Hymn XXXV. For Fryday before Easter.
[_]
This day we memorize the unsufferable Passion of
Iesus Christ, who about this time of the yeare, and
on this day of the weeke, was despightfully crucified
by Pilat and the Jewes. Every day we ought to meditate
the same. But this Day most Congregations
meet in a publike Commemoration thereof, to
provoke each other to compunction of heart; and to
give an occasion to such as are heedlesse or ignorant thereof, to be better acquainted therewith.
Sing this as the 51. Psalme.
[1]
You that regardlesse, passe along,
And are unmindfull of this Day:
Give eare unto my dolefull Song,
And, heedfull be what now I say.
A Tragick Story, sing I shall,
Which nearly doth concern us all:
The like was never heard before;
Nor shall be told, for evermore.
2
The noblest Prince that er'e wore Crown,
Beyond all basenesse was abus'd:
The truest Friend, that er'e was known,
Worse then the cruelst Foe was us'd.
He, that offended not in ought,
(By Deed by Word, or by a Thought)
Tormented was, for all the Crimes,
Of Present, Past, or Future-Times.
3
They for whose Grief, he sadly wept,
Pursu'd his Life, who sought their Good.
To mischieve him, strict watch they kept;
And, thirsted for his precious blood.
Yet, he continued loving, still;
To them, repaying Good for Ill
Yea, Them, when he might have orethrown;
To save their lives, he gave his own.
4
They who most Friendship should have shown
With deep unkindnes, peirc'd his heart.
He made his dear affection known;
And they dispised his desart.
For him, they snares and Engines layd;
With showes of Love, they him betraid.
And, swords and staves (as to a Thief)
They brought to apprehend their Chief.
5
Him, they expose to all disgrace;
They buffet him, for Just replies;
They spit their Filth into his Face;
Against him Falshoods, they devise.
For being silent, him they blame.
For speaking Truth, they do the same.
They Jeer, they scorn, they him revile.
And, he sits quiet, all the while.
6
His Garments, then, from him, they strip'd
(So sad a sight, was never seen)
And, their true Prince, with Rods, they whipt,
As if a Bondslave he had been.
In purple they clothed him;
And for a princely Diadem,
They crown'd him, with a wreath of Thorn;
And, called Him, their King, in scorn.
7
To view him in so sad a plight,
In them, it could no pitty breed;
But, they rejoyced at the sight,
And, in their Malice, did proceed.
Away with him; away, they cride.
And, call'd to have him crucifide.
Yea, rather then they him would save,
Vnto a Murthrer, life they gave.
8
A weighty Crosse upon his back,
(Late rent with wounds they rudely laid:
Which he to bear did undertake,
Till him, that Burthen over-weigh'd
The Son of God
, the life of Men,
Vnto that Crosse, they nayled then:
And in the view of all the Throng,
By his torn Hands, and Feet he hung.
9
Could I in words, his pain relate
As to my heart, the same appears;
Each hearer would be mov'd thereat,
To shed, at least a show'r of Teares.
For, when his torments were at height,
They still pursu'd him with despight,
And, still, what e're they Did or said,
To torture Him, for them he pray'd.
10
He was abus'd, or left of all.
Some, did his pious works deride:
To comfort him, some gave him gall:
Some stouted, when to God he cri'd.
Few seem'd so touched with his Grief,
As was one tender-hearted Thief;
And He, who to conclude his smart,
Did thrust a Jav'lin to his Heart.
11
Although his Love immortall were,
It was our Flesh that then he wore
Which could not endles torments bear:
Thereon, their Spight prevail'd therefore.
And, then the Lambe foretipifi'd
By that, which for yong Isaack di'd,
Gave up the Ghost, and so defray'd
Our debt, which we could nea'r have paid.
12
His Death (though much it mov'd not man)
Did make the Sun his Light restrain;
The fixed Earth to quake began;
The Temple-Vaile was rent in twain:
It caus'd the hardest Rocks to crack;
The Closets of the Dead it brake;
And of their Graves, they did arise,
And shew themselves to mortall eies.
13
Then, did his Foes begin to fear
Which Fear, in some Despaire begot;
Some were amaz'd; some hopefull were,
Some raged, and relented not.
His Friends, whose Faith this triall shook,
Renew'd lost Hopes; new courage took;
Yet feared more, then they beleev'd;
Till him revived, they perceiv'd.
14
Let all of us, who present be
With loving Hearts, this Prince embrace.
For by his Death, alive are we;
And by his Pains, we gained Grace.
In Him, whom Pilat crucifi'd,
All this was truly verifi'd;
In Him, therefore, so let us live,
That, Life-eternall he may give.
15
Our Sins did help (as on this Day)
With Whips, and Thorns to make him smart,
They help to take his life away.
Our want of Love, did wound his Heart.
And, though the Iewes despight we blame;
We were partakers in the same.
Oh! let us, now, partake no more
In their offence, as heretofore.
