Sermons

Front matter

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Preface

RoBEBT Bbuce, Minister of the Gospel at Edinburgh^ was one of the most distinguished men whom Scotland has ever produced^ and rendered inyaluable services to his Church and country. His labours as a preacher of the Gospel were signally blessed to the salvation 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 Melville, his illustrious coadjutor 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 sajB, ^< Mr Robert 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 PBEFACE.

Bonally acquainted with him, and regarded him with the profoundest admiration and reverence. The materiab which have been preserved^ chiefly by Calderwood, have been put together by Wodrow in hia Life of Bruce, which forms the first part of the following volume, and is now published for the first time fi*om the manuscript in the possession of the College of Glasgow, which the Senatus Academicus have kindly allowed to be transcribed for that purpose. The only important transaction connected with Bruce's histoiy, 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 Chuich, 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 memorable 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 oi 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 Robert Bruce, Mr Robert RoUock, 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 entertaining of peace with the Eork, 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 deliberation they answered, that if it were Mr David's particular, or hurt, or clanger, that were in question, or of any of the brethren, his Majesty's offer were to be thankfully accepted ; but seeing it was the liberty of Christ's Gospel that was so grievously wounded in the discipline thereof by the proclamation and charge given out on Saturday, and in the preaching of the word by usurpation of the judicatory (i. e. right of judging) thereof by the interlocutor pronounced that day, it w^ a matter of such weight and importance, m the estimation of all 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 injury 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 following, that is, Wednesday the 1st of December, a gentleman of the King's Chamber came timeously in the morning to one of the brethren, 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

▼ni PREFACE.

not be obtained, unless there were evident appearance of amending wrongs ; for the brother who was to teach had Ood to answer to^ and his brethren's expectation, whom he could not offend, for pleasuring 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 necessary to proceed with the printing of the Life, before the manuscript 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, — {Life^ p. 18,) — Bruce's account of his receiving imposition of hands, — (p. 76,) — ^his meditations immediately before Gowrie'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 Ufe,— (p. 133 and 184.)

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.) ^' Miutland, after mentioning that Bruce ^ threatened to leave the town' of Edinburgh 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 guemng^ that writer had made himself acquainted with facts, he would have known that Bruce, at the period

PREFACE. IX

leferred to, had not yet consented to settle at Sdinbui^h, 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 vp an extensive correspondence on the affairs of the National Church was devolved upon him, and that the independent spirit tnd scrupulous honour which Bruce evinced through the whole of hk life, raised him above the suspicion of being actuated by such mean and mercenary motives."

The reader will not be displeased to be reminded of another psssage about Bruce from the same most admirable work. After mentioning his banishment, in consequence of his doubts about Gkiwrie*s affair, M^Crie says, — {Life of Melvilley vol. ii. p. 81 and 62,) — ^ The truth is, that from the moment that Bruce was removed from Edinburgh, it was determined that he should never be allowed to return. He was tantalized for years with hopes of being restored to his place. The terms proposed to him were either Rich 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,) b^ 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 from time to time, and to dng him firom one comer of the kingdom to another. The whole treatment which this independent minister received was disgrace- M to the Grovemment. Granting that he gave way to scrupulosity, —that he required a degree of evidence as to the guilt of GoAvrie, which was not necessary to justify the part which he was required

X PBKFACE.

to take in announcing it, — ^that there was a mixture of pride in hia motives, and that he stood too much upon the point of honour, (concessions that some will not be disposed to make,) still the nice and high sense of integrity which he uniformly displayed, his 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 injured Bruce."

Fleming, in his Fulfilling of the Scriptures, says, that some of the stories concerning Bruce, which had been handed do¥m by tradition, were so strange and marvellous, that he forbore to publish them, and Wodrow ^^ set them down rather for preservation and fieurther inquiry than for present publication, till they be farther considered," (Life, p. 148.) But we have thought it right, upon the whole, to pve Wodrow's " Collections** complete, though alive to the unfisur use that may be made of some of them, and disposed 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 Eang and Bruce, is inconsistent with the conviction to which Bruce seems ultimately to have attained, 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 which were not fully 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.

Espignol, the Duke of Parma, and Colonel Semple ; but these letten are written by another person of the same name, who was a Popish priest, and the mistake must have originated in merely turning 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 upofa the writings he left behind him. Still his Sermons, which constitute the principal part of the following volume, have been always regarded as very interesting and valuable productions, and not unworthy of their author. They were published, ^^ as diey were received firom his mouth," and though he superintended the publication, he does not seem to have either furnished a manuscript copy of them, or to have written them over again for the press.

Brace's Sermons have never been reprinted in the original Iangouge. An English translation of them was published at London m 1617, with the title, " The Way to true Peace and Rest, dc- BTcred at Edinborough in Sixteen Sermons on the Lord's Supper, Hezekiah's Sickness, and other select Scriptures, by that reverend and &ith(ul Preacher of God's Word, Mr Robert Bruce, for the present Minister of the Word In Scotland." We have inserted tbe Epistle Dedicatory and Address to the Reader, prefixed to the En^ish edition. They are both subscribed J. H. We have also taken from that edition ^^ The Contents and Substance of the Sermons."

Xll 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 composition in the Scottish language, within a few years of the time when it was generally laid aside by our writers," they are here republished 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 spelling has been introduced, that form of the word among the different varieties being adopted, which most nearly approaches the modem English spelling. In the Scottish, y is often used for f, v for u, and vice versa^ and almost always z for y. These peculiarities have not been retained. But with the exceptions now specified, the language in the present edition is the original Scottish. With some of the more common Scottish peculiarities, the reader will very soon become familiar, such as or for beforcj nor for thanj gif and an for i/J while or quhile for tilly quhilk for whichy thir for these^

• ••

PREFACE. XUl

man for mtisty in for intOy and into for m, and in the end of a word for inffy ma or tnair for morey and, generally, the frequent use of the letter a for o. As to the few obsolete words which occur in the sermons, they will occasion no difficulty to those who have read James Melville's Diary, with the explanations which the Editor has there introduced.

W. C.

Edinburgh, Feb. 1843.

WAY TO TRVE

PEACE AND REST.

DELIVERED AT EDINBOROVGH In XVI. Sermons : on the Lords Supper : Hezechiafu

Sicknejfe : and other Jele^ Scriptures.

By that reuerend & faithful! Preacher of Gods word :

M'. Robert Bhvce, for the prefent

Minifter of the Word in ScotUad.

loHNlO. 27. 28.

Myjh^ipt heare my voyce, and I know them, ^ Utty follow me. AjidIffiuevtUotfiemetemalUi/e,akdthei/ fhallneuer periJTif neither J^all any man plache them out of my hand.

LONDON.

Printed by R. Field for Thomas Man, and lonas

Man, dwelling in Pater-nofter row at

the figne of the Talbot. 1617.

TO THE RIGHT W0R8HIPFULL

MISTRESS MARIE MOORE, HIS WIFE,

PATRONS OF PIETY,

AIX PEACE AND HAPPINESS IN BOTH WORLDS.

Right Wobshipfull,

It miist not seem strange unto you that a new occasion hath made ilso 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 imto these few plain bomely Sermons. In token that no change (I hope so long as I five) shall keep me from manifesting unto the world (as all occafiions shall serve) how much in duty I am bound to your true unfeigned loTC and undeserved fsivours to me, the imworthiest of aU, for which I can but wish you to be ever attended with those two &ithfull companions of the Saints, peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and at the last to have a speedy hearing when joar spirits shall fail, to transport them into Abraham's bosom, there to enjoy eternal and imspeakable rest, for ever and ever.

Yours in all duty much and ever bound.

I. H.

TO THE READER.

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 these might not be distasteftdl amongst such multitudes of learned ones, every where swarming in the press; so much tlie 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 ministry, before things could be so well, ripely, and methodically digested, 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 fiill despiseth an honey-comb, but to the afflicted soul every sour thing is sweet. The first five, on the Lord's Supper, were Englished by a late gentleman of worthy memory, M. S. Mitcheli, who was gathered to his fathers before he could see them at the press ; the rest were perused and Englished by another fnend. 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 thoa mayest the sooner do, I cease to trouble thee, remaining

Thine in the Lord Jesus,

I. H.

Contents

Paob Wodrow's Life of Rey. Robert Bruce, . 1-160

Appendix to Wodrow's Life of Bruce, .... 161-201

SERMON I.