THE COMPLAINT OF A CHRISTIAN SOVLE.
Containing certaine remedies and comforts against the trouble and conflict of Conscience.
Newlie written in meter.
PRINTED AT EDINBVRGH BY RObert Charters, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majestie. M.D.C.X.
TO THE MOST NOBLE AND HIS singulare good Lord IOHN Earle of MONTROSE Lord Grahame, one of his Majesties privie Counsell, we wishe long life with incresse of honour in the feare of the Lord
ALthogh, most Noble Lord, I (as one ever mindfull of your L. honorable place, and of that dewtie we all ought therevnto) did not lacke a will to haue saluted your L. with some fruites of my travelles this long time ago: but finding in my selfe that great want of graces which my Muse should haue granted, and not being bould to haue presented my selfe emptie into your presence, as also fearing if I had offered anie thing that my barbarity and incongruous speech should rather haue moued your L. to mislike me for my homelines, then otherwise to haue receiued me in fauour for the same. Yet being long tosted betwixt two extremities, sometimes calling to minde the dewty I was bound to, and sometimes remembering how I was alwaies vnable (because of my manifold defects) to haue satisfied the least point of your worthie desire, haue in end thoght better to be rude then vngrate, and so much the more because of the excellency of the theam proposed vnto me, I must with your favour (althogh not with such learning as you merite, nor with such holines as the mater requyres) take the boldnes as to acquaint your L. mith my small beginning, and to speeke a little of this subiect concerning a troubled soule, and of the comforts against the conflict of conscience, as a thing prescrived vnto me for the tyme, being in the same agonie my selfe (for my owne priuate content, and to avoide the tediousnes of ill imployed tyme) I was perswaded by some who had a great interest to the disposition of my will, to publish this little scrole to the world, that others might reape some profite thereby, and be fortified against the feare and apprehension of the gilt of sinne, and certainly the worthines of the subiect mooued me to yeeld the more easily to their desires. Yet knowing that students in their beginning (how worthie so ever) haue but a cold [Page]welcome in a forren land without the support and countenance of some great & worthie personage, as also fearing my imperfections, in handling this sukiect, might happely blemish the excellency of the worke, and giue some dstiaste to the curious reader. I haue therefore in my boldnes directed it to your L. as a patron, hoping ye will rather be a preses to defend my weaknes, then to cavell or oppon against such tender propositions. For since all that I haue done, rather proceedes of loue and bounden dewry, then any santasticall toy or desire of renoun: I must therefore commit all my slips and ignorances to your L. subsidie, looking rather to be acceptable for my good will, then to be loathed for that quhilk is inlaiking in me, and thought vnsavorie for that quhilk in due affection is done. So I haue presumed to shrewd both my selfe and my labours vnder your L. protection, besceching you receaue these strangers (as you vsually do all men) with a gratious and a gentle eie, and to accept of my poore endevours, as a testimonie and a pledge of my humble dewty and service: that by your L. honourable acceptance and exemple, others may be drawne to entertaine them kindely, and bid them the better welcome: so shall your L, incourage me to some stronger attempt, and bind me to continew alwaies, promising certemly if mymuse shall afford any better things thereafter, neither shall your person nor your place be forge, but as my taient incresses your L.shall know.
THE PREFACE.
AS it is a great happines to fle al vicious extreams, and to hold a commend able mediocritie: so it is a miserie quhilk we cannot sufficiently lament, to see (in thir latter daies amongst men quhilk make profession to beleeue in a better life) some who haue so sold them selfe to the loue of this world that they seeke not for an vther, and some who are so violently caried away with the feare and apprehension of Death, so that vpon any shew of alteration in their health there is nothing to be heard bot strange sighs and grones, the witnesses of abject thoghts, and the vnworthie contesting of a soule that wolde dispute with God. The remedies against so great mischieues are very necessary: and I hope this treatise following will furnish some-what for the purpose (gathered not in the bogs and mures of humane wisdome, but in the garden of life) quhilk is the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles of the ever-living God: The savory juce of the quhilk remedies digested in our soules, will make vs neither be too much rejoisd with the pleasures of this world, neither too much feard to passe out of this world, but that with a holy care, a vigilant feare, and a filiall reverence, we shall haue the eies of our soules and eares of our heartes open to the voice of the Lord, crying to all mankinde, Sonnes of men returne, yea it wolde cure vs of that lethargie, palsie, and spirituall apoplexie, where-with so many poore soules are daily infected, quhilk never thinking of death are dead living, or rather are as the dead quhilk bury the dead, noknowing [Page]what the kingdome of God is, neither hauing any care to be of it, or to procure or advance it. This juce will free vs from that feare quhilk congeils our spirits, and from that frencie quhilk makes vs doubt of our saife delivery, and from that spirituall melancholy quhilk subverts all true judgement in vs, and thrusts vs (as it were) in a brutishe childishnes, estranging vs from these things quhilk should cause most joy and consolation in vs. This present collection is the box conteining the precious oyle the quhilk being carefully digested by you will (I hope) produce some profitable effect. Bot to giue you some greater taist of the samin, and to shew the summe or this little scrole. In thir few & vnadvised lynes, there is breeflie (or as it wer) in a certaine a bridgment set down two things, the one is the vehement calamitie quhilk proceedes not from a sleeping soule, but from the feeling disease and excessiue trouble of a wakned conscience, not onely accused but convicted of her persewers, and broght to the straite , farther nor the scaffold, even almost to the doore of the graue, by the rememberance of sin. In the other part there is adjoind, althogh not separately by it selfe but mixtly throgh the whole, some speciall remedies for the most diseased soule, and some medicens equivalent for the farrest dijected conscience, and some salues very necessarie for that spirituail palsie, quhilk if it be rightly applyed, will not onely banish all present feare of death, but even that quhilk no other Phisick can afford, it will furnishe perpetuall health to the soule, and leaue the minde so at ease, that no inconvenient (how great so ever) shall be able heereafter to ty the man to the bed. This is the summe Christian Reader, and albeit it be not so ripely digested, nor vttered with such grace, as he ought to haue who lets any thing go from him to the censure of this age: yet impudencie hes so prevailde with me for the time, and a care to do good with my small talent, did so continually push [Page]my lukles muse that I could finde no rest in silence. But as Michall did laugh when David did dance, so I know some Michals will scorne at my singing, and yet I hope otherwaies to be welcomed of some, for if any good Davids be in this land there I shall be harbored, because this is a song whereat Davids should be delyted. So not caring for Michals taunting, nor Rabschek as railings, nor Ischmaels scofs, because it is not with such I craue to be mirrie, neither with them to communicate our spirituall melodie, to the well effected Christian (who giues lodging to the Hebrew Harpes, and who intertaines the musicall instruments of Sion) I direct this Ballad, to be set vpon their strings, to be played in their Palaces, and to be sung in their Innes, knowing this one that if the pleasantnes do not delite you, the long somnes shall not wearie you. And if all be not so well ordered, as you merite (worthie Reader) nor so Poeticallie composed as the writer wolde wishe, let my want be countervailed by my good will, and when better things shall be offered, you shall not lacke.
Fair well.