A Spiritual Propine of a Pastor to his People, Title page – Poem 4
A SPIRITVALL PROPINE OF A Pastour to his People.
HEB. 5. 12.
You whom it behooueth because of time to be teachers, hes neede againe to be taught the elements of the speaches of God.
IAM. 1.
19 And sa my beloued brethren, let all men be swift to heare, slaw to speake, slaw to wrath.
21 And casting away all filth, & excrement of euill, with meekenes, receiue the ingraft Word, whilk saues your saules.
22 And be you doers of the Word, and not hearers onelyonly, beguiling your selues.
EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY ROBERT Walde-graue Printer to the Kings Majestie. 1589.
Cum Privilegio Regio
Contents of the Buik.
1 The Epistle dedicatorie. Fol. 3.
2 A short exhortation to Prayer. 5.
3 A Morning Prayer. 8.
4 Blessing before meate. 13.
5 Grace or thanks-giuing after Meate with Prayer. 14.
6 Euening Prayer. 15.
7 The maner how to vse the Catechisme in verse, pleasandly & profitably. 17.
8 A Prayer for the working of the holy Spirit. 19.
9 A Prayer for the Sabboth at Morne. 20.
10 A prayer for the Sabboth at Night. 22.
11 A Prayer before the holy Communion. 24.
12 A meditation after the Communion. 26.
13 Ane exhortation anent tryall. 30.
14 That Christians ought to try themselues alwaies, and namely, before they come to the Table of the Lord. 34.
15 A forme of tryall in particular, of miserie and merciemercy, be their seuerall columnes and poyntes. 39.
16 The forme of tryall and examination taken of all sik as presents themselues to the Table of the Lord. 42.
17 The saules delight. 52.
18 A Poeme for the practize of pietie, in deuotion, faith and repentance: Intituled, A Morning vision, wherein the Lords Prayer, Beleefe, and Commands, and sa the Whole Catechisme, and right vse thereof, is largely exponed. 53
19 The Lords Prayer paraphrased. 63.
20 Confession of the justifying Faith paraphrasde. 73.
21 Repentance Oration. 91.
22 Precepts of Repentance. 96.
23 A paterne of true Faith and Repentance. 105.
24 Ane ample and playne paraphrase, proponed be Repentance, vp…on the Ten Commands 116
25 The song of MOSES. Deut. 23. in verse. 134.
26 The feeling of sinne and force of faith for saluation. 140.
27 The Sea mans shout, or mutuall exhortation to go forward in the spiritual voyage. 143.
28 The way and end of Voluptie and Vertue. 145.
29 Sundry Sonets.
TO THE REVERENDE Fathers and Brethren, Elders of the Congregation of Kilrinny, and haill flocke committed to their gouernement; the Pastor, wisheth, grace, merciemercy, and peace, from God the Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ.
REceiue Reuerend Fathers, louing brethren, and deir flock, this Spirituall Propine: conteiniug in short summe the substance of that exercise of tryall, wherewith ye are acquainted in dayly doctrine, before ye communicate at the Table of the Lorde, togidder with the grounds of the doctrine of godlinesse and saluation, contryued in a peece of not vnpleasand and verie profitable Poësie. As I hope the ha…y Spirite be experience sall make you to proue and finde with exhortationes, and allurements to the earnest and holy practise of Pietie, in Deuotion, Faith, and Repentance. For vnderstanding your custome to be, to ease the langour of time, and irksomnes of your labours with singing▪ whilk is a gift naturallie giuen be God to many for that effect, and the mater of that mufick amongst the common sorte, to be vaine and profane▪ seruing to sop the saule in sinne and vncleannes, and steir vp the corrupt and filt… affectiones thereof to evill lustes, and seiking of occasiones to fulfill the wicked desires thereof; I thought it my dutie to indeuour to draw you to the right vse of Musick and singing, the whilk being sanctified be gud and honest matter, and holy disposition of heart, makes meikle for godlie edification and comfort. For the measures of poësie & harmonie of musick (as I finde be daily experience in my awin familie) delytes the mind, and sa helpes the memorie very meikle, to embrace and keip fast the matter, and stirres vp and sets the force of the soules affectiones towards God, in pleasand meditation thereof. The reason is euident and naturall, because that like drawes to like, and delites therein, and that whilk delites, leaues a stamp and printe in the memory, and moues sa the affectiones, that it is not easielie remooued. Now it is certaine that measures, harmonie, gud order, and temperature, are like to the nature of man, & maist friendlie and amiable thereunto: Seeing the gud constitution of the bodie, standes in the gud temperature of the humours therof; sa hes the saule also the awin sort of temperature: If not in the nature, yet euidently in the faculties and affectiones thereof, meruelouslie mooued and disposed be the measures temperature, and harmonious melodie of Musick and Poësie. And the same also I take to be the cause why method and gud order is the mother of memorie, & delectation in all thinges. This the God and maker of the saule and spirites of men, knawing best, hes set downe his haly will and veritie in sacred scripture: not onelyonly in plaine and simple prose, as in the storie, Prophets, and writings of the Apostles: but also in Poësie and verses, meit to be vttered with the melodie of Musick; be voyce or instrument; And that but question for memorie and delectation, to bring foorth halines, whereby he might be rightly worshipped, and men made to atteine to that happines that is in the presence of his face, and inioying the light of his count…nance, where Angels sing without cease, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hostes, the warld is ful of thy glory, as are the b…iks of Iob, of the Psalms, Prouerbs, Ecclesiastes, & that maist sweete & pleasand Song of songs; & that song of MOSES, commended be God to be put in the mouth of the people, and sung continually; with many ma…, baith in the old & new Testament, be that renowmed father of the kirk. T. B. prettelie put forth in French meeter: The translation whereof, for your profite also I hauehave begunne to assay. And therefore, as I cease not to commend vntounto you maist instantly these poësies of Scripture: namely, the Psalmes of DAVID, & vther holy Prophets and men of God, whilk ye hauehave in your handes, set out of old in meeter, as the maist pretious treasure of instruction and comfort of the saule and inward man▪ Sa also for the same cause, I carefully recommend vntounto you, this your Catechisme, & instruction in the right way of the true seruice of God, and atteyning to saluation be Iesus Christ, included in this little Poëme, and framed to the common toones, wherewith ye are best acquainted: To the end, that yee imploying the misused time therein, may hauehave the groundes of Christian Doctrine imprinted in your memorie, with delyte and pleasure, and be moued and stirred vp to grow in knawledge and feeling of true godlines, whilk is profitable for all things: And that ye may know, this is the very will and command of God, for your speciall weill fare, fight, and lay vp in your hearts, thir places and exhortationes of Scripture following, with the whilk, the Spirite of Grace and sanctification might mightelie work, that ye may practise and obey the same. 1 Tim. 4. 7. 8. Cast away profane fables and auld wiues tales, and exercise thy self in godlines. For bodiely exercise profiteth little, but godlinesse is profitable for all thinges, hauing the promises of this life, and that whilk is to come. Ephes. 5. Harlatrie and vncleannes, and greedinesse, let them not be named amangst you, as becomes halie people, and foule and daft talk & bawdry, away with that: but rather thansgiuing. Knawing this, that na harlot, vncleane person, nor auaritio us, sall inherit the Kingdome of Christ and God. Let nane therefore deceiue you with vaine talk, for the whilk the wrath of God, comes vppon the children of disobedience. Be not therefore companions vntounto them. Euill communing, corruptes good maners: Speak vntounto your selues, in Psalmes, & Hymnes, and spirituall songs, singing vntounto the Lord with grace in your hearts. Coloss. 3. 16. 17. Let the speech of Christ dwel amangst you rifely with all wisedome, teaching & admonishing your selfes mutually, with Psalmes, and Hymnes, and spirituall songs. And whatsoeuer ye do in worde or deed, doe it in the name of the Lord Iesus, giuing thanks to God the Father, throw him. To the whilk effect also, receiue this sentence of BASILIVS the great, in his Epistle to GREGORY. What is more blessed (sayth he) then man being on the earth, to imitate the consent of the Angels that are in heauen, soone be day-break, to go to prayer, and with hymnes and songs to worship the Creator. Thereafter, at Sunne rysing, to go to wark in na place without Prayer, and finally, with songs, as with salt to season the actiones. For hymmick cohortationes, brings a glad and cheerefull equabilitie to the minde. Now, there are many maa things whilk I hauehave thought neidfull and expedient for your vse and profite, as the iust exposition of the Beleefe, Commandes, Prayer, and Sacraments, as they are Sabbothly exponed and teached vntounto you. Demands of storie, and poynts of Scripture, that our ordinary proceeding therein, may be the better be remembred, for profite in knawledge and practise: Spirituall meet medecines for your accustomed diseases, that maist and oftenest moueth and troubleth the weake flesh: as seiknes and searenes of bodie, trouble and griefe of mind, losse of geare, death of the deerest, and siklik, declaration how dangerous are the sinnes that are maist common amongst you, & prouoks God to wrath, & to strike with sik plagues, that the same may be remooued & amended▪ description of the particular duties of superiors toward their inferiors, & contrair, & of your chiefe trades & ca…ling be sea & land, that eueryevery ane knawing and doing their duties, in their ranck & ord…r, your Kirk, common-weill, and societies may stand & florish …n ane halie and happie estate: and finally, the substance of the solemne actiones, wherby we glorifie God, & edifies ane another, in our publick assemblies; as of Baptisme, the Supper, Fasting, Thanks giuing; Ordination of Elders, & solemnization of Mariage: All the whilk be seueral treatises, are purposed & minuted for your memorie, & salbe ready as ye sal require, that the paines taken in the doctrine of these points, & actions, both past & to come, may be the mair profitable, when ye sal hauehave the substance thereof shortely abridged ready at your hande, to be re…ewed with your eyes, and renewed in your minds, as your neede sall require. It is true, that many of thir things are better done & set down be vthers: but cōsiddering that the diuersity of Gods gifts, in conceiuing & vttering of the self same substance of doctrine, is als greate and wounderfull amangst men, as the varietie of proportion, and lineaments of their faces and persone is: And that the forme wherewith people are accustomed in daylie hearing, is easiest for their conceiuing and memorie in writ: Ioyning herewithall, the liking ye hauehave of your awin, and respect of that vnl…wsable coniunction in the LoueLove of Christ, whilk often being assayed, could neuer, nor hereafter (be Gods grace) can be distolued betuixt vsus. I was perswaded that this little peece of paine, would not be superfluous and vnprofitable, howbeit, the like were done of eueryevery Pastor to their flock: For I protest (the truth to al, that the special respect of your profite, deir flock) after dyuers years deliberation, hath thus put out my name in print whilk vtherwaies suld either hauehave lurked at hame, or shawin the selfe with appeirance of greater profite to the cōmon weil of Christianity. But seeing you ar the only tallent of the Lords gudes concredit to me: It sufficeth abundantly, if in any small measure I may better you, and with sum increase present you againe to my Lord at his comming. Wherefore my earnest desire is, that you Reuerend Fathers, and louing brethren of the Eldership, mindfull of the weight of your charge, and of the solemne aith and obligation, maid before God, his Angelles aud Kirk thereanent. Take faithful and diligent care that this word of life dwell plentifully, first in your awin hearts, and nixt in your families: fra the whilk as fountaines of liuing waters, it may flow vntounto the heartes, houses and families committed in particular to eueryevery ane of your charge, & therefor relief of your sauls at that great daye, when the chief Pastor sall appeare to receiue a reckoning of your Stewartrie. And the dayly wish of my heart is for the effectual working of the quickning spirit of Christ in all your hearts, wha ala…nerly is able to bring forth the effect of the knawledge & feeling of thir things in the practise of a renewed life, and sanctified conuersation, to confirme you mair and mair in the assurance of your election and calling to the airship of eternall life in Christ Iesus the only Sauiour, Sonne of man, and God ouer all blessed for euer. From Ansteruther, the 20. day of Nouember. 1598.
Your Pastor, louing and faithful be the grace of God vntounto the death, IAMES MALVILL.
TO THE PASTORS.
SONNET.
VVIthout a ground, we big into the aire,
And sa our wark dois vanish with the wonde:
Thought in appearance it be neuer sa faire:
Na profite permanent thereof is found.
If with our flockes, we lay not weill the ground
Right sure and solide, of the Catechisme,
Of all our paines, na profite can redound,
To plant the truth, and banish Atheisme:
And poesie, it is na Paganisme:
Bot sweit in Oyntment of the holy Sprit:
For sik as seikes their God in Christianisme.
To ken and keip, the mater fallen meit.
Great profite then this little paine may yeild.
Our flockes in Christ till edifie and beild.
M. R. D.
TO THE READER.
SONNET.
WAuld thou be sure of soveraine remeide,
Thy wearied saule maist sweitly to refraiche.
Wauld thou with courage beare the deadly seide:
Against the devill, the warld and wicked …laiche.
Wauld thou be strong and stoutly byde the braiche
Of Satans slights, and cause of Christ debate.
Wauld thou devise his shamles face to daiche.
And all his troupes by faith for to defate.
Wauld thou on earth approch to heauenly state▪
And being man, an Angels life to laide▪
In songs to sound the praises care and late
Of him wha thee and all the would hes maid.
Imploy thy time, thy tongue▪ and thine ingyne.
And chuse, and vse, this spirituall propyne.
M. I. D.
THEOCRENE.
NOn ego Parnassi cupiam iuga, non iuga Pindi:
Aut optem Aonias, aut Heliconis aquas,
Vna Theocrene, riget vnda, & recreet aura.
Vna Theocrene, satque superque mihi.
Flumine quae saturet pectus, quae flamine mentem
Impleat, hinc suadae plena medulla meae.
A. M.
GOD HIS WEALE.
I Cair not for Parnassus bankes, nor Pindus stately breas,
For Theocren her streames and aire, dois me refresh and ease.
Nor wish I for Aonis welle, nor springs of Helicon,
For Theocren aboundantly, dois me content alone.
Quhilk plennishes my breast and mind, with water and with wond:
Sa that my beames with Swadas mearch, dois fullelie abound.
TO THE BVIKE.
O Blessed booke of peaper permanent!
O right resembler of a liuely grace!
No barren bi…h of coyle and time mispent,
No loftie luste with false and fardit face,
Be not ashamed; thou bear…the verie trace
And paterne vine of heauenly influence:
The voyage, way, and Pilo…e vntounto peace,
A mate for myrth▪ the gyde for gouernence▪
Mounting on heigh vntounto divine essence,
Then drawing thence rare …ew of happie store,
For Woe, for Wealth for Faith, for conscience,
Yeelding in end for paine a perfite lore.
Go range about the coastes and countries all
Thou leadst aright to life celestiall.
M. I. I.
SONNET.
THe liuely Lampes of great Iehovaes licht
Quhilk driues the deadly smoke of sin away
The grounds of grace, the gage of glorie bright
The way to wealth quhilk sall indure far ay.
As Salue for saules, a solide plat to pray
At morne, at nicht, and vther seasons mei…
A truth to … the state where thou suld staye
A healthsome hyue of heauenly songes sweit.
Behald thou hes, in weichtie, wise, discreit
And pleasant style, a schort and reddie way.
To Paradyse with pleasures all repleit,
To reigne and sing O holy, holy aye.
Pray and assay herein sum space to spend.
GiueGive place to grace, and God sall blesse the end.
M. W. S.
A SONNET ENCOMIASTICK to the Buike.
O Lampe of light, and guyd for gouernence,
O booth of blis, and garden of all grace,
Leade-stearne to life, a craig for conscience
O Floure of faith, and peirles pearle of peace,
O rule of right, of truth the verie trace,
O Sinayes sight, and glansing glasse of glore,
For weaknes strenth, for mirth a pleasand mace,
Sweit songs for Saints, of stedfast ioyes a store.
O key of knowledge, lyne of heauenly lore,
O well of wisedome, vow of vertues al,
O schield for sinne, and salue for eueryevery fore,
O hearts true health, and trustie friend in thrall,
Go shaw, but aw, thy comely countenance
Naman, weill can, thy comforts recompance.
M. I. C.
TO THE READER.
GIff pleasure may perswade, or mater moue,
If profit may preuaile, or mirthe allure:
Heir stay thy hart, ô heir repose thy louelove,
Heir sall thou finde, quhilk may thy louelove procure:
Heir pleasure, game, and mirth quhilk sall indure,
Quhen earthly pleasure, game, and myrth decayes:
Tak paines and proue, prooffe sall thy hart assure,
None gets the gaine, bot he wha prooffe essayes.
Wey, vse, apply: away with fleshly stayes.
Delite, reioyce in heauenly musicke sanges:
Sen Poesie heir warkes, and faith arrayes.
Array thy hart with all that them belanges.
Quhen griefe and sorrow hes my hart opprest:
Resorting heir, I finde both ease and rest.
M. I. C.