THE TEARES OF THE BELOVED Or THE LAMENTATION OF Saint Iohn Concerning the death and passion of Christ Iesus our Sauiour By I. M. Imprinted at London by Simon Stafford And are to be sold by Iohn Browne at the signe of the Bible in Fleete-streete 1600. To the Christian Reader ME seemeth the same who had so resolute a purpose to enlarge our Sauiours suffring tooke on him a wearisome and needelesse iourney for that he left the most sacred Scriptures and made inquirie after Codrus that was sometime King of Athens which Codrus begirt with a strong siege of the Peloponesians hazarded his best health for his cities good For though the example appeareth to hold in our head Christ and their ruler because both beare the titles of Kings else in this for that both died for the good of their people Yet questionlesse the oddes betwixt both are wonderfull for what is the shaddow to the substance A King for a small time to a King beyond all time the one a creature the other a Creator The one for a few but our King from before all beginning to the end of the world is that Lambe of God c. Leauing the one which was finite I commend thee courteous reader to the same who is as he euer hath beene and will be infinite in his fauors to those that are his And I offer thee my harsh and vntuned muse which being as my talent is slender and simple so accompt of the first part that I may not be discomfited in the second The highest continue his fauours and graces vnto his Church and shield vs in these dangerous dayes from his and our enemies Amen Thine vndoubtedly I. M. THE TEARES OF the Beloued THou first and last author and cause of all That wast with God before these worlds were made Thou perfect Good whom I Gods word will call Most soueraigne grace do with thy grace me trade That from thy fauors as from fountaine rare In flowing sort I may thy selfe declare Euen in thy might thou art beyond esteeme For this wide world thou art the chiefest King For heauens high head the angels all thee deeme Within thy Church thy saints thy prayses sing Vnto my soule thou art the chiefe of choyce Life of my life I must in thee reioyce Now that I leane vpon thy sacred brest In thee I ioy sweete Sauiour of mankind Hauen of health succour to soules opprest Oceans of ease in thee the poore shall finde For broken heart pyning away with griefe Sorrowing for sinne findeth in thee reliefe Fly foorth my soule for sure this Word diuine Hath power on thee to call thee backe againe Vnseene thou art my body doth thee shrine Bodilesse and immortall subiect to ioy or paine To none more like then to that hidden grace The godhead hath which Sathan would deface O that I might commaund the moone to stay O that the houre of darknes hence might poast But Gods decree must stand though flesh gainsay There 's no resist to that he purposeth most His bitter death from death shall saue mankinde Wonder of Angels to foes that art so kinde Come Peter come come Iames my brother deare Our Lord doth haste and hasting calles vs hence You know the place although it darke appeare This light so true and truth is our defence More might he hath then any fenced tower More strength he hath then any earthly power Now in our walke recompt his power diuine Which like sunne-rayes shall spread in euery place Such strange effects from this chiefe good do shine That foggie mists of foes farre hence shall chace Stoope furious fiends ye malice him in vaine He hath great power your frenzies to restraine See how this Lambe of sinne that hath no spot Seemes dombe and mute he answereth not at all What he foretold must not be now forgot Let vs with teares record what must befall Exceeding griefe we had when thou didst say One of vs twelue should thee our Lord betray That griefe being past another is in place But may it be that thus thou shouldest faint Ah shew thy might those hellish hags to chace Who thee and vs do force to sad complaint I say no more that must my moane restraine This garden wils I should a while refraine Refraine said I no now began my moane Seeing sluggish sloth my eyes with sleepe opprest I carelesse slept but Lord of Life did groane With griefe of griefs that brought him such vnrest Woe worth my sinne the cause of his complaint Forcing my Lord indure such hard constraint He will'd vs stay and watch with him a space And proofe hereof we had from sad aspect Full fraighted he with griefe for mans disgrace Strangely perplext did yeeld cause of suspect My soule he said is heauie to the death Oh stay and watch sorrow now stops my breath Away he went and fell vpon his face Where groanes and sighes shewed a troubled minde O father mine he said afford this grace If it may be thou wilt approue thy kind Let this fierce cup I pray thee passe from me Not as I will but as thou wilt let be After he came and found vs three to sleepe Simon said he can ye not watch one houre Watch ye with me 't is prayer must ye keepe From Sathans spight to tempt he hath the power See see the spirit is prest the gole to gaine But flesh is fraile esteeming labour paine Away from vs the second time he went Begging againe Oh father mine I pray If thou as yet to fauour so art bent Permit this cup no longer with me stay If needes I must indeede drinke of the same Thy will be done vpon me rest the blame And then he came but found vs fast to sleepe Our heauie heads were glad in warre to rest He saw our want and kept vs as his sheepe Cause had he none being himselfe opprest For friends are knowne when dangers most assaile Deeme him thy selfe that for thee shall preuaile Stay here and pawse before he come againe Why what should moue vs three be so vnkinde To worke our woe to seeke our selues such paine That what he would we should so little minde Surely the best in their decline should say There is iust cause Sathan should on vs pray Admit before his preaching did vs stay Or such like let cannot our crime excuse He is our Lord how might we him gainesay For fond resist proues we did him abuse Ours was the lot our Lord thus to offend His was the grace to guide vs to the end And though we slept from heauen an angell sent Did comfort him whom we in griefe did leaue Great was his griefe for hell did him preuent With endlesse pangs of heauen him to bereaue And gastly sweate vpon his face was found Like drops of blood that trickling fell to ground Ye siluer drops that from my eyes thus streame Crossing that coulour brinish as ye be My Lords were red for forc't with paines extreame He
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
earthly might For then my seruants would be prest to fight Belike the saying of the wise men much Moued mens minds who called Christ a King But this is sure gainst Romanes all did gruch The hope of freedome flouring state would bring Vaine was their hope whom God ment not to free VVho fights gainst God should he with such agree Our heauenly King in his especiall grace Doth spirituall gifts vpon his friends bestow He loueth them that loue him to imbrace VVho such sheepe are this shepherd true doth know Shaddowes haue shewes wanting their proper weight VVho vvants the ground are fed vvith fond deceight In this my moane although I do digresse Iust cause I haue Christs kingdome me constraines This same is it vvhich Sathan vvould oppresse Herein the vvicked most do tire their braines The singer sweete of Israel saw this age Which caus'd him muse why vainely they do rage Ye mortall men vvho haue on earth your time Like pilgrims poore to plod in vncoath vvayes What are ye here but drosse earth clay and slime Can ye prolong your life vvith yeares or dayes Your glasse doth run though sand in glasse do stay But being run you hence must poast away Vpon the charge Pilate to Christ did lay Our vvisdome vvould he should declare againe If of himselfe he then the vvords did say Or that some other to speake so did him traine But as Iewes name the Deputy did deny So he declarde on whom the blame did lye Then he demaunds what our sweete Lord had done Sith earthly pompe of Kings he did not claime For that with spight the Iewes this threed had sponne Gainst proper life of Sauiour so to aime The heathen yet he doth assay to teach Though he did here matter aboue his reach Harken to him who is a glorious King Whose gouernement whose lawes and other rights Are fram'd from heauen of him the Angels sing Of him to talke each godly one delights For ods are great twixt that which shall decay And this dread King which shall indure for aye Stoope stately Kings vnto this King indeede Your greatest glory to his is not a sparke He you defends his taske is you to feede He is your light and guides you in the darke All possible good from this great Good doth flowe His are your crownes to him your crownes ye owe. And Pilate said A King now art thou then Iesus replyes Thou saist I am a King This title much doth trouble carnall men Who causlesse heare but conscience hath a sting Yet of that sting they haue no sence at all Which forceth them to greater dangers fall Euen for this cause saith Iesus I am borne Into this world for this cause I did come Witnes to beare to truth which most men scorne Yet friends to truth that heare my voyce are some What is the Truth thus Pilate then did say But turn'd his backe and would no longer stay A question sweete Pilate thou didst propound Why wouldst not stay to heare our Lords reply Thou shouldst haue heard him error soone confound This gracefull Good would not to teach deny But thou foreshewest how some of chiefest place To talke of truth accompt it their disgrace But glorious Truth shall in the end preuaile Against all foes who seeke to presse it downe Sathan doth know in vaine he doth assaile This onely Good his ministers yet must frowne Banding their might against this highest grace Working their spight that do this truth imbrace Most splendent Truth thy glorious golden rayes Many degrees surmounts the shining sunne Thy marueilous might and thy most worthy prayse None can declare for when we all haue donne We come too short thy greatnes to declare Thee to disgrace yet flesh and blood doth dare But Sunne to darke we know is practise vaine To warre with heauen will proue a fearefull fight God such doth hate as do his truth disdaine Against such foes he girded is with might Who for the truth would not his life then spend Seeing God is prest his owne right to defend To Iewes now Pilate goeth yet once againe And to them said In Christ no cause I finde Your custome is I one should loose from paine At this your feast then Iesus he doth minde Ye Iewes your King if now ye meane to choose Your minds vnfold will ye I Iesus loose Me thought this was like to a sudden stay Forc'd by retrait where egre battaile meetes Where man doth man with mutuall might assay And bloodlesse bodies earth then gladly greetes But then againe both armies forces tryes Till one of them must yeeld with fainting cryes So then this comfort corsiue I may call For what refreshing found my sad lament My chiefe of choyce my soule I saw in thrall So I perceiued the Iewes to murther bent Faces of men are tables of their minde By outward signes mens malice ye may finde For wicked Iewes their clamours now began We will not Iesus Barrabas we will Like craues their like let loose a murtherous man Haue ye no care the spotlesse blood to spill Drop blooddy teares my moysture waxeth dry Like sommers drouth that for more raine doth cry Poore Iotham now me thinkes I do thee see Who didst rebuke thy vnkinde countrymen In offer made to trees who King should be They rule refus'd but hooking bramble then Would needes be King and then had his desire The tyrants rule is like consuming fire Ah my Redeemer this oft thou didst foretell In parables and in thy preaching plaine That of the Vineyard wherein is vttered well How for great good they thee requite with paine Gods heire thou art to kill thee these now ment Thou being slaine they to possesse are bent Possesse ye shall and cruelly be destroyd Oh wicked men your glory shall decay Your pleasant land shall lye both waste and voyd To all the world ye shall become a pray Such who will not that Christ should rule alone Must finde his might where they must waile mone Ye will not him that would your proper good Ye him reiect that came you to redeeme Oh people blinde that thus Gods grace withstood So light to set of him beyond esteeme Vertue in place we haue no care to minde But being gone we gladly would it finde The first Adiunct My sweetest Sweete my Lord my loue my life The worlds bright lampe farre cleerer then the sunne What may this meane cannot I end this strife This ranckorous spight by wicked Iewes begunne O man most pure for wretches most forlorne Must my great God to men be made a scorne He made his soule an offring for our sinne His will was such his death doth life prolong He dying for vs then did our life beginne His is the gaine to him all ioyes belong Although our guilt did force our Lord to faint Yet all his foes could not with sinne him taint Thou Light of God in whom no darknes dwels Sole reconciler and worker of our wealth Thy bitter pangs all
passions farre excels Our soules sweete shepheard cared for our health Thus as my Loue constrained was to groane So me permit againe refresh my moane I grieue that sleepe so sore did me oppresse Sinne in my selfe moues me to sad complaint For wicked men to watch themselues addresse To pamper pleasure where 's one that seemes to faint What lawes forbid to that in haste we poast The best offends though hypocrits yet will boast Iudas slept not nor any of his traine Night after night men watch if pleasure call Our head did watch I could not sleep refraine Thus to my will I was become a thrall Ah crooked vvill that vvouldst me so misleade That vnder foote my Lords vvill I should treade I vvell recount vvhat harmes haue come by sleepe VVhile Samson slept he then did lose his might Sleeping Sauls sonne his kingdome could not keepe VVhile Sisera slept Iael him slew outright In towne of vvarre if all should seeke for rest Quickly they should with enemies be opprest How glad is Satan vvhen vve yeld to sleepe How sad sweete Iesus vvhen vve slouth imbrace Sleepe not securely yet that are Christs sheepe VVith sighes and groanes pray vnto God for grace For in our sinne if God vvith iudgement ceaze Late will it be his iustice to appeaze Now in my moane to him I will returne Who trayterously had made a cursed change The Vine most true this withered branch did spurne Such wander wide who in by-paths do range O treasonfull wretch my Lord as thou hast sold Shall those fowle lips to kisse my Lord make bold The subtill serpent seeking to seduce Shroudeth himselfe vnder a faire pretence In heart hath hate with tongue he taketh truce His spightfull spirit he shields with sweete defence His chearefull looke who gaue the glad all haile Fed fowle conceite his treason should preuaile Our tainted nature quickly will vs teach To follow that we can in others blame What needes the serpent th'apple faire to reach We hazard all as though we vvere past shame The vvay to hell appeareth wondrous faire The end vvhereof doth lead to fowle despaire Regard in Iudas vvhen fraile flesh begins To nibble a little vpon the Serpents baite How such vvill make a sport of all their sinnes Doubtlesse such sinners neere to Sathan waite For so at first the diuell Iudas tooke And held him fast vpon his siluer hooke Christ is betrayed of many in this life For art thou where Religion is abused And hast no care then to confute that strife There is great feare thy selfe shall be refused Thou stragling sheepe herein thou goest astray Thy silence proues thou Iesus doest betray Else doest thou take on thee a Christians name Following not that thou seemest to professe Thy owne vilde life Religion much doth shame Thou Christ betraiest that doest his truth represse Repent thee soone for former life mispent And turne to God while God to grace is bent Iesus to Iudas vseth words most kinde For Friend he saith a reason to me render Why thou art come as if he would him binde From former good his owne estate to tender But none more blinde then wilfull blinded bee That to renownce which offereth cause of glee Traytor thou camest another to annoy To annoy him who euer sought thy good Thy good he sought and thou wilt him destroy But be thou sure thus thirsting after blood That thou thy selfe of blood shalt haue thy fill Though thou delight the guiltlesse blood to spill This to conclude our Prince of might did foyle Not onely Sathan but all his darkesome traine Betray not Christ by giuing backe the spoyle Vnto his foes from so vile sinne refraine As God in Christ hath shewed his bountie large So haue great care still to regard thy charge On Peter now if we shall cast our sight Else on vs all the Apostles to our Lord Cause great we haue not to boast of our might That weaknes are and fall of franke accord Yet in our fall as we feele want of strength So God relieues and succour sends at length God suffred vs to see our weak'ned state That seeing it we should detest our sinne He did vouchsafe to open wide his gate His gate of grace that we should enter in But that his grace to vs did much abound He had iust cause for aye vs to confound The wounded soule from vs may comfort finde For though we fell yet God did vs vphold He tendred vs and we againe him minde Yelding him thankes and praises manifold How so e're Lord of frailty we offend Succour thou vs and vs with Grace defend What now remaines vnto the hardned Iewes Iewes that would not our Lord as King should raigne Raigne yet'he must although they doe refuse Refuse that list he will his right maintaine I know when time of darknes shall expire Our glorious King will haue his full desire For of this nation our Sauiour did foretell That as they sought from them his state to cleare So God in wrath would them from thence expell Who did reiect his louing Sonne so deare Learne hence therefore if ye desire Gods grace Haue good regard Gods Christ ye doe imbrace If Christ alone ye would in you should raigne For he delights within our soules to dwell Haue good regard affections to restraine That are not good but of our flesh do smell If Christ vs guide our gaine exceeds esteeme We haue more store then all the world can deeme The last of all yet first in next complaint Is the selfe same who was chiefe actor made Who seeth not he did true Iustice taint Doubtlesse the wicked make of sinne a trade These yet forsooth must equitie pretend Though to the world oppression they defend Why Pilate why thou art a man of might Thy country lawes vilde violence doth detest As thou art Iudge thou ought'st regard the right And haue great care the poore be not opprest Desire to please should not thy minde peruert That rightfull cause thou shouldest so subuert FINIS