The Godly Mans Journey to Heaven, Dedication 4
TO THE SINCERELY RELIGIOVS and truly vpright, Sir GEORGE HAY of Kinphains Knight; great Chancellar of Scotland; Counseller to his most excellent Maiestie in both the kingdomes.
LVke the Euāgelist,Luke 1. 1. 2. 3. knowing that that most Noble Theophilus was wel instructed in that misterie of Christ; dedicated to him, First, that sacred Historie of the Incarnation, life, death, buriall, Resurrection, and Ascension of that God-man,Acts. 1. 1. and man-God Iesus blessed for euermore; and thereafter that heauenly Historie of the holy Acts of his faithfull Apostles. And shall anie thing be able to dash me (treading the cleane pathes of so wise a leader, of so holy a Maister) my verie religious Noble good Lord, in dedicating this part of my Heauenly Chariot vntounto your Lordship, if it shall please my blessed good God by his Spirit to moue your good Lordship to daigne your selfe to accept of it? Certaine it is, that since that lamed souldier Ignatius Layola of abominable memory, had his orderles bloudie order, first confirmed at Rome by Paulus the third,Anno. 1540. by the meanes of Cardinall Conteran: that these Robbers, his lying cruell broode, (here offered vntounto your Lordships view) compassed neuer this kingdome (with Satan that lier, that murtherer from the beginning their Maister) so frequently, so busily, so boldly as they do now at this present, for the surprising of the soules, and ouerthrowing of the bodies of Gods Saints among vsus. Alwayes when I thinke vponupon that light of God which shineth cleerely in your Lordships vnderstanding, I see (to the great comfort of all such louers of Christ among vsus) one able to take them vp a far off, and to discerne them. When I thinke vponupon that louelove and zeale of God (which burneth strongly in your Lordships heart) I meet one, readily willing, seeing them and discouering them, to pursue them till they be apprehended. And when I cast my eyes vponupon that high chaire (in the which not mortal weake man, but that immortall strong Monarch, hath euen at such a time placed your Lordship) I lay hold on one, carying an armed hand, able exemplarlie to punish them being apprehended, and who knoweth whither your Lordship be come to this chaire,Esth. 4. 14. at such a time for this end? These Robbers being that Goliah, your Lordships good and wise guide hath most wisely cast in your Lordships way, to reuile your Lordship, to defie your Lordship, yea to reuile, and to defie to your Lordships hearing, the host of the Lord: to the end that your Lordship as his Dauid, sent out by him against them, may hauehave them falling downe dead at your Lordships feete: and thereafter hauehave their heads carried in triumph before your Lordship, as a manifest euidence to the world, that that God of hosts, euen the God of the host of Israel (vponupon whom they hauehave too long railed) is with your Lordship. The by-gone proofes of your Lordships carriage, and vpright dealing in eueryevery thing, hath bred such hopes in the hearts of all feares God, that they expect this: hath brought such astonishment to the contrarie minded, that they looke for this. My good Lord, let not your Lordships sincere true friends be disappointed, let not your Lordships periured, lying, aduersaries be frustrated. Cleon the Lacedaemonian being set ouer the Commonwealth to gouerne it, sent for all his friends, and discharged himselfe of their friendship, knowing that friendship hath made many men oftentimes to erre in iudgement: and shall your Lordships kinsmen and acquaintances offend (if your Lordship resembling in your happie gouernment, that holy one who gaue himselfe for you) shall say to these who shall come to your Lordship in chamber, in counsell, or in Session:Mat. 12. 49. 50. Behold my mother, and my brother, for whosoeuer shall do the will of God (and so hauehave a good action) the same shall be my brother, my mother, and my sister. The Emperour Vitellus hauing refused the petition of one of his speciall friends which was vnreasonable, and hearing him (waxing angry) said to him: What auaileth thy friendship to me, since I cannot obtaine that which I craue? did answer religiously, prudently, and calmely. And what auaileth thy friendship to me, if for thee I must do that which is vnlawfull? And shall your Lordship hold these for your Lordships friends, or account these worthie of your Lordships fauor, who shall attempt to desire your Lordship to speake or to do that for them which may prouoke your Lordships good God to wrath? My deare Lord, if diuels shall afterward assault your Lordship, if men shall be bold, either by faire promises to allure your Lordship from good vntounto euill, or by sharpe threatenings to menace your Lordship to refuse good, and to embrace euill? let that holily & happily spoken by Iosaphat to these Iudges deputed by him, be alwayes remembred by your Lordship:2. Chron. 19. 6. 7. Take heede what ye do, for ye execute not the iudgement of men, but of the Lord, and he will be with you in the cause and iudgement. Wherefore now let the feare of the Lord be vponupon you. Take heede and do it, for there is no iniquitie with the Lord your God, neither respect of persons, nor receiuing of rewards. Suffer me, my verie Noble good Lord, here to present my blessed Lord and louelove, euen that great Angell of the couenant before your Lordship, setting your Lordship to this his worke, strengthening your Lordship for this his worke, and fully incouraging your Lordship against all difficulties your Lordship possibly can meete with, in vndergoing and vnderlying this his worke. The Lord is with thee thou valiant man. Iud. 6. 12. 14. 16.Go in this thy might, and thou shalt saue my Israel, in Scotland out of the hāds of these bloudy robbing Midianites, the Iesuites: hauehave not I sent thee, I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite them as one man. He who made an house to the midwiues of Egypt, shal not forget to build an house to your Lordship. He who iustly made the names of Doeg, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Haman to stinke, and who mercifully made the names of Nehemiah, Esdrah, and Mordecai to smell sweetly, shall in despight of all hellish and earthly powers, keepe your Lordships name from all infection, and made it to be sweet and fragrant to all future ages; yea, shall write it in the Lambes book of life, that after your Lordship hath serued your King and Soueraigne Lord here for a while, your Lordship may be hereafter, for euer, where that your Lordships Lord & Soueraigne is:Ioh. 13. 16. for the which till I breathe, I shall not ceasse heartily and humbly to draw vp my simple prayers to God.
Your Lordships most humbly deuoted, D. L.