Hymns or Sacred Songs, Title page – Dedication
HYMNES, OR SACRED SONGS, wherein the right vse of Poësie may be espied.
Be Alexander Hume.
WHEREVNTO ARE ADDED, the experience of the Authors youth, and certaine precepts seruing to the practise of Sanctification.
The table followes in the next page.
Ephes. 5. 18. But be ful filled with the Spirit speaking vntounto your selues in Psalmes, and Hymnes, and spirituall songs singing and making melodie to the Lord in your hearts.
EDINBVRGH,
Printed by Robert Walde-graue, Printer to the Kings Majestie. 1599. Cum privilegio regio.
The contents of this booke.
1 The Authors Recantation.
2 Of Gods benefits bestowed vponupon man.
3 A description of the day Estiuall.
4 Consolation to his sorrowfull soule.
5 Praise for deliuerie of the sick.
6 Of gods omnipotencie.
7 The triumph of the Lord after the maner of men, alluding to the defait of the Spanish Nauie, in the yeare 1588.
8 The humiliation of a sinner.
9 An Epistle to master GILBERT MONCREI… Mediciner to his Majestie, containing the experience of the Authors youth.
10 Christian precepts seruing to the practise of Sanctification.
TO THE FAITHFVLL AND VERTVOVS Ladie, Elizabeth Mal-vill, Ladie Cumrie, grace, merciemercy, and peace, from God the father, and from our Lord Iesus Christ.
WHEN I read that Epistle written by the Apostle Ioh…, vntounto an elect Lady (beloued in the Lord Iesus) I cal to mind the Godly & elect Ladies in this our age, which within this country ar… knowne vntounto mee. Of the which number I count you to be one, euen a Ladie chosen of God to bee one of his saincts, and the Godlie daughter of a faithfull father: forthe children of God have their owne marks. Therefore when I first perceaued the spiritual conference, the graue behauiour, the feruent zeàle, and the great sense of naturall corruption, with the strang resistance of the same that was in you: I thinke them as infallible signes of Sanctification: Let no man suspect me of flatterie, for I speake not after the flesh. N… ther feare I (Sister) that this my commendation puff you vp: for where the spirit of Iesus dwelles, there is humility: But rather that thereby ye shal be stirred vp & incou…aged to perseuere, and grow in Godlines. It is a rare thing to see a Ladie, a tender youth, sad, solitare, and sanctified, oft sighing & weeping through the conscience of sinne. Would to God that all the Ladies of this Land, especially they of the greatest ranke, were of the like modest and godlie disposition: for the most part of them we see, to delite mair in couetousnes & in oppressiō of the puire for the intertainement of their pride, or else to spend their dayes in chambering, wantōnes, decking of their bodies in delicat feeding, and in satisfying their lustes, nor to hauehave ane incorrupt and holie hart, with a meik aud quiet spirit. Araying themselues in cumly apparel, with shamefastnes and modestie, and with good workes, as the Apostles of Iesus Christ hath commanded them. 1. Tim. 2. 9. 1. Pet. 3. 3. Let such women remember that a day they shall appeare & giuegive a compt before the judgement seat of Christ, and shall receaue a rewarde in their bodies according to their workes. I would wish them to hauehave this weightie saying of the Apostle euer recent in memorie, as a dicton: Shee that liues in pleasure, is dead vvhile shee liueth. 1. Tim. 5. 6. But yee liue more in murmuring and in paine: Therefore yee shall rejoyce eternallie. Now to come to the point, hauing composed in my youth a few songes in verse to the glorie of God: seeing the custome of men is to dedicate their workes to their fauorites and patrones: Shall it not be lawfull to me also, after the maner of men, to present vntounto you (a faithfull and beloued Ladie) a part of my little labours? And sa meikle the rather, because I know ye delite in poesie your selfe; and as I vnfainedly confes, excelles any of your sexe in that art, that euer I hard within this nation. I hauehave seene your compositiones so copious, so pregnant, so spirituall, that I doubt not but it is the gift of God in you. Finally, because so little a worke as this is, requires a short epistle, I take my leaue, not doubting but my good meaning shall be fauorablie accepted. Continue (good Ladie & sister) in that Godlie course which ye hauehave begun: let nothing be done vponupon ostentation. LoueLove your Husband: hauehave a modest care of your familie, and let your cheefe care be casten vponupon the Lord Iesus, who will recompense vsus at his comming. To God therefore the Father, & our Lord Iesus Christ, be all praise for euer, Amen. At Logie the 16. of Februarie. 1598.
Your brother in the Lord Iesus, Minister of the Evangell.
Alexander Hume