The Sacrifice.

OH all ye, who passe by, whose eyes and minde
To worldly things are sharp, but to me blinde;
To me, who took eyes that I might you finde:
Was ever grief like mine?

The Princes of my people make a head
Against their Maker: they do wish me dead,
Who cannot wish, except I give them bread:
Was ever grief like mine?

Without me each one, who doth now me brave,
Had to this day been an Egyptian slave.
They use that power against me, which I gave:
Was ever grief like mine?

Mine own Apostle, who the bag did beare,
Though he had all I had, did not forbeare
To sell me also, and to put me there:
Was ever grief, &c.

For thirtie pence he did my death devise,
Who at three hundred did the ointment prize,
Not half so sweet as my sweet sacrifice:
Was ever grief, &c.

Therefore my soul melts, and my hearts deare treasure
D…ops bloud (the onely beads) my words to measure:
O …et this cup passe, if it be thy pleasure:
Was ever grief, &c.

…hese drops being temper'd with a sinners tears,
…Balsome are for both the Hemispheres▪
…ring all wounds, but mine; all, but my fears:
Was ever grief, &c.

Yet my Disciples sleep: I cannot gain
One houre of watching; but their drowsie brain
Comforts not me, and doth my doctrine stain:
Was ever grief like …

Arise, arise, they come. Look how they runne.
Alas! what haste they make to be undone!
How with their lanterns do they seek the sunne▪
Was ever grief, &c.

With clubs and staves they seek me, as a thief,
Who am the way of truth, the true relief;
Most true to those, who are my greatest grief:
Was ever grief, &c.

Iudas, dost thou betray me with a kisse?
Canst thou finde hell about my lips? and misse
Of life, just at the gates of life and blisse?
Was ever grief, &c.

See, they lay hold on me, not with the hands
Of faith, but furie: yet at their commands
I suffer binding, who have loos'd their bands:
Was ever grief, &c.

All my Disciples flie; fear puts a barre
Betwixt my friends and me. They leave the starre,
That brought the wise men of the East from farre.
Was ever grief, &c.

Then from one ruler to another bound
They leade me; urging, that it was not sound
What I taught: Comments would the text confou…
Was ever grief, &c.

The Priest and rulers all false witnesse seek
'Gainst him, who seeks not life, but is the meek
And readie Paschal Lambe of this great week:
Was ever grief, &c.

… they accuse me of great blasphemie,
… I did thrust into the Deitie,
… never thought that any robberie:
Was ever grief like mine?

… said, that I the Temple to the floore
… three dayes raz'd, and raised as before.
… he that built the world can do much more:
Was ever grief, &c.

Then they condemne me all with that same breath,
Which I do give them daily, unto death.
Thus Adam my first breathing rendereth:
Was ever grief, &c.

They binde, and leade me unto Herod: he
Sends me to Pilate. This makes them agree;
But yet their friendship is my enmitie:
Was ever grief, &c.

Herod and all his bands do set me light,
Who teach all hands to warre, fingers to fight,
And onely am the Lord of hosts and might:
Was ever grief, &c.

Herod in judgement sits, while I do stand;
…mines me with a censorious hand:
…m obey, who all things else command:
Was ever grief, &c.

T…e Iews accuse me with despitefulnesse;
A…d vying malice with my gentlenesse,
…k quarrels with their onely happinesse:
Was ever grief, &c.

I answer nothing, but with patience prove
…stonie hearts will melt with gentle love.
…t who does hawk at eagles with a dove?
Was ever grief, &c.

My silence rather doth augment their crie;
My dove doth back into my bosome flie,
Because the raging waters still are high:
Was ever grief like …

Heark how they crie aloud still, Crucifie:
It is not fit he live a day, they crie,
Who cannot live lesse then eternally:
Was ever grief, &c.

Pilate a stranger holdeth off; but they,
Mine own deare people, cry, Away, away,
With noises confused frighting the day:
Was ever grief, &c.

Yet still they shout, and crie, and stop their eares,
Putting my life among their sinnes and fears,
And therefore wish my bloud on them and theirs:
Was ever grief, &c.

See how spite cankers things. These words aright
Used, and wished, are the whole worlds light:
But hony is their gall, brightnesse their night:
Was ever grief, &c.

They choose a murderer, and all agree
In him to do themselves a courtesie:
For it was their own cause who killed me:
Was ever grief, &c.

And a seditious murderer he was:
But I the Prince of peace; peace that doth passe
All understanding, more then heav'n doth glasse:
Was ever grief, &c.

Why, Cesar is their onely King, not I:
He clave the stonie rock, when they were drie;
But surely not their hearts, as I well trie:
Was ever grief, &c.

…ow they scourge me! yet my tendernesse
…les each lash: and yet their bitternesse
…es up my grief to a mysteriousnesse:
Was ever grief like mine?

They buffet me, and box me as they list,
Who grasp the earth and heaven with my fist,
And never yet, whom I would punish, miss'd:
Was ever grief, &c.

Beh…ld, they spit on me in scornfull wise,
Who by my spittle gave the blinde man eies,
Le…ing his blindnesse to mine enemies:
Was ever grief, &c.

My face they cover, though it be divine.
… Moses face was vailed, so is mine,
Lest on their double-dark souls either shine:
Was ever grief, &c.

Ser…nts and abjects flout me; they are wittie:
… prophesie who strikes thee, is their dittie.
So they in me denie themselves all pitie:
Was ever grief, &c.

And now I am deliver'd unto death,
Which each one cals for so with utmost breath,
That he before me well nigh suffereth:
Was ever grief, &c.

W…p not, deare friends, since I for both have wept
W…en all my tears were bloud, the while you slept:
Y…r tears for your own fortunes should be kept:
Was ever grief, &c.

The souldiers lead me to the common hall;
T…ere they deride me, they abuse me all:
… for twelve heav'nly legions I could call:
Was ever grief, &c.

Then with a scarlet robe they me aray;
Which shews my bloud to be the onely way,
And cordiall left to repair mans decay:
Was ever grief like mine▪

Then on my head a crown of thorns I wear:
For these are all the grapes Sion doth bear,
Though I my vine planted and watred there:
Was ever grief, &c.

So sits the earths great curse in Adams fall
Upon my head: so I remove it all
From th' earth unto my brows, and bear the thrall:
Was ever grief, &c.

Then with the reed they gave to me before,
They strike my head, the rock from whence all …
Of heav'nly blessings issue evermore:
Was ever grief, &c.

They bow their knees to me, and cry, Hail king:
What ever scoffes or scornfulnesse can bring,
I am the floore, the sink, where they it fling:
Was ever grief, &c.

Yet since mans scepters are as frail as reeds,
And thorny all their crowns, bloudie their weeds;
I, who am Truth, turn into truth their deeds:
Was ever grief, &c.

The souldiers also spit upon that face,
Which Angels did desire to have the grace,
And Prophets once to see, but found no place:
Was ever grief, &c.

Thus trimmed forth they bring me to the rout,
Who Crucifie him, crie with one strong shout.
God holds his peace at man, and man cries out:
Was ever grief, &c.

…ey leade me in once more, and putting then
…he own clothes on, they leade me out agen.
…om devils flie, thus is he toss'd of men:
Was ever grief like mine?

…d now wearie of sport, glad to ingrosse
… spite in one, counting my life their losse,
…ey carrie me to my most bitter crosse:
Was ever grief, &c.

… crosse I bear my self, untill I faint:
…en Simon bears it for me by constraint,
…e decreed burden of each mortall Saint:
Was ever grief, &c.

… all ye who passe by, behold and see;
…n stole the frui…, but I must climbe the tree;
The tree of life to all, but onely me:
Was ever grief, &c.

…, here I hang, charg'd with a world of sinne,
…e greater world o'th' two; for that came in
… words, but this by sorrow I must win:
Was ever grief, &c.

Such sorrow, as if sinfull man could feel,
… feel his part, he would not cease to kneel,
…ll all were melted, though he were all steel:
Was ever grief, &c.

…t, O my God, my God! why leav'st thou me,
The sonne, in whom thou dost delight to be?
…y God, my God—
Never was grief like mine.

…me tears my soul, my bodie many a wound;
…arp nails pierce this, but sharper that confound;
…eproches, which are free, while I am bound.
Was ever grief, &c.

Now heal thy self, Physician; now come down.
Alas! I did so, when I left my crown
And fathers smile for you, to feel his frown:
Was ever grief like mine▪

In healing not my self, there doth consist
All that salvation, which ye now resist;
Your safetie in my sicknesse doth subsist:
Was ever grief, &c.

Betwixt two theeves I spend my utmost breath,
As he that for some robberie suffereth.
Alas! what have I stollen from you? death:
Was ever grief, &c.

A king my title is, prefixt on high;
Yet by my subjects am condemn'd to die
A servile death in servile companie:
Was ever grief, &c.

They gave me vineger mingled with gall,
But more with malice: yet, when they did call,
With Manna, Angels food, I fed them all:
Was ever grief, &c.

They part my garments, and by lot dispose
My coat, the type of love, which once cur'd those
Who sought for help, never malicious foes:
Was ever grief, &c.

Nay, after death their spite shall further go;
For they will pierce my side, I full well know;
That as sinne came, so Sacraments might flow:
Was ever grief, &c.

But now I die; now all is finished.
My wo, mans weal: and now I bow my head.
Onely let others say, when I am dead,
Never was grief like mine▪