“That three persons in your Godhead, “And no more, are comprehended, “Moderate appears; the ancients “On six thousand gods depended. “Quite unknown to me the God is “Whom you call the Christ, good brother; “Nor have I e’er had the honour “To have met his virgin mother. “I regret that some twelve hundred “Years back, as your speech confesses, “At Jerusalem he suffer’d “Certain disagreablenesses. “That the Jews in truth destroy’d him “Rests upon your showing solely, “Seeing the delicti corpus “On the third day vanish’d wholly. “It is equally uncertain “Whether he was a connection “Of our God, who had no children-- “In, at least, our recollection. “Our great God, like some poor lambkin, “For humanity would never “Perish; for such philanthropic “Actions he is far too clever. “Our great God of love knows nothing, “Never to affection yields he, “For he is a God of vengeance, “And as God his thunders wields he. “Nothing can his wrathful lightnings “From the sinner turn or soften, “And the latest generations “For the fathers’ sins pay often. “Our great God, he lives for ever “In his heavenly halls in glory, “And, compared with him, eternal “Ages are but transitory. “Our great God, he is a hearty “God, not like the myths that fright us, “Pale and lean as any wafer, “Or the shadows by Cocytus. “Our great God is strong. He graspeth “Sun and moon and constellation: “Thrones are crush’d, and people vanish “When he frowns in indignation. “And he is a mighty God. “David sings: We cannot measure “All his greatness, earth’s his footstool, “And is subject to his pleasure. “Our great God loves music dearly, “Lute and song to him are grateful; “But, like grunts of sucking pigs, he “Finds the sounds of churchbells hateful. “Great Leviathan the fish is “Who beneath the ocean strayeth, “And with him the Lord Almighty “For an hour each morning playeth. “With the’ exception of the ninth day “Of the month Ab, that sad morrow, “When they burnt his holy temple; “On that day too great’s his sorrow. “Just one hundred miles in length is “The Leviathan; each fin is “Big as Og the King of Basan, “And his tail no cedar thin is. “Yet his flesh resembles turtle, “And its flavour is perfection, “And the Lord will ask to dinner “On the day of resurrection “All his own elect, the righteous, “Those whose faith was firm and stable, “And this fish, the Lord’s own favourite, “Will be set upon the table, “Partly dress’d with garlic white sauce, “Partly stew’d in wine and toasted, “Dress’d with raisins and with spices, “Much resembling matelotes roasted.