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The works of Sir William Mure of Rowallan

Edited with introduction, notes, and glossary by William Tough

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A Spirituall Hymne.
  
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145

A Spirituall Hymne.

or The Sacrifice of a Sinner To be offred upon the Altar of a humbled Heart to Christ our Redeemer. Inverted in English Sapphicks from the Latine of that Reverend, Religious, and Learned Divine, Mr Robert Boyd of Trochorege


147

Christ, of thy Saints the

Eph. 4. 15

Head, the

Luk. 1. 33.

King,

Whose bountie's vn-exhausted spring
Doth to thy meanest

Ioh. 1. 16.

members bring

Eternall streames of grace,
Give mee, (sweet Saviour,) Thee to sing
In holy hymnes, with heart condigne,
Which eating age, nor envyes sting
Shall in no time deface.
Thou Lord, with glorious beams

Ioh. 1. 9.

all bright,

Blazing around thy Throne of light,

Exod. 33. 20.

Outreaching farre my feeble sight,

1 Tim. 6. 16.

Heere, in death's shade exylde,

Sin's clouds dispell, guilt's loade make light,
Which doth surcharge my fainting spright,
That I may spreade thy praise, thy might,
With heart pure, vndefyl'de.

148

Ioh. 4. 24.

With worship chast, in soule sincere,

Thou shouldst bee celebrate in feare.
Hence, yee

Mat. 7. 6.

vncleane, that darre appeare

With hands, with hearts prophaine.
O! let a

Esay. 6. 7.

Seraphim draw neare,

A flamming Coale whose hand doth beare,
My lips, my heart, from Heauen's high spheare
to purge from double staine.
Then shall these documents divine,
By which thy crosses fruits do shyne,
To happie Life conducting Thyne,
my Thoughts by day, by night,
With meditation deepe consyne:
At morne, midday, my weake engyne,
While Heaven's clear Torch his course decline
shall in thy praise delight.
Sonne, with thy Syre in

Ioh. 1. 12.

yeares, in might,

In all

Phil. 26. 15.

co-equall:

Ro. 11. 33.

man's dimme sight

Transcending:

Heb. 1. 3. Col.1. 6-67.

like thy paterne bright

An Other, and the Same:
True God of God, mild

Matt. 1. 16. 1.

Maid-borne wight,

Blest

Gen. 28. 11.

Ladder, reaching earth aright,

Co-apting things of greatest hight
with lowe: Light's glorious beame.
Safetie of Soules, Sight of the blinde,
Haven, where the shipwrakt shelter finde,
End of all toyles, Ease of the minde,
press'd downe with sinfull loade;
Reward of works due in no kinde
To conflict past, the Palme assignde,
Soules' cure, with sin's sore sicknesse pynde,
the banisht man's aboade.

149

Blest

Gen. 9. 14.

bow, bepaynting azure aire,

Thy pledge who did the World repaire;

Gen. 6. 14.

Arke, rendring Thine secure from care

of ouerflowing floods;
Their Crowne that sight, their pryze most rare
That sum: earth's peace, heauen's joy, hell's feare;
A saving

1 Cor. 10. 4.

Rock to thine, a

1 Cor. 12. 3.

snare

to such as sinne secludes.

Luc. 2. 32.

Israel's glory,

Luc. 10.

Gentiles' light,

Summe of the father's wisht-for sight,
Of Paradise the deare delight,
eternall Tree of life;
On source which watering day and night,
In foure cleare streames divided right,
Preserues, from yeares, from dayes despight,
but arte, or gardner's knife.
The

Rom. 10. 4.

Lawes, the

Act. 10. 40.

Prophet's scope, who shew

Thy face when Thou the

2 Cor. 3. 14.

vaile withdrew;

Of Types, of

Col. 2. 17.

Shads, the body true;

Io. 1. 36.

Lambe,

Heb. 13. 10.

Altar,

Heb. 2. 17.

Priest at ones;

Rev. 13. 8.

Lambe, kild before the World's first view;

Altar, which sinne inherent slew;
Priest, who in man did grace renew,
mounting alone

Heb. 9. 24.

heauen's Thrones.

I sing my

Heb. 9. 15.

Mediator's praise,

Whose hand o're all the scepter swayes;
Who

Col. 1. 20.

Angel's fall did stint, yet stayes;

1 Cor. 1. 30.

man falne did raise againe.

Who filde the breach by wondrous wayes
Of Heauen's proud Apostats, hell's preyes,
Earthlings adornde with Angells' rayes,
'mongst the immortall traine:

150

But say, (sweet Iesu,) what procurde
Thee, in a

Phil. 2. 7.

servant's shape immurde,

To pittie man in sinne obdurde,
God's rebell to beefriend?
To pleade for him who thee abjurde,
Suffring thy Godhead lurke obscurde,
Last, on the

Phil. 2. 8.

Tree, (O Tears!) indurde

an ignominious end?

Tim. 1. 15.

Else perisht had the World for aye,

Col. 1. 20.

No other Meanes God's wrath could lay,

Rom. 6. 4.

None else, could, (working death's decay,)

Man's Image first, infuse.

Gal. 3. 13.

None else, Law's paine severe could pay;

Heauen's walls to scale no other way;

Rom. 8. 11.

To vernish fresh graues rotten prey,

Means Thou alone couldst vse.
Without thee Lord, supremely blest,

Phil. 2. 9, 10, 11.

Whom highest honour doth invest,

Esay 53. 7, 10.

For Man with paines extremly prest

by spoyles of conquer'd Hell,
Heaven's glorious courts had neere encrest:
Nor should our fleshes loade, to rest
Aboue the Spheares, its selfe addrest,
'midst heauen's blest hosts to dwell.
Hence sprang Man's ease exyling toyle,
His hopelesse groanes, which so did boyle
Thy breast, that Thou pourd'st in the oyle
of Mercie in his wounds.

Esay. 53.

His Plaints procur'd thy soules turmoyle,

That Thou his lot didst take, to foyle
Sinne, Death and Hell, O Glorious spoyle!
which reason's ray confounds.

151

Our guilt's foule shame shame did deface,
Empurp'ring thy vnstained face;
Thy clouds, thy care, our light, our peace,
Our Victorie thy listes;
Thy hels in heauen procurde vs place,
Our honour grew by thy disgrace;
O Wisedome! if not found by grace,
Man's wit involves in mists.
O Sauing Knowledge! which of right

1 Cor. 1. 21.

The deepest Polititan's sight

Oresyles, drownde in eternall night,
Jn clowdes of self-conceate!
O contrares! which by nature fight,
Thus reconcil'de, mix'd by thy might,
Things weightie ballancing with light,
O change! O wonders great!
Thy dumpes our doolefull hearts did cheare;
Our teare-blind sights thy teares did cleare;
Thy deepe afflictions calmde our feare;
Thy bands vs fred from paine.

2 Cor. 8. 9.

Thy wants our wealth procur'de; we weare

Roabs by thy rags; grieves thou didst beare,
Our greifes, our languishings en-deare,
thy blood did ours restraine.

Luc. 2. 44.

That crimson sweat, these drops which drownd

Thy blessed face, with rayes ours crownde;

Rev. 5.

Sin's leprous spots, which soules confound,

from Parents' seede they purgde.
Thou, shak'd by death's approaching wound,
'gainst death mad'st vs secure be found,
Thou of our innocence the ground,
for vs, with guilt was vrgde.

152

Mat. 27. 46.

And when thou seemde some space to bee

Depriv'de from heauen of all supplie,
Yet banisht Man, still deare to Thee,
Thou neuer didst forsake.
Man's state was still before thine Eye,
Till entring Hell, Thou sett him free,
O

Deut. 23.

Crosse once curst, now happie Tree,

Source whence all good wee take!
When Thou thy selfe triumphde o're sho's,
Nailde to the Crosse, exposde to blo's,
Chargde by thy proud insulting foes
with infamie, with shame;
Torne, naked, pale, a mappe of woes,
Whilst floods of wrath thou vndergoes,
Thy syde trans-fixde, from which forth floes
a

Ioh. 19. 34.

double gushing streame;

Luk. 23. 46.

Thy soule commending to thy Syre,

While twixt two

Luk. 23. 39.

Theeues Thou didst expire;

Col. 2. 15.

Loe! then enlarging thine Jmpire,

Thy foes Thou Captiues led;
Triumphing on the Tree, hell's ire,

Hos. 13. 14.

Death's sting, Earth's Kings that did conspire,

Bound, hand and foote, thy wrath's hote fyre
their shame before Thee bred.
Thou ledst, (great Victor,) foylde in fight,
Those

Hab. 2. 14.

bands, in darknesse that delight;

Roots of man's ruine, foes to right,

Rom. 8. 2.

Sin, bound Thou didst detaine;

To Heauen's high courtes, a glorious sight,
God's Rebells vanquishde by thy might,
Condemnde in chains of horride night,
for euer to remaine.

153

Loe! heere, death's

Cor. 15. 26.

double-poynted sting,

1 Cor. 15. 56.

Law's hand-writ there traverst, (death's spring,)

Trode vnderfoote, in triumph, bring
Thou didst,

Col. 2. 14.

nail'd to thy crosse.

Thee, swallowing vp, (death conqu'ring King,)

1 Cor. 15. 55.

Death to it selfe the graue did bring;

On rav'ning Wolfe preyde ravishde thing,
Victorious by losse.
By death insulting held as dead,
Death's death Thou was, and death's remeed.

Iohn 1. 18.

O! Thou who dost God's secreets spread,

Author, revealer wise,
Heauen's pure delight, the woman's seede,
Who,

Gen. 3. 15.

treading downe the Serpent's head,

To wretched Man didst pittie plead,
Way, leading to the Skyes!
Oh, what had beene our fearefull fate,
Deare soules Redeemer? what our state?
Of ire what hudge, inunding spaite,
had quenchde our of-spring weake?
Without thee, Lord, hell's preys of late,

Col. 1. 1.

Who mongst thy saints didst vs relate,

And mounting heauens with glorie great,
deathes brazen barres didst breake?
Who saues vs in the day of ire,
When all shall be refinde with fire?
Who with thy Sp'rit dost vs inspire,

2 Cor. 5. 5.

Arls of eternall Life?

Thy Sp'rit of peace, our pledge, our hyre,

Eph.1. 13, 14.


Who, all vnites of thy empire
To Thee, our Head, our soules desire,
for ever shunning strife.

154

His seuen-fold grace doth vs defend
From snares; the World, the flesh forth send;
From Fiends infernall, which doe bend
theirs pow'rs 'gainst Thine, by night;
Which flie like

Psal. 91. 5, 6.

pestes by day; in end

On winges, with faith and hope empen'd,
Heauen's starrie circuits wee transcend,
by vertue of his might.
Hee, who eternallie foorth came,
With Father and with Sonne, the Same
Third

1 Ioh. 5. 8.

branch, joynd with that twofold stream,

Rom. 8. 16.

witnesse on earth to beare:

By him confirmde, wee

Eph. 2. 18.

accesse claime

To God's hie Throne: with feare and shame
Brought low, by him wee doe proclaime,

Rom. 8. 15.

Abba, O Father deare!

Rom. 8. 26.

He, sending vp a secreet grone,

Doth penetrat God's eares anone;
No wordes, no cryes can reach his throne,
nor speedier pierce the skies:
He doth vnsyle the eyes alone
Of soules sincere, to them is showne
The lawes hid sense: Hee doth enthrone
the lowe; the proud despise.
Soules languishing his grace revives;
To wandring steps hee regresse gives;
The falne liftes vp, deathes throe's relieues,
by warme light of his flame.
The hardest heart of flint he reaves;
For subjects, Rebells home receiues;
Subdues the stubburne, that believes
no hardnesse breedes him shame.

155

Ev'n as perfumes, which most excell,
Worke on weake sents, and doe dispell
All former loathings: So befell
Thy Saints, the Virgines deare:

Cant. 1. 23.

How soone thy Name's sweet fragrant smell

Was powred foorth, all prostrate fell,
Who gainst Thee did before rebell,
Thy yoke now gladly beare.
O! let this dewy showre descend,
Of thy sweet Oyle, that We in end
That Rocke of safetie may ascend
admitting no retreat.
Conduct vs who on thee depend,
(

Col. 3. 4.

Life-giuing essence,) vs defend,

Who here our days in dangers spend,
which vs each moment meete.
Lead vs, poore Pilgrims vnexpert,
Our Compasse, Pilote, Pole, who art,
Through this inhospitall desert,
this vaile of bitter teares,
Where perill lurkes in euerie part,
Where Asps their poys'nous stings forth dart,
Whose plaines no pleasures else impart,
but scrotching drought and feares.

Esay. 55. 1.

Lead vs, those rivers to frequent,

Where milke and honey yeelds content.
O! euer blesse, with good event,
the wrestlings of thine owne,
Till, comming in the firmament,
Unlookt for by earth's trembling tent,
When time's last

Rev. 10. 16.

Period shall bee spent,

Thy glory thou make knowne.

156

That Day shall rest

Rev. 6. 14.

Heauen's rolling spheares,

Earth's refluous tumults, deathes pale feares,

Rev. 22. 5.

O day, which neuer night outweares,

Night, by no day displac't!
Then, to the source flood's course reteires,
Time lurking then, no more appears,
Hid in the vast abysse of yeares,
from whence it first did haste.

Rev. 21. 4.

O day, which doth all blesse impart

To all, who vpright are in heart!

Rev. 21. 8.

O day of horrour, full of smart,

to all of sprite impure!

Rev. 21. 4.

Day, which shall sobs of saints convert

In songes of Joy! Day which shall dart
Wrath on the wretcht, who then shall start
wak'd from their sleepe secure!

Mat. 24. 31.

That Trumpet's terrifying sound,

That day, their ears, their souls, shall wound,
In sin's deepe Lethargie long drownde,
to heare a fearefull doome;
Whose noise, whose murmurings profound
Shall call, whate're earth's limits bound,

Rev. 20. 13.

Or who in floods o'rewhelmde are found,

hid in the Ocean's wombe.

Thess. 4. 16. 17.

Who cheard are with the World's bright Eye,

Jnvest'd yet with mortalitie,
Or whose dead ashes scattered flie,
dispersde through earth or aire;
This dayes sharpe tryall all must see,
If entered once lifes miserie,
Yea, babes, which scarce yet breathing bee,
must at this sound appeare.

157

2 Thes. 1. 8.

When flammes shall furiously confound,

Lightning thy glorious Throne around,
Whate're shall bee their object found,
in this inferiour Frame,
Shaking the World, ev'n to the ground,
Razde from its center, laid profound,
Dissolving what earth's fabricke crownde
with greatest Arte, or fame;

Mark 13. 24.

The Sun's cleare beames clouds shall enfold,

Rev. 6. 13.

Starres losse their light, (earth's pride controld,)

What Earthlings did most precious hold,

2 Pet. 3. 10.

records of wit, of strength,

2 Pet. 3. 10.

Shall with this monument's rare mold

More quicklie melt than can bee told,
All this great All shall, (as of old,)
a Chaos turne at length.

Esay. 19. 20.

Then when the screiches, and frightfull cryes

Or such, God's wrath as vnderlyes,
Encrease the noise of rushing skies,
of earthes disjoynted frame,

Mat. 25. 22.

Hee makes divorce that's only wise;

The damned goates hee doth despise;
Poynts out his lambes,

Rev. 7. 14.

whose sinfull dyes

hee purgde with bloody streame.

Rev. 7. 9.

When blessed soules shall, fred of feare,

Thy Throne encircling, Thee draw neare,
As dayes comforting Beame, the spheare,
the Orbe of purest heauen;
The clouds transcending,

Rev. 11. 12.

shining cleare,

Rev. 14. 14.

Thy footsteps streatched foorth to beare,

Those trembling bands shall streight reteare,
downe to the Center driven.

158

Trembling to heare the thundring noise
Of thy three-forked fearefull voyce,
Which streight their soules with sad annoyes,
with terrours strange shall pierce:

Mat. 25. 41.

Hence, hence yee cursed! hell's convoyes,

Who of this Portion earst made choyse,
In chaines of darknesse end your Joyes,
amidst hell's furyes fierce.
Goe curst for aye, exylde from light,
From hope, from

Rev. 14. 12.

rest, from all delight,

Where wormes ne're dying, wrath and spight,

Matt. 25. 20.

gnashing of teeth, and teares.

O! then, what horrour, what affright
Shall on those hopelesse prisners light,
Debarrde eternally his sight
who on the Throne appeares.

Rev. 5. 9.

Deare World's Redeemer! let thy bloode,

Mee, from this multitude seclude,
Affraide to see the raging flood,
of thy vnbounded ire:
Grant J may 'mongst thy

Matt. 5. 8.

blessed broode

Surfet vpon that heauenly foode
Of thy sweet face; the chiefest goode
Thyne haue, or can desire.
That life which did thy bandes releiue,
When laide in graue,

Rom. 8. 11.

may mee revive,

Raisde from deathes Jayle with thee to liue,
eternally above,
Joyes more than mortalls can belieue,
Contents, which thou alone canst giue,
Hid treasures, which no wrong can reave,
enjoying of thy loue.

159

Cloyde with delights, with dainties rare
With which heauen's tables charged are,

1 Cor. 2. 9.

Which man's weake Eye, amazed Eare

nor Heart, can right conceave,
Things hid by his eternall care,
Who doth them for his Saintes prepare,
Who, gaining him, the fairest faire,
they All in all things have.

1 Cor. 15. 24.

When conquring life hath death subdued,

This World's false

Rev. 21. 1.

shew our sight eschued,

Whose face and countenance renewde
shall more delightfull seeme,
Thou, who with grace thy Saintes indued,
Whose shield them from this wrath rescued,
Transport mee thither, all bedewed
with blood did mee redeeme.

Rev. 22. 16.

Bright Starre—illightning darkest night,

Attractive loadstone, full of might,
Jnflamt by thy transpeircing sight,
there draw my heatlesse heart;
Winge my desires, that raisde on hight,

Rev. 21. 4.

I may arriue by heauenly flight

There, where's no feare of ill, no spight,
but blesse, without desart.
Where J, thy praises may make knowne,
Three vndivided Trinall One!
Joynde with thy Saynts about thy Throne,
in hymnes not made by Men.
Grant this sweet Sauiour, Thou alone
Crowne these desires, here to Thee showne,
As to its end this raptur's flowne,
Sweet Jesu, say Amen.
Μουνω δοξα Θεω.
Finis.