Volume I Part 62 (1/2)

PATER COELESTIS. I will first conclude, and then say on thy mind.

For that I have found that people so unkind, Not one of them shall enjoy the promise of me, For entering the land, but Caleb and Joshua.

MOSES SANCTUS. Thy eternal will evermore fulfilled be.

For disobedience thou slewest the sons of Aaron, The earth swallowed in both Dathan and Abiram.

The adders did sting other wicked persons else, In wonderful number. Thus hast thou punished rebels.

PATER COELESTIS. Never will I spare the cursed iniquity Of idolatry for no cause, thou mayest trust me.

MOSES SANCTUS. Forgive them yet, Lord, for this time, if it may be.

PATER COELESTIS. Thinkest thou that I will so soon change my decree?

No, no, friend Moses; so light thou shalt not find me, I will punish them, all Israel shall it see.

MOSES SANCTUS. I wot, thy people hath wrought abhomination.

Wors.h.i.+pping false G.o.ds, to thy honour's derogation.

Yet merciful thou mayest upon them look And if thou wilt not, thrust me out of thy book.

PATER COELESTIS. Those great blasphemers shall out of my book clean, But thou shalt not so, for I know what thou dost mean.

Conduct my people, mine angel shall a.s.sist thee, That sin at a day will not uncorrected be.

And for the true zeal that thou to my people hast, I add this covenant unto my promises past.

Raise them up I will a prophet from among them.

Not unlike to thee, to speak my words unto them.

Whoso heareth not that he shall speak in my name, I will revenge it to his perpetual shame.

The Pa.s.sover lamb will be a token just Of this strong covenant. This have I clearly discussed In my appointment this hour for your deliverance.

MOSES SANCTUS. Never shall this thing depart from my remembrance.

Laud be for ever to thee, most merciful Lord, Which never withdrawest from man thy heavenly comfort, But from age to age thy benefits doth record, What thy goodness is, and hath been to his sort.

As we find thy grace, so ought we to report.

And doubtless it is to us most bounteous, Yea, for all our sins most ripe and plenteous.

Abraham our father found the benevolence.

So did good Isaac in his distress among.

To Jacob thou wert a guide most gracious, Joseph thou savedst from dangerous deadly wrong.

Melchisedec and Job felt thy great goodness strong, So did good Sarah, Rebeccah, and fair Rachel, With Zipporah my wife, the daughter of Revel, To praise thee, sweet lord, my faith doth me compel, For thy covenants' sake, wherein rest our salvation, The seed of promise all other seeds excel, For therein remaineth our full justification.

From Adam and Noah, in Abraham's generation, That seed procureth G.o.d's mighty grace and power, For the same seed's sake, I will sing now this hour.

_Clara tunc voce Antiphonam incipit_, O Emmanuel, _quam chorus (ut prius) prosequetur c.u.m organis_.

_Vel Anglice canat_:

O high King Emmanuel, and our liege lord! the long expectation of Gentiles, and the mighty saviour of their mult.i.tude, the health and consolation of sinners, come now for to save us as our Lord and our Redeemer.

_Finit Actus quartus_.

INCIPIT ACTUS QUINTUS.

PATER COELESTIS. For all the favour I have showed Israel, Delivering her from Pharaoh's tyranny, And giving the land _fluentem lac & mel_, Yet will she not leave her old idolatry, Nor know me for G.o.d. I ahhor her misery: Vexed her I have with battles and decays, And must I plague her, I see no other ways.

DAVID REX PIUS. Remember yet, lord, thy worthy servant Moses, Walking in thy sight, without rebuke of thee.