One offer'd to him vinegar and gall,
A second did his pious works deride,
To dicing for his robes did others fall,
And many mock'd him, when to God he cried;
Yet he, as they his pain still more procur'd,
Still loud and for their good the more endur❜d.
But though his matchless love immortal were,
It was a mortal body he had on,
That could no more than mortal bodies bear;
Their malice therefore did prevail thereon;
And lo! their utmost fury having tried,
This Lamb of God gave up the ghost and died;
Whose death though cruel unrelenting man
Could view without bewailing or affright,
The sun grew dark, the earth to quake began,
The temple veil did rend asunder quite;
Yea, hardest rocks therewith in pieces brake,
And graves did open and the dead awake.
O therefore, let us all that present be,
This innocent with moved souls embrace!
For this was our Redeemer, this was he,
Who thus for our unkindness used was:
Ev'n he, the cursed Jews and Pilate slew,
Is he alone of whom all this is true.
Our sins of spite were part of those that day,
Whose cruel whips and thorns did make him smart;
Our lusts were those, that tir'd him in the way,
Our want of love was thatf which pierc'd his heart;
And still, when we forget or slight his pain,
We crucify and torture him again.
THIS is the day the Lord hath made,
And therein joyful we will be;
For from the black infernal shade
In triumph back return'd is he:
The snares of Satan and of death
He hath victoriously undone,
And fast in chains he bound them hath
His triumph to attend upon.
The grave, which all men did detest,
And held a dungeon full of fear,
Is now become a bed of rest,
And no such terrors find we there ;
For Jesus Christ hath took away
The horrors of that loathed pit,
Ev'n ever since that glorious day
In which himself came out of it.
His mockings and his bitter smarts
He to our praise and ease doth turn,
And all things to our joy converts,
Which he with heavy heart hath borne :
His broken flesh is now our food,
His blood he shed is ever since,
That drink which doth our souls most good, And that which shall our foulness cleanse. Those wounds so deep and torn so wide, As in a rock our shelters are;
And that they pierced through his side,
Is made a dove-hole for his dear;
Yea, now we know, as was foretold,
His flesh did no corruption see,
And that hell wanted strength to hold
So strong and one so blest as he.
O let us praise his name therefore,
Who thus the upper hand hath won!
For we had else for evermore
Been lost and utterly undone.
Whereas this favour doth allow,
That we with boldness thus may sing:
O Hell! where is thy conquest now?
And thou, O Death! where is thy sting?
TO GOD, with heart and cheerful voice,
A triumph-song we sing,
And with true thankful hearts rejoice
In our Almighty King;
Yea, to his glory we record,
Who were but dust and clay,
That honour he did us afford
On his ascending-day.
The human nature, which of late
Beneath the angels was,
Now raised from that meaner state
Above them hath a place;
And at man's feet all creatures bow,
Which through the whole world be;
For at God's right hand throned now,
In glory sitteth he.
Our Lord and brother, who hath on
Such flesh as this we wear,
Before us unto heaven is gone
To get us places there.
Captivity was captiv'd then;
And he doth from above
Send ghostly presents down to men
For tokens of his love.
Each door and everlasting gate
To him hath lifted been,
And in a glorious-wise thereat
Our king is enter'd in ;
Whom if to follow we regard,
With ease we safely may,
For he hath all the means prepar'd,
And made an open way.
Then follow, follow on a-pace!
And let us not forego
Our captain, till we win the place
That he hath scal'd unto;
And for his honour let our voice
A shout so hearty make,
The heav'ns may at our mirth rejoice,
And earth and hell may shake.
Pentecost, or Whitsunday.
EXCEEDING faithful in thy word,
And just in all thy ways,
We do acknowledge thee, O Lord!
And therefore give thee praise;
For, as thy promise thou didst pass,
Before thou went'st away,
Sent down thy Holy Spirit was,
At his appointed day.
While thy disciples in thy name
Together did retire,
The Holy Ghost upon them came,
In cloven tongues of fire;
That in their calling they might be
Confirmed from above,
As thou wert, when he came on thee,
Descending like a dove.
Whereby those men, that simple were,
And fearful till that hour,
Had knowledge at an instant there,
And boldness arm'd with pow'r,
Receiving gifts so manifold,
That, since the word begun,
A wonder seldom had been told,
That could exceed this one.
Now also, blessed Spirit! come,
Unto our souls appear;
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