| |
| JUDAS, 1 that treason harbored in his brest, | |
| Knew well that here our Lord did oft resort | |
| Vnto this place: knowledge had wrought thy rest, | |
| If all in time thou wouldst haue found comfort: | |
| But, murtherous wretch, this onely did thee good; | 5 |
| Thou thirstie wert after the innocent blood. | |
| |
| O monstrous change, that from a friend of trust | |
| Thou art a fox, and wilt thy friend betray! | |
| Companion once, and now ’mongst thieues to thrust, | |
| As chiefest guide, the spotlesse Lambe to fray. | 10 |
| Cannot great fauours cause thee to returne, | |
| Thou wofull wretch, at goodnes that dost spurne? | |
| |
| How many speeches tending to our health! | |
| What feruent vowes he sent beyond the sky! | |
| All wayes were sought, still to procure our wealth; | 15 |
| His grace to none that would he did deny. | |
| Might not his grace from treason thee reclaime, | |
| But at his life thou, traytour, now wilt aime? | |
| |
| Ye couetous carles, that for a little gaine | |
| Set soule to sale, as though there were no hell, | 20 |
| Looke on this Iudas, thinke vpon his paine; | |
| His endlesse pangs all torments far excell. | |
| The very fire the forged fire doth passe, | |
| And like hell-fire no torment euer was. | |
| |
| Consider yet, while here we haue a space, | 25 |
| What griefe it is to be exilde from God; | |
| What ioy it is to view his pleasant face; | |
| What paine it is to feele his heauie rod. | |
| Thrise happie they that cleaue vnto thy grace! | |
| Thrise cursed they that will not life imbrace! | 30 |
| |
| O wretched man, bereft of inward peace, | |
| Commest thou arm’d with weapons and with lights? | |
| A cut-throate crew serue for thy shame’s increase: | |
| Are these thy mates? belike feare thee affrights. | |
| A guiltie conscience brings a restlesse griefe, | 35 |
| Easlesse in ease, finding no sound reliefe. | |
| |
| Thou stately citie of the hightest King, | |
| Fitting thy name that hadst the Prince of Peace, | |
| Whilom whose praise the virgins faire did sing, | |
| What time thy glory the chiefest did increace: | 40 |
| Thy famous temple, deuotion that relieues, | |
| Is now become a den for lothsome thieues. | |
| |
| And must thy rulers now their forces bend | |
| To send their seruants forth in all the haste, | |
| To bind this Lambe, and then his blood to spend? | 45 |
| What, do ye long to see your land lye waste? | |
| All this was done the Scripture to fulfil: | |
| Who can dissolve what God alone doth will? | |
| |
| In these we see that brings such weapons’ stoare, | |
| How foes with might God’s children doe oppresse: | 50 |
| They haue no truth, and as for iustice’ loare | |
| They likewise want, which causes should redresse: | |
| Trusting to flesh, this stay, as it is wurst, | |
| So for this fault they are of God accurst. | |
| |
| Forward they march, bringing along their light, | 55 |
| Their lanterns that a little light containe, | |
| With other helpes to guide them in the night; | |
| Vsing the lesse, and from the great refraine: | |
| To dim that light each one doth now prepare; | |
| For Light of world no whit at all they care. | 60 |
| |
| Christ, knowing well the secrets of mankind, | |
| This instant somewhat should to him betyde, | |
| Forward he goeth against the crue vnkind, | |
| From whom he could haue parted cleane vnspyde: | |
| “Whom do ye seeke?” said he; “to me now tell.” | 65 |
| “Jesus of Nazareth,” said they, and down they fell. | |
| |
| This hath the taste of his most soueraigne might, | |
| Who with a word could strike them to the ground: | |
| Weake is man’s power, if God begin to fight; | |
| His only breath can all his foes confound. | 70 |
| If slender touch huge mountaines maketh smoke, | |
| How dares then man his maiestie prouoke? | |
