The Godly Mans Journey to Heaven, Dedication 3
TO MY VERIE HONORABLE GOOD Lords, IAMES Earle of Arran. GEORGE Earle of Enzie, and IOHN Earle of Cassils: three noble plants happily planted by the right hand of the most High, in that greene and fruitfull garden of his dearest Sonne; of speciall religious, vertuous, and valorous expectation: by whom the true nobilitie of their truly Noble Ancestors is not stained but beautified; is not lessened but enlarged; through the force of the grace of God, blessing and strengthening their Lordships.
HOly and wholsome is that counsell giuen by the Preacher vntounto the yong man, compassed with a thousand dangers, and lodging within him ten thousand enemies:Eccl. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth. Alwayes no wonder was it that the Preacher aduised the yong man thus, for well knew he (being instructed by that greatest teacher) that to be true:Pro. 22. 6. Teach a child in the trade of his way, and when he is old he shall not depart from it. Dauid the father of this Preacher, knowing the yong man to be compassed and possessed as is said, could not possibly finde out away (euen when he came to the blessed mouth of God for resolution) to tame a yong man, and taming him to hauehave him sanctified for the seruice of his God, beside the word of God, for did not Dauid crie out thus to the hearing of Angels and men: Wherwith shall a yong man redresse his way, Psal. 119. 9.by taking heed vntounto it according to thy word? Nature that common fostering nurse hauing prudently ioyned your Lordships nearely; Grace that rarest mother which bringing forth children vntounto God, fill those heauens of heauens hauing happily tyed your Lordship one to another more strictly, who am I that I should attempt to seuer your Lordships, for should man separate those whom God hath coupled? I hauehave therefore my very noble good Lords, out of that sincere louelove my soule in God doth carrie ioyntly to your Lordships coupled by nature, linked through grace, and who I hope shall not be separate in glorie (considering these manie dangers and fierce aduersaries the children of God iourneying through the wildernesse of this world, towards that Canaan which is aboue doth meete with) bene bold heartily and humbly to propine your Lordships with a leader, with a lanterne, with a guide, with a guard, alwayes so to direct, and protect your Lordships in sinful time, that your Lordships may dwell and reigne after time in shining eternitie, farre remoted from sinne, and from sinners. I hope your Lordships will yeeld them presence, and hauing once countenanced them, will lend them your eares, hearts and hands, chearfully contented while your Lordships shall breathe here, to be counselled, gouerned, and kept by them; for I assure your Lordships they shall (without all doubt) prooue that, to your Lordships at length, which that fierie pillar proued to the Israelites, coming through the wildernesse towards that promised Canaan. Let your Lordships Leader be that blessed Spirit of the Father,Nehe. 9. 20 and of his dearest Sonne. Let your Lordships Lanterne be that sacred and vnspotted Word of God, contained in holy Scripture. Let your Lordships Guide be the Man of God,Psal. 119. 105. who being one of a thousand, hath this Spirit for his maister, and this written word for his lesson.Act. 8. 31. Let your Lordships Guard be these celestiall spirits sent out by God the Father,Heb. 1. 14. Son, and holy Ghost, for the comfort of those who be ordained for saluation. This was that Leader, that Lanterne, that Guide, that Guard; that sole soueraigne blessed Leader, Lanterne, Guide, and Guard of Gods elect, euen our God blessed for euermore, prepared for his owne Dauid, who was a man according to his owne heart, and wherein Dauid did reioyce and triumph exceedingly: for out of the sense of this did he not draw vp this suite to his God?Psal. 1…3. 10. Let thy good Spirit leade me vntounto the land of righteousnesse. Doth he not out of the sense of this, euen with ioy, make this confession vntounto God before the whole world? Thy word is a lanterne vntounto my feete, and a light vntounto my pathes. Out of the sense of this doth not that religious King and royall Prophet reuerence and follow the aduice and counsell of his Seers,1. King. 1. 24. 25. 26. 27. 32. 33. 34. 35. the men of God led by his Spirit and word in his greatest affaires?2. Sam. 12. 7 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. & 24 13. 14. And when he (being deceiued alas, by Satan and his owne lust) fell in any sinne, can he not reuerently heare these his Seers charging him with his sinne, and sharply admonishing and threatning him for the same? Yea out of the sense of this,Psal. 34. 7. doth not Dauid sing to the comfort of his owne soule, and consolation of others: The Angels of the Lord pitcheth round about all them that feare him, and deliuereth them. My good Lords, delay not to take your selues vntounto the pathes of Dauid, and wearie neuer, notwithstanding of hellish and earthly opposition, of kinsmen and strangers, of friends and foes, to walke in the wayes of Dauid, till death shall close your Lordships eyes. For whosoeuer with Dauid shall finde grace to commit himselfe to the direction, gouernment, and protection of the Spirit of the Word, of the Man, and of the Angels of God, can men possibly discouer the happinesse and glorie of such a one? It is a common thing to be Noble, but it is as rare a thing to be truly Noble. Many diuerse Kings giues many diuerse honors, but that honour which is onelyonly worthie the stile of Honor, is giuen onelyonly by that one King who is the King of kings; for he alone is able to make the sonnes of Adam to be the sonnes of God: and these alone who are Gods sonnes, are truly Noble. The sense hereof moued that sonne of thunder euen with admiration to crie out:1. Ioh. 3. 1. Behold what louelove the Father hath shewed vntounto vsus, that we should be called the sonnes of God. That religious Poet answering this, could sing secretly thus:
Generosa Christi nobilitat secta viros:
Cui quisquis seruit ille vere est nobilis. Now the very God of peace sanctifie your Lordships throughout, and I pray God that your Lordships whole spirits and soules may be kept blamelesse vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ:1. Thess. 5. 24▪ 23. 24. Faithfull is he which called you, which will also do it.
Your Lordships most humbly deuoted, D. L.