Sermons Upon the Lords Supper, Title page – Dedication
SERMONS VPONUPON THE SACRAment of the Lords Supper: PREACHED IN THE KIRK OF EDINBVRGH BE M. ROBERT BRVCE, MINISTER OF CHRISTES Euangel there: at the time of the celebration of the Supper, as they were receaued from his mouth.
IOHN. 6. 54. 63. Quhaſaeuer eateth my fleſh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternall life, and I will raiſe him vp at the laſt day.
It is the Spirit that quikneth, the fleſh profiteth nathing, the words that I ſpeake vntounto ȝou, are Spirit and life.
AT EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY ROBERT WALDEgraue, Printer to the Kings Maieſtie.
Cum Priuilegio Regali.
IN MY DEFENC GOD ME DEFEND
TO THE MAIST HIGH, PVISSANT, AND CHRISTIAN Prince, IAMES the ſixt, King of Scots: grace and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
PLeaſe ȝour Maieſty, Iwes not of minde at the firſt, that this warkeſuld hauehave commed out in my time: For the conſcience of my awn weaknes, teſtifies vntounto me, that nathing worthy of light can proceed from ſik a ane: Ȝit notwithſtanding, being ouercome at the laſt, be the inſtant ſute of our Kirk and Seſsion, Iwes content, that their authoritie ſuld command mee in this. And gifit ſall pleaſe the Lord to bleſſe it, in ſick ſort, that poore and ſimple anes▪ may finde, ather comfort or inſtructioun in it: ſuppoſe learned eares finde na conteniment, I will thinke my ſelfe aboundantly ſatisfied: For ſeeing God hes ſanctified mee in ſome meaſure to his warke, it mann bee an argument of his euerlaſting bleſsing, that giff, quhill life laſteth, it may be imployed alway to the profite of his Kirke: For quha am I, that ſuld not imploy his awin graces to his awin glorie? and I pray God, that it may bee found in that great day, that howe meane that euer they be, ȝit they were accompanied with this ſpeciall grace, that they were wel vſed. And ſuppoſe ȝee be ane King, Sir, of this kingdoome preſentlie, and Apparent of anevther: Ȝit thinke with Ȝour ſelfe, that all ȝour magnificence, honor, wealth, libertie, and all the rare gifts, quhilk God of his merciemercy hes planted in Ȝou, cannot be vtherwayis weill imployed, except they be imployed to the defence of the trueth, and of that pure and ſyncere diſcipline, grounded thervpon: quhilk to Ȝour Maieſties great praiſe, and to our ſingular comfort, hes this lang time, be ȝour M. authoritie bene eſtabliſhed in this Countrey: For this ſort of doing ſhawes, that God hes not onelyonly made ȝou an heire to earthlie kingdomes, but alſo hes appointed ȝou, to be ane fellow▪ heir with Ieſus Chriſt, of that immortall kingdome, and glorious Crowne, that cannot fade or fall away. And as Ȝour M. life and libertie, hes hithertils bene conioyned, with the ſtanding and libertie of Ieſus Chriſts kingdome with in ȝour Countrey: continue and ſtick be this libertie: and, na doubt, Ieſus Chriſt ſal ſtick be ȝou. I will not faſh ȝour M. with monie words: onelyonly this I doe Ȝour M. to wit, that I cleeth not this warke with ȝour M. name and authoritie, for onie worthineſſe that I thought to bee in it▪ for it is rudely ſet out, in ſenſible and hamelie tearmes, as it was receued of my mouth, and as it pleaſed GOD for the time to giuegive me it: But I had this reſpect, that as it is the firſt thing that proceds from me: ſa I thought meet, to make it the firſt teſtimonie of my thankfulnes and ſyncere affection, als weill to the truth of God, as to ȝour M. ſeruice: quhome vnderunder God, I tender as mine awn life: and wald be glad, that God wald bliſſe mee with they moyans, that might aduance Ȝour highnes name or eſtimation, baith heer in this preſent warld, and in the warld to come. And in the mean time, becauſe I may not as I wald, I ſall doe as I may, in my praiers continually remember Ȝour royall perſoun, togither with the Queene Ȝour bedfelow: and craue continuaunce of Ȝour race, at the handes of the almighty God, thorow the righteous merits of Ieſus Chriſt: vnderunder quhais protection, for now and euer, I leaue Ȝour Maieſtie. From Edinburgh, the 9. of Decemb. 1590.
Ȝour Majeſties maiſt humble and obedient ſubject: M. ROBERT BRVCE, Miniſter of Chriſts Euangell.