ISAIAS PROPHETA. Well yet, blessed Lord, relieve them with thy mercy. Though they have been ill by other princes' days. Yet good Zedekiah hath taught them goodly ways. When the prince is good, the people are the better; And as he is nought, their vices are the greater. Heavenly Lord, therefore send them the consolation, Which thou hast covenanted with every generation. Open thou the heavens, and let the lamb come hither, Which will deliver thy people altogether. Ye planets and clouds, cast down your dews and rain, That the earth may bear out healthful savour plain. PATER COELESTIS. May the wife forget the child of her own body? ISAIAS PROPHETA. Nay, that she cannot in any wise verily. PATER COELESTIS. No more can I them which will do my commandments, But must preserve them from all inconvenients. ISAIAS PROPHETA. Blessed art thou, Lord, in all thy acts and judgments. PATER COELESTIS. Well, Isaias, for this thy fidelity A covenant of health thou shalt have also of me. ISAIAS PROPHETA.[295] For Zion's sake now I will not hold my peace, And for Jerusalem to speak will I not cease, Till that righteous Lord become as a sunbeam bright, And their just saver as a lamp extend his light. PATER COELESTIS. A rod shall shoot forth from the old stock of Jesse, And a bright blossom from that root will arise, Upon whom always the spirit of the Lord shall be, The spirit of wisdom, the spirit of heavenly practice, And the spirit that will all goodness devise. Take this for a sign: a maid of Israel Shall conceive and bear that Lord Immanuel. ISAIAS PROPHETA. Thy praises condign no mortal tongue can tell, Most worthy Maker and king of heavenly glory, For all capacities thy goodness doth excel, Thy plenteous grace no brain can compass truly, No wit can conceive the greatness of thy mercy, Declared of late in David thy true servant And now confirmed in this thy latter covenant. Of goodness thou madest Solomon of wit most pregnant, Asa and Jehosaphat, with good king Hezekiah, In thy sight to do what was to thee right pleasant. To quench idolatry, thou raisedest up Elijah, Jehu, Elisha, Micas, and Abdias, And Naaman Syrus thou purgedest of a lepry. Thy works wonderful who can but magnify? Arise, Jerusalem, and take faith by and by, For the very light that shall save thee is coming. The Son of the Lord appear will evidently, When he shall resort, see that no joy be wanting. He is thy saver and thy life everlasting, Thy release from sin and thy whole righteousness. Help me in this song to acknowledge his great goodness. _Concinna tunc voce Antiphonam inchoat_, O radix Jesse _quam chorus prosequeter cum organis_. _Vel Anglicè hoc modo canet_. O fruitful root of Jesse, that shall be set as a sign among people, against the worldly rulers shall fiercely open their mouths. Whom the Gentiles worship as their heavenly Lord, come now for to deliver us, and delay the time no longer. _Finit Actus sextus_. ACTUS SEPTIMUS.