reconciled to him for his refusal to own the conspiracy. He was banished to France, and then permitted to return to England. He was allowed to come to Scotland again, but compelled to remove to Inverness, where he remained four years. During all these trials the flow of his soul is ever heavenward. He seems to carry heaven with him in every place. He lived prepared for all events, his loins girt, his lamp burning. On one of these occasions he prayed (p. 118) in prospect of a new trouble, that, if it was the Lord's good pleasure to exercise him with a new temptation, and to pull the people and ministry from him, it would please God, instead of prince, priest, or people's favours, to triple his Spirit upon him, and let him see in his heart, his face brighter and brighter-a threefold measure of his favour to supply his outward wants.' If our ejected ministers in the present day receive this blessing in their time of trial, none of them all will ever repent the day wherein they stood faithful to their Master. They should expect it fully, for the eternal promise runs in these terms: If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.' (1 Pet. iv. 14). It has been enjoyed by other sufferers in other days; is it not to be realised now as our inheritance in a suffering time. Our fathers knew it, and shall not their children? We know not if any of the godly men who have stood fast under reproach and trouble in these days may have had an experience beforehand similar to Mr Bruce. He tells us (p. 135) 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 am ever ashamed of myself that I cannot be thankful. One night, when the affair of Gowrie was bringing on him much trouble, he had a very supporting discovery in his sleep. He thought he saw in his sleepgreat difficulties represented to him in his way, and that 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 on his spirit to say, In and through Michael, the captain of the Lord's host, I shall prevail; O Michael, Michael, who is like the strong God!' (P. 122). We see the fulness of his heart even in his dreams, and how the Lord refreshed and revived his warriors, while he gave them the sleep of his beloved.

If our days soon darken into blacker clouds, we shall need even more than at present, to possess our souls in patience. We shall require to betake ourselves, not to more of external activities, or more of human policy, but to deeper and more continued fellowship with God. It was thus, that Mr Bruce remained so calm, so placid, so heavenly. When banished to Inverness, in 1622, he set forth unruffled and undisturbed. The rest of the company were mounted,

and were riding softly on; his horse was brought out last. He set his foot in the stirrup, and there stood with his eyes fixed toward heaven, apparently in a muse, for about a quarter of an hour. A friend asked what he was doing, in the great muse he was in; Mr Bruce replied, I was receiving my commission and charge from my Master, to go to Inverness; and he gave it to me himself, before I set my foot in the stirrup; and thither I go to sow a seed in Inverness, that shall not be rooted out for many ages.' (p. 147.) And it was so; his ministry there during four years, was singularly owned of God. He preached faithfully, and lifted up his voice as a trumpet to show the people their sins, and summon them to the glorious Sacrifice. The ungodly hated him; one man aimed a shot at him in the public street; yet the Lord preserved him and blessed him still. It will not be the first time that Scotland's waste places have been blessed by the very efforts used to hinder the truth, should our scattered ministers carry with them a blessing such as this, to the heathenish spots of our land. Let us take courage. The Lord is honouring us, by dealing with us as he did with our fathers, if only we shall possess their faith and holy love and prayerful soul.

The unweariedness of the man of God is to be well noticed. He was in season and out of season, ready for the service of his Lord. If silenced in one place, then the next place he was driven to heard his voice proclaiming salvation. In 1613, when permitted to return to his own house at Kinnaird, he forthwith repaired the church of Larbert, and preached there,-assisting also at communions all around, attending meetings of presbytery, (p. 149,) and often supplying vacant pulpits. When sent away from this spot to Inverness the second time, in 1622, he describes himself thus: I am become so feeble and weak, and my aged and wearied person is so far worn and wasted with grief and care, and other visitations, wherewith it has pleased the Lord in his mercy to chastise me, that hardly do I travel any where without hazard of my life. Yet he behaved faithfully and actively, even at this age, though so worn out, and though so persecuted by the ungodly, that at first he could not get a house to take for money. He felt that he must labour till the sun should go down, and he did labour well; yet often he looked for the shadows of evening. Mr Livingston heard him say in 1627, I wonder how I am keeped so long here; I have now lived two years in violence;' meaning that he had by that time passed the threescore and ten, by two years. But we find his state of mind in his old age, best described by himself, in a letter of his, dated 1629. Surely, I cannot say, that ever that day goes o'er my head, wherein I get not a sign and a sense of his comfortable presence. I got two within the town, also very signi

VOL. XVI. NO. 11.

ficantly. Mr C. came in the middle of the first of them in my own chamber. I was reading, and on my meditations; and so, although man has left me, yet, my sweet Lord has not left me. I never foregathered with a better master; I never got a sweeter fee and better wages; and I look for a very rich reward. So ye have cause not only to pray, but to praise greatly God for me, that he is so bountiful, and that he meets me above my very expectation." We might have noticed more specially than we have done, his unceasing spirit of prayer. He lived praying without ceasing;' and in this, he exhibited one other characteristic of a faithful and true pastor, belonging to the true Apostolic line. (See Acts vi. 4.) Fleming tells us that it was well known that Mr Bruce was 'a great wrestler, who had more than ordinary familiarity with his Master; Livingstone was one morning at his house, when he came out of his closet. (p. 144.) His face was swollen with weeping, and one might easily have guessed what work he had been taken up with.' He had been praying for Dr Leighton, who was pilloried in London; but his distress was in part for himself, because he had not been counted worthy to suffer. That night he prayed again for Dr Leighton, asking mostly for humility to him, under the weight of such honour bestowed on him by his heavenly Master. So truly was he one of those that sigh and cry for the iniquity of the land,' that one night having in his dreams heard a voice pronouncing the ire of God upon the ministry of Scotland, he presently fell a weeping and crying to God to be kept faithful; and when he awoke, he found his pillow all wet with his tears. (p. 147.) In public prayer he was short, but every sentence was a strong bolt shot up to heaven,' (p. 142.) Before preaching, his custom was to wrestle much with God; and it was on such an occasion at Larbert Kirk, that the bellman overheard him, and thought some one was with him in the room, because he repeatedly declared, that ' he would not he could not-go, unless he came with him.' At prayer meetings among brethren and fellow Christians, he was sometimes remarkably answered while still praying. A little before his death, while on a visit to Edinburgh, at a private meeting for prayer, there was such a movement of the Spirit as he prayed, that scarcely any were able to restrain themselves; and one minister afterwards exclaimed, O what a strange man is this! for he knocked down the Spirit of God upon us all.' And he was one of that praying company, who spent the most of five days and nights in prayer at the kirk of Shotts, during the week that preceded the amaz ing shower of the Spirit, (p. 140.) Is there need, in such a man of God, for Apostolic succession? He gives himself to prayer, and to the ministry of the word, (Acts vi. 4,) and the Lord confirms his word by signs following. And need we wonder at the success that

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followed him, when such was his intercourse with God? Are there not ministers among us who would wonder, on the other hand, if success attended their preaching,-because they are aware that few hours are spent with God, before appearing before their people? Mr Bruce's success was very great in all places. Many testify to this; some speak of thousands' converted by him. Calderwood uses the expression plura animarum millia Christo lucrifecit,' (p. 143.) The famous Henderson owed his soul to him; and in many places, much of the next generation's piety sprang from seed he had sown. The people of the land felt his holiness so deeply, that it was usually believed that he had prophetic endowments, and that miraculous occurrences took place in regard to him. Men felt his heavenliness; and an interpretation was put upon providences that regarded him, which they would not have put on those that befel other men. It was easy to believe that such a man would receive special marks of favour from above. This truly is a blessed ministry, when its effects are felt in the present, and in the future; in the conversion of souls by thousands, and in the widespread, profound reverence of a whole people. Shall this ever be the ministry of our Free Church? Shall its pastors be men of this high bearing? Shall the land feel that they belong to God? Shall they themselves live in the feeling of Elijah, that God is he before whom they stand?'

The Lord called him to his rest and to his crown in a very easy manner. He had begun breakfast. After he had eaten, as his use was, a single egg, he said to his daughter I think I am yet hungry; you may bring me another egg,-and instantly fell silent; and after having mused a little, he said, Hold, daughter, hold; my Master calleth me.' With these words his sight failed him, and he called for the Bible. But finding he was not able to read, he said, cast me up the 8th chapter of Romans, ver. 28. 29. Much of this he repeated, particularly, I am persuaded that neither life nor death shall be able to separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus my Lord,'-and caused them to put his finger on the words. Now,' said he, Is my finger upon them? They told him that it was. 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, without one groan or shiver.' (p. 156.) In full assurance of eternal life, he entered the valley of death; and now rests from his labours in the bosom of his Lord. He died in August 1631, in the 77th year of his age.

A

Here surely is the ministry exhibited in its living power. biographer of his truly says 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 calling.' In him we find a man that is able to act in public matters, almost with the dignity and heavenliness of a prophet, because he has obtained strength in retired intercourse with God. He is the reverse of many we have read of and observed. Many godly men have so much to do abroad, that they have little time to spend in the holiest of all; but Bruce was one who could do so much, because he spent so much of his time within the vail. He is a true Pastor and Ruler in the Church of God. He lives and dies engrossed with the affairs of his God. The deeds he did, were such as he had leisure to do in the intervals of his communion with God. We must revert to these times, and to the example of these men of faith. Our public life must be more solemnized, and hallowed by almost perpetual fellowship with our Head. It must be not the most part of our existence, but rather the time that we can spare from closer approaches to God Not that we mean to discredit the activities of the busiest life that is devoted to noble ends; but the balance between the public and the private must be more equal. More must be done, not simply because we know it to be abstract duty, but because also we feel it to be the will of the living One with whom we converse, and in whom we live. We must reach the eminence of the elders who have obtained a good report, by following them into their chambers, as well as into the high places of the field,-not only partaking in their jeopardies, but sharing in their hidden joys, breathing their secret prayers, receiving their unseen strength.

and

ART. V.-1. To the People of Scotland in general, and in particular to the Friends of the Church of Christ throughout the land, the Affectionate Representation of Ministers and Elders, &c. May 1843.

2. Pastoral Address by the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, June 1843.

For many a year had the dust gathered over the Royal Symbols of our ancient kingdom, and we had almost come to regard them as lost. At length, however, it is hinted that they may still be in existence, and a search is instituted for them. They are sought for amid the fears, and found amid the acclamations of a people who seemed doing homage to their monarch, as they beheld the Regalia which once encircled his brow. And, as we ourselves have stood in the dark and guarded chamber, where the venerable relic was