Brief Commendation of Uprightness, Title page – Dedication
ANE BREIF COMMENDATIOVN OF VPRICHTnes, in reſpect of the ſurenes of the ſame, to all that walk in it, amplify it cheifly be that notabill document of Goddis michtie protectioun, in preſeruing his maiſt vpricht ſeruand, and feruent Meſsinger of Chriſtis Euangell, Iohne Knox. Set furth in Inglis meter be M. Iohne Dauidſone, Regent in S. Leonards College.
¶Quhairunto is addit in the end ane ſchort diſcurs of the Eſtaitis quha hes caus to deploir the deith of this Excellent ſeruand of God.
¶PSALME. XXXVII.
¶Mark the vpricht man, and behauld the Iuſt, for the end of that man is peace.
¶IMPRENTIT AT SANCTANdrois be Robert Lekpreuik. Anno. 1573.
TO THE MAIST GODLIE, ANCIENT, AND WORTHIE Schir Iohne Wiſchart of Pittarrow Knicht, M. Iohne Dauidſone wiſsis the continuall aſsiſtance of the Spreit of God, to the end, and in the end.
CONSIDDERING with my ſelf (maiſt worthie Knicht) the greit frailtie and vnſurenes of all ſtrent his …irthly quhatſūeuer, quhairin mā leiſing god, vſis to put his traiſt on the ane part, & the ſure fortres and ſaifgaird of vprichtnes, howbeit deſtitute of all aide warldly on the vther part: I culd not withhald my pen frō vttering of that praiſe and commendatioun of vprichtnes, quhilk in my mynde I had conſauit of the ſame. Being cheifly mouit heirunto be the Miraculous (as I may weill call it) and maiſt wonderfull preſeruatioun of that maiſt notabill ſeruand of God, and ſinceir Preicheour of Chriſtis Euangell, Iohne Knox. Quha being bot of ſmall eſtimatioun befoir the eyis of the warld (ȝit greit befoir God) was hatit vntounto the deith. And that euin be Kingis, Quenis, Princes, and greit men of the warld, and finally be all the rabill of Sathanis ſuddartis, in Scotland, Ingland, and France. Ȝea, not only was he hatit, and raillit on, bot alſo perſecutit maiſt ſcharply, and huntit from place to place as ane vnworthie of ony ſocietie with man. And althocht thay wer michtie and potent, ȝea, and wantit na euill will, and he on the vther ſyde ane pure man, alane, and oft tymes without help, or aſsiſtance of ye warld, ȝit was he michtely preſeruit, and as in a maiſt ſure ſaifgaird (all the wickits attentis quha thriſtit nathing mair nor his blude being fruſtrat) conductit to ane maiſt quyet, peaciabill and happy end, to the greit aduancement of Goddis glorie, and ſingulare comfort of his Kirk, and to the confuſioun of …the… and diſcōfort of all his wickit Inſtrumētis. Thairfoir … dotabil & euidēt ane documēt of the louing cair … …wardis his ſeruāds ſuld not with him be bury it bot abyde recent in memorie till all the Inhabitantis of this Realme in all ages to cum. I hauehave preiſsit ſchortly in this lytill paper to mak, as it wer, ane memoriall of the ſame, & yat in that lāguage quhilk is maiſt cōmoun to this hail Realme, to the intent that aſweill vnleirnit as leirnit may be pertakeris of the ſame. Not that I think my ſelf abill to handill ſa worthie ane mater worthelie in ony toung, bot that partly I may ſchaw my gude will in this mater, and partly to gif occaſioun to vtheris, that baith hes mair dexceritie in ſic thingis, and greiter opportunitie of tyme, to intreit the ſame at greiter lenth. That be calling to mynd this notabill exēpill of Godis louing cair towardis vsus, we all in chir feirfull dayis (quhairin he that ſeis not tryall approching neir is deſtitute of Iudgement) may be ſtrenthnit & incourageit to ga fordwart vprichtly, euerie ane in our a win vocatioun, …ithout declyning outher to the richt hand or to the left. And principally that our watche men faint not, nor begin to look, or flatter with the warld for feir of Tyrānis, bot that thay may hauehave braſin faces, & foirheidis of Iron aganis the threitnings of the wickit, cōdempning impietie of all perſounis in plane termis, following the enſā …ll of this maiſt zelous ſeruād of God, of quhōe heirtofoir we hauehave maid mentioun, and that being aſſurit gif ſa thay walk vprichtly in diſchargeing of thair office, that thay ar in ye protectioun of the Almichtie.
¶And this ſmall frute of my ſober trauellis, I hauehave thocht gude to offer and preſent to ȝow (maiſt worthie Knicht) not ſame kill for that, that I thocht it worthie to be preſentit til ony: as that I wald let my gude will and grate mynd, be the ſame appeir towardis ȝow, throw quhais procurement I obtenit the benefite of that godly and faithfull (thocht mockit a…lſly traducit of the warld) ſocietie, quhairof preſently I a… participant. For the quhilk I acknawledge me, and my humbill ſeruice alwayis addettit to ȝour honour. And howbeit (as I mon confes) nathing can proceid of me that may in ony wayis correſpond to ȝour meritis towardis me: ȝit ſal the thankfulnes of mynd at na tyme (God willing) be deficient. Quhilk is to be acceptit, quhair vther thingis ar lacking, in place of greit rewaird. And the rather hauehave I takin …auldnes to dedicat this lytill Treateis vntounto ȝour honour, ba…th becaus I vnderſtude, ȝow euer to hauehave bene ſen ȝour Chyldheid, ane vnfenȝeit fauourar, and mantenar to ȝour power of vprichtnes, quhais praiſe in this lytill Volume is intreatit. And alſo, that this notabill ſeruand of God (quhais michtie preſeruatioun, notwithſtanding the wickitis rage, to ane quyet end, cheifly mufit me to this buſines) was maiſt belufit of ȝow quhile he leuit, and yat for yat greit vprichtnes quhilk ȝe ſaw from tyme to tyme maiſt viuely expres the ſelf in him. And finally, that ȝour honour may be mufit heirby, as ȝe hauehave begunne and continewit to this day ane zelous profeſſour of Goddis word, mantenar of the ſamin, and lufer of his ſeruandis: ſa ȝe may perſeueir to the end of ȝour lyfe, without ſclander to ȝour profeſsioun, euer approuing the treuth, and haitting Impietie in all perſounis, not leaning to warldly wiſdome, nor louking for the pleſure of greit men in the warld: Sen nane of thir thingis, bot only vprichtnes can outher mak ane pleſand to God, or ȝit ſure in this warld. And ſa traiſting that ȝour honour will accept this my ſober offer (till God grant better occaſioun of greter) intill gude part. I commit ȝow to the protectioun of the Almichtie, that quhen it ſall pleis God to tak ȝow furth of this miſerie, ȝe may end ȝour lyfe in the Sanctificatioun of his haly Name. To quhome be praiſe and Glorie, for euer, Amen. From Sanctandroi… the XVIII. of Febr…