ventured life from death to set vs free His bitter pangs what pen or wit can tell My Lord indured th' extreame paines of hell Cast we our sight on one that parteth hence Striuing for life when soule away must poast In such we see cleane gone to be their sence They yeld to that which cleareth euery coast So when that death his message pale hath done He sweeps all hence and thus the fort is wonne Or thinke thou standst this present at the barre Before the iudge that pryes into thy blame Thou knowst thy guilt thy discord makes the iarre Thy sinnes preuaile forcing thy vtter shame The irefull iudge begins with angry frowne And e're he speake thy conscience casts thee downe O Sauiour sweete thou hadst thy proper sence With perfect health thou didst approch this place All furious fiends of hell thou driuedst hence Death hath no power thy godhead to deface The angry iudge thou needest not to feare Thou hadst no sinne and yet our sinne didst beare Our sinnes did force that far from natures reach These blooddy drops should still from our sweet head In these euen yet presumers he doth teach They be not bold the tract of hell to tread Lest all too soone they fall into the snare The angry iudge doth for his foes prepare These drops declare his inward sad lament For greater griefe no earthly tongue can tell They shew his loue to vs what good he ment He would we knew his griefe did farre excell Oh why do men delight with sinnes to dwell When sinnes do weigh the sinner downe to hell He gaue the checke to vs for former sleepe Graunting vs leaue of ease to take our fill That had no care in anguish him to keepe With good regard who suffred for our ill Behold quoth he of darknes now the hower Of Sonne of man sowle sinners haue the power Iudas that treason harbored in his brest Knew well that here our Lord did oft resort Vnto this place knowledge had wrought thy rest If all in time thou wouldst haue found comfort But murtherous wretch this onely did thee good Thou thirstie wert after th' innocent blood O monstrous change that from a friend of trust Thou art a fox and wilt thy friend betray Companion once and now mongst thieues to thrust As chiefest guide the spotlesse Lambe to fray Cannot great fauours cause thee to returne Thou wofull wretch at goodnes that dost spurne How many speeches tending to our health What feruent vowes he sent beyond the sky All wayes were sought still to procure our wealth His grace to none that would he did deny Might not his grace from treason thee reclaime But at his life thou traytour now wilt aime Ye couetous carles that for a little gaine Set soule to sale as though there vvere no hell Looke on this Iudas thinke vpon his paine His endlesse pangs all torments far excell The very fire the forged far doth passe And like hell fire no torment euer vvas Consider yet vvhile here vve haue a space What griefe it is to be exilde from God What ioy it is to view his pleasant face What paine it is to feele his heauie rod. Thrise happie they that cleaue vnto thy grace Thrise cursed they that will not life imbrace O vvretched man bereft of inward peace Commest thou arm'd vvith vveapons and vvith lights A cutthroate crew serue for thy shames increase Are these thy mates belike feare thee affrights A guiltie conscience brings a restlesse griefe Easlesse in ease finding no sound reliefe Thou stately citie of the highest King Fitting thy name that hadst the prince of peace Whilom whose praise the virgins faire did sing What time thy glory the chiefest did increace Thy famous temple deuotion that relieues Is now become a den for lothsome thieues And must thy rulers now their forces bend To send their seruants forth in all the haste To binde this lambe and then his blood to spend What do ye long to see your land lye waste All this was done the Scripture to fulfill Who can dissolue what God alone doth will In these we see that bring such weapons stoare How foes with might Gods children doe oppresse They haue no truth and as for iustice loare They likewise want which causes should redresse Trusting to flesh this stay as it is wurst So for this fault they are of God accurst Forward they march bringing along their light Their lanterns that a little light containe With other helpes to guide them in the night Vsing the lesse and from the great refraine To dim that light each one doth now prepare For light of world no whit at all they care Christ knowing well the secrets of mankind This instant sawe what should to him betyde Forward he goeth against the crue vnkind From whom he could haue parted cleane vnspyde Whom do ye seeke said he to me now tell Iesus of Nazareth said they and downe they fell This hath the taste of his most soueraigne might Who with a word could strike them to the ground Weake is mans power if God begin to fight His only breath can all his foes confound If slender touch huge mountaines maketh smoke How dates then man his Maiestie prouoke The harmlesse Lambe deuoide of sinfull spot Askes the offenders and doth them preuent Wanted they lawes was piety cleane forgot Should they not loue and keepe the innocent Yes yes they knew th'innocents blood would cry For sharpe reuenge against this carelesse fry Whom do ye seeke he verely did scorne Their fond attempt deriding all their force Yet offereth grace to men that were forlorne And sure he had euen of his foes remorce For from themselues he would they should confesse That weaponlesse he could their wrong represse Oh vvhen vve heare that of his francke accord Our God is good to his professed foes How kinde a good is this our soueraigne Lord Vnto his friends on vvhom he grace bestowes Oh loue this Well and Fountaine of all grace Tender his truth and all his heasts imbrace No vvhit dismaid Christ said Euen I am he Which ready speech prooueth he fear'd not death This holy Sauiour vvould his owne flocke free By suffring shame and stopping of his breath Learne courage hence Gods cause if vve defend He fights for vs that life for vs did spend Now Iudas stood vvith all this armed traine Like Bayard bold forecasting no mishap Vnto himselfe whereby he might refraine The further ill by falling in the trap Thus one vile sinne another sinne doth chaine Vntill it bring th' offender to his paine Whom do ye seeke the second time he said Iesus of Nazareth they say to him againe That I am he before I not denayd If me ye seeke from these I pray refraine This that the word fulfil'd might be he spake Of them thou gauest I will not one forsake Now louing Lord I thinke vpon this care Thou hadst for vs and I remember well Seeing thou alone to suffer didst prepare For so
of old sweete Esay did foretell And when thy pangs appeard fresh to approch Thou hadst a care foes should not vs reproch Attend ye pastors that your flocke should feede How that our Lord did say he none had lost Your charge is great ye dayly prayer neede To cheere those soules bought with so royall cost They are Christs flocke his blood theÌ„ bought indeed My lambs good Peter O my sheepe still feed Before that Peter heard these words thrise tolde He was couragious ere he saw the fight His sword he drew like to a champion bolde And Malchus eare he cutteth off outright Into thy sheath thy sword put vp let be Shall I not drinke that cup preparde for me Thus said our Lord who by this checke so kinde Would take from Peter his no small offence From priuate men the vse of sword to binde Except that Kings arme subiects for defence And for Religion gladly should we fight That cause is good and God will aide the right But Peters fault appeareth now the more For sharpe reuenge belongeth vnto God Too saucie he Gods taske to take therefore Him to resist is to procure his rod For spirituall warre are weapons of that kinde Search we the word and there we shall them finde And now the band the captaine with the rest Our Sauiour tooke and fast they do him binde His inward griefe I moand now is exprest The outward anguish that my Lord did finde They had no might his person to assaile He suffred them and then they did preuaile Not one but many then began their spight Inflam'd with wrath incensed with great yre Their masters would them now in blood delight And they deuise how to increase that fire If high estates against Religion frowne They shall haue mates to cast it hedlong downe Ah wicked Iudas this was thy consent Vsing all meanes that might our Lord betray Lay holde on him were words with fury bent No maruayle then if these from reason stray Thy words and workes so treasonfull descry Vnder greene grasse a serpent foule may lye The father in law of Caiphas was the first Annas I meane to whom my Lord was led He and the other ye all for blood did thirst Not one I saw as yet with pittie sped Their violent wrongs proued so huge a streame Suppressing right their dealing was extreame There I espied how cruelty with deceight Had this pretence to stop the common fame Matters of slate and those of no small weight Were laid to Christ for which they do him blame Their high account which all in them esteeme Must beare then out whatsoe're men should deeme Besides let Christ with wisdome him defend And them confute this they did all agree The Romanes should his life soone bring to end Thus were they bent no more to set him free Here may ye see the force of Enuyes spight Glutted with gall and doth in death delight Caiphas was he to Iewes that counsell gaue How it vvas meete that one for them should dye A visage fowle a vizor faire doth craue Sathan vvould not that all his craft should spy Oh such preuaile oft times vvho faire pretend But giue me him that faithfull proues in end I do not muse so much how natures kinde Appeareth changed in so corrupt a man For God I know euen from his foes will finde Matter of worth fit for his will to scan So Balaams Asse against his proper kinde Once checkt his Lord when he remained blinde There was no cause O Caiphas thou shouldst feare How that our Lord would take from thee thy state This Lambe of God which all our sinne did beare Did much abhor his extreame foes to hate Malicious man whom Enuy so did blinde To vrge his guilt in whom no guilt ye finde Peter did follow so did I like case But I was knowne and went into the hall Without stoode Peter then I left my place And had great care my fellow in to call I spake to her who there the dore then kept To shew him fauour who in boldly stept The selfe same woman vnto Peter said Of this mans schollers art thou not now one The fearefull man to lye was not afraid Boldly to say of them that he was none Art thou the man which with our Lord wilt dye And all in haste dost flatly him deny The officers and seruants of that place Stoode there also for they had made a fire The extreame cold with heate away they chace Peter and they to warme themselues desire It 's not amisse Gods graces should be vsed So in the vse his grace be not abused Then the high priest doth these two things propound Vnto sweete Iesus of his disciples first Next of his doctrine two demaunds profound The vvolfe vvas dry and after blood did thirst The hypocrite one thing in shew doth minde But is another in his proper kinde Our Sauiour said nothing of vs at â—â—l One him betraid another him denide The rest did slee from Christ being in thrall Small was the solace in so sad a tide And for his doctrine the vvorld might testifie What Truth he taught was spoken openlie The Synagogue and Temple for resort To all the Iewes ye euery one can tell Who did me heare let such of me report Aske these I pray and then thou shalt do vvell Herein Christ moued him vvho did faire pretend Vnmasking his malice and his doctrine did defend Note the proceeding in a cause vniust An officer there smote Iesus with his rod Our high priest thus to answere now thou must O great oppression hatefull indeed to God! Such blinde presumption mortall man to please So great outrage the highest to disease If I quoth Iesus haue spoken that is ill Then witnes beare vnto the ill thy selfe But for good speech thy sury to fulfill Why smitest thou me what is it hope of pelfe For earthly gaine men oft times runne astray For stoare of gold men will whole lands betray Annas had now Christ bound to Caiphas sent And Simon Peter stoode himselfe to warme Thus to and fro they lead the innocent Who still did good must suffer extreame harme But Peter once being tangled in the snare The second time to deny our Lord doth dare What not content our Life twise to deny For high priests seruant and a kinseman neere To Malchus said Did I thee not espie With Christ in garden 't is a case most cleere Peter euen then denied our Lord againe Fraile is our flesh if faintnes we retaine The crowing cocke must Peter put in minde Of his offence for thus our Sauiour said And he remembring Sathan did him blinde Poasteth away his guilt made him afraid He that euen now a firme faith could not keepe Pries for a place with bitternes to weepe And now they lead Christ to the common hall For day appear'd high priests not thither went For being defil'd yet were to sinne a thrall And for to eate the Passouer they ment See how great sinners not
so great would seeme Making moats moūtaines moūtains moats esteeme For Pilates place he being vncircumcizde Would them defile but not the innocents blood Their soules their tongues with murther were surpriz'd They vs'd all meanes to haue the truth withstood Great sepulchers without are painted fayre But hold within all stench and lothsome ayre Pilate perceiued himselfe must take some paine To goe to them who frighted were with spight Tell me he said of Christ sith ye complaine So shew the wrong that I the same may right They then reply VVere not his doings ill We would not vrge that thou his blood shouldst spill Pilate then said Then man vnto ye take Doome him to death as your law shall permit The Iewes that time then vnto Pilate spake This thy resist doth not our humors fit It is not lawfull for any of our traine To kill a man we must from blood refraine This speech of theirs had also this effect For he who knew the secrets of mankinde Knew long before vve did the Iewes suspect His bitter death and thereof eke the kinde He vvould not faile our ransome now to pay Vs to redeeme though hell would him gainsay Let those that list into their dealings pry These vvicked men the rulers and the rest False counsell sought vvith vvhich they meant to try Their great vntruth that Iesus thus opprest So foule offenders might be clear'd from blame Thēselues thus clear'd vvere they not neerer shame As if a vvretch incensed from deepe hell Should kill a friend that saued once his life And seeing on sleepe the wretch vvith fury fell In sleepers hand should fast the blooddy knife And then abroad with outcries should maintaine His slaughtered friend was by the other slaine False witnes sought but none then found at all Though many came laden with vntruthes stoare At last came two into the high priests hall These were the last like bulles prepar'd to goare Who said that Christ the Temple would deface And reare it vp againe in three dayes space The louely sweete hereat did hold his peace Then the high priest incensed all with yre By the liuing God did charge Christ should not cease But answere make to that he would require Art thou the Christ of God art thou the sonne Herewith he hoapt Iesus should be vndonne Iesus to this replies Thou it hast said But neuerthelesse hereafter ye shall see The Sonne of man when ye shall stand dismaid All glorious seated on Gods right hand to be I then will come with glory great might Guarded with millions compast with clowds most bright Now thinke ye see vpon this answere prest The high priest doth his cloathes in sunder rent Christ hath blasphem'd on witnesses to rest I see 't is vaine that longer time be spent What thinke ye now ye heare his blasphemy They answere all He worthy is to dye The fowle-mouth'd monsters spit vpon his face Which face the angels to behold are glad They buffit him and yeld him all disgrace Smote him with rods hereat I waxt most sad This to inlarge as Peter much did moane So what insues must force th' offender groane The extreame spight shewed to Gods deare sonne Was for our sinnes our sinnes caused this spight Vexe him not fresh now that the Iewes haue done Such vexe him still who in their sinne delight All armed foes cannot such paines procure That wilfull sinners for euer shall endure This will I proue in one example plaine When Iudas sawe our Lord condemn'd to dye When he beheld him led with cursed traine When in each place he did all violence spye The sence of sinne assailes and fresh doth fray He yeldes and said I did my Lord betray Let presse in sight the kindnes of this Lord In choosing me vnto so high estate In trusting me euen of his owne accord In louing me that did deserue all hate Ah brutish beasts are thankfull in their kinde I much more brutish his fauors did not minde I others taught my selfe I did not teach I wonders wrought and now haue wrought a wonder Accursed houre I after gaine did reach Woe to my selfe God doth with vengeance thunder Who lookes on me with this will me vpbraid There goes the wretch his Master that betraid I there 's the sting that frets me to the gall For ranckerous Iewes excuse them from my spight I Christ betraid on me all vengeance fall I am condemn'd that did in sinne delight With graue forecast why did I not preuent This monstrous sinne for which I thus am shent Now must I looke vpon my present losse And what is that but an Apostles place That but brings more I gaind a little drosse And thus lose heauen the looking on Gods face Ye greedy gripes that feede on liuing men Hasten to hell my lothsome dark'ned den Ye monstrous sinners to my talke attend Seducing Sathan snarde me with his baite Faire words I had but these and deedes did bend My couetous mind on treason now to waite If euery sinne should in their kinde appeare Ye would detest siluer to buy so deare I seele my sinne a cause my selfe to hate I haue no sence I should for mercy cry My sinne exclaimes accursed is my state Iustice is iust this course I minde to try These thirty pieces of siluer now at last I will againe to priests and elders cast Good worke this is but wanteth loue and faith What helpeth it to say I did offend The diuell prest vnto my soule then saith 'T is true thou speakst despaire and life now end Thus he that first did me to mischiefe traine Doth much reioyce at my perpetuall paine I sinn'd a sinne betraying the innocent blood O innocent blood with cryes that doest affright Affright me not why am I thus withstood Withstood with wrath and with my tainted spright One mischiefe doth vpon an another heape 'T is good ye looke before the ditch he leape VVhat 's that to vs see thou to these things looke So said these guides making of me a scorne No one I found that pitty on me tooke For I became indeede a wretch forlorne A strangling coard made end of all my doubt I hangd my selfe my bowels gushed out Suffer my speech who suffer now with griefe Death void of death for death here liueth still Barr'd from all hope shut out from all reliefe Most sad complaints my hearing now doth fill I haue no rest but in vnrest remaine No tongue or penne can well declare my paine Now to returne to Pilate who like case To the common hall had entred now with speede Who tendring much Caesars and his disgrace Did aske of Christ if he were King in deede For rebels wrought the Romanes much vnrest Which caus'd great care to haue such wrongs redrest He questioned much if Christ then were a King But no aduantage of his words could take Our Sauiour so about his state did bring That of his kingdome thus in briefe he spake My kingly state it is no