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
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
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
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