us Josedech, of virtue the example.
Consider Nehemiah, and Esdras the good scribe,
Merciful Tobias, and constant Mardocheus;[626]
Judith and Queen Esther, of the same godly tribe,
Devout Matthias and Judas Maccabaeus.
Have mind of Eleazer, and then Joannes Hircanus,
Weigh the earnest faith of this godly company,
Though the other clean fall from thy memory.

_Pater Coelestis._ I will John, I will, for as I said before,
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.

_John the Baptist._ 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 the 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 place,
A prophet, to shew a way before the face
Of my most dear son, who will come: then until
Apply thee apace thine office to fulfil.
Preach to the people, rebuking their negligence,
Dip them in water, acknowledging their offence;
And say unto them, The kingdom of God doth come.

_John the Baptist._ Unmeet, Lord, I am, _Quia puer ego sum_.[627]
And other than that, alas, 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 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.

[_God stretching out his hand, touches John's lips with his finger and
confers upon him a golden tongue._

Go now thy way forth, I shall thee never fail,
The spir't of Elijah 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 a desert; see thou declare the thing.
I promise thee sure, thou shalt wash him among them
In Jordan, a flood not far from Jerusalem.

_John the Baptist._ Shew me yet, good Lord, whereby shall I know that man,
In the multitude which will resort to Jordan.