For God so lou'd the world that now he gaue His onely Sonne from sinne the same to saue Who Lambe-like mild in league with heau'ns decree Folding earth-dwellers in as deare embrace Would pleading for himselfe repulsed be That for vs praying he might still find grace O rare obedience perfect zeales true signe How much owe we for this great loue of thine But now he riseth from the dewie ground To visit his Disciples left distrest And finds them all securely sleeping sound When waking Peter heauy as the rest O Simon art thou now asleepe quoth he What couldst thou not watch one bare houre with me As he would say Wert thou of selfe-accord So prodigall of vowes with timelesse speed And do'st so soone neglect thy helplesse Lord In drowsie slumber at his greatest need Ill canst thou in my safegard spend thy blood That wilt not wake to do thine owne soule good Not so false Iudas who for pettie gaine Sleepes not a winke this night nor can forbeare Postes round the waked streetes cals vp his traine Sollicits helpe seekes armour euery where Marshals his Band himselfe and thinkes a yeere Till he may come to apprehend me here O shame that Satans slaues so forward are In acting mischiefe that shall bring damnation And you to saue your soules deuoid of care O watch and pray therefore lest ill temptation Oppresse your faith the spirit faine would do it But that weake flesh is hardly brought vnto it Not yet through-wak't he leaues theÌ„ slumbring stil And fraught with feares departs againe to pray Impulst by weaknesse of his humane will O Father if this cup in no wise may Passe by vnlesse the potion worke in me Thy heauenly pleasure let performed be Thus this good Shepheard iealous of his sheepe Whom rauening Wolues he knowes will soone molest Watches with care whilst they securely sleepe And sighes alone that they in peace may rest Not sparing to ingage his proper life To saue them all from slaughtring butchers knife His prayer ended he returnes againe And finds like comfort that he found before They still slept hard vnable to refraine One minutes rest and which did grieue him more So carelesse of the former words he spake Quite vnprouided what excuse to make O now what horror in this soule doth dwell â—aked of helpe forsaken all alone â—â—ught by his bloodie foes assail'd of hell â—etraid or else neglected of his owne Giuen vp by heau'n to die with painfull shame And bare the burden of all sinners blame â—wake my soule run forth with ioy and dread 〈◊〉 to this garden where thy Sauiour lies â—â—ere shalt thou see the Booke of life wide spred â—ith lessons stor'd of heauenly mysteries There shalt thou see thy truth thy strength thy food Thy way thy life thy light and all thy good â—here shalt thou see the way of patience â—he Sun-bright lampe of burning charitie â—he perfect patterne of obedience â—he mirrour of profound humility The root of loue the goale of vertues race The salue of sinne and fulnesse of Gods grace â—here shalt thou see the strength of Israels weale â—â—at valiant Dauid thy most louing God â—â—est to the fight arm'd all in fiery zeale â—â—rning with hot desire to spend his blood And wash away the foule opprobrious blot That threats vile bondage if he succour not Emboldened with exceeding loue of thee Here in these paled lists alone he stayes Expecting till his foes arriued be Meane while accumulating sundry wayes With willing mind to his al-ready store Such paines as neuer flesh did feele before O with what sorrow did the nobler part Of his pure soule where Reason hath her seat Pity th' inferiour where weake Sense doth smart How faithfully for it did he intreat Vntill at last concorded both in one They ioyntly cride Father thy will be done Yet though this blessed Vnion did gain-say Detract of time whereto faint flesh aspires From the Disciples he departs away And to his praying place againe â—etâ—es And there the third time doth with teares implore Vsing like words as he had vsde before When lo an Angel gliding through the ayre Appeares to him from starrie Region sent Which makes him for a while desist his prayer To hearken what this heauenly Herald meant Who nearer comes with sweet speech comforteth His fainting Lord against dismay of death Sweet Iesu how art thou deiected now From sublime glory to disgrace and feare Most true it is the Prophet spake That thou Art somewhat lower made then Angels were Since in thine agonizing languishment To comfort thee an Angel downe is sent See see O Angel how thy Maker lies Below and here on earth afflicted sore Whom plac't in maiestie aboue the skies With feare and reuerence you do all adore Wonder of wonders the like neuer done How can thine eyes endure to looke thereon Can riuers adde vnto their fountaines slow Through whose supply those streames they haue do runne Can branches helpe the quickning root to grow Or pale-fac't Moone lend light vnto the Sunne How canst thou Angel comfort then his mind In whom thy selfe dost all thy comfore find But this O man must needs on thee be laid Whose fleshes frailtie and sinnes earned smart Doth with surcharging horror so inuade That euen almost forgetting his best part His Godheads power be sdaines not in this dread Of his owne creature to be comforted And yet alas this comfort could not cure The death-sicke dolours of his wounded heart But now the time grew on his body pure Vnto the dreadfull Crosse must needes depart And rising vp he thus to them did say The man was neere that should their Lord betray No sooner had our Sauiour told this newes But straight the traitorous Iudas with a kisse Betraid his Lord and Master to the Iewes A cruell act which lost eternall blisse The sands on shore in number are not told His sundry faults passe number to vnfold O let me breathe before I do proceed Surcharging loads will craue a little rest The grants are small to them that stand in need That will not bring some comfort to their brest And he that writes what doth in wicked lurke Shall breathe him twice before he end his worke Looke how the Sea-fowles on a stormy day Do flocke themselues about the Ocean shore As thicke as Leaues when Summer fleetes away So throng these Iewes vnto him more and more Cruell reward he ought to them good will And they like traitours sought his blood to spill â—â—en from the Garden they their Master brought 〈◊〉 to the Priests and Elders of their crue â—â—ey bore false witnesse there his life they sought â—ch cride that death should be his onely due Labouring indeed as much as in them lay To take the Life of liues their Lord away â—â—d then from thence they drag'd him to his death â—â—en to the Crosse they nail'd his hands and feet â—â—en did they stop their blessed Sauiours breath â—â—en did they him with scornefull titles greet And now the Scripture true is brought to passe For he amongst the wicked counted was 〈◊〉 now the houre of death being fully runne â—â—e heauens were darke he to his Father cries 〈◊〉 God my God why dost thou leaue thy Sonne â—â—d ending so his soule from bodie flies A happy death since death doth make vs liue And blest be He that blessed life doth giue FINIS
passe The hatefull traitor closely sits conceal'd In secret Iohn demandeth who it was And Christ in secret thus to him reueal'd Who next receiues a dipped sop of me Shall do the deed the rest hereof are free O Iohn dearst darling of thy dying Lord Earths flower heauens starre pure virgin foe to lust What pen can worthily thy praise record Or blaze thy blessed name with titles iust That foundst such grace to aske and vnderstand When none of all thy fellowes durst demand Soone after in the dish Christ dips a sop And gaue it mildly to his murthering foe Who vnrelenting takes and eates it vp But straight the diuell entred in him tho Vrging his traiterous heart still more and more To execute what he had vowd before That which thou dost saith Christ with speed fulfill Not animating him to do the deed But shewing by these words the great good will He had that mans saluation should proceed For which absented from his Fathers sight His loue thinkes long till it be finisht quite Whereto these words were spoke none then did know Onely perhaps false Iudas vnderstood They thought Christ bade him buy and to bestow Some thing in almes to do poore people good Or for the Feast prouide thus Error too Helpes forward what this Traitor meanes to do But see how apt mans frailty is to sinne When humbled thoughts with pride are ouerthrowne These late-amaz'd Disciples now begin Forgetting quite Christs last example showne To reason hard in words and disagree Who should among themselues the greatest be Ah fondlings is your Master cumbred now With humane error of his dying day Hath one amongst your selues conspired how By trecherie to take his life away And can you warnd hereof mis-spend your time In idle folly of ambitious crime O plucke vp sinne whilst yet the root is young Surcease this variance breeding but offence Weepe your owne losse waile your Redeemers wrong And wish to die with him in innocence Rather then striue to be exalted hier As pamperd worldlings in their pride desire But Christ orecome with that exceeding loue Which from the world had chose them for his owne Surprest with griefe forbearing to reproue This folly and defect of duty showne Yet to make knowne their faults and strife appease He gently warnes them in like words to these Supremacie and honour is embrac't Of profane Potentates and earthly kings Not worthy those desires whose thoughts are plac't On better loue of God and heauenly things For such though greatest must inferiour be And minister to those of low degree The master who doth sit at meat alone Exceeds the seruant that attends his will Yet you to me this duty haue not showne For I do minister among you still And by humility example giue How such as are my followers ought to liue But you for my sake haue abandon'd cleane The late-lou'd world renounc't your selues and all And in my greatst temptations alwayes been Abiding with me since I did you call And therefore I appointed haue for ye As God my Father doth appoint for me I meane a Kingdome not of earthly blisse Such as mortality aspires to get But one in heauen that perpetuall is Where at my table you shall drinke and eate Where you shall sit on seates as is decreed Iudging the twelue great Tribes of Israels seed So spake our Lord when from the table rose Iudas full fraught with hel-nurc't desperate sinne And hastily out of the house he goes Leauing his Master and the rest within True type of heauenly blisse at latter day When no bad bides nor good doth go away And now doth Christ in sweetest speech commend His loue and mutuall concord to the rest With promise that he would from heauen send Another Comforter to make them blest Whose presence should abide for euermore And teach them all the truth they heard before His peace likewise he doth among them leaue Exhorting perfect vnity in one A growing branches from the Vine receiue Their fruit and beare not of themselues alone Forewarning too that troubles hate and spite Should shortly for his Name vpon them light Which to indure without grudge or despaire He cheares them vp by his examples still Concluding lastly with a feruent prayer That God would blesse and keepe them from all ill As that together they in one might grow As he himselfe was with the Father so The night is now farre spent the Supper done The Grace is said the Table tooke away The Ghests are risen and the worke begun For which the Sonne of God on earth did stay Iudas is comming with a kisse to greet him And with the Eleuen Christ goes forth to meet him A place there is where raisd from lower ground A goodly fruitfull Mountaine threats the skie Whose top with Oliue branches shadowed round Forbids the heat of heauens bright burning Eye And ouerlookes a garden faire and sweet Close situated to Gethseman street Hither as was his often former guise When he in priuate for his Church would pray Or did his owne Disciples catechise This last night our Redeemer tooke his way That so he in a Garden might restore What Adam in a Garden lost before And by the way thus warnes All you this night Shall run in scandall great because of me For it is written I will surely smite The Shepheard and his sheepe shall scattered be But when I risen am from Death below To Galilee before you will I go Ah poore Disciples weake and miserable Now is at hand the comfort-killing houre The houre of feare and darknesse palpable Whose foggie dampe shall in your hearts obscure Bright beames of Faith and yet lend light to see How fraile and feeble of your selues you be In one way now together all do go In diuers shortly all shall scattered slie True faithfull followers now your selues you show As ready with your Lord to liue and die Yet danted with base feare you shortly shall Renounce your truth your faith your Lord all Thus still fresh cause of sorrow Christ doth find His ouer-burdened sences to dismay Ere-while he troubled was to thinke in mind That one of his owne Twelue should him betray And now not one alone but all the rest Shall false their faith leaue their Lord distrest Alas sweet Sauiour who shall comfort now The dreadfull terror of this sad nights feare Thy Father threats the sword with angry brow Against thee for our sins which thou must beare Thy mother wails thy friends shal all forsake thee Whilst death deuising foes conspire to take thee O might the merit of thy bitter paines Endur'd for all alike alike redound To all of Adams sonnes whom death detaines Some consolation herein would be found But O deare God! thou knowst how few indeed For all these torments shall the better speed And to th' increasing of thy griefes dost see Millions of mis-beleeuing Soules mis-led With sinnes sweet bait or infidelitie Shall run into perdition void of dread Scorning thy
Crosse and Passion suffred here Or valuing light what thou hast bought so deare But Peter hearing what his Master told And cleare in conscience from so blacke a sinne Presuming of his strength with courage bold To promise for himselfe doth thus begin Though all the world offended were in thee Yet herewith spotted Peter would not be O Simon Simon thus doth Christ reply The subtill Fiend your setled thoughts to quaile Hath sought to sift you all as wheat but I Haue prayd for thee that thy faith might not faile Thou therefore once turn'd to the perfect way Confirme thy weaker brethren what thou may To whom th'Apostle growne more confident Lord I am ready with resolued heart Not onely to endure imprisonment Or in such slight affliction take thy part But with thee lose my life if need require To shew my loue and further thy desire The wakefull Cocke saith Christ twice shall not crow This night till thou hast three times me denide Yet Peter cannot be perswaded so But plights his faith most constant to abide At which the rest seeing his courage such By solemne vow protest to do as much O what high taskes can rashnesse vndertake Ere difficulty of the worke be knowne What vaunts can ouer-weening humors make Which in an instant will he ouerthrowne Great oddes in what they 'l do and what they speake Their words are strong their deeds will be but weake Boldly they boast themselues resolu'd to slay And die with Christ in such a quarrell good Yet one small storme shall blow them all away And he for them must bide and shed his blood So feeble are th' attempts by man begun When heauenly grace is not relide vpon But Christ in mercy doth not sue the debt Which they by vow stand bound this night to pay Knowing their weake estates vnable yet He well is pleasd to grant a longer day When after his Ascension they shall In vnknowne shores be wider scattered all Then shall self-penance scourge the trothles blame Of this nights worke that now their worke defaces Then shall they boldly preach his healthfull Name Not recking danger or the worlds disgraces Then shall they go to prisons ioyfully And for his Truths sake glorious Martyrs die By this the Lambe of God who for mans sinne With willing steps went meeting to be slaine And made a Sacrifice is entred in The Garden with his yet-vnscattered traine To whom he sorrowing speakes Here sit stay Whilst I withdraw my selfe awhile to pray Then Peter Iames and Iohn he takes aside When straight with an exceeding feare opprest His stonisht sences could no longer hide The griefe that had surcharg'd his guiltlesse brest My soule is heauie to the death saith he Abide you here and watch awhile with me Accompany thy Sauiour O my Soule In outward signes of inward griping wo Breake forth in sighs and with true teares condole The dreadfull horror that torments him so Sith for thy sake this sorrow pierc't his heart Good reason in his griefe thou beare some part See how that heauenly face is altred quite Scarce to be knowne by what it was euen now Dead-pale vsurpes the seat of red and white And Care sits figur'd in his wrinkled brow Distressefull feare seemes drown'd in watery eyne That ouerwash his cheekes with weeping brine Like as the bright Sunne in a Welkin faire With pitchie mist on sudden ouer-cast Shoots forth his beames in vaine to cleare the ayer Cloud vpon cloud still thickning wondrous fast Blacke night doth ouer-hang the shadowed land Threatning a cruell tempest out of hand Or as the Sea tost by some boisterous wind Doth mainly beat vpon the quiet shore Swels in huge waues aboue due course of kind And with selfe-motion laboureth more and more Such is the troubled state and deepe vnrest Wherewith our Sauiours soule is now opprest O heauens great'st strength and Angels chiefest ioy Earths hope hels feare true God omnipotent What griefe can vexe or terror strange dismay Thy spotlesse soule with such sad languishment What terror can these pangs of passion breed Which make thee seeme not as thou art indeed Is death the entrance to felicity The finall date of all terrestriall wo The glorious triumph of thy victory The way by which perforce all flesh must go So dreadfull to affright thee like as those Which here on earth their highest blisse repose O wherefore didst thou leaue thy heauenly Throne And shrowd a Godhead in our mortall frame Why hast thou here by signes thy might made knowne And taken to thy selfe a Sauiours name If not to quell the rage of hellish powers And lastly by thy death to redeeme ours If now wo worth the while thou shouldst giue o're And leaue thy worke so neere an happy end Who then ah who shall promisd health restore To vs whose hopes on thee alone depend No Sonne but thou of earthly mother bred Hath power to crush the cursed Serpents head â—n outward shew thou didst pretend of late An inward longing for this present time â—rging the Traitor to accelerate The issue of his il-conceiued crime Yet now the houre and Iudas both are nie Thy courage failes and thou art loth to die But oh what haue I said can feare dismay Whom mou'd to wrath the earth doth quake to see Can his thoughts change so soone whose power doth stay All powers in stable order as they be Ah! no defects impaire not heauenly store And he is now the same he was before This sad eclipsing feare that seemes so dimme The glorious Sun-shine of his Deity Could neuer haue a rising cause from him But from our natures imbecillity Which though supported by celestiall grace Yet faintly shrinkes and shewes of what it was In what he hath assum'd our feeble flesh Therein he trembling faints and stands dismaid Like as that strength we haue in our distresse Comes not of vs but of his heauenly ayd To right our cause his Godhead suffers wrong He weake by vs and we by him are strong When first made Adam ioylesse all alone In Edens beauteous Garden did remaine To fashion Eue he gaue his proper bone And had with flesh the place fill'd vp againe So Christs deare-loued Spouse the Church still weares His rib of strength and he her frailty beares Retir'd about a stones cast from the rest Hem'd in with horror such exceeding waight Of earth-committed sinnes his soule opprest That on both knees he fals and after straight His paine increasing prostrate lies to pray That from him this sad houre might passe away Ah Abba Father which all things didst make And do'st preserue them made if so may be Bow downe thine eyes and for thy mercy sake Remoue this bitter cup of wrath from me Yet let not my will be fulfill'd herein But thine deare Father which hath euer bin Full oft else-where good Christ did intercesse For vs and neuer had one sute debar'd And yet folliciting his owne distresse Obtaines not of his Father to be heard