, but It in sorae raeasure it man be sanctified and
made haUe : for God cannot make residence in a saul that is a stink
ing midding alway ; and, therefore, on force, in some raeasure it raan
be sanctified ; there raan be sa raeUde made cleane, in ane nuke or
uther of that saule, quhereui the Lord of heaven, be his HaUe Spi
rit, may raake his residence. Now let see, quhereby is the saule
sanctified ? Peter, Acts xv. 9, sayis that the sauU of man Is purified
be faith, that the heart of man is purged be faith. Sa faith opens
and purges the heart be faith in Christ lesus, and in the raerites of

THE FOURT UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 115
his blood we have peace vrith God. " Being justified be faith, we
have peace towards God, through our Lord lesus Christ," sayis the
Apostle, Eom. v. 1.
Now comes in this point, ye have to prove your selfs quhither ye
be in the faith or not ; as the Apostle sayis, 2 Cor. xiu. 5, " Trie
and see, quhither ye have faith In Christ or not." Exaraine, gif
your sauU be seasoned with this faith ; for gif ye have not faith in
Christ, Christ is not in you ; and gif Christ be not in you, ye are ui
ane eviU estate, ye are in the estate of the reprobate and damned.
Sa, every ane ought to look carefiiUie, and see gif he has a beUefe
in the blood of Christ, or not ; quhither he beleeves to get mercie
be his merites, and sanctification be his blood, or not : For, gif thou
have na raeasure of this faith, thou has na raeasure of peace with
God ; be reason our peace Arith God is engendered and grows daUy
mau- and mair be trae faith in Christ. Now this faith, quhere it is
trae, quhere it is UveUe, and couples the heart with God, as I have
spoken, it man break out in word and deed ; it cannot be halden in,
but it man break out. It man break out in word, in glorifying the
God of heaven, quha has forgiven us our sins ; it raan break out in
word, be giAing a notable confession of these sins quherein we.
have offended hira ; it raan break out in deed. In doing good works,
to testifie to the world that thing quhUk is Arithin thy heart ; to tes
tifie to the world that thou quha has this faith art ane new man ;
that be thy good example of Ufe and conversation thou raay edifie
thy brethren, the simple anis of the Kirke of God, and that be thine
haUe life thou may draw sinners to repentance ; that they, seeing
thy Ught, raay be corapeUed to glorifie God in thee.
Then, in the first point of triad, let us look to thir three. To the
heart, to the mouth, and to the hand : Take heed, that there be ane
harmonie betAvixt thir three, and that they aU sing ane sang ; for
gif the heart be inwardly coupled Arith God, there is na doubt but
the mouth avIU outwardly glorify him ; and gif thine heart and mouth
be renewed, and be ane, of necessitie thou man utter this in thy
conversation. There man be agreeraent betvrixt the heart and the
hand ; thy conversation raan be changed Arith the heart, and be

116 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
liaUe, honest, and godly as the heart is : Sa that, gif thy eoiiAersa-
tion be good, it is a sure taken that thou art at ane Arith God ; but
gif thy conversation be not good, let men speak quhat they avUI, the
heart Is but defiled ; this true and Uvely faith has na place in it.
Then avUI thou speare, Qtdien art thou at ane with God ? Quhen
thy conversation, thine heart, and thine mouth, sayis aU ane thing.
Then, na question, thou has the Avork of faith wrought be the Hahc
Spirit in thy heart, quhilk makes thee to bc at peace Arith God.
This Is the first point, quherein ye suld trie your selfs.
The nixt point is love. Ye man trie, Quhither ye be in love and
under charitie with your neighbour or not : For as thou art not
coupled Arith God but be the band of faith, sa thou art not coupled
Avith thy neighbom-, nor joined with na member of Christ in this
earth, but be the band of love, amitie, and charity. Tak away love,
thou art not a member of this bodie : For love is the master sen-
non that couples all thir members of Christ's bodie togither, and
raaks thera to grow up aU in a spirituaU and misticaU unitie. Love
is the oneUe mark quhereby the chUdren of Christ and members of
Christ's bodie are knawin from the rest of the Avorld. Love is that
liaUe oyle that refreshes our sauls, and makes us like unto God;
and the mair we grow in Ioa'c, the mair God, be his Spirit, dAveUs in
us ; for God is love. Sa that, except in some measure love towards
thy neighbour dweU in thy heart, thou can have na society Arith thy
neighbour, and far lesse Avith God. Gif the manners of men were
examined be this rule, we suld find a raultltude of godles people In
tlus country, quha has their hearts raging Avith maUce, ilk ane
against uthers ; and quhere the devUl and a inalitious spirit dweUs,
there is na place there for the Haly Spirit ; and now suppose the
Lord has gan about, be aU means possible, late and air, to instruct
them, and to infound in them this precious love and amitie towards
God and their neighbour, and sa to alter their condition, yit they
wiU not stdfer them selfis to be walkned quhUl the great vengeance
and malediction of God Ught on their carcases. Alwayis this love,
this honest and godly conversation, floAvs aU fra the root of faith ;

THE FOURT UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 117
sa that, gif thy heai-t have faith, in any measure, and it were never
sa smaU, in that same measure thou man have love towards thy
neighbour ; and this love is never idle, but it is ever uttermg the
sehf, either in ane effect or uther : And in respect faith is the ground
quhereupon aU the rest depends, and in respect that this faith is sic
a jeweU, as without the quhUk it is not possible to onie of you to
please God, vrithout the quhUk aU your doings are abhomination
before him, Arithout the quhUk ye are left in a terrible miserie ;
quhilk miserie is sa meikle the mair terrible that ye are ignorant of'
It, is it not good reason that we know and understand how this faith
Is vsrrought and created in our sauls be the HaUe Spirit, and how it
is entertained and nurished in our sauls? That seeing how it Is
created, and hearing teU the manner how it is brought about, ye
may examine your consciences, and see quhither ye be in the faith
or not.
My purpose was to have insisted langer, In this matter, nor this
time AvUl suffer. Now, therefore, as time wiU suffer, and as God
AvUl give the grace, I saU let you understand how the Halie Spirit
imployes his trayaU in the heart and mind of man and woman, and
quhat pains he taks In creating and making up this jewel of faith In
their sauls. Yit, or I enter to this work, to let you see the travaUls
of the Spirit of God in working of this faith in your hearts, it is ne
cessare, and mair nor necessare, that ye understand, first, your awin
miserie and infirmitie ; and that ye know how the Lord was in
duced to recover you out of your auld estate, and to recreate you
quha were lost be the deed of your forefather Adam.
Then, to take up the matter the more highUe, I caU to your memo
ries this ground : That man unlversalUe, and every ane particular- '"'" "f
.... 1 1 • 1 111 man's salva-
lie, being corrupted, bemg lost, and that be his fibrst forbear's fault, «<"> "i some
(for gif there were na man- but that same first fault and sin of his, closed.
we are aU justUe oblished and bound to ane double death, baith of
body and sauU for ever,) man this way, unlversaUy and partictdar-
lle, being utterUe lost, without any hope of regres left in his sauU,
Arithout any sense of the recoverie of that former estate, or repair-

118 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SKRMONS.
ing of that image quhilk he had tint throAv sin long of before ; ho
being lost be tlus sin, and left in this desperate estate in himselfe,
quhat dois God ? The ever li\ ing God, only Avise, quhais Avays ai'c
unsearchable, has found out ane Avay Iioav that man this Avay lost
yit raay be saved. In this turn he sought counsaUl, quhora at ?
Not at any creattu-e, but he sought cottnsaiU at hunself : The Per
sons of the Triuitic sought counsaUl at themselfis ; yea, God was
moved to seek counsaUl at hiraself, onlie moved in himself; for he
had not ane externaU principle otitANdth himself to induce him.
Sa, he seeking tlus cotinseU at liimself, and being moved in him
self thereto, as Ephes. I. 9, quhat dois he ? Quhen aU men and
women suld have died for eAcr, it pleasis lum of his infinite mereie
to select out of aU, and to elect a certain number out of the lost
race of Adam, that stdd have perished for ever.
In this his counsaUl and decreet moA ed I say of himself, and
seeking counsaUl at hiniseU' onUe, he selcetcs a certain number out
of this rotten race ; quhiUi certain he AviU have sanctified, he Avill
haA'C justified, he wdl have glorified. And, therefore, to bring about
the work of theu- salAation, qulint dois he ? He ajipoints his aAviu na
turaU Son, (for he had but ane natm-aU Son,) he appoints the Second
Person of the Trinitic, his aArin natm-aU Son, Ciod in poAver, glorie,
and majestic, als high as himself, equaU Avith Ciod the Father in all
things ; he appoints him to work this Avork, to bring about this Avork
of our redemption and eternal sah ation, (this is but the mistery of
it in some measure disclosed.) jVud, therefore, in thc fullnes of time,
(for he dispensis aU times according to his wisdorae,) at sUi tirae as
he appointed, he makes his Son to come down, to sease himself in
the Avomb of the Virgin, to take on om- flesh, to take on the Uke
nes of sin ; he took not on sin, but he took on thc likcucs of
sin. Quhat caU I that Ukenes ? Otu- flesh is the Ukenes of sin ;
he took on om- flesh and natm-e, the Ukenes of sin, quhilk Avas
perflteUe sanctified, in the verie raoraent of his conception, in the
verie womb of the Virgin : He took on this flesh, that in this flesh
and natm-e sin might be banlsht and dung out of us for ever. And
quhere we stdd aU have gane ea gait, (for there was na exception of

THE FOURT UPON THE SACRA.AIENTS. 119
persons be natm-e,) Chiist lesus, otu- Saviour, has elected us ; and
according as his Father, in his secret election, before the beginnlng
of the world, had elected us, the same Christ lesus, in his awin time,
he caUIs us ; he raakes us partakers of that salvation quhilk he has
purchased ; and he repairis not only that image quhilk was lost In
our forefather Adam ; he places us, not in a terrestrlall paradise,
quhere Adam was placed at the beginning, (and quhat mair could
have been sought be us ?) but he gives us a far mair exceUent image
nor we lost ; he places us in a mair high and in a mair celestial pa
radise nor we lost. For, sa meikle the mair heavenUe is the para
dise quliUk he gives us, as the second Adam is mair exceUent
nor the flrst, and as the Son of God, and God hiraself, gals far
above any creature that ever was, raan or angeU. Therefore it
coraes to pass, that be the benifite of the second Adam, Christ lesus
our Saviour, the Son of God ; (quhereas, gif we had remained in that
image quherein our forefather was first created, avc suld have
settled ourselfis in the earth for ever ; we could not have craved a
better paradise nor ane earthly paradise for earthly tabernacles ;)
be the benefite of the Son of God, I saye, it coraes to pass, that we
are plucked up out of the earth to the heaven, and to ane heaven
ly paradise. And quhat have we to do Arith heaven ? Are Ave not
made of the earth, to returne to the earth ? Becomes not ane
earthly paradise ane earthly bodie ? Yit the Lord, in his mercy,
sendis downe his Son to draw us up out of the earth to thc
heaven. This is sa high a thing that it cannot be easUy consider
ed ; for this draAring of us to ane heavenUe paradise is a thing mair
nor could have been thought of; that we suld live ane angel's Ufe
in heaven, how could the heart of man think on this ? Yit it pleased
the Uving Lord, in the great riches and bowels of his mercie, and
in the exceeding greatnes of the power of his mercie towards us,
(the Apostle, in that Epistle to the Ephesians, cannot get words
ancAv to expresse this ; he knowes not how to begin, nor how to
end, quhen he speakes of the riches of that mercy. And gif ye
look that Epistle to the Ephesians narrowlie, ye saU find ma high
and exceUent stUes given to the riches of that mercie, in that

120 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
Epistle, nor in ony other parte of the Scriptm-e :) It pleased him, I
say, of his awin mercy, not to give us simply the image quhUk we
lost, nor to leave us in this earth ; but it pleased him to give us a
better image, and, beside that, to place us in heaven to byde with
him for ever.
Now, rests his mercy and grace here ? Na : But that this sal
vation, quhUk he has already purchased and brought about be his
Son, our Saviour Christ lesus, that it raight be alAvaies accom-
pUshed, having nathing lacking In it, as he redeemed us in his
aAvin person perfitUe, sa he makes this same redemption to come to
our knowledge, and makes us sure of it in our OAvne consciences ;
and to this end, quhat dois he, I pray you ? As he be his death
purchased our fidl redemption, sa he makes it knovra to us ; he in
timates it to us, be our inwarde calling, letting us baith find and
feel in our heart quhat he did in his bodie for us : For our Lord,
quhen he maks his servants to proclairae this rederaption, and to
intiraate it to our consciences, be workis this jcAveU of faith in our
sauUs, quhUk assures us that the Son of God has died for us : For
quhat could it avaUe us to see our rederaption, to see our salvation
and our Ufe afar of, gif a way were not found out, and a hand and
a raoyen given us, quhereby we may apprehend that salvation, and
apply it to our selfe ? Quhat can it avaUl a sick man to see a drbg
in ane apothecarie's booth, except a way be found out how it saU
be appUed to his sick bodie ? Sa to the end that this work of our
rederaption and salvation raay be fidUe and freely accompUshed,
look how freeUe he has given his onely Son to the death of the
cross for us ; als freeUe has he found out this way and moyen, and
propyned us Arith this hand quhereby we may take hold on Christ,
and apply him to our saidls.
This moyen, to conclude, is faith. There is not a way, nor ane
instrument in the Scriptures of God, quhereby ony man or woman
may apply Christ to their sauUs, but only the instrument of faith ;
therefore, faith cannot be eneugh comraended. Turn to faith, and
it AvUl raake thee to turn to God, and sa conjoin thee with God, and

THE FOURT UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 121
make aU thine actions to smeU weUl in his nose : And there is
never a good action that we do, suppose it glance never sa weiU be
fore the world, gif It be not done in faith, but it Is aboraination be
fore God, and wUl help forward to our damnation. Having faith,
aU the creatures of God man laugh on us, they raan aU conspire to
the furtherance of the work of our salvation ! As, be the contrare,
lacking faith, there Is never ane of the creatures of God but they
saU be enemies to us, and conspire to our daranation : For faith con-
joyns us vrith the God of heaven, and maks us heavenlye. This
jeweU of faith seasons aU the giftes and graces quhilk God gives us.
I wUl not give a straw for aU the riches of the earth to my saull,
Arithout faith. And quhat avaUes it to ony man, to have aU the
sciences, Arisdom, and knowledge in the earth without faith ? for the
devUl has aU this knowledge, and is not the better. Quhat availUs
it to me to conques aU the monarches, kingdomes, and haiU riches
in the earth ? quhat can aU thir avaUl to my satdl ? Nathing but
to make out a process against me, gif I want faith. Therefore, aU
the benefites and gifts of God without faith avaUes nathing but to
augment our misery. AU the gifts and graces of God are abused
Arithout faith : Faith oneUe makes thee to use the benefits and
graces of God rightly ; faith oneUe stdd be sought, keeped, and in-
terteined heir in this Ufe. Having faith, aU the rest of God's
graces are profitable to thee; for this jeweU keeps them aU in
order, and makes them aU finitfuU ; quhere lacking this jeweU,
there is nothing here in this earth but it avUI beare testiraonie
against thee.
Then let us come to speake yit of this faith, how it is created in how faith i
everye ane of your sauUs. I take my ground out of the Evangelist oufsl^s"
John vi. 44, quhere our Maister sayis, "Na man can come to rae,
except the Father quhUk hath sent me drawe him." In the
quhUlc words, we see cleareUe, except that we be drawne, except
we be compeUed, except we be rugged, except of nuArilUng we be
made wUling, be God the Father, it is not possible for us to corae
to his Son. Quhat is the reason of this, that the Spirit of God

122 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SEUJlONS.
man draAV us, and make us AvUUng, or ever we come to God ? Be
cause, be nature, we are not onlie wounded and lanced be shi and
iniquitle ; but as the apostle shoAVs, Ephes. ii. 1, we are " halUie
dead in trespasses and sinnes." Yea, farder, look how volde any
carcase is of a nattu-aU life, als voldc are otu- satds, (suppose they be
livand thc natm-aU life,) als voldc are they of the Ufe of God, of that
heavenUe and spirituaU Ufe quhereunto we ui this Ufe do aspire, tm
to the time that the Spirit of God draw otu- hearts and niindis, that
Is, qtueken our heartes and raindls. Nay, it is not a di'aught as we
take it comnioidie, it is a verye quickening of a dead thing : It is
a quickening of that thing quhilk was A'olde of the life of the Spi
rit. Then, except the Spirit of God draAV us, that Is, quicken us
with that spu-ituaU and heavenUe life, it is not possible to us to come
to heaven ; and except he nourish this Ufe qtihUk he has begun, it
is not possible that we can stand in this Ufe. Sa, the Spirit of
God is said to ch-aw us, that is, to begin this life in us, and be the
same HaUe Spirit to continue and nourish this life in us. Now, be
the dt-aught of the Spirit, our satds are quickened, and be the
draArino- of the Spirit I understand na uther thing but the
forging and creating of faith in our sauls, qtdiUlv makis us newe
creatures. Let us see noAV, C[uliat order the Spirit of God keepis in drawing
us, and in forging and creating this faith in our sauUs. First of aU,
I devide the sauU in na ma parts nor commonUe it usis to be de-
vlded : that is, in the heart and in the mind. Our mind, then, be-
in"- ane clud of darloies, altogether bUnde natm-alUe ; there being
nathing in that mind of ours but vanity and error, quhereby we va
nish aAvay, and can never bide at na good purpose : Quhat dois the
Spirit of God ? The first work that ever the Spirit of God dois,
he takis order Avith the mind : And quhat dois he to the raind ?
He bannishis darknes, he chases out vanitie and bUndnes, that
naturaUy lui-kes in the raind ; and, in stead of this darknes, he
places in the mind a Ught, a celestiaU and a heavenUe light, a
Uo-lit quhilk is resident in Christ lesus onlie. Then, the Spuit
chases out that clud of mist and darkness, and places light in the

THE FOURT UPON THE SACRAMENTS.

123

mind : And quhat dois he be this light ? We getting this inward
and heavenUe Ught in the mind, and ane sanctified understanding,
Incontinent he makes us to see God, not onUe as he is God, the
Creator of the Avorid, but alsa as he is, God the Eedeemer, and has
redeemed us in his Son Christ lesus.
Now, before I get this Ught, quhat is my heart and raind do
ing ? There is never ane of you, but ye have experience, as I ray-
seUe have, in quhat estate the heart and raind is before this Ught
enter. The mind is lyand drowned in bUndnes, and the heart is
hardned, and they baith conspire together in ane vice, to set up ane
IdoU in stead of God, ane domestick and mvislble IdoU, and quhat
a sort of idoU is that I pray you ? Na doubt, ane worldly or fleshly
affection, ane or uther. This is set up in the throne of thy heart :
And on this idol thou bestows the serAdce of thy haUl heart, of thy
haUl raind, of thy haUl satdl and bodie ; sa that the serAice baith of
satdl and bodie, quhilk suld be bestowed upon God onlie, is iraploy-
ed upon that IdoU quhUk is set up in thy heart, that is, in the place
of God, in the stead of the Maist High God : And thou art mair
addicted to the serAice of that IdoU nor ever thou was to the service
of the Uving God. Yea, unto the tirae that tlus IdoU of ours be
banished, and that this bUndnes quherethrow this IdoU is served be
tane away, there is not ane of you but ye are servant to ane lust or
uther, and thy sauU, that suld be consecrat to the service of the Uv
ing God, it is imployed upon ane affection or uther, upon ane
worldly or fleshly lust of thine awin.
But now, fra tirae the Lord begin to scatter the cluds of our na
tural minds and understanding, and begin to chase away this thick
mist of the dark satdl, and places therein a spunk of heavenly Ught,
quhilk flowis out of Christ ; and quliere we were chUdren of the
night and darknes of before, he makes us to be light in the Lord,
and to be chUdren of the Ught and of the day : Then we see that
aU the things in the world, beside the Uving God, are vanities, de-
ceaveable allurements, unconstant shaddowes, fleetand and floAvand
Arithout ony byding, and then we see that our hearts and raindes
was set on UI continuaUie. Then we begin to abhor that idoU, and

124 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
to seek to serve God onUe. Now, except the Lord, of his mercy
and goodnes, place in us this Ught, unto the time that we get some
gUmmering of this Ught, we can never see our aAvin vaidtie, let be
to see God. This, then, is the first work of the Spuit, he bamshes
darknes and errors, and places Ught in our minds. Now, this fii-st
work of the Spirit is termed oftyraes in the Scripture under the
narae of faith ; for the raind has the awin assent and persuasion in
the aAvin kind als weiU as the heart has ; and, therefore, the mind
being Uluminat and seasoned vrith this Ught, the assenting and know
ledge in the sarae naind is caUed faith. The Apostle and the Evan
geUsts gives to this knowledge the name of faith ; for fra time ains
thou have ane eye to ken God and quhom he has sent, Christ lesus,
fra ains thou get a sight of him and gets accesse to him, gif it were
na farder nor in the raind, it is caUed faith.
But we are forbidden to stand here. Gif faith ga na farder nor
the mind, it is not the faith we are seekand. For the faith that
justifies, and dois us good, man open the heart als weiU as it opens
the mind ; it man banish that IdoU and affection out of the heart,
and in his stead set doAvn a tlirone to Christ lesus. Sa that, ex
cept the good Spirit of God ga farder nor the mind, and banish
this idoU als weUl out of our hearts as out of our minds, Ave get not
that justlfiing faith quhereby we may look for mercie. Yea, the Spi
rit of God man not onUe stand in Ughtening the mind, but it man
moUifie this heart of thine and change tliine affection : And quhere
thy affection was Aricked and UI, God's Spirit man change the AviU ;
and he never can change the avUI, except he make the grotmd of
thy heart good, that it may be set on God, and bring forth good fruit
abundantUe to the awner. And quhat teaches this ? This teaches
you to seeke for ane honest heart, and to seeke instantly quhiU ye
obtaine it. For quhat avaUs it to ony man to ken quhat is good or
quhat is IU, except he have a way shoAvin him how he saU eschew
the UI and a raoyen given hira to make himselfe partaker of the
good ? Is not this ane idle and unprofitable knoAvledge to me to
see afar off, and to ken that this is good for me, quhen as I find not

THE FOURT UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 125
a moyen how to be partaker of that good, that it may be ane spe
ciaU good thing to rae ? Is it not ane Idle knowledge also to ken
that this is iU for me, that it wUl do rae IU gif I doe it, and
yit that sarae verye thing I wUl do, and na uther ? Sa, the Spirit
of God Unkes thir twa together ia this work; and as he re
forms the mind, he reforms also the heart, and makes you to be
partakers qf that good quhilk you see, and to eschew that UI quhUk
ye see.
And this is the second work of the Spirit, not onUe to present a
thing to thee, but to make it thine in effect. For, howbeit the
mind would do hir turne never sa weUl, and let thee see that Christ
is thine ; and present him to thee, never sa oft ; gif the heart be not
reformed, that wUl and crooked affection that is in thy heart avUI
prefer it selfe to Christ, and wUl make thee to compt aU but foUie
in respect of that IdoU. And, therefore, it were ane idle and ane
fooUsh thing for me to see my salvation, except I get grace to be
partaker of it ; and quhat avaUes it to thee to see the divel, to see
thine aArin sins that slayes thee, except thou get grace to eschew
them ? And sa the second work of the Spirit is this ; he enters in
the heart, he dantons the heart, and wonderfiiUy changes it, and
makes the wiU of it obedient; he mollifies the affection quhUk was
hard of before, in sic sort that it Is made to poure out thy affection in
some measure on the Uving God, quhere it was poured out on ane
idoU or uther of thine aAvIn before. Then, except the heart wUl do
his part, as the mind dois his part, the haiU sauU Is not consecrate
to God ; for God has not made the sauU that the heart suld serve
thee, aAd the mind onely suld serve hira ; but thy serrice Is then
oneUe acceptable to God quhen thou consecrates thy heart as weUl
as thy raind to him.
Now, this matter is sa cleare, that It misters not to be iUustrate a similitude
be simUitude : Yit, to make it mafr cleare unto you, we saUlet youten^JJS"
see be a simiUtude that the apprehension of the mind is not enough, ^af"^;
except ye get the apprehension of the heart also. In cort)oi-aU"'^'*™*'">=
.1 • • , n T . , , ^ spirituall.
thmgs, m meat and drmk that serves for the use of your bodies ;
there man be of this meat and drinke twa sort of apprehensions ;

126 MR ROBERT BRUCe's SERMONS.
and as tliere is tAva sort of apprehensions of the meat and diink,
that is the food of the bodie, sa there is tAva sort of apprehen
sions of thc bodie and blood of Christ lesus, qtihUIc is our meate
and drinke spirituaU. Of meat and drink corporaU, there is ane
apprehension be the eye and be the taist ; that quliUl as the
meat is present to you on the table, yotu- eye takes a view of this
meat, dlscernes on it, and makes a clioyce of it : Yea, not onelie the
eye, but also the taist, dlscernes on that meat ; and the taist ap
proving it, that is caUed the first apprehension.
Noav upon this, quhUk is the first, the second apprehension fol-
lowes, that is, after that ye liaAC chcAVcd that meat, Ictteii it over
your halse, and send it to your stomachs, quhere it digests and
converts in your nuriture ; then in your stomach, ye get the
second apprehension. But gif sa be that your eye like not of
that meat, and that your taste like not of it nather, the second
apprehension foUoAves not ; for thou AvUt spit it out again, or
reject it, and prefer an uther thing to it that thou lUics better.
That meat qtdiilk thou lUvCs not, enters never in thy stomach, and
sa it can ncAcr be couAerted in thy nuriture : For it is onUe the
second apprehension of the meat, that is the cause of the ntuish-
ment of the body, to our corjioraU food ; sa that gif ye chewe not
tlus raeat and let it over, it feeds you not. Then it is onely the se
cond apprehension that nurishes our bodie.
It is even siclike in these spirituaU things, (sa far as they may be
compared.) In the food of Christ lesus, quha is the Ufe and nuri
ture of otu- satdes and consciences, there man be tAva sorts of appre
hension of Cluist lesus; the first apprehension Is bc the eye of
the mind, that is, be our knoAvledge and understanding ; for as
the eye of the bodie dlscernes be ane outAvarde light, sa thc eye
of thy mind discemes be ane iuAvarde and rencAved understanding,
quhereby we get the first apprehension of Christ. Now, gif this
first apprehension of Christ like us weiU, then the nixt foUoAves ; avc
begin to cast the affection of our hearts on hira, avc have good
wdl of hun ; for aU our affection proceeds fra our A\'ill, and our
affection being rencAvcd and made halie, avc set it halely upon

THE FOURT UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 127
Christ ; we love him, and gif we love him we take hold on
him, we eat hira, and digest him, that Is, avc apply him to our
satds ; and sa, of this love and liking of hira, the second apprehen
sion dois foUow. But gif sa be that we have na wIU of him, that
we have na love nor liking of him ; quhat doe we I pray you ?
Then Ave reject him, and prefer our awin idoU, and the service of
our aArin affection to him, and sa the second apprehension foUows
not. We cannot digest him, and gif Ave digest him not, that spi
rituaU life cannot grow in us. For look in quhat place the eye
serves to thy bodie ; in that same room serves knowledge and un
derstanding to thy satdl ; and looke in quhat place thy hand and thy
mouth, the taist and the stomach, serves]to thy body ; in that same
room serves the heart and affection to thy satiU ; sa that as our bo
die cannot be nurished except our hand take, and our mouth eat
the meat, wherethrow the second apprehension may foUow, likewise
otu- saules cannot feed on Christ, except we gripp him, and embrace
him hearteUe be our vriU and affection. For we come not to Christ,
be ony outward motion of our bodie, but be ane inward motion and
apprehension of the heart : for God, finding us aU in a reprobate
sense, he brings us to Christ, be reforming the affection of our
sauUs, be raaking us to love him. And, therefore, the second ap
prehension, quhereby we digest our Saviour, avUI never enter into
our sauUs, except as he pleases the eye sa he please the vriU and the
affection also. Noaa', gif this come to pass, that our wUl and affection
Is haleUe bent upon Christ, then na doubt we have gotten this jcAveU
of faith ! Have ye sic a Uking in your nund, and sic a love in your
heart of Christ, that ye avUI preferre hira to aU things in the world ?
Then na question faith is begun in you.
Now, fra tirae a thing be begun, there is farther required: For^""/""* '^
' & & 7 -1 nurished
suppose this faith be formed in youi- minds, in your hearts and^"'^.^"''"'-
•' . tained in us.
sauUs, yit that is not eneugh, but that qululk is forraed man be
nurished, and he quha is conceaved -man be entertained and brought
up ; or els the love that is begune in me be the Halie Spirit, except
be ordinate means it be daily entertained and nurished it avIU de-

128 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SER3I0NS.
cay ; except the Lord continue the draught and working of his
HaUe Spirit, it Is not possible that I can continue in the faith. And
how man we nurish and continue faith in our saulls ? TAva manner
of wayis : First, we nurish faith, begun in our saull, be hearing of
the word, not of everie word, but be hearing of the word of God
preached ; and not be the hearing of everie raan, but be hearing the
Avord preached be hira that is sent. For this Is the ordinair raeane
quhereunto the Lord has bound hira. He wUl work faith be hearing
of the word, and perception of the sacraraents ; and the man- thou
hear the Avord, and the oftner thou receave the sacraraents, the mau-
thy faith is nmished. Now it Is not onely be hearing of the Avord,
and perception of the sacraraents, that avc nurish faith. The Avord
and the sacraments are not able of themselfis to nmish this faith in
us, except the working of the HaUe Spirit be conjoyned AvIth their
ministerie : But the Avord and sacraraents are said to nurish faith
in om- satdls, because they offer and exhibite Christ to us, quha is
the meat, the drink, and life of our saulls ; and in respect that In
the word and sacraments Ave get Christ, quha is the food of our
saulls, therefore the word and sacraments are sayd to nurish our
sauUs, as is set doAvn, Acts ii. 42, " The disciples of Christ were
earnestUe occupied, and continued in thc apostles' doctrine and
feUowship, and breaking of bread, and prayers ;" be thir means, en-
tertening, augmenting, and nurishing the faith that was begun in
them. Then the Halie Spirit begets this faith, works this faith,
creats this faith, nurishes and entertaines this faith in our satdls, be
hearing of the preached Avord, and be participation of the sacra
ments, quhUk are the ordinau- meanes quhereby the Lord nurishes
us, and continues tlus spirituaU food with us : For, look be quhat
means the spirituaU life is begun, be these same means it is nurished
and entertained, as this temporaU Ufe is entertained and nurished
be the same means quhereby it is begun.
Conclusion, Then seeing be thir means the Haly Spirit begets this work of
with an ex- _ _ ° _ _ _ .1 i. &
hortdtion. faith In our sauls, it is our dutie to crave that he avUI continue the
work qululk he has begun ; and for this cause we suld resort to the
hearing of the word quhen it is preached, and to the receaving of

THE FOURT UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 129
the sacraments quhen they are ministred, that we may be fed in
our sauls to life everlasting. But, alas, we are come to sic a loath,
disdain, and offcastlng of this heavenUe food, in this countrey, that
quhere raen in the beginning would have gane, some twentie mUes,
some fourtle mUes, to the hearing of this word, they wUl scarceUe
now come fra their house to the kirk, and reraain ane hour to hear
the word, but bides at hame. WeUl, I say, over great wealth gars
wit waver, and the abundance of this word engenders sik a loath-
somnes, that it is a rare thing to find out ony that has that thirst
and desire to hear the word as they were wont to have in the be
ginning. And as to our great men they wiU not hear it at aU ; for
they cannot hear the thing that accuses them, and conAdcts them,
but because this word accuses and convicts them, they run fra it.
But they suld not do sa ; they suld not ran fra Chiist, nor fra his
word that accuses them but they suld hear the word, and as the
word accuses them, they suld accuse them selfs also, that thereby
they may corae to a confession of their sin, and obtain mercie for
the same. Sa, quhen Christ accuses thee thou suld not ran fra
him, but thou suld draw neer to him ; thou suld threep kindnes of
him, and make irruption, as it were, and forcibUe enter in his king
dom. It is not the way, quhen thy sinne twitches thee, and quhen
Christ accuses thee, to run fra him : Na ! Thou suld then turn to
him ; thou suld confes thy sin, cry peccavi, and seek mercy ; and
after that thou has gotten mercy, this word saU become als plea
sant to thee, and thou saU take als great deUte to come to the hear
ing of it, as ever thou deUted to fly fra It before. But, alas ! our
lothsomnes and disdaine is grown to sic ane height, that truly I
am moved to beleeve firmly that the Lord has concluded that we
saU not enter In his rest ; and that only for the great contempt of
his mercy and grace, quhUk is now sa richly offered. For why ?
God cannot deal utherwayis Arith us nor he dealt vrith our fore
fathers the IsraeUtes, for the negUgence of the EvangeU, quhilk was
but then obscurely preached ; for then it was far fra the Incarna
tion of Christ ; and the farther that it was fra his Incarnation, the
EvangeU was ay the mair obscurely preached, under dark types and

130 AIR ROBERT BUUCE'S SEKilONS.
shadow. Yit notAvithstanding, the fathers that hard tbat EA-angell
preached, and beleeved it not, they perished all in the Avilderncss,
except twa, as ye have heard sometime fra this place. And gif they,
for the contempt of sa dark ane light, perished, meikle mair man
ye, that are then- chUdi-en, perish, for the conterapt of the Sun of
righteotisnes, quha is risen sa plainUe, and shines sa cleirUe noAV, in
the preaching of the Gospel ; excep.t the Lord, in his mercy, prevent
you ; and except ye prevent His judgement, be earnest seeking ;
and except ye seek a feeling, and seek InAvard senses, that ye raay
see and feel the grace that is offered. Crave again, that he avIU
sanctifie your hearts be repentance, that ye raay repent you of yom-
sins, and take up ane honest and ane godly conversation in aU
time coraraing ; that baith body and saidl may be saved in the day
of the Lord. The Lord Avork this In yom- sauls, that ye may seek
mercie ; and seeking mercie, ye may get mercie ; and in raercie, ye
may get a grip of Christ, and that for his righteous merits : To
quhora, Arith the Father, and the Halie Spirit, be all honor, praise,
and glorie, for noAV and ever. Amen.

THE FIFT AND LAST SEEMON.

UPON THE PREPARATION TO THE LORD S SUPPER.

PREACHED THE SECOND DAY OF MARCH, 1589.

1 Cor. xi. 28.
Let every man therefore examine himself and so let him eat of that
hreade, and drinke of that cup, ^c.
In the Doctrine of our triaU and due exaralnation, the Apostle,
as ye heard, (weU-beloved in Christ lesus,) gave us a speciaU
command, that every ane of us suld try examine narrowlie our selfis ;
that is, that every man suld condescend and enter into his aArin con
science, try and examin the estate of his avrin conscience, in quhat
estate he finds It vrith God, and in quhat estate he finds it with his
neighbour. He enjoynes this tryal to our selfs, and commands that
every ane of us suld take pains upon the true examination of our
consciences ; he injoyns this work to us : Quhy? Be reason na man
knowes sa meikle of me as I do myself; be reason, na raan can be
sure of the estate of ray conscience but I rayself; be reason naman
can sa dUigentUe, nor sa profitably, try my conscience as I myself;
therefore, chiefly, it becomes every raan and woraan, or ever they
enter to the hearing of the word, or give ear to the word, or their
mouth to the sacrament, it becomes thera to try and exaraine their

132 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
awin consciences. Not that the Apostle would seclude the tryaU
of uther men ; for as it is leasum to me to try myself, sa na doubt
it is leasum to my Pastor to try me ; it is leasum to uther men that
has a care over me to try and examine me ; but na man can do this sa
profitably to rae as I myself. And suppose we had never sa mony
examiners and triers, aU Is lost gif we try not our selfs : Sa,
quhither there be a second or a third trier, let our self be the flrst,
and let our self be ane : And na doubt the Apostle's mind has been
this to let us see cleirUe, that he or she that comes to that table
and has not that knowledge, nor is not of that ablUty to try them
selfs, are prophane coraers, comes uncleanly as dogs, and therefore
man come to their awin destruction. Let every raan therefore grow
In knowledge, grow in understanding, gi-ow In the Spirit, that he
raay be the mair able to try and examine his awin conscience.
To the end that ye raight ga fordward, and proceed in the work
of this triad with the better speed, and with the better j^ts, in
this examination we laid doAvn this ordour. First of aU, we let
you see quhat is that quhilk we caU a conscience, and quhat Is
meaned thereby : Nixt, we let you see for quhat causes ye suld put
your consciences to this triaU and narrow examination : And,
thirdUe, sa far as time suffered, we entered into the points quhere-
into every ane of you suld try and examine your avrin consciences.
As to conscience, that ye may caU that definition to your memorie,
I wiU resume It shortUe. We caU a conscience a certain feeUng in
the heart, resembling the righteous judgement of God, foUoAving
upon a deed done be us, floAring of knowledge in the raind ; a feeUng
accompanied Arith a motion in the heart, a motion either of fear
or joy, of trembling or rejoicing. I leave the opening up of thir
parts to your memories ; and I pray God that they may be weUl
sanctified. I come nixt to the causes, quherefore everie ane of you suld be
carefidl in trying and examining your aAvin consciences. The first
cause is : Because the Lord of heaven has his eye continuaUie upon
the conscience ; the eye of God comes never off the conscience and
3

THE FIFT UPON THE SACRtVMENTS,

133

heart of man ; as I proved to you, be sundrie places. Nixt, be rea
son this God has chosen Ids lodgeing, and has sett doAvn his throne
to raake his residence in the conscience : Therefore, that he raay
dweU in cleanness, you ought to have a regard to his dweUing-
place. ThfrdUe, He is the Lord, yea, the oneUe Lord of thy con
science, quha has power onely to controle, quha oneUe has power
to save or to tine ; therfore, that it may do good service to thy awin
Lord, thou ought to take tent to thy conscience. And last of aU,
in respect that the health of thy sauU stands in the estate of thy
conscience ; and gif thy satdl be in good health, thy bodie cannot
be evUl ; therefore, in respect that satdl and bodie depends upon the
estate of the conscience, eyerie ane of you suld carefuUie look to
your consciences. I vriU not ampUfie this, but remits the matter to
your memories, how the health of the sauU and weUfare of the saull
suld be keeped.
Nixt, I come, in the Thrid and last room, to the points, into the
quhilk everie ane of. you suld try and examine your consciences ;
and, as ye remember, I set dovm twa points, quhereinto it behoves
you to put your consciences to triaU. First, to know quhether
your conscience was at peace Arith God, or not : SecondUe, quhether
your conscience was in love, in charitie, and in amitie Arith your
neighbour, or not. Into thir twa points, chlefiie, ye man try and ex
amine your selfis. To ken quhether ye be at peace with God, of
not, ye man try quhether ye be in the faith, or not, (as the Apostle
speaks,) quhether ye be in the faith of Christ, or not : For, being in
the faith, and justified thereby, of force ye man have peace Arith
God, as the Apostle speaks. Then the nixt cair man be to try your
faith, and to see quhether ye have faith, or not. Faith can na ways
be tryed but be the fruits ; faith can not be judged on be me, that
looks on It at the least, but be the effects : Therefore, to try
quhether ye be in the faith, or not, take tent to the fruits, take
tent to thy raouth, take tent to thy hand, take tent to thy words,
and to thy deeds. For, except thou glorifie God in thy raouth, and
confess to thy salvation, and except thou glorifie him also in thy

134 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
deeds, and raake thine haly Ufe to testify of thy haly faith, aU is
but vain, aU is but meer hypocrisie.
How ane sin- Therefore, to know the sinceritie of thy faith, thou man take tent
cere faith is
icnowui. that there be ane harmony betwixt thy hand, thy mouth, and thy
heart ; that there be a mutuaU consent, that thy doings prejudge not
thy heart, that thy mouth prejudge not thy heart, but that mouth
and hand may testifie of the sinceritie of the heart. Gif the heart,
the hand, and the mouth, consent and agree in ane harmonie to
gether, na question, that heart breaks forth in sa good fruits is
coupled vrith God ; there is na question the Ught of thy actions, the
bearas and shining of thy Ufe, saU make tbe narae of thy good God
to be glorified. Therefore, the haUl weight of otu- triaU stands
chieflie upon this point, to see quhether we be in the faith, or not ; to
examin quhether Christ dweUs in us be faith, or not : For, without
faith, there can be na coupUng nor conjoyning betvrixt us and
Christ ; without faith our heart cannot be sanctified and clensed ;
and Arithout faith we cannot work be charitie : sa aU depends on this
ordie. And, therefore, that ye might the better understand quhether
ye have faith, or not, I gaid somequhat mair Idghly In this raatter,
and I begoud to let you see how the Haly Spirit creats faith, and
works faith in your sauls, hearts, and minds. I begoud to let you
see quhat order the HaUe Spirit keeped, in forming and in creating
this notable instrument in your hearts and minds : Not only how
he ingenders and begins faith, but also how he entertelnis it, how he
nourishes it ; and we let you see the externaU means and instru
ments quhilk he usis to this effect.
To beget faith in our satdls, the HaUe Spirit uses the hearing of
the Word preached be him that is sent ; and the ministerie of the
sacraments, as ordinarie means and instruments ; quhUk ordinare
means are oneUe then effectual, quhenas the Haly Spirit concurs in
wardly in our hearts, Arith the Word striking outwardUe In our ear,
and with the Sacrament outwardUe receaved. And except the Haly
Spirit grant his concurrence to the Word and to the Sacrament,
Word and Sacrament vriU not work faith. Sa, aU depends upon

THE FIFT UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 135
the working of this Haly Spirit. The haUl regeneration of man
kind, the rencAving of the heart and of the conscience, depends on
the power of the Haly Spirit ; and, therefore, it becomes us cairfuUy
to imploy our travaUs, in incaUing for his Haly Spirit. Be the sarae
means, and na uther, that the HaUe Spirit begets faith in us, be the
same means he nourishes and augments that quhUk he has begotten.
And, therefore, as we get faith be hearing of the Word, sa, be con
tinuaU and dUigent hearing, we have this faith augmented and
nourished in us. And here I drew out my exhortation, that gif ye
would have that spirituaU life nourished in you, and gif ye would
have a farther assurance of heaven, on force ye man baith continuaUie
and diUgentUe hear the blessed Word of God.
Now, it rests that every ane of you cairfuUie apply this doctrine
to your avrin sauUs, and enter into the tryaU of your awin con
sciences ; to see gif this faith, as I spake, be begun In your hearts
and minds, or not : How far, or how little, the HaUe Spirit has pro
ceeded In that wark, try Arith me, and I with you. The first effect
of the Haly Spirit, quhereby ye may try your mind quhether it be
in the faith, or not, is this : Eevolve in your raeraories, and reraera
ber gif at ony time it pleased the Lord, in his mercie, to turn the
darknes of your raind unto Ught, to raake that darknes quhilk was
vrithin you to depart. Be the quhilk darknes, nather had ye ane
eye to see your selfis quhat ye were be nature, nor yet had ye ane
eye to see God in Christ, nor ony part of his mercie. Examine, I
say, quhether gif this darknes of the naturaU understanding be
turned into Ught, be the working of the Spirit, or not ; gU thou art
become a chUd of the Ught, a chUd of the day ; gif thou art become,
as the Apostle speaks, Ught in the Lord ; gif there be this alteration
made in thy mind, that quhere naturaUy of before it was closed up
in darknes, quhere it was fiUed with vanities and errors, quhere it
Avas closed up in bUndnes ; gif the Lord has at ony time enlightened
the eye of thy mind, and made thee to see thine awin miserie, to
see the uglines of thine aArin nature, to see these hainous sins in
the quhUk be nature thou lyes ; gif he has granted to thee ane in-

136 JIR ROBERT bruce's SERMONS.
sight of thy self in sorae measure : And, upon the uther side, gif he
has granted thee ane out-gate, and has given thee ane insight of the
mercie of God in Christ lesus ; gif thou liaA'C gotten ane insight of
the riches of his grace in Christ : Na doubt, the Halie Spirit has
begun a good work in thee ! A work quliUk avUI bring forth repent
ance, quhilk in his awin time he avUI perfite, Sa, this is the first
care that ye ought to have, and the first point quherin ye ought to
examine yom- rainds, to see gif there be any Ught in it quhereby ye
raay know your misery, and have ane insight of the mercy of God
in Christ.
This being done, that thou finds. a, sight of thu- twa in thy mind ;
fi-a thy mind go to thy heart, and as thou has tryed thy mind, sa
try tliine heart. And first examine the heart, gif it be altered or
not ; gif it be in ony sort reforraed or not, that the avUI of it be
fraraed and bowed to God's obedience ; that the affection be turned
in the love of God, and be poured out on Hira, as It was poured
out on vanities, on filthines, and on the world, of before. Try
quliither the gTOund of the heart, and the fountain quherefra the
motions and affections proceeds, be sanctified, or not : For of ane
haly fountain, haly waters man distUl ; of ane haly fountain, halie
motions, haUe cogitations, and sanctified considerations, man flow.
Try, then, and examine your heart, gif the Spirit of God has
Avrought ony sik reformation (as I spake of) in the heart, or not : And
that thou may take up the working of the HaUe Spirit the better in
thy heart and conscience, quhilk makis chieflie residence in the
heart, I saU lay before thee the first effect that ever the Haly Spi
rit brings forth in thy heart, in framing it, in moUifying It, and in
bowing it to the obedience of God. Thou saU know the working
of the Haly Spirit be this effect, to vrit, gif, as thy mind sees and
beholds quhat is good, sees and beholds thine aAvin miserie, and thy
sins that has casten thee in this miserie, and sees and beholds the
riches of the mercie of God in Christ ; gif, as thy raind sees thir
twa, thy heart be reforraed and prepared, to love the sight of them ;
as thou sees in thy raind the raercie of God, and that in Christ ;
gif thou has ane heart to desire mercie ; gif thou has ane thfrst and

THE FIFT UPON THE SACRiUVIENTS.

137

earnest desu-e to be partaker of mercie ; quhere this desire and thirst
is, there the Halie Spirit is : He has, na doubt, opened the heart.
Upon the uther side, because, as thou sees mercie, thou sees thy
miserie ; gif as thy mind sees the miserie, sees the fountain quhere
fra thy misery flows, to wit, fra thine aArin sins ; gif then thine
heart also hates this, the'_,HaUe Spirit is there. Gif as thou seest
sin, quhUk is the cause of thy miserie, with the eye quhilk is given
thee In thy mind, thou hatest this sin with thy heart, na question,
the Haly Spirit is there : And as thou hatest it, gif also thou sorrow
for it, (for it Is not eneugh to hate it, gif thou lament not the com
mitting of it, and Arith a godUe sorrow deplore it,) the Halie Spi
rit is there. And, thu-dUe, gif Arith thy lamenting thou have a care
and a studie to eschew that sin ; for quhat avaUs it to lament, gif,
Uke a dog returning to his vomit, thou faU in that same gulf again ?
Therefore, quhere there is ane hatred of sin, a sorrow for sin, a care
and a studie to eschew sin, na question, the HaUe Spu-it has opened
the heart, and is AVorking out that precious instrument.
Take up aU this, in a word ; take up aU the operation of the
Haly Spirit, and working in the heart, in a word, and be this
examine thy heart. See and perceave, gif the Halie Spirit has en
tred sa far with thee to work in that hard heart of thine an earnest,
a diUgent study, a carefuU soUcitude, continuaUy to be reconcUed
Arith the great God, quhom thou has offended : Is there sick a thing
as ane thirst and ane desire to be at amitie with Him, quhom thou
has offended ; to be reconcUed with the God of heaven, quhom thou
has offended be thy manifold transgressions ? quhere this care and
study of reconcUiation is, gif this care and study of reconcUiation
be in the heart, there is na doubt, but the heart that thirsts for this
reconcUiation is hearteUe content, not onUe to renounce sin, to re
nounce aU the impieties that severed thee fra God ; but the heart
that is indued Arith this t hirst wUl be heartely content to renounce
it self, to cast dovm it self, for als stubborn as it was of before, to
cast doAvn the self at the feet of the mighty God, and be haiUie
content, in aU times coming, to be ruled be His halie wiU ; not to
foUow the aAvin lust, the awin will and appetite, as it did of before,

138 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
but to resign the self haiUie in the hands of the mightie God, to be
ruled be his wUl at his pleasure, and to obey Ids appetite. And ex
cept ye find this disposition in your avrin heart to quit your selfis,
to renounce your selfis, it is a vain tlung to you to speak that ye
have a thirst to be reconcUed. Sa, the greater thirst of reconcUia
tion that we have, and the mair that this study groAris, the greater
that the apprehension of my raiserie, of the deep gulfis and very
hells (quhereunto my satiUis subject) grows in my satdl, the man-
earnest wald I be to be reconcUed ; and to be reconcUed, I would
not stand, for the renouncing of the lusts of ray heart ; but I would
renounce my heart and the obedience of the wUl and appetite of it,
Quhy ? Because I see I man die for ever, except the Lord recon
cile himself Arith me. I see the huge deeps and oceans of aU mi
sery, in the quhilk I saU faU in the end, except in mercie the Lord
reconcUe himself Arith me. To eschew thir deeps and inconveni
ences, is there ony question, but the heart that hath a sense, and Is
touched with thera, wiU maist AvUUngly quit the self?
Again, seeing the Lord has tane pains to deliver me out of that
deep misery. In the quhilk I drovmed my self, and has purchased
my redemption be sick a costlie price, not with gold nor with sU-
ver, or ony draffe in the earth, but be sick a wonderfuU way, be
sick a pretious price, and rich ransome ! Looking to the greatness
of our raisery, and to the greatnes of the price quhereby he has re-
deeraed us, quhat heart is it but it wUlinglie would renounce the
self to get a part of that rederaption, and to be deUvered out of that
hell quherein we are presentUe, and quherein we wUl be in a greater
measure after this, except we be reconcUed ? Sa, then, with this
choice, there is joined a disposition in the heart, quhereby the heart
is vriUing, in some measure, to renounce the self. This lesson Is
oft told over to us be Christ in his EvangeU. We man either take
up a crosse and renounce our selfis also, or avc cannot follow hira.
The mair that this thirst grows in the heart, the mair this renounc
ing of our selfis grows ; the mair that this thirst decays, and is di
minished in the heart, the mair cleave we to the warld, the mair
cleave we to the flesh, and the mair are avc rtded and g-ilded be

THE FIFT UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 139
them. Sa, ather man we nourish a thirst of righteousness, a hunger
of life everlasting, a thirst of mercie, a hunger of that justice that
is in Christ ; or it is not possible that, in any measm-e, we can be
disciples to him !
Now I ga forward. The heart that after this sort is prepared,
that Arith a thirst to be reconcUed is disposed also to renounce the
selfe, this heart into the quhilk there lyes sa earnest a thirst, is never
frustrate of the expectation ; that greedie heart is never disap
pointed ; but, as the Lord has imprinted in it ane earnest studie
to be reconcUed, and to get a grip of Christ, sa in his mercy he
grants unto that heart the possession of mercie, he puts that heart,
in some measure, in possession of the mercy quhUk it seeks, in pos
session of Christ lesus himself, quhom it seeks. The quhUk ap
prehension of Christ the heart sensiblye feeles and gripes, in that
peace quhUk he gives to the conscience ; sa that the conscience
quhUk was terrified, exceedingUe gnawen, and distracted of before,
be the incomraing of this peace, and of Christ Arith his graces, in
continent it Is quieted and pacified ; there comes a calranes and
soundnes in the heart, and aU troubles and storms are removed.
With this peace is conjoined ane taste of the powers of the world
to come. The heart gets a taste of the sweetnes that is in Christ, of
the joy whUk is in the life everlasting, quhUk taste is the only arUs-
penny of that fuU and perfite joy quhUk sauU and bodie in that Ufe
shaU enjoy. And the arUs-pennie (as ye know) man be a part of
the sum, and of the nature of the rest of the sum. And, there
fore, that arUs-pennie of joy assures us, that quhen we saU get pos
session of the haUl sura it saU be a strange joy. And thir docu
ments holds up the heart, and makes it not to linger nor wearie in
the expectation of that life, but being refreshed now and then there
with, be sa mony arUs-pennies, they assure us of the fuU fi-ui-
tion of that joy for the quhilk, in patience, we wIU sustain aU
troubles. Sa, as the HaUe Spirit works a thirst in us to be at
Christ, a thirst of mercy and reconcUiation with him, the sarae

140 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
Halie Spirit disappoints not that'same expectation nor thirst, but
puts the sauU and heart in possession of Christ ; be the quhUk the
conscience is pacified, the heart Is rejoiced, and Ave get a taste of the
SAveetness, and of the powers of that life to corae. The sensible
feeling of the quhUk taste, that passes aU naturaU understanding,
quhat dois it in ray heart and conscience ? It works a Avonderfidl
assurance and persuasion that God loves rae. The feeling of his
mercie in the bowels of my heart, in the bottom of ray conscience,
works a certain assurance and persuasion that he is my God, that
he wiU save me for Christ's cause; that the promise of mercy, quhiUv
I durst not for ray life apply to ray conscience of before, noAV, be
the feeUng of raercie, I dare bolcUy apply, and say, " Mercie apper
tains to me, life and salvation appertains to me !"
For the conscience being exceedingly terrified, and seeing nothing
in God but fire and wraith. It is not possible but it man flee fra him ;
it cannot approach to ane consuming fire, but fra time the conscience
get a taste of this peace, raercy, and sweetnes, look how fast it fled
fra him off before ! Now, after this reconcUiation, it wiU run als
fast to him, and AriU posses him, mair and man- frdlie. Sa, the as
surance and persuasion of mercie rises of the feeling of mercie in
the heart and conscience : And except the heart feel it, and taste it in
some measure, I dare not, nor na conscience dare, for the life, apply
God and his mercie to the self. I may be sure in generaU, that aU my
sins are remissable, and that I may come be mercie, or I feel it ; but to
apply this mercie in particular to my selfe, quhUl I feel a taste of it
first, I dar not. Sa, this partlctdar application, quhereby we claira God
and Christ, as 23ropertie to us, as gif na raan had title to him but we,
and to caU hira ray God, ray Christ, and to claim his promises, as na
raan had interest to them but avc, this comes of the sense andfeeling of
mercie in the heart : And the mair that this feeUng grows, and the
farther experience that we have in our awin heart of this peace and
mercie, the greater grows our faith and assurance : Our persuasion
becomes sa strong, that Ave dare at last come out Arith the Apostle
and say, " Quhat can twin me fi-a the love of God ? Neither death.

THE FIFT UPON THE SACRAMENTS. Ill
neither life, neither angels, nor principaUties, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to corae, is able to separate me fra the love of
God, quhUk is in Clirist."
This particular appUcation, quhilk rises (na doubt) upon the feel
ing and sense of mercie, is the specifik difference, the chief mark and
proper note quhereby our faith quha are justified in the blood of
Christ, is discerned fra that generaU faith of the Papists. Our faith,
be this particular appUcation, is not onlye discerned fra the gene
raU faith of the Papists, but It Is discerned fra aU the pretended
faithes of aU the sectes in the world. For the Papist dare not ap-
plye the promise of mercy to his aAvin satdl, he compts it presump
tion to say, "I am ane elect, I am saved and justified." And quhere
fra floAvs this, I pray you ? Only fr-a this, that in their conscience
they have ncA'cr felt mercie, they have never tasted of the love, fa
vour, and sweetnes of God. For, look how fast the conscience
flees fra God, before it gets the taste of his sweetnes, it runs als
dUigentUe on him, and tlireapes love on him, after that he has got
ten that taste. Sa, they miserable bodies contents them with this
generaU faith, quhilk is na uther thing bot ane historicaU faith, that
leanes only on the trueth of God, quhereby I know that the pro
mises of God are true : Bot the Papist dare not come, and say,
" They are true in me :" Quhy ? Because he has not felt it, and the
heart of him is not opened. But our justifieing faith, as I tauld you,
consecrates the haUl satdl to the obedience of God in Christ. Sa
that it rests not only upon the truth of God, nor It rests not only upon
the power of God, suppose these be twa chiefe piUars of our faith
also ; but speciaUie and chieflie, it rests upon the mercie of God in
Christ ; it rests also upon the truth and power of God, but speci
aUie upon the promise of grace and mercie in Christ. The satdl of
the Papist, being destitute of the feeling and taste of mercie, dare
not enter in this particular appUcation, and sa he cannot be justifl-
ed. Yea, na doubt, sa mony of them as are justifled, in the mercy
of God gets a taste of his raercie and kindnes, or they die. This far
concenung the effects.
Then ye have onely this to reraeraber ; the opening of the heart,

142 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
the pacifying and quieting of the conscience ; they Avork ane as
surance and a strong persuasion of the raercie of God In Christ.
The raair that the heart be opened, the mair that the conscience be
pacified, the man- that the taste of that sweetnes continue and re
maine, the mair art thou assured of his raercie. Sa, then, would thou
know quhither thy faith be strong or nor, quhither thy persuasion of
God's mercie be starke or not ? Take tent to thy conscience ; gif
thy conscience be hurt, assuredly thou vriU doubt ; and gif thou doubt,
thou cannot have sick a strong persuasion as utherwayis thou would
have gif thy doubting were away. Not that I wUl have faith to be
sa perfit in this life, that there be alwales na doubting joined Arith
it. I claira not to that perfection ; but I say, that ane hurt con
science raan ever doubt, and the raair we doubt, the less is our persua
sion : Sa, the raau- thou hurt thy conscience, the less faith thou has.
Then thou man come to this point : Keep rae a sound conscience,
intertaine peace in thy conscience, and thou saU keep faith, and sail
have thy persuasion in that sarae raeasure that thou has of rest and
peace in thy conscience ; and the mair that thy conscience be at
peace and rest, the greater saU thy faith and persuasion be. Sa
this ground holds fast, ane doubting conscience makes a weak faith ;
and the raair the doubting in the conscience be, the weaker is the
faith. Then the apostle lies not, quha says, that " faith dweUs In a
good conscience," that faith is locked and closed up in a good eon-
science. Sa that, gif ye keep a good conscience, ye saU keep a
strong faith, and gif ye hurt your conscience ye saU hurt your faith.
Now, to make this mair sensible, how can I be persuaded of his
mercie quhais anger I feel kindled against me, and against whom
ray conscience shewes rae to be guUtie of raany offences ? Na ques
tion, sa lang as the sense of his anger and feeUng of ray offences
bides, I camiot have a starke persuasion that he wUl be raercifidl to
rae ; but quhen I get access to his countenance, and ane sight that
he has forgiven me, then I begin to be persuaded. Sa keep a good
conscience, and thou saU keep faith ; and the better that thy con
science be, the starker man thy faith be.
Exhortation. Thcu tliB haU cxhortatlon that we gather on this point depends

THE FIFT UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 143
upon this : That everie ane of you, in quhat ranke sa ever ye be,
take tent to your conscience ; for losing- it ye loose faith, and
loosmg faith ye loose salvation. Be ye in the rank of great raen,
ye aught to take tent to your consciences ; speciaUie, in respect
that the Lord has placed you in ane great caUIng. Ye have raony
things quherein ye aught to controle your consciences ; ye aught to
crave the advise of your conscience or ever ye put your hand to
onie work, in respect ye are bound to maidfold duties to God and
to your Inferiors ; and na doubt, gif some of our great men had ad
vised weiU, these dissolutions had not faUen out Into their aArin bodies.
Thir oppressions of the poor, thir deadUe feids Arith their awin
companions, would not burst out in sick ane high measure, gif they
. had advised weUl with their consciences. But the Lord seeing them
take sa Uttle tent to their consciences, he spoUes them of faith and
of 1ihe hope of mercie ; and out of question, ye saU see their end
miserable ; ye saU see them spectacles of the judgements of God ;
they that has eyes to behold it saU see the God of heaven make
thir men, quha gals sa dissolutely to work, spectacles of his judge
ments to the world ; for the Lord leaves not sic men unpunished !
Be their exaraple, it were verie necessare that men of inferior
ranks suld take tent to their consciences ; and, therefore, let everie
man, according to his calling, examine his calling be the rule of his
conscience. And speciaUie, this becoras you that are Judges : It becomes
you, before ye pronounce and gif forth judgeraent, to advise Arith
your conscience and law thereof, and in judgeraent not to foUow
your affection, but to foUow the rule of your conscience. Like
wise, ye that are of inferior ranks to Judges, and ye that are advo-
cats, controUe your doings be your conscience, and give not the
leages nor subjects of this country just cause to complain on you ;
terrific them not fra the pleading of justice be exorbitant prices, and
extraordinair kind of doing, but moderate aU your actions sa that
they agree with the rale of your consciences, that, sa far as in you
Ues, justice cease not. This that I speak to them, I speak to you

144 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
of the merchant estate also : See that ye look not sa racikle to this
or to that, as to the conscience that Is in you ; quhat in conscience
yc may do, according to the measure of knoAvledge that God has
placed in you; and quhatever ye do, beware ye do not against
your knoAvledge. I grant your knoAvledge wiU not be so learned
as it suld be, and this makes mony deformed actions ; yit let not a
man do against his knoAvledge, but let everie man doe according to
the raeasure of knowledge quherewith God has indued him : And
suppose it be not weUl reformed, yit or thou do be guess, be ad\ ised
Arith thy conscience, and foUow thy knoAvledge ; for that quhUlc is
done doubtingUe is sin. Sa, quhatever thou do, let not thy eye,
thy hand, nor any member of thy bodie, do against thy knowledge,
for this Is a step to that high sin against the HaUe Spiiit. This is
the readie way to put aU knowledge out of your mind ; for gif men
do against knowledge, and continue in doing against kiiOAvlcdge, at
last they wiU become a mass of darkness ; the Lord avUI scrape all
knoAvledge out of their mind, and aU feeling of mercie out of their
heart, giff they keep it not better ; therefore, every ane of you, fol
low your knoAvledge, and according to the measure of your know
ledge let yotu actions proceed.
Faith is the It has plcascd thc Lord to pour this Uquor, this precious oint-
God. ment In us, suppose we be eartldy and lame vessels, miserable crea
tures, yit it has pleased our gratious God to pour sic a precious
liquor in our hearts and minds, and to concredit sick ane jeweU in
our hands and keeping, that be the A'erttie of this liquor wc may
take hold on Christ, quha is our justice, otu- Avisdom, sanctification,
and redemption. Suppose we be miserable creatures, yit the Lord
of his mercie has a respect to us in Christ, in giving us this pre
cious Uquor, quhereby our sauls may be seasoned to Ufe eA'erlasting.
In this, that he poAvres it in our hearts, we see clearUe that it grows
not in our hearts, nor breeds not in our nature. Na ! this gift of
faith is not at man's comraand, nor under his aiLitrament, as gif it
lay in his hand to beleeve or not to beleeve, as he pleases. It is

THE FIFT UPON THE SACRAMENTS.

145

the gift of God, poured doAvn freelle of his undeserved grace, in the
riches of his mercie In Christ.
That it is a gift, ye see clearUe, 1 Cor. xU. 1, quhere the Apostle
sayis. And to an uther is given faith be the same Spirit ; as also,
PhU. I. 29, quhere he sayis : For unto you it is given, for Christ's
cause, that not oneUe ye suld beleeve in him, but also suffer for his
sake. Sa faith is the gift of the Halie Spirit : and this gift is not
given to aU men and women, as the Apostle plainUe declares, " AU
has not faith." This gift, suppose it be glA'cn, It is not given to all,
but is onely given to the elect, that is, to sa mony as the Lord has
appointed to life everlasting. This gift, quhere ever it is, and in
quhat heart soever it be, it is never idle, but perpetuaUie working,
and working weUl be love and charitie, as the Apostle saith. Gal.
V. 6. This gift, quhere ever it be, is not dead, but quick and lively,
as the Apostle laraes saith, in his second chapter. And to let you
know quhither It be Uvely and working or not, there is not a way
but to look to the fruits and effects that flows fra it.
And, therefore, that ye, be your awin effects, may be the mair as- certain ef-
sured of the goodness of your faith, I avUI give you three speciaU by ^n "raay"
effects to look on, be the quhilk ye raay judge upon the goodness ^avrffifh"*
of your faith. First of aU, look to thy heart, and cast thine eye on
it : Gif thou has a desire to pray, a desire to crave raercy for thy
sins, to incaU upon God's haUe name for mercie and grace ; gif there
be sick a thing in thy heart as ane desire to pray ; gif there be ony
piece of thine heart incUned, and has a thirst to seek after mercie
and grace ; suppose the greatest part of thy heart repine, and would
draw thee fra prayer, yit assuredUe that desire that thou has In any
measure to prayer is the trae effect of the right faith. Gif thou
have a heart to pray to God, suppose this desfre be but slender, as
sure thy self thy sauU has Ufe, for prayer is the life of the sauU, and
maks the taith UveUe ; for why ? Prayer Is God's avrin gift ; it is not
our gUt, for gif it were ours it would be evUl ; but it is the best gift
that ever God gave man, and sa it man be the gift of his awin Haly
Spirit, and being his awin gift, it man make our faith Uvely. Beside
this, thou art not able, nor thou dare not call upon him in quhom

14(5 JIK ROBERT bruce's SERMONS.
thou beleeves not, as the Apostle saith, Eom. x. 14. For gif I in
treat him be prayer, I raan trust in hira. Then prayer Is a certain
argument of justifying faith and beleif in God, for I cannot speak
to him, let be to pray to hira, in quhom I trust not. And suppose
the heart be not ftiUie resolved, and weUl disposed, yit gif there be
any part of the heart that inclines to prayer, stick be It ; It is a sure
gage that that part beleeves.
The second effect, whereby thou saU know quhither faith be in
thee or not, is this ; look and advise with thy self, gif thy heart can
be content to renounce thy rankour, to forgive thy grudges, and
that freeUe for God's cause. May this be done be thee ? and wiU
thou forgive thy neighbour as fi-eely as God has forgiven thee ?
AssuredUe, that is the effect of the right Spirit, for nature could
never give that. There Is nothing quhereunto nature bends the
self mair nor to rankour and envie ; and there is notldng quherein
nature places her honour mair guckedly nor in privie revengement.
Now, gif thy heart be sa tamed and brought doAvn, that It wdl wiU-
IngUe forgive the injurie for God's cause, that is the effect of the
right Spirit. This is not my saying, it is Christ's saying. Mat.
vi. 14, quhere he saith, " Gif ye do forgive men their trespasses,
your heaA'enUe Father avUI also forgive you ;" and 15th verse : " But
gif ye do not forgive men their trespasses, na mair wUl yom-
heavenUe Father forgive you your trespasses." Sa Avould Christ
say, " He that forgives wrongs, saU get wrongs forgiven hira ; but
he that avIU revenge his Avrongs, wrong saU be revenged upon him."
Therefore, as thou would be spared In thy Avrongs done to the
mightie God, spare thou thy neighbour. I AriU not insist ; examine
quhither ye have faith or not, examine it be prayer, examine it be
the discharge of your awin privie grudges ; for gif ye want thir ef
fects, ane heart ftdl of rankour, ane heart void of prayer, is ane heart
faithless, and meet for heU.
The third effect of faith is compassion ; thou man bow thy heart,
and extend thy pitie, upon the poore merabers of Christ's bodie, and
suffer them not to lack gif thou have ; for except yc have tlus cora
passion, ye have na faith. Exaraine your selfs be thir three effects ;

THE FIFT UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 147
and gif ye find thir. In any measure, howbeit it were never sa smaU,
you have the right faith in your heart ; the faith that you have is
true and UveUe, and assuredUe God avIU be merciftdl to you.
This faith of ours, suppose it be Uvely, yit it is not perfect In this our faith
' ^^ *> ' •' ¦*¦ man be con-
world ; but everie day, and everie hour, It craves a continuaU aug- tinnaiiy nu-
' •" _ ' . . ° rished, be-
mentatlon, it craves ever to be nurished ; for the quhUk increase, cause it is
... . -, -I- 1 joyned with
the apostles theraselves, Luke xatu. 5, incaUed and said : " Lord, doubting.
increase our faith." And our Master commands us to pray, and
say, " Lord, increase our faith ; I beUeve, Lord, help my unbeUef."
Then Christ's comraand lets us see clearely, that this faith ralsters
continuaUy to be nurished and helped, and it cannot be helped but
be prayer ; sa we suld alwayis continue in prayer. That this faith
suld be helped, and that we suld be perpetuaUie upon our guard, in
feare and trembling to get it augmented, the terrible doubtlngs, the
wonderftdl pits of desperation into the quhUk the dearest servants
of God are casten, dois clearely teach : For the best servants of
God are exercifeed Arith terrible doubtlngs in their satdls, with won
derfuU stammerings, and they avUI be brought at sometimes, as ap
pears in their awin judgement, to the verie brink of desperation.
Thir doubtlngs and stamraerings lets us see, that this faith of ours
would be perpetuaUie nurished, and that we have need continuaUie
to pray for the increase of it. It pleases the Lord, at sometiraes,
to let his servants have a sight of themselfes, to cast them doAvn,
and to let them see how ugUe sin is : It pleases him to let them
faU m the bitterness of sin, and to quhat end ? Not that he vriU
devour them, or suffer them to be swaUowed up be desperation.
Suppose Ezekiah cries out, that, "like ane hungrie lyon, the Lord
Is Uke to devour hun, and bruise him in pieces," yit the Lord suf
fers hUn not to dispafr. And suppose David cry, " I cannot away
vrith his consundng fire, I may not bide the fire of the Lord's
jealousie," yit he dispafrs not. But the Lord casts his servants very
low ; to quhat end ? To the end that they may feel, ia thefr hearts
and consciences, quhat Christ suffered for them m the yard, and on
the cross, in sauU and bodie : Yea, we would think that there had

148 MR KOBERT BRUCE' S SERMONS.
been plaine coUusion betAvixt the Father and the Son, and that his
suffering had been na s-dfferlng, except we felt in otu- sauUs, In some
nieastu-e, the heU quhilk he sustained in ftdl measure. Sa, to thc
effect that we might cleareUe understand the bitternes of sin, that
we might know how far we are addetted to Christ quha suffered
sicke torments for our sin, and that wc may be the mair able to
thank him, and to praise his liaUe name, he suffers his awin servants
to doubt, but not to dispair ; he forgives thir doutlngs, he forgi^¦cs
thir stammerings, and in his awin tune he supports thera, and brings
us to the Avaters of life.
'nd'f ''"h Thir doubtlngs, as I have oft spoken, may lodge in ane satdl Avith
may lodge faith, for doubting and faith are not extremely opponed. OneUe
in ane saull. ... . ./ rr
faith and dispau- are extreraeUe opponed ; and, therefore, faith and
dispair cannot baith lodge in ane sauU, for dispau- cuts the piUars
of hope, and quhere there Is na hope there can be na faith. But as
to doubting, it man lodge. It will lodge, and has lodged, in the satdls
of the best servants that ever God had. Look to the apostle, " We
are alwayis in doubt," saith he, " but we dispair not.'' Sa, doubt
ing and faith may lodge in ane sauU ; and quherefra flows this
doubting ? We know that in the regenerate man there is a rem
nant corruption, for we get not our heaven in this earth ; suppose
we begin our heaven here, we get It not ftdlie here : And gif aU
corruption were away, quhat stdd there rest but a fidl heaven here ?
Sa it is oneUe begun In this life and not perfited ; therefore, there
remains in the sauU a gi-eat corruption quhilk is never idle, but con
tinuaUie occupied. This corruption Is ever bringing forth the birth
of sin ; part less, part raau- : Everie sin hurts the conscience ; ane
hurt conscience irapairs the persuasion, and sa comes in the doubt
ing. For there is not a sin that we commit but it banishes
Ught, and casts a slough over the eye of our faith, quhereby
we doubt and stammer in our sight. And were not the Lord, of
his mercy, takes us up, gives us the gift of repentance, and makes
us every day, als oft as we sin, to cry als oft for mercy, and sa to
repau- the loss that we have of faith, to repair the loss quhilk
we have of the feeUng of mercie, we would gang on and halely put

THE FIFT UPON THE SACRAJIENTS. 149
¦ out that same Ught. But It pleases the Lord, suppose we be everie
day sinning, to give us the gift of repentance ; and be repentance
to repair our faith, to repair the sense and feeUng of mercie in us,
and to put us in that sarae estate of persuasion quherein we were
of before. Therefore, gif God begin not, continue not, and end not
vrith mercie, in that same raoraent that he abstracts his mercie fi-a
us we AvUl decay. Sa, ye man be diligent IncaUers for mercie ; ye
man be instant continuaUie In seeking to have a feeling of mercie.
Thus far for the doubting.
Now, howsoever it be sure and certain that the faith of the best ^ aoubtinu
^ and a weak
chUdren of God is stibiect to doubting, yit it Is as sure and certain '"¦''» '^ ^""'•
•> ^' •' and sail
that it is never haiUie extinguished ; albeit it were never so weak, never haii.
. . ^^^ decay.
yit it saU never utterUe decay and perish out of the heart quherein
it makes ains residence. This comfort and consolation the Spirit
of God has set down in his word, to hold up the troubled heart,
that hoAvsoever faith be weak, yet a weak faith is faith : and quhere
that faith is there man be ever mercie. Ye have in Eom. xi. 29,
that the gifts and caUing of God are Arithout repentance. But among
aU his gifts that are of this sort, faith is ane of the chiefest, there
fore, it cannot be revoked again. Ye have in Jude 3, that faith is
ains given to the saints ; ains given, that is constantly given, never
to be changed, nor utterUe tane fra them. The Lord wiU not re
pent him of this gift ; but the satdl quhUk he has loved ains he
AvUl love perpetuaUy. It is trae and certain that the spunks of
faith quhUk are kindled in the heart be the Spirit of God, certain it
is, they may be smored for a long time, they may be covered with
the ashes of our aArin corruption, and Arith our awin ill deeds and
vrickednes in the quhilk we faU ; it is trae that the effects of a UveUe
faith wUl be interrupted, and that thy lusts and affections Avill pre-
vaUe for a long time, sa, that quhen thou looks on thy selfe, upon
the judgements of God that hangs on sauU and bodie, and quhen
thou looks upon thy dissolute life, and on the anger of God against
this dissolute Ufe, in the mind, in the heart and conscience of
him that has sa smored and oppressed his faith, it wUl oft tiraes
corae to pass in his awin judgeraent, having his eyes fixed on hlra-
K

150 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
self onlie, that he avIU thinke him to be a reprobate, to be ane offcast,
and never able to recover mercie. Quhere this corruption bursts
forth in gross manner, after that the Lord has caUed thee, look how
soon the Lord begins to walken thee again, incontinent thou fixes
thine eyes upon thine avrin life, and enters in a deep consideration,
as weiU of the gravity of thy sin as of the weight of the Avrath of
God, quhUk thou sees foUoAring thereon, and is so laith to remit thy
cogitation to pans upon the deepnes of the mercie of God ; stand
ing fixed In this consideration, it cannot bot corae to pass, in thy
awin judgement, bot thou art ane offcast ! And yet, God forbid it
were sa r for suppose these spunks of the Spirit be covered be the
corruption that is within thy satiU, yet these spunks are not haUlie
put out.
offeittsu'^! And to let you see that they are not put out, suppose they burst
pose they be jjq^ forth in the outwarde effects, that the world may know thee to
smored, they ' -'
are not hail- be auc falthfuU man, as it wont to doe, yet thir spunks are not idle,
lie put out, ' . .
nor are not and thou saU find them not to be idle in thee. As for the conflr-
idle. . 1.11
raation of ray arguraent, that howsoever our bodies be loosed to all
dissolution, after our effectuaU caUing Arithin us in our sauUs, and
that yet the spunks are not idle, ye see, that suppose the fire be
covered Arith the ashes, yet it is a fire ; there Is na man vriU say that
the fire is put out, suppose it be covered. Na mair is faith put out
of the satdl, suppose it be sa covered, that It neither shewe hue nor
light, outwardUe. Example of this we have cleareUe in David :
After his lamentation, in that psalrae of repentance, Psal. 11. 11, he
prays to God in thir terras : " Cast me not away from thy pre
sence !" And quhat subjoines he? "And take not thine HaUe
Spirit from me." Had he not lost the Spirit be his adultery and
murther ? Na : for he would not have said then, " take it not from
me," but " restore it to me." It is true, he uses sick fashion of
language, as Psal. Ii. 12, he says, " Eestore to rae the joy of thy
salvation ;" not that he lacked the Spirit hailUe, but that the Spirit
lacked force in hira, and raistered strengthening and fortification.
It would be steered up, that the flame of it might appear. Therefore,
I say, in respect David says sa clearUe, after his adulterie and mur-

THE FIFT UPON THE SACKAAIEXTS. 151
ther, "Take not thy Spirit from me," it is a certain arguraent
that the faithfiiU has never the Spirit of God ahvays tane fra them
in their greatest dissolutions.
The second point is this. How prove I that thir spunks are not
idle, suppose the outward effects be Interrapted? As David felt
this in his conscience, so every ane of you raay feel it in your awin
consciences. The Spirit of God in raan's heart can not be idle, but
thir spunks, in the raean time that the body is casten loose to aU
dissolutions, thir spunks are accusing thy dissolution, are finding-
fault vrith thy manners ; thir spunlcs suffers thee not to take the
pleasure of the body vrithout great bitterness, and continuall re
morse. And thir spunks quhere they are, they wUl raake the saull
quherein they dweU to utter thir voices, at ane time or uther, ains in
the twentie-four hours : " Alas, I am doing the UI quhUk I would
not do ! Gif I had power and strength to resist my affection, and gif
I might be master of my affection, I would not for aU the world do
the quhUk I do. Again, gif I had power to do the good quhilk I
would do, I would not leave it undone for aU the world." So thir
spunks, suppose they have not sic force and strength presentUe as
to resist the affection, and to hold the UI turns undone, yet perpe-
tualUe in the heart they are finding fault with thy corruption, and
suffers thee not to take thy pleasure Arithout pain ; but, last of aU,
makes thee to utter thir voices : " Gif I had strength to resist, I
would not do the UI quhUk I do 1" Quhere thir voices are, na ques
tion they are the voices of a sauU quhilk the Lord has begun to
sanctifie ; and being ains sanctified, in despite of the diveU and of
the corruption that is in us, this faith shaU never perish ! But gif
the haiU sauU, Arithout contradiction, with a greedy appetite and
pleasure be carried to iU, and has na sorrow for it, that saull Is In ane
iU estate : I can look for nothing to sick a sauU but death, except
that the Lord prevent them. But quhere this remorse and sorroAv,
and sick voices are in the sauU, that satdl, in the time that God has
appointed, saU recover strength : The Lord saU never suffer these
spunks to be haUUe tane away ; but in his awin time he saU fortifie
them, and make them to break out before the world in good works.

152 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
The Lord in his awin time he avUI sanctifie thera ; he avIU scatter
the ashes of corruption, stir up the spunks, and make thera to
break out In a better Ufe nor CA'er they did before ; as ye may
clearly see that David's repentance has done mair good to the Kirk
of God nor gif he had never faUen. Thus far concerning the effects.
Similitudes Supposc the effccts of repcutauce be interrurited, yet these spunks
shewing ^ ^ ^ , , i /.
that the are not extingiushed : For, there is no man will think that the fire
faith, sup- quhUk Is covered A\dth ashes is extinguished, but being stirred up
covered, are UI the moming. It wUl bum as clearUe as it did In the night before.
guished." There Is na man wUl count the trees, that now. In the tirae of win
ter, wants leaves, fi-uit, and externaU beautie, to be dead ; there Is
na raan AviU count the sun to be out of the lift, suppose it be over-
clad with a cloud of darkness and mist. There is a great difference
betAvixt a sleepy disease and death ; for men are not dead suppose
they be sleepand ; and yet there Is nothing Uker to death nor sleep.
As there is great odds betArixt a drunken man and a dead man, sa
there Is great odds betwixt the faith that lurks for a quhiU, and
utters not the self, and the light that is utterUe put out. Quhen
AVC burst not forth in outAvard deeds, God forbid that we stdd think
that thir spunks are haUUe extinguished : Indeed, the sauU that Is
visited after foul defections fra his caUing, and against his know
ledge, or this saul recover the forraer beauty it is in a strange danger.
For gif the Lord suffer thy corruption to get loose, in sik sort that
it Carrie thee as it avIU, and be aU raeans possible raake thee to la
bour to put out the spunk of regeneration, quhen the Lord begins
to chaUenge thee, or to gar thee render a corapt of thy bygane Ufe,
the sauU of that man, quhen it is chaUenged, is in great danger.
So that, na question, when the Lord begins to lay to your charge
your dissolute Ufe, the contempt and abuse of your caUing, assured-
lie your sauls are so near the brink of desperation that there can
be nothing nearer. For, avUI thou look to God, thou wiU see
nothing but his anger kindled as ane fire against thee ; vriU thou
look to thyself, thou wUl see nothing but sin provoking his anger ;
thou wUl see the contempt and abuse of thy calUng raultiplying his
anger ; thou avUI see nothing but raatter of despair.

THE FIFT UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 153

A sure rn-
treat to re-

And quhat is the best piUar and surest retreat quhereupon sick
a saull that Is so near to the brink of desperation raay repose ? Ip?^°^°°'|,°„,
AviU give thee ane help quhereupon quhen thou art assaulted be aU tutions.
high tentations thou may repose : quhen there is nathing before
thee but death, quhen thou sees the diveU accusing thee, thine awin
conscience bearing hira Aritness against thee, thy life accusing thee,
and the abuse of thy caUing accusing thee, quhere saU thou go ? Go
back over again, to thy bygane experience, cast over thy memorie,
and remember gif God at any time In any sort has loved thee ; gif
ever thou has felt the love and favour of God in thy heart and con
science : Eemember gif ever the Lord has sa disposed thy heart, that
as he loved thee thou loved hkn, and had a desire to get hira. Ee
member on this, and repose thine assurance on this, that as he loved
thee ains, he AviU love thee ay, and avIU assuredUe restore thee to
that love or thou die. The heart that felt ains this love of God
sail feel it again ; and look quhat gift, or grace, or quhat taste of the
power of the world to come, that ever the Lord gave to his crea
tures in this Ufe, to that same degree of raercie he saU restore his
creature or ever it depart this life. So the satdl that Is tossed Avith
high assaidts and great dangers, quhere present things AriU not help,
it Is necessare that it have recourse to bigane things, and keep in
raemorie the bigane experience of mercie quhilk the Lord has freely
shoAvn tOAvard that saul. This sarae memory saU be so pleasant to
the sauU that it saU stay it presently fra desperation, and uphold it
unto the time the Lord pacific that heart, and give comfort to that
sauU ; quhUk being done, that satdl saU see that howsoever he was
angry, he was angry only for a quhile.
I speak thir things, not that I think that every ane of you has a lesson.
tasted of them ; and yet in some measure the servants of God man
taste of them, and ye that has not tasted, of them may taste of them
or ye die. And, therefore, quhither ye have tasted or not tasted
them, it cannot be but profitable for you to lock up this lesson in
your hearts, and remember on it faithfidly, that gif the Lord at any
time put at your hearts, ye may remember and say with yotu-selfs,
" I gat a lesson, to gang back to my bigane experience, and thereon

154 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
to repose." And suppose ye be not put at presently yourselfs, yet
quhen ye visit them that are troubled in conscience, let thfr .things
be proponit to them as comforts, and use them as medicaments
maist raeet to apply to the grief of the inward conscience, and so
ye saU raake your fruit of this doctrine, and possess your sauls in a
good estate. This far for the first point, quherein every ane of you
ought to try and examine yom- consciences.
quhilk is the The second point is this, try quhither ye have love towards your
of°our tiMi. neighbour or not, for as we are coupled with God be faith, sa be
the band of love we are coupled with our neighbour ; and gif ye
want love ye can have no society with your neighbour, for love is
the chief and principaU branch that springs of the root of faith.
Love is that celestial glue that conjoyns aU the faithftiU merabers
in the unity of ane raysticaU body. And seeing that religion was
Instituted of God to serve as ane pathway to convey us to our chief
felicitie, and happle we cannot be except we be lUic unto our God,
like unto him we cannot be except we have love, for as it is set
dovni, 1 lohn iv. 8, " God is love." So, seeing God is love itself,
quhosoever wUl resemble hira raan be indued with the oU of love.
This only ane arguraent testifies to us that this love is ane princi
paU butt quhereunto aU things that are commanded in religion aught
to be referred. To spend long time in the praise of love, it saU be
no ways necessare, seeing- the Haly Scripture resounds in blazing
the commendation of it ; but that we speak not of a thing ambi
guous, we saU let you see how this word is considered and tane
in the Scrij^tttrcs.
LoA'C is considered, either as a spring and fountain quherefra the
rest proceeds, that is, for thc Ioa'C whereby we love God. And as
love comes first fra God, and is poured be his HaUe Spirit in our
hearts, so, it first redounds upward, and strikes back upon himself,
for the love of God man ever go before the love of the creature.
Next, Ave take this Avord for that love quhereby we love God's
creatures, our neighbours, and speciaUy them that are of the famUy
of faith. And, thirdly, it is tane for the deeds of the Second Table,

liow the
vvux'd luve
riiiie ill the

THE FIFT UPON THE SACRAMENTS,

155

quhilk flows fra this love. Now, quhen I speak of love, I speak of
it as in the second signification, to wit, as it is tane for the love of
our neighbour : And taking It so, I caU love the gift of God poured The deflui.
in the hearts of raen and women, be the quhUk gift we first love
God in Christ our Saviour ; and, next, in God, and for God's cause,
we love aU his creatures, but chiefly our brethren that are of the
famUie of faith, the chUdren of ane comraon Father with us.
We wiU exaralne this definition. I say, first, the love of God, of our lovo
, 1 il 1 ¦ towards
as it comes fra God, it returns to God ; as it comes down fra hira, ood.
sa it strikes upward to him again ; and Is it not good reason ? For
quhy ? Let thy heart fixe thy love as lang as thou wUl upon the
creatures, thou saU never be satiate, nor thy affection sail never be
content, except thou get a grip of God. But gif ains thou love
God in thy heart, and cast thy affections upon him, and get ains a
grip of hira, the longer thou love hira, the greater satiety and con
tentraent saU thou have ; thou saU not thirst for ane uther. For, as
to the creatures, there is never a creature that God created, but it
is stamped vrith his aAvin stamp, and every creature bears his image ;
and looking to the image of God in the creature, suld it not draw
thee to him, that thou fix not thy heart upon the creature ? for his
awin image in his creature suld lead thee to himselfe. And,
therefore, the raair that thou knowes the creatures, the greater va-
rietie of knowledge that thou has of the creatures, the mair suld
every particular knowledge of them drawe thee to God, and the
mair suld thou wonder of thy God and know thy duty towards him.
And seeing that delite flowes of knowledge, and that every know
ledge has the avrin delite with it ; as the varietle of knowledge that
rises upon the creatures suld make the mind to mount up to the
knowledge of God, sa the varietle of deUtes that rises upon the di
versitie of this knowledge stdd move the heart upward to the love
of God ; and the heart, getting a grip of God, and being seased
with the love of God, and the mind being occupied with the true
knowledge of God, so soon as heart and mind is ftiU of God, the
heart is quiet and the mind is satisfied. So that the raair this knoAv-
lerlge grows in thy mind, the greater contentment has thou, and the

].3l> AIR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
mair the love of him groAvs in thy heart, the greater joy and re-
joising has thou in thy sauU. For quhy ? In God ye have not
only all the creatures, but ye have lumself beside the creatures :
And, therefore, in God ye havc aU the knoAvledge and delite that
can rise of the creatures ; and beside the creatures, ye have God
hmiselfe, quha Is the Creator. And sa I say, the mind of raan can
never quiet the selfe in the knoAvledge, nor the heart can never
settle the selfe in the love, of naked creatures ; In respect they are
floAving aud Aanitie, as Soloraon caUs thera ; but in the infinite
God, rightUe knoAvin, and earnestUe loved, the raind saU see a fidl
rest, and the heart saU have a perfite joy. For our affection is sa
insatiable that na finite thing wUl satisfie it, nor there can be na
solid settling upon the thing that is transitorious ; sa the loA-'e aught
to strike upward and redotmd first to God, in quhais face the heart
sail find ftiU and pei-fite joy.
Of love to- The second argument that I use is this : Seeing there is only ane
waids our ° b J
neigiibuur. prcccpt Icft bc OUT Mastcr in recommendation to be observed be us,
to Avit, that every ane of us suld love anuther, therefore, our wise
Master, understanding well that quhere love was there mistered na
ma laAvs, that the Ufe of man be love only behoved to be maist hap
py, left only the same in chief recommendation, and takes up the
haUl Law and EvangeU in a Avord, love. And gif the heart of man
Avere indued Avith love, his life might be raaist happy and blessed ;
for there is nothing makes this life happy but the resemblance and
likelihood that we have with God. The nearer we draw to God, the
mair blessed is om- Ufe ; for there cannot be sik a happy Ufe as the Ufe
of God. Now, sayis lohn in his Ist Epistle iv. 8, " God is love,"
therefore, the mair Ave draw near to love, the mau- near are we to that
happy Ufe ; for we are in God, and partaker of the life of God. Quhen
I speak this, ye man not tlunk that love in God and love in us Is ane
thing ; for love is but a qtiaUty in us, and it is not a quality In God ;
there is nothing in God but that qtthUk is God ; so love in God Is his
aAvin essence ; therefore, the raair ye groAv in love, the nearer ye draAv
to God and to that happy and blessed life. For there is nathing mair
profitable, mair agreeable, and convenient to nature, nor to love, and

THE FIFT UPON THE SACRAMENTS. 157
above all things to love God ; and therefore It is, that God and his
angels are maist happy and blest, because they love aU things, and
desires ever to doe good. On the uther side, there is nothing mair
unhappy, nothing mair noysum, mair hurtfuU, and that eats up
nature mair, nor to burn Arith envie and hatred ; and herefore it Is
that the devUs are raaist ralserable, quha torments themselves with
continuall maUce and hatred, burning with ane vehement appetite
to be noysum to aU creatures. So, as the life of the devUl is maist
unliappy, because he is ftdl of envie and malice, siclike our life man
be maist happy gif we be fidl of love. To speak of love I wIU na
farther : OneUe, gif avc have love, marke the effects of it, set down,
1 Cor. xiu. 4, 5, 6, 7, verses ; quhUk effects, gif ye have not in some
measure, ye have not true love.
I end here. Ye see in quhat points every ane of you ought to be conclusion,
prepared ; ye man be indued with this love, and ye man be indued hortation.
with faith, and gif ye have thir in onie smaU measure, gang boldly
to the hearing of the word and to the receaving of the sacrament.
This is the preparation that we aUow of : I grant, the Papists has a
preparation, but nothing Uke to this ; and, therefore, they can have
na Avarrand of the Word of God. Last of aU, seeing we are com
manded to try our selfs, he that lacks knowledge cannot try him
selfe : A furious man cannot try hiraselfe, a chUd cannot try him
selfe, therefore, they ought not to come to the Table. AU thir
things being weUl considered, he that has faith and love. In ony
kind of measure, let hira corae to the Table. And aU thir things
servis, as weUl for the hearing of the word finiitfidly, as for the re
ceiving of the sacrament. Therefore, the Lord of his mercie iUu-
rainate your rainds, and work some measure of faith and love in
your hearts ; that ye may be partakers of that heavenly Ufe offered
in the word and sacraments ; that ye may begin your heaven here,
and get the ftdl fraition of the life to come, and that in the right
eous merits of Christ lesus : To quhom, with the Father, and the
Halie Ghaist, be aU honor, praise, and glorie, for now and ever.
Amen.

SERMONS
PREACHED
IN THE KIRK OF EDIN-
burgh, be M. Robert Bruce, Mi-
nifter of Chrifts Evangel there: as they
wer received from his mouth :
Meet to comfort all file as are
troubled, ather in bodie
or minde.
THE NVMBER OF THE SER-
mons, ar fet doun in the Page
following.

Edinbvrgh
PRINTED BE ROBERT
VValde-graue, Printer to the
Kings Majeftie. 1591.
Cum priuilegio Regali.

THE NVMBEE OF THE SEE-
mons contained in this booke.

6 Vpon the 38. chap, of Ifaiah.
2 Vpon the 76. Pfalme.
1 Vpon the 40. Pfalrae.
1 Vpon 2. Tiraoth. 2. 22. &c.
1 Vpon 2. Tiraoth. 2. 15.

TO THE
RIGHT HONORABLE, MY LORD PROVOST. BAILYEIS,
COUNSELL AND SESSION OF THE KIRK OF EDINBURGH :
MR ROBERT BRUCE,
MiNiSTEB OF Christ's evangell there,
A\'ISHETH grace, MERCIE, AND PEACE, FROM GOD THE FATHER, &C.
Right Honorable and worthie Senatours, ye may claime justlie the fruits
of my labours, gif their value were great: For why 9 My first pub-
lik ministerie L discharged it with you ; ye were the hearers of these
Sermons, and at your suite they come forth. So, gif there were anie
profit to be reaped of siklike stuffe, it justly appertaineth to you. And
in respect they are the first fruits, suppose things be not so well digested,
and so ripely advised, as they should, yet L doubt not but ye will bear
vnth it : And when it shall please God to mend with me, and to multi
ply his talent farther on me, it shall be good reason that L mend with
you. For, amang ihe many distractions and waightie affairs where
with roe have been hurthened these years bigane, as ye your selfis know
perfitly, it was meikle to me to possesse a quiet and sanctified mind, to
get any little thing done. Alwayis they will serve to confirm your me
mories in sik things as ye havejieard of before, and to comfort, in some
small measure, all sik as it shall please God to touch with sik troubles
of mind. The Lord Mess you in all your affairs ; and, as your duty
is, he instant for me, that the Lord would open unto me a farther door
of utterance, and continue his favourable countenance with me unto the
end; and that to his Majesties glory, and to the fulfilling of my mini
stery, quhilk L have received of the Liord ; to whom be all praise, honour
and glory, for ever and ever. Amen. From Edinburgh, the sixt of
December, 1591.

THE FIEST SEEMON
UPON THE 38 CHAPTER OF THE PROPHECIE OF ISAIAH,
PBE.\CHED IN THE PRESENCE OP THE KINGIS MAJESTIE.

Isaiah xxxviU.
] . About that time was Hezekiah sick unto the death. And the pro
phet Isaiah the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him. Thus
saith the Lord, Put thine house in ane order : for thou shalt die, and
not live.
2. And Hezekiah turned his face unto the wall, and prayed to the
Lord, 3. And said, L beseech thee. Lord, remember now how I have walked
before thee in truth, and with a perfite heart, and have done that which
is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
In the words quhilk I have presentUe redde, (weU-beloved in Christ
lesus,) the heavie disease whereintiU this godUe king feU is at length
descrived, and the manner of his behaviour under this disease is weU
set down. It pleased the Lord to exercise this godly king with
this heaAde tentatlon, amongst many ma ; and suppose It be true
that diseases are common to aU flesh, yet the manner how to behave
us under diseases Is not common. Therefore, let flesh take heed to
the pairts of this historie, that they may learn how to behave them
selfis in the day of their miserie ; that, taking up this king's be
haviour, they may in end obtain his comfort.

104 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
fntreated in ^^ ^^^^ beginning of this chapter, the king Is brought in under ane
this eermon. jjgavie discasc ; the kind and manner of this disease is conceded,
alwales It may be gathered of the penult verse of the chapter, and,
therefore, I note it here.
Secondly, the tirae Avheii he feU in this disease is also noted.
Thirdly, the gravitle and weight of this disease is Ukewlse noted.
And, last of all, the manner of the king's behaviour under so ter
rible ane disease is at length set doAvn.
To return to the first : The land of the disease, as ye may gather
out of that verse, was a pestUentious boU, for the name quhilk is
given to that boU Is that same name quliUk is given to the botch
of Egypt, that same narae qululk Is expressed Exod. Ix. 9, ane at-
trle kind of boU, striking out in raany heads or in many plukes ;
for so the nature of the word signifieth : The maist dangerous and
deadly kind of pest and boU that was in the dayis of that king.
Indeed, sensine, as the world hath growen In Arickednes, so it hath
brought forth raore dangerous kinds of botches nor of before ; the
experience whereof this town hath had. For as raan is ingenious
to Invent new sins to provoke God to Avrath, the Lord being botli
just and prudent on the uther part, deviseth new botches and plagues
to punish thir new sins of men ; for the store-house of the Lord's
judgement can never be eraptied. But surely It is a AvonderfuU
raatter that he should have visited so godly a king Arith so terrible
a botch. In respect this plague proceeds commonlie fra his hot
rage and Avrath ; for from his Avrath it taketh thir names oftiraes,
as when it is caUed the finger of the Lord, his fear by night, his
flying arrow by day, and the devouring plague.
Now, I say, the matter is wonderfuU, that he loving this king so
weU, should so extremely have plagued hira In the sight of the whole
world. What should this learn us ? This Adsltation of the king's
learns us twa necessare lessons : First, it learns us not to measure
the favour and hatred of God be aide extemaU thing in the earth ;
for gif we look to the visitation of God upon his children, gif we
look to the nature of the plague and afiUction, either in quantltie or
qualitie, gif we look to the long last and diutumitie of the plague.

THE FIRST SERMON UPON ISAIAH.

1G5

In the judgement of man, and In the judgeraent of hira that is afflicted,
sorae tirae it shaU corae to pass, that he shaU think himself in a war
case then any of the reprobate. But howsoever it be so esteemed in
' the heart and judgement of man, yet it is far utherwaies in the judge
ment and heart of God ; for there lurketh one thing in the heart of
God concerning us that are his chUdren, and ane uther thing con
cerning the reprobate, in sic sort, that suppose aflllction be coraraon to
us and them, yet the cause wherefra the affliction proceedeth is not
common, nor the end whereto it tendls is not common. For as to us,
our affliction floweth from the favour, love, and raercy of God in Christ
lesus, and tendeth to our great profite and coramoditie, to wit, that
we being corrected here should not perish after this Arith the wicked
world ; but as to the affliction of the reprobate, it floweth from the
hot Avrath and Indignation of God, and from him as a righteous
Judge ; beginning their punishraent here, quliilk shall last for ever :
so afHictlon, thatis unto them a part of his justice, unto us is a mer
ciftdl correction. The Prophet Isaiah, in his xxvU. chapter, ex
presseth this matter so UveUe, that I thinlc there is no part of Scrip
ture In the quhUk there is greater comfort. In the 4th and 7th
verses of that chapter he saith to the kirk, I am not, saith he,
in fiirie, I am not in rage, suppose I strike thee ; yea, suppose I
strike thee, saith he, I steike not thee as I strike. them that strike
thee. I slay not thee as I slay thera that slay thee ; for in striking
thee I purge thee from thine iniquitle, in striking thee I remove
thy sins from thee ; but I doe not so with the rest.
Then, the first lesson that ye have to learn here is this ; mea- First lesson.
sure not the favour of God be any externaU thing in the earth,
quhither It be a prosperitie or adversltle : The second thing that second les-
ye have to learn here is this ; ye see kings may ta^e the botch. '°"'
There is no prince In the earth exemed from the judgeqients of God,
when he pleaseth to appUe them. Thus far for the narae of the disease.
The second thing that is noted here Is the time when the klno' Tho ume
feU m this disease. There is na certaine tirae set down here, but Sng^feir i„.
the tirae that is specified is relative to the last historie : It Is rela-^L*'"''''

166 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
tive to that time when the King of Asshur took arras against liliii,
quhilk was the thirteenth year of his reign ; so it was the fourteenth
year of his reign that he feU in this disease ; for this godlie king
reigned twenty-nine years, fifteen of them were given him after his
disease. In the fourteenth year of his reign the wars began, and
this tune is relative to that history ; so it man be in the fourteenth
of his reign that he feU In that disease. Whither the disease was
after the siege or in the meantirae of it, the judgeraent of the
learned varies, always in 2 Chron. xxxU. it appeareth that he feU
In this disease after the siege and time of his deUverie ; for we read
in that historie, that the king, in the meantime of this siege, was
bigging up the ruinous waUs, was stopping the conduites of the wa
ters, was sending messengers to Isaiah, and was resorting to the
temple. Thir were aU arguments of ane wholesome and weU-dis-
posed king, and there Is no arguraent of inUrmitle here ; so it ap
peareth that it was after the siege that he feU in this disease.
Observation. Now, take teut wlierc ray note riseth ; he is scarsUe freed frora
the fearfuU wars, when he faUeth Into a terrible pest. We see, then,
that the estate of the godUest and best princes is to be subject to
continuaU tentatlon, fashrie, and vexation, so that the issue of one
trouble is the beginning of another ; so it pleaseth the Lord to ex
ercise them. And to what end, I pray you ? To the end that this
life, Arith the pleasures and glorie of it, may become bitter to their
taste, and so they raay be raoved to seek for a better. And this
lesson it appertaineth to aU Christians ; for, gif thou be a Christian,
thou raan look for trouble, of necessitie thou raan take up thy daUie
cross and foUow Christ. As for the fed-marts of this world, the
Lord in his righteous judgement has appointed them for slaughter.
But gif thou be one of them whom he has not appointed for slaugh
ter, thou man be subject to ane continuaU exercise, either in soul
or in bodie, in famUie or fame ; one way or uther, thou man be sub
ject to ane continuaU exercise. For there is no way to pierce the
clouds but be ane continuaU tribulation : And seing it is so, it be
cometh us not to have our hearts here gruntling upon this earth, but
it becometh us to have our hearts heased, and our minds lifted up

THE FIRST SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 167
to the heavens, where our Maister reigneth in glory, and to use the
things of this world as they may best furder us to the next world ;
or utherwayis, terrible is the judgement and incommoditie that the
things of this world shaU bring upon us. Thus far concerning the
time. [Thirdly,] As to the gravitle of the disease, I find it noted in the
verse quhilk I have read, by syndrle things : First, the prophet
sheweth the gravitle of the disease, whereas he saith, he was sick to
the death : Secondly, the gravitle of his disease is aggreaged, whUe
as the prophet getteth command in the name of the Lord to assure
him of death : And, ThirdUe, the boU itself quhilk struck out was
deadUe, and sheweth also the weight of the disease.
Now, in this extremitie the prophet visiteth him, and in the name The prophet
of the Lord enjoyneth two things to him : First, to tak order vrith Sng, and in-
his house : Next, to make hira for death ; and to puU his heart theiMngs to "*
more from aU present things, and aU earthlle comfort, assureth him''™'
of death shortUe ; and for his farther assurance, he doubleth the
word, saying, " Thou shalt die, and not Uve :" It is so hard a thing
to get the hearts of kings rugged from their wealth, and from their
glorie !
The prophet in visiting of the king, he leameth us a point of The dutie
dutie towards our diseased brethren, a point whereunto we are tor toward
bound be nature, be charitie, and be aU sort of laws, but chieflie brethren'.^
we, who hath the care of souls, and represent Esay In our ofiSce :
At this time, chiefly, we are bound to visit our brethren, for at sik
times the devU is maist busie, the bodies of men are abstracted
from the hearing of the preached word, and old sins begin to revive
and return to then- memories ; and, therefore, at that time there is
great need of corafort. We are also informed here, be the pro
phet, how to propone our comfort, lest we spend our time io idle
and unprofitable ta\k, as worldUe men do : To wit, first of aU, that
we bid the patient take order with his house, that is, make his tes
tament, and lay aside the worldUe part, that so his heart may be
readie to go when the Lord caUeth on his soul. The most part of

168 MR ROBERT BRUCe's SERMONS.
the Avorld are so negUgent in this point of dutie, that there are
verie few that have their heart free when the Lord shoppeth ; but
they are compeUed to leave their heart behind them, Avhere their
pose is, or where they love best, and that because they set them-
seLf here as in a permanent city. And In their lifetime they avIU
not so meUde as once think of death, but dream to themselfis length
of days ; and quhilk I wonder most of, there Is not a man about
them that wUl do so raeilde as once to put thera in mind of death,
yea, not Avhen the Lord begumeth to strike ; but part say, " It wUl
trouble hira, and make him wa ;" others corae in, and say, " They
Avould doe It, but they cannot for tears and sorrow ;" the doctor
saith, " Nature is strong eneuch ; be of gude corafort !" So that gif
the pastor leave this point of duty, there is not a friend almost that
beginneth to adraonish a man, whUe his outward senses begin to
leave him. Now, as It becometh the pastor to proiAone this, so It
becoraeth the patient to obey it ; for this coraraand is not given be
men, but be God : For Esay giveth it in the name of God ; and It
is not onlie given to kings, but it reacheth to aU masters of fami
lies Avhosoever, for the Lord hath vriUed them to haAO a care of
their famUies, not ordie In their lifetime, but in their death also ;
that be this mean aU occasion of quarrels and debates might be
ctitted off after their decease. The patriarchs, the godlie kings,
they have left then- example reglstrate concerning this point, so that
I Avill not insist at this present farther in It. Now, the worldly
part being set aside, and the conscience put at rest, the soul is pre
pared to hear of death ; and so the prophet cometh, in the second
room, Arith the denunciation of death. Indeed, Esay, in his de
nunciation, appeareth to be weU strait ; but how strait however he
was, he hath his warrant : We have not the like warrant, therefore
we ought not to use the like straitness toward the patient. Al-
Avays, generalUe, we aught to exhort hira to exoner his conscience,
to disburden his soul, and to make him readie, whensoever It shall
please the Lord to caU. So, in a word, the chief points of our visi
tation stands in thir twa ; first, to bid the patient lay aside the
AVorldUe part ; and, nist, to prepare for the heavenUe part.

THE FIRST SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 169
Yet, or I leave the denunciation, there appears m the denuncia. The^«^t ^^^
tion three faults to concur. First, it appeareth that the prophet, appeareth to
m his denunciation, is over-rigorous agamst so godlie a king, andd^^nnncia-
handUs the Mng over-extremeUe m this heavie disease ; for he cuts
from hun, at the first, aU hope of this present Ufe ; he doeth far
otherways nor our doctors of medicme ; for gif they see any cer-
tam sign of death they avUI not shew it to the patient himself, but
to some of his friends ; he, be the contrafr, denounces death to him-
seUj constantly affirming that he shaU die. Now, this appeareth
to be weU hard ; but I answer, gif this denunciation had been used
against ane Ethnik or a licentious liver, m deed it had been ane
hard denunciation. For as to ane Ethnik, he hath his hope only
in the earth. It Is not possible that he can make his hope to mount
above the earth, so that he thinketh when he is gone aU is gone
to him. SecondUe, this denunciation, it would appear hard and ex
treme to them that Uve according to the flesh ; for, oh ! how bitter
is the death, saith Solomon, to them that Uve according to the
flesh. And I pray you, what is the cause that death is so bitter
unto them ? Because, in the agonie of death, they feel another thing
nor this violent separation of the soul from the bodie ; for beside
this, they/eel a conscience of iniquity gnaAving them ; they feel also
the heavie wrath of God kindled against their sin and iniquity, and
the sense of this Avrath striketh sic a horror in their souls, that at
the very memorie of death they tremble. Therefore, I say to sic
kmd of persons as thir, this would have been a hard Mnd of threat-
ning ; but unto Christians, and namely unto sik a godly king as
this was, it was no hard language. For as to us that are Chris
tians, we man not look to death as she is in her aAvin nature ; but
we man look unto her as she Is made to us by the benefit and mer
cie of God m Christ lesus : And lookmg on death this way, is not
death spoUed of her stmg ? is she not sanctified to us m the death of
Christ ? and is she not made to us ane entrie to everiasting felicitie ?
Is she not a returning from our banishment, and passing to our ever-
lastmg heaven? So, looking on death, not in the awin nature, but
as she Is raade to us ui Christ, at the voice of death we ought to

170 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SEltMONS.
Uft up our eyes, and be glad that the redemption of our soul Is so
near ; when the separation shaU be made, and the Lord shaU call on
us, we aught to rejoice, seeing he hath made death to us a farther
step to joy, and a moyener of a straiter conjunction. But it Is not
possible that Avords can make men prepare them for death ! The
readiest Avay to eschew the horror of death is to think upon death ;
and yet, notwithstanding of aU the great spectacles that we see
dayUe, we are never ane hair moved. Always, the readiest way, as
I have said. Is to take up sic a Ufe, presentUe, as may best agree
Avith that Ufe quhilk we mynt unto. Thou man take up a new
course, thou raan conforra thy life here Arith the life to come, that
ane harmonie being betAvixt the two lives, death may be to thee
ane entrie to that everlasting joy. Thou man bid aU thy fotd af
fections good night, for thou and they cannot come both to heaven :
Thou man bid sin, whereunto thou art a slave, and ane ordinau-
servant, fareweU ; for except thou be this way altered, thou man not
think that death shaU be to thee a passage to heaven. Then learn,
ye that would have death pleasant, so to rule and square this Ufe,
that it may agree in sorae measure with the Ufe to come.
The second The sccoud cyc-last that appeareth in this denunciation is this, it
appeareth to be superfluous : For why ? The kind of pest assured
him of his death, the physicians assured him, the weakness of his
OAVU nature assured him that he would die ; so the denunciation
appeareth to be superfluous ; but it is not superfiuous, in deed, gif
we shaU examine our oavu nature, how loath aU sorts of men are to
die ; for we know, be experience, that there are some who wiU
scarsUe take death to them even at the last gasp ; and what love
we have to this life it is knoAvn to aU men : Therefore, the prophet
so straitly denounced death, that be this strait denunciation the king
raay be raoved to Uft his hope above nature, and aU naturaU raoyen,
and of God ordie to seek support, where nature had denied him :
And so the denunciation is not superfluous ; it is the readie way to
make him to run the right gait.
The third Now, the last eye-last that appeareth in this denunciation is this,
the Lord appeareth by his prophet to dissemble ; for is not this

eye-last.

rye-last.

THE FIRST SERMON UPON ISAIAH.

171

ane high dissunulatlon, to say that he shaU die, and in the mean
tune to mean the contrair ? So there appeareth a great dissimula
tion on God's part denounced be his prophet, that he should die in
stantly, and yet he was of mind that he suld Uve fifteen years after
this ! To answer unto this, this generaU man be laid down for a
ground, that unto aU the threatnlngs and promises of God there Is
a condition annexed, quhilk condition is either secretUe inclosed in
the promise or threatning, or then it is openlie expressed. That
this is trae, ye see, Ezechiel xvin., and Dan. iv. 27, this condi
tion hath place.
Then this being the natm-e of the threatenings of God, this terrible
denunciation, how terrible soever it appear, yet it hath a condition
in it, to Arit, except he repent, except he seek me and make his re
course to me be prayer ; for out of question, the Lord was of nund
to punish Ninive, except they had prevented him be repentance.
So, I say, aU the promises and threatnings of God have a condi
tion annexed, quhilk Is either openly expressed, or covertly to be
understood. And, therefore, the denunciation hath a secret condi
tion, and this condition made the king to Uve ; for, suppose it be
sImpUe proponed, yet it is not to bring hira to despair, but onely
to mak him the more instant to seek grace and health at the hands
of the Uving God. Now have I touched the gravitie, the time,
and the kind of the disease. Let us make our profit of this ; for It is
necessary that this doctrine be appUed to our times.
Then, I say, praised be the Uving God, our king is not diseased, Application.
but surely his country is heavUy diseased ; for so long as Papists
and Paplstrle remain in it, so long as thir pestilent men remain In
it, and so long as thir floods of iniquitle quhilk flows from the great
men remains, there is a heavy judgement hanging over this coun
try ; and, in my conscience, I cannot but look for a heavy judge
ment whUe thir things be removed. There Is no great man but
whatsoever liketh him, he thinketh it lelsura ; and not only is this
in this part of the land, but in aU uther parts of this nation grosse
Iniquities are committed, and the kirk Is made a praie to aU men ;
there is sik disdaine and contempt of the Word in the whole

172 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
estates. Except thir things be pm-ged, I cannot look but the Lord
shaU raise sorae, and it Avere out of the farthest Lidies, to plague this
land. Ahvaies I doubt not but the Ubertie of the kirk here, and
the sobs and sighs of the godly here, have delayed the judgement
from the whole land ; yea, I am assured of it, and, therefore, I pray
God that he may so work In yotu- heart, (Sir,) by grace, that ye
may put to your hand to purge your part of the Ue. The Lord of
his mercie establish your heart be grace, that for no raan's pleasure
ye communicate Arith uther men's sins. Three raanner of Avays we
are said to commmiicate Arith uther men's sins : First, Avhen baith
Avith heart and hand Ave doe one thing with them : Secondly, Avlien
we consent vrith our heart onUe : TlurdUe, when we oversee where
Ave suld reprove, and forbear where Ave suld punish. And, in this
last way, magistrates are only guUtie.
Thus far for the appUcation. Now I go fordAvard to my text.
The king's The last thing that we have to speak of is the manner of the
king's behaviotu- tmder so terrible a disease ; avc have, in the se
cond and thUd verses, his behaviour UveUe expressed. As to his
behaviour, I speake onUe of it as the text speaketh ; I doubt not
but he reasoned utherwaies, and gave other answers to Isaiah ; but
I content me Arith that quhilk the text saith. Then, in his be
haviour we see, he retireth himself, first, to God be prayer ; and
to testifie that he prayeth from his heart, it is said that he weeped
bitterUe. Surely, this is ane evident argument that his prayer
floAved from his heart, and was dited be the right spirit ; for, gif
God leaves us to our aAvin naturaU spirit, we wait neither what to
pray, nor how to pray ; but as it is said, Eom. vUi. 26, it is the Spi
rit of God that diteth our prayer, that raiseth thir sighs, and thir
sobs, that maketh our heart to melt in those tears that Uke hira.
So it appeareth here, be the eamestnes of his prayer, that it flowed
from the right fountaine, and, therefore, it cannot be but pleasand
to God.
The king's This prayer and manner of his behaviour brings us to twa things :
Fu'st, it makes us certain of his faith : Secondly, It makes us cer-

behaviourin this dlS'
ease.

behaviour
makes us

THE FIRST SERMON UPON ISAIAH.

173

tain of his repentance. I say, it raakes us certain of his faith ; ior^^^i^^^^_
how is it possible that I can crave any thing at the hands of himpentance.
in whom I trast not ? Or hoAV can we IncaU upon him (saith the
apostle) in AA'hora we beUeve not ? Then, prayer to God is ane
evident argument that we trust in God ; so I say, it is ane argu
ment of his faith, and where faith is, of necessitie repentance man
be ; for thu- twa companions, faith and repentance, are inseparable, as
Peter testifieth in the Acts, 15th chapter ; for, so far as the heart is
purged, so far is the Ufe renewed ; so faith and newness of Ufe go
together. Then his prayer testifieth his faith, his faith testifieth his
repentance, his repentance testifieth of the secret condition inclosed
in the threatening ; and the condition being fulfiUed, the threatening
cannot strike. So, by this deduction, it may appear, that suppose
the prophet denounced verie straitly, yet, under the denunciation
there was a condition contained, quhilk condition taketh effect in
the king. This far concerning his behaviour.
Now, as to his gesture, I shaU be short in it : It is said that he The king's
tm-ned him to the waU. He has done this, out of question, for twa us disease.
respects : First, that he might weep the more bitterUe ; for it Is said
that he poured forth his soul in tears ; and so he desu-ed not that
he should be seen : Secondly, he turned him to the waU, to the end
that his eyes should not carry his mind from God ; for we know
easiUe, that when any of us is making our prayer in any pubUck
place, there is no incident that faUeth in our senses but it avUI draw
us from that communing quhUk we have vrith God. So it is neces
sare for them that would pray earnestUe, to draw them to ane se
cret place, according as our Master commanded his disciples to en
ter in theu- secret chalmer. Thus far for his gesture.
As to the words of the prayer, they are set down in the third The words
verse : In his prayer he suppresseth his petition (for his petition °''''^^™'^''''
is the prorogation of his days) according to the custom of the godly
men of old, as Daniel is. 4 ; and. In place of the petition, he setteth
down the reasons why this petition should be heard. As to the
reasons, they are three in number.

174 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
The first is, " Eemember, Lord, that I have walked in thy
truth :" Secondly, " I have walked vrith ane upright heart :"
Thirdly, " I have done that quhilk is good in thy sight." In all
thir three, it would appear that he is boasting of his oavu raerits ;
for the words appear to be ftdl of ostentation and pride. But to
answer to this, the Lord raeasureth not ostentation and pride by
words, but by the heart wherefra the words proceed : A broken, a
contrite, and humble heart, is ever acceptable to hira, use what form
of words it AviU ; and a proud heart Is ever displeasant to him, use
Avhat form of words it avUI.
Now, what is he doing here ? He Is not making- a vaunt or
bragging of his works only, he is shcAring to God that howsomever
his plague was great, yet he had a good conscience, the testiraonie
whereof upheld hira ; in sic sort, that suppose aU outward things
said that God was angry at him, yet he could not be perswaded In
his conscience but he was his fiiend : And, therefore, in his whole
prayer he reasoneth as though he would say after this manner :
Lord, thou knowest the prophane men of this countrie vriU think it
ane extrerae curse that I shaU die without chUdren, and be this
they AvUl esteera the deeds to be accursed quhilk I have done of
before. They wiU curse and daran the religion that I have re
formed, and the order of thy house quhUk I have begun ; and yet,
notArithstanding, I am assured in ray conscience that I have the
warrant of thy law in aU that I have done ; for I sought not myself,
but thee onlie ; therefore (Lord) deUver me." So this kind of rea^
soning cometh neither of ostentation nor of pride. " Now, as to
myself, (would he say,) when I exaraine my doings, I find ray con
science so pure, that in aU ray proceedings I had a good warrant,
and in aU my doings I sought not mine avrin particular, but thy
glorie : And, therefore. Lord, reraeraber rae, and take not my Ufe from
me, that I be not a stumbling-blok to the weak ones, and a rejoic
ing to mine enemies." This is the only thing quhUk we are taught
here. We see this good king, when aU worldUe comfort faUeth him,
and in his greatest extremitie, he reposeth him upon the testimonie
of his own conscience. This is the only thing that sustaineth him.

THE FIRST SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 175
this is the only thing that comforteth him ; and wherein now, in the
verie article of his death, he hath to glorie. Surely, when I read
through the Bible, I find that aUthe servants of God, in their great
est trouble, had recourse to this testimonie of conscience. Ye see
Moses, when he hath to do with Core, Dathan, and Abiram, he
hath recourse to the testimonie of his conscience : Ye see David,
when he hath to do Arith Saul, he hath recourse to this testimonie
of conscience : Ye see Nehemias maketh recourse to this : Ye see
Daniel maketh recourse to this, vi. 22 : And the Apostle Paul, 1
Cor. iv. maketh his recourse to this, and saith, " I pass very Uttle
your judgment or ony man's judgment ; my glorie Is the testimonie
of mine oavu conscience :" And the author of the Epistle to the He
brews, in his last chapter, " I am assured, (saith he,) that I have
keeped a good conscience in aU things." So, go through aU the
servants of God, and ye shaU see they have had ever recourse to
this testimonie of conscience ; and blessed is that man that is not
condemned in his doings be his aArin conscience: For, gif we are
not able to eschew the condemnation of our aArin heart, how shaU It
be able to us to eschew the condemnation of God, who seeth aU the
secrets of the heart ? So that man is more nor blessed that is not
condemned of his own heart : For, as to this conscience, it is a faith
fuU wad-keeper ; the gages that it receiveth it renders ; of good
turns it giveth a blyth testimonie, of evU turns it giveth a bitter
testimonie ; and suppose the most part of our deeds be now covered
from the eye of man, and her testimonie for the raost part hid from
oursehP, yet there is a day coraing, quhilk now is at hand, in the
quhUk aU thir things that are now hid under darkness shaU come
to light, and the secrets of aU hearts shaU be disclosed. The books
of conscience shaU be casten open ; and he that bringeth not in
these books the discharge of his sins In register, purchased by the
blood of Christ lesus, whereby our consciences are onUe washen
fra thir dead works ; he that bringeth not this discharge Arith him,
to him shaU his whole sins present theraselves ; so that not onUe
shaU he be judged by the sentence of the righteous Judge ; but his
OAHi conscience, quhUk in this life prejudged him, shall condemn

176 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
him there ; and the whole angels of God, with his elect children,
shaU justifie his judgraent : Therefore, it is time we had now our
discharge reglstrate.
Now, would to God I might obtain this of office-bearers in kirk
or poUcie, that they would now cast thera in their life, to have the
approbation of then- conscience in the time of then- death : The
Lord grant it to aU of them that seek to serve him ; but, speciaUie,
the Lord make you (Sir) so to waUv In your life that you may
have a joyfrdl testimonie of your conscience In your death ; that
being approved Avith your OAvn conscience, and the testimony of God
Avithin your conscience, in the mouth of thir tAva faithfidl vritnesses
your salvation raay be sm-e, not in yourself, but in the blood of
Christ lesus, Avhose raercie is onUe our merit.
As this Is craved in hira, so it is craved in the rest of the office
bearers : Lord grant that they may foUow sic a trade of life, that
in their death theu- conscience may make raention of their deeds to
their joy. Thus far for this part of his behaviour.
Now resteth one thing to speak, and so I shaU end : Take up the
manner of his behaAiour under this disease ; he is straited vrith ane
extremitie of his disease on the one side, and with thc Lord's
threatening on the uther side ; what doeth he in this strait ? He
seeketh be prayer to the same God that stniek him, and iioav by his
prophet threateneth him. This is wonderfiiU : For gif he had had
to do with any uther person, as, namely, gif he had had to do vrith
the King of Asshur, as before, it had been ane easie matter to have
retired to God ; but noAv, having to do Avith God, and God appear
andUe being his encraie, it is wonderfuU that he should have re
course to God. This is a notable faith in hira ; for he hopeth
against hope, he runneth to that same God that boasteth him. So,
notArithstanding that he threateneth him Arith death, yet he runneth
to him, and he appealeth from his justice to mercie in the merits of
Christ ; he appealeth fra God as a righteous Judge, unto hira as a
Eedeemer in Christ ; and his appeUatlon is heard. For, as we shall
hear hereafter, (be God's grace,) he is healed. Thus far concerning
his repentance.

THE FIRST SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 177
Now, as to the prorogation of his days, the question might rise,
quhether it was leisom to him to crave it or not ? I shaU touch It
but in generaU : And first, I say, in Hezechiah's person it is verie
lawfidl, for he lacked posteritie ; and in this the promise of God
had not tane effect in him, and so it was lawfuU to hira to seek the
accorapUshment of the 'Lord's promise made to his father David ;
and, also, the reformation of the kirk was but new begun ; the com
mon weU was not as yet estabUshed, and aU thir craved the presence
of the long. So, gif we look to the particular, in him it was leisom.
I come to the general, it is leisom at some tiraes to seek at God
prorogation of days ; and my reason is this : Length of days is one
of the greatest blessings teraporaU that we have, as In that promise
annexed to the command appeareth ; and as the Apostle, in the 2d
chap, to the PhUippians, 27th vers, when, as he maketh raention of the
disease of Epaphroditus, he saith, " No doubt he was sick verie
near unto death, but the Lord had mercie on hira, and not onelie
upon him, but on me also." So he counteth the prorogation of days
a speciaU mercie. And there is no mercie nor benefit of God but
it may be craved, so that it be craved to the right end. For we,
directing our life to the glorie of God, and using it as pUgriras and
strangers seeking om- home, and having it readie to lay down in
the hands of God at his pleasure, Avhy is it not leisom to crave it ?
Indeed, lohn in his 12th chap. 25th ver. seemeth to gainstand this,
where he saith, " He that loveth his Ufe shaU lose it." This may
be soon loosed : There is a love of this Ufe quhilk is commendable
and there is a love quhilk is worthie of reproof, whereof lohn
speaketh ; to Arit, ane extraordinar love, and sic a love whereby we
place our whole feUcItie in this life, .not looking for a better after
this ; so this love is daraned by lohn. The uther love, quhUk is of
God, when we are readie to lay down our Ufe at hisMajestie's feet,
and seek the prorogation of our Ufe for no respect but for hia
glorie, (as this king did, as he shews clearUe in the end of his oAvn
words, in the 18th and 19th verses. Thus far concerning the pe
tition. So, gif we respect God and his glorie, we raay seek this
blessmg. AlAvays ye see, in his greatest extremitie, the oiiUe com-

178 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
fort that he hath is the testimonie of a good conscience ; and this
ought to be our uphold when we are threatened of God, either with
pest or any uther calamitie.
WeU, as I said in the beginning, gif it wer possible that the
Lord's threatenings could make us have recourse to him, that he
might cleanse our consciences in time, we should have as great com
fort in our trouble as this king had. Would to God he would give
us melting- hearts !
Lord work this in you, (Sir,) that as he hath honoured you In
your birth, so ye may honour him be your doing in your govern
ment ! Lord, of his mercie, give us hearts to crave this ! Lord give
us hearts to sigh for the things we cannot amend ! Lord give us
grace to have a recourse to Christ lesus, and in his raercie to enter
in that city ; for outwith it there is nothing but SArine and dogs,
nothing but papistrie and idolatrie. Let us, I say, have recourse
to this God, who is ordie able to preserve both kirk and countrie.
To this God be aU honour, praise, and glorie, for now and ever.
-Amen.

THE SECOND SEEMON
UPON THE 38 CHAPTER OF THE PROPHECIE OF ISAIAH,
PREACHED IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KINGIS MAJESTIE.
Isaiah xxxviU.
4. TTien came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying,
5. Go, and say unto Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord God of David
thy father, I have heard thy prayer, and seen thy tears: behold, I
will add unto thy days fifteen years.
6. And Lwill deliver thee, out of the hand of the king of Asshur, and
this citie : for I will defend this citie.
In the discriving of this king's disease, we observed : First, the EecapUuia-
tions.
manner and Mnd of the disease. We noted. Secondly, the time
when it took him. We noted, ThirdUe, the gravitle of the disease.
And, Last of aU, we marked Ms behaviour under this disease.
As to the kind of the disease, we marked it to have been a pes-
tUent kind of boU, like unto the botch of Egypt ; a boU of the
worst kind that could be in these days. So it pleased the Lord to
exercise the patience of his tender servant ; suppose he had ane en
tire liking of tMs Mng, yet it pleased him so rougHie to handle
hira. Upon this we marked, that the favour and hatred of God
should not be esteemed be any extemaU thing in the earth. Sup
pose plagues and afflictions be common both to good and evUl, yet

180 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
the cause quherefra they corae is not coraraon, and the end Avliere-
unto they tend is not coraraon. The Spirit of God assureth us
that this kind of exercise is the only way to purge our iniquitle.
Be this Mnd of exercise, the sins of lacob are reraoved. Then, let
no man judge the woe of his brother be reason of affliction. Se
condly, we marked the time when he took this disease ; and we
noted this time to have been the fourteenth year of his reign, shortly
after he was deUvered out of the hands of Sennacherib ; so he is not so
soon delivered frora ane fearfuU war, but he faUeth in the hands of
ane terrible pest. And here we gathered, that the Ufe of a good king
is a continuaU fashrie, and a continual tentatlon, so that the issue
of one trouble is the beginning of a greater, and their whole life Is
as it were a continuaU vexation. So It pleaseth the Lord to exer
cise the patience of his oavu, to the end he raay engender a bitter
ness of this Ufe into thera, that this Ufe being bitter, they may seek
for a better ; for the Lord feedeth not his awin as slaughter oxen :
No, but he holdeth their backs under continuaU crosses, that be this
they raay leam to have their minds aloft, that they may learn how
to use the world and aU thu- trifles beneath, to vrit, as they may
serve them to the Ufe to come. Thus for the tirae.
As for the gravitie of the disease, we painted it forth be twa
circumstances. First, of natm-e it Avas deadlie, for there Avas no
force of natm-e that could prevaU over It. SecondUe, the servant
of God, be a denunciation, assured him that it Avas deadUe ; and this
aggregeth highUe the gravitie of this disease. Upon this denuncia
tion, we took up a general lesson concerning the promises and
threatenings of God, to Arit, that in all his promises and threat
enings, there is a condition annexed, quhilk either is expressed
or perpetuaUy to be understood, so it is here ; for suppose the pro
phet used the simple forra of denunciation, yet it was not to bring
Mra to dispair, but that he raight the raore earnestUe seek grace and
mercy at God.
Last, we marked Ms behaviour under tMs disease, and we found,
that suppose the pest threatened him on the one hand, and God
boasted him on the other hand, yet in this extremitie he maketh his

the SECOND SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 181
recourse to him that boasteth him. It Avas ane easie matter to haA^e
retired to him, Avhen the king of Asshur boasted him ; but tMs is
a wonderfiiU triumph of faith, that the Lord appearing to be Ms
enemie, yet he raaketh Ms recourse unto Mra. This he could not
have done except he had been sustained be the testimony of ane
good conscience. It is not possible that he could have retired to
God, that is a consuraing fire in a guUtie conscience, except he
had been upholden be ane testiraonie of a good conscience. Hav
ing tMs testimonie, he knew that this threatning Avaa to mend him,
and not to slay him, in word and not in deed. Upon tMs we
gathered tMs observation, Blessed is the man that Is not condemned
in his OAvn conscience ; for, gif we cannot escape the condemnation
of our awin heart, how meikle less can we be able to escape the
conderanation of God, who raade the heart ? For the Lord condem-
neth no man but Mra whora Ms conscience first conderaneth ; so the
Lord hath ^daced this conscience here to reserable the judgement
quhilk Is to foUow after ; for whom the conscience conderaneth as
sm-edly the Lord conderaneth ; and whom the conscience, vrith the
Avarrant of the word, approveth, no question the Lord appro veth.
Then the lesson we gathered Avas this, aU ofiflce-bearers ought so to
behave themscMs in tMs Ufe, that in their death they may have the
testiraonie of a good conscience ; for it Is not possible that the con
science can testifie AveU except in time he take up a ncAv trade of
llring, except you keep your hands free of uther men's sins : .And,
therefore, I exhorted aU inferioiir magistrates, superior, and, in spe
cial, the supreme, that the Lord, be his Spirit, would so rule your
conscience, (Sir,) that ye may keep your self free of uther men's
imqmties. This far we proceeded in our last exercise.
Now foUoweth the comfort that the Mng, being placed m this
extremitie, did find : The Lord sendeth him comfort from heaven.
The form and manner of the comfort Is set doAvn in thir verses
quhUk I have read ; but the circumstances are mair particularlie
set doAvn in the 2d Kings, 20th chapter, Alwayes this order is
keeped in thir verses : First, in the 4th verse is set down the cir-
M

182 AIR ROBERT BllUClC's SEKMUXS.
ctimstaiice of tirae, Avlien this comfort Avas offered ; and upon the
circumstance of time the cu-cumstance of place Avlierc he was when
he received this comfort may be easUie gathered. Besides this, the
persons, the author, the giver of the comraission, the minister and
bearer, are noted. Into this Acrse, before that he come to the
corafort, he useth a preface ; in the end of this preface there is a
narrative, that the Lord had heard the king's prayer, and had seen
his tears. Into the third room he proponed the comfort. And, last
of aU, we have the confirmation of this proposition, be ane Avonder
fuU sign and miracle from heaven.
Then, to corae back to the 4th verse, he touched the circurastance
of time very obscurely, Avhen the king received this comfort, for it
is said, " Then came the word of the Lord." This particle (then)
is relative to that time, quhUk is more clearUe set down in 2 Kings
xx. This then is to be understood when the prophet Avas in the
middle coiu-t, when the Avord of the Lord came unto him, and cora
raanded him to stay. Look how great space there was betwixt
the king's bed where he lay and the second haU ; as great space is
tliere betArixt the denunciation and the retreat thereof. He was not
as yet passed the second haU when the Avord of the Lord came unto
Mm, and commanded hira to go back, and to retreat that sarae sen
tence in a raoment, with one mouth, quhilk before he pronounced ;
now he commandeth him to pronounce the contrair. This is a won
derftdl change in sik a stiddenty ; and upon this suddenty there Is
manic notable things that offer themselfis worthie of consideration.
First Lesson. First, of tlils siiddentic, mark this lesson: We see how pithle
and effectuaU the prayer of the Mng hath been. This prayer is so
effectuaU, that in a moment it moveth the great God to retreat that
same sentence quhUk he had pronounced, that qtihUk heaven, nor
earth, nor na uther creatiu-e, Avas able to alter, he maketh the prayer
of his aAvin servant to call back ! Beside this, his prayer purchased
health of bodie, length of days, a sure and prosperous estate, and
afterward aU this is confirmed be sik a Avonderful miracle, the Uke
whereof was never seen, nor heard of before. Look, then, gif the
prayers of the faithfuU be not Avondrous eflfectuaU ! It is not pos-

THE SECOND SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 183
slble that all these effects can flow of the pithiness of prayer, seeing
there Is natMng so weak in Itself ; but it cometh of the free nature
of God, whose nature is to be mercIfuU, and It is the nature of mer
cie to have pitie upon miserie. TMs is the reason why our prayers
are in ane instant of time heard. And here also we may learn how
AveU God answeris to the naraes that are oiven hira, Exod. xxxiv. second les
6 ; whereas he is caUed exceeding mercifuU, slow to anger, ready to
forgive, he uttereth himselfe to be a God of great corapassion, and
exceeding in raercie towards us, in sik sort that in an instant some
times he granteth our requests. The last thing that I mark upon Third Les-
tlie suddentie is the strait and intire conjunction that is betwixt
the faithfuU soul in earth, on the one part, and God in heaven, on
the other part. TMs conjunction is so entire and strait, that it
raaketh God as present to our prayers as gif heaven and earth
Avere jouied together. This conjunction maketh his Son CMIst to
be as near in time of our need as gif he had placed Ms throne of
grace in the bed where we Ue. To prove this, ye see how speediUe
his prayer mounteth, ye see how swiftlle the answer returneth, and
Arith sik a celerity aU this matter is done as gif there were no dis
tance betwixt heaven and earth. So the lesson is this ; the faith
fuU sold hath God as present, as gif heaven and earth were joined
together. There is no distance of place, no distance of room, that
can raake God to consume time in doing of his turne ; but where
faith Is, it raaketh hira so present, that incontinent we get our dis
patch. Crave not, therefore, (O Papist !) any uther presence than
this, and exaraine not tMs presence be naturaU reason ; for where
faith hath place, natural reason man cease. Examine not these
things be the reason of nature qtihUk are above nature. This far
concerning the circumstance of time.
Now, of the circumstance of tirae I gather the circumstance of Thee
place where the king was when he received this comfort ; for, gif %!
the prophet was commanded to ttu-ne back when he Avas in the se
cond haU, it behoveth the king to be at home, lying on Ms OAvne
bed : And this, be the way, is a great signe of the faA'our of God to-

^stance of
ace.

184 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERAIOX;'.
AA-ard bim, that bis sickness taketh him at horae, AAdiere he might
be best eased, without the fashrie of uthers. This Is be the way.
Third cir. Noav, as. to the third circumstance : The author of the comfort,
oum stance. '
no doubt, was God ; for there is no good gift but it floAveth from
hira. The minister that he used is his aAAiii prophet : He useth the
ministerie of his prophet in applying of the corafort, not that he
Avas forced to use the rainisterie of raan in doing of this turn, but so
it pleaseth the Lord to oblige and Idnd himself to his instruments
that he Aviil not AA-^ork beside thcm, and so it jtleased him to bind
him to his preached Avord, that beside his a\ ord he AvUl not work;
and, therefore, he caUeth bis Avord a sAvord, a fire, ane hammer, and
ane arrow, and that fra the diverse effects that he Avorketh be his
word. As he bindeth him to his Avord, so he Avillingiiebindeth him
to his servants, Avho are the ministers of his word, to Avork be their
ministerie, in sik sort, that he will not be bound to the Avord pro
nounced be everie man and woraan, but be thera Avliom he sendeth.
And, therefore, they are all in an error, Avho think that be their
awin reading of the scriptures in their private houses, they are able
to get as great profite as be hearing of the preaching; yea, suppose
they say. they can read better than lie can preach. No, read as
meikle as they will, their reading shall never bring forth faith ; for
it is be hearing that faitii cometh, and Avhere the ministerie is, and
they conterane the hearing, they conterane faith ; for faith coraeth
onlie be hearing, ordinarily. This far for the circumstances.
The comfort Now, the cffect of the confort is set down in three points : The
that the king ' 1
received, firgt twa poluts agree Avith the petition, the third is farther nor
carae in his raind to seek. The health of bodie is the first, it
agreeth with the petition : Length of days is the second, it ao-reeth
also Arith the petition : The third is farther nor he could have looked
for, and raair then he sought : What is that ? A sure estate, a pros
perous estate, and a glorious estate, proraised to him during all the
rest of his days. Tliis was mair nor he sought. Now, as to the
order that the prophet keepeth or he corae to the comfort, he

THE SECOND SERMON UPON ISAIAH.

185

useth a short preface. The Avords are tMr : The Lord caUeth on
Mm, and he saith, " Go [and say un]to Hezechiah, Thus saith the
Lord God of thy father David." This preface differeth in twa
points from the preface that he used in the beginning of the
chapter. First, there is here mention made of David, quhilk is not in the
former, and so oft as ever ye find mention made of David in the
beginning- of ome preface, so oft let the singular favour and mercie
of God come in your mind. .And when ever ye see David placed
in onie preface, let CMIst come m your mind, because David was
a type of CMIst. TMs mention of David placed here is to let the AVhy men-
_ •"¦ . . ^ . tion of David
kins; see that the readiness of his comfort flowed from the Messias, is here
to wit, lesus Christ, from whora aU true comfort floAved, and out
with whom there is neither comfort nor consolation. He caUeth
MraseU the God of David, because the principal promises of grace
were made to David and Ms house, and speciaUy that promise con
cerning the Messias, in Avhom aU the rest of the promises are yea
and amen, ftdUe accompUshed in him. TMs is the first point of
difference. The Second point wherein they differ is this ; into this preface he why David
caUeth DaAid the Mng's father, as gU he would say, "The manlek^"' """

klas' fa
ther.

whom I love so weU, I see him to be thy father, and thee to be Ms
chUd and his son, not onUe be nature, but be grace ; I see thee
to be his son be faith, and, therefore, the Avhole promises of grace
made to Mm and his seed man properly appertaine to thee, where
utherwaies gif thou had been Ms son by carnaU propagation onUe,
these promises of grace had no more appertained to thy person nor
they did appertain to the person of Achaz thy father. But be rea
son thou art not onUe Ms son be nature, but also be grace, there
fore, the whole promises of grace appertain to thee." For as the
Apostle saith, Eora. ix. " It is not carnal generation that maketh what mak-
us sons of the promises; for not aU that are of Israel are Israel in-:'!" ood
deed. They are not aU the sons of God that are the sons of the
flesh, but only the sons of the promise are the chUdren of God ;" that

186 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
Is, they that tMougli beleife in the promise of raercie become the
sons of mercie, and are made the children of God. Then, this be
leif In the promises maketh us not onlie sons to God, but sons to
David and Abraham ; for, foUowing the footsteps of Abrahani in Ids
faith, by Imitation of his faith we become his sons. This far con
cerning the words of the preface.
First Lesson. Of tMs I raark twa or tMee things ; and first of thir words, ye
see the prophet stayeth not, nor abideth not, but holdeth forth his
course tUl he be commanded of the Lord to stand and stay ; he hath
a speciaU command and a warrant for Mm ere he return. TMs
teacheth aU office-bearers, that, in God's turn, no man ought to en
terprise anything at his own hand, but to have the Lord's aAvm ad
vise, ere he proceed to his work ; and Ave have Ms advise Avhen we
Second Les- liavc thc Warrant of his word. The second thing I mark, as soon
as he is commanded to goe, he stayeth not, but so soon as God saith
the word he obeyeth ; he maketh no doubting, he speareth no rea
sons at God, he taketh it not to his adAdsenient, he raaketh no op
position, but incontinent he obeyeth ; and surely this is true, that
gif ever flesh and blood had onie reason to have repined, Isaiah had
reason at this tirae. And why ? In a raoraent, and with one mouth,
he was coraraanded to retreat that severe sentence quhilk he had
pronounced, and to pronounce the contrair, quliUk might have in-
gendered a wonderfuU suspicion m the king's heart in respect of the
suddentie. Gif Isaiah had been as short and as crabbed as Jonas,
no question he would have speared a reason at God ; for Jonas
was not commanded to retreat his sentence, neither was he sent in
sik suddentie to caU it back ; but he seeing- the words of bis threat
ening not to come to pass, therefore, he fretteth and fumeth against
God ; Avhere, gif he had been coraraanded in sik suddentie to goe
and retreat his sentence, ye may easUie conjecture what should
have been Ms part. TMs perturbation that was in Jonas, letteth us
see that he was ignorant of the nature of the threatenings of God :
For gif he had understood that in aU the threatenings of God there
is ane condition annexed, he wotdd not have taken it so highly ; an d

THE SECOND SERMON UPON ISAIAH.

187

gif he had understood that the muid of God was not to cast off a
sinner, he had not taken it so shortUe ; but being ignorant of this,
he faUeth in tMs fummg and fretting against God.
So, I say, there is twa tMngs here to be noted; one tMng to be a fault to be
' '^ ¦ o ^ eschewed m
eschewed of the teachers in the person of Jonas, another thing to be jonas* per-
. , -. soa.
foUowed of them in the person of Isaiah. The tMng that is to be
eschewed Is tMs ; Jonas standeth so precise upon his reputation,
that he is exceeding angrle that God should change Ms judgement
in mercie : Now, I say, this fault would be eschewed of all, and
speciaUy of office-bearers ; and I am sure there is no oflfice-bearer
quhUk hath the fear of God in his heart, who would not rejoice ex-
ceedmgly, and be glad to see aU these threatenings quhUk fra time
to tirae are pronounced against these bloodie men ; aU thir threat-
enmgs that are pronounced against the manifest oppressors, and
against these sacrUegious persons ; I am assured there is nane, but
he would exceedingUe rejoice to see thir threatenings turned in raer
cie. Again, I am assured there is not a spirituaU office-bearer, that
hath the fear of God in his heart, who would not exceedingly re
joice to see aU the threatenings and admoMtions directed fi-ora this
place to magistrates of all ranks, Inferior, superior, and supreme,
turned in mercie. He is raore then unhappy that is so inclined to
threatening, that gif he see the Spirit of God offer the contrair oc
casion, that wUl not be a thousand times more ready to comfort :
And, therefore, the Lord in his raercy give you grace, (Sir,) that ^pp^cit'on
ye may have that testimony of a good conscience to uphold you,
without the quMlk there is no true corafort. But, alas ! Avhen I
look on the raiserie and calamitie of this country, I am almost out
of hope: For quhy? Your subjects have gotten sik a custorae of
sin and evU doing, whereby they have drawin on sik ane habit and
hardness of heart, that nothing is pleasant to them but that quhUk
is displeasant to God, and notMng displeasant to them but that
quhilk is pleasant to him. What Is it, I pray you, that custom wUl
not bow ? What is it that custom avUI not alter ? What is it that
continuaU use AviUnot harden? There is no portion so bitter tasted,
in thc beginning, but gif thou use it a little while, it shall appear

188 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
not SO bitter : Continue yet farther in it, it shall appear nothing
bitter at aU ; and go forward yet in it, and in the end it shall be
corae SAA^eet, suppose in the beginning it Avere never so bitter :
Even so it standeth AvIth that ralserable man that casteth his whole
delight in Ul-doing, that he hath sik a custom in evUl-doing that
nothmg is pleasant to Mm but that quhilk Is displeasant to God ;
and nothing displeasant to Mm but that qtiliUk is pleasant to God.
For the mischevous custom of eA^Ul-doing, it banishetli light out of
the mind ; and as it banishetli Ught out of the mind, so it banisheth
all feeling out of the conscience ; and in stead of light cometh
darkness, and in stead of feeling cometh hardnes. Noav, the con
science being hardened, and the mind being darkened, Avhat re-
raaineth but a desperate and ane obstinate condition like to the
devUl, who is said to be bound in chains, tinder per|}etuaU darknes ?
This is wonderfiiU, that sik continuall thundering of thu- threatenings
is not able to move them ! But it is no maivail, for there is no
words AvUl move them ; yea, it is impossible to the bloody man or
oppressor to refi-ain, fra time they be once given over to sin ; for fra
time the sin hath gotten superioritie in them, as Peter saith, it com
mandeth thera raore absolutely then a prince Avotdd command his
subject ; for sin hath made them sik slaves, and they are carried so
with impotency of their affections, that they dare no raore refrain
fi-om the serAice of sin nor a good servant frora his masters. I pray
God that he may so multiply the spirit of government upon you,
(Sir,) and that haUe unction of kings, that avc may once see this
great insolencie, that breaketh out in so great contempt, condignlie
pumshed, that ye may keep your conscience pure and holy. Thus
concerning the tlung that is to be eschewed in Jonas.
A vertue to Now foUowcth auothcr lesson to be foUowed in the person of
inisaiah^s Isalah : Ye see Isaiah is ready to do what the Lord commandeth.
peison. -^Yijgjj the Lord biddeth him blow the blast of judgement he
bloweth it ; when the Lord biddeth him corae he coraeth, and when
the Lord biddeth hira go he goeth : Then the lesson is tMs, We that
are the trarapets of the Lord, we man not bloAv as our affections
and men biddeth, but as the Lord biddeth us ; we man not sound

THE SECOND SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 189
the retreat when we should sound the march, nor we man not sound
the march when we should sound the retreat ; avc man not sound
judgement when the Lord biddeth sound mercie, and we man not
sound mercie when the Lord biddeth sound judgement : But now
the sins of the land craveth that aU pulpits sound judgeraent ;
therefore, judgement man be sounded ; there is no way to avert this
judgement, but that everie man, according to his caMng, put to his
hand to reform, according to the bounds and power that is committed
unto him; and the best way were, that ye that are noble men concur
with your Prince, and that his Majestic concur Arith heart and hand
to repair the nuns of this country. Thus far for the second lesson.
Now he subjoineth the narrative. Into the narrative he sayeth
to the king, that " the Lord hath heard his prayer, and hath seen
his tears :" As he would say, " Suppose thou lay in thy chahner, and
turned thee to the wall, yet I heard aU the words that thou spake,
and I saw aU the tears that distiUed fi-om thee ; and suppose it was
not in the temple, yet all was patent to me. TMs is a great com
fort. Then the lesson in general is this : In aU places, and to aU observa-
estates, the Lord's ear is ever fastened to the cryes of Ms awin,
and he seeth their tears, and he heareth their words : And suppose
he be not ay as ready to dispatch them as he was to Hezekiah, yet
he leaveth them not ; but he sustaineth them in the raeantime by
the comfort of Ms Spirit, and in end he granteth them their peti
tion, so far as is sufficient ; and, gif it be accordmg to Ms wUl, he
giveth them mair nor they sought.
Gif this be trae, that the Lord's ear is present to hear the Application.
prayers of his awin, and Ms eye to see their tears, wUl not the
Lord be moved at the cries of thera that are oppressed with thir
bloodie men ? It is wonderfuU that no threatening nor denunciation
AviU do at thir men, but gU" eyerie tear be poured in the Lord's vial,
and everie word heard of the Lord, how melMe mair shaU everie
drop of blood be In the Lord's vial ? What is the reason that thir
men wiU not give ear ? The reason is this ; they have laid this
ground, and upon this false ground they buUd aU their false conclu-

190 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
sions with atheists, that there is not a God ; and upon tMs ground
they build aU their mischevous works. But I would demand of
thir men that have laid tMs ground, gif there be not a God, where
fra floweth tMs fear and terror of conscience ? This trembUng and
unqtuetness, quhUk gnaweth them, gif there be not a God, how is It
that they are so tormented ? Suppose they have banished know
ledge ^ut of their mind, and feeling out of their conscience, and aU
that should fear out of their heart ; yet they have ay this fear and
trembUng in their soul. And it is not possible to banish this fear,
do what they can ; yea, the ma murthers they commit the greater
is their fear ! So, where men thmk to make themselves sure be
slaughter, it is the hie-way to cast themselves in greater unsuretle,
and make their heart mair fearfuU nor it was. Wherefra come thir
torraents but fra God, forewarnmg them of hell ; and thir are be
ginning of heU to thee in this life. Quhilk, gif God would let off
in full measure, they would not faU to put violent hands on thera-
selfis, thinking thereby to get ane outgait to their soul ; for they think
gif the soul Avere out of this body, it suld be in ane better case,
where, in the meantirae, they pass to uglier pains and greater tor
ments ! Now, aU tMr torments and uglie pains quhUk eat them up,
move them not, and except the Lord work it they wiU never be
raoved : He hath coraraanded aU to hear his Word, and he hath
promised to AVork be Ms servants who utter his Word ; and, there
fore, I say, these bloody men and oppressors, they aught to be here
present, that the Lord, gif it be possible, by this means may call
them back be repentance, that they may prevent that terrible judg
raent whereof they have Uttle feeUng as yet. But ere they go they
wUl feel it better.
The point of Now, I corae to the proposition, and there I shaU end. He pro-
that'the*"'^' poneth the comfort, shortly, in three points : Two of them are ac-
liing receiv- goj-dlug to the petition ; the third is raore than he craved : Health
of body agreeth to the petition, prorogation of days agreeth to the
petition, a glorious estate, a sure and a prosperous estate came not
in his mind, and this also he getteth; he not onlie Avill deliver him

THE SECOND SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 191
out of the hands of Ashur, but deUver the whole citie. And this
promise of a prosperous and joyfidl estate is mair nor he thought
on, or looketh for. Of tMs there might be many tMngs marked,
but I leave them, and tMs onUe I observe : The Lord, havuig to observation.
do Arith this Mng, to make Mm thankfiiU m tunes coming, he
granteth Mra raair then he sought, and provoketh Mm as it were
after this raanner, saymg, " Whatever thou lackest, seek it of me.
Lackest thou health of body ? Seek it of me. Lackest thou
prorogation of days ? Seek it of me. Lackest thou a sure glorious
and prosperous estate ? Seek it of me. There can not be a man
affable kind of intreating nor is betArixt God and tMs king ; he de-
sireth him whatever he lacketh to seek it of him.
Except kuigs cast them to honour God, and hold them m Ms Application.
contmuaU favour, it is not possible that they can look for thfr thuigs
of him : But, be the contrair, gif kings cast them to serve God, and
hold them m his favour, there Is no honour nor digmtle that he
hath provided for them, be birtMIght or utherways, but gif he see It
serve to their weUl, In despite of the world they shaU brook it ; but
gif they faU frora the service of God, and cast themselfis out of Ms
favour, they shaU lose dignitie, birthright, privUege of nature, and
aU uther things, and themselfis beside. Examples of tMs we have
In the Scriptures : Cain, bemg Adam's eldest son, and having the
birthright so long as he keeped him In the favour of God, he was in
hope of It ; but fra the time he losed the favour of God, be the slaugh
ter of his brother Abel, he was banished from the face of God,
and tint his birtMIght vrith aU his inheritance. Ismael, siclike, was
Abraham's eldest son ; yet, because he was not in the favour of God,
he got no part of Ms inheritance. Esau was Ms father's eldest
son ; yet, because he fell from the favour of God, his brother was
preferred to him, and Ms birthright helped Mra not. Now, the ge
neraU is this : It is only the favour of God that raaketh men to
brook privUeges, digmties, or whatsoever they have right to ; gif
they keep the favour of God, it is not possible that they can be
disappointed : So, the exhortation is easy unto you, (Sir,) as Exhortation
your Majestic thinketh to possess that quhUh the Lord hath ap- tL ' ""'*""

192 MK ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
pointed for you, so look that ye keep you in the fil^¦our of God.
There is no way to keep the favour of God but to iiurge yom-
countrie of tliir tAva, idolatrie and blood ; for under thir I compre
hend aU the sms committed against the TAva Tables. Let this be
done, and it is not possible that ye can be tlisappointed of anything
that may serve for your avcIU : For it Is the favour of God that
shall make you to enjoy, not only your possessions, but aU uther
privUeges that ye are born to. The Lord of his mercie Avork it In
your heart, (Sir,) that we may see this, as ane argument that ye
are in his fiiAour, when ye sail put to your liaiitl to reform this
countrie, and so make it kiiOAvn that ye fear Gotl and love his
people. This being done, suppose men Avotild be inconstant and
lie, yet God is not raan, nor the son of man, saith Balaam, that he
suld Ue. Depend on Mm ! The Lord work it in our hearts, that
we may earnestUe crave it and obtain It, that youi- heart being
estabUshed be grace, ye raay obey His holy avUI : The Lord grant
it for Christ's sake, to Avhora be all honour, praise, and glorie, for
noAv and ever. Araen.

THE THIED SEEMON

UPON ISAIAH, CHAPTER XXXVIII.

7. And this signe shalt thou have of the Lord, that the Lord will doe
this thing that he hath spoken.
8. Behold, 1 bring again the shadow of the degrees {whereby it is
gone down in the dial of Achaz by the sun) ten degrees backvjard ; so
the sun returned by ten degrees, hy the quhilk degrees it was gone down.
9. The writing of Hezechiah, king of Judah, when he had been sick,
and was recovered of his sicknes.
10. / said, in the cutting off of my days, L shall go to the gates of the
grave, L am deprived of the residue of my years.
11. L said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord, in the land of tlie
living, I shall see man no more among the inhabitants of the world.
In our last lesson, (weU-beloved in Christ lesus,) Ave heard the Reeapituia- tlon.
manner and forra of the corafort that was offered be the prophet
unto the sick king. We heard when this corafort was offered ; we
heard where it was offered; we heard the person that was the
giver ; we heard the person that was the bearer ; we heard the pre
face quhUk the Lord used to raake the king attentive ; we heard the
narrative shortUe, and the parts of the corafort proponed. As to
the circumstances, we noted where the prophet was when he re
ceived this commission ; he was in the mid court, he Avas not as yet
past the second haU when the word of the Lord bade him stay and
go back again. At this time he is commanded to retreat his
former sentence, and with that sarae mouth to pronounce the plat

194 AIR ROBERT BRUCE's SERJIUNS.
contrau-. No further distance is there betAvixt the pronouncing of
the one sentence and the uther, nor is betAvLxt the king's bed and
the second haU. Look Avhat space the prophet spent m going be
tAvixt the king's bed and the second haU, as great space is consumed
betAvixt the one sentence and the uther.
Upon the suddentie, avc marked sundrie notable things : And,
first, Ave marked the great force of the king's prayer, to Avit, Ms
prayer is so effectuaU that it maketh thc Lord to retreat his aAvin
sentence m one instant of tirae. That sarae thing quliUk heaAcn
and earth, and aU the creatures therem, could not liaAC moA'ed hira
to do, that the prayer of his servant raoved hira to do. Noav, be
side the retraction, the force of Ms prayer appeareth in the health
of his bodie ; in lengtheniQg of his days ; in giving him a prosperous
and sure estate ; and, last, in confirming it be sic a wonderfuU sign
that the Uke was never heard nor seen of before. Judge ye, then,
Avhat is the force and effect of the prayer of a faithfuU man ! The
second thing that I marked was this, the AvonderfuU inclination
that the Lord hath to raercie, Iioav avcIU he ansAvcreth to his naraes
and styles, whUe as he is called a God of compassion, a God of ex
ceeding and infinite mercie ! The third thing that Ave marked In
this suddentie was that strait and entire conjunction that standeth
betwixt the faithftiU soul on the one part, and God on the uther
part, to wit, the conjunction Is so strait that it maketh God as pre
sent to the faithfuU soul as gif heaven and earth were coupled to
gether. This conjunction be faith maketh Christ, our help, to be
as near m time of need as gif he had placed his throne of grace in
the bed where we Ue. Ye see how svriftly the king's prayer
mounteth ; ye see how swiftlle the answer returneth ; ye see in sic
a celeritie the raatter is dispatched, as gif there Avere no distance
betvrixt heaven and earth. Then, of this, it clearly appeareth that
there is no distance of place that can raake the Lord consurae time
in domg of his turn ; also, there is no distance of place, neither thick
ness of waUs, that can hold the Lord's presence fra the faithfidl
soul, but he is as present to the faithfuU soul as any corporal! ob-

THE THIRD SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 195
ject Is to the bodiUe eye : There Is no object so present to the bo
dUie eye as the Lord Is present to the soul. Thus far we proceeded
In the first cfrcurastance.
Upon this we gathered and let you see where the king lay ; it
behoved him to be Hand m his awin house : And we shew also that
this was a sign of the favour of God, that he should be diseased
there, where he might be best eased Arithout fashrie to uthers.
As to the giver of the gift. It is God ; for there is no good gift but
it floweth from Mra : As to the bearer, it is Isaiah ; not of necessi
tie, for the Lord is not bound to no second instruments, but of a
voluntafr and free obligation he hath obUged hiraself to utter his
power and to work be thera. Here I bade you, in my exhortation,
be diUgent hearers of the word. Be not deceived Arith your fooUsh
conceits, " I wUl read as good at home, and better :" I say, the
Lord AviU not work by thy reading, when thou contemnest the or
dinair moyen. He hath bound him to his instruments, that be hear
ing faith shaU come ; He wIU not work be His Spirit except thou
hear. Hear the Word, therefore, as long as the Lord giveth thee
grace and continueth it. He hath bound Mmself to grant faith
be hearmg, and not be reading In contempt of hearing.
As to the preface, we shewed it differed from the former preface in
twa points. First, there was mention here made of David, quhilk
was not m the uther, and consequently of CMist, In whom the com
fort of the king stood, and on whom aU the comfort of the Old Tes
tament is grounded ; outArith whom there is no trae comfort. Se
condUe, In tMs preface, he is caUed David's son, not onUe be nature
but be grace ; and, therefore, the whole promises of grace made
unto David justUe appertain to Mm ; whereas utherways, gif he
had been Ms son be nature only, the proraises of grace had no more
concerned Mm in particular nor they concerned Ms father Achaz.
But be reason be grace he was made the son of grace, therefore the
promises of grace justUe appertam to Mm. Here we let you see,
that it is not carnal generation, quhUk Ave draw frora our parents,
that maketh us the sons of God, faithfiiU as they are ; but the gene-

196 MR ROBERT BRUCe's SERMONS.
ration of the promise, in foUoAving the trade of their faith, we are
made the sons of our faithfuU ^iredecessors.
There Avas twa things marked in the preface : First, the prophet
returneth not AvhUe he got a command. The lesson is this, to of
fice-bearers, in their caUing, to enterprise nothing in God's affairs
whUe they get his aAvin advise. The uther thing, avc see in hira a
wonderfuU and readie obedience to God ; for suppose the prophet
saAV Ids threatening in ane instant of time, to be tm-ned in mercie,
yet he is not crabbed, but rejoieeth to see the Lord Avork so with
this king. Upon this Ave gatliered a lesson to teachers : They
should not be moved greatlie when they see the Lord's threatenings
in ane instant of time, gif it were possible, turned in raercie. I
think there is none, as I spake then, but they AvUl be exceedingUe
rejoiced to see thir threatenings qululk are threatened against thir
bloodie butchers, against thir adulterers, against thir oppressors and
sacrilegious persons ; there is none, I think, but he avIU be exeeed-
inglie rejoiced to see the Lord AVork so that the minister have as
great occasion to comfort as he had to threaten ! I think, also,
that there is none that feareth God, avIio Avillnot rejoyce to see tbe
magistrate, avIio is the oa erseer, and should take order A\dth thir
bloodie men ; there is none but he AviU rejoyce to see the threatenings
quhilk are justlie pronounced and shall as justlie light, gif they be
not prevented, to be turned in mercie ! But surely there is no hope
of it, for iniquity groweth so, and it is come to sic ane maturetie,
that surely the Lord fi-ora heaven avIU take A'cngeance on it, gif the
magistrate put not to Ms hand in time. On the uther part, we
learn, of Isaiah, to bloAV raercie when the Lord biddeth, and to
sound judgraent Avhen the Lord biddeth ; for, seeing the Lord hath
appointed us to be Ms mouth, we raan not speak what we please,
for so we are not the Lord's mouth but our aAvin mouth. Sa he
that taketh upon hun to be his mouth, let Mm sound as the Lord
biddeth him.
In the narrative, he saith, he heard the king's prayer ; and as he
heard the Mng's prayer, so he heareth the prayers, and seeth the

THE THIRD SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 197
tears of the oppressed of this land, quhUk the magistrate should both
hear and see. And as he heareth them, so he hath gathered their
tears m Ms vial, aud in his awin time he vriU provide a reraedie.
Last, he proponeth three things unto Mra, health of bodie, length
of days, and a sure and prosperous estate, quhilk never entered m
Ms mind to seek ; and, therefore, I exhorted Mm that was present,
and you aU, what ever ye like, seek it of God, seek it m Christ
lesus, whether it be for soul or body, in Mm is placed ftdl treasures
for baith ; gif ye keep you m the favour of God, and keep you in his
protection, notMng shaU hurt you : And, be the contrafr, gif ye
lose his favour, ye saU lose aU. Thus far we proceeded in our last
exercise. Now, m the words quhUk I have read, First of all, he confirmeth The' heads
' . . -^ _ ' . of doctrine
that quhUk he said unto the king. And he maketh Mm sure, thattobeintreat- ed.
whatsoever God hath spoken it shaU be found In experience ; and
for Ms suretie he giveth him a signe, a wonderfuU signe, the Uke
whereof was never heard nor seen of before.
The manner of the giAdng of the signe was this : Ffrst of aU, the
king he seeketh a signe : Secondly, the Lord granteth a signe ; yea,
look in what manner the kmg sought it, m that same manner it is
granted : Thirdly, the signe is wrought and kythed, not be the
power of the prophet, but be the vertue of God.
To come back then to the first : The king seeketh a signe, as
may be seen, 2 Kings xx. ; and surely, in seeMng of it, he doth no
Avrong, for gif we look to the circumstance of the historic, he is
plainly compeUed to seek it ; for, as Augustine saith, vrating on
tMs same place concerning the mfracles of Holy Writes, while as
(saith he) the Prophet Isaiah proponeth in ane hour twa contrare
sentences, quhilk could not baith stand, it behoveth ane of them to
be confirmed be ane signe ; and so it behoved. Then, say I, the
king faulteth not m seeMng of ane sign, or, as gif he had said after
tMs manner to the prophet : Thou came even now, and said, it be
hoved me to die ; thou returnest in ane mstant, and sayest that I
shaU Uve ! Whereby shall I know this last to be true, and what
N

lyS MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMON'S.
token shaU I have of It ? Was it necessau-, then ? Surely it Avas
necessair.
The cause As to the sultiug of the sign, he sought it not of incredulltie,
why lie
sought a nor to that end to tempt God, but to strengthen and confirm his
weak faith, quhilk is weak in us aU. And a weak faith, suppose it
be weak, yet it is a truc faith ; for gif our faith be true and UveUe,
hoAvbeit it be Aveak, it is the right faith. It is era vetl of faith, that
so meikle as is of it, It be true and lively ; but so long as it Is here,
Aveak shaU it be. Then, for the strengthening of Ms weak faith. It
was necessair that he slioidd havc sought a sign, quhUk Avas done,
no doubt, be the adAise of the Spu-it of God. It is true the Avicked
How the have sought signs, as Mat. xii. 38. But Avhen they seek thera
signes. then- heart is A'oid of faith. They seek thciu not to confirm faith,
for they cannot seek thera to confirra the thing they have not ; but
they seek thera of incredulltie, and of contempt of God. Again,
Some refuse there Is auc titlicr sort, Avho, Avhen signs are off'ered, they wUl not
they are of- rcccIve them, as Achaz, this man's father : When the sign was of
fered to Mm be Isaiah, and dung on him, he would not have it, but
he cast it off' be ane shift. This Mng is not so, but he seeketh a
sign for the strengthemng of his Aveak faith ; and in this doing, he
foUoweth the example of the good servants of God who past be
fore. Gideon before Mm sought a sign, ludg. vi. ; Moses also,
that Avas before him, sought a sign, for the confirming and strength
ening of their faith. So, I say, the king, in seeking of this sign,
doeth not amiss ; and to testifie that he doeth no wrong, the Lord
granteth it unto hira, quhUk he would not have done gif he had
done araiss in seeking of it. Beside this, he giveth him his option
m tMs sign ; for look in what manner he craved it, in that same
manner it Is granted unto Mm ; quhilk testifieth that he did not
amiss m seeMng of it.
How the As to the manner of the sign, how he sought it, and how it is
tithed! granted be God, it is tMs shortly. The king desireth that not
only the shadow of the degrees whereby the hours were discerned
in Achaz' horologe should be brought back, but also he desireth
that the sun with the shadow should be brought back so many de-

THE THIRD SER-AION UPON ISAIAH. 199
grees. Noav, the sun had gone forward in his course, and had
spent ten hours of the day, so he had but tAvo hours to Ms going
to. In effect, therefore, he desireth the sun to be brought back
these ten hours quMlk he had spent ; so that the day qtihUk be
natm-e should have lasted but for the space of twelve hours, be the
draAring back of the sun in ane instant, is made for to last for the
space of twenty-two hours. Look, gif this was a wonder or not !
Thus far for the meaning of the Avonder, and the manner thereof.
Ye see this Avonder Avas kythed, partly in the body of Achaz' ho
rologe, and partly in the body of the sun. Now, in this that it is
kythed in the body of the horologe, it letteth us see that the accu
rate distinction of seasons and times, together with the arts and
sciences that bring thera, are not altogether displeasant before God :
And farther, it letteth us see that these sarae sciences, whereby the
seasons of tiraes are discerned, had place in Itidah in Achaz' days ;
for naturaUy avc have that knoAvledge to discern the seasons of the
course of the day, and of the course of the night, naturaUy we have
that. As to the day, we divide it in the daAvoiIng, raorrdng, noon,
and evening ; and sicklike the night, in night, midnight, and cock
crow. Now, time hath brought in these arts and sciences, quMlk
hath brought m ane raore accurate distinction of times and seasons.
These observations appear clearly to have had place in ludah in
Achaz' days. We read not that thir instrmnents entered in Grecia
or Eome ; not in Grecia, before Anaximenes Mileslus brought them
in ; not in Eome, before one Marcus Valerius Messala brought them
in, and he brought them out of SiciUa, forth of a citie caUed Catine :
Marcus Varro brought in ane more accurate thereafter ; always
this was the first.
But I leave these particulars ; I Insist not m them, and I come to
that quhilk may most edifie you In the faith of God. So, I say,
this sign was wrought In the body of the horologe, and also it was AVby the
wrought In the body of the sun. It was wrought in the horologe, wfought in
quhilk was a pubUck work, set up in ane pubUck place, upon theJogg^'"''""
head of the steps of the stafr of the palace, fore-anent the temple,
where the whole citie resorted, so that the work was ImoAvn to

2(K» MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
the Avhole citie ; and consequently to aU ludah, and that be reason
Avhy it was of thc pubUck place. Secondly, It is Avrought in the body of the
the body of SUU, that aU the Avorld might see the wonder In the sun, as avcU as
ludah did, both in sun and horologe, that they might be sttipified,
seeing Hira in Ms wonderful Avorks Avho of nature is invisible ; that
they might say Avitli themselfs, " We are out of the way, and have
worshipped the AATong God, leaAmg the right God." For surely,
when I look on the wonders quhUk God hath kythed from tirae to
time on this king, I am nioA'ed to think that God hath purposely
brought hira into these extremities and great dangers, that In his
wonderfidl deliverances he might be knoAvn to the whole Avorld :
He bringeth him into sic dangers that whereas nature and natu
rall raoyen could have no place ; he delivcreth hira so iiiiraculouslie
be sik Avonders to make all the Avorld to stop. Another end Avas
this, that this good king might be honom-ed of aU the Avorld Avhom
God so honoured. For good reason it is that they Avliom God so
honourctli, they should honour. Thir hath been the twa ends Avhy
God hatli kythed so many mli-acles in the person of this king. For
ye heard how AvonderfuUy in the night, be his angeU, he destroyed
a himdreth and fourscore thousands of persons. This is a Avonder
fuU thing ; and now, when he had faUen in the hands of a terrible
pest, so that there Is none able to help it, yet the Lord healeth hira
extraordinarlie, and he confirmeth it be sic a Avonder that the like
was never heard or seen of before. Indeed, we read In Jchosuah's
time, that the sun was made to stand In the firmament ; but to go
back be so many hours and degrees, it was never heard nor seen of
before. Look, then, gif these signs served not to the honour of God,
and under God to the honour of his servant !
Avhat iirofit Thc profit that is to be gathered of signs, properUe called signs
thered of institute be God, stands in the representation ; for there cannot be a

sisns.

sign properUe, except it represent in sorae raeasure the thing sig
nified be it. There man be some conforraitie and proportion, or
else it is not a sign, as Augustine saith. But this sign Avhereof we
speak is rairactdous and supernaturaU, and therefore hath no sick

THE THIRD SERMON UPON ISAIAH.

201

relation as sacraments have. But yet there may be a proper and
secret relation espied in it, quhUk is this ; for it appeareth weU that
God would let us see, and let the king see, be the kything of tMs
sign, that look how easie it was to hun to brmg bak the sun quhUk
had but two hours to Ms going to, to that same place where he rose
m the morning ; as easie it is to him, and far easier to bring back
the Mng's Ufe, quhUk had but two hours to the death, to a fresh
morning of youth again, and to ane joyfuU age ! It is as easie to
God to work the ane as the uther. And so we may take up the
end why these signs and siclike wonders was kythed be Christ, in
estabUshmg of the new covenant. The end, no doubt, was to
strengthen our faith quhilk we have already received be the preach
ing of the GospeU ; for signs are not given to creat m us faith ; they
are not given to begin our conjunction Avith Christ ; it is the
preachmg of the GospeU that begmneth this conjunction. Signs are
given as seals to eMarge and confirm this our conjunction ; and, as
the Apostle saith weU, Heb. U., signs serve to two ends ; first, to
bear hand to the truth ; secondly, to confirm the faith of the be
liever. This ye see clearly in our sacrament, the sacrament of the
Supper. This sacrament was not appointed to make our conjunc
tion first with Christ. We have not entrie unto CMist be this sa
crament, but it maketh us to possess Christ, whom we had already
in sorae raeasure : It maketh us to possess hira more fully, and ex-
tendeth the bounds of our narrow heart, that he may be the more
largely received of us ; so of this sign the Mng hath great corafort.
I grant there is greater corafort to be had in the word nor of the
sign, and greater corafort to be had of the working of the Spirit
witMn nor of either thera ; yet it Is as true that everie one of these
bringeth their aAvin comfort. There is greater comfort to be had
of the word nor of the sign, and yet the sign hath the awin comfort.
There is greater comfort to be had of the Spirit nor of the Avord,
and yet the word hath the awin comfort. And there is no word
able to utter, and far less any heart able to receive that corafort,
yea, not half the quarter of that corafort quMlk is prepared for them
that love God : So this sign, suppose there be not so great comfort

202 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMt)NS.
uttered be it as be the word, yet it hath the aAvIn corafort. Thus far
concerning the sign itself.
r-y whose As to the third thing, the kvthlns; of this sisrn, it is not be the
power this 07 - O ^ O ?
sign was vertue or powcr that flowed out of Isaiah, suppose he Avas an in
strument; for the te.xt resolveth this clearUe, where it is said,
" This is the sign given of the Lord." Let be this, it is certain that
there is no force nor vertue in any creature, yea, not in the devUl
himself, to work anie true wonder, but in God hiraself onlie : For
Avhy ? There Is no sign or wonder quhilk is a true wonder, but It
passeth the force, bounds, and corapass of nature ; therefore, there
is no creature able to work anie wonder: For why? They are
bounded within the compass and bounds of their nature ; and, there
fore, as to aU these wonders and miracles quhilk are wrought be
the deviU, and the Pope his vicar, they are false and lying wonders.
I say it not, but the Apostle saith it, 2 Tliess. ii. that the coming
of Anticlirist sliaU be In the mightie poAver of the deviU, in the
quhUk he shaU kyth false Avonders and lying signs : And as all tlie
rest are false and Ues, so these legs and arms, quhilk ye see in the
entres and porches of their kirks, are manifest lies and deceits of
Satan.
Tlie force Now, as to the manner of the ky thmg of this miracle, it is said in
procuring the 2 Kings xx. that it was procured be the prophet's prayer:
us sign, j^ .^ ^^j^ there that the prophet incaUed that the sun should be
brought back, so the prayer of the prophet intervened before it
carae to passe. Now, that same very thing qidiUk the Lord Avas
of ptirpose to do, and proraised to do, yet he wiU do it in sick
sort that he avUI havc the prophet first to seek it. Noav, this
letteth us see clearUe that there is no raerit in our prayer, there is
no sick force or worthiness in our prayer as to merit anythino-, but
the Lord promiseth freelle, so he performeth it also freelle. Then
Why the Avherefore avUI he have us to pray ? Because prayer is a part of the
u8"to pray, honour of God ; he wUl have us to feel what the want of benefits is,
he wUl have us exercised in this part of dutie, that when wc get
them we may use them so meikle the mair to his glorie.

THE THIRD SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 203
What the prayers of this countrie, speciaUie the prayers of the Application.
Mrk of this tOAvn, have purchased in the withdraAring of the Lord's
threatening, and chiefiie of the last threatening, I raean that huge
navie of sMps,' I think now the manifest effects declare ! But what
honour God hath gotten for it om- manners since that tirae clear
Ue testifie. For, gif ye look to the groAvth of sin, mau- ugUe sins
was never corandtted nor since that bruit ceased. So, I say, he is
mad and voyd of aU naturaU light, let be supernaturaU, that
thinketh that the Lord hath taken away Ms hand, suppose he
striketh not. Indeed hath he vrithdraAvn his hand to let us see
the force of om- prayers, and to trie us how Ave would use this be
nefite ; but seeing it is so highUe abused, and there were na uther
thmg but the birth of iraqmtle whercAvith the land Is overburthened,
or the Lord want ome raoyens to pimish the committers and over
seers of these miqulties, he Avdl rather punish the land from heaven
immediateUe, or else make it to spewe out the inhabitants. For
suppose the Lord spare, yet he vriU not forgive tMs contempt ! But
this sparing is of the Lord's bemgnitle ; he letteth them hoard up
sin agamst the day of wrath. I insist na farther m it.
Now foUoweth in ordour the kmg's thankfidness unto the Lord''^'"''''"?'^
~ thankfulness,
for the benefite quhUk he hath received. And, forsooth, tMs Mne; is fortbebcno-
^ ... fit received.
greatUe thankfuU ; and he hath set doAvn and left in register his
song of thankfidness to testifie that he is not like to us ; he hath set
doAra as notable a song of lamentation and thanksgiving, that we
read of nane better in any kmg, except that quhUk is In Psal. U.
He hath set down a song of lamentation, to testifie his infirraitle and
disease; and he hath set down a song of praise, to testifie his
thankfiUness towards God.
This song standeth of tMee parts. In the first part he letteth The parts of
us see the great trouble and perplexitie quhereintiU he was casten, song.
what he said and what he did m his trouble. In the second part,
' In allusion to the recent miraculous destruction of " The Invincible Armada,"
fitted out by the King of Spain for the invasion of Great Britain, and the extirpation
ottho Protestant Religion.

204
he raaketh a rehearsal of the greatness of the benefits that he hath
received, and proralseth to put Ms trust in hira, and to raake Ms
dependance on God and on no uther. In the tlifrd part, he letteth us
see that he Is mindfuU to be thanlifuU as lang as he liveth, and all
his days to praise Mm, and not to be forgetfuU of Mm. I think
these be the three parts of the song.
A short sum Now, or WC cntcr in the first part. It is necessafr that ye under-
Hfa. " '"^ ' stand the course of this kmg's Ufe, and the manner of his behaviour
in Ms Avhole Ufe, that marking the course of his life, at least, gif ye
AvUl not follow the course of other comraon Christians, ye may learn
to foUoAv a Mng. Take heed, then, unto the cotu-se of his life. In
the fourteenth year of his reign he Avas boasted be thc King of
Asshur, he was boasted be tAvo sindrie ambassadors ; and God his
Master, and he Mmself, was m their face blasphemed. After this, in
this great extreraitie, what doeth he ? He and the prophet go to
the kfrk and address them to prayer, that is one part of Ms exercise.
And upon his mstant of prayer Avhat cometh to pass ? He piir-
chaseth a wonderfuU deliverance. And upon this deUverance what
doeth he? He and the prophet praiseth God. So, here ye see
prayer and praise are Ms chief exercises. Noav, he is not so soon
delivered, but he faUeth in the hands of ane terrible pest, and death
is so present to him that he seeth no outgait. Now, what doeth
he ? He and the prophet both pray, I doubt not. What foUoweth
upon tMs ? He Is deUvered. What foUoweth of the deliverance ?
He and the prophet thank God. So, here also ye see prayer and
praise. What further ? Upon this deliverance he faUeth in pride
and ambition ; he maketh a vaunt of aU Ms jewels and treasures, as
gif he had conquested them be his awin Industrie. What foUoweth
upon this ? The prophet threateneth him. Upon this threatening
he is hurabled. After humiliation the prophet comforteth him, and
upon Ms comfort he thanketh God, and saith, " The word of the
Lord is good ; but yet let there be peace and rest in my days." Now,
take tent to the whole course of this Mng's life, and ye shall see his
whole Ufe to be nothmg else but a faUing and rising, a prayer and
praising of God continualUe. For as long as Ave can-y about with

THE THIRD SERMON UPON ISAIAH.

205

US these decaying houses of clay, (as lob saith,) and are clogged
Arith them ; yea, as long as the dregs of iniquitle remain In our
souls, we shaU be subject to ane continuaU faUing and rismg, be the
grace of God, and not of ourseUs. Of the quhUk this Ms continuaU
praymg and praising of God springeth. He prayeth for strength ra
his battels, and he praiseth God for Ms victorie and deUverance.
Now, take up the lesson, and learn of a Mng what suld be a a ciu-ist-
..... jn i''"'s chief
CM-istian's exercise, that seeing tMs raortahtie wherein we dwell, exercise.
and the corruption wherewith Ave are cfrcled, (for our sanctification
Is but begun, and verie imperfect in tMs Ufe,) maketh us to slide.
And seeing avc are subject to daUie troubles, and our life Is but a
continuaU fighting, should not tMs be our exercise, contmual praymg
and praising of God ; praying God for strength In the time of our
faUs and troubles, and praising hira for our victories? He that
shaU foUow the life of this king shaU get his end. And suppose
Ms Ufe be ane continuaU fighting, yet the Lord shaU ever raise Mra,
and comfort Mm Avith Ms Spfrit. He that oraitteth this exercise of
prayer he is unhappie ; for gif he craveth not strength he Is un-
wortMe of rising. There is none of us but we are aU subject to
tMs estate ; and, therefore, gif we would rise we raan pray, yea,
pray instantUe and continuaMe. So, I recoraraend prayer and
praismg unto you aU. Thus far concerning the course of the king's
Ufe. Now to come to the first part of the song. In the fia-st part he
'- . f ^ _ The first
letteth us see the great trouble, perplexitie, and perturbation of part of the
. . 1 . . . song.
mmd wherem he was ; he letteth us see what he said in this trouble.
Or he enter to the words in the beginmng of the 9th verse, he
noteth the cfrcurastance of time when he was casten in this trouble
and perturbation of mind ; and, forsooth, the cfrcurastance is worthie
of noting. In the cfrcurastance of tirae, it is said, " In the ctittmg
off of my days ;" when was that ? To Avit, at what time the prophet
told Mra that it behoved Mm to die. Then this trouble and per
turbation came on me. Fra the tirae he had once said it behoved him
to die, he fell in this fear : Suppose a godlie king, and ane holie
king, and as weUl reported of as any uther king in the Scriptures,

20ti MR ROBERT BTIUCE's SERMONS.
yet as soon as he heareth the sentence of death pronounced he
trerableth and feareth exceedingUe ; and surely it cannot be uther-
Avays, for death is a violent tArinning and rugging sundrie of that
quliUk the Lord hath appointed to bide together, to wit, the soul
and the bodie. Gif the bodie had bidden in the first estate, and re
mained under obedience, these twa had ncAcr been tAvinned ; but be
reason of disobedience and breaMng of the laAV of God, in came
sin, in coraeth the violent separation, in coraeth death, quhilk is the
reward of sm, as the Apostle speaketh, Eom. a-I.
The diver- It Is truc. Indeed, for this is necessau- to be knowiii, that there
seeking of hath bccn many evUl raen that havc sought the death ; and it is
wicked and ^s, truc that thcrc hath been raany good men that have sought the
^° '^' death ; yet never one of these sought death for itself, for it is not
naturaU to seek the dissolution of ourself. But these baUI raen
that sought the death, and put hands on theraselfs, in their appear
ance they sought It for a better, to wit, to eschew the iircsent tor
ment and Acxation of heU in their conscience Avherem they Averc,
thinking- that thefr miserable soul being out of the body should be
at greater Uberty nor gif it Avere detained in this prison : but they
are aU beguUed, for suppose heU be begun here, yet It is not In a
fuU measure whUl this life be done, and so the miserable caitiff' be-
guUeth Mmself On the other side, there hath been good men that
have sought the death, but not for itself, but for a better. Gif
they knew not and felt not that there Avere a better to foUow on
death they Avould not seek It ; but be reason they see there is a
greater joy to foUow on it, therefore, they regard not to taste in
some measure, for the present, of the bitterness of death. It is true,
again, and I grant that death unto thee that art a Cbristian is
sanctified in the death of our Master and Saviour Christ lesus, (for
blessed is the death of thera that die in the Lord ;) but suppose the
death be sanctified, yet thou art not whoUe sanctified, for gif thou
Avere as sanctified as the death, thou would not have sic a thing as a
terror, pain, or grief m thy death. But seeing in the best of us aU
there Is a remanent corruption, (and would to God it were but re
manent, for it is so thick and fotd that it is shame to speak of It !)

&

THE THIRD SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 207
and this corruption urgeth the conscience; and Avhere the con
science is urged there man be a fear, and the raair the conscience
be urged the greater is the pain and terror. It is true that this
fear Is tempered be faith that dAveUeth in the soul, and the hope of
joy that dweUeth In the faithful soul holdeth this fear in aAve ; that
hope of heavenly joy so sAvaUoweth up and devoureth the fear, and
maketh it to appear to the oiUooker that the soul hath no fear ; but
no doubt there is a fear, and it is sure there Is some grief ; it is onUe,
as I have said, the hope of that heavenUe joy that holdeth this fear
In awe ; where tMs hope is not, terrible is that fear, wonderfuU are
these terrors, great is that anguish of soul that is there, so that I
cannot get name to express it. Terrible it is to see the countenance
of God In his justice ; there is no creature that can abide it ! Ter
rible it Is to see thefr avrin sins present themselfis, the ugliness and
guUtiness of sin ; and tmto these to be left destitute of hope it Is
not the least part of their grief; and yet this is not regarded, for
men wIU not rise to get faith, and it should cost thera but ane hour
they vriU not come to hear the word. This is a wonderfidl and mi
serable madness that is in the soul of man, that he wiU ncA'cr pro
vide for heU till heU catch Mm !
Noav, to come to our purpose, the less the corruption be the less The way to
man be the fear. Wherein then should your exercise stand ? should fear of
ye not study to diminish tMs corruption? For he that would be
void of fear, he man traveU to diminish the corruption, that the con
science may be clean, and ye may have a good testimony, quhilk
maketh men to be Avithout terror ; for as long as the love of tMs
world and of worldly thmgs occupieth our soul, it is not possible
that It can be without fear. For why ? There Is no heart that can
tAvIn Arith the tMng that it loveth, without exceeding sorrow and
grief. Then, should we not traveU to take order with these afiFec-
tlons, and to love worldly things but so far as they may serve to
the love of God, and in God to the love of ourselfis and our neish-
hour, that when he caUeth, no strange love may draw us from Mm ?
There is a coraraon law in aU cities concerning the forbidden

208 MR ROBERT BRUCE S SERMONS.
goods, quhilk are discharged plainly to be carried out of the country
Avliere Ave are presently ; and suppose they were carried, they can
serve to no use mto the country where Ave go. To let you see the
exposition of the parable, I say the love of this Avorld and the cares
thereof, the love of flesh and the lusts thereof, arc these forbidden
goods, quhilk serve to no use to the country Avliere avc go ; yea,
they are plainly forbidden be the king of the country. For the
heart quhUk is replenished AvIth these shaU have no entrie there.
There is ane plain discharge sounded concerning these goods, that
we cleanse our hearts of them, and raake us to bring those Avares
with us that agree with the nature of that countrie. Let us make
us for the love of God and of om- neighbour, and let us cast off aU
contrafr love ; onUe let us love God, and in God let us love our
neighbour. Noav, gif I might obtain this one lesson for all the rest,
I would think my traveU verie weU Avared ; and therefore I insist
so raelMe the raafr In it, that it raay sinli in your hearts. Noav,
then, this good king feareth, quhlUi telleth rae that in all Christians
there is sorae fear.
I corae to the next : WTiat saith he in his trouble and perturba
tion ? The effect of the tMng he saith is this : First, he saith, " he
saw his awin death prepared for hira :" Next, because he was
troubled with it, and casten In ane great pertm-bation, he subjoin
eth the reasons why he Avas so grieved ; and, as I may gather them,
they are three in number. But ere I come to the reasons I will
teU you Ms awin words, quhilk he said in time of his trouble ; he
said, " I shaU go doAvn to the ports of the grave, I am drawing near
to the ports of death :" For so soon as I heard the prophet say
that I should die, so soon I began to make rae for it, for gif aU
liechts had as the prophet hath said, gif I get no outgait in the
raercie of God, I man die ; for this I knoAv that I am ane raortaU
man, and suppose I be a Mng, and ane glorious kmg, yet I ara not
exemed from death, and therefore I avIU raake me for it. He knew
weU that suppose he made him ready, he was not ane hafr nearer
Application, to death. Now, surely, gif ye would foUoAv tMs king, ye would be
a thousand tiraes readier and more able to live nor ye are in your

THE THIRD SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 209
diseases. But ye are casten up in sick a damtle and deUcate fashion,
that no raan wUl suffer to hear of death, saying, it is a thing that
wUl fiirther man to die : But I say the contrafr, and the Spfrit of
God sayeth the contrafr. I say the readier ye be to die ye are the
readier to Uve ; he that saith the contrair, I say he speaketh ane
untruth, and he were the best doctor of physick. Therefore,
when sickness, qululk is the raessenger of death, beginneth to puU
your ears, the ffrst thmg that ought to be proponed to the patient
is to bid to make him ready for death, for the readier he be to die,
as I have said, he Is the raore able to Uve. Then ye see Hezekiah
knew that suppose he was a Mng, yet he was mortaU.
As to Ms words, he setteth doAvn three reasons wherefore his''^!'^ ''^''^™'
-' why earth
death grieveth Mm so meikle. Gif ye look to the reasons, there ™=s™v-
appeareth at the first no Avelght in thera ; yet being tryed more nar
rowly, ye saU find into them ane greater vaUditie. The first reason
is this, " I am deprived of the residue of my years." He was a
man at this time of thfrty-eight or thfrty-nlne years, and of sick
age as for age he naight have Uved tvrise as long- be the course of
nature, as David saith. O ! but this appeareth to be ane sUght
reason, and it is sUght indeed, and there bc no farther in it ! He is
not so raeUde grieved at the cutting of Ms years as at the cutting
of the turnes quhUk the cutting of his years brought with it. So,
there Avas two respectes wherefore tMs kmg was so grieved at the
cutting of his dayes : The first, because the work of reformation In
kfrk and poUcIe, quhUk he had begun, would cease. And out of
question, this hastle cutting off" made him not so weiU prepared in Ms
heart to die as he would have been gif he had had leisure. So, in
respect he lacked time, and yet he was not so void of aU prepara
tion as commonly youth is that cast off ay repentance to the last
age, thmMng there is time aneuch before thera, in these respects,
that the work of reforraatlon, be the cutting off of Ms tirae, would be
imperfect ; and in respect he would not have been so weU prepared
in Ms heart, therefore he is grieved at Ms death, and saith, " I am
deprived of the residue of mine years."
WeU, to apply this unto our cause, I think there is none but they Application.

210 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
see clefrly that gif avc come not better speed m the Avork of refor
mation nor we are like to do, I fear that avc leave not this work
oMy unended but unbegun ; for, gif tMs confusion of kirk and po
Ucie grow frora day to day, as it doeth Avithout interruption, as gif
there were not a king in Israel ; I say, gif this confusion last, no
question but the bfrtli of Iniquitle shaU so overburthen the land that
it shaU make it to spcAV forth the uihabitants. I avUI not Insist ; I
am assured there is no magistrate of any degree but he is laAvftdly
forcAvarned and raade inexcusable before God.
The second reason Avhercfore his death grieved hira is set doAvn
m the beginning of the 11th verse, Avliere he saith, '' I shall not see
the Lord in the land of the living :"' Then this is it that grieved
him, because he shotdd not see the Lord. Hoav can this be ? I am
assured he had that sarae eye in seeing of the Lord that David had.
Hoav is it that he saith he sliaU not see the Lord? ^Vllat kind of
eye David had is declared in the 16th Psalra, Avliere he saith, that
he set the Lord before hira in aU his works, he rejoicetli exceed
ingly m Ms heart ; and he saith, " I am sure that my soul sliaU be
gathered Avith the rest of the so ids of my predecessors, who is In
the presence of God, Avhere there Is satietie of pleasure, and SAveet-
ness of Ufe for ever." I am assured this good man Avas not desti
tute of this eye, but in some measure he saAv Avith it, as his father
David. Hoav is it, then, that he saith, he wiU not see the Lord ?
He exponeth himself after ; and ye see a clear commentarie In the
end of the verse ; he saith he shaU not see the Lord in the land of
the Uving. As though he would say, I shaU not see him as I was
Avont to see him of before ; I shaU not see Mm in his kirk, as the
rest of Ms faithfuU servants see Mm.
How God Hoav was this ? Ye know the custom of thc Scriptures in this
bo seen of matter. God was said to be seen of old when the visible ensigns
wherem he gave Ms presence AA-as seen. For God, beino- in him
self invisible, when the visible ensign of his presence Avas seen, he
himself was said to be seen ; as when they saw the temple, God
came in thefr mind ; and when they saw the tabernacle, God was

THE THIRD SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 211
said to be seen ; and chiefly when they saw the ark, God was said
to be seen, because about it appeared the glory of God, for that
same cloud quhilk replenished the Inward house, his glory, appeared.
Now, be reason that these visible ensigns, wherein he gave his
presence, was seen, God was said to be seen. Then, the reason is
tMs, " I shaU not see the Lord m the land of the Uving ;" that is,
I AriU be taken from his service, I wUl not see Mm in Ms temple, as
I Avas wont to do. SureUe m this, as m aU the rest, he foUoweth
the footsteps of Ms good father David, as we may read in all the
Psalms made in time of his greatest persecution. There was no
tMng grieved Mm so melMe as because he had not Ubertie to con
vene Arith the rest of the faithfuU ; as Psal. Ixxxiv. and cxxii., he
saith, " My heart rejoyceth when they said to me. Let us go to the
house of the Lord." This smgular and godly love of the word of
God, among many ma vertues. Is in hefrsMp to this Mng. And for
this reason he is now gTlcvcd.
Now, let us confer ourself with tMs Mng, and try whether ye AppUcation.
foUow Mm m your hearts in tMs pomt or not ; that is, whether ye
have sik a desfre to hear the word as he had. But surely he shall
condemn aU estates ; for gif ye vriU look to the profane multitude
of this country, how weUl they Uke of the hearing of the word
thefr manners declare. For as to the multitude, gif they have a
turn adoe, it is casten off untUl that day of the Lord ; and gif there
be any mercatis meetings, tristes and trafiques, aU Is casten off till
that day. And the best of you hath taken sik a loath at the hear
ing of the word, that ye wearie to rise in the morning to hear it,
gif it were but ane hour sooner nor your diet ! What man tMs
contempt work ? Of necessitie it man bring exceeding famine of
that same food qiihUk we loathed ; for the Lord wUl not suffer his
Word, quhUk of itself Is so dalntie and deUcate, to be contemned ;
and it cannot be but that same word quhilk your fathers, and some
of yourselfs, have run monie mUes to hear, but it is as dalntie now
as it was then ; and, therefore, it cannot be that the Lord wiU suf
fer tMs contempt, but either man there be greater zeal, or of force
we shaU be spoUed of it. Thus far concerning the second cause.

212 MR ROBERT BRUCe!s SERMONS.
As to the thfrd, I shall touch it shortUe, and so I shaU end.
The thfrd cause Is this, he saith, " he sliaU see man no raore araong
the inhabitants of the earth." Now, what a cause is this ? TMs ap
peareth to be a verie sleight cause that he shotdd be grieved at his
death, because he would see man no raore ! For I am assured
there were men in his days whom he took no pleasure to see, and
whom he cotdd not see Avithout great grief, even sUc raonsters as
are now in our days. This general raan be restramed to this, as
gif he would say, I wUl not see raen, that is, faithfuU raen, honest
and obedient subjects to God and their king, of Avliose corapanie
I had delight, and whose protection I was, I will see these good
raen no raore ! He had sik a care of the kirk, and of the Christian
subjects under Mm, that in the very hotu- of his death he shcAveth
his compassion toAvard them, and Is grieved that they shoidd lack
his protection m tirae coraing.
AppUcation. WcU, thc countric is exceedrag blessed who hath such a prince,
who is indued with the care of his subjects, and speciaUie of the
kfrk, that in Ms death he is wae that they shotdd be deprived of his
protection. And turn it over again, as cursed and unhappie is that
country who hath ane Mng that hath na Mnd of care nor sonde of
Ms subjects, let be of the Mrk of God, quhUk is the best part of
his subjects ! Therefore, it is everie one of your duties that hear
me, and see what it is to lack this blessmg, to crave at God that he
would distUI Ms grace in Ms Majestie's heart,- quhlUc may move
hira to take up another manner of protection than hitherto he hath
done. Oh ! Avoidd to God it were so ! Thus far for the exposition
of the causes, shortUe.
What is In all these causes, some tMngs are Avorthie of praise, and some
praise or re-tMugs arc worthy of dlspralsc ; for I stand not to justifie Mra in
thTe roa- them aU. They are worthy of coraraendation in so far as they
flowed from faith, and tended to the glorie of God and weUl of his
kfrk. They are wortMe of reproof in so far as they flowed from
the fooUsh aff'ectlon and corruption of nature, without the quhUk
none can be, so long as we be in tlus life. Then ye see, the best
gear that we have to carry with us of om- awin is this corruption

sons.

THE THIRD SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 213
and fooUsh affections. No question kings have not this power to
Carrie thefr jcAvels and magmficence with them ; but surelie they
Carrie their vices and the faults of thefr govemement with thera,
quhUk shaU meet them. And surely, gif this good king carried
any of tMs stuff'e Arith Mm, meikle mair shaU other kings. And
as it is in kmgs, so Is It in everie of us ; we shaU aU carrie with us
vertues or vices. Gif we carrie vertue with us, then shaU we have
a good conscience to meete us there !
Then, to end this mater, prepare your hearts, and make baith Co^<=iusion^_
hand and heart void of the love and aff'ectlon of the world, that hortation.
your hearts being occupied onlie with the love of good things, ye
raay carry your hearts with you when the Lord caUeth. And as
your ears are bent to recelA^e this Avord, so let it be digested .in
your heartes, that in your death I may see the fruits and effects
thereof. And seeing we man either carrie vrith us vertues or vices,
the favour of God to mercie, or the favour of Satan to judgment,
should not our haUl endevour be this, that these foul vices may be
removed out of our heart ? And should not our whole studie be,
that our soul, quhilk is holden so fast bound in the chains of wick
edness, may be set at freedom and Uberty ? That we may have
melting hearts, acknowledgrag that be the blood of Christ our
sins are forgiven, that throw ane stedfast faith in Ms blood, and
sure hope m Ms raercie, we may seale up that peace quhilk floweth
from the pacification purchased be the offering up of his awin
bodie. Now, Avhen I see mme aArin conscience pacified, and my
soul so washed frora the spots of corruption, that aU my sins are
forgiven rae, am I not happie ? And tMs can never be, except in
your hearts ye be as attentive as with your ears ye are to hear me.
But gif this mater, as it is heard be the eare, so it were learned and
remembered be the heart, we would see greater profit in sanctifi
cation and newness of life tMs day nor we do, and death would
not be so fearful! to raany as it Is ; for the readie way to eschew
the feare of death is not to delay your repentance, but let the
whole course of your life be a continuaU repentance. Happie Is he

214 MR ROBERT bruce's SERMONS.
that learneth this lesson, and mair nor happie is he that foUoweth
it ; and as unhappie he that never practiseth it ! The Lord Avork
so with IIS, and grant us such increase of his Spirit, that avc may
foUow it, and studie to practise it in our life and conversation.
The Lord grant this, for the righteous merits of Jesus Christ ; to
whom, Arith the Father and the Holy Spirit, be all praise, honour,
and glory, for now and ever. Amen.

THE FOUET SEEMON

UPON ISAIAH, CHAPTER XXXVIII.

12. Mine habitation is departed, and is removed from me like a
shepherd's tent : L have cut off like a weaver my life : he ivill cut me off
from the height: from day to night thou wilt make an end of me.
13. J reckoned to the morning, hut he brake all my hones, like ane
lion : from day to night wilt thou make ane end of me.
14. Like a crane or swallow, so did I chatter : I did mourne as a
dove : mine eyes ivere lift up on high : O Lord, it hath oppressed me :
comfort me.

In our last lesson, (weU-beloved In Christ Jesus,) the prophet as-Recapituia-
sureth the Mng of his health, by ane wonderftiU sign quhUk was
given to hira. The raanner and forrae of the kything of the sign
was : The king seeketh a sign, and the Lord granteth a sign unto
him : And after the same raanner that he sought a sign it was
given to hira : ThfrdUe, the Lord kytheth this sign by his own
power and vertue, without the support of any creature. The king
seeketh a sign, not that he disfideth God's proraise, nor yet to terapt
God, as the vricked doe ; but he seeketh a sign to strengthen his
beleef In the Lord's promise. He beleeveth the proraise, yet bis
beleef was weak ; and to strengthen his weak beleefe he seeketh
the sign.

"/IO mi; ROBERT bruce's SERAIoNS.
The thing that Aveakened his beleef Avas this : The prophet, in
ane hour and shorter space, he coraeth to the king, and projioneth
two contrafr sentences : Ffrst, he saith to hira, " Make thee readie,
thou raan die ;" In ane Instant of time he pronounceth the plat con
trafr ; and saith, " Thou shalt live :" But these tM^o could not
stand ; therefore, he seeketh a sign to strengthen his beleefj
whereby he might know the truth of the last promise. This sign
was given hira, as ye heard ; and look after what manner he craved
it after that same manner it Is granted, according to his desire : The
sun is brought back, as also the shadow of it, in his father's horo
loge by ten degrees ; and the day quhUk other Avayes should have
lasted but twelve hours, by this wonder it is raade to last for the
space of twenty-two hours. This sign was wrought partly in the
horologe, partly m the body of the sun. It was wrought ra the
body of the horologe, because it was ane pubUck work, set up in
ane pubUck place, at the head of the palace over against the Tem
ple, to the end the miracle wrought in it, quhUk was in sick a pa
tent and comraon place, raight be known to all the citie, and conse
quently to aU that were in Judea. It was wrought in the body of
the sun, that the knoAvledge of that work might corae to the
whole world, that the whole Avorld who saw that light, might see
in that work a God whom they saw not before. This sign was
exceeding fit and proper for thc purpose ; for by this sign the Mng
saw evidently that it was as easie to God to bring back his life to
ane fresh youth, quhUk Avas hastening to go to, as it was to bring
back the sun, quhilk was verie near to Ms doAvnfall. This sign is
Avrought only by the vertue of God. For that generall Is true,
there is no creature, yea, not the deviU hiraself, that hath power
to kyth any trae rairacle. Then, all those rafracles that are in the
Popish kfrks, as the unages of legs and arms, wax-clothes, and aU
the rest of that sort, are deceivmg Ues of the devil. The king
purchaseth this sign by his own prayer, to leam us this lesson :  that
suppose the Lord be of mind and purpose to give us benefits, and
suppose he hath proraised to grant benefits unto us, yet he wUl not
give them but to the seekers : he avUI have us first seeking them

THE FOURT SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 217
before we obtain them. And so he would learn us this exercise, to
stand constant in honouring and Avorshipping of him who hath
these benefits to give us.
Before we entered into the song, we deduced unto you the
whole course of tMs Mng's life, frora the fourteen year of his
reigne ; and in Ms whole course ye saw that his whole life was a
contmuaU faUmg and rising, a continuaU praying and praising of
God. Praying, in the time of his fades and of his trouble, that the
Lord would strengthen Mm by Ms Spirit ; and praising God for Ms
victories, that he had so mightily deUvered him. In this we see
ane image of ane Christian life, and of ane Christian exercise, to
assure every one of you that whUe ye are here your Ufe shaU be
but ane continual faUing and rising, rising by the special grace and
mercie of God in Christ Jesus. And, therefore, it becometh you
to be occupied in the same exercises wherein this king was occu
pied ; m the time of your fades and troubles to be dUigent in prayer,
seeMng strength of the Lord to endure ; and praising him In your
victories. He that forgetteth to pray forgetteth to rise; and,
therefore, take tent that in all your troubles ye have ever recourse
to God by prayer.
We took the song to stand of these tMee parts : In the first
part is set dovm the great trouble, perplexitie, and perturbation
wherein the Mng was ; what he said during this trouble, and what
he did: In the second part there Is ane rehearsaU raade of the
great benefit that he obtained ; how singular and how exceUent it
was : In the thfrd part he maketh a faithfuU promise to be thank
fuU to God for tMs benefit, to praise him aU the dayes of his life ;
and that so long as he Uved he should never forget Mm. In the
first part, we marked the circurastance of tune when this trouble of
mind overtook the king ; to Arit, at what tirae the servant of God
came to him and told him it behoved hira to die ; from tirae he
heard death denounced, mcontinent the mention of death striketh a
fear and a trembling in him ; it casteth hira in ane great perturba
tion of mind. Suppose he was a godly king, and, indeed, sick a
kmg of whom there is as good mention made as of any other king

218 MR ROBERT BRUCE S SERMONS.
In the Scriptures of God, yet, notArithstanding, at the hearing of
death, he feareth and trerableth. This death it is indeed a rentmg
asunder of those two parts quliUk were appointed to havc biddin
together ; and, therefore, it is no marvel suppose the mention of it
strike a fear in the heart. Our OAvn sin hath procured it, and in
sorae raeasure it is good that we taste what sm hath brought with
it. It Is true, indeed, our death, that arc Christians, is fuUIe
sanctified m the death of CMist Jesus ; but it is as true, on the
other side, that suppose our death be fully sanctified, yet we, so
long as we remain in this earth, are not ftdly sanctified. And in
respect there remain eth in us, yea. In the best ofus aU, a reraanent
corruption — yea, would God it Avere but remanent! — of tlus floAV-
eth this fear, trouble, and perturbation of mind. It is of truth
that this faith, and the constant hope of a better, that dweUeth in
the other part of the soul, they temper the fear, mitigate the
trouble, and swaUow up the pain of death : Yet, in respect of the
corruption that remaineth, sorae fear raust be, and the greater the
corruption is the greater fear faUeth upon the conscience. The
chief corruption that grieveth us in the tirae of death is the love of
the world, the cares of the world, the inordinate love of flesh and
blood ; so that he .that would make Mmself void of fear, he raust
cast him to rid his hands and his heart of these inordinate affec
tions ; for experience, suppose unhappy, teacheth us that there Is
no man can twin with that he loveth without exceeding grief.
And, therefore, in the article of death, experience teacheth what it
is to cast otu- affection on frivolous things, that suddenly evamsh.
So, I say, now it is time to rid your hands and purge your hearts
of sik preposterous affections, that death, quhilk unto others is so
terrible, Avhen it coraeth it may be a blessing to you !
I show unto you that all those cares were forbidden goods, ex-
presslie InMbltcd by the King of heaven, quMlk are neither profitable
for you nor to the countrey where ye goe to ; and, therefore, I de
sired you to carry Avith you the love of God, and the love of your
neighbour in God : And these Mnd of wares shaU both profit you,
and be welcome to the country where ye goe. In this trouble, the

THE FOURT SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 219
first thing that he uttereth, he sayeth with himself, " I see I must
die ; I am drawing near to the ports of the grave." Suppose he
was verie loath to die, as Ms words do testifie, yet he raaketh him
ready. It is a foolish and a false thing to thmk that preparation
to death is a furtherance to death. No, the contrare is trae. The
readier ye are to die the more able ye are to live, and the less shall
be your angmsh when the Lord caUeth. As to the reasons, I avUI
not insist on them ; only the last reason that moveth death to be
so fearliiU to tliis good Mng was the great love quhilk he had to
the kfrk quhilk was m his country ; the great care quhilk he had
of his faithfuU subjects, who sould lack by his death his merciful
protection. And m this I let you see that the country had ane
exceeding blessing, where the prince Is so carefuU for the kirk in
Ms countrey, and of his faithfull subjects, that in his death he hath
mind of them, and Is grieved to depart from them ; as, on the other
side, the kfrk must be as heavelie cursed where the prince hath
no regard of the kirk m his country, nor of Ms faithfull subjects.
As to the reasons, I wUl not stand precisely in justifying of them
aU : I tMnke, as the word soundeth, that there Is some thing
worthy of praise and commendation in them, and something worthy
of dispraise and reproof ; for so far as they flow of faith and of the
good Spirit of God, no question they are worthy of praise ; and so
far as they flow frora the Mng's unruUe affections they are worthy
of dispraise. And surcUe, it appeareth of the words that his affec
tions have been well unrtdie. WeU, the lesson that I gathered
was : This is the profit that we reap of these preposterous affec
tions, they draw our love from God to creatures ; and ere these
affections can be drawn from the creature they bring sik a grief
unto them as it were another death. Therefore, the thing that we
craved was, that ye should set your aff'ectlon upon God. The
truth of love is in God, and therefore it becometh you to bring
your hearts from the creature unto God, and eraploy your affection
upon him in whom only Is solid joy. This far we proceeded in
our last exercise.

220 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
Theheadsto NoAV, In thc words quhUk I have read he returneth to his com
be intreated ^ -^
in this Ser- plaint, and he taketh up Ms laraentation agalne ; and m the first
mon. ^ ¦*¦ ^ "
part of the tAveUth verse he uttereth his trouble AA-hereIn he was.
In the end of that verse, and in the verse foUowing, he uttereth
the great rage and furie of his sickness ; and in the fourteenth
verse he letteth us see what he did In this great rage and extre
mitie of Ms disease.
Then, to returne to the twelfth verse, I say, in the beginning of
it he returneth to his lamentation, and he uttereth his complaint,
as he had wont to do, bursting out after this raanner : " Mine habi
tation (saith he) is departed and transported from me." As gif
he Avould say. My Ufe is to depart, and the Lord Is to transport it
to ane other part ; I see death is instant, and the Lord is cutting
off this present life of mine.
The manner jjg letteth US SCO thc nianiicr how his life is to be transported
of the trans- ^
portation of by two slmlUtudes : The first siraUittide he taketh frora a shep-
the king's •' ...
life showed, herd's tent ; the second siraUItude he taketh frora a webster and
in two simi-
Utudea. his Wcb.
¦The first ^g ^Q jijg gj-g^ slralUtude, he saith his life is to be transported
similitude. ^ ¦*¦
from hira Uke a shepherd's tent : Look how the tents of shepherds
are flitted, transported, and reraoved, so, saith the king, he saAV his
life to be subject to the sarae transportation. It is knoAvn to you
all that read histories, that in the East and hot countries, as narae-
lie araong the Tartares and Arabians, Avhere the shepherds in the
summer seasons remain under tents, that so oft as they flit their
flockes they flit their tents ; and In our OAvn counti-y here, Avhen
our shepherds flit their flockes they flit thefr flalkis, alluding to that
sarae custom : So Avould the king say. Look how their tents are
flitted in the suraraer season and transported, my Ufe is subject to
the same condition.
Doctrine to Qf tMs sliuUitude AVC liavc raatter ftdl of good doctrine : For
be gathered ..,..-,.« , . .
of the flrst this siinUItude doth first teach us, that there is notMng raore un-
similitude. . ' ^ ^^ r n
stable and uncertain nor is the life ot man here beneath ; there is
nothing more subject to instabilitie nor this life quhilk avc live in
this bodie ; for, as to the nature of tents, ye see (Avhcther ye call

THE FOURT SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 221
them tents, paviUions, or tabernacles, all is one) by experience
there is notMng more unstable nor uncertain to dweU in nor is a
tent. For why ? It lacketh a ground, it lacketh a foundation
and stabUitle, and instead of a ground it leaneth only to certam
pinnes quhilk enter not deeply m the earth, and, consequently, by
the lightest blast of every Arind they are raade up ; and when the
pinnes make up the tent faileth : So the king would teach us by
¦tMs simUitude, that this life of ours lacketh a ground, lacketh a
foundation, and lacketh a stabUitie : And, therefore, the king, in
this comparison, would send us to the Ufe quhUk hath the sure
ground, foundation, and stabUitie ; he sendeth us to that kingdom,
quhilk, as the apostle, Heb. xii. and penult verse, saith, cannot be
shaken by no Mnd of stormy blasts ; and, as I remember, Heb. xi.
9, 10 vers, there in these verses the apostle maketh a plat opposi
tion betwixt these tents that lack a ground and the citie of God,
saying, that as the tents and tabernacles lack a foundation and
ground, so the citie of God, on the contrare, hath a ground and
foundation ; and instead of one, he caUeth them In the plural num
ber, foundations : " Look (saith he) to the citie that hath the
foundations, whose craftsman and buUder is the God of heaven."
He exponeth hiraself what he raeaneth by the foundations, twelfth
chap, penult verse, Avhere he saith, " Sik a kingdorae as cannot be
shaken," that is, whose ground is so sure that it cannot be shaken
nor totter, by no process of time nor stormy blasts. Then, the
first commoditie that ye have of this part of the comparison is tMs:
learn to seek for the citie that hath the foundations ; seek for the-
citie that cannot be shaken. The Lord give you grace !
In the other part of the comparison, he letteth us see that so why the pa-
long as we are m this Ufe we have no permanent lodging, nor cer- conversed in
tain remaining whereunto we may lean. For, as ye may perceive*™'^'
of the history of Genesis, the patriarchs conversed in tents to tes
tifie unto us two things : Ffrst, to testifie that they were no coun-
tryraen there, nor native-born raen of that country, but strangers
and pUgrlras in that country ; and, as they professed themselves,
they were not only strangers of that country, but counted them-

222 AIR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
selves strangers so long as they remained on the face of this eartli.
The second thing that they testified by dweUing In tents is, that
they Avere mmded not to remain there ; it was not their purpose to
fix thefr stake, as we speak, there ; but they M'cre upon their
journey, and were seeMng the way that leadeth homcAvard, the
way that led to thefr native country, to the city that hath the
foundations, as they confessed themselves. Then, I say, there is
another comraoditie that avc raay reap of this siraiUtude : It teacli-
eth us that we have iio certain dweUing here, we have no per-
raanent being here, and we ought not to settle our hearts nor cast
our love on any thing here ; but seeing we are subject to flitting
and removing, and wait not what hour we shaU be warned, there
Is nothing more sure nor avc raust remove, and nothing raore un-
knoAvn nor the tirae. Therefore, it becoraeth us now in time,
while we haA-e leisure, to transport our plenishing, and to send it
before us Avhere we are to reraaine ; to send om- substance where
we are to abide for ever. For this your oavu experience teacheth
you, that there is none of you under warning, and certain that ye
are to flit, but ye wUl transport your plenishing, and send your
substance AAdiere you are to abide; therefore, seeing that this is
ane concluded principle in aU your hearts, that there is no reraain-
ing here, but we raust remove, and ye are uncertain m what mo
ment ye wUl be warned, it becometh us to send our plemshing,
substance, and riches before us. And gif it be true that our Mas
ter saith, that thc heart foUoweth the treasure, let both heart and
treasure be sent there. Surely this is ane singular commoditie,
and it were well learned ; for he is a mad man, and raore nor raad,
that wUl place his felicitie where he is not to remain, and where
he knoweth not what hour he avUI be warned to depart. I am
assured there is none here but they avIU say as I say. Yet, on the
other side, it is as true there is none here but he doth as pleaseth
himself; therefore, I avUI caU only one tMng to your minds. I re
raeraber there is a parable set down, Luke xu. 16, concerning a
rich man that cast down Ms barns and enlarged thera for his
great abundance ; when aU this was done, he saith to his soul.

THE FOURT SERMON UPON ISAIAH.

223

" Take thy rest, eat and drink, and take thy pleasure ; for I have
laid up enough for thee." TMs msatiable fool, as our Master
caUeth Mm there, knew not that he was under warning, and he
wist not of the tMng that was to come ; but as gif he had the tiraes
and seasons at Ms coraraand, he layeth this resolution with his
soul. But ye see m tMs parable how soon he Is disappointed, and
Ms soul getteth not the use of tMs conclusion ; for that sarae night
it is taken from Mm. WeU I know there is none so gross, that in
words wUl lay this conclusion with this rich raan ; but I know,
again, there is none so Arise but In effect they do it ! There is
none but they say the sarae to their soul in their deed. Always,
I say, aU these conclusions are false, and proceeds of ane fooUsh
bram ; and the wisdom that bringeth on this conclusion is plain
foUy, and thefr souls shaU be disappomted. There is no certain
conclusion but that quhUk floweth from the truth. This word is
sure ; therefore thou man have thy warrant out of the word of
God. This word saith thou hast no certainty, not ane hour, here ;
therefore, this word admonlsheth aU to be ready. And gif ye
would be rich, seeing riches is the benefit of God, be rich in good
works, and send your riches before ; and be rich in God, that ye
and your riches may remam together there for ever. Gif I raight
obtain this lesson, and no more, I would thmk tMs day's exercise
weU employed. Then, let men take sik ane resolution with them
selves that they may be so disposed, that when the raessenger of
death cometh he cannot come wrong, come when he wUl. This
far concerning the first simUitude.
The other similitude is taken from a webster and his web. And '';'": second
similitude.
In the words he saith after tMs raanner : " I have," saith he,
" Avrought ray Ufe, or woven the web of ray Ufe to the off-cutting."
As the webster weaveth his web, so is my Ufe woven, ready to be
cut off : As gif he would say, in eff'ect, " I see I have shortened
my days ; there is no remammg for me ; I have brought ray life to
the off-cutting ; I have prevented the just tirae be ray own doing ;
I have procured ray death." In the quhilk words he would teach

224 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
lis, that by his OAvn dorags he hath procured and hastened his oavu
death, and by his evU life he hath shortened Ms tune. It is true,
indeed, that as by sm death entered mto the Avorld, so by the mul
tiplying of sm our death is hastened. For that disease is not that
striketh on body or soul but it floweth of sin ; yea, the death of
sold and body floweth of sin. The thmg that shorteneth our days
is sin ; the tMng that maketh our days evil and fashions is sin,
saith Jacob. Sm maketh our days ftdl of anguish and grief, ftdl
of trouble and sorroAv ; sin Avrappeth us in a thousand eares and
exceeding vanities, whereby Ave are deceived ; and sin consuraeth
us Avith unprofitable labours and travels quliUk are not necessare.
And Avhat raore ? Sin Aveakened this body of otu-s by deceivable
pleasiu'cs ; it vexeth our ramd Avith sick fear and terrors as I can
not express them. Shortly, aU the evU that ever God forsooke, it
floAveth of sin.
Application. xVucl gif It be true that tMs good king had occasion to say that
his sin procured his death : Gif so godly a king, so good a youth,
had occasion to say this, that sin shortened his days, Avhat may the
youth of this country say ? AYliat may, I pray you, our young
nobilitie say ? Sm-ely gif tMs Mng walked in sik a behaviour as
made hira draw neare to his death. It appeareth avcU that they
have taken the post in this Avay, every one, as appeareth, contend
ing who shotdd run the speediest post to ane evU end, except God
prevent it. The Psalralst saith, that " The bloody man shall not
end out the half of his days." Gif tMs be ti-ue, Avliat shaU become
of the bloody adulterer, of the sacrUegious blasphemer, let be the
Papist and the idolater, m the qtdiUk, and mfinite other vices, they
run the post ? Gif a man having tMs one vice, shall not end the
half of his days, how much more shaU Ms days be shortened ra
whom these vices concurre aU in one? This is sure : it cannot fail. I
leave the great men, and I corae to the inferior sort.
Look to the prophane raultltude ; ye see in their behaviour how
speeilily they run this post. There are tAvo sins quhilk are joyned
together in them, to Avit, gluttonie and drunkenness. And there is
none but they knoAv that thir tAvo arc the fountains of all bodUie

THE FOURT SERMON UPON ISAIAH.

225

diseases, and of the chief diseases of the soul, whereby they perish
for ever. Now, what, I pray you, saith Soloraon, Proverb xxiii. :
" With Avhora (saith he) lodgeth fear, sorrow, contention, debate,
and strife ? with whom but with the drunken raan, and with him
that loveth wine ?" and yet ye see how the greatest part. In burgh
and land, are defUed with these vices, procuring, so far as in them
lieth, ane evil end to thefr OAvn heads. It is ane terrible thing to
faU into the hands of God, and yet so many as cast thera loose to
thfr vices raust fall into his hands. For it cannot be but the wrath
of God frora heaven must be poured upon sik ungodliness. And
there is none who hath poured forth his love and taken himselfe so
to these vices, but surely, except he be wonderfuUie prevented, he
shaU perish in Ms sin. And this is not one of the least judgements
of God : For, Job. vM., it is counted one of the most terrible
judgments when the Lord threatneth the Pharisees that they shall
perish m their sm. Gif the word quhilk is now sounded might
have been able to have called back men, surelie it hath been clear
Ue and continuaUie sounded ; but when I look to the effects, it ap
peareth weU that this word hath been sounded to the hardening of
the greatest part, and to seal up thefr judgment against the day
of the Lord's Avrath ; quhUk day they have blotted out of their
minds and put out of their knowledge, that they should not see it.
The Lord nourish this light, by his Spirit, into us ! whereby we
may see that there Is a heaven and that there is a hell ; that, see
ing the danger, we may presse to eschew It ; and, seeing, the feli
citie, we may make us to embrace it. Would God It were so !
Thus far for the first part of the simlUtude.
He goeth forward, and he saith, " He hath cutted Mm off from
his beam," or from the throombes that go about the beam, as ye
call them. As gif he would say, after this manner : As the web
ster doth cut off the web from the throorabs of Ms beara, so the
Lord hath taken resolute purpose to cut off" my life from his beara.
In this changmg of the persons, he letteth us see a great discretion
and knowledge m himself; he ascribes the cutting off to God,
but he taketh the cause to himself; he ascribes the chastisement

226 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERJlONS.
to God, but he taketh the sin, qtdiilk is the cause of the chastise
ment, to hiraself; and he acknowledged God to have his entrie in
this work, and hiraself to have his entrie m it : he acknowledgeth
God to be a doer, as in aU works God hath Ms entrie. And there
is no work so aborainable as it floweth from the instruraent, but as
it floweth from God it is holy and just ; so this wise king taketh
the cause of Ms chastisement from God to hmiself : Happie is he
that in tirae conderaneth and judgeth himself, that he may eschcAV
the conderanation of God ! Thus far concerning the first part of
our division.
Now, m the end of this verse and of the verse foUoAving, thc
kmg setteth doAvn the great fury and rage of his sickness. It was
a pestUent fever, and so the raging friry behoved to be exceeding
great. He uttereth the vehemencie of his disease in the words
foUoAring, and he saith, as gif he Avould say after this raanner :
" Gif God hold on as he beginneth, by the sarae sickness ere even
he wUl raake an end of rae :" And In the verse foUowmg he saith,
I propone to rayself, and I looked for it, " That like a devouring
lion he should briuse ray bones ;" he should bruise thera shortUe,
yea ere even ; for I take all this to be spoken on one day.
His words, The words, indeed, beside the terrible disease of the bodie, utter-
beside the . . ,
disease of eth morc. For It is not possible that so good a king could have
utter the dis- spoken SO of God except he had felt ane other thing nor any dis-
soui. tress m his bodie : so, in uttermg of these voices, he letteth us
see that he had the pain of his soul and trouble of his conscience
jomed with the disease of his bodie, and that he felt God to be as
it were a consuming fiii-e ; it is not possible that he could have
uttered sik voices of God, as to caU him a devouring lion, except
he had felt another Mnd of fever nor any natural fever. Ye see
David, when he is in the Uke extreraitie of bodie and soul, he crieth,
Psal. vi. " That Ms bones are vexed and do quake for fear."
Of aU the diseases that can come on any person, no question the
disease of the soul and conscience Is the greatest ; and of all the
diseases and troubles that overt-ake the conscience, no question

THE FOURT SERMON UPON ISAIAH.

227

this Is the greatest, when with the sight of sin, quhUk is enough,
and more nor enough, to any to sustain, when Arith this sight there
is a feeling of God's Avrath joined. O ! then, this sickness Is un-
supportable, when with the sight of sm Is joined a touch and feel
ing of the wrath of God : Merciful God ! gif the horror be not ex
ceeding great and terrible, so that it is an wonderful raatter that
the sotd can stand on the terms of faith, but it should incontment
run to desperation ; yet it Is true that there is never ane of the chief
servants of God but he hath experience of this either less or more ;
and he hath been touched with the feeling of that heU quhilk the
reprobate shaU have in ane ftdl measure.
The ends why the Lord suffereth his dear chUdren to be in sik why the
1 1 /-ll • 1 1 '^°^^ suffer-
extrenuties are these, to let thera see expressly what Christ hath ed Us chu-
sufifered, whUe as he suffered the ftdl sura of Ms Father's wrath, mto the dis-
inflaraed against their sins ; and not onelie against their sms, but goui.
also agamst the sms of the whole elect. He casteth them, I say,
ra tMs extremitie to let thera see what Christ hath suffered for
them, how far they are obUged to Christ, and how precious that
redemption purchased by Ms blood should be unto us. For it is
not possible that any raan can raake much of that benefit quhUk
they know not to be a benefit ; so, it Is not possible to you to make
much of heaven except you had some taste of heU. And therefore
it is, that he sendeth his servants to heaven even by the gates of
heU, to let them see farther there was no coUusion betwixt the
Father and the Son : For it might have been thought, as many of
the Aricked tMnk, that there had been a collusion betwixt God the
Father and Ms Son Christ ; and, therefore, I say, he letteth them
taste of these distractions and pangs of heU, that they may say, I
see he hath felt heU in ane other sort that hath redeemed us from
heU; and whereas I cannot sustain tMs, quhilk is terapered in
ane smaU measure. It hath been ane great matter quhilk our Sa
viour hath sustamed whUe he sustained heU for sins, and for the
sins of the whole elect. O, then, this exercise is to let thera see
how far they are obUged to God.
The dissolute life of the prophane multitude letteth us see clear- Application,

22S MR ROBEltT bruce's SEKAIONS.
lie that there is never ane of them that have known the raeaning
of this article ; and this is a sealed letter to raany of you aU :
Therefore it Is that they raake none account of the death of Christ,
and think that he died for hiraself. For it appeareth they have
no touch nor remorse of sin, quhdk is the thing that must destroy
them except it be prevented, their manifest contempt testifieth
over weU ; for they go forward without remorse in all kind of sins
the more they are forbidden. I reraeraber the Apostle is more
sharp In his threatning against these men nor any man can be ; for
he sayeth, Heb. x., at the end, " Gif he that contemned Moses, or
any part of his laws, died without raercie, Iioav much morc shall he
be Avorthie of punishment that contemneth the person of the Son
of God ? that treadeth the Son of God under foot, and counteth
his blood ane unholie thing ? who vriU not apply the raercy of
Christ to theraselves, and reject the Spirit of CMist, Avhereby they
shoidd be sanctified ?" These tMeatnings, suppose they take not
effect suddenly, as also the promises, suppose they be not believed
of you, yet they raust be uttered of us, that these AvaUs raay testifie
and bear hand to your conscience that there was ane prophet here ;
these things were told us, and we had tirae to have done them gif
Ave had Usted.
Or I leave this, it is necessare to you aU that ye raark the ex-
araples of these heavy diseases. There is few that are touched
with thera, ahvays, they are very worthy of marking. I say it is
necessare that the examples of these diseases be raarked ; whether
it be men or women that have these diseases, Ave should mark
them, and it Avere but to learn this lesson. We may see how easie
it is to God to repress the pride of flesh. We may see how easie
it is to the Lord to daunton the fooUshness and wantonness of
youth m ane instant of tirae ; In the space of twelve hours a glo
rious Mng is brought to the gates of death. Then ye should say
with yourselves. It is time to us to change our course ; we see how
easie It Is to the Lord to bring high conceits low. The Lord doth
this to this king, and he seeketh no fire nor sAvord ; he useth no ex
ternal armour, nor he seeketh no foreign instrument to do It, but

THE FOURT SERMON UPON ISAIAH.

229

he taketh of the stuffe that is within Mra, he taketh the matter of
sm wherein he was conceived and born, unhappy sin, quhilk is the
matter of aU judgments and plagues, it is the matter of death both
in body and soul ! This matter within ourselves Is as ready at the
Lord's hand as gif it were in his aArin store-house to plague the
best, that Intended to gainstand Mra. Then ye that have yom-
health and the benefite of it, learn to use It weU ; for gif ye abuse
it and use it to defile your bodies, quhilk he hath appointed to be
the temples of his Holy Spfrit, look how easy it was to Mm to bring
the king low, as easy, and far easier, shall It be to him to bring the
best of you low. Then, I say, ye that have the benefit of health,
cast you to employ it to the honour of him and comfort of his Mrk
that gave you it. This far concerning the second part of our
dlAisIon. In the thfrd part, contained in the 14th verse, he letteth us see
what he did in this great extremetle, the raging furie of his sicknes
bemg so great, he letteth us see what was his exercise, and he
sayeth, as ye may see m that verse, that notwithstanding God
handled hira so, yet he maketh his recourse to the same God who
plagued him, and he seeketh and forgeth friendship at the same
God who boasted hira. He seeketh him, as ye may see in that bj' what
ways Heze-
verse, two manner of ways; so long as Ms tongue served Mm, chiah sought
that the extremity of Ms disease took not away the use of it from
Mm, so long by his tongue he sought hira. And whereas the ex
tremity of the disease took his speech from him, that he cotdd not
utter Ms mind by words, yet he leaveth not off', but where he
might not utter his mind by distinct voices and words, he seeketh
him by ane dolorous raournlng, " Uke to the dove," and by ane
heavy lamentation, "Uke to the chattermg of the swallow or
crane." And, last of aU, he in his gesture lifteth up his eyes to
heaven. By this means he retireth himself to God, when the be
nefit of the tongue was taken from him.
The words that he speaketh, so long as the Ubertie is granted to
him, are few; but they are verie sententious, where he saith, "It

230 JIR ItOBERT BUUt'E's SERJlONS.
hath oppressed rae ; refresh me or Aveave rae out," persisting in the
siraUItude, as gif he would say, " I see weU, the rage and furie of
ray sickness is so great, that neither force of nature nor no natu
raU raoyen is able to corafort rae, the force of the disease hath
overcoraed all force of nature, and natural raoyen ; therefore, see
ing there is no helpe m nature, I raake my recourse to the God of
nature, to Avhom it is verie easy to give rae help where nature
hath refused it ; and, therefore, I desire of the Omnipotent God,
that he Avould Aveave out the rest of the web of my life, to restore
me to ray health, to his glorie, and to the comfort of his Kirk."
This, I think, be the sum and raeaning of his prayer, Avhether he
raourned, whether he moaned, whether he speak or he chatter.
AVhy the As to thc words, the petition would onlie be considered ; it would
the proroga- appear straugc that the king should seek the prorogation of Ms days,
days. as gif therc Avere not a life better nor this, or a day after this ; but
gif ye Aveigh the raatter Avell, and consider the race of the historie,
ye shaU find that he had raany particulars that moAcd him to seek
the prorogation of his days ; and chiefly, Ave know that Manasses,
his son, Avas not yet begotten ; he lacketh as yet ehUdren, in Avhom
he might see the pledges of God's favour, and accoraplishnient of
the promises made to him, and his father's house, and speciaUie
of that promise concerning the Messiah. Noav, lacking children, in
Avliora he should see the accorapUshment of this promise, had he
not good reason to seek the lengthening of his days, AvhUe he see
this proraise accompUshed ?
In uhat re- As to the gcucral, I insisted in it of before, and, therefore, I
leisom to '^ shaU be the shorter. I say it is leisome, in some respects, to crave
Toyttion^'o'f pi'orogation of days ; for, seemg it is the benefit of God, seeing the
''"•^'' servants of God have sought it of before, and seeing the Apostle
counteth it ane speciaU mercie of God, as yc may see in the per
son of Epaphroditus, PMUp. Ii. penult verses, we man also esteem
the same ane speciaU mercie. Whosoever knoAveth surely in their
mind that the lengthemng of thefr days wUl serve better to the
glory of God, and comfort of his Kirk, nor present death, I say, it
is leisome, and they may In faith crave it. Always, there Is a ge-

THE FOURT SERAION UPON ISAIAH. 2;)1
neral condition to be looked to in this, as in aU other petitions, that
ye submit your avIU and aff'ections to be ruled be the good avIU of
God, In such sort that ye have your life and the commodities of
it readie to lay down at his feet, ready to offer up in a sacrifice,
AA'hen It pleaseth him.
Of this I shaU gather one or two notes, and so I shaU end this First Les-
present exercise. The first thing that I will you to mark Is the
contrafr voices that this Mng uttereth In the 14th verse, and in the
verse preceeding. Eead these verses, and ye shaU see how contrair
he is to Mmself. In the 13th verse, ye see he uttereth voices full of
doubtmg, and as it appeareth ftiU of despafr, at the least full of doubt
ing ; he uttereth such voices as gif God had been Ms deadly enemie.
In the 14th verse, he uttereth the flat contrair, and he raaketh Ms re
course to the sarae God whora he appeareth to raake his enemie in
the 13th verse ; and he seeketh a benefit of hira, qiihUk testifieth that
he trusted in Mra ; for none can IncaU on him in whom they trust not :
So tMs Is his behaAOur in this disease : one AvIiUe he thinketh God a
consuming fire ; one other whUe he hath his recourse to hira as his
only refuge ; one whUe he uttereth Aoices full of doubting, one other
whUe he uttereth voices ftiU of confidence.
Noav, the question ariseth. Is it possible that faith and doubting whether
1 111' lOT •• • .7 1 ^^'*^ ^"^
can have place both m one soul? 1 say it is verie possible, and doubting
there is never one of the servants of God but they have had It.mYsoniT.i
And this Is sure, that there is no conscience so at rest, that it is °° '
without aU trouble, and no estate of man so qmet, that it is with
out some iraquities m this Ufe ; for it is the custom of God to bring
his dearest chUdren sometime in doubting ; and suppose he do so,
yet in the mean time he sustaineth them frora despair. Know avc
not that this faith of ours is iraperfect, subject to ane continuall
groAring and progress, but never conung to ane perfection so long
as we are here ; subject to stararaering, to manifold errors, wrest-
Ungs, and doubtlngs ? Yet all these Imperfections are freeUe par
doned in the righteous raerits of Jesus Christ. Where is that soul,
or who is he that hath that soul, that, gif he wiU examine his fait.h

232 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERJlONS.
Avith the absolute perfection that is In the nattu-e of God, to Avhom
nothing is pleasant but that quhUli is perfect, who wiU not faU in
doubtmg so soon as he beholdeth him ? Examine your faith with
that perfection qtihUk is craved in the Scriptures, and Avith that
progress that is craved in the Holy Writts, and who shaU not
doubt ? Let be this cxammatlon, let hira but cast doAvn his eyes on
the manifold corruptions that is in him, and on the heavy judgment
of God that hangeth over both body and soul for sin, who wiU not
doubt ? It is not possible but he raan doubt, having his eyes bent
on hiraself and Ms affections wherewith he is defiled. So I say,
doubting is coraraon to aU the best servants of God. There Is
none of you that wiU esteem Paul to have been one of the worst,
and yet his words declair that there Avas a doubting In his soul ; for,
2 Cor. iv. 8, he sayeth plainly, " We are always in affliction, but
not in distress ; we are In doubt, but we despair not :" So he
granteth that there is a doubting in the soul that hath faith, only
he denieth despair ; as gif he would say, I give you to understand,
that doubting may stand in the soul with faith, but not despair ; for
the word despair importeth of itself the cutting of the piUars of our
beleif ; therefore, faith and despair cannot both stand in one soul ;
but faith and doubting lodge m ray soul, and shall lodge In all the
souls of the faithfull to the end of the world. Under doubting, he
What the comprehcndcth all the errors, fasMIes, stararaerings, and wrestlings
comprehen- wbercwlth our faith is assaulted ftdl oft, qiihUk makes us whUes to
doubting. '^'^inclme to despair, whiles to hope ; while we look on ourselves, to
despair ; and while we look on the mercie of God in Christ Jesus,
to hope. Now, the Apostle taketh this doubting to hiraself as a
thmg whereunto all Christians are subject.
There is few of you that wait what this raeaneth ; always, it Is
certain ye raay be visited this way ; therefore, keep in memory
that suppose ye have not a do your selves, yet ye may use it when
you visit others ; for seeing avc carrie about with us these bodies of
sin, (for the Spirit of faith and sanctification fidleth not all the soul
in this Ufe,) and the largest part of the soul being defiled with this
reraanent corraption. It man utter sik stuff as it hath, to AvIt, doubt-

THE FOURT SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 233
Ing and stammering. Now, seeing there remaineth In the greatest
part tMs corruption, of necessity it man be occupied in doing, it
man be workmg. And what bringeth it forth ? Sin. And what
doth the multipUcation of sm, but hindereth our faith and persua
sion, and casteth a balk and a mist betwixt the sight of God and
us ? And, therefore, the prophet caUeth it a parpane, whereby we
are deprived of the sight of God quhilk we have m the Mediator,
Christ. Semg, then, so long as avc are in these bodies of clay, we are
subject to sm, we cannot but doubt : For suppose we faU not forth
in these gross imqulties, yet sin and the guUtines thereof bringeth a
doubtmg, and casteth a slough over the eye of our faith, and this
slough being on the eye of our faith, out of question it hmdereth
our persuasion, and maketh us not to be so stedfast in our beleife
as otherways we would be ; for he that seeth evUl wUl oft times take
one thing for ane other. So this corruption is the cause of our
doubting, quhUk in some measure is ay in the soul.
Now, what learn we of this? Ffrst, we learn this comfort; that it is
no new thing to the servants of God to utter contrair voices in their
great trouble ; to utter voices proceeding of an deep sense of the love
and the mercie of God in one word, and in ane other word to utter a
feeUng of Ms hatred and Avrath, as gif he were our deadlie enemie !
Some tiraes tMs Mng uttereth words ftiU of doubting, some time he
seeketh benefits at him, as he were Ms good friend. Christ used these
contrafr voices. There was never a special servant of God but they
had them ; and Christ had them Mmself more than any servant that
he hath, not proceeding of any doubting or mistrust in the mercy of
his Father, because In Mra there was no root of infidelitie, but cora
ing of the feeling of Ms extreme wrath for a time. Look Matthew
xxvi., there he saith twice over, "Let this cup depart frora rae :" And
again he taketh up himself, and he saith, " Not as I vriU, but as
thou wUt :" These are plain contrair. He saith to God, " Why
hast thou forsaken me ?" and yet he caUeth him " My God, my
God." So, I say, it is no new thing, the servants of God being The con-
in trouble, and having some root of infidelitie abiding still in them, that ciirist

234 MK ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
ased in his ^Q uttcr voIcGS soiiic tluies fiiU of doubtlne;, and sometiraes ftiU of
trouble. . *"
faith. This far for the first.
Noav, again, to testifie that the soul having faith hath been
subject to doubting, and as faith is on the one part, so doubting is
on the other ; this is a thing that hath been In all the servants of
God, and shall be to the end of the world. The example of this
ye have in David ; ye have the example of It here in Hezekiah,
and in all the rest of the good servants of God. Then, suppose
raany of you know not Avhat I say, yet keep the lesson in memory,
for it shall stand you in great good stead ; for this is sure, that sup
pose the pains of the body be great, yet there is as great difference
betwixt the pains of the body and the pains of the soul, as is be
twixt God and the creature. Ye would choose rather all the tor
ments of the body that can be devised, or ye felt ane touch of the
consuming wrath of God in the soul. But yet these words wUl not
make it, for words Avill not moUifie the heart, except the Lord, by
the poAver of his SiDirit, AVork In the heart. And, therefore, I have
to crave of God, and ye have by your prayers to assist rae, that ye
be not unfruitful hearers of the word ; but seeing there is a heU, ye
raay study to prevent it.
Noav, last of all, ye see the king learneth you a new fasMon of
prayer ; and I beseech you mark it. When the extremity is so
great that he may not utter nor speak distinct voices, and his
tongue is taken from him, yet he leaveth not off to pray, but hath
recourse to his lamenting and mourning, counterfiting the distinct
voices of the dove, crane, and SAvallow, by tMs diversitie of tunes,
uttering his great anxietie. And Avhat fashion of prayer is this ? I
say tMs Mnd of sighing, mourning, and lifting up of the eyes, is as
good language to God as any language spoken by the tongue. He
Iinderstandeth the raeamng of thy sigh and groan better then thou
nnderstandest rae that speakest. And how is tlus ? It is his own
Spirit that raiseth these sighs and groans, that moveth these mourn
ings. And I pray you, knoweth he not the raeaning of his OAvn
Spirit ? This the Apostle declarcth, Eom. viii. He- knoweth the
meaning of his oavu Spirit ; and, therefore, Avhether this Spiiit

THE FOURT SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 235
move us to sigh, to mourn, or to speak,, the Lord understandeth all
aUke. Then, learn this form of prayer when the Lord visiteth you
with sickness, in such sort that the use of the tongue Is taken from
you, and ye may not lift up your hands to praise hira, nor lift up
your eyes to look unto hira, yet let your raoan be raade. Yea, far
ther, suppose the heart would not make raoan with the mouth, yet
let the mouth, suppose it hath no help, honour and glorifie God ;
yea, I say more, suppose the case stand so, as it may be, that
the heart be contrair to prayer, and the mind wiU not assist the
mouth to pray, yet or God be not honoured, let him be honoured
Arith the Ups ; and gif the raouth will not do it, let the hand do it ;
and every meraber, sicklike, to the quhilk the Lord hath given
leave, let them honour God ; because ca'cu this striving against the
hardness of the heart, and provoking of it with the outward mera
bers of the body, is pleasant to God ; and no doubt it is he who
gives this vrill as a special grace, howbeit we get not incontinent
the'performance. Gif ye can learn this, it is not possible that ye
can want prayer ; for prayer is sick, as sometimes is uttered by tears,
sometimes by sighs, sometimes by Avords, and sometiraes by ges
ture. And ever let thy spirit be weU occupied, musing upon God
and spiritual things ; and whether thou eat, whether thou drink,
take thy rest, or what ever thou do, let thy spirit have ever thy
mind of God. Comfort thee with this. When the Lord visits thee
Arith such kind of disease that thy tongue Is taken from thee, let
the rest of thy members honour Mm ; and gif ye be not so dis
eased yourself, yet In your visitation comfort others herewith, as
suring them that this kind of language is as well understanded of
God as gif it Avere spoken with the tongue. I end here.
This king is not exemed frora trouble, he is not exemed from
tentatlon, both of body and soul. There is none that cast them to
live godlie, but of force they man suffer trouble : There is none
that AriU raake thera for heaven, but of all estates, prince, or
people, or what ever they be, they raan walk in the strait Avay. As
to them that walk in the broad way, they shall grow worse and
worse, as the Apostle saith, tUl they come to such an height while.

236 MR ROBERT BRICE's SERMONS.
at the last, the Lord anger them by the sarae sins Avhereby they
anger him. For this is Ms just judgment, that as thou hast anger
ed him by adulterle, he shaU anger thee by the same sin. Hast
thou angered him by blood ? He shaU anger thee by blood also.
Hast thou angered Mm by blasphemie ? He shaU punish thee with
the punishment of blasphemie. Hast thou angered hira with
drankenness ? He shaU anger thee with the punishraent of drun
kenness. For every sin hath the aAvin punishraent in the self.
Then, as ye would eschew the punishraent of sin, so cast you to
eschew sin that, so far as the Lord wUl give you grace, yc may
keep your selves free. And so ye shaU have not only joy and long
days here, but everlasting joy after this, purchased to us in the
righteous raerits of CMist Jesus : To whom, Avith the Father and
the Holy Spfrit, be aU honour, praise, and glorie, for ever and
ever. Amen.

THE FIFT SEEMON

UPON ISAIAH,

15. What shall I.say ? for he hath said it to me, and he hath done
it: L shall walk weakly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.
16. 0 Lord, to them that overlive them, and to all that are in them,
the life of my spirit shall be knoicn : that thou causest me to sleep,'and
hast given life to me.
In our last lesson, (welbeloved in Christ Jesus,) the king return
ed to Ms Avonted greife, and took up Ms old lamentation agam, ut
tering Ms trouble in these words : "My habitation is departed and
transported from me ;" as gif he should say. My life is ready to de
part, death is instant, and my reraoymg is at hand. He sheweth
the manner of Ms removing by two sImUitudes ; the one simiUtude
is taken from a shepherd's tent, the other from a webster and his
web. As to the first, look in what manner we see the shepherd's
tents flitted and fetched, after the same manner I see my Ufe to bc
flitted and fetched. In the quhUk we are taught, not to settle our
standing here, nor to fix our stake here, but that we may be ready
to remove ; because we are under warnmg, and wait not what hour
the Lord caUeth on us. There is none that is sure that he man flit,
and is out of doubt in his conscience that he is to remove, that avUI

238 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
settle Ms heart in that room quhilk he Is not able to keep ; but, be
ing assured that he wiU reraove, he will send his plenishing and sub
stance before hira. Gif this be true in earthUe things, how much
more ought avc, seing the Lord glA'cth us lesotir, to send our sub
stance before us ? And as it Is true tbat the heart foUoAveth the
substance, let both heart and substance be sent to heaven, Avliere
they may both meet us to our comfort. Be rich in God, be rich
in good Avorks, and that kind of substance shall be able to convoy
thee, and shall serve and stand in stead to thee both in heaven and
earth. The second comparison was taken from the Avebster and his web,
and the effect of it is this : As the Avcbster bringeth Ms web to
the off-cutting, so Avould the king say, " I see I have brought this
miserable Ufe of raine to the off-cutting ; I haA'e procured my sud
den and tintimous death by mine evIU life, I havc hastened this
messenger.'' It is true that all the diseases of the body, and the
chief diseases of the soul, flow from sin ; and as death entered by
sin, so by multiplication of sin death is hastened ; sin shorteneth
our life ; sin maketh our days evil ; sin maketh them full of grief
and sorroAV ; sin Involveth us in ane thousand cares ; sin AvrajDpeth
IIS in infimte unprofitable labours ; sin weakeneth our body by de
ceivable pleasures ; sin vexeth our mind with sik terrors as cannot
be expressed. AlAA'ays, gif this good kmg had occasion to say that
his evU spent life spurred him to his death, what raay our young
nobUitie say ? Gif it be true that one sin, blood, cutteth the half
of the days, as the Psalmist saith, how much more shaU ane heap
of sins concurring in one person shorten the days ? The sacrUe
gious blasphemer, and the bloody adulterer, and infimte raore other
sins, concurring in one person, shaU not these shorten this miser
able Ufe ? The thing quhUk they fear most, and would fainest
eschcAV, that sarae thing, sick is their judgment, they run headlong
on. As to the prophane multitude, ye see these two vices, glut
tonie and drunkenness, whereby they draAV on their sudden death ;
and there is never a raan but he is subject tUl one sin or other
quhilk shorteneth the thread of his life, and draweth on that quhilk

THE FIFT SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 239
he Avould eschew. WeU, I vriU not insist on these occasions t)f
death : Take tent whether ye walk In mercy or In your own sins.
Gif ye walk in your own sins, of all judgments it is the most
terrible to be left to yourself: Noav mercy is offered, and there
fore ye that would be translated from death to Ufe use this tirae
diligently. In the second part of that exercise we let you see the rage and
fiirie of his sickness ; we let you see the weight of his fever was so
great, that it made Mm think that God was a devouring lion, ready
to bruise Ms whole bones to powder. It made him to look that
both soul and body should be taken frora him that day or even.
We shewed that these voices cotdd not flow from ane temporal pain
only, but there behoved to be ane fire in the soul, a farther pain
nor could come of any bodily disease in the earth. Of aU troubles
that come unto man, the trouble of conscience is the greatest ; and
of aU other troubles this is the chiefest, when, beside a sight of sin,
there is a touch of the insupportable anger and indignation of the
living God. It appeareth, by these voyces, that the King felt a
touch of this wrath, whereby God appeareth to be a consuming
fire. It is the custora of God to bring his dear chUdren Into these
extremities, that, feeling the pangs of heU, they may see how pre
cious the death of CMist ought to be to thera, how far they are
obUged to him, what is the duty they aught unto hira that went
betvrixt them and so bitter a punishment. This kind of extremitie
teacheth us how easy it is to the Lord to repress the pride of flesh,
and to drag doAvn tMs wantonness of our filthie nature. This glo
rious Mng, in the space of twelve hours, is redacted to the ports of
the grave, and to the ports of desperation, in a irianner : So ye
see how easy it is to the Lord to bring the proudest flesh low ; and
to doe tMs he mistereth not fire nor sword, nor no other stuff, but
sik as we have within our self; he is able to make our OAvn fosterls
to be our greatest tortures ; for we carry within us either ane viper
or other quhUk shall destroy the soul, except the Lord prevent in
mercy. Last of aU, we shcAved how this king in this greatest extreraitie

240 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
behaved Mmself: Notwithstandmg God appeareth to be a fire to
his soul, yet he retfreth to the same God, and where he might not
by words utter the grief and trouble of his heart, Avhere the beflefit
of Ms speech was taken from him, yet he ceaseth not, but he sigli-
cth and maketh his moan, counterfeiting the dove, the swaUow,
and the crane ; he chattereth, and lifteth up his eyes, using all sik
gestures ; so long as he had his tongue he prayeth, and the words
are few quhilk he speaketh, but they are sententious : " It hath
oppressed rae ; refresh rae," or weave me out : As gif he would
say, " The force of this disease and fury of this fever is so great
that it overcometh all force of nature ; therefore, seeing nature will
avaU nothing, I fly to the God of nature, to whom it is easy to
support nature ; and of this God I crave health and continuance of
my days ; I crave that as he hath begun, so he would weave out
this web to the glory of Ms name and comfort of Ms kfrk." Of
this last part we shewed you also two things : We marked, first,
these contrare A^olces quhilk the servants of God bursted forth in
their greatest troubles, uttering soraetinies words full of doubting
and sometimes fuU of confidence. In the thirteenth verse God ap
peareth to have been a consuraing fire and a raging Uon to him : In
the fourteenth verse he maketh his retreat to the same God, and sup
pose he tMeatenSd hira yet he reposeth upon hira. Upon this we let
you see, first, that doubting and confidence raay have place both in
one and the self-same sotd : There was never a servant of God but
had experience of this ; ye.a, it is proper to the children of God to
be subject to this doubting, suppose in mercy they be sustamed from
desperation ; for, seeing this faith of ours as long as we are here is
iraperfect, how is it possible that any faithful soul, controMng their
faith vrith that perfection quhilk is in God, to whora notMng Is
pleasant but that quhdk is perfect, how is it possible, I say, but
the soul raan doubt ? As the faithful, again, see tbe Scriptures,
and look to that perfection that is craved therem, look to the pro
gress and increase of faith that is craved therein, and see on the
other side the great wants, how far we are from this progress, how
is it possible but the sotd man doubt ? Again, laying aside this

THE FIFT SERMON UPON ISAIAH.

241

trial, and looking down to our behaviour to these sins that are In
our flesh, and to the lusts whereunto we are inclined, and to the
angry face of God agamst sin, how is it possible but we raan
doubt ? Therefore, I conclude, there was never a servant of God
but in their souls they had tMs doubting, looking on theraselves
they doubted, looMng on the mercy of God In Christ Jesus they
beUeved. That notable vessel acknowledged hiraself to be subject
to this doubting, 1 Cor. iv. 8, where he saith, " We are always in
affliction, but not In distress ; we doubt, but we despafr not." That
good vessel acknowledged doubting, only he denieth despair : He
granteth that tMs doubting hath place in the soul with faith, but
not despafr ; seemg despafr cutteth the piUars of our hope, and
consequentUe of our faith ; therefore it cannot [have place] in the
soul Arith faith. Under doubting, he coraprehendeth aU other
errors, stammerings, and wrestUngs, whereby the soul is troubled,
AvrestUng betArixt hope and despair; but aU these imperfections
are freeUe pardoned In the righteous merits of Christ, or else there
were no place of salvation for us. I bad thera that knew this com
fort themselves vrith it, and they that had not experience of this to'
remember the lesson that they might make thefr profit of it, gif
at any time it shaU please the Lord to assault them with these ter
rible visitations.
The last lesson that we gathered of the last part was this : We
learned, at this king to make our recourse to God in our greatest
anguish of body and soul, and when the benefit of your speech and
tongue is taken from you, that ye may not pray to God in distinct
language, yet leave not off, but make recourse unto Mm by sighing
of the heart, by liftmg up of eyes, by continual dolouring, moaning,
and lamentation, that in these things God may be glorified ; for it
is true the Lord knoweth the meaning of thy sigh and sob as well
as thou knowest this language quhUk I speak : And how is this ?
Because they are raised by Ms own Spirit, and are the works of his
own Spirit. And, I pray you, knoweth he not the meaning of his
own Spirit ? Therefore, when the benefit of the tongue is taken
from you, that you may not praise him Avitli your tongue, then let

242 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
every member of the bodj' and soul concur to praise him as long
as there Is any of them free. There is none exerapted from these
troubles, there is none can enter into the kingdom of lieaA'cn ex
cept first he taste of these troubles : There is no estate, eraperour,
kmg, or prince, that looketh for Ufe but he man enter m that strait
way. Only they that are appointed for damnation A\'alk in the
broad way, but terrible is the straitness that abideth thcm in the
end. They have a short time of largeness to be recorapensed Avith
everlasting straitness ; therefore thefr estate is rather to bc lament
ed nor envied. Ahvays, ye that mak you for the city that hath
the foundations, and for the kingdom that cannot be shaken, ye
should not Avcaiie to goe forward in the strait Avay, but Avhat ever
trouble he hath laid on upon the soul or body, let us take it in
good patience, for these are the pledges of mercy, sik as make con
formitie betwixt us and Christ Jesus, in whom only is true com
fort and salvation. Thus far Ave proceeded in our last exercise.
Now, m that quhilk I havc read, he entereth into the second part
of the song. And, first, he bursteth out of hand, as it were, into
the praise of God ; thereafter he shcAveth the benefit quhUli he hath
received, and the AvonderfuU corafort quhilk he hath gotten of (iod.
And, in respect that this corafort did floAV from the AVord of pro-
raise, he taketh occasion, in the sixteenth verse, to praise the word
of God : And in the seventeenth verse, he noteth the time when
he feU in tMs disease, and in the end of that verse he letteth us
see the raanner how he was deUvered.
Noav, to return to the fifteenth verse, I say, AvhUe as the Mng is
mtismg and pausing upon the greatness of the benefit, ravished in
an admiration of the Avonderful works of God, he cannot contain
Mmself, but he bursteth forth in these voices of praise and thanks
giving : " What shaU I say ?" A pathetic and cutted kmd of
speech, signifying that his heart was so boldened that his tongue
would not serve him to express the matter, " What shaU I say ?"
As gif he would say, " Where sliaU I borroAv any Avords to express
the matter ? Where shaU I borrow praise that may answer so great
5

THE FIFT SER-AION UPON ISAIAH.

243

goodness and Mndness as I have found in my particular, in this
God of mine ? I turned not so soon unto Mm, and the tears dis
tiUed not so soon from mine eyes, but he accepted my person, he
granted me health, and promised rae his favourable and raercifuU
protection aU the rest of my days. How Is it able to me to meet
these benefits in word, let be in deed ? Yea, it is not possible to
the tongue to utter that quhilk the heart tMnketh. But suppose I
cannot as I would, I shaU praise thee as I may, and as thou hast
given me the grace."
A notable kmd of thanksgiving; learned of his predecessor David, Three things
" "= . „ . that tho
Avho, when he was In the Uke case, used the Uke form of praise, king grant-
saying, " What shaU I render to God for aU his benefits ?" A forra tbanksgiv-
of praise wherein this good king granteth three things : —
Ffrst, he granteth tMs, shortUe, that the benefit qtihUk he re
ceived Avas free, freeUe bestowed on him, without any of his pro
curement ; yea, he acknowledged that he procm-ed the plat con
trare. Secondly, he granteth that he hath nothing in Mmself to raeet
this benefit ; yea, not ane word, let be a deed, yea, scarcely Is he
able to render praise for it.
TMrdly, he testifieth, that suppose he raay not in sik measure as
Ms heart would, and as the worthiness of the benefit required,
burst forth m the praise of tMs great God, yet he should not be idle.
And, surely, suppose he speaketh Uttle talk, yet in these few words
he giveth the signs of ane more thankfuU heart nor gif he had
spoken a cart-full of words, or uttered mUlions of words. It Is not
the babbling of the tongue that the Lord looketh to, but he look
eth and hath ane eye to the inward disposition of the heart, he
looketh to the constitution of the spirit, because he is a spirit.
And, therefore, the Lord liketh of this king's heart, suppose his
words would not serve him.
Smce those corporaU sacrifices in the old law ceased, there Is not sacrifice of
... . thanksgiv-
a spiritual sacrifice more acceptable to God nor Is the sacrifice of >og iiave
praise and thanksgiving; for the sacrifice of praise and thanks- to the cor-
giving sanctifieth not only thy person, but all the benefits quhilk Ace ot^ule
Law.

244 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SER.AIONS.
the Lord bestoweth on thy person. For that quliUk is true in
raeat and drink, it is true in all the rest of the benefits, quhlUt are
pledges of his mercy m Christ Jesus. Now, the Apostle testifieth,
in the fourth to Timothy, first Epistle, fourth verse, that " thanks
giving sanctifieth our meat and drink, and maketh it both holy
and wholsome." As tMs is true In these creatm-es, so it Is true m
all the rest of the benefits and blessings of God.
In thanks- gg Tffhea I look OU this thanksgiving, I am moved, yea, I am
glvings ' . . r . ' J '
three things comncUcd, to raark three things In it : First, I ara raoved to mark
are to be "^ °
marked. thc wondcrfiil gooducss of God : Secondly, I am raoved to mark
our terrible ingratitude : Thirdly, I am moved to mark the great
arrogancy of the enemies of God, the Papists. First, then, I say,
ye raay easUy see the goodness of God in this forra of praise, who,
when he may crave our life, our soul and body, and the whole ac
tions of our life for his benefit, yet he is content with a siraple
kind of praise and thanksgiving, in sik sort, that, gif the heart be
good, suppose we blabber with words, yet it is acceptable to him.
As this sheweth Ms kindness and wonderful raercy on his part, so
on our parts it sheweth our terrible ingratitude, that suppose little
will content our God, yet we avUI not bestow that little on him ;
it cometh never in our mind to think it, let be to do it in deed.
So this is ane intoUerable ingratitude upon our part. This Ingrati
tude maketh it to corae to pass that we possess his benefits with
ane evU conscience ; this raaketh it corae to pass that the curse of
God hangeth over aU your riches, quhilk ctirsc ye either see It in
your days, or else it is seen after you In your prodlgall posteritie ;
and this is only by reason ye are unthankfuU to God for his bene
fits. I ara assured, and this ground cannot beguUe me, there is
none of you that hath purchased any benefit in ane good conscience,
but ye wiU thank God for it ; for a good conscience wiU never
A good con- shake off the memory of God altogether; so, when ye foro-et to
thanketh thank God, it is ane evident argument that the benefit is purchased
for h"bene- in auc cvU conscience : For the quhUk cause the curse of God is
hanging over your riches ; quhUk appeareth either in your tirae,

THE FIFT SERAION UPON ISAIAH. '^¦^¦'
or, suppose the Lord be long-sulfering, in your posteritie. Then
to testifie that the benefits are weU coramed, be thankfuU to God
for thera, and purchase nothing but that Avhereof ye have a sure
warrant in your conscience. Now, the third thing that I am
moved to mark, I say, this letteth us see the terrible arrogancy of
the Papists, who tMnk that they raay not only be thankfuU for his
benefits in word, but also they are able to do him ane good turn
for another in deed ; and when after thefr raanner they have satis
fied hun, they make a superplus, quhilk they caU works of super
erogation. Those their works of supererogation area superlative
foUy and madness quliUk cannot be expressed ; that whereas the
best servants of God found. In experience, that by word they Avere
not able to satisfy him, they think by thefr deeds to satisfy his in
finite goodness. But I leave them and go forward.
He sheweth m the next words the greatness of the benefit, and The king
- ° , sheweth the
he taketh it up suraraarUe under two words, after tMs raanner,greatness of
, the benefit
"He hath said it, and himself hath done it:" He said m Ms pro- received.
mise, he did it in keeping of his proraise ; he both said and did it
himself, that the whole glory of the work might appertain to hira :
He said it freely ; for I procured the contrare : He keeped it as free
ly for the Lord is true, suppose aU the Avorld be false. Ye see
how properly he taketh up, under these tAvo words, the raercy and
truth of God ; the mercy of God in promising, the truth of God
in keepmg and performing of his promises : The mercy of God in
promismg freely, for he is debtor to no man ; and therefore what
ever he proralseth he proralseth freely ; for there is none of us can
claim to any better condition nor the natural branches raight have
claimed to; and ye Ust to read of their natm-al, ye have raany
places of Scripture ; and. In special, I send you to Deuter. xxviil.,
Exod. xxxii., Isaiah xlvui. For there speaking of the Jews, the
Lord saith, " I foreknew thy stubbomess, I saw that the sinews of
thy neck were of brass, and thy face of fron ; I foresaw that thou
should remain false and unfaithfuU ; yet, notAvithstanding, I raade
my promise freely unto thee, and as freely as I made it I keeped

246 :\tR ROBERT bruce's SERMONS.
It as freely." — " It is I, it Is I," saith he. In the xlm. of Isaiah, '• that
putteth aAvay thine iniquities. It is I, that for raine oavu name
sake caUeth not thy sins to memory." Gif this be true in the
natural branches, how rauch more Is it true in us ? Then Ave ha\ e
nothing to lay betAvist us and the judgraents of God but his raercy
freely offered us in the blood of CMist Jesus. " It is God," saith
he, " that hath done this :" As gif he Avould say, all thc rest are
liars, only God is true; and or he fail in one jot of that, he saith he
is able to raake the world turn upside doAvn, and to invert the
order of nature, as ye raay see in the former part of the chapter, in
bringing- back of the sun by ten degrees. And, therefore, this
teacheth us that there lacketh not in God neither a poAver nor a
Avill, only in our part there lacketh ane hand, ane instinment to re
ceive and believe the promises ; and, therefore, suppose there be
cartfuUs of promises, and as sure promises that there can be no
thing surer, it is not possible that these promises can avail any
thing except the Spirit prepare a way for himself, except tho Lord
create in the soul faith ; therefore, aU your care and diligence should
stand In this, to crave that with the hearing of the word tlie Lord
AvUl conjoin the working of his Spirit ; that faith being wrought,
and the heart being opened fully, we may lean and repose sted-
fastly on the faithful promises of God.
Ane effect In tlic end of the verse, he sheAveth ane blessed and -happy
ed out of effect quliUk issued out of this notable benefit : He saith, " I shaU
from henceforth aU the rest of my years Avalk overpassing the bit-.
terness of my soul :" As gif he Avould say. By this benefit, the
grief of my conscience, and the terrors and troubles of my sotd, are
removed ! He maketh no mention of the rest of the benefits, "of
the health of his body, of his sure and prosperous estate, quhdk
was both promised and given unto him; but he touched that
quhilk touched Mm raost, the grief of his conscience Avas the thing
tiiat touched Mm most, and therefore he maketh mention only of
it. Tliis bitterness made sik ane deep impression in his soul, that,
in the sl-, enteenth verse, he caUeth It bitter bitterness ; he hath no
Avords to express this bitterness, whatever it Avas. Where the

the benefit.

THE FIFT SERMON UPON ISAIAH.

247

judgments of God make sik a print in the soul, it is long or sin can
blot it out ; and so long as the memory of the judgment remaineth,
it Is easy to be thankful ; it is easy to go forward in doing some
part of our duty ; it is easy to stand in awe that we fall not into
the hands of God ; but Avhere we blot out this memory, we return
to that same puddle out of the quhUk we were delivered : Thef 6-
fore, I commend to you to crave of God a sanctified memory, that
ye may keep fresh the judgraents of God, quhUk either ye have
seen In others or felt in your own carcases, that the feeling of these
judgments raay serve you to be thankful to him, and may make
you to stand in awe, and beware to fall into the hands of a con
suming fire.
Now, tMs king finding this benefit so SAveet, he is compeUed to The sweet-
burst forth in the praise of the Word of God, quhilk brought forth benefit
so good ane effect : And, first, he praised it generaUy from the t^lVursi """
good it doth to aU men; thereafter, he praiseth it in particular [j^^'pVa'ile of
from his oaati particular experience and comfort quhiUi he fecelved ^"l.^ "'"jj^^'^^,
in his own person. This doctrine is necessary and notable for"^''"'''"^'-
•'in partieu-
these times. ii'--
First, then, he praiseth the word from the good it worketh in all
flesh. By these things (saith he) men live ; that is, by the force
of these Avords It cometh to pass that avc enjoy the benefit of this
natural Ufe Avhereby we live in this body upon earth : For the
Lord's word caUeth on things that are not as though they were,
and his word raaketh thera to be : By his word he created heaven
and earth ; by his word he gave raan life and breath, and whatso
ever is necessary to him ; by his Avord he assigned to him the earth,
the seasons, and bounds of his habitation, to this end, that man be
ing create according to the image of God, he might seek God, and
no doubt he is not far from every one of us ; for, as the Apostle
saith. Acts xvll., " In him we live, move, and have our being."
And as this is true in this natural Ufe, so Is it as trae In the enter
tainment of this life ; for by the benefit of this Avord Ave are sus
tained. " For our Ufe standeth not only in meat and drink, but In

248 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERJlONS.
every word that proceedeth out of the Lord's mouth," Mat. Iv. ;
that is, of every thing whereunto the Lord giveth poAver to
nourish us ; for It is the Lord's word that giveth power to nourish
us ; and suppose meat and drink were removed, the Lord is able
to raake stones to nourish us. This good king acknoAvledged this
good effect to come of the word, and therefore he praiseth the word.
Now, after he had praised it from the general effect, he goeth
forward, and praiseth it from his own particular experience, and he
saith, in the wholware of these things, " The life of my soul stand
eth ;" that is, m thy saying and doing, in thy truth and mercy, in
thy proraising and keeping thereof, standeth the life of my soul ; as
gif the king would say. Not only have I this natural life quhilk I
live in this miserable body, by the benefit of the word, but I have
a raore precious life, the life of my soul and spirit, quhilk diseern-
eth me from the rest of nianMnd, quhilk putteth me in ane better
estate nor the rest of the world, quhiUi raaketh raine heaven to
begin here, quhilk never shaU end. For as there Is a Ufe and death
of the body, so there is a Ufe and death of the soul : The life of
the body raay be conjoined with the death of the soul, and the
death of the body raay stand weU with the life of thc soul. Tlie
Ufe of the body standeth in the presence of the soul ; the life of
the soul standeth in the presence of the Spiiit of life : " Except
the soul be born again by the Spirit of Ufe, ye shall never see the
face of God ;" before the soul be quickened by the Spfrit of life, it
reraaineth a dead carcase, dead in sin, dead In the lusts of the flesh,
as the Apostle saith, Ephes. ii., Colos. U. ; and, consequentUe, there
reraameth but a carcase both in soul and body, the soul being as
void of a spiritual and heavenly life as a carcase is of a natural life.
The words of the Apostle in that place, and in sundry places, are,
" Dead in sin, dead in trespasses, and in the uncircuracised lusts of
the flesh." Where death hath place life raust be wholly extin
guished, and where death hath place there can neither be half life,
quarter Ufe, nor a breath of Ufe ; but so it is that death hath place
in our sotd by nature, therefore be nature there cannot be so much
as a spunk of that heavenly life in it. And gif there be not so

THE FIFT SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 249
much as a spunk of life m it, where Is that half or quarter life
whereof the Papists spake ? They wUl not have It dead, but lamed,
or crooked. The Apostle saith, in plain terms, that It is dead, and,
therefore, that spiritual Ufe raust be wholly put out, and conse
quentUe aU kmd of AriU to good, and aU sight of God in Christ is
banished away ; and this death of the soul remaineth perpetuaUie
m us unto sik tirae that the participation of the Spfrit of life, quhUk
is in the body of Christ Jesus, free us from the law of sin, and
from the law of death quhdk is m our own nature, Eom. viU.
Now, would ye knoAV Avhether your sotd liveth or not ? Would hovv a man
J J J shall know
you perceive whether tMs Spiiit of life be begun in you or not ? I gjf 'be spi-
wUl give you certam eficcts whereby ye may examine the life of begun in
the soul. There are raany effects given us in the Scriptures, as
naraely, Galat. vi. ; but I leave them, and choose three special
effects whereby every ane may discern upon the life of the soul.
There is, first, that inward peace of conscience : There is, next,
that joy and rejoicing under trouble : There Is, thirdly, a love of
God, a love of vfrtue, and an hatred of vice ; wherever any of these
three hath place, there the soul Uveth.
Where thou findest thy conscience refreshed, and thy soul re
create from the great terrors and manifold pangs of sin, no ques
tion the soul Uveth, for this is the effect of the right spfrit ; and
this Is the right peace whereof the world is ignorant, that passeth
all natural understanding. The more thou makest this peace to
grow the more thou livest in thy soul ; the more this peace grow
eth the more sin decayeth ; the more thou castest out all thy bag
gage of sin that troubleth the qmet estate of the conscience. In
ane word, the only thing that troubleth the soul, that unquieteth
the conscience, and that we have to cast out, is sin ; for sin is the
only thing that severeth us frora God, in whom there Is only true
peace, rest, and quietness to be found. Therefore, our exercise
should chiefly stand in this, to expel this enemy and monster sin,
and to possess that saving juice and wholsome peace that passeth
all understanding.

250 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
The second eff'ect, Avhereby avc may knoAV that thc soul liveth.
is the joy and rejoicing under trouble ; for avc knoAV, by experience,
that trouble of the oavii nattu-e cannot bring forth this joy, but
bringeth forth the contrare effects, as sadness, heaviness, and sor-
roAV. Noav, where the spfrit is so disposed that avc rejoice under
trouble, this is a sure arguraent of the blessed Spirit, the Spirit of
Ufe, quhilk only qiiickcneth the sotd ; and this joy maketh us not
only to rejoice in trouble, but to glory also, as saith the Apostle ;
for sm-ely the cross of Christ is our only joy, and the sharae of
Christ is our only honour. Hereby Ave perceive the great honour
that the Lord hath called us to, that not only he malieth us to be
Ueve Ms word, but to suffer for hira also ; only ye have to take
heed to your troubles, for this joy convoyeth not aU troubles, but
only those troubles that are suffered for Christ's cause, for right
eousness' sake, and are undeserved ; for those troubles that are de
served, the like joy is not to be found in them.
The third effect, AAdiereby we may know that the soul Uveth, is
the love of God and hatred of evU : Where this love is kindled in
the soul, Avhere avc begin to know God, to love Mm, and to taste
of Mm, (for it is not possible that avc can love him except we have
a taste of his sweetness,) this love raaketh us like to God, for
God is love, as John saith, Gif love dAveU in thine heart, God
dAveUeth in thme heart, and this love is a sure pledge of the life of
the soul where this love is; of necessitie also there must be ane
hatred of evU.
Now try and exarame gif the Spirit of life hath vsTOUght thir
effects in thy soul m any raeasure, and it Averc never so sraaU ; it
is a sure arguraent that this Ufe is begun, and the Ufe quhUk God
hath begun he wUl perfect it. Gif the love of God were never so Uttle,
and the hatred of evU were never so Uttle, and any of these effects
were but in ane smaU raeasure, ye raay be sure that Christ dweU
eth in your hearts by faith, and that the soul Uveth. Ye that feel
tMs, (as I would that ye felt it aU !) press to nourish and strengthen
tlus Ufe ; weary not in well-doing, but go forward in Avorking the
Avorks of the Spiiit ; sow not in the flesh, go not forward in the
5

TIIE FIFT SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 251
lusts and appetites thereof; for ye may learn of the Apostle Avhat
advantage this labour bringeth, to Avit, shame and confusion, death
of body, and death of soul, Eom. vi. But, on the contrare, go for-
Avard in nourishmg of the Spfrit, and In AvcU-doing. Sow in the
Spirit, and as the Apostle saith, ye shall reap an everlasting and
incomprehensible life.
This Spirit, then, is said to be nourished and corroborated in Our g'°"ij'?°gjjij
hearts when we nourish the light and knoAvledge of God in Christ »''*'= °<»"^-
° ° ished in us,
Jesus, when we edify ourselves In our most holy faith, and continue ^^^ bow ue
_ •' •' , . . is said also
in the exercise of prayer : As by the contrare we banish this light to be banish-
of the good Spfrit, and by our evil doing we banish the knowledge
of God In CMIst when we put out this Ught, diminish our per
suasion, and leave off the exercise of prayer ; for by the same
means whereby the soul liveth, they being removed the soul dieth.
Therefore, they that would live this way they ought to nourish the
knowledge of God, they ought to be exercised in weU-doIng, in
hearing of God's word, in edifying them in their most holy faith,
and In continual craAing of grace and mercy by prayer.
Noav, the Mng saith he hath this life, and he hath experience of
the good word in this, (for I take this to be a different life from
the other, whereof he spake of before ; to wit, this is the life of the
soul, quliUk proceedeth of the word of promise,) for this word is
the power of God to salvation to all thera that believe, Eom. I. ;
" Set your hearts," saith Moses, Dent, xxxii., " upon tMs word,
for it Is not a vain word ; It Is your Ufe and felicitie." " The
words qtihUk I speak" (saith our Master, John vi.) " are spfrit and
life ;" and from tMs John caUeth him " the word of Ufe," " the
bread of Ufe." Peter saith, " To whom shall we go, for in thee
are the words of life." It is he that " hath life in Mmself," John
V. From tMs also it is said, 1 Cor. xv., that " as the first Adam
was made a Uving soul, so the second Adam was made a quicken
ing Spirit ;" and by reason Ave are made participant of this Spirit
by the mmisterie of Ms word, therefore it is called the Word ot
the Spirit ; and, by the same reason, we that are his ministers are

252 MIt ROBERT bruce's SER.MONS. ,
counted the rainisters of the Spfrit, as the Apostle caUeth us, 2 Cor.
Hi. They that would read farther of the praise of this Word, I re
rait thera to the Psahn xlx., where the proprieties of tMs AVord are
exactly set down. And I avUI end here.
Whoso looketh upon the precious effects of this word, and on
the other side looketh upon our unhappy behaviour, I am assured
It would astonish any Christian heart to beliold how the Lord can
suffer our contempt so long as he doth. For of before, Avhereas
there Avere scarcely crumbs of this bread of life to be had in this
country, raen sought it out dUigentUe, and ran to get it with sik
zeal that they corapassed both sea and land, they spared neither
travel nor cost, but forcibly, as it Avere, they thrumbled and thrust
ed in, and made eruption in this kingdora ; but now, Avlieii It hath
pleased the Lord to offer unto us great plenty of this food, we so
despise the boimtie and Uberalitie of this good God, that we turn
this great grace and mercy of his into judgraent and vengeance
upon our own heads. And as to the greatest part of the raultltude,
they disdain it so spiteftdly that they had rather erabrace the lea
ven of the Pharisees, and draAV thera to that corapanie, where they
can have no other food but songs, masks, ratiraraings, and unknown
language, and so think to feed thefr souls by the raockery of God.
Now, as to the gentlemen, earls, lords, and barons, they are
so drunken Avith sacrilege that, or they parted Avith that gear, they
had rather part AvIth the Ufe of their soul ; yea, when it cometh to
this, that the word cannot be entertained but by their expenses,
they make no clioise, but they had rather lose their souls ane hun
dred tiraes or they wared ane halfpennie upon the kirk. This is
true in the greatest part, so it is that the Lord wondei-fuUy con
tinueth the Ught araong us, that keepeth a face of a rainisterie in
Scotland. There is no good entertaiiinient, but a very great pover-
tle in the raost part of aU the mirasterie. See, then, gif the judg
ments of God pronounced, 2 Thess. ii. goeth not fast forward, Avho
hath given us over as appeareth to be deceived by the mighty
poAver and Avorking of the devil, in sik sort, that every raan striv-

THE FIFT SERMON UPON ISAIAH.

253

eth who shaU put his appetites ftirthest in execution. Oh, unhappy
and Avrathful country, that hath so abused the merciful caUIng and
great benlgnitie of God ! It is a wonderful thing to look upon
this matter, and to consider our great ingratitude. The raore that
knowledge groweth the more conscience decayeth, as gif conscience
and knowledge could not both rest in one breast. Look to the
AVorks of aU men ; it appeareth that the inbringing of Ught hath
banished conscience, quhdk was in the tirae of darkness. What
can be the cause of this, that as Ught groweth the effect of light
decayeth? It is a thing that passeth the understanding of man,
and the end of it shaU be more nor terrible. Is it not raore nor
wondcrfiil that the more that this country is watered with that
salvific and heavenly dew, the more our hearts are hardened ?
What raust this bring forth ? It must bring forth at the last ane
eternal consumption; quhdk consumption must be so much the
greater, the greater that our contempt be ; for it is not possible but
that ground quhUk is so oft refreshed with rain and dew, and yet
bringeth forth no other tMng but thorns and briers, but at the last
it must be burnt up. How is it possible that thorns that are pre
pared for the fire, but they raust be consumed by the fire ? And
seeing our deeds testifie that we are nothing but thorns, of neces
sitie we must be burnt up, except the Lord work otherAvays nor I
have any expectation ; for the longer that judgment Is delayed, it
shaU be the heavier when it llghteth, seeing the conterapt is so
great. Therefore, the Lord give you grace, that as you know
there is a heU and etermtie of pam, and as ye would eschew it, so
ye may take up a new course of life. But this cannot be except
the Lord work it by his Spirit, except he forget our sins, and as
sure us of the remission thereof in the blood of Christ. And, there
fore, I have to crave with you, and ye with me, that this may corae
to pass, that In the bowels of Ms mercy we may eschew that ter
rible damnation, from the quhdk the Lord preserve us, for Christ
Jesus his Son's sake ! To whom, with the Father, and the Holy
Ghost, be all honour and praise, for now and ever. Amen.

THE SAXT SEEMON

UPON ISAIAH, CHAPTER XXXVIII.

16. O Lord, to them that overlive them, and to all that are in. them,
the life of my spirit shall be knoiven : that thou causest me to sleep,
and hast given life to me.
17. Behold, for felicitie I had bitter greif: but it was thy pleasure
to deliver my sold from the pit of corruption : for thou hast cast all my
sins behind thy back.
1 8. For the grave cannot confess thee, death cannot praise thee :
they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
19. But the living, the living shall confess thee, as L do this day :
the father to the children shall declare thy truth.
20. The Lord ivas ready to save me : therefore, Lwill si?ig my song
all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.
21. Then said Isaiah, Take a lump of dry figs, and lay it uponthe
boil, and he shall recover.
22. Also, Hezekiah had said, What is the sign that L shall go up
into the house of the Lord?
Recapituia- Jn Qur last Icsson, (weU-beloved in Chiist Jesus,) the king entered
tion. ^ . V &
In the second part of his song : And first of all, as ye heard, he
bursteth forth of hand In the praise of God : Thereafter he setteth
doAvn the greatest of the benefits received, in tAvo Avords, AvItli the
chiefe comfort that he found ; and In respect the comfort floAved

THE SAXT SERMON UPON ISAIAH.

255

from the Word of God, he entered in the commendation of thc
Word of God.
Then, first of aU, whUe the king is musing and pausing upon the
greatness of the Lord's benefits, and rushed In admfratlon of the
greatness of the works of God, he cannot contain himself any
longer, but he bm-steth forth In the praise of God, and saith,
" What shaU I say ?" A pathetic and cutted Mnd of speech, where
by he testifieth that Ms tongue would not serve him to express the
matter ; his heart was so boldened with praise, that he was not
able to utter it In any quantity of Avords. In this doing, suppose
Ms words be few, yet he sheweth himself more thankfuU nor gif
he had uttered a mUUon of words. So, thankfulness standeth not
m the multitude of syUables and voices, but it standeth in the heart
and cUsposition of the soul. Where the Lord findeth the heart
thankful, there is no Avord that can flow from that heart but it is
acceptable. And howsoever the Mng's words be few, yet m his
Avords he granteth tMee things : First, he granteth the benefit was
free and freely bestowed : Secondly, he granteth that he hath
notMng to render for it ; yea, not so much as one word, let be a
deed : TMrdly, he letteth us see that hoAvsoever he Avas not able
to answer to the worthiness of this benefit, yet he was not idle, but
he uttereth praise as God gave him the grace, for it is not possible
that a good conscience and a godly soul can altogether forget God ;
but in the own time it wUl ever thank God for Ms benefits ; so that
whosoever either forgets or casteth off this exercise, they testifie
their wealth to be evil purchased, and that there is a curse hanging
over them and their riches both ; quhdk curse appeareth either iti
their own times, or suddenly after In thefr prodigal posteritie.
Therefore, ye that would have the curse removed in time, learn to
thank God for his benefits, that ye raay possess them Avith the
blessing of God to you and yours.
Thereafter he taketh up the greatness of the benefit, and cora
prehendeth it under these two words, " He said it, and he himself
did it :" He said it in his proraise ; he did it in accompUshing of
his proraises. He did and said It hiraself, that the whole glory of

¦2'){\ MR ROBEI'lT BRUCE S SEKAIONS.
the Avord should appertain to him : He said it freelle, for the king
confessed that he deserved the contrair ; he did it as fi-eelle In
keeping- his proraise ; for suppose aU the world be false, yet God
remained trae. Ye see how properly he taketh up, under these
tAVO Avords, the mercie and truth of God ; his raercie In promising,
and his truth in accomplishing. All the promises qtihUk the Lord
maketh they flow frora his raercie, and all his accoraplishings they
flow frora his truth. His proraises from mercie : Why ? He is
debtor to no man. His accoraplishings from his truth : Why ? He
is truth itself, and there is no promise that he hath raade but he
Avill keep ; yea, he avUI mvert rather the nature, as it appeareth In
the back-drawing of the sun, whereof ye heard ; and heaven and
earth shaU perish ere a jot of his promise faU. Yet, notwithstand
ing this be true, that there is such a constancle and fideUtle In hira,
all tliese proraises wUl not avaU us except thc Lord prepare our
hearts ; yea, except he sanctifie our hearts by the raoyen of faith,
that in our souls avc raay see this truth, wc shall never regard it ;
and except he gives us ane heart to apply this truth, all the pro
mises quhdk he hath raade, and is to make, serve for no use to us.
Therefore, it is the dutie of all Christians to be mstant in craving
that the Lord would prepare their hearts by faith, that seeing him
in their rainds, and feeling hira in their hearts, they may find his
raercie and truth, and repose in thera for eA^er.
After this we entered into the recommendation of the Word of
God. And generally, Ave praised the Word from this, that avc have
the benefit of this temporal life by it ; as this is true in general, so
he goeth foiAvard, and praiseth the Word from his own experience
In particular, and he granteth that not only he hath the benefit of
the temporal life by the Word, but of the spiritual also. And as he
hath the life Avhereby he liveth in his body by it, so he hath by it
the life Avhereby he liveth in the soul. For as there is a life and
death of the body, so there is a Ufe and death of the soul. The life
of the body may be conjoyned avcU with the death of the soul ; for
Ave may live in the body and be dead in the sotd at one time. j\l-
,so, thc death of the body may stand Avith the life of the soul ; for

THE SAXT SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 257
we may depart from this life and go to one better. The life of the
body standeth m the presence of the soul, but the life of the
soul standeth in the presence of the Spirit of life : Except our
souls be born anew again by the virtue of that Spfrit of Ufe, it is
not possible that we can see God and taste of Ms joy ; for by na
ture we are not only mutUated and lamed, but altogether dead In sin :
So that, look how void the carcase Is of a natural Ufe, as void are we
¦ of one heavenly and spfritual life. The reason is this ; where death
hath place there Ufe must be whoUy put out ; but by natm-e death hath
place in us, therefore, the spiritual life must be wholly put out. Gif
the Spirit of life be whoUie put out, there remaineth not so much as
a breath out of the quhilk any good cogitations or actions may pro
ceed. Gif so be there is not so much as one breath, where is all
that free-AviU of the Papists ; where is that integritie quhUk remain
eth in the filthie nature ? Then, I say, avc naturally remain In the
death of body and soul stiU; untiU, by the participation of the
Spirit of Ufe, quhilk dweUeth in the body of Christ, unto the time
that tMs Spirit free us from sin and death : And so until this
time we shaU never go above the clouds, nor see the face of God.
And, therefore, as I exhorted you the last day, so I insist in the
same exhortation now, that every one of you mark and perceive
with yourselves, whether you have such a Ufe begun in you or not.
I gave you three effects, quhUk wiU never beguUe you.
The first Is, gif ye find yourselves refreshed and recreated in your
spfrit from the terrors of your conscience and the fear of sins,
quhilk recreation and refreshment of the Spirit is called "that
peace that passeth aU understanding," whereof the Avorld is ignorant ;
he that findeth any of this, gif it were never so little within him, no
question he hath this Ufe begun in bim, and the more this peace be
augmented the more the Ufe groweth : But this peace groweth by
removing of sin, therefore, our whole studie should be to reraove
sin ; for the only thing that troubleth the conscience is sin : Take
away sin the conscience shall be at rest ; wherefore this was the
cMef effect I bad you take tent to.
The second effect is, joy and rejoycing under trouble ; for we

2.").S MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERJlONS,
see trouble of the OAvn nature bringeth not forth this efl'ect, hut
rather bringeth forth sorrow, heaviness, and laraentation. Then
Avhen our spirit is so disposed, that under trouble Ave rejoice and
glory in it, this is the Spirit of Ufe. This joy is not In aU troubles ;
it is not in the trouble qiihUk avc procure, but only in the trouble
quhilk Ave sustain for righteousness' sake, and quhilk we sustain for
Christ his sake.
The thfrd effect is, gif ye have a love of God and good raen, and
ane hatred of evU : "Where these effects are In any measure, no
doubt but the Spfrit of life is there ; as, by the contrair, where
there is a love of wicked and evU men, no question, let thera speak
of Christ as they wdl, the spirit of the devil hath full doralnion.
This Spirit of life, we shcAV, Avas entertained by nourishing of the
knoAvledge of God, when Ave edifie ourselves in our raost holy faith,
when we nourish the exercise of prayer ; as by the contrair, the
Spirit is put out Avhen by our evil doings avc put out the know
ledge of God, Avlien avc diminish our persuasion of his mercie in
Christ, and fall from the exercise of prayer. Then, ye that lia\'e
this life begun nourish it by AvcU-doing, for by Avell-doing, no ques
tion our faith is corroborated. Delight, therefore, in Avell-doing,
soAV in the Spirit and not in the flesh ; run not with the thief, nor
consent not with the murderer, for so ye shaU be participant of
thefr punishment ; but sow in thc Spirit, and of this ye sliaU reap
an everlasting and comfortable Ufe ; where otherAvise of sin ye
shall reap nothing but shame and everlasting conderanation.
I haA-e discoursed long on this head, because it is very neces
sary, and I Avould wish you to consider these things. Think on
the great benefits of God granted unto this countrey; think,
again, upon our gratitude and mischeant behaviour. There Is no
Christian that wiU weigh these two in one balance, but he shall con
clude that it is wonderfid why the Lord suffereth Iniquity in this
countrey so long to be unpunished. Of before, Avhen there Avas but
crumbs of the bread of life, they ran to seek it, so that they com
passed both sea and land, and spared neither travel nor cost to be
ingraft in the kingdom of Christ ; but now, when therc is plenty of

THE S-\.XT SERJION UPON ISAIAH. ^>^9
it, we are casten in such a loatMng, that we abuse the Uberalitie
of God offered to us, and turn his grace and raercie into ven
geance on our oAvn' heads. For as to the muUitude, ye see that they
have afready preferred the leaven of the Pharisees, and gone to
mumchances, rauraraeries, and unknown language, wherein they pud
dled of before. As to the noble and gentle raen, they are so drunk
en with sacrilege, that rather or they rendered this geir, they will
hazard both body and sotd. There Is none but they see this, and
have cause to lament It. I cannot but be ravished in admiration
when I see these two, to wit, the more that Ught is off'ered, our
hearts are the harder ; the more that Ught groweth and know
ledge mcreaseth, conscience decayeth ; as gif knojyledge and con
science could not dweU both in one country. The more Ught in
creaseth, the raore weU-domg decayeth ; quhUk testifieth that the
darkness wherein the Papists lived, keeping a conscience. In respect
of us shaU rise and condemn us that in so great Ught have lost all
conscience ; tMs is a part of my wonder. Now, what raan foUow
of this ? The Apostle, Heb. vi., letteth us see that the ground
quhilk Is Avatered and refreshed Avith rain in due season, and In the
mean time bringeth nothing forth but briers and thorns, quhilk are
only meet fagots for the fire, shaU be burnt up in the Lord's judg
ment. To apply this, howsoever the judgment be delayed, of necessity Appiioai
there remaineth ane utter burning up, quhilk consumption must be
the greater, the greater that Ught be ; for the greater light the
greater contempt, and the greater contempt the heavier must the
judgment be. And surely I look with my self, and I am in ane
constant expectation that except matters proceed othei-Avays in
this country nor they have done, It shall be made a spectacle to all
other countries in the earth. Thus far avc proceed in our last ex
ercise. Now, In the end of the sixteenth verse, he continueth, and he
praiseth that same blessed word of God, from other effects quhilk
he found m his OAvn person ; and in the end of this verse, he saith,

260 MR ROBERT URUCE's SKRMONS.
" By the benefit of the Avord I have obtained health of the body ;
for as sickness had taken the strength from rae, and had spoiled rae
of my force, by the benefit of the Avord I am restored to my
strength, to my force, and wealth againe : Yea, not only by the be
nefit of the Avord am I restored to my health, but by the same be
nefit I am preserved in my health, and continues therein."
So that look frora the beginning : First, he ascribeth the Ufe of
the body to the word : Secondly, he ascribeth the life of his soul
to the word : Thirdly, he ascribeth the health of his body and
soul to the word : And, last of aU, he ascriveth the continuance of
the health of both body and soul to this Avord.
What comfort Is there to be found, but it is in the Word ?
What corafort can a Christian heart wish, but it Is in the Word ?
Yea, I say more, it is not able to the mouth nor to the heart of
man to express the comfort quhilk the soul hath in this Word. It
is not able to the mouth to utter the joy qtihUk it worketh in them
In whora this Spirit is effectual. Notwithstanding of aU this great
benefit that floweth of the Word, let see who runneth to this
Word to seek comfort ? Gif Ave look to the prophane multitude,
yea, the best of us all, there is never one that runneth to this Word,
till aU worldly comfort fail us. But when nature and all natm-al
moyen hath left us, then we ran, as it were compelled, to thc
Word ; yea, we are late in running, that oft times we get ane evil
ansAver when we come, and the gates are steiked on our chafts as
they were on the foolish virgins. WeU, the Word is daily and
continuaUy sounded ; therefore seek to get comfort of tMs Word in
time. Look that ye hear this Word with great reverence, and
study to practise it daily more and more in your daily life and
conversation. Now, In the seventeenth A-erse of this chapter, he noteth thc
time : Ffrst, when he feU In this disease : Secondly, he letteth us
know the manner how he was deUvered. As to the time Avhen he
feU In it, he saith it was in time of peace, after he Avas delivered
frora the hands of Sennacherib, and Avhen he was at ease In gi-eat

THE SAXT SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 261
wealth and abundance ; and, as he Mmself confesseth, when he was
beginning to raisknow God, and to abuse the great benefit of his
deUvery, at that same time God beginneth to puU his ear, and
he casteth him out of the hands of a fearful Avar into the hands of
a terrible pest.
I marked, in the entry of this chapter, sorae things upon this
circurastance. And, therefore, I content me only with this obser-
A^ation : We may perceive of this same circurastance, how hard a
thing it is to flesh to bear the cup of great wealth and long health
equal ; yea, it is a thing altogether irapossible to flesh to bear the
cup of prosperity and health equally, any long space, but except
the Lord exercise us by ane exercise or other, hold us In awe, and
tune our ear, Uke fed horse we begin to repine.
Therefore, I say, seeing this is a coraraon sickness to aU flesh,
(as I have spoken,) we have to seek our counsel of Agur, the son
of lakeh, who fearing to faU Into these inconvenients, craveth tAvo
tMngs at God : First, he craveth that he wdl remove all vanity
and lying words from Mm ; that is, that he wUl reraove and forget
his sins, and deUver him from evil. Secondly, that he wiU neither
tempt Mm with over great abundance, nor yet with over great
poverty ; that he Avould not tempt him with over great abundance,
m case he should forget Mm, nor yet with over great poverty, in
case he should speak evU of Mm ; but chiefly, he craveth of God
that he wUl grant unto hira bis daUy bread, that is, unto every one
of us, according to the nature of our caUing and estate, so far of
these teraporal goods as he knoweth raeetest for Ms glory and our
salvation. Then, to eschew the inconveniences of abundance, that
make us to raisknow God, and of poverty, that raaketh us to blas
pheme God, crave at God that he would grant you your daily
bread. But, I pray you, what marvel is it that a wealthy and glorious
Mng, in the tirae of his greatest prosperitie, should fall into the
Ignorance of God ? What marvel is it that a king, who commonly
taketh unto him ane absolute power, and hath none about hira but
flatterers for the most part, and Avho continuaUy drinketh in vanity

262 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
at aU Ms senses like water ? What marvel is it that he faU into
the ignorance of God, when we see our own mean lords, who are
not kmgs, to faU in sik proud contempt that they are always ready,
as appeareth, to take up open wars against God. So that Jtdian
Avas no greater professed enemy nor they are Uke to be gif they
continue. Suppose a kmg faU m this Ignorance of God, what mar
vel is It, seeing that these mean lords. In very mean wealth, do
the like ; yea, and the greater ? WcU, this king was chastised, in
the raercy of God, that he should not faU in the condemnation of
the reprobate. And that man, gif he be not chastised m time, in
the raercy of God, he shaU find it terrible to faU into his hands.
It is terrible to faU into the hands of a consuraing fire. Boord Arith
flesh as they please, but boord not with God. He shaU find In ex
perience, gif he run out tMs course, that he shaU curse the day of
his birth, and warie the hour that ever he saw this light, except
that sarae God whom he blasphemed preserve Mm in his mercy.
The manner In thc cud of thc vcrsc hc Icttcth US SCC the raanner how he was
how the
king was de- delivered ; and he shcAveth, In the end of that verse, that it pleased
llvered. , .j. ,,,.,.
the Lord to turn his bitter bitterness to ane far better contentment
of spirit. The way whereby he did it was tMs : he removed Ms
sms from him ; he forgave Mm his iniquitie ; for except the Lord
had forgiven hira his sins. It had not been possible that the bitter
ness of his soul and conscience cotdd be reraoved. Then, so soon
as he turned Mra to his God, acknowledged Ms Ufe bygone, and
sought raercy by aU manner of ways, as sometiraes by word, by
groamng, by tears, by sighs, by dolorous moan and lamentation,
and by aU kind of humble gesture, he obtained mercy ; so that the
Lord cast his whole sins beMnd his back. The cause that moved
the Lord to shew mercy he noteth it in the midst of that verse.
There was no occasion in the king ; for he deserved the contrare :
it was only the love of the Lord, only the kindness of the Lord m
Christ Jesus, his Messiah, who was to corae of tMs Mnc himself.
In the manner of his deUvery, this king acknowledo-ed three
things quhdk are worthy of marking.

THE SAXT SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 263
Ffrst, the king acknowledgeth that sin is the only cause of our sin is the
' ... only thing
misery, whether it be in our conscience, body, or soul. Surely that is pun-
•'/ . . isbed in the
this king speaketh very true, for there is notldng that God can wicked, ana
hate m us but sm ; there is nothmg that God can punish in the tho godiy.
wicked but sm ; there is nothing that he can correct m us but sin ;
there is nothmg that his fiirious jealousy can burn up but sin;
there is notMng that he can purge m us but sin. Take away sm,
and the punishment of the vricked shaU cease ; yea, there shaU be
no such thmg as a Aricked, and the purgation of the godly shaU not
myster. So both punishment and purgation shaU cease, sm bemg
taken away ; for sin is the only thing that Is pumshed In them, and
purged m us. Now, tMs Mng acknowledging this, ran unto God,
confessed his sins, and found mercy. So, note the lesson, whether
the Lord visit us Arith trouble of body or of conscience, seeing that
sin is the cause of our trouble, let us run the high way to God,
examme your bygone life, acknowledge your offences, and run
unto the tMone of grace for mercy ; and whosoever runneth to
that throne shaU find mercy in the day of Ms greatest necessitie.
TMs is the first that he acknowledged.
The second tMng that he acknowledgeth is this : He acknow- Remissions
.. n T . . 11 1 1 °f ^i°^ '^^^''
ledgeth the remission of his sms, the best and surest cure that can etu au dis-
be appUed to any disease ; for there cannot be a better cure nor a
surer cure than to remove the cause of the disease : Sm is the cause
of the disease, therefore the removmg of sm cOreth the disease.
The unhappy world, when they are visited with any disease, they
run only to the body, and seek the cause of the disease only In
the body, as though the body had the only Arit ; they run never to
the soul, Avhen m the meantirae the body is but ane instruraent to
the soul ; for gif the soul were weU it is Impossible that we could
be diseased. Therefore, seeing the cause of the disease lurketh in
the soul, when the Lord visiteth you with any disease, run to the
soul, acknowledge that sin is the cause, lay the fault where it is,
and crave mercy of God ; for this is the ready way to cure our
diseases. Would God this lesson were learned ; for, gif it were

264 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
Avell observed, avc Avotdd not see so raany kind of pestilent diseases
raging in this country as this day avc do.
The third thiug thc king acknowledged, that it is not his own
integritie that procured his deliverance ; he acknoAvledgeth that it
was not his innocency In life nor his good deeds, as would appear
in the beginning of the chapter ; for in his prayer he appeareth to
have been raaking ane ostentation of his good deeds and innocency
of life, but here in the end of this verse he resolveth this doubt ;
he letteth us see it Avas the mercy of God in Christ Jesus that was
the only cause of his delivery. Thus far for the raeaning of the
words. Noav, let us mark the forra of speech : The form is this, because
(saith hc) " He hath cast aU ray sins behind his back." This form
of speech is borroAved frora our custom. For those things that
men may not behold, that are filthy and abominable, we cast them
behind our back, that avc shotdd not see them. Noav, sin being the
only thing quhdk is abominable in the presence of God, when he
forgiveth us our sins, he is said to cast them behind his back. The
only thing that hidetli the countenance of God from us is sin ; for
there is nothing that can separate man from his Creator but sin
only. And Avhat lose avc Avhen avc are separate from the coun
tenance of God ? We lose trae pleasure and perfect pleasure :
There can neither be true nor perfect pleasure but in the sight and
countenance of God, and Avhile Ave are by sin debarred frora his
countenance, Ave are deprived both of true and perfect pleasure.
Then, the dUigent care of a Christian should stand in this, that sin
debar Mm not from the countenance of God ; but we should be
diligent in craving mercy for Christ his cause, that enjoying his
countenance we may have satietie of pleasure to last for ever.
The second thing that I mark in thfr words is this : Where he
saith, " He hath casten aU," he saith not he hath casten a part, and
left ane other part ; he saith not that he hath forgiven venial sins
and left mortal sins ; but he saith, " aU sins" of Avhat sort, rank, or
degree soever they be, he hath casten them all behind his back.

THE SAXT SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 265
All these sorts of sins that sever us frora God and detain us from
his countenance may be aU brought under these three sorts. Under
the fii-st sort, I understand this original corruption, this foul puddle,
tMs rotten root, of the quhilk all these rotten fruits do flow and
proceed, this corruption in the quhilk avc are both conceived and
born, quhilk maketh us the chUdren of wrath, dead in sin and in
the unclrcumcision of our flesh. Under the second sort, I compre
hend all raotions, cogitations, and actions of our whole life, where
by we decUne never so little, and go asclent frora that perfect duty
quhilk Ave owe to God and to our neighbour : So, in ane word, I
comprehend under this second sort all our actual sins. This natu
ral corraption, quMlk we caU original sin, by the quhilk It coraeth
to pass that suppose the substance of our body and soul be not
aboUshed, yet both body and soul is so hurt, changed, and altered,
that they appear not to be the thing they Avere at the first. For
as to the body, by reason of this corruption it Is subject to death,
and from death it is resolved to poAvder and ashes : As to the soul,
suppose the substance of It decay not, yet ye see the qualities of it
are so altered and changed that the light of the understanding is
turned in darkness, the integrity of the avUI in Avickedness, the up
rightness and intention to good is turned In ane declining from
good, and in ane bent purpose to do evil. And, shortly. In one
word, by this corruption we have lost the image of God, quhilk
shined so brightlie in us in our creation. Under the third sort of
sin, I understand the lack of the obedience and want of the accom
plishment of the law ; for by nature, in our first creation, we Avere
not only bound to abstain from sin, but to accompUsh all righteous
ness, and to conform us to the vriU of God perfectly in aU things.
Now, by this corruption we faU In this pomt as weU also as in the
rest, and so we are guUty of aU sorts of sin ; and being guilty of
all sorts of sin, of necessitie we raust be subject to death and con
demnation, for the reward of sin (as the Apostle saith) is death.
Now, the king saith not that the Lord hath freed hira from
one or two sorts, and not deUvered him frora the third ; but he
saith he hath delivered him from all his sins, and consequentUe

266 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
from death and condemnation. For tMs is the custom of God
in Christ, gif ye mark it weU ; from the time he beginneth to call
his chUdren to repentance, and to work with them inwardly, he
forgiveth them not a part of their sins, but from the time he enter
to this AVork, at ane Instant he forgiveth them the whole sins
of thefr whole life bygane, present, and to corae, as the parable,
Mat. xviii. 23, testifieth, where ye see the Lord forgiveth the whole
debt. The reason of tMs is, Christ, Ms Son, who took our debt
on hira, and was cautioner for us, he died not for a part of our sins
only, nor satisfied not Ms Father for a part only, but for the whole
ware ; and, therefore, the debt bemg once paid, the Father cannot
crave farther ; and so, when he beginneth to forgive us our sins,
he forgiveth us aU our sms simul et semel.
The renussion of sins is freely offered to all flesh in Christ by
the pubUshIng of the Evangel, and is freely applyed by the Avork
ing of the Spirit of God, and is only gripped by the hand of faith,
quhilk is in the heart. Except the Lord purify the conscience,
cleanse the heart, and open it, as he did Lydia's heart, offer what
remission ye vrill, it is not possible we can apply it to ourselves
except the conscience and soul be recreate in the sweetness and
peace that floweth out of Christ. Offer remission never so oft,
the conscience dare not be so bold as to apply it to thyself; and
therefore the whole study of a Christian should stand in this, that
he be not beguUed Arith presumption instead of faith, whUk pre
sumption In end tendeth to desperation. And let us not be flat
tered by every sUght faith and light opinion that flieth in the fan
tasie ; for justifying faith raust open the heart, and be digested in
the heart, that the heart may be turned thereby : For where the
heart is only touched with a light taste cpihllk is not stedfast. In
continent how soon the truth cometh, this taste is spewed forth ;
but where tMs grace is digested m the heart, in sik sort that the
stubbomess of our avIU is abated, our understanding changed and
our affections altered, no question we have access to God and see
ing him In our mmd, and feeUng him in our heart, there Is no storm
that can raake us to run from him, but the gi-eater the storm be

THE SAXT SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 267
we AviU draw the nearer to Mm, seeing we know there is a better
life with him nor is here ; aU this is the duty of a Christian. So,
every one of you try your hearts and minds, interpel God con-
tmuaUy by mopportune suiting, and draw tMs grace out of Mm,
that it may please him to open our hearts ; for except the heart be
opened that ye may feel the sweetness, and that your wdl and
affections be altered, it is not possible that ye can be mclined to
good. Crave of God, therefore. Increase of faith, that we may
abide the storm, blow when it wUl.
Now, or we go from the words of this verse, he saith, " It is he
that hath casten aU my sms." QuhUk He is this ? God the Fa
ther, Son, and Holy Ghost, tMee persons, one God, hath done
it ; no creature but God only. And ye see, as ye may read, Luke
v., that the Pharisees were not ignorant of this that God only
might forgive sins. For in that same place, Luke v., in that con
ference quhilk the Pharisees have, they say, " What a blasphemie
is tMs ? Who hath power to forgive sins but God only ?" Now,
look to the behaviour of Christ after these words, who partly by
Ms sUence approveth them, and partly by ane rafracle, he ratifieth
thefr speakmg to be true, that God In heaven hath only power to
forgive sms ; and there is a good reason, even in our natural judg
ment, that ratifieth tMs to be true ; for who hath power to forgive
the debt but the creditor ? Now, God only is our creditor, there
fore, God only hath power to forgive, for it is the law of God that
is transgressed ; for aU sin is the transgression of the law, and,
therefore, aU sin offendeth Mm, medlatlie or ImmediatUe ; and see
ing he properly is offended, he only must forgive. As to Christ
Jesus, man, he hanging on the cross, craveth mercy to Ms murder
ers of God Ms Father, and saith, " Forgive thera. Lord ; for they
know not what they do." And when he Mraself forgiveth sins, in
tMs he testifieth that he is true God, as the ancients gathered
AveU by this effect, that he forgave sins, that he was not a simple
creature but true God also ; and where the Kirk is said to forgive
sins, they remit in the name and authoritie of Christ Jesus ; or else,
when they forgive, they raay be caUed pronouncers and publishers

268 MR ROBERT BRUCE S SERMONS.
of God's remission ; for in uttermg bis Avord they shew themselves
to be his mouth, and not their oavu mouth. As to us that are
brethren, Ave are said to forgive others, and avc forgive others in
deed ; but our remission releiveth not the raan of his guUtiness, but
the guiltiness remaineth ay In the soul untU God remove it ; and
in respect the guiltiness remaineth untU it be removed by God,
and none hath poAver to wash away this guiltiness but God, there
fore it is God properUe that is the forgiver of sins ; and for this
cause it is, that David, in his fifty-first Psalm, cryetli out and
saith, " Against thee, against thee oidy, I have sinned." Now;
seeing it is he only that forgiveth sins, let us seek reraission at God
and no other.
I'he cause rpj^g jg^g^ thing that I mark is the cause that raoved God to for-
that moved o
God to for- gjyg jjjjjj jjjg gjjjg . Jig saith, because he loveth his person, and for
give him Ins o ^ J. •'
*'"=• this loA'c that he bore to hiin, he neither suffered the bitterness to
reraain in his sotd, nor his body to see the grave. It is confessed
by the king that there Avas nothing in himself worthy of this love ;
therefore, he is not loved for his own cause ; of necessity, then, he
must be loved for that raan's cause that took away his sin. Now,
read over the Scriptures, what is he for a man that hath taken aAvay
our sins, and taken on our debt, and discharged hira honestly and
honourably of it, CAcn he that is man and God also, Christ Jesus ?
And, therefore, in these same words quietly he acknowledgeth his
sins to be reraoved, for the love quhilk God bore to hira in Christ
Jesus, who was in Ms loins as yet, accordmg to the flesh. I say,
there Avas no raan able to bear and discharge this burden beside
tMs raan, who is God also ; able because he was God, and as he
Avas able, so discharged he this burden in his OAvn time. And
Christ is justly the only MecUator betwixt God and man ; and, there
fore, vihora the Lord loveth, he loveth in hira ; and to whora the
Lord sheweth mercy. It is for Ms cause only. For why ? He per
fectly satisfied for the whole ware, quhUk may be easily seen In these
three pomts.
For, First, he delivered us from these sins quhilk we caU actual

THE SAXT SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 269
sins. And hoAv ? By this perfect satisfaction, whereby he satisfied
fuUIe, In suffering hell in his soul, and death in his body, and that
on the cross, and so freed us frora these actual sins, and the pun
ishment thereof; so that in this point he is a perfect Mediator.
Secondly, he delivered us fi-ora the puddle and rotten root from
the quhilk they proceed. For ye see Christ Jesus was conceived
In the womb of the Virgin, and that by the mighty power of his
Holy Spirit. So that our nature in hira was fully sanctified by
that same power. And this perfect puritie of our nature in his per
son covereth our impurltle ; for he was not conceived in sin and
corruption as we are, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, who
perfectlie sanctified our nature in hira, even in the raoraent of his
conception. So, he being througMie purged, his puritie covereth
our Iinpurltie.
Now, in the Thfrd point, also, he is a perfect Mediator, for he not
only satisfied for our sins, biit he accomplished the Avhole laAv for
us ; yea, and more then the law craved, for the Second Table requlr-
eth only that we love our neighbour as our selves. But Christ did
more nor this, for none loveth his neighbour so that wiUingly he
AviU die for him. So Christ, in dying for us, he sheweth that he
loveth us more then the law required ; and so, not only he accom
phshed the law for us, but did raore then the law craved.
Now, this perfect righteousness of his starteth in betwixt us and
his Father, and covereth our rebellion and disobedience ; or else Ave
could not be free frora condemnation in this point also. AU these,
to wit, perfect puritie^ perfect satisfaction, and perfect righteousness,
are to be found in Christ perfectly ; and, therefore, only mercy and
remission of sins Is to be sought for In hira ; and he that hath not
Christ to be his Intercessor he sliaU never taste of raercy.
Now, let us go to the application : What raanner of intercession Application.
can Christ raake for that raan that blasphemeth his Father ? It Is
not possible that the Son can Interceed where the Father is blas
phemed AvUfuUy and wiUingly : Yea, of all judgraents this is a raost
terrible judgment, Avhere the spirit of blasphemie hath sik power

270 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
that he maketh a man to titter sik voices against his INIaker. Thus
far concermng these words.
The reason
wherefore Now, In the ucxt two vcrscs, he giveth two reasons wherefore
the Lord ....
forgave himthc Lord forgavc hira Ms sins, and deUvered him from the death of
Ms body ; and he sheweth, in that 18th and 19th verses, that the
Lord, In this work, had Ms own entrie, and special respect to his
own glory, quhiUi glory he saw would be advanced raore by the
lengthemng of his days nor otherways by the shortening thereof
Secondly, that the benefit of Ms delivery Avould be a raatter of
praise to aU generations, to the end of the world ; for it is said,
" The fathers sliaU instruct their children ;" and so fathers and cMl-
dren in thefr extreraities they shaU run to God for the like mercy.
Noav, for these two ends, that God raight be praised of the king in
his own person, and of his posteritie, and aU the posterities there
after, the Lord bestoweth this benefit upon the king, and giveth
him health.
I take up the reasons In these two verses, the 18th and 19th. And
the first reason is taken up in the 18th and beginning of the 19th, for
there he saith, " The grave cannot confess thee ; death cannot praise
thee :" As gif he would say, " Dead raen and buried raen can not
praise thee, as we do in these bodies of ours in the land of the Uv
ing, livmg In thy kfrk here. Dead men that rest M their graves
cannot look for the accoraplishnient of thy promises ; and gif I were
dead, and my body in the grave, I could not look for the accom-
pUshraent of thy promise in giving me a son. It is only the living,
the living that is able to praise thee." There he doubleth the word,
to let you see that they must be indued with a double life that
praise the Lord aright. They must not only be indewed with the
Ufe of the body, but also they must live in thefr soul. Noav, the
Mng saith, " I being restored to this double life, both In body and
soul, I shaU praise thee ; for none can praise thee Avorthily, as I
do this day, but they that are alive, as I ara." This Is the first

THE SAXT SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 271
Now, to examme the words, he meaneth not that they who are They that
' _ •'are dead in
dead and buried leave off this exercise ; only he meaneth, that they their body
, ... . . . . . Uve not of
who are dead and buned avUI not praise God m their bodies, wUl not the exercise
praise him as we do here on earth. And, therefore, we must not their soui.
think that they leave off this exercise; yea, by the contrafr, we
must believe that the souls of the saints departed are more eident
in tMs exercise then when they were alive. And how prove I this ?
The nearer the soul be unto God, the greater pleasure and deUght it
taketh in Mm, but after it is departed out of this Ufe, it is straighter
coupled Arith God: therefore, it taketh the greater pleasure and
deUght in Mm. Now the greater pleasure it takes in God, the greater
praise it must give to Mm; for pleasure cannot come mto the
heart but It must redound back to him that gave it ; therefore, the
straighter the soul be conjomedwith God it praiseth him the more.
Now, after the death of the body the souls of the faithful are more
straightUe coupled vrith God; therefore after death they praise
Mm the more. Where Christ hath dwelt once in this life, suppose
the bodies die and be resolved in powder, by reason of sm, yet the
soul Uveth by reason of righteousness ; yea, suppose the body be
resolved, yet that spirit of life that dwelt in the soul raiseth thy
soul to heaven, even as the spirit of life that dwelt in Christ Jesus
raised his body from the grave. And as the spirit of life is the
only cause that raade us to praise hira in our bodies, so the same
spfrit maketh us to praise him out of these bodies, by reason, sup
pose we be absent m body, yet are present in om- soul with the
Lord. For the words, Eom. viU., are these : " Gif Christ dweU
In you, suppose the body be dead, by reason of sin, yet the spirit
is aUve for righteousness sake." The meanmg of the words is this •
suppose they that are departed leave off to praise the Lord in their
bodies, and in this earth, quhdk he caUeth the land of the llvlno'
yet they leave not off at aU.
Now, of this I shaU mark one or two things. Take up the end Fi'st obser.
wherefore the Lord delivcreth any person, city, or country, of any
trouble, withm or without ; the chief end of his delivery is this
that that person, city, or country, raay serve as ane instrument to

272 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SEKAIONS.
preach his benefit, to sound his praise, and to render unto him
heartie thanks for it. Are our sins forgiven us to this end, is there
any country or any city set at liberty, to this end, that we should
provoke God to anger by heavier sins again ? Is this the end
Avherefore he forgiveth sins ? Is this the end Avherefore he bestow-
eth his benefits, that we shotdd use thera as weapons to fight
against hiraself? Is not this rather the high way to kindle hira to
greater severitie, and to sharpen his fury against ourselves ; yea,
and Avhat exception, I pray you, can Ave use in his greatest seve
ritie, seeing Ave have provoked it ourselves ? I speak it to this end ;
there Is not a person in particular, nor any in general, but of natu
ral knowledge they avIU say there Avas never greater benefit be
stowed on a country nor in relieving us of the fear of that bar
barous nation ;' he must either confess this or he is an ass. This
benefit, if it were rightly measured and considered, read over
the Scriptures, confer benefit with benefit, rairacle with miracle, all
cfrctimstances being Avell considered, ye shall find that since the
people of Israel came through the Eed Sea, there hath not been a
greater !
To Avhat end delivered he us ? Is it that avc should provoke
him with greater sins ? Look since the fear of these strangers
past, what sin is there but this country hath defiled herself with it ?
See ye not slaughter in greater measure, oppression, murder with
out any mercy ; see ye not all law and equitie trampled under foot ?
And, shortly, see ye not the confusion risen to sik a height, that
every lord in his own bounds is a king ; what sort of birth (I pray
you) shaU this confusion bring forth ? At the last it must bring
forth ane of these two, of necessitie, and take tent ye are able to
see it except the Lord prevent. Either the supreme raagistrate
and Inferior raagistrates raust concur In one voice to put an end to
this confusion, or the confusion (out of doubt) shaU put ane end to
him. I am assured ane of these two must follow ; for the weight
of his wrath quMlk hangeth over this land is insupportable ; the
' The Spaniards' " Invincible Armada.''

THE SAXT SERMON UPON ISAIAH. 273
earth Is not able to bear this birth of Iniquitie, and gif there were
no other ptmlshment, as I have oft said, the earth shaU be com
peUed to spew forth the Inhabitants, or God want raeans to
pumsh !
As this is true m the country in general, so it Is as true In this
city In particular, for it never carae yet (for the most part) in your
hearts to thank God aright for Ms deUvery. Therefore, the Lord
is beginning to let you see that he can raise strangers, men who
have the heart of strangers araong om-selves; he hath moyens
anew In the midst of our own bowels to pumsh this country, sup
pose he seek not strangers. But, indeed, in this late brag- of our
neighbour lord,' he craveth you to go back to the consideration of
the greatness of the last benefit ; and gif ye acknowledge it rightly,
and be thankfid for it, there is no domestic force ye need to re
gard, for as to the force that can proceed any way frora that man,
ye know it : And surely it would appear to me that that raan hath
sold himself to iniquitie, and the end wUl declare it, except the
Lord prevent Mm with Ms undeserved grace, quhUk I crave most
heartUy. Always, in the meantime, suppose there be truths pro
mised, yet stand ye on yom- guards, and let it not come to pass, by
your misbehaviour and lashness, that the glory of God and Ubertie
of tMs city be impaired, m any ways ; but stand on your guards,
that as tMs city hath been a terror to evU men of before, so It may
terrify Mm also. For no question where God and a good quarrel
concurreth that side shaU have the upper hand. TMs only by the
Avay ; for it becometh me of my duty to maintain good the cause,
and to instract you In tMs point of your duty.
The second thing that I mark : Ye see the glory of God Is ever second ob-
conjoMed Arith the Ufe of Ms own, so that we cannot advance """"*"'¦
God's glory but we shaU further our oavu salvation ; and we can
not neglect the one but we shaU neglect the other. Seeing, then,
that these two are necessarUe conjomed, for God's sake let every
one remember to set forward the glory of God In his life, so far as
' Alluding to the treasonable attempts of the Earl of Bothwell,

274 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
he may, according to Ms estate and caUing. TMs life is so miser
able m itself, and there is none that seeth the confusion of this
country to grow so fast that can look for any redress of these
thmgs in his own time. So here beneath is no corafort, aU runneth
on to sik a desolation and miserable confusion, that of aU Uves of
the earth our Uves were most miserable, gif we had not the sight
of a better. For aU joy to be looked for here beneath Is taken
aAvay. WeU, I leave this second part, and come to the last.
The Thfrd part of tMs song is in this twentieth verse, quhilk Is
the conclusion of the whole song. In tMs conclusion the Mng tes
tifieth that he avUI not only praise God for the present for the
benefit quhilk he hath received, but he maketh a solemn promise,
that so long as he liveth he shaU never forget this benefit, aU the
days of his Ufe he shaU praise him, yea, praise hira in Ms song ; he
shall praise him Avith his instruraent, and he shall praise him pub
licly In the house and congregation of the Lord, because the bene
fit is pubUck ; he shall praise him In his body, because he received
the health thereof; and he sliaU praise him In his soul, because he
is restored to thc wonted joys thereof. TMs, I thmk, be the mean
ing of the last verse.
The king, in this doing, sheweth himself to be very thankfid ;
and gif that good servant of God shew hiraself so thankful, how
much more should we whom he delivcreth, notwithstanding we
cast ourselves headlong in our diseases by our OAvn foUy. But
there is never a man how soon the heavy hand of God Is off Mm,
but he returneth vrith the sow to that same puddle wherein he
was, and with the dogs to that same vomit agam. As to the
praise, I have spoken of it before : I insist no farther, but go to
the last.
The last two verses, they are casten to, and as it appeareth ap
pertam not to the song but to the Mstorie ; howsoever, they are
casten to I avIU not dispute it hath pleased the Spirit of God so to
do, and so it should please us. I have spoken of the last verse of
these two afready, and wIU not repeat. As to the first of the two,

THE SAXT SERMON UPON ISALVH. 275
ye see there Is ane injunction given by the prophet to the Mng, to
take a lump of dry figs and raake ane eraplaster, and lay it unto
the boU, and it shaU heal. TMs mjunction is obeyed by the king.
Of tMs Injunction it would appear that the prophet playeth the
part of a physician rather than of the prophet of God. For tMs
simple, quhUk he biddeth him apply, pertalneth to the physician of
the body, so that it appeareth he rather doeth the office of ane
doctor of physic that of the prophet ; yet, however It would appear
so, it Is not so, for the prophet was occupied at this tirae in utter
ing of his commission, in the quhdk he doth nothmg whereof he
hath not a warrant. Therefore, in the same words he doeth no
thing beside the part of ane true prophet, and he hath Ms special
warrant m tMs doing.
Now, what is the reason, when as the Lord might have done why tho
Lord work-
this Avithout any ordinary means, yet he biddeth the prophet apply eth by
the same plaster? He doeth tMs, no question, for these three second
ends: Ffrst, to let the kmg see by tMs doing he would not have First End.
his ordmary means nor second causes be contemned. And suppose
he may work vrithout them, yet he hath appomted second causes
to bring about his eff'ect, quhilk he wIU not have contemned.
The second end, quhilk was the cMef end, he saw that the Mng's second End.
faith was weak, for the prophet proraised that AritMn three
days he should pass up to the teraple, and the Mng's boU was not
corned as yet to ane maturity, but raging on Mm, so he thought tMs
almost impossible, and could scarcely apprehend the truth of this
promise. Now, to support his beUef, he useth ane externaU ob
ject : For the more and the more pithle the objects be, the more
our faith Is wakened and confirmed. Therefore m the sacraraents
we have so many objects to our eye, to our hands, and aU to
strengthen our faith. And so he giveth him this mean to strengthen
his faith, and to assure hira it should come to pass quhUk the pro
phet promised.
The thfrd end is to teach him that the Lord is the only Medi- Third End.
cinar, as weU of the body as of the soul ; he hath command over

276 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
all remedies, and so he may stay or further the effects thereof as
he pleaseth ; and, consequently, he hath coraraand over all diseases.
This is certain ; and, therefore, except the blessing of God concur
Avith these second things, there is no medicine can avail or profit.
And it is so to be thought of raedlcinars as of the husbandmen and
their husbandry : Ye see when the husbandmen have done their
whole exact travel, so that they have left nothing undone that In
them lieth, yet If the Lord give not increase, they are disap
pointed of thefr travel ; even so, suppose mediclnars propone re
medies to be applied with all dUigence, yet, if the Lord bless not
the work, and he abstract his effect or power from the second
causes, it is not possible that the patient can be cured. So, he
teacheth the diseased, and aU doctors of raedicine, these two lessons :
First, he teacheth the patient to crave at God that he avUI give
leave to the second things to do some good effect ; and let the
doctor craA^e, on the other side, that the Lord wdl bless his Avork,
that it may redound to God's glory, and to the comfort of the
patient. And where God is begun with, and ended with, no doubt
but the work shaU have ane good issue. Therefore, in all troubles,
let every one first have recourse unto God, and in God use his
creatures, and so God shall bless you and the creatures both, in his
Son Christ Jesus. To whom be aU praise, honour, and glory, for
now and ever. Amen.

TWO SERMONS
UPO>( THE SEVENTY-SIXTH PSALME,
PREACHED BY MR ROBERT BRUCE,
(in the Kirke of Edinburgh, ) as ane
Thanksgiving to Godfpr deliver ie
from the tyrannie of the
Spaniards.

THE FIEST SEEMON

UPON PSALM LXXVI.

1. God is knowin in Jurie : his name is great in Lsrael.
2. For in Shalem is his tabernacle : and his dwelling in Zion.
3. There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword,
and the oattell. Selah.
4. Thou art more bright and puissant than the mountains of prey.
5. The stout-hearted are spoyled, they have slept their sleepe : and
all the men of strength have not found their handes.
6. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are
cast asleep.
7. Thou, even thou, art to be feared : and who shall stand in thy
sight when thou art angry ?
8. Thou didst cause thy judgment to be heard from heaven ; there
fore the earthfeared, and was still.

I HAVE chosen this song, quhUk Is a song of praise and of thanks-
giring, (weU-beloved in CMIst Jesus,) as a song that ia most meet
for our purpose, and that agreeth best with the turn and holy ac
tion that Ave have in hand this day ; for in this song the Psalmist

2bU MR ROBERT BKUCIi's SKIUIOXS.
praiseth God for his singular benefits bestoAved fi-ora time to time
upon his OAvn people : As, namely, by reason he hath chosen them
to be his people, and selected them out fi-ora among aU the nations
on the earth to be a peculiar inheritance and possession to hlm-
The pnrpose self ; he hath concredited unto them Ms oracles, quhilk hc had
of the pro
phet in this done to no other companie under the sun beside her ; he hath
Psalm. ...
made his residence with her, quliUk he hath done with no other
society of men in the earth ; he hath taken the defence of her
against whatsoever sort of enemies, quhdk he hath done to no
other sort or condition of men ; in sik sort that she hath found,
from tirae to time, experience of his mighty hand, to her great
corafort, to his glory, and to thc perpetual overthrow of his and her
eneraies that havc .assailed her.
No doubt but some singular and particular deUvery hath given
occasion to this notable song; ahvays the form of thc song Is gene
ral, and may serve avcU to the use of the kirk In aU ages foUowing,
to the end of the world, for these benefits ; Avherefore the Psalmist
praiseth God in this Psalra, they have been common, they are
comraon, and shaU bc common benefits to the kirk so long as she
is absent in the body from the Lord ; for he hath given the cus
tody of his Word to no other society In the earth but to his kirk ;
he dAveUeth Arith no other company of raen but Avith the company
of faithful men and women ; he taketh the defence of no other
sort of people of the earth but of these faithful men. These peo
ple have felt in experience his inward and outward deliveries, both
in soul and in body ; and the kirk of this country at this day, that
she standeth on foot, and that she hath liberty to convene, and
that noAv she hath a mouth and a voice to praise hira, she hath this
God to thank only, and no flesh under the sun.
Exhortation Therefore, I say, dress your hearts every one of you in sorae
to be thank- jj^gasure to do tMs ; for surely ye had never better occasion than ye
have at this tirae. AU men, I know, are not alike disposed, and
yet aU men were never more a tit. For I knoAV there is a sort of
men who think theraselves, by this deUvery, disappointed, who In
their hearts are as sorroAvful of the Spaniards' case as they them-

THE FIRST SEItAION UPON PSALiAt LXXVI.

281

selves are. Of these I look for no praising. There Is another sort
of men, who were never touched with the danger, and these men
cannot be moved with the deUvery ; for he that saAv not the peril.
It is not possible that he can esteem of the delivery. There is,
thfrdly, another sort of men who both saw the peril, sighed for the
peril, and craved the deUvery. This sort of men avIU praise God
for the benefit of deUvery. Surely, in this, we have aU occasion to
thank God that commandment hath passed from kirk and king
that aU knees shaU bow and do reverence to this God ; whether
they do it felgnedly or truly, to theraselves be it said ; Avhether
they do it under pretence or sinceritie, to themselves be it said : for
the weal and profit avIU redound to themselves only. Always we
that fear God hath great occasion to praise Mra, that his name is
glorified this day, suppose it be felgnedly.
This Psalm hath three special parts. In the First part he pro-The divi-
poneth certam benefits into the quhilk the Lord shcAV himself both psaim.
gi-acious and merciful to Ms kfrk. In the Second part he praiseth
God for ane singidar deUvery, for a work more then wonderful ; a
Avork In the quhilk the Lord shewed Mmself to be a mighty preserver
of Ms OAvn, and a terrible revenger on his enemies ; a work accom
pUshed by his OAvn vfrtue and force only, without the support of
any creature livmg. In the Third part he setteth down ane ex
hortation to the kirk, to grow in thankfulness towards God; to
grow in thankfuMess towards him, that he may grow m mercy and
favour towards her, and that he raay grow in anger and Itatrcd to
wards Ms and her enemies. These are the parts of the Psalm.
In the First part there is, first, proponed a cMef and principal
benefit, wherelntUl the Lord sheweth himself exceeding gracious
tOAvards Ms people. The benefit Is this, that he hath revealed him
self so homelie and so famUIarlie to her, beside all the rest of the
world, In sik sort that he hath raade her acquaint with hira, and
made himself weU known to her. For, first, the Lord hath reveal
ed Mmself to his kirk by a special and particular revelation, beside
that general revelation quhUk is known to the Avhole Avorld ; for as

2'62 MR ROBERT BRUCe's SERMONS.
to this general revelation quhilk is known to the Avorkl, it ser\cth
nothing to our rastruction, profit, nor erudition, but serveth ratlier
to our conviction, that the Lord raay have within us a testimony
of our just conderanation. And, therefore, beside this general re
velation, whereby he hath revealed himself to all flesh, he hath
manifested himself to his Mrk by a special and particular revelation,
beside that comraon Ught and natural understanding ; he hath
patlfied Mmself to us by ane lieaA'cnly light and supernatural un
derstanding, quhiUi heavenly light and understanding maketh us
first the chUdren of light and of the day ; quhilk heavenly light
discerneth us from the rest of the Avorld, avIio are darkness, and the
children of the night, (as the Apostle caUeth them.) For this
heavenly light and supernatural understanding, Avhereby Ave see
God, is proper only to the true members of Christ Jesus, Avho are
his kfrk ; none hath this eye of faith but they only. It is so pro
per to thera, that it severeth them frora all other societies In the
earth, whether they take unto themselves the narae of the kirk, or
are altogether eneraies thereunto. This supernatural light and un
derstanding is offered by the Word, and is given to us by the Spirit
of God ; for the natural raan, as long as he reraaineth in his natu
raUtle, cannot perceive the things of God. For AAdiy ? The great
est Ught and greatest Avit that is in our nature Is the greatest enemy
that that heavenly light and Avit can have ; as we have in the
Apostle, Avriting Eom. viii. The best Avit, yea, tbat quhilk we call
the best wit, that is in a natural man, it counteth the word of God
foolishness ; and, therefore, seeing the Avorld by her own Avisdom,
yea, the greatest phUosopher In it, by his oavu knoAvledge, could not
know God, this God Avas moved, by that same light and wit quhilk
the world counteth foolishness, to make men to know him In Christ
Jesus, to their eternal salvation. This Avit, 1 say, is offered to us
by his Word, and given by his Spirit only ; for as therc is no man
knoAveth what Is the raind of man toward him except the spirit of
the man's self, or he to Avhora this spirit revealeth it, so there is
none knoAveth the wit of God, nor knoweth his mind toward him,
except the Spirit of God, and they to whom this Spirit communl-

THE FIRST SEEMON UPON PSALM LXXVI. 283
eateth the matter. Of this Spfrit he hath poured upon his oavu
kirk, whereby he hath revealed himself more homelie to her, and
given her a clearer sight of him nor aU the rest of the world can
have ; for as to that look quhUk we have of God that is common
to us with the rest of the world, in the mirror of his works, it
faUeth us in the very entry ; we lose it in the threshold, it is so
choked and suffocate by the mIscMef our affections vrithm us.
Again, as to that sight quhUk we have in his Word, sejoin me
his Spirit fi-om the Word, that his Word be but a slaying letter
and not a quickenmg Spirit, the mfrror of the Word is but a dim
mirror, and a sealed letter to all men, as Isaiah caUeth it : It cannot
profit us.
Therefore, there is no Avay to seek God truly but in the mfrror
of his own Word and Spirit conjunctlle ; that is, by the Word
piercing the ear, and the Spfrit piercing the heart. The Word
to work outwardly, and to pierce the ear, and the Spuit to
work inwardly, ane eye in the mind, and to open a door in the
heart. Where this conjunct and joined worMng is, it coraeth to
pass that the vaU of ignorance is taken ofi^ our minds ; it cometh to
pass that our hard hearts are moUified ; it cometh to pass that the
filthmess of our affections are mortified ; it cometh to pass that our
souls are renewed ; our conscience getteth this boldness, that with
joy we dare open these mouths of ours, quhilk otherways we durst
never open, and call the Father of Jesus Christ our Father.
This heavenly revelation we have by the workmg of the Word
and Spirit conjunctUe, and aye the more we get of the Spirit the
more clearly we see him, and the better know we our God. Then,
come on : By this heavenly revelation of God by his Word and by
his Spirit, it cometh to pass that God is AveU known in Judah ;
that Is, in his kirk : and of this good knowledge, quhUk Is no other
thing but faith, again, it cometh to pass that his name is great in
Israel ; that is, that Ms name is greatly praised, highly extolled, and
his remembrance is ever continualUe in meraory in Israel.
By the name of God here, God himself Is understood ; for in so Ariiat is
many good effects as God uttereth himself toAvard his kirk, asrameonjod in this place.

284 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SEKAIONS.
many names he giveth to himself Avhereby he may be praised of
her. As for example, when he proralseth unto his kirk freelle
grace and raercy, his kirk giveth hira a name, and caUeth him mer
ciful. When he keepeth his promise, and uttereth himself a faith
ful God to his kirk, his kfrk giveth him a narae, and caUeth hira a
true God. When he deUvereth his kirk out of danger, aild shew
eth hira a raighty God, and terrible against his eneraies, the kirk
giveth Mra a narae, and caUeth him a potent God ; and so forth, m
the rest of his effects : So that by the name of God Is understood
here God hiraself, as God raaketh himself to be known in his won
derful works and effects.
Then, to take up the doctrine of this first benefit, Ave see this
heavenly and familiar revelation of God only, and no other, maketh
this God well knoAvn in Israel. Of this heavenly and faradiar re
velation springeth true knowledge, quhilk is no other thing but our
justifying faith ; and of this justifying faith and benefit of know
ledge springeth a continual praising and loving of God, for these
two convey others rautuallie, the true knowledge of God, and
the true praising of God. God is well known in Judah ; therefore
his name is greatly praised there. So that it is not possible but
that man who knoweth God rightly raust praise him truly.
God is not Uke our countrymen : For many of our men, where
they are best known they are worst loved. It is far otherways
The true -^rith God, for whcrc he is best knoAvn he Is best loved ; and this
knowledgeof God, and Mvc Can ucvcr be idle, but raust burst forth in praises and thanks-
tbe true
praise of glvMg of him whom It loveth ; for these tAvo follow others mutual-
pany others Uc, the tiuc linowlcdgc of God, aiid the true praising of God.
mntuallr. Application. Now, Ict US SCC, let US tum over this argument upon ourselves,
and see gif the consequence be true In us. This country noways
praiseth God nor magnifieth his name ; and, therefore, it foUoweth
he was never AveU known here ; his name is not great in Scotland.
Therefore, it is a sure token that his goodness was never weU felt
in Scotland. Surely, gif multitude of benefits might have raoved
us to have altered our taste, we might long since havc tasted the

THE FIRST SERMON UPON PSALM LXXVI. 285
sweetness. Gif multitude of miracles and many wonders might
have raade Mra to have been Imown among us, there are more
kythed to us, and more wonderfid, than ever was kythed to Pha
raoh ; but God knoAveth what we have profited, both in our know
ledge and In our feeUng ! For, as to our knowledge in our hearts,
whatsoever we possess m our mouth, for all that is come and gone,
we are for the most part speirand with Pharaoh, " Who is this
great Jehovah, that we should obey hira ?" And, on the other part,
we doubt as far of his Son, the Saviour of the world, so that we
are speirand, with the blind raan, John ix. " Who is the Lord, that
we should believe in hira ?" I say, gif marvellous or wonderous
Avorks might have moved us to know and praise hira, he hatli
shewn a work latelle, quhilk ay the more we hear of it, it is the
more marvellous ; and yet I am assured a great part of the cir
cumstances that should aggreage this matter is not yet come to
our knowledge.
We are convened tMs day for that ciTand, to praise Mra for this
benefit, that his name be great in Edinburgh. The Lord grant
that every one of you in some raeasure raay burst forth in thanks-
giring, that ye may answer to our expectation, as God hath given
you grace ! And, on the other side, accursed be he, as he Is cursed
from the Heaven, that presenteth hiraself here to scorn God ; that
cometh here and brmgeth not his heart and mind ready prepared
in some measure to praise him ! I stand not here upon the degrees
of preparation, however it be, so it be true ; otherways, here I pro
nounce hira accursed frora the Heaven that coraeth not here to
praise God in sorae measure.
Since these corporal sacrifices ceased in the quhilk God was
honoured, there is no spiritual sacrifice raore acceptable to hira nor
the sacrifice of thanksgiving: For as to this sacrifice, it sanctifieth ^^^ p™'''
not only our OAvn persons but the whole creatures appointed to the aoundeth to
•^ ¦*- ^ ^ us of giving
use of our persons ; for that quhilk Is true in raeat and drink is thanks.
frue in aU the rest of the creatures of God : Ye see, by your ex
perience dailie, that your meat and drink is raade healthsome to
your nurture by thanks to God, after dinner and supper, and so

¦2S6 MR ROBERT BRLCE's SERMONS.
oft as ye refresh your bodies. This that is true in these creatures
is true in aU the rest of the benefits of God ; so, this proposition
bideth fast, thankfulness to God sanctifieth the Avhole benefits of
God. It Is not able but a good conscience raust praise God in
some raeasure. A good conscience cannot cast off the memory of
God and his benefits altogether, but in some measure It raust praise
hira ; therefore, that we raay possess this great Avork and benefit of
our delivery, in the raercy and favour of God, and Avith his bless
ing in ane good conscience, let us in some measure give him praise
therefor. Surely, the longer ye look in this benefit, and the more
ye Avelgli It, ye avUI find it the more worthy of praise.
I am sorry in my heart that our disposition Is so evd that ve
cannot praise him as Ave would ; yet, however It be that we may
not do it as we would, let us do it as avc may, according to that
measure of grace that is granted to every one of us. And for thh
default that is in us let every ane of us crave pardon, foUoAring me,
after this manner : —
A prayer. Lord, bc nierclful to our unprepared hearts ! Lord, behold us
in the righteous merits of thy Son, and suffer not this evil disposi
tion of ours to be a hinderer to the second delivery, in case that
Balak, with his priest Balaam, make the second assailzie ; But,
Lord, in thy mercies, sanctify our hearts more and raore to all thy
holy uses, that thy raerclfid protection may cover us ; and, being
environed therewith, avc shall not be found naked, let the fury and
rage of the enemy assadzie Avhen he pleaseth.
Let us, I say, after this manner be thankful to God. And,
surely, the thankful memory of this benefit shall be the ready way
to purchase the second delivery, in case, as I have said, the ene
mies of God, being possessed Avith that restless spirit of the devil,
make the second assault. Thus far concerning the first benefit.
The Second benefit, Avhereby he shcAved hiraself gracious to his
people, foUoAveth in the second verse, to Avit, " He raade his resi
dence Avith thera ; he dwelt at Shalera," as his tabernacle placed in
Zion doth testify. Hc dAvelt at Jerusalem, quhilk at that time Avas

THE FIRST SERMON UPON PSALJI LXXVI. 287
caUed Shalem, where his tabernacle was placed. This dwelUng of
God with his kirk is the second benefit wherein he sheweth him
self exceeding gracious to her. For suppose it be true that the
majesty of our God replemsheth heaven and earth, and is CA'ery-
Avhere, yet It is as true that this God of ours dweUeth not every-
Avhere, for he dweUeth only in his kirk, and among his faithfid.
For the Lord is far off contmuaUy from the hearts of the wicked,
as the Apostle saith. Therefore, the Lord had made as yet his
residence and dweUing to be in Zion : He dwelt in the hearts and
consciences of his own people of old, he gave them handsigns of
his visible presence, as was the tabernacle, the ark, as types and
ceremomes, quhUk were seats of his oracles, and gave raany mira
cles and wonders for confirming of his presence. Now, it hath
pleased the Lord to translate his tabernacle from the Jews to us,
and to set down the handsigns of his presence among us ; sik as
the preaching of his Word, as ye hear it this day ; the ministering
of his sacraments, as ye see this day ; and the exercise of discipline,
as we have at this time. These are the visible handsigns of his
presence, whereby your senses are Informed that the invisible God
dweUeth here. He maketh Ms residence, properly. In the hearts
of faithful men and women ; and the Lord dweUeth in his saints
two manner of ways, to wit, by faith, and by his Holy Spirit.
It is by the benefit of faith and the Spfrit of God that we be
come the kfrk of God, temples of the Holy Spirit, citizens with the
saints, and domestics of heaven ; for by this faith our hearts (as
Peter speaketh, Acts xv.) are purified, whereby Christ Jesus may
have residence m them ; and, as Ephes. IU. 17, whereby Christ may
dwell in us. By the same faith, again, we are budded on the doc
trine of the prophets and apostles, that we may be ane habitation
to God by Ms Holy Spirit, as in the last verse, Ephes. ii. Then,
I say, gif the Lord dweUeth in his saints by these tAvo manner of
ways, by faith and his Holy Spirit, he dweUeth not substantiaUie
m his saints, but he dweUeth so only In his own Son, for the ful
ness of the Godhead dweUeth in him corporaUie. By faith and
his Holy Spirit, therefore, he maketh his residence with you ; by

2.S8 MR ROBERT BRUCK's SERMONS.
the rainisterie of Ms Word and Sacraments he testifieth his pre
sence here.
Application. And, surcly, raore and greater proraises Jerusalem had never nor
this kfrk of ours hath ! More notable testimonies of his presence,
and mighty deUverances, Judah had never nor avc have. And
God dwelt never in no nation of the earth (at least since the Gos
pel began) so long- in sUi sinceritie and puritie, Avithout error or
heresy, as he hath done Avith us. So that, gif there be any nation
under the sun obliged to praise God, we are chiefly obliged, and of
all nations we must be most ungrate if his name be not great
among us ! But, when I look to the terrible ingratitude answer
ing to this obUgatlon, I cannot promise a continuance of this light
aud presence ; for, avIU yc look to our answering In our lives ?
The great men in this country are become companions to thieves
and pirates, oppressors, and manifest blasphemers of God and man.
Ye see murder, oppression, and bloodshed, is the only thing that
they shoot and mark at. As to the simple sort of people, the pro
phane multitude, they are altogether godless ; there is not sik a
thing in them as ane natural light, whereby they may see God in
his works, let be the supernatural. As to the greatest part of our
priests, our ministers, their mouths have lost the truth, and their
persons have lost their reverence ; the Lord hath made them con
temptible In the eyes of men : And, by reason they have forgot to
give Mm his due reverence, he hath taken their reverence out of
the hearts of men. WeU, tbe Lord avUI not weary and fash him
self peqDctuallie, as he hath done these many years bygone, in
offering pearls to filthy SAvine, to tykes, and to dogs. It is not
possible that he can weary himself aye, but at the last, seeing there
is no estate of life that testifieth any true love to his truth, there
fore it is, as ye see, the most part of this country is given over al
ready to ane strange delusion; because they Avould not receive his
Son when he was offered, therefore the Lord hath given them
over to a strange delusion. And to Avhat I pray you ? Even to
prefer the leaven of the Pharisees, and dregs of Papistrie, to the
healthsome and blessed Avord of trutii. And shall this be the end

THE FIRST SERMON UPON PSALM LXXA'I. 289
of these plagues ? No ; but in respect of the contempt of this
truth, their carcases shaU be plagued also in the sight of you all,
whatever they be, that have raade foul defection from that blessed
truth. And upon this we have also a petition. In the second head, to a prayer.
crave of God, as m the first head ; to crave that the Lord of Ms
great mercy, in time, would prevent this utter extermraatlon, quhUk
this great confusion, both in kfrk and policie, so terribly threaten
eth and portendeth. For It is not possible that tMngs can aye
stand over In this estate, but of necessity either the magistrate, and
in special the supreme magistrate, must put to his hand and make
an end of this confusion, or else this confusion shaU make an end
of Mm. Therefore, yet I say, join your prayer with me, that the
Lord AriU prevent tMs extermination and confusion threatened, and
give him grace and a bent wiU, to make Ms soul free of the mi
qulties of Ms nobles. Thus fay concemmg the second benefit.
Now, m the Second part of this Psalm, quhdk beginneth at the
tMrd verse, he praiseth God for a singular deliverance quhilk he
had granted to his kirk ; for ane deliverance in the quhilk he
shewed himself more nor wonderful ; a deUverance accompUshed by
his OATO power and force, without the help or aid of any creature ; a
deliverance, in the quMlk he shewed Mmself a mighty preserver of
Ms own, and ane terrible Judge to the enemy. What deUvery it was,
in particular, he expresseth not ; I agree weU to think it the same
deUvery quhilk was purchased against Sennacherib. I wiU not in
sist in the particular, but gif ye take it be so ye shaU take it well.
He keepeth this order m setting down this wondcrfiil delivery.
First, in the thfrd verse, he setteth doAvn the defeat generally, to
gether \rith the circumstance of place where tMs defeat was done.
In the fourth verse he ampUfieth this deed, and by way of com
parison he enlargeth It ; and that it raay be the raore pitMe he
tumeth his speech to God. In the fifth and sixth verses he setteth
doAvn the manner of the victory more particularly, and he letteth
lis see, in the same verses, how easily God did it. And in the

21H) MR ROBERT BRTCE'S SERMONS.
seventh verse, he is ravished in admii-atlon of the work, and he
bursteth forth in that grave sentence. " Thon, even thou, art
terrible I"
To come back, then, to the third verse : In it there is tAvo things.
First, he setteth down the defeat generally ; and he noteth the
place, next, Avhere the defeat AA-as done. As to this defeat, he saith,
" He brake their bows and their arroAvs, their shields, and their
battle ;¦' as gif he Avotdd say, in one Avord, he utterUe defeated the
enemy, and put them to flight ; he made thera to leave all their ar
mour behind thera that came to invade his dweUing-place ; for. the
breaking of the armour had served to little purpose, except he had
broken the men also that bore the .armour ; and, therefore, by that
accustomed figure he understandeth, by the breaking of the armour,
the breaking of all thera that bore the armour.
As to the place Avliere this defeat was done, he noteth It in the
first Avord by ane adverb of place, pointing It out, as it were, by
his finger, '\^'here was it done ? It was done where God dAvelt,
Avhere he raade his residence, at Shalem, quhilk Is Jerusalem. He
testifieth to his oavu people, and bore Sennacherib witness that he
dwelt tliere. There is no man that will suffer hiraself to be casten
out of his dwelling-place willingly. These raen, to wit, the king
of Asshur and his coraplices, came to cast out God out of his
dweUing-place ; but he stood to the defence of his own house, and
shcAved them that he Avotild not remove for their pleasure. For the
kirk then and the kirk now have found, in experience, that there is
no external force in the world able to dislodge God against his wUl,
nor make him to change his dwelling-place, gif avc dislodge him not
ourself Gif they had not casten hira out by their deeds he had
never been dislodged. So long- as the Jews left him a clean foot
step to remain in, so long he dwelt and lodged with them ; but
from the time aU was defiled, therefore, (as ye have heard sometime
from this place, and may read in that ix., x., and xi. of Ezekiel,) at
last he is compelled to take Ms leave. How loath he was to de
part, his many good-nights, Ms many rests quhilk are there, do
clearly testifie. I tMnk betArixt the cherubims and the Mount of

THE FIRST SERMON UPON PSALM LXXVI.

291

Olives he made four rests, as ye have in that prophecy of Ezekiel ;
and aU to testifie how loath he was to depart, and how ready he was
to bide, gif they had turned unto hira ; but they turned not unto
him, and tnerefore he departed. This far concerning the text.
Now, gif we shaU compare deUvery with delivery, and compare Appiic«tion.
like with Uke, it is commonly spefred already, and will be speired
tiU the end of the world, where w-as yon great defeat done, and in
what place was yon fleet destroyed ? It wiU be answered again,
and I am assured it is answered afready, yon fleet A\'as destroyed
about the coasts of the Lord's own dwelling-place, where he made
his residence. They came to invade Ms OAra isle, and to cast him
out of his possession. And what did he ? He shewed them, on
thefr own expenses, that he would not remove neither for the Pope
nor Spain's pleasure. And, surely, gif we have not the wite of it
ourselves he wUl never reraove. What glory, what pre-eminence,
what comfort, what dignity, we have by the lodgmg of God, I
think it was never well known of us ; and gU' there were no more
but tMs singular comfort, quhilk as yet appeareth never to have
entered in your hearts, I think the very commodity, beside the
glory quhilk we have of the lodgmg of God, should move us much.
And yet, notArithstanding aU this glory and dignity that we have
by him, we will not suffer him to remain among us.
That thing quhilk no external force is able to bring about, we, by what u it
our filthy and wicked Uves, are Uke to bring to pass. Look all the lodged cod-
corners of the country, is there a clean place wherein he raay make
his residence and his rest, without the cries and lamentable voices of
terrible murder, oppression, and blood ? Where shaU he make his
residence, where he shaU not be dislodged by blasphemy ? Alace !
this is over rife among men that we would otherways account of
good men. It is not possible to Mm to make his residence among
a people that is altogether unclean ; he must have a clean chamber
to rest in, at the least, and gif our hearts be altogether unclean he
can have no biding here.
0, then, what is the remedy of this ? and how shaU this matter

292 AIR ROBKRT BRUCe's SERMONS.
be helped ? For gif he depart avc lose all ! There is no other re
medy but to prepare a lodging for Ms remaining. And how shall
this be ? I shaU teU you. Look hoAV much more exceUent our
God and his blessed Spirit is nor any monarch or prince In the
earth ; let us be as much more careful that our hearts and con
sciences may be clean and holy for his remaining. Let not our
hearts be a closet and a middin of all corruption. It Is not possible
to him to dweU there. For the blessed Spirit of God cannot make
rest but m ane clean place. Then, I say, look Avhat reverence thou
bearest to earthly men ; for is It possible that the face and coun
tenance of a prince should strike thee Avith §ik fear, that the reve
rence thou bearest to hira wiU make thee not only to compone thy
gesture, but so to temper thy talk, that thy tongue utter neither evil
nor fUtliy communing ? And hath the reverence of man, suppose
he be outAvith thee, sik force, how much more should the presence
of the mighty God, by Ms Holy Spirit, not beside thee as common
princes are, but within thy heart and mind, make thee greedy and
earnest to take order with thy cogitations and affections, that the
wickedness of thera dislodge him not ? It is not possible that the
Spirit of God can dAvell Avhere he hath so great molestation; for
when the heart is continuaUy set on mischief, what rest can there
be for the good Spfrit of God ?
Therefore, take up thyself in time, and crave of God with me,
as I am to crave in this last point. And what is that I have to
crave ? I have to crave that God would shcAV himself present con
tinuaUie in our hearts, that the Majestic of his presence may make
us to have a regard to our cogitations and affections. I crave that
his blessed Spiiit would so mortify our sinful lusts and affections,
that he may rest In our souls quietly without molestation. Every
one of you aU, In this thfrd point, crave the mortifying of your
lusts and affections, that he may make his residence in you, and
crave ane eye to see his glorious presence, that the sight thereof
raay make you to stand in awe. And this being done ye shaU
keep God ; otherArise, gif this be not done, adieu with God. Thus
far concerning our third verse.

THE FIRST SERMON UPON PSALM LXXVI. 293
As to the fourth verse, ye see in it he wUl not leave this matter
yet, but he araplifieth this raatter, and setteth out this great work
by way and form of ane comparison. And he addresseth his
speech to God even as gif he saw hira before Mra, and he saith,
" Thou art more puissant, bright, and glorious nor the raountains
of prey ;" as gif he would say. Thou art raore glorious and mighty
nor the greatest Mng or monarch of the earth. Thou hast not a
match in majesty nor a feUow in dignitie, thou hast no match in
power nor in glory.
By the mountains of prey he understandeth, here, no question, ^^at is
i. ... : 7 1 'meant by the
the^ghest raountains. And It is very horaely to you to know "'"""'""'^"fprey.
what is raeant by the highest mountains ; by thera he understand
eth the greatest Mugs and kingdoras in the earth. I say, by the
mountains of prey he understandeth the highest mountains. And
why ? by reason the beasts of prey, hunted by dogs or slight of the
hunter, they have recourse to the highest places for their safe
guard. So, by reason that the ravenous beasts taketh them to
these high raountains and maccessible places, I think, here, by the
mountams of prey is understood the highest mountains.
-. Now, what is the sense and meaning of this ? There is no king
nor Mngdom m the earth that may come near In power and ma
jesty to our great King. Gif this be true, that no king nor monarch
may come here in majesty to our great God, Jehovah, this also
must be true ; he that hath God with him he hath ancAv. This
also must be true, and we keep God on our side there Is no coun
sell, force, policy, nor endeavour, suppose aU these four excel in the
enemy, can prevaU against his kirk. TMs Balak the king of Moab
knew well, that so long as God stood by his people, Ms people Avas
inrincible ; and, therefore, as ye have there in that history, he tak
eth consultation with his neighbours the Midlanites, and adviseth
Arith them what should be best. And, surely, he took a right con
sultation, they concluded that except God were bought by. It was
not possible to get victory over them. And, therefore, he casteth
him to get God bought by. And how ? He addresseth him to
buy Balaara by, thinking that way God should lie by also, by rea-
T

294 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
son Balaara Avas counted to be Ms prophet, and so to corae to his
purpose. Indeed, gif God had been bought by his people, as
Balaara Avas, he had corae to his purpose ; but, seeing God stood
by his people, suppose his prophet disappointed thera, therefore the
people Avere preserved.
Then, I say, the lesson Is only this ; keep God Avell on our side,
for gif AVC keep God in our hearts and consciences, let the enemy
start us when he avIU, he shall find ay raore with us nor with him.
G od cannot be keeped except there be another kind of reformation
nor I see appearing yet. I have spoken already enough of this,
and therefore I go forward. This much for the fourth verse.
In the fifth and sixth verses he setteth down more particularlie
the raanner how this victory Avas obtained by God, after what sort
and how easdy he Avon these great eneraies. As to the manner of
the victory, it standeth in two moyfins, according to two sorts of
enemies that Avere in the army. There was one sort of great and
raighty raen who Avere princes and rulers of the array ; there was
ane other sort of inferior rank and estate who Avere counted the
valiant men of courage, and strong men of the army ; against both
these sorts he useth two raoyens to obtain the victory. And first,
in the fifth verse, he setteth upon the men of courage who were
puffed up in the conceit of their oavu strength and valiantness.
And what doth he with them ? He striketh sik ane terrible fear
in thera, whereby he spoileth and puUeth frora thera both wit and
strength ; he spodeth thera of heart and hand, in sik sort that their
Arit and strength serveth thera to no more use nor gif they had
been asleep. Thefr hands, quhdk they had boasted in so much the
night before, served thera to no better service nor gif they had
been cutted oflF. These raen by flight escaped, they left thefr ar
mour and aU behmd them, and they that were swiftest thought
them to have the greatest vantage. This moyen, then, Avas by ane
terrible fear quhilk he sti-uck in their hearts and consciences. As
to the other sort, they fought on horses and chariots, and these
Avere the great men, the princes and riders of the array. The
moyen that he useth against these is told in the end of the sixth

THE FIRST SERMON UPON PSALM LXXVI. 295
verse ; he striketh them with a deadly sleep, with sik a sleep that
the rider was as dead as the coach. I wIU not insist ; the chariot
is here placet! for the rider by the same figure Avhereof Ave spake of
before. This far concerning the manner.
As to the other thing, how easily he brought about this, he let
teth us see it in the begmning of the sixth verse, " AU this was
done at his rebuke." AU this great defeat It cost hira but an
word; there was no matter to weary him, here, nor to make any
fashrie to Mm ; there was no farther craved in it but only the word
of Ms mouth. The Lord is said to rebuke when he punisheth ; for How the
the rebukes of the Lord are continuallie effectual ; he maketh not to rebuke.
a mynt against his eneraies, but he layeth on also ; so the word and
voice of his raouth returneth never again without the turn done.
TMs far concenung the particular of the defeat purchased against
Sennacherib. To take up this, now, and turn It over to our defeat. As to the
particulars of our defeat, for the quhdk we praise God this day,
they are not aU corae as yet to our knowledge, after what sort and
In what manner the Lord hath overthrown that fleet of ships.
The whole particulars are not as yet come to our knowledge.
There is two things that are certain, who hath done this turn, and
how easily he hath done It. As to hira who hath done this turn, I
think there is no man but he seeth there is no creature on the
earth hath entry in this work, or can claim any portion In it, and
so go betwixt God and his glory. The raost that the creature can
speak of is this. We hear of ane engine of fire devised by the Eng
lishmen quhdk scattered the ships while as they were lying at their
anchor; but yet notAvithstanding few or none perished by that
engine. The whole slaughter and drowning of ships hath followed
sinsyne, at the least, the most part ; so that it was the mighty
hand of God from heaven who tMs way testified his anger against
them. And there is none beneath can come betArixt him and it.
Then avc see clearly who hath done the tum, God imraediatlie
from the heaven.

296 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SETtAIONS.
As to the other thing, how easUy he hath done it, I think none
of you can be ignorant of it. It hath not taken Mra thirteen or
fourteen years preparation. It hath not cost raUUons of gold, or
thousands of raen. What then ? It cost him but ane word. And
what word ? He comraanded the Arinds oMy, and the winds did
Ms tum. Then ye see how mightUy. and how easily God hath done
this work : And upon the sight of these particulars ye raay take up
two notable lessons.
The first lesson is this ; God enarraeth never his creatures in
vain, he sendeth thera never out to do a turn that they return
empty ; but as he directeth them, so they accomplish his direction.
As this Is true in God, and faUeth never on his part, so we see it
faUeth coraraonly on raan's part. Look to aU the expeditions,
great preparations, and arrales of puissant princes these many years
bygone, every ane of thera hath been fi-ustrate In the end ; for not
Arithstanding of aU the sMps, of all the army of Spain, his leaving
of men partly in Spain, and partly in the Low Countries, notArith
standing of aU Ms great array, quhilk was so long in reeking forth,
whereby he thought no doubt to have rooted out the kirk ; whde
he is of set purpose to have put in execution that bloody decree of
the CouncU of Trent, howsoever he pretendeth another purpose In
the meantime, yet what cometh to pass, I pray you ? When as he
was of raind to corabat Arith the kirk, he meeteth with the wind,
and he findeth the Avmd more nor partie, as the carcases of men
and sMps In aU coasts doth testifie. As this letteth us see that
God is never disappointed of his purpose, so It letteth us see that
men are commonly disappointed of thefr purpose.
The other thing is this, I say, it hath been the custora of God,
frora tirae to tirae, to bring his kirk in wonderful extremities, and
in sik extreraities that in the judgeraent of man there is no outgate
in them; yea, let be the judgment of others, in our own judge
ment ofttimes there appeareth no outgate. I say, it is his custom
to bring his kfrk in these extreraities, that his glory may appear
the more in her extraordinary deliveries. For sik Is the nature of
proud flesh, that gif he use thera as instruraents in his work, they

THE FIRST SERMON UPON PSALM LXXVI. 297
cannot content themselves with the half, or to compone AvIth Mm,
but they take the whole glory to themselves. So the Lord bring
eth his kfrk into sik extraordmary dangers, Avhereas no creature
can reUeve them, he deUvereth them extraordmarly that the whole
glory may appertam to hunself; and praised be his name there
for. Now, what profit and commoditie have the enemies of God in
aU these great assaults, longsome preparations, wearisome travel,
and great charges ? What profit reap they in tMs? They rush
thefr heads agamst a waU, and haste theraselves to ane evU end.
They provoke the fury of the Holy One, and raake both soul and
body to perish. Is not this the profit, and yet they are so blind In
this matter that never one of them can teach another ?
The Lord was not sleeping when he appomted enemies to Uis^^*^^^"
kfrk, but foresaw and appomted thefr ends, and by these ends they therefore
may not pass. And wherefore appointed he the eneraies, what are pointed ene
mies to his
the ends, let see, unto the quhUk he appomted thera ? Hrk.
The First end is to exercise Ms kirk, as Spain hath put us in^''s'™<3'
ane exercise this twelve months bygone ; that is one end. This is
very good.
What is the Next end ? To benefit his kfrk by this. Yea, he s«coud end.
maketh Ms very enemies to benefit Ms kfrk ; he maketh them that
knew him not to grant harbour to his kirk ; and, when it pleaseth
him, he maketh them to grant her farther assistance.
The Last end is, when he hath draAvn aU these good turns out Third end.
of them, whereof they have no praise, because they do it for ane
other end, he maketh each one of them to be hangmen to other, as
ye see commonly, in our Highlands, he maketh each one of them
burriers tiU others, and so punisheth sin by sin In them. Then,
are they not over busy in procuring sik ane evil end, for they can
not assaU the black of his eye but he must be angry against them.
And so long as we reraain under Ms obedience, he counteth us as
dear to Mm as the apple of his cheek or the black of his eye. And so
whoever assaUs the kirk, so long as she remaineth in his obedience,

298 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
they shall avIu ane caII end. Hath not experience taught this in
our time ? Have avc not seen the experience of this in thc great
men of our time Avho have opposed themselves unto the kirk ; in
the Lords of the South, and great men of the North, that have op
posed themselves to the kirk ? Have avc not seen that stone
quhUk they have put at to have bruised them ? Well, there is one
of them lying in ward not bruised yet ; but he shall be bruised an
he take not up himself! And he In the North also, he shall be
bruised an he continue ; for there is none yet that ever pressed
to put at that stone but it bruised thera. It were better to snap
per upon any other stone nor upon that precious corner, for there
is none that snapper upon that stone but he shall break the neck
both of body and soul ! I see this stone placed to be a stone of
offence, Avhereon over raany of this country (alace !) break their
necks. Indeed, I am sorry to see that the most part of this coun
try should make a snappering stone of that precious corner. Al
ways, in tMs point among the rest, avc have this petition to seek at
God ; that howsoever it be a snappering stone unto them, It may
remain a sure foundation and ground-stone to us, on the quhdk
AVC being builded, as lively stones, raay rise an holy temple to
our Lord, and that the Lord in time would prevent this utter ex
termination, quhdk the devU, in his rage and merabers, intends.
This far concerning the particulars, by just coUation, betwixt that
singular delivery from Sennacherib and our delivery from Spain.
Now what resteth ? Ye see In the seventh verse he is ravished
in admiration of the great work and of this great benefit. And
Avhat doth he ? He bursteth forth in that pithy sentence, " Thou,
even thou art terrible !" as gif he would say, thou only, even thou
art terrible, and hath not ane match or companion ; for the proud
est man in the earth, and he that Is raost high in his OAvn conceit,
is not able to strike no sik terror as to dash a man or stupify his
senses. This terror is proper to God only, it is he only that giveth
the heart to men, and spodeth them of this heart when he pleaseth,
and casteth them in ane dead sleep. Therefore, only this is proper

THE FIRST SERMON UPON PSALM iXXVI. 299
to God. And wherefore it is that he doubleth the pronoun,
" Thou, thou," but to testifie that it is he only that is terrible ? He
proveth this in the end of the verse ; and how ? by ane interroga
tion there, saying, " Who is able to stand and abide in his presence,
gif once his anger beginneth never so little to kindle ?" Look to
the devd, what became of Mra from the tirae he presumed to raake
himself companion to him ? He was casten down out of the hea
vens perpetualUe. Look to Adam, frora tirae he began to foUoAv
the Avit of the devil and presumed in hiraself, he was casten out of
paradise. And so, there is no creature that can abide in the presence
of God of himself ; for how is it possible that we, that are stubble,
may abide in the presence of ane consuming fire ? Is not stubble
the matter of fire ? Even so, avc that are conceived In sin, born in
sin, and are but a mass of sin, we are no more but as stubble Is to
the fire ; so are we in the presence of God, who is a consuraing
ffre, except we have a sconce, except we have Christ Jesus to go
betArixt us and hira ; and therefore he is appointed to be a Me
diator and Intercessor to go betAvixt us and God the Father. To
make our prayers acceptable, his raerits start in betAvIxt the Father
and us, his justice covereth our wickedness, his purity covereth our
Impurity, that under this coverture the Father may be weU satis
fied, and we may stand in his presence, and be defended frora the
devil and aU enemies, otherways there Is no creature able to stand
in the presence of God.
What teacheth this till us ? It letteth us see the great weak
ness and infirraitle of the creature in respect of the Creator. Is
not this a great weakness, when the blessed angels, suppose they
stand, and shall stand, by grace, yet they do not behold his coun
tenance, but must cover their faces with their wings ? How much
more are other creatures unable to stand In Ms presence ! And
yet, notArithstanding of aU this great infirraitle quhilk is in us,
quMlk are but worras of the earth, yet flesh wiU sometime forget
the self, so that in thy own conceit it will raatch thyself with God,
and in his word despite hira and provoke Mra to ane singular com
bat, as It Avere, as Julian did. I have heard of him that hath pro-

300 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
voked God to corabat, and it hath eome to mine ears ; that is blas
phemy. Gif it be true, that man is faUen into the hands of the
living God, and suppose he be delayed, because the Lord Is a long-
suffering God to try his repentance, gif he abuse the Lord's
patience, that by blasphemy his wrath be nourished, and his anger
as it were, with coals, heavy shall his end be. Well, it is ane
heavy thing that he is faUen in the hands of sik a God. Boord
not with the majesty of God whatever ye do with flesh. Indeed,
it is no new thing to flesh to raisknow itself, and specially untU he
hath casten thera in an reprobate sense, and spoiled thera not only
of supernatural light but of natural light. Alace ! they knoAV not
Avhat torments abideth thera, nor the terrible hell that is prepared
for thera, except God prevent thera in his mercy ! Indeed, I crave
that God may prevent thera who utter these blasphemies, and gif
it be possible they may be taken up that their life raay testifie
their repentance.
conclusion, AlAvays, to end this present exercise, that I and so raany of you
as are to coraraunicate may dress us to yon Table. Let us remem
ber that he only is terrible, and seeing he only is terrible, because
he is only Lord of body and sotd, only he hath power to save and
tyne ; and seeing it is so, let us fear and retfre om-selves to him
Avho Is able to preserve and keep both body and sdul, and sanctify
thera throughout, and present thera blaraeless at that great day of
the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ. To Avhom, with the Father
and the Holy Ghost, be aU honour, praise, and glory, for now and
ever. Araen.

THE SECOND SEEMON

UPON THE LXXVI. PSALM.

8. Thou didst cause thy judgment to be heard from heaven ; there
fore the earth feared and was still,
9. When thou, 0 God, arose to judgment, to help all the meek of
the earth. Selah.
10. Surely the rage of man shall turn to thy praise : tlie remnant
of the rage shalt thou restrain.
11. Voio and perform unto the Lord your God, ail ye that be round
about Mm ; let them bring presents unto him that ought to he feared.
12. He shall cut off the spirit of princes : he is terrible to the kings
of the earth.

We divided (weU-beloved m Christ Jesus) this Psalra In three
parts. In the first part, there was proponed unto you certam be
nefits, wherein the Lord sheweth hiraself exceeding raerclfid and
gracious to his kfrk. The benefits wherein he sheweth himself so
gracious were two nameUe m number. The first and chief bene
fit, wherein he sheweth Mmself exceeding merciful to Ms kirk, was
this : that he had revealed himself to her by ane faraUiar and
heavenly revelation. For why ? The kfrk knoweth, not only that
quhUk raay be known of God by ane general knowledge quhdk Is
common to the whole world, but she knoweth that quhilk may be
known of God by ane special knowledge, heavenly revelation, and

Recapitulation.

302 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
supernatural light ; the quhilk supernatm-al light and heavenly re
velation maketh us to be counted the children of the light and of
the day. QuhUk supernatural light severeth us frora the rest of
the Avorld, who are darkness and the children of the night ; quhilk
supernatural light Is proper to the Mrk only ; so that there is none
that can know God rightUe but they who have received of this
Ught. This spirituall light is so projier to the kirk, that it discerneth
her from all other false kirks in the fitce of the earth ; for, as the
Apostle saith, faith, quhilk is no other thing but this light, it
appertaineth not to all, but this gift of justifying faith, is no
thing else but that light quhilk is given to those who before all
eternity were appointed for salvation. This special revelation is
not obtained or purchased by no natural force, for so it were com
mon till all men. It is not purchased by natural wit or under
standing, for the wisdom of the world cannot know these things
that are of God ; yea, the Avisdora of the world is the greatest
eneray to the wisdora of God, and the Arit of the world esteeraeth
the wit of God to be plain foolishness. This light is not gotten by
the sight of the works of God, or by looking upon tMs great uni
verse ; we get a light. Indeed, by looking on the works of God,
but this light conveyeth us not far off, we lose It in the threshold,
in the very entrie it is suffocate by our affections, and the vile ap
petites that are In us suffocate it.
Now, we get not this supernatural light only by the outward
ministerie of the Word. No, sejoin me the Spirit from the Word,
the Word is nothing else but a minister of death to my soul, and a
slaying letter ; it serveth to nothing but to be a further testimony
of ray just conderanation. Therefore, this heavenly light, whereby
we are made heirs of heaven, and the chUdren of God, is purchased
by the Word and Spfrit of God conjunctlle. By the Word strik
ing and piercing the ear outwardly, and the Spirit howking the
heart mwardly ; so, where these two are conjoined, that heavenly
Ught Is wrought, and It is ane earnest-pennie of thy everlasting
salvation.

THE SECOND SERMON UPON PSALM LXXVI. 303
Of this Ught and revelation, It cometh to pass that God Is well
known in Judah, that is, in his own kirk ; and of this knowledge
it cometh to pass that his name is great in Israel, that is, his praise
Is MgMy extolled, and his Name renowned araong all them that
know him rightly. By the name of God is understood God him
self, as he raaketh hiraself known In the wonderfid works quhilk he
Avorketh ; as where he hath mercy on his kirk he is called a mer
ciful God, as Avhen he keepeth his proraises he is caUed a true God,
Avhen he delivcreth her raightiUe he is called a potent God. And
so as many works as he worketh, so many names he hath.
Now, of tMs revelation cometh the knoAvledge of God ; for, except
the Spfrit of God take aAvay the ignorance of our hearts, it Is as im
possible to me to know God rightly as the dumb element. Except
tMs veU of Ignorance quhilk stlcketh so fast tiU our hearts be taken
off, that In time the mighty power of God may be reverenced,
there remaineth no farther sight nor serveth tUl our eternal con
demnation ; therefore the Spirit must concur mightille to take off
tMs veil of Ignorance, that, our hearts and minds being renewed,
we may begin to be new creatures in Christ Jesus. Of this knoAV-
ledge it cometh to pass tbat God is reverenced, and his praises are
sounded ; for it is irapossible that these Avho know God aright but
they must praise him and reverence his Name. God is not like
the great raen of this country ; for they, where they are best
known, they are worst loved ; but God, by the contrair, where he
is best known he is best loved. And this love of God it cannot be
idle, but it raust burst forth in his praises. So these two are joined
together ; the Spirit of God bringeth knowledge, quhilk knowledge
Is faith, and true faith ever praiseth God.
Then, examine your knowledge from the effect, the praise of
God, and see whether the knowledge of God be In this country or
not. This conclusion must hold fast, where God is highly praised
he Is weU known ; and the contrare must hold as fast, where God
is noways praised he is not knoAvn there. Subsume now, but so it
is that he is noways praised in this country, therefore he was never
well known of us, his goodness and raercy was never well tasted

304 BIR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
of us. And surely gif multitude of benefits or multitude of miracles
might have raade God known to us, we have had our large part,
and let be aU the rest, I thmk, suppose there were no raore but
tMs delivery past. It Is ane sufficient argument to move the hearts
of aU creatures to praise his narae ; but sik is our terrible ingrati
tude, that for lack of praise wc bring not only a curse upon the
benefit, but a curse upon our own person. And, therefore, mme
exhortation is now, as then, that Avitli sik hearts as the Lord hath
given IIS we be ready to sound his praise for tMs great deUvery.
The thankful raeraory of this last benefit shall be the ready way to
purchase the next ; therefore, Avith thankful hearts let us praise
hira; and wdiere they are not so disposed as the worthiness of the
benefit craveth, let us crave raercy for our evd disposed hearts, let
IIS crave pardon for our unprepared hearts, and crave that it would
please the Lord to sanctify thera farther and farther to his own
turns, that, being covered Avitli his merciful protection, we raay rest
at all times under his Avings and safeguard, so that avc shall be
sure to assail the enemy when he pleaseth. Thus far for the first
benefit. The second benefit, wherein the Lord shews himself gracious
towards his people, is this : He raade his residence with this peo
ple, quhdk he did Avith no other nation of the earth ; he taketh his
lodging at Shalera, as the tokens and handsigns of his presence
did testifie. God maketh his residence Avith no sort of people in
the earth but Avith his kirk ; he hath espied out and selected to
himself a people among all the nations of the earth, and with her
he hath made his residence.
It is no strange language to say that God hath chosen a people
to himself, and doth make his residence with sik a people. For,
suppose the majestic of God fill and replenish both heaven and
earth, and Ms power reach everywhere, yet is it as tme our God
dweUeth not everywhere ; he hath selected a sort of people and a
nuraber of persons Avith Avhom he raaketh his residence. And,
among all nations, he selected this nation of the Jcavs, unto Avhora

TIIE SECOND SERMON UPON PSALM LXXVI. 305
he gave the visible handsign of Ms presence, and m whose hearts
he dwelt. Now, it hath pleased hira in raercy to translate his
tabernacle, and to make his residence with us ; and he hath chosen
a few of the hearts of this country, where he hath begun Ms dwell
ing-place, for God dweUeth now In the hearts and consciences of
his own by Ms Holy Spirit ; and surely so he hath dwelt with us
these tMrty years, and in sik purity that he hath not done the
like with no nation in the earth. He hath not remained with any
nation, Arithout error or heresy, so long as he hath done with us ;
so that of all nations we may be counted raost unworthy, for this
entertainment quhilk avc give to God, it is not possible that he can
continue his residence Arith us gif he be handled after this sort :
For we aU, kmg, priest, and people, have made defection from
God. Well, the Lord avIU not weary himself aye, he wiU not fash
his righteous Spirit m offering pearls to dogs and swine, he cannot
dweU here. Now, ye see, he is begmning to give a great part of
tMs nation to ane strange delusion ; ye see, by reason they loved
not the truth, he hath made them to prefer the leaven of the
Pharisees to the truth, and this Is the righteous judgment of God.
And whereunto see ye aU things work but unto ane universal con
fusion ? So, Ave have tMs petition to craye-pf God, that he in his
mercy would prevent tMs utter extermination, quhiUi the conftision
both in kfrk and poUcy visibly portendeth, and that he would put
It in the hearts of the magistrates to put to their hand to disburden
the earth of this terrible confusion.
Now, in the second part of this Psalm he testifieth that he raade
his residence at Shalera by ane wonderful miracle, a Avork Avrought
by himself only. Again, Into the fourth Averse we see the place
noted where this defeat was done. As to the place, he noteth it
by ane adverb of place, " There he brake," pointing it out Avith his
finger, as it were : It was done there, where God dweUeth ; there,
where he hath chosen a lodging to himself, there this notable de
feat was done. Ye know this, and nature hath taught it, there is
no man wiU be casten out of his dweUing-place AviUingly, but gif
they presume to cast him forth, he avUI stand to the defence of his

3(.)('i MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERJlONS.
lodging. So, Avlien these raen corae to cast God out of his dwell
ing-place, he stood to the defence thereof. I compared lUie with
the lUie, and I shewed that this question flieth in all men's mouths :
Where was yon great defeat done ? It is answered, and avUI be
answered, about the coasts of the Lord's dweUing-place, there yon
fleet perished ! They came to cast God out of his Isle, bnt he
stood to the defence thereof, and shewed he was not ready to re
raove. And it is certain there is no external force in the earth
that can cast out God ; except we cast him out by our wicked
lives and devUIsh conversations he avUI never be casten forth.
What great comfort and comraoditie avc have by the lodging of
God, judge ye. Would God he had good neighbourhood ! For,
suppose he raake his residence with us, yet he getteth evil
neighbourhood, and greater unquietness is not out of heU nor he
getteth on aU sides. Well, I teU you, it is not possible that the
Lord can be dislodged by any external force ; except we dislodge
hira by our wicked lives and conversations he will never be dis
lodged ; and how far we are gone foi-Avard in this work, the doings
of this country clearly testifie. Let see where he raay rest, where
he raay make his residence, where the cries of murder and blood
shall not deave hira ? » Where shall he sit, where the claraours of
blood, the great complaints and cries of oppression, shall not deave
hira ? What part is clean, let us see, without terrible blasphemies ?
WeU, hoAV is it possible but this way we must lose God, and losing
God, Ave lose all.
I shcAved you the ready Avay to entertain him Avas, that seeing he
hath chosen his dwelUng-place in the hearts and consciences of his
own, it is not possible he can be entertained except we take up a
ncAV fashion of doing. The manner of doing that avc ought to take
up is this : Look what reverence thou bearest tiU any prince or
magistrate in the earth externally, let the like rcA'erence be given
to God Inwardly, suppose there be no proportion betwixt these
two. And gif the external reverence quMUi thou bearest tiU a
man be of sik force that it wUl make thee to compone thy gesture,
and refrain thy tongue that thou burst not forth into evil talk

THE SECOND SERMON UPON PSALM LXXVI. 307
quhilk may offend hira, how rauch raore ought the reverence quhilk
Ave bear to God, dweUing within us by his Holy Spirit, make us
to refrain from CAil thoughts, and from wicked and filthy affec
tions ? For the affections of the heart is as good language to God
as the words of the mouth are to any prince. Then, I say, should
not our thfrd petition be this, that the Lord would rule our hearts
80 by Ms presence, that the cogitations thereof raciest hira not, nor
the canker of our affections perturb him not ? Gif this be done,
then God shaU make his residence with you.
Now, after he had noted the place, in the fifth verse, he enlarg
eth this work by ane notable comparison, m the quhilk he letteth
us see that there is no majestic nor power in heaven or earth that
can come near In glory, raajestie, or power to our great God, that
is, there are no arms, force, counsel, or endeavour, that can prevaU
against God. So, the nations that have God upon their side have
more Arith them nor agamst them. Upon this I desired you, see
ing we have sik ane advantage of the lodging of God, to prepare a
clean chamber where he may make his residence. He maketh his
residence only in the hearts of his OA^^l : The heart Is only made
clean by faith, therefore let us crave faith that God raay rest with
us ; and God being with us, the enemy shaU find more with us
than with them, start us when they wdl.
Into the sixth and seventh verses he setteth down more par-
ticularUe the manner of this great defeat, after what sort, how
easUy he accompUshed this great work : He letteth us see aU this
great rictory cost him but a word, it cost him no more travel but
he commanded the Avinds, and the Avinds did his turn, for the
Lord's rebukes are ever effectual ; he mynteth not agamst his ene
mies but he layeth on. So, tMs great victory cost him not four
teen or fifteen years preparation ; it cost him not millions of gold
and levyings of men, part in Spain, and part in the Low Countries ;
it cost Mm but ane word. So, it could not be that this work,
quMlk was so mightUIe and easUy done, could have been done, ex
cept the Lord had done it. Thus far we proceeded in our last
lesson.

308 AtR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
Now, to come to our text. After that he hath shewed, in par
ticular, the manner of this delivery, and let us see after Avhat sort,
and how easUy God hath done this work, and after he hath cried
out, " Thou, thou art terrible," being ravished by the greatness of
the work, and after that he hath shewn the great infirraitle and
weakness of the creature, so oft as it dare presume to oppone itself
and match itself AvIth the great Creator, after he hath done this, he
insisteth yet in setting forth of this AA'onderftd judgment ; and in
the eighth verse he letteth us see that this great and terrible judg
ment was wrought by the poAver and force of God only ; It was
done extraordlnarUe frora the heaven by hiraself only, so that the
Avhole world saw the finger and hand of God in it.
Then, in the beginning of tins eighth verse, I say, he raaketh It
known that he did it only, and in the end of the verse he letteth
us see Avhat his judgments Avrought In the hearts of men. In the
ninth verse he letteth us see the time when it was that it pleased
hira to work it, and to what end he Avrought it. In the tenth
verse he letteth us see whereunto the great fiiry and rage of the
wicked served ; and in the end of that verse he meeteth ane objec
tion quhdk the kirk might have made ; and in the last two verses
is contained the conclusion of the Psalm.
Then to return to the eighth verse, in the beginning of it the
prophet raaketh it knoAvn that it is God only that did this work
imraediatlie, without the employraent of any creature ; and, there
fore, this manner of execution testified to the whole world that
God only was the chief doer of it.
Then, the chief reason that moved God to do this extraordinari-
lie and unmediatelie Avith Ms own hand, is this : Suppose our God
hath infinite ways and as many moyens in his hand at aU times
ready to destroy his eneraies, yet sik Is the raalice of raan and the
envy of the devd (that possesseth man) to the glory of God, that
so long as God worketh his Avork ordinariUe, and eraployeth this or
that instrument in doing of his turn, so long man spoileth God of
his glory, and spodeth hira of a part of his praise ; so that man
wiU some time ascribe the glory to his oavu Industry and Avit, or to

THE SECOND SERMON UPON PSALM LXXVI. 309
fortune, or to one occasion or other ; so that ere they suffer God to
get Ms whole glory, they wUl give a part of it to any creature of
the earth. For this cause the Lord Avorketh ExtraordlnarUy and
unmediatUe from the heavens, that the mouths of all the world,
yea, of the very enemies, may be compeUed to say, and this con
fession must be draAvn out of thera, that it is the finger of God that
wrought this, without the support of any creature.
After what sort he Avrought this defeat I wiU not dispute in par
ticular, whether it was by fire-flaught, thunder, earthquake, or
Hghtning ; upon this I insist not. The general is sure and certain,
that It was a work that flowed from the heaven imraediatlie.
Now, he saith, in the end of the verse, that this terrible judgraent
brought forth two effects in the hearts of men : Ffrst, it brought
forth a wonderfid fear : .And, Secondly, It brought forth a great
sUence ; their tongues were taken from them : " The earth feared,
and was stiU." By the earth, the Inhabitants of the earth is under
stood ; or, gif we wUl hold us m our particular, the remanent of
Sennacherib's armie is understood, I mean the remanent of the
armie that were exempted behmd the judgment. This remanent
began to fear and be afraid with ane terrible fear, and the tongues
of them that were so stout the night before held themselves
quiet. They that Ufted and heased their arms the night before,
and provoked God, as it were, to the singtdar combat, after the
sight of this judgment they have their hands to seek ; and they who
boasted so much of their A'aliantness, and filled the very earth with
their blasphemies the night before, from the time they saw this ter
rible judgment they had their tongues to seek, they had not ane
word to speak.
It Is wonderful : the Lord's manner of doing and proceeding is a
hid manner of doing against his enemies, and few perceive the
fashion of the bringing about of his judgments. For, ye see, he
taketh his enemies in ane instant at unawares, whUe as a man Is in
the height of Ms pride he bereaveth Mm of his counsel, he bereav-
eth Mm of his force, and so spodeth him both of heart and hand,
in sik sort that he hath not wit to devise more nor ane ass ; and
u

310 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
hath not ane hand to perform more nor gif he wanted the hands.
So he bereaveth him of his policie and exquisite judgraent. And
how Is this done ? •It Is by ane blind fear that he striketh them
with. He casteth them in sik ane anguish and blindness of mind,
that neither they see God, who Is the striker, nor yet see they any
outgate, but they are casten In ane desperate estate and utter
darkness reraedUess. And so it coraeth to pass that these raiser-
able raen put violent hands in theraselves, tMuMng that the soul
quhilk now Is in prison, as it Avere, wiU be in ane better estate
gif It were outwith this body ; but, alas ! they are all deceived.
So, I say, the judgment of God, when it llghteth, how long soever
It be delayed, terrible shall it be Avhen it llghteth on the enemy.
It is ane fearful thing to cast ourselves AviUingly into the hands of
a consuming fire.
Therefore, now, seeing ye have courses In hand, ye should take
good heed to your courses : Look weU about you, and be dUIgent to
know whether ye be on God's side or against hira. Ye, again, that
are not practlsers, and meddle not with high matters, take heed
how ye walk in your own calling : Look unto your trade, ye that
are merchants ; look unto your deaUng, ye that are lawyers, how
crooked or how straight ye are. Ye that are lords and judges,
with what conscience ye proceed In your vocation. And mark
this : Look to Ms Word, look what profit ye have made of his
Word, examine your caUIng by his Word, and gif ye examine your
calUng by his Word this way, ye shaU find the fruit or loss of your
calUng ; but gif ye depend on the testimony of your conscience,
without the examination and rule of his Word, ye avIU be deceiv
ed ; for many do this, and say, " I ara not troubled In conscience,
I ara sm-e my conscience presseth me not ;" when in the meantime
they ran a Aricked course, and try not thefr calUng by the blessed
Word of God, but look only to the estate of their conscience,
quhilk in sik evU turns flatters them, they think themselves sure
enough. O, but thou art beguiled ! and why ? Thy conscience
raay be deceived as Avell as thou. And how? Thy conscience
can give thee no better warrant of thy doing, neither to accuse nor

THE SECOND SERMON UPON PSALM LXXVI, 311
to excuse, but as she is informed ; so that gif she be rightly inform
ed she wdU give thee a right warrant, but gif she be evil informed
she wIU give thee as evil a warrant, and flatter thee ; so that of a
shght mformation she wUl give as sUght testimony. There is no
right information but that quhUk proceedeth of the Word ; there
fore, seeing now ye have the Word so clearly taught unto you, ye
should try and examine your caUings by this Word. See what
this Word biddeth you do ; try, m particular, and say. What
warrant of the Word have I to do this ? What warrant have I
of his mouth for thus doing ? And finding a warrant of God's
Word and of Ms Spirit gomg together, thou art sure ; but where
the conscience giveth a testimony without the warrant of the
Word, it is a deceiving testimony ; therefore conjoin these two.
Try narrowly in your doings gif the Word and the Spirit go
together ; and gif these two be joined they shall stand as two wit
nesses Arith thee.
The greatest impediment that stay men from the conjoining of
these two In their doings is the affection they haA'e to their own
person ; the affection and love they have to themselves hindereth
this trial. For we see that sik is the superioritie and dominion
quhilk this affection hath, that it carrieth reason where it pleaseth,
and it is so stark that It suffereth not the grace of God to enter
into us, but moveth man to give obedience to the wickedness of
his lust or appetite ; and to say, " Or I Avant the service of my
lust arid pleasure of mine appetites, I will thraw rather the Word
to mine appetite nor subdue mine appetite to the Word, and so to
want my pleasure." (Judge ye what conscience this is !) They
make the Word to serve thefr appetites, and never suffer the Word
to mortify thefr appetites. And of this what coraeth to pass ? By
this kind of deaUng it cometh to pass that at last they tyne their
conscience, so that it can neither accuse nor excuse, because they
are casten, asleep, and lie In tMs dead sleep till they be wakened
Arith a terrible wakening by God, the righteous Judge from heaven.
Take heed ! for this is the truth. And at that wakening, he shall

312 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
raake the terrors of these sarae sins (quhilk gif they had foUoAved
counsel they might have eschewed) terrible to overAvhelni them.
Now the conscience is at quietness and rest, and holdeth thee in
secmity ; but, alas ! it Is a fostered security. The inAvard heart
is fuU of bladarie, quhilk bladarie shaU bring- sik terrors In the end
Arith it, that it shaU nitdtiply thy torments, and so oppress thee,
except in time thou seek out the bottom of thy conscience. There
fore be not deceived, as ye are come In this earth to serve and
glorify hira, so every ane in your oavu ranks and caUings be up
right. Yea, deal uprightlic in jour caUing when ye have the Avar-
rant of the Word, for the Avarrant of the Word is not changeable,
it cometh not under revocation ; but once have the Avarrant, and
aye have It ; so whosoever getteth the warrant of the Word in
this earth, his blessed mouth shall be a warrant to thera in ane
straiter place. Then, take heed to this terrible judgement ; look
in time, that out of time it overtake thee not Avith a terrible
wakening !
Noav, to come to the ninth verse. In this verse he noteth the
tirae AA'hen tMs great judgeraent was Avrought upon the enemies :
And he saith, it Avas wrought when God rose : It was not done when
God sat ; for the Avhole time Avhen he sat his eneraies were aloft,
stirring thefr tirae, raging in murder, oppression, and blood, as now
ye may see thc great men in this country raging, who are his ene
mies. Then, aU the time that God sat his eneraies were aloft ; and
this long sittmg of God, what did it ? Whereas it should have
dravra thera to repentance it confirmed them in thefr pride, and
increased thefr malice. WeU, God ariseth at the last, and when
be ariseth he striketh them with ane terrible judgement. He
bringeth m God here after the manner of earthly judges, after the
custom of our judges ; for first they sit dovm, they try, seek out,
and advise, and after advisement they resolve, and after advise
ment and resolution they rise up, give forth the judgement, and
pronounce the sentence ; even so the prophet bringeth in God

TIIE SECOND SERMON UPON PSALM LXXVI. 313
after the same manner, sitting, and after sitting, rising and pro-
notincmg the sentence. Then the Lord, ye see, hath his time of
sittmg and Ms time of rising.
The time of his sitting I caU the time of his patience, the tirae
of his long-suffermg, the tirae of his benlgnitie, whereby he allureth,
yea, an it were possible, the very enemies to turn unto him !
And I caU the time of Ms sitting the time of his delay of the exe
cution of Ms judgment. I caU the time of his rising the tirae of
Ms execution, the tirae of his hot wrath, and the time of the de
claration of his righteous judgment ujDon flesh. The Lord hath
both these tiraes ; and they who abuse the tirae of his sitting shall
not be able to escape the time of his rising. Sennacherib abused
the patience and long-suffering of God sitting; but hc escaped
not Ms rismg, as he bore Mra vritness. All doctrine should be
appUed to our present estate ; aU raen's consciences are asleep,
and except they be now Avakened in tirae, terrible shaU that
wakening be quhilk they shaU have, when the terrors thereof shaU
oppress them ! Therefore it is good that tMs raatter of terror
were presented m time to wake the conscience. For, by the
Avay, the bitmg conscience is not the worst of all sort of con
sciences, but the biting conscience is in the second rank ; for the
conscience that biteth thee, and accuseth thee, sendeth thee to
seek remedy. And the more that it hasteth thee, the sooner thou
purchasest remission of thy sins, and peace in the body and blood
of Christ Jesus. So, of aU consciences the biting conscience Is
not the worst, but is in the second rank. It sendeth thee to
seek remedy. Only of this beware, that thou furnish not raatter
to her bitmg by Increasing of farther corruption; but even cast
out sm, whereby God is offended, and this biting nourished ; and.
In the end, thou shall find a truc pacification, and a taste of the
right peace that floweth from Christ Jesus, quhilk peace passeth
aU understanding.
To come to the particular, the Lord is not risen as yet in this
country, suppose he hath sitten long. And why hath hc sitten but
to see gif his eneraies wiU repent ? And hath this taken effect ?

314 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
No ; for he hath not greater eneraies in no part than the great men
in this country, where his Word is so clearly uttered. So that the
greater the knowledge be the greater is the conterapt, and the
greater the conterapt be the heavier raust be the judgeraent that
abideth them. Now, in aU this tirae of the Lord's sitting, what are
they doing ? They are burmng and scalding, slaying and murder
ing, and using aU Mnd of oppression, and raging so as there were
not a king in Israel ! Well, the Lord sitteth not to this end that
they should abuse his patience ; he sitteth not that they should be
confirmed in their cruelty ; that they should lose their knowledge,
or think that either therc were not a God, or God was become
like themselves. Always, I say, this is not the end Avherefore he
sitteth ; but he sitteth only to this end, that he may draw them by
the hand to repentance. And now, seeing they have abused the
time of bis sitting, he is even at the rising ; and, assuredly, the
Lord shaU rise to be revenged upon the iniquities of the great raen
of this country, whose sins do so abound.
And Avhereby know ye this ? By ane argument quhilk is infalli
ble. Examine, by your own wit and judgement quhilk ye have of
the book of God, and by your natural judgement, is it possible that
the ground of this country is able to bear a greater birth of Ini
quitie both in Highland and Lowland ? Is it possible that it can
be heavier ladened with raischief in aU neuks nor it is now ? And
the ground raust be exonered of this iniquitie, Avhere the Lieu
tenant whora God hath placed overseeth It and vriU not exoner
the earth of her birth, where the raagistrates that are Inferiors
neglect thefr duties, of necessitie he raust extraordinarUie, frora
the heavens, exoner the element of it. And surely, let be this,
an there were no more but these horrible confusions in all parts,
quMlk no man can overtake, it appeareth that the Judge of the
world himself shaU corae down shortly to exoner It. And why ?
Because I see aU tokens that go ImmediatUe before his coraing to
be already passed; faith Is scarcely to be found, yea, not faith
in proraises, let be faith in Christ Jesus. For iniquitie abound
eth so, and there are so many confiisions left unovertaken by the

THE SECOND SERMON UPON PSALM LXXVI. 315
magistrate, that it appeareth clearly the Judge hraiself must corae,
and that the Judge of the world shaU be the first that shaU re
dress this confiision.
And seeing it is so, it becoraeth not us to be idle ; for surely the
time draweth near. And gif the time shaU be shortened for the
elect's cause, now I think it shall be shortened for the cries of the
poor of this land ; therefore it is no tirae for us to sleep. It is
time for us to prepare us to go a-meeting that great Judge now.
WhUe oU is offered abundantUe buy oU to your laraps ; for so soon
as the trumpet blows, and that he is raaking homeward from the
clouds to his Father's dweUing, wherefrora he comes, it Is no tirae
to have our oU to seek. Now we have this oU of gladness freely
offered, the water of Ufe, and the oil that should refresh our con
sciences, is freely offered; therefore it becometh you to prepare
yourselves, that when he coraeth, whether it be the night or the
morn, by night or by day, he may not offend you unawares. These
imqulties and Arickedness of the heart of man are so deep, that gif
the Ethmck may say justly, that the boutgates and deceits of the
heart of man are infinite, how much more may we speak it, having
Jeremiah Ms warrant, who caUeth It deep and inscrutable above
all things, Jerem. xvii. It is time, therefore, that we be busy in
seekmg and renewing, breaking and humiliation of our hearts, for
the outAvard scroof, suppose it appeareth to be whole, where the
Inward is festered, availeth nothing, but maketh it to undercoat
again. Therefore, now it is time to study to have your hearts
broken ; for once they must be broken or they be healed ; once they
must be low or they be high; for thine heart, that was never
touched with any sense of thine own sin and feeling of God's judg
ment, wist never what the taste of mercy meaned ; for there is no
way to go to heaven but by the ports of hell ; therefore it is time
to crave of God that he would bring your hearts to that estate that
ye raight know your sin and sorrow for it, and that he may pre
pare your hearts so that ye may look for the aocoraplishraent of
your happiness in his coraing ; and where the heart is so desirous
of that day, it may be welcorae come when it wiU : The Lord of

316 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
heaven prepare our hearts ! It ,Is not possible that this can be
done, O Lord, except thou, by the mighty power of thy Spfrit,
humble thera, and hammer dovm this natural hardness that is in
them, otherways our hearts wUl never give obedience to thee ;
therefore, O Lord, work it.
Now, ra the end of the verse, he letteth us see to Avhat end the
Lord arose, and executed judgraent. The chief cause that raoved
hira to rise was the poor and oppressed in aU the corners of the
earth. The great coraplaint and cry of the poor people in all
countries was the cause why God did rise : Examine, then, and
try, hath not God good cause to rise In this country ? I Avot AveU
there cannot be raore eoraplalnts of the poor In no country nor Is
ia this, so that it is no marvel but he rise, and that suddenly. He
is Uke unto himself now, as of before ; then, these great complaints
and cries of the poor raust make hira to rise, as ye have It, Psal.
xii. And gif they prevent not his rising, terrible shall it be to the
wicked ; for, ever with the salvation of his own the destruction of
his eneraies Is joined ; and out of these, both salvation and destruc
tion, he raaketh hiraself to be glorified. Then, I would these
bloody raen and oppressors wist that nobUitate theraselves with
sharae and ignommie, that the Lord wdl rise, and that shortly, ex
cept they prevent hira, whereof I see no appearance.
In the tenth verse he letteth us see to what purpose the great
fiiry of these raen serve. And, in the beginning, he letteth us see
with ane constant affirraation, " Surely, surely, the rage of raen shall
tum to his praise." Their greatest rage and highest fury is the
highest matter of the Lord's praise. That same fury and rage
whereby they think to dishonour God and overAvhelm his Kirk, he
tumeth that same rage to the contrair, and he maketh out of that
same fury his own glory and the delivery of his Kirk to shine. The
Lord is ane wonderful workman ; he bringeth about Ms purpose In
sik sort that he can draw out light out of darkness, and bring forth
Ms OAvn praise out of their greatest rage. Have ye not seen this
from time to tirae ? Hath he not made his greatest enemies to tes-

THE SECOND SERMON UPON PSALM LXXVI. 317
tifie It, and drawn out a confession out of their own mouths ? Ye
read in the history of JuUan the Apostate, when he was in his
gi-eatest rage, and in the top of his fury provoked Christ to the
smgular combat, in that high rage, AvhUe as he draweth his weapon
to strike our Head, he striketh himself. And after he had given
himself the deadly wound, he bursteth forth and saith, at last,
" Thou hast win, Galdean !" So out of his own mouth the Lord
drew a confession of his praise. Ye read in the 6th of Exod. of
those enchanters that opponed theraselves to Moses and Aaron, and
counterfited aU that they did until it carae to the plague of lice ;
there they stand, and say, " It Is the finger of the Lord ;" as gif
they Avould say. This plague is done by the raighty hand andpoAver
of God only : we are not able to cotinterfit it ! Here we see they
are compeUed out of their own mouth to confess the praise of the
Lord. Sennacherib was corapeUed to say, (avUo liketh to read that
history,) and it is said that Ms grave hath this superscription, that
he confessed it was the great God of heaven that fought against
him. Now, ye hear, at the sarae present, what say the Spaniards ?
They are compeUed .to say that it was the finger of the Lord, the
mighty hand of the God of Jacob, that hath wrought this defeat,
Arithout the support of any creature. So, by these examples, and
many more, ye see the verity of this proposition, God raaketh the
greatest rage and fury of his enemies to be the greatest matter of
his praise.
Now, in the end of the verse, he meeteth ane obiection quhilk 5° ™^"'^.'®'^
^ ' *' -i- to ane objec-
the kirk nught have objected. For the kirk in these days, as the*'."" "^''^^
kirk this day, might have said. Suppose the victory of the Lord's
be strong and wonderful, yet he hath not slain aU ; for we under
stand that the Lord shaU not make aU Christ's enemies his foot
stool until the last day ; and, therefore, seeing there is a remnant
of them who are endued Avith that same restless spirit that their fore
bears were of before, they cannot rest, but stUl pursue and come
agamst the kirk of God. For the spirit of the devil, suppose it
possess not all the enemies In ane alike measure, yet they are all
possessed with one sort and kind of spirit, quhilk possessed their

318 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
eldest brother Cain, to Avit, the spfrit of persecution occupieth
them aU, Avherever they be scattered ; and as Cain persecuted his
brother Abel, so we raust look to be persecuted of them, as ye hear
this spfrit bursting forth in terrible effects, quhilk coraeth to your
ears out of Eouen, out of Paris, and out of aU those parts. Ye hear,
there, of the great persecution and bloodie rage of the eneraies,
quhilk testifieth that they are possessed with that same spirit of per
secution wherewith their eldest brother Cain Avas possessed ; so the
kirk, seeing that the Lord hath not slain all, but that there Is a re
manent left, who are endued with that same restless spirit of thefr
forebears, she raight have said, " Who shaU restrain the remanent
of the rage of the enemies ?" For suppose that here they be caUed
a remanent, yet. In respect of us, they are not a reraanent, but ane
huge raultltude. Therefore, seeing It Is so, that they are possessed
AvIth this spirit that wUl raake thera to conjoin their forces, they
will rencAV their assault, and Avho shaU restrain thera ?
The prophet ansAvered clearly In the narae of God, and biddeth
the kirk take no thought of their rage ; for he that had destroyed the
root would destroy the remanent; the God of glory, that defeated the
main armie, would also restrain the remanent. The kirk hath no
raore to do but to depend upon the God of arrales, and he shall fight
for her. Now, yc see so clearly and easUy as this matter applleth
itself. Ye know how it is coraraon in the raouths of aU raen, that
this fleet, quhilk is perished, is counted to have come only to have
scoured the waters, and to have espied the forces of the Queen of
England. There is a greater armie coming ; the second assault shaU
be raade with greater courage, and shaU have a better success. This
is the coraraon objection, and upon this the weak ones of the kirk
may speir. Who shall restrain this remanent ? and Avho shaU oppone
unto this second assault? The prophet answereth, the God of
heaven shall restrain the second assault : The mighty God of this
Isle, who hath shewed himself wonderful frora time to time in this
country, howsoever avc be Ingrate, he shall restrain the second as
he did the first ; so, on our part we have no more to do but to
hold us In the sight of God. And this is even a very great work

THE SECOND SERMON UPON PSALM LXXVI. 319
to hold US in Ms eye ; for, by bending up of our eye to him we
shaU draw down his mercifid eye to us ; and so, bemg guarded
with his eye, and being environed with Ms merciful protection,
quhilk is unto us a brazen waU, the enemy shaU never prevail,
assaU when he pleaseth. And tMs shaU be done only by holding
us in the sight of God's eye ; therefore, so long as every one of you
In particular, and this country in general, is able to hold themselves
In the sight of Ms eye, heaven and earth, and aU that is therein,
is not able to overcome them. But gif thou build up an perpen of
thine OAra makmg betwixt thee and Mm, then not he only, but aU
his creatures shaU be fearful to thee, and ready to destroy thee.
For, wherefore is it that some men are commonly so done afraid,
hut only for want of ane outgate ? And we have tMs outgate only
in the sight of his eye, so that, gif thou keep God, thou hast ay
ane sure outgate. O, then, the care of ane Christian should be
this, to repent and sorrow for his sins bygone, to demolish and cast
doAvn this perpen of iniquitie that it grow no more, but that by
sobs and sighs piece and piece it may be demolished. No ques
tion the more sm be removed the more we are m the sight of his
eye ; and the more we see him the greater comfort shall we get all
manner of ways ; there is no other way to be saved but by this.
Thus far concemmg the second part of our division.
Now, m the Thfrd part, quhUk is in the last two verses, he con-
cludeth Arith a notable exhortation ; that, seeing the God of hea
ven hath deserved so weU of her, she should shew herself thank
fid. The least tMng she can do is to praise the name of God, yea,
surely It is the least thmg ; therefore he saith, " Vow, and perform
your vows." Vow, to testifie your thankfulness ; perform your
vows, to testifie your obedience, and how ready ye are to serve so
good a God.
By vows here, he understandeth not these foolish vows, but the
action of praise and thanksgiving ; for so oft as the Spirit of God
maketh mention of vows, so oft he meaneth of vows of thanksgiv
ing, as ye may see clearly m tMs book of Psalras, as, namely, in

320
the 1., Iv., Is., bri., Ixv., and Ixvi. Psalras. And to voav to thank
God it Is a part of our duty ; avc are bound to It, and we have our
warrant for it. And these sorts of voavs arc very profitable, for
we have two great commodities in them. First, they stir up and
confirm our faith ; for when a raan Is lii ane great extreraitie, and
promiseth to be thankful to God gif he be delivered, it strength
eneth his faith, and raaketh him to look the more certainly for the
delivery. And, again, Avben the delivery is past, that avc are re
turned to our OAvn horae, an it were no more but for Acry sharae
and keeping of thc proraise that we made, avc cannot but be thank-
ftil ; so, these sorts of voavs are good, and ought to bc voAved and
perforraed ; but these tinla\\ful voavs of the Papists have no
ground here. There is no Avicked aoavs that ought to be keeped ;
yea, there are no vows that are rashly A'OAved that shotdd be
wickedly perforraed ; for in so doing they make ane double fault :
first, they do a fault in vowing rashly ; secondly, they do a fault
in pcrfomiing their \o\\. All tliese vows arc beside the warrant
of the Word ; avc should promise to be thankful to God, and to
perform. Then, thc exhortation riseth unto us, after the example of thc
prophet here, that seeing in this great benefit, suppose avc had
never received more benefits, the Lord hath deserved so AveU of
you, ye ought every one of you to seek hearts to grow in thankfiil-
ness toward him, whereby he may grow in raercy and love towards
you, and grow in hatred and anger toAvards his enemies. And
suppose ye be thankful, think not that ye deserve anything, for
when ye have done this, ye cannot elk anything to his estate; ye
enrich not God one whit. It Is not possible that he who is ab
solutely perfect of himself can need anything whereby Ms estate
raay be enriched ; yea, let be Ave elk nothing to his estate, our best
thanksgiving is noways acceptable to hira but by Avay of grace;
gif Christ Jesus start not in betwixt us and him, it is not possible
that our persons, or any action that floweth from our person, can
be acceptable to him : Therefore, it is only by way of grace and
raercy in Christ Jesus, in Avhoin he cannot bc displeased AvIth us,

THE SECOND SERMON UPON PSALM LXXVI. 32 1
that our thankfiilness is accepted by him ; so It is not for our
merits, as the Papists foolishly alledge, nor by way of our deserv
ing, that he accepteth of us ; It is by way of mercy and grace that
he alloweth of us and our thankfulness. Indeed, he accepteth so
of our thanksgiving, that without we praise him nothing can please
him ; and, therefore, seemg aU our actions are only acceptable to
Mm In his weU-beloved, let us praise him in Christ. Ye see Ave
AriU thank Mm for meat and drmk after dinner and supper, and
why should ye not thank hira for the rest of the creatures ? As
for this benefit of your deUvery and preservation, both of kirk and
cotmtry, the Lord give us hearts to thank him.
Now, in the end of tMs verse, he saith, " Let them bring pre
sents to him that ought to be feared." We have no other presents
to bring but this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, quhilk is caUed
calves of the lips, Psal. U. Wotdd God that tMs were traly given,
suppose not in sik raeasure as Is required ! .Always, let us bring
these sacrifices, and present thera to him only who is fearful, not
only to mean men, but to the greatest princes and monarchs of the
earth. And how proveth he this ? He proveth this in the last
verse, where he saith, " He cutteth off the spirit of princes ;" that
is, he spodeth them of thefr vrit and force; and, last of aU,
when it pleaseth Mm, he spoUeth them of life itself, he taketh aU
firom them, even from these same princes that oppone themselves
most unto Mm ; he spoUeth them m one instant of heart and hand,
and aU forces, and maketh them ane spectacle to all nations.
Well, they wUl not learn in time ! It is terrible to princes to fall
in Ms hands, for, when they faU In his hand, he is not satisfied
to spoU them both of heart and hand, but after he hath spoUed
them both of heart and hand, he taketh the very Ufe frora them.
Sennacherib found this, for his own sons put hands on him and
slew him.
Our great men think they wiU eschew his hands. There is no
example or proclamation of judgment that wUl make thera leave
off from burning, slaying, and murder. This is not looked to by the

322 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
CounseU, and he Avho should punish this overseeth It. And they
that arc inferior magistrates overseeth it, so that tMs land Is so
overwhelmed with sin that it cannot be discharged until the
great God himself do it. "Terrible is he, therefore, to kings;"
and look how terrible kings are to mean men, far raore terrible is
he to thera. The kings of the earth, at least since the Evangel
began, have ever conspired to explode Christ out of thc nuraber
of kings, and so to root out his kingdora, that he should not bear
rule In the earth ; and this conclusion hath been laid by them.
So by "kings," here, to whora he is terrible, is to be understood
these ralschlevous kings that will not acknowledge Christ as King,
nor stibralt their sceptre to his sceptre, but have all conspired and
assayed their forces to put hira out of their catalogue. What profit
they have gotten of this, tirae hath tried ! Ye see what the king
of Spain hath gained ; ye see what his predecessors have gained ;
and what foUoweth, there Is ane second assault to be made, and
it is not possible but the second assault must bc, for the devil
must be aye like to himself: so the second assault shall corae,
and in his great rage he shall put at that sarae stone as he and his
forbears hath done of before. Is it sure that Spain shall make
the second assault ? It Is sure, and yon arguraent letteth rae see
It, for the spirit of the devd cannot be at rest ! And what shall
corae of this ? The next thing that ye shall hear, God shaU cut
off his life ; he that hath spoiled him first of heart and hand
shall spoU him of all ; and so the second thing that ye shall hear,
the great Monarch of Spain shall die ; and so he shaU be disap
pointed In the second assault, and all the kingdoms quhilk are
under the coverture of this king shaU be let loose : For rather
shaU heaven and earth go together, or God suffer his Kfrk to
be rooted out, gif we reraain in any part of our obedience.
Oh ! then, we ought earnestly to prepare us, to reverence him
who Is only fearful ! For, gif they who have the supreme place
AvUl not reverence Mm, he shaU take their reverence out of the
hearts of men. It Is only for God's sake that they are rever-

THE SECOND SERMON UPON PSALM LXXVI. 323
enced; whosoever, therefore, honoureth not God, he shall not
honour him. So, we ought to honour God, and give him his OAvn
due reverence, and Ms OAvn place, that we rcA^erence no man, nor
the laws of any man but God, and for God's cause. And so,
honouring God, God shall honour us, and extol us, and that in
the righteous merits of his Son. To whom, with the Father and
the Holy Spirit, be all honour and praise, for now and ever.
Amen.

A SERMON
VVOl THE FORTIETH PSALME,
PREACHED IN THE TIME OF PUBLIC FAST.

A SEEMON

UPON PSALM XL.

1. I waited patiently for the Lord ; and he incUned unto me, and heard
my cry.
2. He brought me also out of the horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and
set my feet upon ihe rock, and ordered my goings.
3. And he hath put in my mouth a new song of praise unto our God :
many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.
4. Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and regardeth not
the proud, nor su^h as turn aside to lies.
5. 0 Lord, my God, thou hast made thy wonderful works so many that
none can count in order to thee thy thoughts toward us : I would declare,
and speak of them, but they are more than I am able to express.
6. Sacrifice and ofering thou didst not desire ; {for mine ears hast thou
prepared ;) burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required.
7. Then said 1, Lo, I come ; for in the roll of the book it is written
of me,
8. I desired to do thy good will, 0 my Ood : yea, thy law is within
mine heart.
9. I have declared thy righteousness in the great congregation : Lo, 1
will not refrain my lips, 0 Lord, thou knowest.
10. / have not hid thy righteousness within my heart, but I have declared
thy truth and thy salvation : I have not concealed thy mercy and thy truth
from the great congregation.

328 MR ROBERT BRI^CE S SERJlONS.
11. Withdraio not thy tender mercy from mc, 0 Lord : ct thy mer,-}/
and thy truth alway preserve me.
12. For innumerable troubles have compassed me ¦ my sins have taken
such hold upon me that I am not able to look up ; yea, they are more in
number than the hairs of mine head : therefore mine heart hath failed mc.
13. Let it please thee, 0 Lord, to deUver me : make haste, 0 Lord, to
help me.
14. Let tliem be confounded and put to shame together that seek my soul
to destroy it ; let them be driven bachcard and put to rebuke that desire
mine hurt.
15. Let them be destroyed for a reward of their shame, which say unto
me, Aha, aha.
16. Let all them that seek theerejoice and he glad in thee : and let them
that love thy salvation say alivay. The Lord he praised.
17. Though I he poor and needy, the Lord thinketh on me : thou art
mine helper and my deliverer : my God, make no tarrying.

This Psalra, for the most part, it tendeth to ane praise, and to ane
thanksgiving ; for the author of it (David) partly he praiseth God
from his own late experience, and partly from the public ex
perience of the Avhole kirk ; therefore, for this his experience, he
offereth his service to God, protesting- to be thankful to hira, as he
had been thankful m tiraes b}gone. And in the end of the Psalm
he retireth himself to prayer, and comraendeth his estate to the
protection of God, that as he had deUvered hira m time bygone,
so he Avould contmue the sarae In mercy Avith Mra in tirae to come.
This I take to be the sum of this Psahn.
As to the parts of it, we liaAC three parts.
Into the First part Ave have the praise and coraraendation of
the mercy and kindness of God, Avhereby it coraeth to pass that he
rejecteth not thera that depend upon Mra.
In the Second part, for tMs experience that he hath found, he
offereth his service to God, and as he had proclairaed his justice
and mercy in time bygone, so he protesteth that he is ready to do
the same in time to comc.

A SERMON UPON PSALM XL. 329
In the end, as I spake before, he retfreth to prayer; he com-
mendeth his estate to God, that as It had pleased him to preserve
Mm in time bygone, so It Avould please him to preserA^e hira in
time to come.
FoUowing the literal meaning, this is the effect of the Psalm.
Otherwise, there is a notable prophecy concermng the office of
Christ Jesus ; concerning the abolishing of the Old Covenant, and
estabUshmg of the New Covenant, and concerning the sacrifice of
our High Priest, the Priest of the New Testament, Christ Jesus.
Then, to return to the First part : Into the first part we have
ane singular experience set down ; indeed, gif the circumstances
were weU considered, his experience is more than singular ; for of
the last Psalm the estate and care wherein he was at this time
may be easUy gathered. He was pursued by the treason of his own
son, Absalom ; he Avas pursued by the scorns and taunts of his own
servants. In this great extremity he bursteth out in prayer, and
craveth at God that he would Avithdraw his hand from him for a
space. And Avhy ? He was consuraed with his OAvn iniquity ; he
craveth that at the last he wiU incline his ears to his prayers, and
keep no longer sUence at Ms tears, in respect he kneAV he was but
ane sojourner and ane pUgrim in this earth, as the rest of his fore
bears were. He saith, "Withdraw thine heavy hand, O Lord,
and let the mercy that I looked for appear to rae." Now, in this
Psalm he letteth us see Avhat issue and end his long waiting on ob
tained, to Arit, ane most blessed and happy end ; for, in this Psalm
Ave see that the Lord at the last inclined his ear unto him, and
sheweth in experience, that suppose he answereth him not, yet he
was not deaf, but accomplished his desire in drawing him out of
his misery In the quhdk he lay ; quhilk misery he descrlbcth by
two proper simUItudes.
The first simUitude is taken from the pit : The second is taken
from the miry clay. At the last the Lord drcAV him out of this
horrible pit, and placed him upon the shore. He opponeth the
rock unto the pit, and he opponeth the fair Avay to the miry clay.

330He drcAV hira out of the miry clay, and placed him upon ane plain
and fair way, and directed his journey ; so, his long expectation
obtained ane most happy issue.
Into this his experience there are tMee things that offer them
selves to be considered : First, what Avas this that he sustained in
this long waiting ; what Avas It that made him to continue with
out despair. Secondly, what was DaAad's exercise the time of
this long Avaiting. Thirdly, Avhat issue and end this long wait
ing obtained. As to the waiting, there was no other thing that
sustained Mm but that sarae quhilk avc Christians call ane CMistian
hope, or a Christian expectation ; quhdk hope is the Avork of the
Holy Spirit, Avrought iu us by the power thereof, whereby it cometh
to pass that we with great patience abide the perforraance of the
Lord's proraises.
Into this hope there are two things inclosed : There is, first, the
absence of the thing hoped for, and yet, notwithstanding, a certain
expectation of the same. This hope of ours Is different frora our
faith, suppose it rise and spring thereof in two special points ; for
the nature of faith taketh hold on the promise, for nothing can be
believed but the promise ; promises are proponed to be believed,
and commands to be obeyed. The nature of faith, then, taketh
hold of the promise ; the nature of hope looketh not so much to
the promise as to the thing promised. The nature of hope Is to
look continuaUie untU it get the thing that is proraised ; the nature
of faith raaketh that thing quhUli is absent in itself and In very
deed, it maketh it present, as it Avere, extant and subsisting before
thy senses : and, therefore, faith is caUed the ground and substance
of things absent, for faith raaketh thera as sure, by the proraise, as
gif the thing promised were In my hand ; It maketh me as sure of
the proraise as gif the debt were already paid. Hope, again, raak
eth not the thing proraised present, but it looketh on stIU whUe It
be present, and awaiteth on continuaUie untU it get it, and when
it is present, then faith and hope cease : " For what raister we"
(saith the Apostle) " to hope for the thing avc see or have in our
hand ?"

A SERMON UPON PSALM XL. 331
Now, look how sure our faith is, as sure of necessitie must our
hope be. A sure promise maketh a sure faith ; a slack promise
wUI never make ane constant faith. The promise of God is only
sure ; therefore the hope and faith that Is grounded on God Is only
sure. This sure hope it liveth in this world by way of patience,
for impatience cutteth the pUlars of hope ; impatience carrieth us
to despafr, and to put violent hands on ourselves ; so, hope liveth
by patience, and patience by hope. Now, the matter of patience
Is trouble upon trouble. Affliction engendereth patience, (saith
the Apostie,) Eom. v. ; for a bed of ease is not a matter of patience,
a prosperous course is not a matter to assay our hope ; so trouble
upon trouble is the matter and exercise of patience ; long drift and
delay of thuigs hoped for Is the exercise of true patience.
Now, upon tMs deduction I gather ane proposition, that is, ane
sure, constant, and Christian hope, quhUk being exercised by trou
ble upon trouble, by long process, drift, and delay of time, yet re-
mameth constant. Whoever is endued with sik ane hope, he may
wait on, he hath a sure and constant hope ; but so is this hope
whereof we speak, the hope of the prophet ; therefore he had a
Christian and sure hope. For as to his troubles, ye heard them
the other day ; he was pursued by the treason of Ms son, backblted
by his servants, yet he abideth patiently. Indeed, sometime he
bursteth forth tMough impatience, but In ane instant he took up
himself; and to testifie his long drift and delay, he saith here, " In
waiting I waited." Then, I say, ye have it proved that David had
ane sure, ffrm, and constant hope. The surer that ane anchor be,
and the more deep it be fixed, it wIU be the leather to make
up. Let the storm rage as it pleaseth, continue as it wUl, the an
chor that is deeply fixed wUl be loath to make up. The anchor of
our soul (saith the Apostle) Is hope ; therefore, the more sure and
deeply It be fixed, it wdl be the leather to make up. Our whole
study, diligence, and care, should be to see when and in what place
we should cast tMs anchor of hope. Cast we our anchor on raan,
the storm shall not rise so soon but it shall raake up ; cast we it
upon any creature, it can be no surer than the creature itself;

332 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
therefore, when the storm coraeth it avUI make up. Shortly, cast
we it below, under the clouds, it must make up in tirae of storm.
Then this anchor is by the nature of other anchors, it raust be cast
upward, it must pierce the heaven. It must enter AvitMn the vaU,
and enter In in sancta sanctorum. It must take hold on Chiist sit
ting at the right hand of his Father. There is no surety for our
anchor except It enter Arithin the vail. And gif we obtain access
that we enter witMn the vaU, there is no stoi-m, nor continuance
of storra, blow as it pleaseth, that AriU raake it to raake up, and
consequently make us to make sMpAvreck of our souls. Lord of
his mercy grant unto every one of us understanding, that we may
cast the anchor of our hope aright !
As to the Second thing, concerning the exercise wherein he was
exercised in during his waitmg on, he noteth, in the end of the
verse, that he was occupied m crying, and in the last Psalm he was
occupied in praying, sigMng, and sobbing, induring the tirae of his
long waiting. This was Ms exercise. And gif tMs exercise had
not continued, it had not been possible that his patience should
have continued. By this exercise he entertalneth patience, and by
patience he entertameth hope ; for as to this sighing and mourning,
it is noways contrare to the nature of hope no more nor joy Is, for
tMs mourning and sighing riseth of the long drift and absence of
the thing hoped for ; as, on the other part, the joy riseth of the
approachmg and draA\'ing near In our expectations of the thing
hoped for. So this sighing, crying, and praying, was his exercise,
and they are the only means to purchase strength to stand and
continue In hope.
As to the TMrd thing, ye hear Avhat end and Issue this long
waiting of his took, to wit, a prosperous and ane happy end.
The Lord inclined his ear to him ; and not only inclined he his ear,
but granted him his heart's desire. Upon this ground I mark one
or two things, and so I shaU go forward.
The first thing lAvould have you to learn is this ; learn of David

A SERMON UPON PSALM XL. 333
your Mnd of exercise in extremity of troubles ; learn of David the
right meaps whereby ye may entertain patience in greatest cala
mity. The means that he setteth down here is crying, sighing,
lamenting, and praying unto God. And in other parts of the
Psalm he eiketh to many other means, suppose these be the special.
Gif thou do well in these great agonies, thou shalt caU to memory
the examples of the servants of God who have past the like straits.
Gif thou do weU, thou shalt caU to meraory the testimonies of the
favour of God shcAved to thyself, gif thou hast felt any in thy Ufe
bygone : Gif thou do Avell, thou shalt call to meraory that the de
cree of the Lord's election is unchangeable ; caU to memory that
his power Is omnipotent ; call to memory the singular works of the
Lord towards his elect. Let this be thine exercise in trouble.
Gif tMs way thou be dfrected, thou mayest be assured thou shalt
obtain that Issue and end that David did. This for the first
lesson. The second tMng that I mark here is this : I see here that the
Lord, suppose he drifted and delayed the effect of his prayer, and
granteth not his desfre at the first, yet he heareth him. I shaU
give a certam argument, whereby thou may knoAV that the Lord
heareth thee, suppose he delay the effect of thy prayers. Con-
tinuest thou in prayer ? Hast thou tMs strength given thee to
persevere m suitmg anything ? Thou raay be assured he heareth ;
for tMs is ane sure argument that he heareth thee, for naturaUie
our impatience carrieth us to desperation ; our suddenness is so
great, speciaUie m spfritual troubles, that we cannot contmue In
suitmg. When thou, therefore, continuest in suiting, thou may
be sure that this strength is furnished of God, and cometh from
heaven. Gif thou have strength, he letteth thee see that he hear
eth thy prayer ; and suppose he delay the effect and force thereof,
yet pray continuaUie.
TMs doctrine is so necessary for the troubled conscience, that
I think it Is the raeetest bridle In the Scripture to refrain our im
patience ; it Is the raeetest bit to hold us in continual exercise of

334 MR ROBERT BRUCe's SERMONS.
patience ; for gif thc heart understand that the Lord hath rejected
our prayer altogether, It Is not possible to continue In prayer ; so
Avhen we knoAV that the Lord heareth us, suppose he delay, let us
crave patience to abide his good avIU.
The third thing that I mark is this ; his crying and Avecping ob-
taineth ane prosperous issue ; for by his long crying he is drawn
out of ane terrible pit ; by his long crying he is drawn out of the
raire and deep clay. There is no pit so deep, take it as thou Avilt,
that can stay the ear of the everUving God. There is no distance
of place, nor thickness of inipediraents, that can stay the voice of
ane supplicant. Be the pit never so deep, Avilt thou cry truly, thoU
shalt be heard ; and It Is as true, on the other side, whosoever
crieth and shouteth, and his pit were never so deep, he is not
droAvned. Hast thou this liberty to cry ? In' crying thou risest ;
the more thou continuest the nearer is delivery ; therefore, only he
is in ane miserable estate Avho, being throAvn doAvn In ane deep
and horrible pit, knoweth not, notwithstanding, that he is there,
nor feeleth not Ms misery. For as long as avc have thc knowledge,
and some feeling of our misery, be the jDlt as ugly as it avIU, we are
in danger, but Avhere knoAvledge and feeling is aAvay, there avc are
droAvned ; there is not one of us all, but so long as we are here but
Ave are in one pit or other. The pit of Iniquitie circleth us so long
as Ave are here ; there is no moyen to be deUvered but by feeling ;
for feeUng maketh us to cry, and by crying we arc heard. This
much for the first experience.
Upon this, in the thfrd verse, he taketh occasion to praise God
by reason of this his singular experience, quhdk gave him the matter
and arguraent of ane new song. This song is caUed ane new song,
l>y reason of the new occasion of the ncAv delivery, quhilk fraraeth
to hira the raatter of ncAv praise.
In the end of the verse, he setteth down tAvo special uses of the
praise whereunto it tendeth. The first use is. It tendeth to stir up
the kirk to foUoAV his exaraple in praising God. The second use

A SERMON UPON PSALM XL.

335

of It tendeth to the edification of every member of the kfrk in the
fear and worshipping of God. Of this verse, I gather, shortly, two
lessons, and so I shaU go forward.
The first, who is It that putteth this song of praise in our mouth,
who maketh us to sing tMs new song m our heart ? Only God
putteth the song of praise in our mouth, and maketh us to sing
this new song in our heart ; for by nature none hath knowledge to
praise hun, nor wdl praise him. The way and manner how to
praise him is by a taste and feeling of Ms sweetness. It is not
possible that the heart can praise him, except it have a taste of Ms
sweetness. AU the benefits of the Lord, whether they be spiritual
or temporal, should be as many occasions of praise ; but this sUence
is ane argument of the hardness of our heart ; for surely gif we
were touched with a feeUng of this sweetness, we would burst
forth in praise, but our slothfuMess sheweth the hardness of our
heart. And where tMs foul death continueth, there is no recon
ciliation Arith God.
The second thing that I mark is upon the end of this verse. It
is not enough to praise God thyself; it is not enough to thank Mm
in thy oAm heart ; but gif thou be ane true meraber of the Mrk,
thou must propone this benefit to the whole kfrk, for benefits are
not given as particular privUeges to particular persons, but as pub
lic testimomes of the favour of God towards the kfrk ; therefore,
every benefit should be proponed to the kirk, that the kirk may
have occasion to praise God in it. Now, upon this tMrd verse, he
bursteth forth into that notable sentence, quhilk we have in the
fourth verse, " Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust,
and regardeth not the proud." Surely that man is exceedingly
blessed who is not carried Arith the exaraple of the proud and vain
in the earth. For why ? . By nature there Is never ane of us but
we are aU proud and vain. Secondly, how forcible evU exaraple is
all men by experience know. Thirdly, we know the multitude
counteth common custom and example for a law. Therefore, of
necessitie that man must be exceedingly blessed, that in sik a
strait of evU examples putteth Ms trust in God. Surely the few

336 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
nuraber that depends on God, gif they be corapared Avith the rest
of the world, of all raen of the earth they AviU be counted most
miserable and unhappy ; and, as the Apostle saith, they were " off
scourings and sweepings of the world." For as long as they are
here beneath in the kingdom of patience, their life is hid with
CMist, and avUI not appear until the Lord appear to be uiarA'cUous
in his saints, 2 Thess. I., at the quhUk tirae their bodies shall shine
as the sun, and their souls shall be as the angels.
In hope of this estate, the poor members of the kirk repose in
this present peregrination. There are here tAvo ways set doAvn;
there is a broad and an open way, Avherein the proud and vain men
of the earth Avalk ; there is a narroAV and a strait Avay, Avherein the
simple, and they that depend on God, walk. Indeed, the broad
way is rooray, easy, and pleasant ; there Is no throng nor trouble
in It, as would appear, for a Avhile ; but the end of it is straitness,
everlastuig and terrible straitness. Upon the other side, the other
Avay Is strait in the entry, and raany impediments are In that
way, yet the end is large and pleasant, and bringeth a joyful eter
nitie. I tMnk that the sojourner that is certain of ane good lodg
ing may avcU coraport with the diffictdties of the way ; and, there
fore, seeing we are certain of our lodging, and that the way is
short, let every one cast hira to enter in it ; hoAv strait that ever It
be, the end is large. Lord of his mercy work in every one of us,
that Ave raay both know the way, and Avalk in it, tUl our lives
end !
L^dd"? "^^^ ^^** thing that I raark upon this experience, ye see two ends
ethtobeip ^y]jy ^Jig Lord dclayeth thc help of Ms ser\'ants. The first and
bis servants. -^
special end is, that he may be the more glorified the more that he
defferreth : The second end is, that these hasty raen that avUI not
abide the leisure of the Lord may see theraselves disappointed
when they see the servants of the Lord so raightUie deUvered.
For there is not ane araongst a thousand that in patience avUI wait
upon the deUverance of the Lord, but run to this raoyen or that
moyen, tlU unlaAvful raeans, and seek ever help of this present, sup
pose it be Avith the hurt of conscience. And these unlaAvfid sorts

A SERMON UPON PSALM XL. 337
of deUverles bring ever shame in the end ; and therefore It is that
the Lord delayeth his deliverance, that partly these hasty men be
ashamed, and that his glory may be the greater In the delivery of
his own.
Into the fifth verse, the Lord Is praised from the public ex
perience of the kfrk ; for the number of Ms blessings quhUk he be
stoweth, and Is to bestow, toward his kirk cannot be expressed.
There is no heart able to conceive, nor no mouth able to express,
the infimte number of his blessings. " The ear hath not heard,
(saith the Apostle,) the eye hath not seen, nor hath it entered
in the heart to conceive, the ten thousand part of the joy prepared
for the chUdren of God." For gif tMs heart of ours were able to
conceive any part of that joy, we should possess more of It here
nor we do. The Uttle spunks of that joy, and the feeling thereof,
have sik force in the children of God, that they carry thefr hearts
out of thefr bodies, as it were, and lift them up to the very hea
vens ; then how great shall the fuU joy be, I pray you, when the
whole soul shaU be possessed fuUy ? As to the greatness and ex-
ceUence of the blessings of God, it is not able that the heart of
man can conceive or the tongue express. Always, however, we are
not able to conceive thera, let every ane travel to make farther and
farther progress in this knowledge ; for the raore we profit in this
exercise, the raore thankfid raay we be to God. This much con
cerning the first part of the Psalm.
Into the Second part I shaU be short, by Gcd's grace. Into the
second part, for this Ms experience quhilk he hath found he offereth
his serrice freely to God ; he offereth himself most voluntarily, as
one who delighted in the law of the Lord, as one who hath pro
claimed his mercy and justice, and the rest of the vfrtues, in time
bygone. And he confesseth. In the sixth verse, that his obedience
floweth not of hiraself, but of the piercing of the ear of his heart.
It pleaseth the Lord to prepare and open the ears of his heart, that
he might obey hun ; for as to outward sacrifice and external wor-
shipplno', Avhen it Is disjoined from the luAvard service of the heart,

338 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
the Lord hath no liking of It. Therefore it pleased the Lord to
bore the ear of his heart, and of tMs it cometh to pass, that lie
cometh and offereth his service wiUingly, saying, " I hear thee cry
ing on rae (Lord) In thy book. In the first word of thy book,
hearken and take heed, (O David,) and hear, he saith, I am come."
Gif Ave foUoAV the literal meaning of the Avords, this is the effect
and meaning ; but gif we folloAV the raystical sense, there is here a
clear prophecy of the Messiah, for the Apostle to the Hebrews,
chap. X. 5, he bringeth m Christ Jesus, speaking these same words
of himself, quhdk David here speaketh in the 7th, Sth, and 9tli
verses. And for the better understanding of this prophecy, the
Apostle In that place setteth doAvn the circurastance of tirae Avhen
he spake these words, to wit, when he carae into the world, Avhen
he took on our nature, and Avas clad with our flesh, he spake these
words contained In the 7th, Sth, and 9th verses. As to the AA'ords,
the Apostle applleth thera otherways to Christ nor David here doth
himself; for in the words quhdk the Apostle citeth, there is a clause
changed : For where David saith, " Thou hast bored mine ear,"
the Apostle saith, " Thou hast given rae a body." There appeareth
to be a great distance here, yet, I say, the sentence reraaineth one,
howsoever the words differ. And to let you see that the sentence
Is one, this is my reason : As the boring of the ear was a sign of
obedience of the servant to the raaster, Exod. xxi., so the taMng
on of our body and of our flesh in Christ Is a perfect sign of his
obedience to his Father. And look how sure a sign of service the
boring of the ear was to the master, as sure a token Is the assura-
ing of our flesh of the obedience of Christ to his Father ; so obe
dience is signified by the one, and obedience is signified by the
other. As for Christ, he took not on this servile forra for his
own cause but for our cause, and for us was his ear bored, soul and
body sustaining that full Avratli quhilk avc should have endured
eternaUy ; and yet, notwithstanding, so unthankful are we, that
except he bore our ear after ane other sort, that is, bore our hearts
and souls as Lydia's was. Act. xvi., we wUl never thank hira nor
knoAv hira for this benefit.

A SERMON UPON PSALM XL. 339
Then the effect and sum of the prophecy may, be this : Christ
would testifie to us that he is now, by the benefit of the Father,
become our High Priest, not to offer legal sacrifices, the blood of
lambs and goats, as of before, but to oflTer his own body, quhiUi was
the verity of aU other sacrifices ; that by this sacrifice our con
science might be purged. We have the abolishing of the Old Tes
tament set down m the sixth verse, the estabUshing of the New
Testament in the seventh verse, the office of Christ in the eighth
verse. Now, as to the lessons, I mark two or tMee shortly, and so I
shall end. The first lesson riseth upon the sixth verse. He saith
in the sixth verse, it is not the wortMness of external worshipping,
it is not the wortMness of legal sacrifices, that made the prayers of
the ancients to be heard ; it was not the wortMness of their cere
monies that made thefr delivery to be purchased ; it is not the
worthiness of our merits and satisfactions that maketh our prayers
to be heard; it is only the blood of the Lamb that made David to
be heard at that time, and us to be heard now, that purchased his
deliverance then and our deUverance now. Accursed, therefore, is
that reUgion that mixeth any other merits Arith the merits of
Christ; and double accursed is the religion that derogateth any
thing to the honour of tMs merit ! This for the first lesson.
The second thing that I mark Is, the end why David's prayer is
heard, and our prayer is heard : The end Is not to abuse the good- The end
ness of God to the wantonness of the fiesh, nor to take occasion of prayers «r»
the grace of God, to provoke him the next time to anger ; but the
end is to consecrate soul and body to Ms service, and to make ane
public protestation, every one in his OAvn calUng, to be thankful to
him in all time to corae. This is the end wherefore the Lord de
livcreth us, and heareth our prayers.
I grant there is none of us but in one measure or other we abuse Two sorts
1 _ - , ^ of abusinif
the grace of God ; but there is ane abusing with ane fighting, andthe grace of
there is ane other with ane loose rein ; and whosoever abuseth the
grace of God Arith ane loose rein, he casteth himself into the hands

340 MR ROBERT HRUCE's SERMONS.
of God ; and Avho casteth hiraself oft in the hands of God, at thc
last he shaU never corae out. So, in time, let every one beware
to abuse the grace of God this Avay ; but crave ane liberty, and
ane reneAvIng of the Spirit, that that quhilk Is pleasant to him may
be also pleasant to us, and that quhilk is displeasant to him may be
displeasant to us.
The last tMng that I mark is this, whereof cometh this wUling-
ness and fi-ee offermg of ourselves to the serAice of God ? David
noteth it m ane word : It proceedeth not of external Avorshipping,
but of the boring of the ear. Except the Lord had prepared the
ear of his heart, it Avas not possible to him to have brought Arith
him a mind or a will to serve God. Then, this AvUlingness is
wrought by the Spirit of God, and not only this AvUUngness, but
the doing and execution of the avIU is wrought by the Spfrit of
God ; for by nature we are hard in heart, and more unmeet than
the brute beast to do the Lord's vriU ; and, therefore, whosoever
would be participant of the grace of the New Testaraent, let hira
look in himself hoAV far Ms wiU is reformed, for thc more we sub
mit our wUl to the wUl of God, the more we are participant of the
grace of the New Testaraent. So long as we make the wUl of man
a rule to our wiU, so long we testifie that wc have not tasted of the
grace of the New Testament : Only then we are participant of the
grace of the New Testament, when the Spirit of grace boweth our
wdl, and raaketh it to obey in some part the avUI of God, for I
mean not that our Avhole AviU can obey the wUl of God ; it Is not
possible so long as we are here that we can run one way. Gif the
affections could run one way, and bend themselves AvhoUy on God,
in ane manner we should possess life eternal in this life ; but, so long
as we are here, we are compassed with two avUIs, from the quhUk
proceed two sorts of raotions, affections and cogitations. In this
battle the regenerate raan continueth to the end. I crave not a
perfection of the avUI, or ane perfection of the heart, but I crave a
delight in the law and in the love of God ; a wUl to love, and a
pressing more and more to daunt our wiU to the love of God
Where this resisting is, is the battie ; and where a battle con-

A SERMON UPON PSALM XL. 341
tinueth, there is a true Christian, who at the last shaU get the vic
tory. Eesist thy Avicked wHl, resist the motions thereof, resist the
cogitations thereof, and sorrow for the actions thereof. Gif thou
resist the motions and cogitations thereof, thou art in a good case.
It is only the consentrag to the actions, and performance thereof,
that maketh thee guUty before God. Suppose thou hast evil cogi
tations and motions, yet gif so be thou resist them thou art not
gidlty before God ; but gif thou consent and perform the appetites
of sin, the action trill bring guUtmess, and gmltlness wIU banish
light ; and Ught being banished, God is banished. The obedience
of sm banisheth a good wdl, and placeth in the stead thereof ane
evU AriU, so the perfection of a Christian in this Ufe standeth in
resisting, to try night and day that thou consent not to the actions
of thy vricked vriU.
0, then. It is ane matter of great consequence to daunton that
great idol of evU wiU. We raay speak of it as we please, and say
that we are able to do it, but of aU the works of the earth it Is the
greatest ; for sUi Is the stubbomess of our wiU, that it wIU do no
thmg but that it Idieth itself WeU, the perfection of a CMistian
standeth in strivmg; we must either strive or we shaU not be
croAraed. Therefore, let every ane crave of God that he would
work by his Spirit m this Ufe, that he may resist the. motions and
cogitations of Ms heart, that he would enarra him against the en-
tisements thereof; that resisting here we may be crowned hence.
In the last part of the Psalm he returneth him to prayer ; and as
he had found the raerciful delivery of God in time bygone, so he
craveth that the Lord would continue In the same mercy toward
him in time to come, and take his protection against the troubles
that were to ensue, as weU as he had done against the troubles
bygone. In this part he letteth us see this lesson, quhilk, gif it were well
learned, might stand us In great stead the whole course of our life,
to wit, that the whole life of raan in this earth (as Job saith) is ane
continual tentatlon, and the end of one misery is but ane entry to
ane greater ; so that our whole exercise should be to praise God

342 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
for bygones, and to pray to God for time to come, tbat in praising
and prayer our life being contmuaUie spent, we raight keep Christ
Jesus, who both in Ufe and death Is exceeding advantage. To
Avhom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be aU honour and
praise, world without end. So be it.

A SERMON
UPON THE
SECOND CHAPTER OF SECOND TIMOTHY,
BEGINNING AT THE TWENTY-SECOND VERSE,
PREACHED THE NINTH OF NOVEMBER, 1589,
AT THE QUHILK TIME THE EABL OF BOTHWELL MADE HIS
PUBLIC REPENTANCE IN THE KIRK OF EDINBURGH.

[In the time of the King's absence, (in Denmark,) BothweU offered
to Mr Robert Bruce, and Mr Robert RoUock, to make his public re
pentance. So upon the Sabbath-day, the 9th of November, he hum
bled himself on his knees in the East Kirk before-noon, and in the Great
Kirk afternoon he confessed with tears his dissolute and licentious life,
and promised to prove another man in time to come. But soon after
he brake forth in gross enormities. J — {Calderwood's History, p. 245.)

A SEEMON

UPON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF SECOND TIMOTHY.

22. Flee also from the lusts of youth, and follow after righteousness,
faith, love, and peace, with them that call on the Lord with pure
heart. 23. And put away foolish and unlearned questions, knowing that
they ingender strife.
24. But the servant of the Lord must not strive, but must be gentle
toward all men, apt to teach, suffering the evill men patiently.
25. Lnstructing them with meekness that are contrary-minded ;
proving, if God at any time will give them repentance, that they may
know the truth.
26. And that they may come to amendment out of the snare of the
devil, which are taken of him at his will.

In these two letters that the Apostle dfrecteth unto his disciple
Timothy, he taketh a very great care to inform Timothy that he
may behave Mmself accordingly in aU his proceedings ; that he
might behave himself as weU in Ms OAvn person as in his office
towards others beside.
In Ms ovm person, in respect he was a yourig raan, young in

346 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
years, suppose no other way young, neither young In knowledge
nor yet In manners, but somewhat young in years ; in respect of
Ms youth, and of the imperfections that accompany youth ; in re
spect of the continual folly whereunto youth is drawn, he biddeth
him first remember that he take heed to his youth, that he be not
carried with those vices, with those affections and lusts, that use
violently to carry youth. As towards others, he wiUeth hira to
have ane discretion and foresight of thefr estate, to discern the
persons with whom he hath to do ; and, first of all, that he consider
whether these persons be friends or adversaries, whether they be
of one faraUy with himself in the famUy of faith, or otherwise
strangers as yet and adversaries to this faith. Gif they be friends,
and of the family of faith, as he is, he wiUeth him to keep charity,
to keep peace In Christ Jesus, and unity with thera ; that as he
keepeth his faith to God, so he raay keep unity in love and peace
with thera.
Gif, again, those men be not of the family of faith, but adver
saries to this faith, they are either obstinate Avith knowledge, or
else ignorant and obstmate Arith ignorance : Obstinate with know
ledge, sik as are heretics ; apostates, that havc knoAvledge and have
lost it. In case these men be heretics, he teacheth, in the Epistle
to Titus, hoAV he should behave himself toward them ; gif they be
apostates, he teacheth. In the person of Hyraenteus and Philetus,
hoAV he should behave himself toward them, to wit, he should first
travel to vrin them gif it be possible ; and gif thy travel succeedeth
not, that thou get no gains at their hands this way, then he AviUeth
Timothy, and the pastors In Timothy, to go ane other way to work,
to proclaim their names ; yea, at the last, to give their flesh (as we
speak) to the devil, that their soul may be safe, gif it be possible,
In the day of the Lord. To proclaim their names, and make their
names manifest to the people, that the people may be aAvare of sik
persons, and fear to faU into sik offences.
Gif the persons, again, be ignorant, they are either ignorant with
siraplicitie, or Ignorant with ane AvUful stubbornness. In both those
cases he inforraeth his disciple. Gif they be Ignorant Avith simplicltie.

A SERMON UPON 2 TIM. II. 347
he recommendeth unto the teacher three virtues, meekness, gentle
ness, and patience. Patience not of their evil, nor of thefr vices,
but patience toward thefr persons, suffermg them to come and
hear. And suppose thou suffer hira to corae and hear, yet he wUl-
eth thee not to suffer his vices ; he wiUeth thee not to conceal his
rices, nor yet to flatter his vices. But this is Ms meanmg ; reprove
his vices, advertise Mm of his faults; and in thine admonition do
the thmg that Ueth m thee, that he who is admonished may per
ceive that the admonition floweth frora love, and that we seek no
thing less nor his sharae and skaith, and notMng raore nor Ms weal
and honour. This ought to be the behaviour of those who have to
do with simple ignorants ; for gif so were that any raan would bear
Arith vices or iniquities that he knoweth to be In any person, it
were the ready way not only to tyne the person vrith whora he
beareth, but to tyne hiraself also in concealing that part of his
office and duty quhilk is enjoined to him. And, therefore, it is not
sik a patience that is craved in the pastor or minister, that he
suffer his vices, or conceal the person's vices, but only this kind of
moderate, meek, and good behaviour is craved unto Mra, that in
his reproof he may let the person see, so far as in Mm lieth, that
he craveth notMng less than Ms sharae, and nothing more nor his
amendment. In case, again, the person be ignorant and wUful with ignorance,
as there is many that are obstinate m ignorance, in sik sort that
the person of the pastor is fashed and wearied with continual ad-
momtion and reproof, and cometh no speed at his hands, in sik
sort that at the last the pastor himself, through the long travel that
he hath taken, conceiveth a despair of the recovery of that person ;
the Apostle, m this case, admonlsheth the pastor not to faint, not
to conceive of Ms long travels a despair, but suppose he remain
stubborn yet to bide upon him, pronounce the threatenings and
promises of God indifferently, to tarry upon him at list and leasure.
Why ? Because the gUt of repentance, quhilk turneth the heart of
the man, is not in his own hand, nor is it in the hands of the
pastor to give it ; but the gift of repentance, quhilk turneth the

348 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
heart of the man, is in the hands of God ; and God wIU bestow this
gift at sik times as he pleaseth, and not at that tirae when the pas
tor pleaseth. Siklike, the gift of repentance, it is not visibly
wrought ; it is not a corporal gift, that it may be perceived by the
pastor at the first hand, when it is given and wrought in the heart
of man ; but it is a spfritual gift, and invisibly Avrought in the soul
of man. And oft-times it is Avrought, then, when the pastor least
weeneth, and that in the mighty and gracious proAidence of our
God. Therefore, seeing it faUeth forth so oft-times, that the Lord
will bestow this gift when the pastor least Aveeneth, he wiUeth the
pastor, suppose the man be stubborn, not to despair ; and when the
Lord shall give hira the gift of repentance, there is no question
many comraodities shaU accompany this gift, quhilk commodities
are set doAvn in the end of this chapter.
By this gift. First, he shaU be delivered from the snare of the
devil, into the quhilk he was holden captive to do him service.
By this gift. Secondly, he shall corae to knowledge ; not only to
the knowledge of God In Christ, but of hiraself and his own raisery.
Thirdly, by this gift of repentance, Avhere his soul was sick and
diseased before, his conscience terrified and exceedingly astonished,
that soul, by the enjoying of this gift, shall be restored to health,
he shall come to amendment, and to ane wholesome disposition of
heart, mind, and conscience. This I take to be the sum of aU that
I have read.
The matter is large, and the heads are many, that might be
handled upon this text ; but I purpose not to Insist on every head,
but to content me oMy Arith sik points as are most necessary for
our edification and instruction. Therefore, I select of the whole
two pomts to speak of, by the grace of God at this time, as his
Spirit shaU assist me for the present.
The heads Thc two poluts that I am to speak of are these : —
ed i'thu* " The First pomt, the first verse that I have read, the first part of
it, giveth raanifest occasion to it, to wit. What is the first and chief
thing wherefrora young raerf should flee ?

A SERMON UPON 2 TIM. II. 349
The Second point, the penult verse of this text, giveth occasion
to It, and the end of that verse, and it is this : What is the chief
and principal thing that young men should foUow and pursue ?
The cMef and prmclpal thmg young men should flee, every
youth of the world, is the lusts and aflfections of the mind where
unto youth is incUned. He should " flee from the lusts of his AHiat is th»
youth," not so much from the lusts of any other man's youth, or that young
ane other person's youth, as from the lusts that are in himself, and flee.
the lusts that Ms young years bring with them. And as he should
flee from the lusts of his OAvn youth, so the cMef tMng that he
should foUow, seek, and pursue, is the gift of repentance, amend
ment of Ufe, conversion unto God, taking up of ane new course, a
gift quhUk is as far out of Ms hands and from him by nature, as the
lusts of Ms youth are near Mm by nature ; and, therefore, he should
be the much more diUgent and earnest in suiting of this gift the
nearer he knoweth these lusts to be to him, and the farther he
knoweth tMs gift to be from him by nature. Of these two points,
as the Lord shaU assist me by Ms Holy Spirit, I think to speak at
this time.
And, Ffrst, concemmg the lusts of youth, I understand by them what is
whatsoever motions, waging flames, or vicious affections, or what-thriusts
soever evU mcUnations, a young man is addicted to; from aU these °'^^°""''
lusts and enticements youth ought to flee, as there is no vice under
the sun unto the quhilk youth is not subject. For our corruption,
so long as we Uve in this world, is never idle ; but in what age that
ever we be, our corruption is perpetuaUy fertile, bringing forth
evd thoughts, evU motions, evil actions out of ug ; but chiefly our
corruption is fertUe in our youth ; m the time of our youth, cMef-
ly, and most of aU, is our corruption fertUe and abundant, for then
the blood of man bumeth, that the affections are in a rage, and he
hath not power of himself to control them, but he is carried hither
and thither as his OAvn appetites comraand Mm, in sik sort that It
may be counted a rafracle, a special work and blessmg of the Al
mighty God, to see a youth pass over his young years without a

350 JIR ROBERT bruce's SERMONS.
notable inconvenient either to body or soul, or to both, without a
notable menze, as we speak : For there is no youth, there is none
that took flesh, that AA'as gotten of raan, but in his youth he is
subject tiU ane vice or other, and there is few but they are subject
to raany ; but there is no youth that ever proceeded of the womb
of a woman but in his youth, before his calUng, he is subject to one
vice or other ; the affection of the quhUk vice, whatever it be,
Avhereto he is subject and is in servitude, cominandcth hira as or
dinarly, craveth obedience of hira as ordinarly, as any raaster of
his servant ; and thc heart of that man, the mind of that raan, the
body of that raan, are as ready to yield obedience to that vice and
affection as any servant or slave In the earth Is ready to yield obe
dience to Ms raaster.
As, for example, gif any man be Inclined to aspiring, and addicted
in his heart to promotion, and he Avould be a worldly honour, in
sik sort that that vice comraandeth him, in this pomt ambition
hath as ordinary a command of hira, as raighty and potent a com
raand to enjoin to him, as any master hath over his servant. Sic
like, gif a man's heart be set upon the gear of this Avorld, upon the
paltry that is in it, greediness commandeth that man as ordinarily,
and raore constantly, nor any master is able to command his ser
vant. Gif a man be addicted to pleasure his flesh, and to defUe his
body, that lust commandeth that man as ordinardy, and raore con
tinuaUy, nor any master can do his servant. And. so fareth it in
all the rest of the vices. Look to what vice thou hast addicted
thee In service, the affection of that vice ordinardy comraandeth
thee. The ground of this floweth from the heart of man, and from the
nature of man, quhiUi is corrupted in the first Adam ; for sik is the
condition and estate of the heart of man, so long as we remain In
our natural estate, that the heart of every man and of every woman
that ever was gotten and born, carrieth about in it the seed of aU
kind of vice and irapiety. That vice is not so monstrous, nor that
Avickedness Is not so ugly, that our ears or any of om- senses abhor
to hear or see raost, but the seed of that same vice lurketh and lieth

A SERMON UPON 2 TIM. II. 351
natm-ally in the heart. It is true, mdeed, that aU these seeds they
bud not, that aU these seeds spring not, that raen burst not forth
in aU high Impieties m their external and outward actions, but
there cometh in a restraint in the soul, whereby we are restrained
fi-om these same actions whereunto sorae raen burst forth, and
shew what they are to the world.
This restraint, whereby I abstain and thou faUest in, I keep dose thereof ^^^^
and thon bursteth forth, cometh no more of ray nature nor of thine restraint of
' ^ sin.
that doth the turn, but of the grace and providence of the mighty
God. For gif God had no means to restrain the irapiety that is
In the heart of man, but every man, as Ms heart carried him, burst
ed forth In every impiety, how would It be possible that a society
could be keeped ; how would it be possible that a kirk could be
gathered ; how would it be possible that any man could have com
pany or any conversation among men ? Therefore, the Lord, that
ane society might be keeped, that out of this society a kirk might
be gathered, he restraineth the irapiety, the seeds of impiety, that
lieth lurking and hid In the heart of every man.
The ways whereby he restraineth impiety, and holdeth the seeds 'wiy the
n . . i- .1 ^ Lord re-
of impiety choked, that they burst not out, are two : He restrain- straineth im-
eth the impiety that lurketh in the heart, either by discipline, by
severe punishment, and good execution of laws, or he restraineth
this lurking of the heart by the work of Ms own Spfrit. The re
straint that cometh by discipline and execution of laws, it taketh
not away the tyranny of sin ; it taketh not away the absolute com
mand and sovereignty quhilk sin hath ; it holdeth wicked raen in
awe ; It maketh them to keep ane external society, and holdeth
them In some honesty and civU conversation ; but It taketh not
away the sovereignty and empire of the affections.
The restraint, again, quhilk is made by the Spirit of God, by
the Spirit of Christ Jesus, quhilk we caU the Spirit of sanctifica
tion, the restraint that is made by this Spirit taketh away the
sovereignty and tyranny quhdk mine affections had before it came.
It taketh aAvay the dominion and kingdom quhilk raine affections

352 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
had before it came, m sik sort that where the worldling is re
strained from the outward Impiety agamst Ms AvUl, I, by the power
of the Spfrit of CMist Jesus, abstain wUUngly. But take heed, I
pray you, the incoming of the Spfrit of God to mine heart and
mind, suppose it take away the full empfre and sovereignty quhilk
mine affections had in my soul before it came, yet it taketh not
away the lodging and dwelUng of sin in my soul. But suppose
mine affections and sin dwell not as a king, dwell not as a prince,
as ane absolute commander, to command the powers of the soul,
the members of the body, to put his wUl in execution, as he had
wont to do of before ; suppose he dweU not as a king, yet he lodg
eth m the soul as a companion, he dweUeth as a compamon to the
Spfrit of God in me, to that part of my soul quhdk the Spfrit of
God hath reforraed in me, in sik sort that sin dweUeth In me, and
he hath his OAvn will, his own AvIt, his own counsel out of my mind
quhdk he foUoweth. As, upon the other side, the reformed part
of me hath his OAvn avUI, his own counsel, his own Avisdom and
understanding In me, quhUk he foUoweth, so that all the rest of the
days of my Ufe there is a continual battle betwixt these two avUIs ;
the wiU of sin and flesh dweUrag in my soul, and the wiU of the
Spirit of God, and of the reformed part of my soul ; sin persuading
me to do evU, the Spfrit of God persuading me to do heavenly
things ; this part suggesting holy thoughts and motions, the other
part suggesting AvIcked thoughts and motions : And this is the
estate of every man In tMs earth that hath entered In society Arith
the Spirit of God.
So take up this raatter, that the long discourse of it carry us not
from our purpose : There is no youth, yea, let be youth, there is
no age nor part of man's life but it carrieth the own affections, the
own vices and imperfections Arith it, unto the quhUk affections and
vices every ane of us are either slaves and servants, or then ene
mies; servants, without contradiction, to sin, or then eneraies to
it, Arithout battle. AU the powers of the soul and members of tlie
body In that man where Christ hath not begun to work, consent
and agree tUl the evil tum run in ane rage to the performance of

A SERMON UPON 2 TIM. II. 353
the AriU of the flesh ; for thou art either ane ordinare slave and
servant to sin, or else thou art a contradictor to sm ; and this con
tradiction sheweth the battle that ye have Arithin yourselves.
It is true, that, to the natural man, reason, and the Ught that is
left In nature, maketh some opposition, but not long ; for she is un
armed, destitute of power, and, therefore, the power of darkness
that is in the affection blindeth the eye of reason incontinent. To
fly from thyself, and to fly from thy aflfectlons, it is not possible to
thee, except that grace come doAra out of the heaven, except the
Spirit of Christ give thee eyes to see and perceive that these same
lusts of thme, these same affections of thine, quMlkthou thought, in
the folUe of thy youth, to be no sm, except that He give thee eyes
to see that they are sm, thou vrilt never condemn them. For this
• is the custom of the natural man, gif he burst not forth in the out
ward deeds quhUk are so plainUe damned in the law of God, his in
ward lusts appear to Mm to be no sins ; and it is only by the light
of the Spfrit of Christ, by the knowledge wrought by the Spfrit of
Clirist, that he begmneth to see clearly that aU Ms- affections and
his lusts are damned m the sight of God, and are sins. And tMs
sight, first, it maketh us flee from them, for we would never twm
with our lusts and affections, if the Spirit of God let us not see
the ugliness of them ; and beside this ugUness, it maketh us feel in
our hearts, and taste of the bitterness of them, where the devU
and our corraption made us to think that they were sweet of
before. When the Spirit begmneth to rip up our hearts, and
to discover the secrets of our hearts and bUndness of our minds, it
maketh us to feel the ugUness and bitterness that is in them : And
this is the first thing that ever maketh man to repent, and giveth
him a conscience of sin, and maketh Mm to have a greedy desire
to fly from Mmself and the lusts of Ms youth.
Gif thou fly not in time, and take not on tMs flight in due sea
son, Airhen thou art caUed to fly, as now thou art called to fly by the
word of God, quhilk giveth thee a clear light, and ane eye to see
wherefrom thou shouldst fly ; gif thou leam not now to fly, no ques-

354 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
tion thou and thine affection shall both perish. These same affec
tions wherein thy soul, through long custom, so delighted, shaU
putrify thy soul, and shaU corrupt thy soul more and more, shall
bring thy body, the tabernacle Avherein thy soul lodgeth, to great
er and greater decay, Avaste thy conscience, subvert thy faith, and
spoU thee of thy Avhite garments, whereby only access is granted
to thee to the throne of grace ; and, in the end, shaU bring ever
lasting destruction on soul and body both. Except, therefore, thou
learn to fly, there is no outgate from death everlasting, both in
body and soul ; therefore, this flight is necessary.
And now It is time that every one of you crave the Spirit of God
that ye may flee ; for, gif ye knew these terrors of conscience, the
fire of God's wrath, and the fear of heU and daranation, whereunto
the heart of every raan is subject, for aU the kingdoraes of the
earth ye would not take in hand to offend so mighty and so gra
cious a God. But sik is the deceit and false pleasure of sin, and sik
is the canker and venom quhilk the devil hath spued into our hearts,
that it shutteth our eyes, letteth us not see the ugliness of sin, nor
taste of the bitterness of it. Therefore, every one of you, in the
fear of God, exaraine your affections, exaralne your rainds, and see
whereto ye are addicted; suspect ever your affections, whatever
enticeraent they have to cloak thyself Avith ; suspect ever the mo
tion of them, for the devil is in thera ; for, when they appear to be
raost quiet, yea, whoUy rooted out and extinguished, the stumps of
them stick in the soul, and ane very slight object or short idleset
AvUl enkindle them : So, they would ever be handled as tod's birds ;
for they are aye the worse of over great Ubertie. And as this should
be done in every raan, especiaUie it should be done in pubUc men ;
men who are placed in pubUc offices, and raust discharge them In
some measure to the glory of God, to the contentment of his Kfrk,
and weal of Ms people. As we ought to do this, so, chiefly they
ought ever to suspect their affections, lest, giving place to thefr
affections, they make them to pervert justice ; for what is it that per-
verteth justice but affection ? So these affections in pubUc persons
would be chiefly eschewed.

A SERMON UPON 2 TIM. II. 355
Then ye see the exhortation riseth clearly to you, (my Lord,)ji°„t^t,jg
who is now placed to bear a piece of charge and governraent in the ^°[j
absence of our Prince, that ye (my Lord) cast away your aflfectlons,
bury them under your feet, and let justice strike indifferently where
it should strike; let no comraunity of name, ally, proximity of
blood, or whatever it be, move you to pervert justice, but let every
man be answered accordmg to the merit of Ms cause. Except these
affections that accompany great men be removed, no question, ye
must pervert that place. Let not the thief pass because he is your
servant, nor the murderer because he is your kinsman, nor the
oppressor because he is your depender : Therefore, in time lay
them aside, and let the execution declare that no man is spared for
feed nor favor. Thus far for the first pomt.
The next point that we have to speak of is, that the thmg that
the youth should cMefly seek after, straitly pursue, and follow, the
Apostle here setteth doAni, to vrit, they ought to seek after the'''^'^''**"^'
^ / ^ ./ o young men
gift of repentance. Seemg it is the Spirit that raust mortify the should cwef-
. . . ly seek after.
lusts and affections of the youth, they should seek the spirit of re
pentance. This gift of repentance here is caUed the gift of God ; and that
every one of you may understand the better what this repentance
meaneth, for, suppose tMs doctrine sound in your ears daUy, yet it
sotmdeth not in your hearts, there is few that in their hearts have
a feeling what the spirit of repentance meaneth ; to bring you, ^eads to be
therefore, to the better feelmg, and to the better knowledge of it, repentance.
we shaU keep tMs order in deducmg of it.
Ffrst, We shaU mark the word itself. Secondly, We shaU ex- '• ^^
amine the parts of it. Thirdly, We shaU let you see who is the ^•
worker, and who is the efl&cient cause that worketh it. FourtMy, *•
By what Instrument it is wrought. FiftMy, Who is the author and ^¦
the giver of it. And, last of aU, How many sorts of true repentance ^•
there Is.
As to the word itself, gif ye vriU take heed to the force of it, and
take heed to the signification of it, it hath this force, taken gene-

356

MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.

raUy, to signifie a sadness for the thmg done, a dolour for the thuig
done, so that it would fain have It undone again. I caU it a sadness
for the thing done, whether it be good or evil, or hoAvever it be, it
would have it undone againe ; taking the wprd generally. It signi
fieth this dolour.
Two sorts The Apostie, 2 Cor. vU., setteth doAvn two sorts of dolour, two
ance. sorts of sorrow or dolour, raised in the heart of man : He caUeth the
first sort a woridly dolour or sadness ; he caUeth it (no doubt) a
woridly dolour and sadness, because it is conceived for a Avoridly
respect, because it is conceived for a worldly and a flesMy end, Avhen
a man beginneth to be sorrowfiil for the tMng that is done, not so
much for God's cause, or for any reverence he beareth to the infi
nite majesty of God, whom he hath offended, as for the present
pain that is upon his carcase, for the present anxiety that is In his
conscience, or for any worldly or fleshly respect. In this case,
Avhere God Is always neglected, where the sorrow is not for God's
cause, that is a Avorldly and ane eartMy sorroAv. And this kind of
sorroAV, I can call It no other thing but a blind terror, vexation, and
anxiety of conscience.
In what re- I caU It bUud, In these respects, first, by reason they see no out-
spects the /. i .
worldly Eor-gate; for then- estate, no doubt, were the raore tolerable gif they
row is called i p i i • i i
BUnd terror, saw any bope of outgate, that they raight have some rest and ease
in their conscience : But they are always blind, and all sight of
outgate is taken from sik a conscience. It is blind also, in respect
they wit not frora whom It cometh, who it is that striketh them
Avith this, that they may corae unto him by amendment. They see
not that it cometh frora God ; and as they are ignorant of this,
they are ignorant of the cause that procured it. They are ignorant
that thefr own sin and vrickedness Is the cause that procured it ; so
the ignorance of these three raaketh it to be a bUnd torraent, and
this Mnd of torment quhdk I caU a bUnd torment, either it Is in
tended M ane high degree, or then it is reraitted that they raay
suffer it.
When it is intended into ane high degree, desperation is the end
of it ; and it raaketh them, as Judas did, to put hands in them-

A SERMON UPON 2 TIM. II. 357
selves. Sometimes, agam, it is not so intended, but It is remitted
that they may bear it, and then piece and piece it vanisheth ; and so
soon as it departeth, so soon departeth thefr sorrow and their tears ;
and at the departure of their pain, as their tears depart, so return
they to the puddle out of the quhilk they came, as the sow doth ;
and to the same vomit quhUk they spewed out, as the dog doth ;
so this dolour and torraent, it turneth not the heart, it changeth not
the heart. It altereth not the soul, hut moveth the soul for the pre
sent, and that by reason of the pain ; and gif the pain were away,
they would return to the same sins wherein they offended of before
as greedUy as ever they did ; so that they raourn not for the sm but
for the presence of the pain.
The example of this we have in Esau : He cried bitterly for a
whUe, so long as he felt any dolour ; but frora the time the dolour
was removed he went back to his old sins again. And what did
he ? He cast Mm to anger his father worse than ever he did, and
specially in choosing of his Arife ; quhUk testifieth that his dolour
was but for a worldly respect. So, I say, this Avorldly dolour is
either conceived for the present pain and torment that is upon the
conscience, as we have an example in Cain ; for in his repentance,
wherefore sorrowed he ? Not that he had offended God, not that
he had displeased so gracious a Father, but for the greatness of his
pain, and cryeth out, "My pain is greater than I can suffer." Mine Ini
quity, by the quhilk I understand Ms pain, either my pain must be made
less, or I am not able to bear it. So, I say, this kind of sorrow is
either conceived for the present pain, or for a worldly and civil respect.
Besides this sorrow, therefore, there is a godly sorrow, quhilkthe"^!"""' ">•
Apostle also setteth doAvn in that same seventh chapter. And right sorrow.
this godly sorrow is an earnest sorrow, a true sorrow, not feign
ed or counterffeit. And as it is true and earnest, so it is conceived,
not so much for the present pain or torment that is upon the mind
and conscience, as no doubt the pain and torment that is upon thefr
soul moveth them to, but it is not so much conceived for any pre
sent pain as for God's OAvn cause, that they have oflfended so gra-

358 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
clous a God, Avho was so loving, so merciful, and had such pity and
compassion upon the multitude of their sins ; and, therefore, they
set aside aU creatures, forget creatures, supposc against thera also
they have offended ; and they run to God only, seek mercy for
their sins at him only, and put their trust in him only. So, ye see,
David, Psalm II., as gif he had offended none in the world but God
only, he turneth to the raajesty of the living God, and he saith,
" Against thee, against thee only, haA^e I sinned, and done ca-U in
thy sight." Noav, there is no doubt but he had offended against
the man m lioin he slew, against the Avife of the man whom he had
defiled ; yet, as gif he had offended no creature, he addresseth him
to God, and craA^eth jiardon and raercy for his sins at hira only.
So, this is the truc repentance, Avhere men and women, suppose
they have offended tlie creatures, yet they run to God only and
seek renussion. And, indeed, this is the right Avay ; for Avhy ? It
is only God that raay forgive them their sins, suppose they have
offended men and Avomen. There is no man nor woman that is
able to purge thefr conscience, to take aAvay the guiltiness of sin
off their conscience ; it is only God Avho, by virtue of the blood
of his Son, doth purge the conscience ; therefore, they address them
to God only. Properly, also, it is hira Avhora they have offended,
for as to raen and AA-omen they raay escape their eyes, but it is not
possible that they can escape the all-seeing eye of God, Avho seeth
the sins of the heart as Avell as the sins of the body ; therefore, in
respect of his aU-seeing eye, it becoraeth them specially to have
recourse to him, and to address them to him only. This is called
the godly sorroAv.
, f nto ¦'¦'^^° ^^*® ^^^^ y® have only this to be aware of; for the devd is
he observed gygr ready at thine hand, and this provision is not necessary
in this part . •'
of repent- only for aiic hard heart; but gif raen and women, through the
weightlness of their sms, conceive over-deep a sorrow in their
hearts, in this case they wotdd be helped. For, I say, at that time
the devil is present, and so soon as he perceiveth thee thrown down
with the consideration of thine OAvn sins, that thou art, as it Avere,
presently In the pit of hell, then he is busy to make thee to doubt,

A SERMON UPON 2 TIM. II. 359
to make thee to despair, and to make thee to think that thy sins
are so many, so ugly, and so great, that the Lord wiU never forgive
them, and casteth in this or that stay before thee, to terrify thee
that thou come not to seek grace at the throne of grace : There
fore, men shotdd in this point take heed to theraselves ; they should
remit their cogitation, and hold it not aye fixed upon the considera
tion of the ugliness of their sins and weightlness of their iniquities •
but thou ought to remit their cogitation sometime, to take thee to
the consideration of the mercy of God, to hease it to the considera
tion of the great goodness of God, to the infinite store of mercy
quhdk he hath promised to penitent sinners in Christ Jesus. So,
when thou art so casten down, and the devU would draw thee to
desperation, withdraw rather thme heart to the consideration of the
riches of the mercy of God ; and Avhatever thou think of thyself,
(and the more abject, so thou end in humility, and not m desperation,
it is the better ;) think nothing of God but more than exceUent, and
of his mercy as a thing that passeth aU his works, an infinite thing
that cannot be compassed.
For of aU sins that can be coramitted, I esteem this the greatest, what is the
when a man in Ms heart avIU match the gravity of his iniquity with man may" "
the infinite weight of the mercy of God ; when the devd, by his "'°™™'*'
suggestion, maketh thee to believe that thy sins are greater than the
mercy of God, and his mercy, suppose it be infinite, less than thy
sins.' Of aU sins I think this the greatest ; for in this thou spoilest
God of his majesty, of his infinite power; thou makest him not a
God ; for gif he were not infinite in aU things, he were not a God.
So, I say, in true dolour, to prcA^ent this thing, men must not stick
perpetuaUy upon the consideration of their sins, but sometimes it is
necessary that they withdraw their cogitation. This sorrow, where
it is, it appeareth in the effects ; for gif the effects of it appear not
in thy Ufe, thy repentance is not true.
Where this godly dolour is, first, it bringeth forth in that person The effects
a hatred of that quhdk God hateth ; it raaketh that person to agree dolour.^"
vrith God, in that he hateth the thing quhilk God hateth, and lov-

360 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
eth the thing quhdk he loveth. It worketh, then. First, a
hatred of sin, quhdk God hateth. This hatred of sin bringeth forth
ane turning from sin ; for I could never turn from it gif I hated it
not : This turning frora the sin bringeth forth a fiight, that is, a
further turning and continuance In departing : This flight from the
sin bringeth forth a care and study how to please God ; and this
study bringeth a more earnest care how to hold fast that grip of
him quhilk thou hast gotten, and to retain his fitvour quhUk thou
hast felt. All these effects flow of the right sorrow and dolour.
part^of re- "^^^^ P^'^*' °^ rcpcntancc is called mortification, or (as the ancients
pentanceis (>,^]j j^A contrition. It Is Called mortification, because by the power
called raorti- ' f j r
flcation. of the Spirit, quhilk worketh this dolour, sin Is mortified. It stay
eth the lusts and affections that are In me, it taketh aAvay the
strength and poAver of sin within me ; in respect of the quhilk
slaughter it is called mortification : For Christ not only overcame
sin, death, and hell, by the virtue of his death, perfectly in his own
person, but he spoileth sin of his power, he spoiled death of his
power, and he carried sik a rich and honourable triumph over them,
that sin hath tint his poAver, and death hath lost his sting ; so that
whosoever can get a grip of Chiist and his power, by the virtue
thereof sin shall die in him, and his affections shall be dayly piece
and piece slain. In respect of the quhdk effects, this part of re
pentance is called mortification.
Of this godly sorroAv springeth the other part of repentance,
Avhereby we turn our hearts, and apply the raercy of God to our
selves ; and this part Is caUcd by the Prophets conversion. By
the Apostle himself, Rom. ii., " circumcision of the heart." And
Christ, speaking of repentance, he speaketh of it under the name
of "conversion," as the chief part of repentance, speaking to the
men of GaUlee, Luke xiii., " Except also ye repent, ye shall aU
perish also," that is, except ye turn also. This conversion, where
by our hearts are turned unto God, floweth from this godly dolour ;
but take heed this turning is not the first effect. It is not wrought
in ane instant of time. It is not possible that the conscience that
is only terrified A\'ith the sight of the own sins can tum unto God.

A SERMON UPON 2 TIM. II. 361
It Is a great matter to the heart that feeleth the Avrath of God In
so great a measure, to Avrestle against desperation, let be to turn
unto him. It Is a great matter to the soul that Is under the fear
of heU and everlastmg death, to tum unto him ; but so long as I
find him a fire burning me up as stubble, no question, I raust fly
from him. So long as the present torraent reraaineth in ray
heart, it is not possible that I can turn to Mra.
Therefore, there goeth before this turning a feeling of raercy, a
feeUng of Ms peace, a feeUng of his sweetness, Avhereby I find his
wrath pacified, I find his fury pacified. And were it not for this taste,
I would never turn unto him ; but frora the tirae that ray heart got a
taste of his mercy, a taste of that peace that passeth aU understand
ing, whereby I find his Avrath to be pacified, the terrors of my con
science to be quieted, and the fire of his wrath to be slackened ;
then I begin to turn unto him, to beUeve in him, and to apply the
promise of mercy in particular to myself, quhdk I durst in noways
do so long as I felt notMng but the fire of Ms wrath upon my con
science. Upon this feeUng, I say, riseth the application, and upon
the appUcation riseth the turmng to him. So, this feeling of
wrath, m order, suppose not in tirae, goeth before the turnmg unto
God. Theturnmg bringeth forth a joy, and a gladness of mercy that
he hath gotten, and this joy bringeth forth a love towards him.
As the other part bringeth forth a hatred of sin, so this part
bringeth forth a love towards God. TMs love, again, bringeth forth
a care and study to please Mra ; and tMs care and study bringeth
forth an appetite of revenge and indignation against thy corrup
tion, so that thou would be revenged upon thy corruption, quhdk
made thee to sm and offend against Mm.
And this part of repentance, in respect of the great and manifold '^^^ t*"''
effects of it, is caUed Advification : As the other part is called mor- pentance is
' ^ ^ called vivifi-
fification, so is this <;alled viArification, in respect the Spirit of God cation.
aaaaketh a new creation in us, raaketh us up as new creatures of old,
«adueth our hearts Arith new aflfectlons, our souls with new quali
ties, and bringeth forth in us livmg motions, actions, and cogitar-
tions, quhUk are caUed Uving, because, as they proceed from a Uving

362 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
Spirit, so they carry us to life everlasting. They are caUed also
Uving, In respect of those dead actions quhilk avc brought forth of
before, quhilk Avere called dead, not only in respect that they floAved
from the flesh, that is, from corruption, but because they carried us
to the death both of body and soul. In this respect, I call this part
vi\ ification ; others caU it confession, and it getteth this name in
respect the thing that is quickened cannot but burst forth in the
praise of God, and glorify him Avith a confession ; he cannot con
ceal the kindness of God done to hira, but he Avill confess it before
the world, and proclaim the riches of the mercy of God, that they
may glorify a common God Avitli him.
There is no- Aiid tlils confcssIon, It Is tlic thing in earth qiiliUk the devil
thriewr casteth him most diligently to stay ; for, as there is nothing m the
tharour"ont ^arth Avlicrcby God is glorified more than by a sincere confession, so
fession. there Is nothing in the eartli that the devil travaileth more to stay
than this confession, In respect he seeth God so far glorified by It.
The Lord craveth not thc death of a sinner, he seeketh not the
slaughter of bis creature, hc seeketh but the repairing of his own
glory, and this he counteth to be done by a sincere confession of
thy sin. Therefore It is, I say, that the devil casteth him to stay
this confession ; and to hold them from this confession he casteth
in the shame of the world, the estimation before raen, this incon
venient, that inconvenient ; for this ye raay perceive of his craft,
that AA'here sharae Is, and shame shotdd be indeed when the deed
is in doing, there he maketh us bold and pert. But where no shame
is, and no shame can follow of it, Avhere God should bc glorified
by a confession, his kirk edified, and men raoved through thefr
example to do the like, there he casteth in shame, and maketh thera
believe it is the raost shamefid turn that ever they did ; and aU that,
that the soul should not be saved, but holden drowned In his snare
for ever and ever. Therefore, men would be advertised of this,
that they ashame not to glorify God with an open confession. As
they are not ashamed to sin publicly, so they should not be
asharaed to confess it as pubUcly, that God may be glorified.
Eemember of this.

A SERMON UPON 2 TIM. II. 363
This Is not spoken for this nobleraan's cause only : It is spoken
for every one of you that are In Inferior ranks, that every one of
you may confess your own sins ; and seeing this is the craft of the
devd, by the holding you back that ye may lose your soul, be ye
as careful to win your soul by confessing yom- sins to the world.
The confession of David, Psal. 11., serveth it to his shame, or to his
honour ? No, of aU the deeds that ever he did it is counted, and
shaU be counted in aU ages, the most notable and honourable deed ;
so, let not the devil deceive men In this point.
As to tMs kind of repentance quhdk proceedeth of desperation,
it Is nothmg worth : It turneth not the heart nor the mind ; but
this repentance qtihUk turneth the hearts of men proceedeth of the
Spfrit of Christ ; so, it is the Spirit of Christ that is the worker of
this true dolour and conversion.
As to the instruments quhdk he useth in worMng of it, they are
two : Ffrst, the Law : Next, the Evangel. He must first bring in
the law, to bring us to the acknowledging of our sins ; for, except
the law were laid down, we would never come to the knowledge of
our sins. Thereafter he bringeth in the Evangel, the promises of
mercy and grace freely offered m Christ, and through Christ to aU
them that believe. So, the Evangel cometh In the second roora ;
by the Evangel he worketh belief, and after he hath Avrought be
lief he draweth out exhortations out of the law and out of the
Evangel, that according to the law we may conform our Uves, and
obey the same in all time coming. So, the law and the Evangel
are the raeans whereby repentance is wrought in the soul of man ;
exhortations out of the law and Evangel are the means whereby a
good Ufe and conversation Is continued araong men.
As to the Author, he letteth us see that this gift groweth not in
our own breasts, nor it proceedeth not of ourself, nor from no crea
ture in heaven or earth, but frora God in Christ only : It is the
gift of God, given freely for Christ Jesus' sake. For ye may con
sider Arith yourselves, and look how irapossible it Avas to us to
make ourselves the sons of raen ; far more impossible is it to us to
make ourselves the sons of God. And by repentance we are made

364 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
the children of God, companions to the angels, and sons of Ught ;
so that the second creation, quhilk Is wrought in us by the spirit of
repentance, is a far more great and exceUent work than our first
creation m tMs world.
A caution to jnto tMs part of repentance, whereby we are assured of the
be observed ^ r / j
in thia part mcrcy of God, as there is a caution on the other part to be ob-
of repent- -^ _ _ ^
ance. served, so there is a caution here to be taken heed of; for our
nature is so wicked and corrupt that it cannot hold itself withm
bounds, nor contain itself in a mediocritie. But as when we
find the fire of God's wrath m any raeasure kindled for sin, we
would be back at desperation, so, gif the conscience be acquainted
long with the joy, with the taste of his raercy and of his peace, the
devil In this world deceives us, and draws us to presuraption :
Therefore, as before, being casten doAvn with the consideration of
thine OAsm sins, to eschcAV desperation, thou withdrew thy consider
ation to the mercy of God, so now, to eschew presuraption, thou
must cast back thy thoughts to the consideration of thyself, of
thine own sins and imqulties, and look what thou was before thou
was caUed to repentance. This Is the way to hold thee low and
hurable, and to distinguish grace frora nature.
Two sorts of As to the sorts of repentance : Of true repentance there are two
repen nee. ^^^^^^ ^^ Ordinary repentance, wherein every Christian is bound to
walk all the days of his Ufe, and an extraordinary and special re
pentance. The extraordinary repentance is this ; when any man,
after he is caUed to the participation of grace, faUeth into a special
sin, the rising from that sin I call a special repentance, as David's
rising. In this ordinary repentance we are commanded aU to
walk ; the special repentance should waken them that are faUen into
one special vice or other. From the extraordinary we should be
seech the Lord to preserve us; always, gif we faU, the Lord
waken us ! Now, ye have heard the parts of repentance according
to the order and division quhilk I have laid.
Conclusion. There Is nothmg farther to be spoken of this head, except only
this : We ought to praise and thank God for the victory that we

A SERMON UPON 2 TIM, II. 365
have gotten over ourselves tMough him. We have to consider
and see how far we are obUged to him, that he should have had
such a special regard to us vUe sinners, that he hath poured out
streams, heaps, and pipes of Ms mercy among us, quhdk he hath
denied to others, who, in the judgment of the world, were In a
better case than we. The consideration of this, no doubt, wUl raise
a thankfidness m us, and move us to consider how far we are ob
liged to so gracious a God. As to the gift itself, seeing it is out
of us, Ave ought ever to be instant in seekmg of it. Therefore, I
recommend tMs repentance to be sought of every one of you.
And ere we go further, let us" pray for it both to ourselves and
others. Then remember of the things that have been spoken. What is
the chief thing that young raen should flee, to wit, the lusts of the
flesh; and what Is the chief thing that they should follow and
straitly pursue, the gift of repentance. Therefore, from your hearts
seek this gift. And ere we go forward to the rest of our action, let
us pray for it, and pray that this matter may have a good Issue
and succeed weU, and that for the righteous merits of Christ : To
whom, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be aU honour, praise,
and glory, for now and ever.
THE SERMON BEING ENDED, THE MINISTER DIRECTETH HIS SPEECH
TO THE AUDITORY CON-VTENED EOR THE TIME, IN EFFECT AS
AFTER FOLLOWETH.
It Is not unknown to you aU (weU-beloved in CMist Jesus) how
many means and sundry ways the Lord hath to waken a sleepmg
conscience, to bring men to the confession of thefr sms, and to
make them to seek grace and mercy at his hands. And as he
lacketh no store of instruments and means, so it hath pleased Mm
of his mercy, to the salvation of his soul who is penitent, and to
your good example who hear, to work this motion in the heart of
this nobleman : In such sort, that he is content from Ms heart, upon
his, kaees, to acknowledge and confess those sins wherein he hath

366 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
offended the majesty of God, and given evil example to the mean
est and poorest of you. And to let 30U understand that this con
fession is Avilling, and frora his heart, it is true, and none of you
can pretend ignorance of it, that by thc Uberty of the acts of our
kfrk, and custom received, it had been leisome to him, according
to the order in his OAvn kirk, to have made satisfaction ; yit, such Is
the AvilUngness of his oavu heart, that, for the better satisfaction of
you that are the indAveUers of this city, he is content, in this chief
part and kirk of the country, and In that same place where he shed
last innocent blood, to repair the same, and in presence of you all,
to seek that God of heaven and mercy.
The Lord hath put this motion in his heart, and that not sud
denly, nor of late ; but he informed our brother, James Gibson, a
long time before his INIajestie's departure out of this country, and
desired hira to come and shew unto us that he Avas wiUing to make
satisfaction to the kirk, not only for his murder and bloodshed, but
for taking the name of God in vain, and for eA^crythlng Avherein he
hath abused himself, and for all his offensive and rash speeches ;
and, generaUy, for everything Avherein he hath offended the least
of you. Quhilk, gif we had understood, avc had craved the practice
of it sooner.
Always, Ave have every one of us to thank God that he hath so
moved his heart, and to craA^e of the Lord that it may be from his
heart, and that he may declare the effects of it in aU time coraing.
Therefore, (my Lord,) ye have no farther ado but go to your
kiiees, and crave God mercy and pardon for your sins, wherein ye
have offended him. Tbe Lord of his mercy grant It you !
The words quhilk the Earl Bothioell, S^c. uttered, being upon his
knees.
" I AVOULD AVISH TO GOD THAT I MIGHT 3IAKE SIK A REPENT
ANCE AS MINE HEART CRAVETH ; AND I DESIRE YOU ALL TO PRAY
FOR IT."
The Lord of his raercy grant it to hira, and to us aU. Amen.

ANE EXHORTATION TO THE
PEOVINCIAL ASSEMBLIE OF THE PRESBYTERIES
' OF LOTHIANE,
HALDEN AT EDINBURGH, THE 16TH OF SEPTEMBER, 1589,
MADE BY M. ROBERT BRUCE,
MINISTER OF Christ's ea'angell there.

AN EXHORTATION
UPON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF SECOND TIMOTHY.

15. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that need-
eth not be ashamed, dividing the word of truth aright.

It Is not unknoAvn unto you (brethren) that, in Timothy, we have
set down the true pattern of a profitable pastor ; how he should
behave himself in all thmgs, what he should do, what he should
leave undone, what he should foUoAv, what he should flee : In
everything he is forewarned, but chiefly, among many, of one
thing, that he study not to please men : that he hunt not for their
praise and commendation. For why ? Experience from time to
time hath taught that these men have not only periled thefr own
estate, but hazarded also the whole estate of the kirk : As, namely,
there were two in Ms OAvn time, in the days of Timothy, who, to
get a name among men, that they were curious disputers, subtle
reasoners, moved doubts upon everything, chopped and changed
frith the truth of God as gif it had been the profane word of
man ; and, at the last, they began to move questions and to raise

370 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
doubts upon the very articles of our belief And tbe spirit of the
devd so carried them forAvard, that from doubting, at the last It
carae to a plain defection. They denied tbe article of thc re
surrection in particular. So, they not only lost themselves and
poisoned the auditory, but they perverted the trutii of God so far
as in thera lay. From these men's example, the jVpostle fore
warned his disciple, and in him every pastor, that tlioy be aAvare
not only of this A'alu jangling about AA'ords, specially in nuitters of
conscience, but chiefly be aware of the root and fountain AAdierefrom
they spring, to Avit, of that natural self-love quhilk Ave nourish all
in onr bosoms, and avc so loth to part Avitb, in our Avhole life.
Mr Patrick And AVC liiXAC ail exaiuplc before our eyes, in our time, of a man
Adamson, , . ^ ' i • p
lateBisiiop goiug about to malic himself great, and to get the praise of men,
of St An- 7*1 1 11 1,1' 1 Ml T 1
drews. AvIio, IU the cud, iiot onlv hazarded his oaa'ii estate, but perilled the
estate of the Avliole kirk, so far as lay in him. So, as the exanqilc
of IIymena3us Avas meet to moA-e Timothy to be aAvare of such a
vice, even so let the example of our Ilymena^us, Avbo is yet in onr
eyes, raove tis that wc fall not in the like snare ; that Ave cast us
not only not to hunt for the praise of men, bnt also that avc cast
lis to escheAV thc root and fountain Avherefrom it sjningeth, to Avit,
that natural self-love, Avhereof C'^'ery one of us hath a portion. And
since we are entered into thc school of Christ, let us study to learn
that one lesson, to renounce ourselves. The Lord give us hearts
to learn it, and make us to be born again in this life, and to re
nounce ourselves in this life, quhilk are not the Avorks of man, but
the sing-ular A^-orks of God renewing- man !
Now, as he hath shcAvn him Avliat he shall eschew, and that this
is the vice quhilk he should cliicfly flee, so, in this fifteenth verse,
he beginneth to adraonish him, that the contrary of It is the chief
virtue quhilk he should embrace, and tbe only butt quhilk he should
shoot at during his Avhole life, to Avit, he should " study to be ap
proved of God ;'' for seeing there is no Avorkman but he craveth
and stiiteth his Avork to be allowed of, (this is a comraon instinct
to us A\ith the rest to seek to be approved,) therefore the Apos
tle inforraeth hira, and admonlsheth hira, Avhat sort of appro-

AN EXHORTATION UPON 2 TIM. II. 37l
bation he shaU seek, at whose hands he shaU seek it, and after what
manner he shaU come by it.
So, for the present, we have these three things to speak of: Of t''^'"""'^'"
"^ ' r 7 Of Jig intreated.
the sort of approbation that a pastor should seek : At whose hands
he should seek it : And how, and after what manner, he shaU ob
tain it.
As to the sort of approbation, it must be spiritual and godly,
flowing from the Spirit of God, and not from flesh and blood. And
as It must flow from the Spfrit of God, and not frora flesh and
blood, so must he seek it at the hands of God only, and not of any
creature Uving. Study to be aUowed of him : For Avhy ? Suppose
men would allow of thee, thou art not the raore approved ; for gif
thou, for fault of others, shotdd start to and praise thyself, thou art
never a hair the better ; for " gif a raan honour hiraself," (saith
our Master, John viii.,) " his honour is nothing worth ;" and he
whom men commend, (saith the Apostle,) 2 Cor. x. 1, " is not
approved," but only he is approved whom God coramendeth.
Therefore, let us not seek honour one from another, but let us seek
the honour quMlk cometh frora God only : Let us study to be ap
proved of him only ; for, get we his approbation, we shall get the
other two, for there is but three of the whole ware ; for gif God
approve us, he shall make our own conscience to approve us ; and
have we our OAvn conscience, and God vrithin our conscience, to
allow of us, we have two of the best ; for these two will never leave
us, they AriU stand by us here, and when it cometh before a
higher tribunal they wUl raake us blyth. And as to the third sort,
quhilk Is by men, where these two go before we shall get the kirk
of God (no doubt) and good men to approve us ; for where God
and conscience caUeth a man inwardly, this God raaketh bis kirk,
by thefr testiraony, to ratify Ms caUIng outwardly, as, ye see, he
commandeth the kirk to separate Paul and Barnabas to the work
whereunto he caUeth them Inwardly.
So, get we his approbation we shaU get aU the three ; therefore,

372 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
let us look to none but Ms ; and we look to his approbation when
we look to himself; then honoureth he us when we honour him.
When we seek notMng but Mm, then seeketh he us and our weiU ;
and it is far better for us that he seek our weill than that we our
selves seek it, for he can and may seek it best. Therefore, let us
study to seek God and his honour, that God may seek us and our
honour. And wUl we look Avho hath sent us forth, who eraployeth us,
who raade us arabassadors instead of Christ, we shaU find that we
ought to study to please none but him. We are not subject to
render account to none but to hira. To hira we are subject in
deed ; therefore, it is necessary that we study to be approved of
hira. Now, to corae by his approbation, the Apostle sheweth us
what way we shall proceed, and how we shaU behave ourselves,
namely, that wc do two things : First, that wc study, that is, that
we have a solicitous care to present ourselves before him : Next, that
we study to present our work of the rainistry before him ; as he
would say, that we study to take heed to ourselves and to our
office ; " to ourselves," that we be good Christians ; " to our
office," that we be good pastors ; for he wdl never be a good
pastor that is not a good Christian : Therefore, the first thing that
he must take heed to is to his person, that he study to present hira
self, get access to his countenance, and stand before hira. Now,
there is no standing before God but in purity, and by purity of
the heart ; it Is the pure heart only that looketh upon God, and
standeth before hira. For " Blessed are the pure in heart," (saith
our Master, Matth. v.;) "for they shall see God."
The heart, agam, is no way purged but by faith ; so it is by
faith only that we stand and present ourselves unto God. The
good pastor, to get hunself approved, he raust study to the increase
of faith and sanctification ; for he shall never teach with authority
and power, except he feel in hiraself the thing that he would have
wrought in others : How shaU he press to sanctify others who is
not sanctified hiraself? How shaU he teach holUy who Is not

AN EXHORTATION UPON 2 TIM. II. 373
holy? So, we must study to our OAvn particular sanctification,
that whUe as we preach salvation to others, we be not reprobates
ourselves. Next, we must study to present our works, and how we have
traveUed before Mra, that is, we must study to shew ourselves
good pastors as weU as good Christians ; and to this eflfect he let
teth us see what properties are craved In particular of us to do the
part of a pastor. And, first of all, he sheweth us that we must be
workmen not idle ; for the rainistry is a work and no idleteth :
And, m respect that men may work and aU out of frame and out
of order, therefore he subjoineth, we must be sdi sort of workmen
" that need not to be ashamed ;" that is, workmen without reproof.
The work of the ministry standeth in two points, in ruling and
teacMng ; the thfrd thmg he must do, as he must be a worthy
workman, so he must be a skilful workman, that can cut aright and
work rightly ; and In the end of the verse he sheweth him where
upon he shaU work, and wherein he shaU travel, to Arit, upon the
word of truth : And because these thmgs cannot be done without
great travel, he biddeth them study to them aU.
So, to come back, the first thing that we raust take heed to, we
must take heed that we be not idle. And it Is craved of us tbat
we be workraen, that is, the ministry, as I have said, is ane work
and no idleteth : That it is a work, I have raany places to prove It,
but there is one in special out of the 1 Thes. v. 12, where the
Apostle saith, " I pray you acknoAvledge these that labour araong
you, and have them in great estimation for their work's sake :" So
the ministry is a work, and that we are workmen, " Acknowledge,"
saith he, " these that labour amongst you, and have them in most
great estiraation for their work's sake."
The work of the ministry it standeth in two points, in ruling
and in teaching. That these are the two points ; for ruling, we
have 1 Thes. v., and verse foresaid, where it is said, " and rule you
in the Lord ;" and as for teaching, the seventeenth verse, 1 Timothy
v. chap, letteth us see that they must " labour in the Word."
2 a

374 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
Now, by reason that men may work and AVork out of frame, and
that men labour dUigently and out of order, he subjoineth that they
must be sUi workmen " as need not be asharaed :" As he Avould
say, Avorthy workraen and Avithout reproof; for the rainistry is a
Avorthy Avork : " He that seeketh the office of a Bishop," (saith the
Apostle,) 2 Tiraothy Ui., he "seeketh a worthy Avork." So he
must be a faithful and a worthy workman. To do the part of ane
faithful and worthy workman, he must do two thmgs ; he raust
not only rule but ride rightly, he must not only teach but teach
skilfully. That he must rule right, we have the Apostle for us,
1 Tiraothy A'. 17, where he saith, " The Elders that rule right"
(and not only simply the elders that rule) " are worthy," &c.
Now, to rule right it is as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Thes. v., to rule
in the Lord ; to rule in the Lord, again, it is to rule spiritually. In
spiritual affairs, as the Lord did.
To rule in the Lord, is not to rule as a lord ; " for wc preach
Christ Jesns to be our Lord," (saith the Apostle,) " and avc as
your servants for his sake." So to rule in thc Lord, it is not to
]-ulc as a lord, but under the Lord as a servant. To rule In the
Lord, it is to rule as he did. Now, he saith of himself. Math. viii.
" That he came not doAvn to do his own Avill, but his Father's will
Avho sent him." So, as the Lord ruled not after his own avUI, far
less must Ave rule after our will; yea, not after the avIU of the
Prince : We must lay all sorts of wills aside, and follow the avIU of
God only ; for so many conclusions and determinations as flow
frora thc will of raan, yea, suppose they Avere the will of the Prince,
beside the warrant of God's Word, they are as raany nullities, and
have no poAver to strike upon the conscience no raore nor the
Pope's BuUs. So, he must lay aside aU sort of wiU, and rule after
the Lord's avIU ; for his wiU is perfect, good, and holy, (as the
Apostle speaketh, Rora. xU. 2.) Farther, and he avIU rule as the
Lord did, he must rule carefuUy and very ddigently ; for as it was
his raeat and drink (as he speaketh hiraself) to do the Avork of his
Father, so we must be careful, and prefer his work till any work of
our own, sup'iose it coieern our body never so near.

AN EXHORTATION UPON 2 TIM. II. 375
To move us to diligence, avc should remember that we have the
city of God to Avatcli over ; we should reraeraber that we have the
spouse of Christ to present as a pure A'frgin, and we have the
lambs of Christ coramitted to our feeding ; for that threefold re
petition of our Master, biddmg Peter feed Ms lambs, what craved
it but diligence ? And who is able to answer to the meanest of
these things ? And yet I have not spoken the half of the things
that Is requisite ; so that I marvel not of old, and of late also, there
be many loath to enter their shoulders under so heavy a burden.
But it Is a great marvel that any should be found that can intrude
himself to so weighty and difficult a work : Whoever he be that
runneth so unsent, he will never do good in this work.
As he raust rule right, so he must teach skllfuUy ; and this Is
set doAvn In the end of this verse, where he biddeth them dlAide
the Word, and divide aright. As to the form of speaking, it is a
borrowed Mnd of speech, wherein the Apostle alludeth to two
things ; first, to the bread of the family, coraparing the Word to
household bread, and us to stewards who are the dividers of that
bread. As it Is craved in ane steward of a great faraily that he be
discreet, in sik sort that he have a respect to every man's age,
abiUty, and disposition, and divide to them thereafter, so in us that
are the dispensers of this blessed Word, there is a special kind of
dexterity craved, that Is, the gift of discretion, whereby he raay
skUfidly and fruitfuUy divide to every ane.
He that avIU do the part of ane skilful teacher, he raust be a
faithful mterpreter and a skilful applier to interpret faithfuUy. He
must take heed to three things chiefly : First, he must take heed
to the raeaning of the author, that he take up his true meaning so
near as he can : To take up his meaning truly, he must first take
to the Avords what they signify ; be must try their signification,
and after trial gather sik a meaning as the words may bear, and as
their signification raay coraport with ; for gif he gather a contrary
meaning, or another nor they may iraport, he is not ane interpreter
of these words, but ane perverter of them : Next, to see gif the
meaning be right, he must confer thera Avith other parts and places

376 MR ROBERT BRUCE'S SERMONS.
of the Scripture, see how it agreeth with the analogy of faith, and,
gif he find ane harmonic, there Is no doubt but the sense is true :
The TMrd thmg that he must do, he must take heed how the
words are placed, in what order they come in, what relation they
have to the things that go before, and hoAV they are fastened with
the things that follow.
But he that Avould Interpret truly, he raust chiefly take heed to
the Scriptures, for all true interpretations raust be sought out of
the Scriptures ; for seeing that aU truth is contained in the Sciip-
tiues, there can be no true interpretation but that quhilk floweth
therefrom. jMen should not be leaned to where they want Scrip
tures ; for no man should use a lie to Interpret a trutii ; and the
Avords of raen, Avithout Scripture, are only lies and vanities. Also,
gif the interpreter would be sensible, as he ought and should be,
of force he raust use Scriptures, he must confer place with place,
and that thing quhilk he findeth obscurely spoken in ane place he
wiU find it raore clearly spoken in another ; so, many Scriptures
are necessary, and he that Avould interpret truly, he must have
many Scriptures in his memory : Therefore, A\e shoidd pray for
holy memories, for our old memories avIU not keep these things :
they must be sanctified memories that avIU keep holy things.
As he must be a faithful Interpreter, so he must be a skilful ap
plier, for he must " divide the word aright." It is not enough that
he apply except he apjdy it also skilfully ; so appUcation, and skil
ful application, is necessary. Application, I say, Is necessary; for,
as It is not jjossible that avc can feed upon food, except it be ap
plied to our mouth, as Uttle is it possible that our souls can feed
except the food of thera be applied. Indeed, things should be ap
pUed skilfully ; for, as gif the food be applied to any other part
but to the mouth, the application serveth not, even so it is In
spiritual things ; gif they be not appUed to the right parts, and to
the right diseases, the appUcation raay do them raore evil nor
good. Therefore, it is necessary that he who would do the part of
ane skUful appUer knoAv the faults and diseases of Ms flock ;
quMlk is not possible to be done in this toAvn, except it were

AN EXHORTATION UPON 2 TIM. II. 377
divided in parishes, that every ane might have ane reasonable
number that haunted him, that he were acquaint with, and accus
tomed with their manners and behaviour. This application is ane
chief point of the pastor's oflSce, for there is no edifying beside it ;
there is no obedience to God beside it ; and, therefore, as by inter
pretation he inforraeth the mind, and maketh It to understand Avhat
he should do, what he should leave undone ; so by application he
should subdue the will, that it may give obedience and follow the
understandmg. Then, In ane word, we see that the gift of government, and the
gift of exhortation, are necessarily requisite to be in ane pastor, In
some measure, in sik sort that he cannot be a pastor except he
have a part of both these gifts, as I have said, in some measure ;
and therefore ye have to take heed to your admission : In admit
ting of young men, ye should see how they have profited In both
these gifts ; and that act quhdk was made In the last Provincial
AssembUe should be taken heed to, that none be placed in this
office except he have drunken in by tirae the gift of goyernment,
together vrith the gift of teachmg, in sorae raeasure. And as for
application, it is so necessary, gif it were no more but to turn over
the very words of the text upon the auditor, it must not be left ;
yea, and the nearer that we go to God's Word, the application is
so much the better, for his Word raust ay have ane greater force
vrith it nor any other Word : and when the people heareth that
God speaketh, and not man, it striketh a great reverence In the
hearts of the auditor ; and so rauch the raore, when we consider
the wortMness and dignity of the subject whereupon we ought to
take these pains and are to entreat.
The Apostle caUeth it here " the Word of truth." The more
notable that any subject be, it should be so much the raore wisely
handled; and we have not sik a notable subject as this, for there
is not a subject that hath these epithets, to be caUed sound, health-
sorae, holy, and true, but this ; and beside this there is neither
health, soundness, trath, nor holiness : Therefore, we should not

378 chop nor change Avith the Word, as gif it Avas a vain "Word, but
Arith great reverence and Avith great huraility It should be handled.
But Avho Is able to do these things, or to answer to the meanest
part of them ? These things crave ane exact dUigence, a singular
care and ane painftd travel. They are not purchased by sluggish
ness, they wiU not give us leave to employ ourselves elsewhere, but
they take the Avhole man, yea, the Avhole thing that ho raay do, and
it were more. And, therefore, in respect of this, the Apostle
useth the word " study ;" shewing us that these things arc not
gotten without study, that is, without ane soUcitous care and great
ddigence. All these things whereunto a pastor should study may
be taken up in two words. In faitli and in good conscience, study
we to these two, there is no doubt but Ave shaU take heed both to
ourselves and to our office ; and these two avc cannot keep except
we study to the third also, quhdk is the keeper of the Avhole Avare,
to wit, the Holy Spfrit. We must study to entertam and nourish
him ; and this is done chiefly by praying in the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, avc shotdd be acquaint with prayer, and be instant In It,
that the Lord would not withdraw his Holy Spirit from us, but
rather increase the power of Mm frora day to day, that we raight
find by experience, and by ane sensible feeUng, the truth of his
heavenly promises withm ourselves, and specially of the proraise of
life everlasting. To the quhilk life, Christ Jesus, that great Pastor
of the sheep, who gave his life for his flock, raight bring us ! To
him, with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, be aU honour, praise,
and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

CHRISTIAN RACE,

OB

THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN.

A SERMON PREACHED AT EDINBURGH, A.D. M.D.XCI.
BY THE
REV. MR ROBERT BRUCE,
MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL THERE.

/So run that ye may obtain. — 1 Cor. ix. 24.

REPRINTED FROM THE EDITION PUBLISHED AT GLASGOW IN THE TEAR
M.DCC.XL.

THE CHRISTIAN RACE,

A SERMON UPON HEB. XII. 1.

Wherefore, seeing toe also are compassed about ivith so great a cloud
of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before
us.

The holy and faithful men of old, (AveU-beloved m Jesus Christ,)
they uttered and shewed forth thefr faith, either by doing or else
by suffering ; worMng either good works through charity, or else
suffering tMough patience : For as faith cannot be idle, but it must
produce a work, so faith cannot be without a trial, it cannot be
frithout an exercise ; and, therefore, of necessity we must suffer.
The greater measure of faith, the greater trial ; the less measure of
faith, the less trial ; but no man without a trial, no faithful person
shaU depart Arithout trial, the Lord shaU lay no more upon him than
he shaU give him strength to bear out ; but no raan shaU depart
frithout this compass, but every man must take up a cross and
foUow; therefore, the Apostle subjoms unto the doctrine ye heard
in the eleventh chapter his exhortation to patience and constancy,
that every man AviU take it in his heart to run out his race patient-

3S2 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
ly, to run out the rink that the Lord has set before him constant
ly. And that he may be meet for this race, and that he may the
more commodiously run in this race, the Apostle shews him how
he shaU prepare himself; and, thirdly. That he may continue and
persevere in this race, he sets doAvn and casts in the examples of
such men as have run this race before him, with some very pithy
and persuasive arguments to move to that effect ; so that, for your
memory's cause, I take up the whole matter that for the present, by
the grace of God, we are to speak of, In three heads; 1. Wc have
the Apostle's exhortation to patience, to run out the race patiently
that is set before us ; 2. That we may run the raore commodious
ly, and be the raeeter for this race, we have the way set down how
we shaU prepare us, in the words, " Laying aside every Aveight ;"
and, 3. To encourage us to go forward, we have examples brought
in, and some arguments added In the end of the second vcrsc, and
all to the same effect, viz., that Ave may run on, that we may con
tmue and persevere.
As to this exhortation, I take It up to stand In this. Pursue the
race, run out the race constantly that is set before you.
For the better understanding of this exhortation, we have three
thmgs to see and consider.
1. What is meant by a race. 2. What it is that prepares this
race, and lays It before us. 3. Wherefore constancy and patience
is craved to the running of tMs race.
Then to begm, by this race we understand the whole life of man,
after his embracing of the truth, and after his caUing to the society
of the saints, and to the profession of the gospel ; all the rest of his
Ufe that succeeds and foUows upon his going I count and call it a
race here. The caU of heaven who gave us this life, the Lord who
called us to his heavenly and spiritual Ufe, it is he who has laid
doAvn this race before us ; It is he who proponed this race unto us ;
he is president and moderator of the race ; It is he Avho gives the
calls and prescribes the conditions of thc race ; therefore, from the
mouth of God in our running we must depend. Constancy is re-

A SERMON UPON HEB. XIX. 1. 383
quired m the race, as a chief and special condition of the race ; that
seeing we are entered in rank, common to aU Christians, it becoraes
us to run on tUl we run out ; it becoraes us to persevere till we win
the prize. There are only two things craved In a Christian's race ;
1 . That so long as we run, we run In faith, and truly ; 2. That we
run out, aud run tiU we Arin the prize. These are two conditions
that are requfred m a Christian race ; for if thou sit down before
thou come to the end of the rink, and take thee rest, or go back
and repent thee that thou hast entered mto that race, thou not only
tines the prize that is laid before thee, that crovm of iraraortal glo
ry, but thy had travel bygone : therefore, let thera that enter in
that race run out, that by runnmg out, and constancy in the race,
they may not only gain the prize that is set before thera, but also
the fruit of thefr travels that are past. It Ueth not in thy hand or
power to make thee conditions to moderate the race accordmg to
thy OAra arbitriment, to say Arith thy self, I AriU now sit down and
take me rest of mmd, and purpose to take up my race Arith a greater
courage, and to renew It with a greater force : No, thou art neither
president nor moderator of the conditions of thy race ; the Lord
has appomted thee contmuaUy to run : So, hold the race, suppose
thou run more slowly than others, go not off the compass of the
rink ; suppose it be not given to thee to run so swiftly as thy mar
rows, yet hold thee AritMn the race, ever unto the end : Your life
time is the time of your race, for death makes term-day to the
race ; therefore, faint not and weary not ; but the nearer thou
draws to the end of thy race, the greater courage thou should take
to embrace the prize. This race is not proponed to me or to thee
only, but to every man and woman that has professed our religion,
and has entered in the school or kfrk of Jesus Christ : And though
we be many mnners, yet there Is never one that stays another ; never
one is hurtfiil or prejudicial to another ; the first hinders not the
second, nor the second the thfrd ; but if avc run as we ought, tbe
more runners, the easier the race, if we run, I say, lawfuUy, as Ave
ought ; for if we concur and help one another, as we ought and
should do, by mutual prayer, by mutual exhortation, by mutual

384 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERJlONS.
comfort and consolation, and by rautual counsel-giving and assist
ance. No doubt, this kind of exercise is a joining of hands, whereby
every raan holds his marrow in the race, and goes forAvard in the
race ; and avc adA-ance and cut off the Avay very easily by thus do
ing, for it is not in this race as It is in earthly races ; for In earthly
races, if there were ever so many runners, there Is but one croAvn,
and he that comes first gets all ; but in this spfritual race it is far
otherwise, as many runners so many croAvns. Run thou lawfully,
suppose thou come not so soon as he that Avent before thee, yet
thou shalt have thy own crown, thy own diadera and reward that is
laid up for thee. So m this race, the first prejudices not the second,
nor the second the third. In this race, the more that run, so that
we support others, and concur as Ave ought, we run the better, and
the race is the easier. Indeed, If he that went before grows proud,
and envies hira that coraes behind, he goes out of the race, keeps
not the conditions of the rink ; and if he that draws behind envy
him that went before, because he is not so far forward as he, he
goes out of the Avay, and slips the conditions of the rink ; but if
every one comport with another, bearing the infirmities one of
another, and acknowledge the virtue to corae from Jesus, and not
from himself, and so every one supports another by mutual prayer
and exhortation ; all shall be crowned and perfected together : For,
suppose I be before you in the race, I shall not be perfected before
you in the kingdom of heaven ; but thou that foUows shaU be per
fected in body and soul as soon as I ; for the Lord has appointed,
that aU his elect shall be crowned at one time, i. e. perfected in
body and soul together : Suppose the faithful saints in their bodies
are sleeping, and, in thefr souls, are in heaven ; yet their bodies
shaU not come to heaven till aU the saints of God go together :
Therefore, we have need to crave grace and strength of the God
and Father of Jesus Christ, for thc merits of Jesus Christ, that we
may keep the conditions of the race ; for, without grace, there can
be no conditions kept. -4nd, so long as we run, let us run truly ;
so long as we live, let us not repent that we have entered In tMs
race, but let us labour to run out ; let us forget aU diflScultles past.

A SERMON UPON HEB. XII. 1. 358
as the Apostle teacheth, Phil. Hi. Let us cast behind us aU the
fashrles and difficulties that are already swaUowed up and past ;
let us only look to the prize, let us hold our eyes upon the crown ;
and let the joy, the glory, and sweetness of the prize encourage us ;
and so much the nearer we draw to it, let us mend our rink, for
every man is not taken out as he came in ; but sorae end tlieir rinks
in their old years, and some in thefr young years. Always, thou
that art the child of God, as thou art advertised at one time or
other, as the end of the rink draweth near, as thou finds the Lord
caUing thee, stfr up the grace that is in thee, by prayer and sui^pll-
catlon, that by new strength and force thou raay, as it were, begin
the race, and run It out SAriftly, tUl thou get the crown. Now, this
is aU the difficulty, many appear to run, and run not indeed'; and
many run mdeed truly, who wiU snapper and crook in the way, and
lie a long time before the Lord heal and restore them. They that
are running in a good race, and going forward in a good,course, yet
sin that hangs fast on, and mfirmitles that circle us so mightily,
watching at aU occasions to take hold, some time it wUl oppress
men so, that m a good course they wUl sit down and crook in the
way, and make such progress, as if the infirraity and burthen of sin
were off them : And whosoever is choked by his infirmity, and
burdened by the sin that is in him, assuredly, tiU the Lord nurture
and heal them by one afHictlon or other, it is not possible he can
recover his feet, that he can run on bis race, and run forth his
course lawfuUy as he ought to do. Therefore, bread and drink are
no more necessary to sustain this earthly Ufe, than affliction and the
cross are necessary to entertain the spiritual life. It is not possible
but prosperity shall blind us. The natural pleasures and delights
of this earthly life shall overthrow our hearts and minds frora the
cogitations of that heavenly life, except the Lord by one sort of
cross or other raake us to feel the bitterness of it, and make us to
see the ugliness of it. So long as we remain this way unawaken
ed, we can neither keep our course, nor look to the butt and mark
whereunto we are caUed ; so, look how necessary meat and drink
are for this temporal Ufe, as necessary is the cross for the entertain-

38 G 3IR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
ment of that course and of that spiritual life : And as this is true in
every particular, so is it true in every city and comraoiiAvealth ; and
except this city be nurtured, yea, every three or four years, to (pre
scribe times to the living- God, it is not our part,) but certainlj', ex
cept it be A'isited Avith one kind of trouble or other, we shaU debord
and run close out of the way, as by experience we may see : The
great Iniquity that overflows this city in such abundance, notwith
standing the Word is continually preached ; the rarity of some as
semblies, which I have seen very frequent, and all these things that
are done in the face of the sun, lets me see, that except the Lord
by other schoolmasters bring us into the right course, and hold us
in it, it is not possible that we can run our race lawfully ; there
fore, it is every Christian man's part to embrace the cross that the
Lord has laid upon hira, and to kiss the afHictlon that the Lord
has laid upon hira, and that he, by his own deed, has not procured ;
for if thou by thy oAvn deed has procured thy cross and afHictlon,
it Is not the cross of Christ that thou bears ; but thou art justly
punished for thy sin, and, therefore, tinder it there is no rejoycing :
But if so be, that thy OAvn conscience doth Avitness unto thee, that
thou hast not procured or deserved it, but that thou sustains the
present trouble outwardly Avithout any just cause or procurement of
thy OAvn ; this, no doubt, is the cross of Christ, under it thou shalt
have as great liberty, freedom of spirit, and contentment of heart,
(yea, and greater,) as if thou wert without It. This far concerning
the exhortation.
Now, after he had ended in these terras the exhortation, that we
may be the raore meet for this race, and run the more commodious
ly in it, he lets us see the way how we shaU prepare ourselves ; and
he sets down this preparation to stand chiefly in one point, viz. in
casting off and laying aside whatsoever raay hinder us In this race,
and Avhatsoever raay choke or fetter us in our course.
There are two things chiefly that Mnder a man In a race, that is,
1. Bm-dens that press him down, whereby he cannot raise himself
up to run out. There are, 2. Bands Avhich circle and fetter hira.

A SERMON UPON HEB. XII. 1 . 387
that he hath no scouth or liberty to run out : Laying off the bur
dens, loosing the bands, and laying thera aside, a man has liberty
and agility to run out his race ; so here we have set down the pre
paration of a Christian to stand in laying aside their bands, and
casting off the burdens. And, first, (says he,) cast off every thing
that presses doAvn, every weight that holds you down, and every
thmg that glues you to the earth and to the world ; whatever it
be that suffers not your heart to ascend upward, or to aspire to
that heavenly Mngdom, but holds your nose perpetuaUy grantling
upon the earth, and glues your soul to tbe ground, and to the
world, that is a burden to you ; whatever eartMy thing it be that
thou sets thy affection, desire, and lust upon, that earthly thing is
a burden to thee ; it glues thy heart to the creature, and conjoins
thee so with the earth, that it is not possible that thy heart can
look upward ; therefore It Is necessary that their weights and bur
dens be taken off the heart and affection, that the affection which
is in the heart may have greater Uberty to go forward in the race,
and get the prize. This far for the first impediment.
As to the other impediment, which I call bands, the Apostle
sets it doAHi in these terms : cast off sin, (says he,) which doth so
easdy beset us. Or otherwise, cast off sin which is so bent and
ready to cfrcle, to compass, and to fetter you. By sin here, I un
derstand that remanent corruption, that same thing which the
Scriptures call the old man, the flesh, or reraanent corruption which
dweUs In our nature so long as we are upon the face of the earth ;
which corruption watcheth over us, and gives such attendance over
us, that when it sees us idle and negligent in the work and voca
tion wherein the Lord has appointed us to work and to walk ;
whenever It sees us casting ourselves loose to take the pleasure of
our flesh, or the pastime of our body, then this remanent corrup
tion which he calls sin here, Avhich appears to be slain and dead,
it shows itself to be quick and Uving ; then that same sin which
thou trowed was cut and rooted up by the root, begins to spring ;
and that which thou thought was quenched, drowned out, and
wholly extinguished, begins to bum: That same remanent corrnp-

388 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SEfiAIONS.
tion is watching upon thee and thy ways, that thou shalt not so
soon be negligent in the turn that thou onghtest to work, thou
shalt not so soon give to any recreation, or to take thee any plea
sure, though otherwise lawful, but incontinent the force and life of
the remaining corruption sliaU appear, and shaU do what Ues In it
to cfrcle thee, /. e. to fetter thee, to be raaster over thee, and to
make thee a slave and servant to it. This reraanent corruption it
draweth on the burden ; for if our nature were perfectly sanctified,
as it was in Jesus Christ, avc could draw on no burden upon our
soul and affection ; but, in respect there dwells in us (suppose our
sanctification be begun) a reraanent corruption, for so we must call
it, but would to God it might so be called, our sanctification, in
our judgraent, is rather to be called smaU and remanent, than the
corruption is to be caUed Aveak and smaU ; for it is not Aveak and
sraall, but raighty and forcible. Yet it not only defiles the motion
and cogitation AvhIch are Avithin the soul, but also the good crea
ture of God that Is without ; for, Avlide it raakes us to abuse and
set our affections upon the creature, which should be set upon God
only, it makes us to defile the creature : And so it not only defiles
by motion and cogitation Avhich are Avithin us, but also by the good
creature of God that should lead and convoy us to God. It raakes
us to set our heart upon the creature, and to leave the Creator ;
so, the reraanent corruption is the drawer on of the burden, and
the procurer of the stays and hinderances which we get in this
course ; and, therefore, take order AvIth it, raortify and extin
guish it : I shall draw off' the burden, the burden shaU easily fall,
and that weight shaU soon depart, when sin, which is the fountain
and entry, is raortified, extinguished, and so slain, that it has no
power In your soul. To you, then, who wotdd end this race, the
Apostle persuades you to a continual sanctification, to study a per
petual mortification of your sinful lusts, motions, and cogitations,
which daily spring and rise out of the reraanent corruption : When
thou leaACS off this exercise, and stands not upon thy guard, and
takes not heed to thy motions and cogitations, there thou casts thy
self open to the devd, and there thou gives him occasion to come

A SERMON UPON HEB. XII. 1. 389
in to see if he can circle thee, and master over thee ; for, whUst
thou takest no heed to the race, and hast no mind of sin that is
in thee, but because thou hast not felt his motions, cogitations, and
instigations, of a long time before, therefore thou concludes, I see
my corruption is slain, sin is dead In me, I may take some greater
hberty than I did before ; in comes the devil with his persuasion,
that thou may abuse the grace of God : to thy wantonness he in
sinuates himself; for the devil, either he oppones himself openly,
that by thy outward sense thou may take him up ; or else, covered-
ly, he msinuates himself in our affections by reason of the corrup
tion that is in us, he insinuates himself in our perturbations, and
in aU the rest of the faculties of our soul ; and, namely, when we
cast ourselves loose, then the devil coraes into the affection to kindle
and stfr It up, and to raise in us this cogitation, that sin is slain, I
have not felt it springing this long tirae, therefore I wUl conclude
sin Is banished. Now, besides all this, he hides all the bitterness
of sm, he covers from us aU the pain and punishment which Is in
sin ; and by the corruption that Is in thee, he makes the thing that
is most bitter to be pleasant and sweet.
Then the second art and moyen whereby he would draw thee to
the service and obedience of sin is this, he persuades thee of a false
ground. Next, he takes away the sight and feeling of the pain
that Is joined with sin ; he covers sin with such a deceit, that he
makes the thing that is bitter in itself to be sweet, and the thing
that is ugly in itself to be pleasant : Then he brings in the exaraple
of the world. What ? Is it not lawful for me to do this which aU
the rest of the world doth ? Have I not the multitude on ray
side ? Therefore it is leisome to me to satisfy my pleasure as weU
as the rest. Was I born to renounce thir recreations ? to renounce
the pleasures of my body and of my flesh ? So, by this and other
Instigations, he draws on sin ; and that sarae sin which we trowed
was slain, he raakes it to live, to circle, and comraand us ; and cer
tainly, if raen be not aware, and take not heed, yea, except they
be contmuaUy upon their watch and guard, by thir and such lUie
cogitations, they shaU be deceived : Therefore, lay thfr conclusions

390 MR ROBERT BUUCE'S SERAIONS.
Avltli thyself, lay thir grounds in thy heart, that sin In this life can
not utterly be quenched and slain. But suppose that sometimes it
appeareth not, and doth not sIioav its force, it is lying sleeping In
the ground of thy heart, and the same aIcg which Avas smoored
will bud again ; the same thing which was covered avIU burn again
so soon as thou becoraes idle and negligent, or cast thyself loose
in thy vocation, and art not diligent ra the race and calling Avhich
the Lord hath called thee to. So to be careful and diligent in the
Lord's Avork, and chiefly in that vocation whereunto every one Is
called. Is the greatest snedding of sin that can be ; it is the readiest
way to hold doAvn the affection, and the force of sin that lurks in
the affection, of any Avay that can be devised. There are other
raedicines, too, for thou shouldst lay this ground, that no sin is
light, suppose the devil (when he goes about to entice thee to sin)
makes the sin Avhereunto he enticeth thee (at the enticement) as
light as a feather ; but v^-hen it comes to the challenging and accu
sation before God and Jesus Christ, the sin AvhIch he valued in
Ughtness with the feather, he raakes to seera as heavy as a mill
stone, to see if by any means possible he can drive thee to despair;
therefore, lay this next ground, that no sin is light, every sin is
heavy, and deserves everlasting damnation before God. Lay this
third ground, eschew not only the UI, but also the occasions that
raay draw on the UI, especially UI company, which, of aU occasions
n the earth, is the most effectual and ready instrument which the
devil uses to draw on wickedness and sin. Last of all, meditate
upon the law of God, believe the Word of God, take heed to the
judgments and punishments which are annexed to every sin, and
by eschewing of the less sin, thou shalt eschew the greater ; and
having thir things imprinted In thy heart, they shaU raake thee to
stand in fear, and to watch continually, that sin circle thee not. I
raake this discourse the longer, because I know that Satan is so
ddigent, and goes continually about seeking whora he may snare
and devour ; so, suppose he be repulsed once or tAvice, he ceases
not to redintegrate his assaults, and to set on where thou art weak
est. Look to Avhat aflTectlon thou art incUned, he sets the entice-

A SERMON UPON HEB. XII. 1. 391
ment of that before thee, that by this means he may circle thee ;
so, since this is his continual drift, it becomes you continually to
be upon your guard, -to crave assistance of the Holy Spirit, that ye
•may feel the bitterness of sin, and resist the sin that is within you.
Now, he exhorts them unto whom he wrote, and us with them,
to cast off thir burdens. Except we feel them to be burdens, and
have a sense that they do us ill, and burden us indeed, the Apostle
could not write or exhort us after this manner ; for there are many
ladened with burdens who yet have no sense of their burdens ;
therefore, to such persons this exhortation Is not directed : But the
exhortation Is sent to those who are touched with a sense and feel
ing of their burden, and of the great weight which the remorse of
conscience produces In every one ofus ; and, certainly, suppose thou
be burdened, and feel a great weight of sin upon thee, a great lik
ing of earthly things upon thy heart, and a great aff'ectlon to them ;
yet if so be that thou feels this, thou art not in a desperate or IU
case ; for he that feels, lives ; so long as the sense of feeling is in
thee, no doubt thou lives. Hast thou a spiritual sense and feeling ?
no doubt there is a spiritual life in thee : the Spirit of God and the
life of God is in thy heart ; but if thou be altogether destitute of
this spiritual sense and feeling, thou art dead, suppose thou live
this earthly life ; if thy heart be not touched with a sense of the
corruption that is in thee, assuredly (suppose thou live) thou art a
dead carcase : Suppose thou live in the judgment of men, thou art
dead before God and his angels ; for men are accounted dead who
are going to an everlasting death, and are void of an eternal and
spiritual life ; but so it Is, that whosoever Is destitute of the feeling
of sin and his misery, he is void of eternal and spiritual life, there
fore, before G od he is dead. Upon the other side, again, suppose
thy burdens were never so heavy, yet If it so be, that thou hast not
left the feeling of them, but in thy conscience findest a heaviness
upon thy soul and aflFecrion ; and sayest with thyself, I would have
my affections set at liberty, (when thou mightest employ it upon
God, which is noAV set upon the earth, and upon the flesh or blood,

392 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SERMONS.
upon thy wife, chUdren, or upon one earthly thing or other,) I
would fain it were freed and set at Uberty, that I might employ It
upon the Uving God : I feel the weight of sm. If thou feelest and
mournest for it, thou art living yet : For I wUl teU thee Avhat this
feeUng produces ; it produces a thirst, a desire, and earnest inter
cession at the hand of God for liberty ; and ye must understand
that this thirst of liberty is the greatest part of our liberty. The
desire and thirst of perfection Is the greatest part of our perfection :
" Blessed are they that thirst, (says our Master,) for they shall be
satisfied ;" so, our blessedness consists In hungering and thirsting,
and in an earnest desiring and suiting for grace. This drought of
ours is not quenched, or our hunger satisfied, in this life ; only here
we have a thirst for the heavenly water, and a hunger for that
heavenly bread : This thirst makes a man blest, and he that has
not this thirst, or a desire to it, Is dead in sin, sin dweUeth in hira,
the devil and sin have an absolute power over hira ; and he in
whora sin hath a kingdora is not yet called to God's kingdom ;
where sin has a kingdom and an absolute coraraand, I am not called
to God's kingdora ; for so soon as I ara ( ailed to God's kingdora,
the kingdom of sin in some measure decays in rae : Then prepare
you, for this feeling shall bring forth a thirst to be free of the bur
den which that remanent corruption has brought on upon thy soul ;
for I pronounce, in the name of God, he who has this feeling is blest
and happy. And seek not a perfection of blessedness in this life,
for as now he hath but given thee the portion of blessedness that
is appointed for this life ; so Avait for the perfection of that blessed
ness in the life to corae ; content thee that the Lord has made thee
a partaker of that blessedness and perfection of felicity that is
granted to ralserable man in this earth ; and Avait by hope, depend
by faith upon the perfection and accompUshraent after in the life
to come. Only, thus far stir up these senses of thine ; let thera not
be suffocate by the corruption that is in thee, but stir them up by
the exercise of prayer, by the exercise of hearing and reading the
Word of God : By reason thir means augment the spiritual life,
therefore, thfr spiritual exercises would be haunted, whereby the'

A SERJION UPON HEB. XII. 1. 393
feeling spiritual is increased : The feeUng growing, thou art in a
happy and good case, for it is not possible but the Lord shall per
fect the work which he has begun In thee. Now, it is thy part not
only to lament through the feeling of thy oAvn disease in thy OAvn
soul and body, but also to lament and to be touched with the feel
ing of the disease of the whole country, of the whole kirk of God,
of the whole weal and country wherein thou art a pilgrim and a
dweUer for the present, that it would please the living God to hear
thy prayer, to grant thy supplications, that the AA-rath that is pro
cured by the country come not on in thy time ; this feeling should
produce this in every one of you : This feeUng is requisite, indeed,
in every Christian, and I take it to be the only essential raark of a
Christian ; without this feeling there is no spiritual life, therefore,
without this feeling there can be no Christian ; so. It is craved in
every Christian, but chiefly In the Pastor of the soul, and especially
in the Pastor of the body, i. e. In spiritual and teraporal magistrates,
who have the government of the sotd and body of men ; for, how Is
it possible that I can quicken thee to beget a feeling in thy soul,
or make thee heavenly and spiritual, except I myself in some mea
sure be made heavenly and spiritual? The spirit in me doth
kindle a reverence In the spirit of the hearer ; and if it be not in
me, the spirit of the hearer wdl discern me not to be sent, but only
to have the word of the commission, and not to have the power ; for
the power is the evident argument that a man is sent : Therefore,
many start to teach this word who are not sent, who have not
power of the spirit to throw down and to raise up, to plant and
to root out, and therefore the flock of God remains Avithout edifica
tion, and the kingdom of Satan has so great progress, because they
have only the word of comraission, and lack the power of the
Spirit that should make the Word effectual in the hearer ; so, I
say, except I myself be sanctified in some measure, I am not able
to sanctify others ; except I be quickened Avith that spiritual life in
some measure, I am not able to quicken others : So, of all men in
the earth, they who take upon them to sanctify the people of God,
and to prepare them as a virgin against that day, they ought to

394 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SEKAIONS.
have sanctification themselves, to have their affections in some
measure mortified ; and they ought to have some taste of that life
to come, that they and their flock may be safe in the day of the
Lord ; for the feelmg of ray own raisery makes me to have cora
passion upon thy misery ; whereas, Avithout the feeling of my own
raisery, I raust disdain thee ; but finding tbat the sarae infirraity
is in rayself that is in thee, our coraraon estate raakes rae to have
corapassion on thee. Therefore, there Avas craved in the high
priest of old (as ye heard, Heb. v.) compassion of other raen's in-
firraltles and sins, because the priest hiraself Avas touched with the
same infirraities. So, it is most necessary that Ave be touched with
the sense and feeling of our own sins arid infirmities Avliich touch
us, that we raay have compassion on others. As this is true In us,
so this feeling is requisite in the Pastor Avho has the charge of the
body and outward actions of men. Except the superior magistrate,
the prince, and except the whole inferior raagistrates, according to
the estate and rank that the Lord has placed thera In, have a feel
ing of, and be touched Avith, the oppression of their subjects, the
renting of their bodies, and any sort of misery or calamity that can
come to the bodies of their subjects, it is not possible that they can
have pity ; and lacking pity, it is not possible that they can re
dress : For what raakes a man to redress, and to go willingly to
do his duty and vocation, but this feeling and sense, the pity and
compassion Avhich he has upon them that are in such hard case ?
So, if the raagistrate lack this feeling, and the corapassion that ris
eth upon it, it Is not possible that he can redress the enormities to
this people, that he can purge the land of all the abominations
which lie in it. So ye have need to crave of God In your prayers
and supplications, that as the Lord has called hira, and, in our
judgraent, called hira in raercy, so the Lord of the sarae raercy
would endue his heart with a feeling and sense of the misery, the
distractions and manifold oppressions of his people, that, being
touched in his conscience with the feeling of their misery, and so
by coraraunlcating with thera in their trouble, the sarae God who
raised the feeUng, may raise a compassion and thirst to see the

A SERMON UPON HEB. XII. 1. 395
bodies of his people set at liberty, whereby they in him, and he in
them, may have occasion to bless and raagnify the name of God.
For without this it is not possible that he can be a prince of re
ligion and justice, except he feels his own miseries and the miseries
of the subjects. So, of aU things in the earth, avc have need to
crave that the Lord would bestow him this grace, that he may be
touched Arith the sense and feeling of the misery of his subjects.
And ye, my lords, Avho have atteked for his majesty, this ought
continuaUy to be knocked in his ears by you, that he would put to
his hand to redress these things. For, doubtless, by the small ex
perience, and the light judgment that I have In the leading of
affafrs, I see it Is as easy to his majesty to redress this country, and
to remedy the oppression of his subjects, as it is to take his repast
when he is hungry ; only, there lacks a good wdl and a stirring up,
which should be done by you, ray lords, who are about him. So
that the greatest part toucheth you and us who have access to
him ; we ought to stir the sarae raotions In hira which otherwise
Avould decay. Therefore, we for our parts, and ye for your parts,
let us stir up the raotion which God has given hira In some raea
sure, that they may break out in a fire, that yet we may see the
country redressed. To speak of robbery is but folly. What is he
that dare oppone hiraself to God and Ms prince, if he knew the
force of his calling ? It is but folly. God striking a man inwardly
in his conscience with the feeling of his guUtiness, and the prince
striking upon his craig with the sword outwardly, there can be no
opposition ; and this is not the work of nature ; It is tbe work of
his calling ; and walking in his caUIng, he raust ever prosper ; he
shaU stop the mouths of Uons, and quench the violence of fire, and
work above Nature ere he were hindered in his calling, or any of
his subjects should hurt his little finger, let be any other part of his
body, or take his life : So we have first to crave that the Lord
would stfr up a feeling in him ; and next, we have to kindle the
motions which God has given hira, whereby the whole country (in
the mercy of God) may be purged. What, shaU murder never
cease ? ShaU never this ravisMng cease ? ShaU never these op-

396 MR ROBERT BRUCK'S SERMONS.
pressions cease ? But shall the ears of the judges, magistrates, and
pastors, perpetuaUy be grieved ? Therefore, I say, let him go for
ward In that work AvhIch he has already begun ; and I pray God
give it a good success, and let hira be spirited up, and there shall
be no such thing as rebellion or laese majesty, as every man to op
press his subjects. In this quarrel, let him resolve to ware bis Ufe,
and it shall not cost hira his life, a Avord of his raouth shall do it.
It Is a Avork of his calling ; and seeing the Lord hath placed a great
work in his hand presently, a AVork concerning the purging of his
country and the land from this gross devilry, that never was in any
reformed country ; yea, in the greatest deformed country that can
be, I think there is no grosser devilry than in this country, since
the Lord, I say, has put this in Ms mind, to purge the country of
this devilry, it is your parts to stir him up, that he may prosecute
it to the uttermost. And since trial lawful (Avhich we wait on) by
ordinary means cannot be had in such measure as is craved. It is
our part, who have access to God, (at least should have greater ac
cess to God than the people,) and seeing the raatter is coraraitted
to us, it is our part, I say, by earnest calling to purchase at the
hands of God, that as he sees perfectly the truth of aU who are
guUty, and in what measure they are guUty, so this God would de
vise and find out the means whereby men might as clearly (in
some measure) see the guUtiness of these sarae persons, AA-ho, by the
testimony of God, their own consciences, and good men, (iniquity
being discovered both with great and small,) according to their ini
quity discovered, raight underly their raerit, and be punished. It is
our part, I say, to assist by prayer, to be diligent by interpeUatlon,
that the Lord of his mercy would discover the truth of things, and
raake things so evident, that he in doing God's work were not ne
gligent ; but iniquity being discovered, it may be punished without
respect of persons : And the innocence of others being discovered,
they may be justified. For I am not of mind that the innocent
should be punished, but only the guilty. Therefore, we have to
crave and desire eamestl)' at the hand of God that It would please
him of his mercy to make the truth known, Avhereby this land may

A SERMON UPON HEB. XII. 1. 397
be purged of this gross devUry, whereM the devd has been so bold
as to enterprise so highly against religion, his person, and the coun
try. But certainly this discovery (how Uttle soever it be) is a cer
tain forerunner of mercy to him, to his body which is safe, and to
Ms soul which shall be safe, if he execute his oflfice, and do as he has
said. But if he go back, and grow negligent, and let the SAVord
rust In the scabbard, thfr forewarnings shall be degrees of his process
against that great day, not only to damn him as an ill Christian,
but as a negligent raagistrate ; therefore, seeing the Lord has been
so merciful to hira, avc, who have access to Ms majesty, and especi
ally ye, my lords, as ye wUl answer to God for your salvation, be
careful that the good tMngs which are ia Mm may be awakened,
whereby Ms soul may be safe, and ye also may have a part of the
honom- of It. The Lord give us grace to pray for him ; for certain
ly, of aU the scourges ever this country got, (notwithstanding of his
slackness,) we should find It to be one of the greatest, if the Lord
withdrew him.
Thus far concerning the second part, ; because the hour is
past, I shall end in a word. As we are coraraanded in the race
to lay aside thir burdens which glue us to the earth, to lay
aside sin which has procured this heavy burden, so we are com
manded, on the other side, to look to the mark, to look to Jesus
Christ, and to look to Mra and to his merits only. We are com
manded to turn our eye from looking to ourselves, to the world, or
to any tMng in heaven or earth, but only to Jesus Christ. Look
to Jesus Christ, which thing cannot be, except thou be endued
with faith, for faith is the only eye of the soul ; and having faith in
Jesus Christ, he shaU prepare thee ; by taking off thy burden in
some measure, he shaU enter thee in this race, he shaU lead thee by
the hand, and contmue thee in this race, and he shall perfect the
race ; so ye have nothing to do but hold your eye upon Jesus Christ ;
for if so be that we keep the sharpness of our sight in our soul, where
by we may fasten our eye upon the verity and perfection of the
Son of God, ft is not possible for us to decay, to faU back, or faint
in the way. But because we turn our eye sometimes to our OAvn

398 MR ROBERT BRUCE's SEKAIONS.
disease and misery, and sometimes to the world, the turning of our
eye from Jesus to the earth raakes us ever to sink; as Peter look
ing upon the water, it made hira to sink, Avhere so long he looked
upon Christ, he walked upon the water : Therefore, holding the eye
upon Christ, he shaU uphold thee in the way, and preserve thee un-
drowned. So ye have no raore to do, but to crave of God, for Jesus
Christ's sake, that he would give thee a spiritual eye, Avhereby ye
may look upon the raerits of Jesus Christ, and crave strength of
hira to go forward, ever holding your eye upon hira ; and this way
you shall find peace In your departure, ye shaU find him at your
last departure, at the separating of the soul from the body ; ye
shall find glory and joy in such a measure at your departure, that
ye shaU see clearly every promise that he has raade perforraed.
There is nothing but feeUng and sight that raake us look upon God
and Jesus : Ye shall get an eye in your departure, ye shaU get a
taste of the heavenly joy, ye shaU not only perceive the Lord in your
own soul, but Avhosoever hears you shaU perceive hira also. As to
the rest of the world, they depart either m desperation, or senseless
without a feeling : For whosoever has not got an eye in his
soul to see God in Jesus Christ, and to see that everlasting life,
either they depart as they lived; look to Avhat pastirae and affec
tion they Avere incUned, they shall die the same way. Were they
disposed to be raerry ? they shall die the same Avay. Were they
given to any lust ? they shall continue in the same affection to then-
death, they shaU find no alteration or remorse ; or If they find any,
for in some the conscience wakens, and Avhere it Avakens and not
in mercy, it wakens with such an ugly sight and heap of terrors,
wMch makes them put hand on theraselves, ahvise It makes them to
despair. So the wicked die not all after one sort, for sorae die as
they lived, in riot and merriness, or, if they be wakened, they die
in despafr, Avithout hope of raercy, and put hand on theraselves, if
they be not stayed. Where the conscience that is Avakened in mer
cy, and touched with a true sense and feeling of its oavu sins, begins
to sorrow for their sins, and besides the feeling, gets a sight of the
face of Jesus Christ, which takes away sins, suppose thy con-

A SERMON UPON HEB. XII. 1. 3^
Icience be wakened in the hour of death, faith In Jesus CMist brings
such a quietness, that it makes the man In gladness to depart,
and to thmk the last hour the best hour. Take heed to this, and
embrace this reUgion, wMch makes us to repose on the Lord, and
to find joy and peace m our departure : Therefore, renounce Papis
try, superstition, and all religion which draws the soul to despair ;
and beseech the Lord that he would grant you the feelmg of his
mercy to mollify your hearts ; and as you are touched with the
sense and feeUng of your sms, so ye may find the mercy of God in
Jesus Christ to youi everlasting comfort in this Ufe, and in the life
to come. Grant tMs, Lord, for the sake of Jesus CMist, to whom,
Anth the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be aU honour, praise, and
glory, for now and evermore. Amen.

FINIS,

EPISBUKGH PKINTING COMPAHY,
12, South St David Street.

3 9002 00552 0441

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