Location York

XLIII

THE TAILORS' PLAY

JESUS

Almighty God, my Father free,
In earth thy bidding have I done,
And glorified the name of Thee:
To Thyself glorify Thy son.
As Thou hast given full power to me,
For all mankind grant me my boon,
That all that Thou hast given may be
In endless life and with Thee dwell.
This is the life that has no end—
To know the Father, God most high,
And me Thy Son whom thou didst send
To die for man, though guiltless I.
Thy will unto all have I taught,
That willing would my teaching hear.
Let none of them in vain have wrought,
Obedient who to me appear.
You gave them me ; them have I sought,
Yet are they Thine as well as mine;
Drive them not from our company,
Since Thine are mine, and mine are Thine.
Then, Father, hallow them, I pray,
In truth and deed, so that they may
Be one as we are, you and I,
In will and work both night and day,
And know that I am verily
Both truth and life to them alway,
Through whom each man who wills that way
 May win the life that lasts for aye.
But you, my own disciples dear,
Who long have gone about with me,
How faint of faith did ye appear,
And wondrous hard of heart are ye.
Worthy to be reproved, I ween,
Are ye forsooth, and you will see
This, inasmuch as ye have seen
My work proved plainly and my power.
When I was dead and laid in grave,
Ye doubted that I should arise,
And some for my uprising strave
When I lay low in humble wise,
So deep in earth. Since then I have
Been walking forty days about,
Eaten with you, your faith to save,
Coming among you in and out.
And therefore, be no more in doubt
Of my uprising, day or night;
Let each man leave his unbelief.
For wit ye well, as man of might
Over whom no death may have power,
I shall be endless life and light.
Therefore, to show you figure clear, -
Show I myself so to your sight
For man by nature's course shall rise,
Though he be rotted unto nought,
Out of his grave in this same wise,
And at Doomsday shall he be brought
Where I shall sit as true justice,
And doom man by the deeds he wrought.
The wicked shall seek Hell's enmities,
The good, to endless bliss be brought.
Now comes my journey to an end,
My time that for my stay was lent.
To my Father I now ascend
And your Father, who first me sent,
My God, your God, and each man's friend
That to his teaching will consent.
Sin's power for sinners has an end,
If they amend and will repent.
My Father's will fulfilled have I;
Therefore, farewell, to you I say.
I go to make a place ready
Where you shall dwell with me for aye.
Receive me. Father dear, on high;
Now I ascend and come to Thee.
The Father's blessing most mighty
Give I, with all of you to be.
Asrendo ad patrem meum.

MARY

O gracious God, eternal might,
A wondrous sight is this to see—
My Son thus to be borne on height,
In a cloud going up from me.
My heart both heavy is and light;
Heavy, that such parting should be;
Light, that he keeps his promise plight,
And thus ascends so mightily.

ANGEL

Ye men that be of Galilee,
In wonder why gaze up on high?
This Jesus whom from you ye see
Ascended heavenward gloriously,
Again shall come in majesty.
Ye then, that were his servants true,
Long dwelling with him night and day,
Such working as with him ye knew,
Look that ye preach it forth alway.

PETER

There is no profit here to stand;
Then let us here no longer bide,
But go out into every land
To preach through all this world so wide,
And do his work, where e'er we may.
And now, whatever may befall,
Our Lord and mighty Master, may
He guide you and be with you all.