GEMMS IDGEMMS-PERSON-000211
NameGilbert Burnet
TitleBishop
Gendermale
DenominationChurch of England
Livedb. 1643-09-18 - d. 1715-03-17 (new)
Linked Manuscriptsmanuscript owner - Religious Pieces Including Fifty Sermons by Bishop Burnet: MS. Add. D. 24
Linked SermonsBishop Burnet’s Pictures of Himself in his Sermon before Queen Mary at Whitehall 11th March 1693 -- preacher (autograph: no)Sermon 1 on 1 Corinthians 15:20 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 1 on 2 Peter 1:10 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 1 on 2 Peter 1:11 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 1 on 2 Peter 1:12 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 1 on 2 Peter 1:13 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 1 on 2 Peter 1:14 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 1 on 2 Peter 1:16 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 1 on 2 Peter 1:3 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 1 on 2 Peter 1:4 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 1 on 2 Peter 1:5 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 1 on 2 Peter 1:6 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 1 on 2 Peter 1:7 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 1 on 2 Peter 1:8 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 1 on 2 Peter 1:9 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 1 on unidentified text -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 2 on 1 Corinthians 15:20 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 2 on 2 Peter 1:10 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 2 on 2 Peter 1:11 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 2 on 2 Peter 1:12 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 2 on 2 Peter 1:13 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 2 on 2 Peter 1:14 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 2 on 2 Peter 1:16 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 2 on 2 Peter 1:3 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 2 on 2 Peter 1:4 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 2 on 2 Peter 1:5 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 2 on 2 Peter 1:6 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 2 on 2 Peter 1:7 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 2 on 2 Peter 1:8 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 2 on 2 Peter 1:9 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 2 on unidentified text -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 3 on 2 Peter 1:16 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 3 on 2 Peter 1:3 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 3 on 2 Peter 1:4 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 3 on 2 Peter 1:5 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 3 on 2 Peter 1:6 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 3 on 2 Peter 1:7 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 3 on 2 Peter 1:8 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 3 on unidentified text -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 4 on 2 Peter 1:16 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 4 on 2 Peter 1:3 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 4 on 2 Peter 1:4 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 4 on 2 Peter 1:5 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 4 on 2 Peter 1:6 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 4 on 2 Peter 1:7 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 4 on 2 Peter 1:8 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 4 on unidentified text -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 5 on 2 Peter 1:16 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 5 on 2 Peter 1:7 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 6 on 2 Peter 1:7 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon 7 on 2 Peter 1:7 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:18 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon on 2 Peter 1:15 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon on 2 Samuel 23:3-4 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon on Matthew 28:29 -- preacher (autograph: yes)Sermon on Psalms 22:21 -- preacher (autograph: no)
Linked Reports
Associated PlacesSalisbury -- BishopricSaltoun -- ParishGlasgow University -- PostRolls Chapel -- PostSt Clement Danes -- Post
Source of DataJeanne Shami; David Robinson
Biographical Sources ConsultedODNB (Article: 4061)
Other NoteBorn 18 September 1643 in Edinburgh to Robert Burnet, a judge of the court of session, and Rachel Johnston. His father devoted much time to tutoring his son, which allowed him to enter Marishal College in 1652, at just nine years old. Graduated MA in 1657. Afterward he briefly studied law before switching to divinity, still being tutoring by his father. Licensed to preach in 1661. Traveled throughout England, the Netherlands, and France 1663-1664 where he was influenced by Arminian and Cambridge Platonist thought. He returned to Scotland in September 1664 where he was employed as a tutor in the house of Sir Robert Fletcher in Saltoun. Instituted minister in Saltoun, 1665-1669. Professor of divinity at the University of Glasgow, 1669. While writing his Memoirs of the Dukes of Hamilton, he met Lady Margaret Kennedy. They secretly married in 1672/73 but kept this relationship secret because of their difference in station. He traveled to London in 1673 to obtain license to publish the Memoirs, where, through the patronage of John Maitland, second earl of Lauderdale he made a favourable impression on the King and was made a royal chaplain. He soon ran afoul of Lauderdale and by 1674 was banished from court, but fearing that Lauderdale may have him imprisoned or killed in Scotland, he resigned his post at Glasgow and remained in London where he was appointed chaplain to the Rolls Chapel and Thursday lecturer at St Clement Danes in 1675. He devoted much of his time to writing history and polemics. His 1679 History of the Reformation won him much favour, being published on the heels of the political crisis of the Popish Plot, leading to Oxford conferring on Burnet a doctorate of divinity in 1680. He was under suspicion again at court following the Rye House plot of 1683 for his connections to the plotters Essex, Russell, and Robert Bailie and was deprived of his livings by order of the King in November. His disfavour led him to pass the reign of James II in self-imposed exile on the continent where he continued to write. During this time he was presented to William, Prince of Orange with whom he gained favour. The Prince employed him as a chaplain and propagandist for his invasion in 1688. Appointed Bishop of Salisbury in 1689. He was a very politically active whig during his tenure. Died 17 March 1715. His will stipulated that his History of his Own Time be published after his death. The first volume was published in 1724, and the second in 1734.
GEMMS record createdDecember 10, 2015
GEMMS record last editedJanuary 27, 2019