PATER COELESTIS. I will, John, I will, for as I said afore, Rigour and hardness I have now set apart, Minding from henceforth to win man evermore By wonderful kindness to break his stubborn heart, And change it from sin. For Christ shall suffer smart, In man's frail nature for his iniquity, This to make open my messenger shalt thou be.
JOHANNES BAPTISTA. As thy pleasure is, so, blessed Lord, appoint me, For my health thou art and my soul's felicity.
PATER COELESTIS. Long ere I made thee, I thee predestinate: Before thou wert born, I thee endued with grace. In thy mother's womb wert thou sanctificate By my godly gift, and so confirmed in peace A prophet, to show a way before the face Of my most dear Son, which will come; until then Apply thee apace thine office to fulfil. Preach to the people, rebuking their negligence, Dop[296] them in water, they acknowledging their offence; And say unto them, "The kingdom of God doth come."
JOHANNES BAPTISTA. Unmeet, Lord, I am, _Quia puer ego sum_. And (other than that), alack, I have no science Fit for that office, neither yet clean eloquence.
PATER COELESTIS. Thou shalt not say so, for I have given thee grace, Eloquence and age to speak in the desert place. Thou must do therefore as I shall thee advise, My appointed pleasure forth utter in any wise, My strong mighty words put I into thy mouth, Spare not, but speak them to east, west, north, and south.
_Hic extendens Dominus manum, labia Johannis digito tanget, ac ori imponet auream linguam_.
Go now thy way forth, I shall thee never fail, The spirit of Elias have I given thee already. Persuade the people, that they their sins bewail, And if they repent their customable folly, Long shall it not be, ere they have remedy. Open thou their hearts, tell them their health is coming: As a voice in desert, see thou declare the thing, I promise thee sure, thou shalt wash him among them In Jordan, a flood not far from Jerusalem.
JOHANNES BAPTISTA. Show me yet, good Lord, whereby shall I know that man, In the multitude which will resort to Jordan.
PATER COELESTIS. In thy mother's womb of him hadst thou cognition.
JOHANNES BAPTISTA. Yea, that was in spirit, I would now know his person.
PATER COELESTIS. Have thou no fear, John, him shalt thou know full well, And one special token afore will I thee tell. _Super quem videris spiritum descendentem et manentem Super eum, hic est qui baptizat spiritu sancto_. Among all other whom thou shalt baptize there, Upon whom thou seest the Holy Ghost descend In shape of a dove, resting upon his shoulder, Hold him for the same that shall the world amend By baptism of spirit, and also to man extend Most special grace. For he must repair his fall, Restoring again the justice original. Take now thy journey, and do as I thee advise. First preach repentance, and then the people baptize.