The PASSION of our SAVIOUR.  
A PINDARIC ODE on the Suffering GOD. In Imitation of rapines CHRISTUS Patiens.  
By Francis Bragge Gent.  
Engra … 〈…〉 and sold by John S … in Golden Lion Court in Aldersgate 〈…〉   engraved title page  

 decorative border resembling a picture frame 
I  
WHAT Dark and Dismal shade is this?  
What Gloomy Sadness spreading o'er the Skies?  
What Black and Melancholy Veil,  
Which Covers Mourning Natures Face?  
Why has th'Affrighted Sun forsook his Place?  
And why the Universe so Pale?  
Why does the Trembling Moon turn back her Weeping Eyes?  
Sure there was never cause of grief like this!  
The Sun beheld the DEITY,   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
Beheld his Maker Hanging on a Tree.  
He saw— and started back— and hid his Face,  
Ashamed to show his own Created Rays,  
When once he'd seen the Source of Light,  
The Eternal GOD, involved in Night.   

II  
But where should I begin? where should I end?  
This Sad, if there was ever sad Complaint?  
Shall I relate his Flesh with Scourges ●orn,  
And how he bore the Pain, and how he bore the Scorn?   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
Or what is stranger yet that Man could dare,  
To pierce the GOD of Nature with a Spear?  
Shall I tell how the Softer Rock,  
When covered over  
With Heavenly Gore:  
Unable to sustain the shock  
Of so Impetuous and so just a Grief,  
Burst— and its Stony Heart did into pieces cleave?  
Or JESUS shall I tell thy Bloody Sweat,  
When on the Flowery top of Olivet,   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
Thou saw'st approaching near  
The Dreadful Hour,  
How exquisite thy Pangs, how earnest was thy Prayer!  
Then what a Flood of Gore,  
Run down and Scarlet died each Briny Tear?  
A wondering Angel saw the Trembling GOD,  
See all his Grief but wondered more,  
To see his Love Triumphant o'er his Fear;  
To see him take the Cup, and kiss his Fathers Rod.   

III   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
Whither Audacious Man! OH whither dost thou go?  
Hold in thy Desperate hand and see.  
It is the humble Deity!  
O! Wound not him who Loves thee so,  
All this he Suffers for Redeeming thee.  
Yet while I speak, Behold! The Armed Throng  
Pours like a Mighty Torrent in  
See! how they drag the Patient GOD along  
Who feels not half so quick their Fury as their Sin.  
The Impious Crowd upon him Press,   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
One tears his Hair, another wounds his Face;  
And all with Eager Zeal contend,  
Who shall the most abuse their Greatest Friend.  
So when with stinging hunger Mad,  
The Hyreanian Lions range the Forest over;  
Terror through all the Flocks and Herds they spread  
And every trembling Shepherd Flies before;  
If e'er a Tender Lamb is left behind,  
Not to one Savage does the Victim fall,  
But with contending fierceness all,  
Tear Limb from Limb, and into Atoms Grind.   
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IV.  
And can the avenging Thunder hold,  
And let such Monstrous Gild unpunished go?  
Sure heavens itself afraid to see so Bold  
And so Triumphant Wickedness below!  
As well it may, since GOD must plead his Cause  
Before a Mortal Judge, and fall by Human Laws.  
'Twas Night & all things hushed in a short lived repose,  
Nature oppressed with Grief had fallen asleep,  
Only the Silver Moon sat up to weep,   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
And restless Malice Rose.  
The Raving Jews each other call,  
And Drag the wearied JESUS to the Hall.  
O! Let me ne'er Describe the Dismal Scene  
Of that sad Night! How piercing was his Pain!  
How many Cruel Stripes in that sad Night he Bore,  
Yet nought returned but Tears and Gore.  
All that the Maddest Fury could Invent,  
All that Revenge could Wish, or Gild could Fear;  
Or Keenest Hatred ever meant,   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
All this and more—  
In that one Dismal Night they made him bear;  
And thought it not enough, but Crowned the rest  
With Scornful Jeers, and made their GOD their Jest.   

V  
Scarce had Aurora showed the coming Light;  
And Phoebus from his Watery Bed,  
Roused up his Fiery Steeds, and Chased away the Night  
When all Amazed he Looked, and of a Bloody Red.  
Trembling he saw th'enraged Crowed,   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
Athirst for their Redeemers Blood,  
Trembling he heard their Horrid Cry,  
Rending the Air with Crucify.  
Crucify him, does all the Place Resound,  
Crucify him, th' unwilling Hills Rebound.  
The Judge perceived his Spotless Innocence,  
Tried to Assuage  
Their swelling Rage;  
And gave him to be Scourged for no Offence;  
Away with Eager hast they bear  
Th'Afflicted GOD.   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
Still now and greater Torments they prepare,  
Naked they tie their Maker to a Stake,  
Then with a twisted prickly Rod  
The unrelenting Soldier Tears his Back;  
Again renews the stroke and opens every Wound;  
Again the Echoing Walls the Hissing Struck rebound.   

VI  
Now thick as Summer's Hail or Winter Rain  
(When with a mighty Deluge Big  
The teeming Clouds upon a Mountain break)   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
The trickling Blood pours down from every Vein,  
And all the slippery Pavements covered o'er,  
With Scarlet streams and knots of Clotted Gore.  
This did th'avenging Father See  
Beheld his suffering Son in all his Agony,  
And yet in ne'er a Cloud of Thunder spoke,  
Nor Crushed 'em down to Hell with one Almighty Stroke.  
A Diadem of piercing Thorns they made,  
And Crowned at once and Tore his tender Head.  
A Reed they for a Sceptre bring,   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
Cry Hail! & Bow the Knee, & Mock their Bleeding King,  
They See with Horrid Joy, the streaming Blood  
Down from his wounded Temples pour,  
They see his Face with Scars disfigured over,  
And Laughing say— Behold the Son of GOD!  
Now does the Workman rend the sturdy Oak,  
And Unconcerned redoubles every stroke;  
Securely He the fatal Engine makes,  
While at the Dreadful sight Affrighted Nature shakes.   
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VII.  
'Tis Done— and Jesus bears away his Cross,  
The Scene of all his Triumphs, all his Woes,  
'Gainst mighty Death he goes to take the Field  
Resolved to Conquer, yet Resolved to Yield.  
And now he sinks below th'unequal weight  
Of such a Load as Sin and That,  
Too soon they fear his Pains would cease,  
And out of Cruel Pity lend a little Ease.  
Another takes the Cross, and on they go   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
To Lofty Golgotha's Aspiring Brow,  
Thrice did the trembling Mountain sound,  
And thrice the hollow Caverns Groaned,  
All Nature into dire Convulsions fell,  
To see the Drooping heavens, & hear the Shouts of Hell!  
The hardened Jews alone with Fury Blind,  
Stretch forth their Naked GOD;  
His Hands & Feet upon the Cross they Bind,  
And fix with Nails unto the Groaning Wood  
Aloft the ponderous Trunk they rear,   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
And poise their Bleeding Maker in the Air.  
Amazing Sight! between two Thiefs to see  
Him hanging on one Slender Tree,  
Who the Prodigious weight— of all the Sins— of the whole World did bear.   

VIII.  
Why Nature dost thou Blush? why Tremble so?  
It was not Thou that wert to Blame,  
Not all thy Powers th'amazing Deed could do;  
'Twas Love that bore the Crime, 'twas Love that bore the Shame.  
A Daring Soldier stabs th' Expiring GOD,   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
And down there pours a Rapid Stream of Blood.  
No longer could th' Affrighted Sun Behold  
So Monstrous and so sad a Sight;  
But headlong to the Ocean rolled,  
And hide his Blushes in the Veil of Night.  
Each Trembling Mountain shook its Snowy Head,  
The all Devouring Grave gave up her Dead.  
The Temples sacred Veil was rend in Twain  
And all things felt their Maker's grief, but Man.  
Back to their Fountains did the Rivers flow   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
And falling Hills their Channels filled below.  
The hardest Rocks in pieces broke,  
And all the Earth's Foundations shook;  
While o'er the City Frightful Ghosts appear,  
And horrid Spectres fill the Dusky, Troubled Air.   

IX.  
Thee Jesus! did the hollow Grotts Bemoan,  
And all were melted into Pearly Tears.  
For thee the Lions and Getulian Bears,  
For thee th' Armenian Tigers Groan.   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
Each purling Stream ran murmuring through the Plain  
And told in Hollow Sighs its Maker's Pain  
Over all the World a Pompous Sorrow spread,  
All things were Sad, for GOD himself lay Dead.  
And while the Savage Lions grieve,  
Shall hardened Man alone refuse to give  
His Tributary share of Flowing Tears,  
Upon his Meek Redeemer's Hearse?  
O! Let him weep a Mighty Flood,  
Strong as his Saviour's Love, and Reeking as his Blood.   decorative border resembling a picture frame 
Let every Distant Shore his Griefs resound,  
Nor let his Sorrows ever stay,  
Till he has washed those Sins away  
Which Crucified his GOD, and gave the Fatal Wound.   
FINIS.