Volume I Part 60 (1/2)

I know that mercy with thee is permanent, And will be ever, so long as the world endure: Then close not thy hand from man, which is thy creature.

Being thy subject, he is underneath thy cure, Correct him thou mayest, and so bring him to grace.

All lieth in thy hands, to leave or to allure, Bitter death to give, or grant most sovereign solace.

Utterly from man avert not then thy face; But let him savour thy sweet benevolence Somewhat, though he feel thy hand for his offence.

PATER COELESTIS. My true servant Noah, thy righteousness doth move me Somewhat to reserve for man's posterity.

Though I drown the world, yet will I save the lives Of thee and thy wife, thy three sons and their wives, And of each kind two, to maintain you hereafter.

JUSTUS NOAH. Blessed be thy name, most Mighty Merciful Maker, With thee to dispute it were inconvenient.

PATER COELESTIS. Why dost thou say so? be bold to speak thy intent.

JUSTUS NOAH. Shall the other die without any remedy?

PATER COELESTIS. I will drown them all for their wilful, wicked folly, That man hereafter thereby may know my power, And fear to offend my goodness day and hour.

JUSTUS NOAH. As thy pleasure is, so might it always be, For my health thou art, and soul's felicity.

PATER COELESTIS. After that this flood have had his raging pa.s.sage, This shall be to thee my covenant everlasting.

The seas and waters so far never more shall rage, As all flesh to drown, I will so temper their working; This sign will I add also, to confirm the thing.

In the clouds above, as a seal or token clear, For safeguard of man my rainbow shall appear.

Take thou this covenant for an earnest confirmation Of my former promise to Adam's generation.

JUSTUS NOAH. I will, blessed Lord, with my whole heart and mind.

PATER COELESTIS. Farewell then, just Noah, here leave I thee behind.

JUSTUS NOAH. Most Mighty Maker, ere I from hence depart, I must give thee praise from the bottom of my heart.

Whom may we thank, Lord, for our health and salvation, But thy great mercy and goodness undeserved?

Thy promise in faith is our justification, As it was Adam's, when his heart therein rested, And as it was theirs, which therein also trusted.

This faith was grounded in Adam's memory, And clearly declared in Abel's innocency.

Faith in that promise old Adam did justify, In that promise faith made Eve to prophecy.

Faith in that promise proved Abel innocent, In that promise faith made Seth full obedient.

That faith taught Enos on G.o.d's name first to call, And made Methuselah the oldest man of all.

That faith brought Enoch to so high exercise, That G.o.d took him up with him into paradise.

Of that faith the want made Cain to hate the good, And all his offspring to perish in the flood.

Faith in that promise preserved both me and mine.

So will it all them which follow the same line.

Not only this gift thou hast given me, sweet Lord, But with it also thine everlasting covenant, Of trust for ever, thy rainbow bearing record, Nevermore to drown the world by flood inconstant, Making the waters more peaceable and pleasant, Alas! I cannot to thee give praise condign, Yet will I sing here with heart meek and benign.

_Magna tunc voce Antiphonam incipit_, O oriens splendor, _&c., in genua cadens; quam chorus prosequetur c.u.m organis ut supra_.

_Vel Anglice sub eodem tono_.

O most orient clearness, and light s.h.i.+ning of the sempiternal brightness!

O clear sun of justice and heavenly righteousness, come hither and illumine the prisoner sitting now in the dark prison and shadow of eternal death.