Yet my disciples fleep: I cannot gain
One hour of watching; but their drowsy brain
Comforts not me, and doth my doctrine stain.
Was ever grief like mine ?

Arife, arife, they come. Look how they run !
Alas! what hafte they make to be undone!
How with their lanterns do they seek the fun!

Was ever grief, &c.

With clubs and ftaves they feek me as a thief,
Who am the way of Truth, the true Relief,
Moft true to those who are my greatest grief.

Was ever grief, &c.

Judas, doft thou betray me with a kifs ?
Canft thou find hell about my lips? and miss
Of life, juft at the gates of life and bliss.?

Was ever grief, &c.

See they lay hold on me, not with the hands
Of faith, but fury; yet, at their commands
I fuffer binding, who have loos'd their bands.

All my difciples flee; fear puts a bar

Was ever grief, &c.

Betwixt my friends and me. They leave that, Star
That brought the wife men of the East from far.

Was ever grief, &c.

Then from one Ruler to another bound

They lead me; urging, that it was not found

What I taught. Comments would the text confound.

Was ever grief, &c.

The Priefts and Rulers all false witness seek
'Gainft him who seeks not life, but is the meek
And ready Pafchal Lamb of this great week.

Was ever grief like mine?

Then they accuse me of great blafphemy,
That I did thrust into the Deity,

Who never thought that any robbery.

Was ever grief, &c.

Some faid, that I the Temple to the floor
In three days raz'd, and raised as before.
Why, he that built the world can do much more.

Was ever grief, &c.

Then they condemn me all with the fame breath,
Which I do give them daily, unto death.
Thus Adam my first breathing rendereth.

Was ever grief, &c.

They bind, and lead me unto Herod; he
Sends me to Pilate. This makes them agree;
But yet their friendship is my enmity.

Was ever grief, &c.

Herod and all his bands do fet me light,
Who teach all hands to war, fingers to fight,
And only am the Lord of hoft and might.

Was ever grief, &c.

Herod in judgment fits, while I do stand;
Examines me with a cenforious hand :
I him obey, who all things elfe command.

Was ever grief, &c.

The Jews accufe me with defpitefulness;
And vying malice with my gentleness,
Pick quarrels with their only happiness.

Was ever grief like mine ?

I answer nothing, but with patience prove
If ftony hearts will melt with gentle love:
But who does hawk at eagles with a dove?

Was ever grief, &c.

My filence rather doth augment their cry;
My dove doth back into my bosom fly,
Because the raging waters ftill are high.

Was ever grief, &c.

Hark how they cry aloud ftill, Crucify;
It is not fit he live a day, they cry 3
Who cannot live lefs than eternally.

Was ever grief, &c.

Pilate, a ftranger, holdeth off, but they,
Mine own dear People, cry, Away, Away,
With noifes confufed frighting the day.

Was ever grief, &c,

Yet ftill they shout and cry, and stop their ears,
Putting my life among their fins and fears,
And therefore with my blood on them and theirs.

Was ever grief, &c.

See how fpite cankers things! These words aright
Used, and wished, are the whole world's delight;
But honey is their gall, brightness their night.

Was ever grief, &c.

They chufe a murderer, and all agree
In him to do themselves a courtesy :
For it was their own cause that killed me;

Was ever grief like mine?

And a feditious murderer he was:

But I, the Prince of Peace; peace that doth pafs
All understanding, more than heav'n doth glass.
Was ever grief, &c.

Why, Cafar is their only King, not I:

He clave the ftony rock when they were dry;
But furely not their hearts, as I well try.

Was ever grief, &c.

Ah, how they scourge me! yet my tenderness
Doubles each lash: And yet their bitterness
Winds up my grief to a mysteriousness.

Was ever grief, &c,

They buffet me, and box me as they lift,
Who grafp the Earth and Heaven with my fist,
And never yet, whom I would punish, mifs'd.

Was ever grief, &c.

Behold, they fpit on me in scornful wife;
Who by my spittle gave the blind man eyes,
Leaving his blindness to mine enemies.

Was ever grief, &c.

My face they cover, though it be divine;
As Mofes' face was veiled, fo is mine,
Left on their double dark fouls either shine.

Was ever grief, &c;

Servants and abjects flout me; they are witty:
Now prophefy who ftrikes thee, is their ditty:

So they in me deny themselves all pity.

Was ever grief like mine?

And now I am delivered unto death,
Which each one calls for fo with utmost breath,
That he before me well-nigh fuffereth.

Was ever grief, &c.

Weep not, dear friends, fince I forboth have wept, When all my tears were blood, the while you flept: Your tears for your own fortunes should be kept.

Was ever grief, &c.

The Soldiers led me to the common hall;
There they deride me, they abuse me all :
Yet for twelve heav'nly legions I could call.

Was ever grief, &c.

Then with a scarlet robe they me array;
Which fhews my blood to be the only way,
And cordial left to repair man's decay.

Was ever grief, &c.

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 wat'red there.

Was ever grief, &c.

So fits the Earth's great curfe in Adam's fall
Upon my head; fo I remove it all

From th' earth unto my brows, and bear the thrall.

Was ever grief, &c.