What hadst thou done, ô my sweet Saviour, and ay•-blessed Redeemer? that thou wast thus betrayed of Judas, sold to the Jews, apprehended as a Malefactor, and led bound as a Lamb to the slaughter? What evil hadst thou committed, that thou shouldest be thus openly arraigned, accused, falsely and unjustly condemned before Annas and Caiaphas, the Jewish Priests, at the Judgement-Seat of Pilate the Roman President? What was thine offence? or to ⟨p. 1018⟩whom didst thou ever wrong? that thou shouldest be thus pitifully scourged with whips, crowned with thorns, scoffed with flouts, reviled with words, buffeted with fists, and beaten with staves? O Lord, what didst thou deserve, to have thy blessed face spat upon, and covered as it were with shame? to have thy garments parted, thy hands and feet nailed to the Cross? to be lifted up upon the cursed Tree, to be crucified among Thieves, and made to taste gall and vinegar? and in thy deadly extremity, to endure such a sea of Gods wrath, that made thee to cry out, as if thou hadst been forsaken of God thy Father? yea, to ⟨p. 1019⟩have thy innocent heart pierced with a cruel Spear, and thy precious blood to be spilt out before thy blessed Mothers eyes? Sweet Saviour, how much wast thou tormented to endure all this! seeing I am so much amazed but to think upon it! I enquire for thine offence, but I can find none in thee: No, not so much as guile to have been found in thy Mouth. 1Thine enemies are challenged, and none of them dare rebuke thee of sin: 2thine accusers (that are suborned) agree not in their witness: the Judge that condemns thee, openly cleareth thine Innocency: 3his Wife sends him word, that she was warned in a dream, that thou ⟨p. 1020⟩wast a just man, and therefore should take heed of doing injustice unto thee. The Centurion that executes thee, confesseth thee of a truth, to be both a just man, and the very Son of God. The thief that hanged with thee, justifieth thee, that thou hast done nothing amiss. What is the cause then, O LORD, of this thy cruel Ignominy, Passion, and Death? I, O Lord, I am the cause of these thy sorrows: my sins wrought thy shame, mine iniquities are the occasion of thy injuries. I have committed the fault, and thou art plagued for the offence: I am guilty, and thou art arraigned: I committed the sin, and thou sufferedst the death;
WHat hadst thou done, ô my sweete Sauiour, and ay•-blessed Redeemer? that thou wast thus betrayed of Iudas, sold to the Iewes, apprehended as a Malefactor, and led bound as a Lambe to the slaughter? What euill hadst thou committed, that thou shouldest be thus openly arraigned, accused, falsly and vniustly condemned before Annas and Caiaphas, the Iewish Priests, at the Iudgement-Seate of Pilate the Romane President? What was thine offence? or to ⟨p. 1018⟩vvhom didst thou euer wrong? that thou shouldest be thus pittifully scourged with whips, crowned vvith thornes, scoffed with flouts, reuiled with words, buffeted with fists, and beaten with staues? O Lord, what didst thou deserue, to haue thy blessed face spat vpon, and couered as it were with shame? to haue thy garments parted, thy hands and feete nailed to the Crosse? to be lifted vp vpon the cursed Tree, to be crucified among Theeues, and made to taste gall and vineger? and in thy deadly extremitie, to endure such a sea of Gods wrath, that made thee to cry out, as if thou hadst beene forsaken of God thy Father? yea, to ⟨p. 1019⟩haue thy innocent heart pierced with a cruell Speare, and thy precious bloud to be spilt out before thy blessed Mothers eyes? Sweet Sauiour, how much vvast thou tormented to endure all this! seeing I am so much amazed but to thinke vpon it! I enquire for thine offence, but I can finde none in thee: No, not so much as guile to haue beene found in thy Mouth. 1Thine enemies are challenged, and none of them dare rebuke thee of sinne: 2thine accusers (that are suborned) agree not in their witnesse: the Iudge that condemnes thee, openly cleareth thine Innocencie: 3his Wife sends him word, that shee was warned in a dreame, that thou ⟨p. 1020⟩wast a iust man, and therefore should take heede of doing iniustice vnto thee. The Centurion that executes thee, confesseth thee of a truth, to be both a iust man, and the very Sonne of God. The theefe that hanged with thee, iustifieth thee, that thou hast done nothing amisse. What is the cause then, O LORD, of this thy cruell Ignominie, Passion, and Death? I, O Lord, I am the cause of these thy sorrowes: my sinnes wrought thy shame, mine iniquities are the occasion of thy iniuries. I haue committed the fault, and thou art plagued for the offence: I am guiltie, and thou art arraigned: I committed the sinne, and thou sufferedst the death;
- 11 Pet. 2.22.
- 2John 1.46.Iohn 1.46.
- 3Mat. 27.19.
