A true DESCRIPTION OF THE PASSION OF OVR SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST As it was acted by the bloodie Iewes And registred by the blessed Euangelists In English Meetre by IOHN BVLLOKAR Calend. Nouemb. 1618. LONDON Printed by George Purslowe for Samuel Rand and are to be sold at his shop neere Holburne Bridge 1622. A true DESCRIPTION of our Sauiours PASSION WRapt in our sinfull flesh yet free from sinne The louing-worlds Redeemer lōg had sought Vnto himselfe the stubborne Iewes to winne With mighty signes wonders daily wrought But wished fruit his zeale could neuer gaine He plowd the sands and reapt but losse of paine And when he had full thirty three yeeres space For men and with men dwelt on earth below Lending rich treasures of his heauenly grace To pay those countlesse debts that Sinne did owe. The time was come that should our God restore To heauen aboue from whence he came before Whose passage must by Death prepared be As erst the holy Prophets had foretold That so his death from death might set vs free Whom sinne from life as slaues to death had sold So deadly was the diuellish Serpents sting That nought but Gods death life to man could bring Which to assure vs ere he parted hence He leaues behind for our immortall good A full release of Adams first offence Scaling the Charter with his dearest blood That man might see his loue and learne thereby To loath the sinne that made a God to die Yet neuer could the powerfull stroke of death Nor Fate nor Chance nor Satans secret blow Nor humane force enforce him yeeld his breath Vntill his Will gaue leaue it should be so The Iewes might rage yet heauen had fore decreed He chose to die though they did act the deed But lest the sudden storme if vnforetold Should drowne the seeds of Faith so lately sowne Or make new kindled loue of him grow cold In weak conceits not to perfection growne He shewes them euery thing must come to passe That of him in the Scripture written was And knowing that the houre approched now To his small number of Disciples he Plamely foretels his death and manner how Withall the time when as his death should be To strength their doubtfull thoughts make thé know He could foresee though would not shun the blow Two dayes there are saith he and then the Feast Of Easter comes when Moses did command In memory that Israel was releast From hard oppression of proud Egypt land The Paschall lambe should yeerely eaten be Of all their seed whom God had Io set free But now the old Lawes end approcheth nie These shadowing Figures shortly must away The Sonne of man shall be betraid to die And on the Crosse the worlds great ransome pay To free it from infernall Charons power Whose tyrant rage would life and soule deuoure Thus hauing warn'd whilst at Bethania he Receiu'd in Simons house doth there remaine A woman by him late from sinne set free Doth come her louing Lord to entertaine Bringing a boxe of Alabaster faire Fill'd with an oyntment costly sweet and rare O Loue sole life of Peace and death of Strife Strong knot to tye sweet vnion of consent Thoughts purity faire Mappe of Angels life Heauens new-made Liuery Nurce of all content How true it is the world of thee doth say That whoso loues can brooke no long delay The curious Boxe she breaks and quickly powres This precious liquor on her Sauiours head Whose sweet distilling drops full mainly showres Adowne his necke and on his garments shed Refining all the ayre neere which they fell With fragrant odour of their pleasing smell But enuious Malice soone occasion finds This womans godly meaning to reproue Some standers by do murmure in their minds As discontent to see such zealous loue His owne Disciples too that sate at bord Do grudge such cost bestowd vpon their Lord. Why need this needlesse waste be made say they Of what was worth three hundred pence at least It better had bin sold and giuen away To poore for almes against this holy Feast 'T is pitie such sweet oyle so dearely bought With idle vaine expence should come to nought Thus they But Christ that sought to saue his foes Forgets not now to helpe a friend at need He soone perceiues the grudging thoughts of those That were mislikers of this womans deed And mildly doth rebuke them for their sinne With praise of her that did the worke begin O why should you whom I haue chose for mine Against your louing Lord offended be Why should your murmuring hearts with spite repine At her whose faith wrought this good worke on me Take heed this lesson first was learnt at Hell To grudge at grace and enuie doing well The poore may be relieued when you will No want of them the earth doth euer find But me you shall not haue amongst you still The work 's now done that heauen had erst assign'd And she that knew I shortly hence must go Against my buriall did this cost bestow Of truth therefore I say in each place where The worlds Redemption shal be preacht or taught This womans zeale shall be related there In memory of what she now hath wrought Great loue shall surely reape a great reward Heauen do's the hart not outward shews regard By this the Priests and Scribes whose hearts were set A fire with burning spite and deadly hate At Caiaphas palace are together met In councell closely to deliberate How they might Iesus take by subtill traine And with some shew of Iustice haue him slaine Yet must we not say they in any wise At this great Feast in such a course proceed Left the rude people should against vs rise Or stir rebellion to withstand the deed His words his workes and doctrine haue bin such That him as now we cannot safely touch But Sathan fearing lest by this delay His long-desired worke should rest vnwrought Presents them with an vnexpected way Wherby their mischiefe might to passe be brought Iudas one of the Twelue whom Christ had chose Vnhappy wretch to this assembly goes There doth the Traitour set his Lord to sale Mongst those he knew long sought to sucke his blood Whose precious worth this caitiffe counts so small He bids them make the price as they thought good What will you giue me thus doth Iudas say And I into your hands will him betray O blessed Lady hadst thou present beene When thus thy Sonne by theeuish hands was sold To bloody Merchants it had soone beene seene How deare true owners wel-got pearles do hold Thy tender loue had pitcht the price so hie That Iewish wealth one haire should neuer buy But thou true picture of pure piety Resignst to heauens decree thy proper right Suffering a damned wretch contemptuously To make a market of thy dearst delight Then hie thee hie thee since the case so stands Come buy thine own frō these Priests murthring hands And Iudas O if greedy hope of gaine Entice
thee thus thy Sauiour to forgo Why dost thou shew thy selfe so fondly vaine As offer him to those that hate him so His friends I wis would giue more mony for him Then scornfull foes whose pride and spite abhor him O what would Lazarus new brought to liue From graue haue payd to keep his Lord from death What price would Magdalen refuse to giue That lou'd her Master dearer then her breath Or Martha and his Virgin-mother too That lou'd him more then all the world can do Yea leaue the earth and aske of Angels bright What they would giue thee for their King diuine Doubtlesse to get him home their chiefe delight They would exchange their heauenly state for thine O hadst thou thus made sale of Christ before Thy guilt had beene the lesse and gaine the more But Sin with self conceit it selfe still blinds Daring without respect of what it may Witnesse false Iudas who with desperate mind Tels proudly to the Priests he will betray As if the Maker of heauen earth and seas Were in his power to vse him as he please They glad with others blame t' effect the deed Whereto their proper malice would aspire Resolue to prosecute it now with speed And thirty pence appoint him for his hire He straight accepts the wages they assign'd Slight gaine soone sets to work a willing mind Ah Iudas sinke of sinne and earthly shame First lucklesse lambe that straid from Christs deare fold Monster of mankind vile reproach of fame Sequestred from all grace most impious bold Blind reprobate alas what hast thou done To buy hel fire with sale of Gods deere Sonne O did thy wretched eyes so grieue to see Three hundred peniworth of oyle bestowd Whose costly value should aduantag'd thee If thy false hand had sold the same abroad That now to make amends for such shrewd losse Thou must betray thy Sauiour to the Crosse Did this bad crop spring vp from heauenly seed Did Christs example such vile thrift maintaine Ah no he taught thee by his Word and Deed T' abhorre the muddie mind of worldly gaine T' embrace pure thoughts whose safety feares no fall To hurt no man and to do good to all But thou vnchang'd a gracelesse Impe of hell With Iacobs spitefull sonnes in sin art growne Whose malice did their brother Ioseph sell For twenty pence to Merchant-men vnknowne Yet Ioseph was preferd to honour hie And call'd the Sauiour of the world thereby So Christ thy Lord by thee sold to be slaine Though death and hell striue both to presse him downe Shall Phoenix-like with glory rise againe And win by death an euerlasting Crowne That in his Name eterniz'd without end All knees in heauen in earth in hell may bend The Feast of sweet bread now was hard at hand And spotlesse pascall lambes were markt to die When Christs Disciples came to vnderstand Their Masters will in this Solemnitie Where wilt thou say they we prepare for thee The Passeouer that now must eaten be Straight blessed Peter readiest to obay And Iohn whom Iesus alwaies held most deare Are called for and sent without delay To make prouision for this heauenly cheare Receiuing by their Lords directing care A signe that shewd them where they should prepare You two saith Christ shall now this taske begin At yonder towne where you shall surely meet A man assoone as you are entred in Bearing a pot of water through the street Him follow wheresoeuer he doth go What house he enters enter you also Aske of the owner for some place where I With my Disciples may this Supper eate And he I know will shew you by and by A parler roome well paued faire and great Which will be fit make ready there for me For there shall this last Supper eaten be O happy Feast held by a heauenly King Where bread of life with bounty was bestowd No more a Type but now a figured thing True Rocke whence pure sin-cleansing waters flowd Sweet antidote whose vertue sets man free From deadly surfet of forbidden tree When thou wert made each ceremonious Rite â—hat had prefigur'd better things to come â—y Gods appointment was abolisht quite â—ew Sacraments succeeding in their roome Whose worth in Christ who worthily embrace Adopted are new heires of heauenly grace Cleare light was then in place of shadowes brought â—igures for better Truth exchang'd away â—he ioyfull Gospel for the Law was taught â—nd Mercy crownd where Iustice earst bare sway New Life was borne and Death began to die In this great Suppers heauenly mysterie â—here did the King of Glory thinke no scorne Leauing behind a patterne for vs meet â—ith girded loynes addrest in seruile forme â—o stoope and wash his owne Disciples feet That those which after should the Gospel preach Might by himselfe be cleans'd ere they did teach â—â—t this is not yet all that then was done â—or the new-spoused Church redeemd so deere â—he precious Body of Gods only Sonne â—as instituted to be eaten heere That blessed Body borne for sinners good True Manna farre exceeding Angels food Such wisedome did th' Almighty workman show In altering shadowes into substance true Such humble seruice did a God bestow Pure humbled thoughts in proud man to renue Such precious cates were by our dying Lord Bequeath'd for euer to this heauenly boord The bright Sunne now with Westerne clouds was hid Dim darknesse on the errth began to grow Nor day nor night it was when Iesus did With his Disciples to this Supper go And as they ate he spake Of truth I say That one amongst you here shall me betray They straight with dead pale lookes bewray their feare And gaze together doubtfull to suspect As mazed persons wonted are that heare A sudden presage of some dire effect And willing there their innocence to trie Each after other said Lord is it I Iudas that felt himselfe neere toucht herein Wondring to heare his guilt so soone made knowne And fearing silence might disclose the sinne For Craft and Treason still are linkt in one Askt last of all faining himselfe dismaid Lord is it I Christ answered Thou hast said But wo be vnto him that makes this match Selling the Sonne of man to sinners spite Farre better had it bin for that vile wretch â—f he vnborne had neuer seene the light O ten times happy life that liueth well But curst is he that liues to liue in hell These threats in Iudas could breed no remorce That blacke detested action to abiure Obdurat harts though warn'd yet stil wax worse Like rotten vlcers mastring Physickes cure So hard it is except Gods grace be strong To saue that soule where sin hath harbord loÌ„g Peter whose daunted thoughts could take no rest Vntill the author of this ill were knowne Makes signes to Iohn who lean'd on Iesus brest To aske his name whose sin should cause their mone Resoluing boldly if in him it lay To kill the wretch did plot his Lords decay But Peters purpose could not come to
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