Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
Soft stay a while, and be not so rash, Thinkest thou God unmerciful to be: Wilt thou trust despair, even at the first dash, Hast thou no faith in God's mercy so free, Call upon god with repentance and faith, By such ways and means as I will instruct thee. I believe God is merciful, as the Scripture sayeth. Well follow me, and I will conduct thee. Oh heavenly Father pardon my offence. Oh heavenly father, pardon mine offence. And grant that thy mercy may to me repair. And grant that thy mercy may to me repair, Also O Father banish thou hence. Also O Father banish thou hence. That wicked Monster of Despair, That wicked Monster of Despair. How feelest thou now, thy conscience and mind. Hoyest thou not, of God's mercy and grace? Well God be praised that here I thee find, How happy was I to approach this place. Despair is now fled, I perfectly know, And in God's mercy I firmly do trust, Therefore O Lord deliver me from thrall: And pardon me a sinner, most vile and unjust. That is very well said, if so thou do think, And now frame thyself, thy life to amend, Let despair no more into thy mind sink: But to be a new man, do thou now pretend. And as heretofore thy mind for to please, Thou hast learned the Tide will tarry no man, So now it behoveth for thy greater ease, That saying, after Gods will for to scan. Take time while time is, thus I do mean, Amend thy life whilst here thou hast space: To God's merciful promises see that thou lean, So shalt thou enjoy the Tide of his grace. To follow your council, I will do my endeavour, I will seek the same in all points to perform: The effect of your words I will forget never, And now I will hence, my wife to reform. That she and I, in manner now, May amend our lives, to God's glory and praise: Wherefore good sir unto you adieu, I beseech the Lord to send thee good days. See how the time takers their fact doth repent, Who no time will spare in pleasing their will: And although the beginning have a pleasant sent, Yet of the ending, the taste is as ill. For whoever it be that without measure, Doth consume his substance in prodigal sort: Although he had abundance of treasure, Yet will he be a beggar, and that in time short. I marvel where Authority is, Who should see a help for the simple oppressed: Many things there are greatly amiss, Which by his means must needs be redressed. His absence greatly disquieteth my mind, I will not cease seeking, until him I do find.
seed 43: T4 · seed 44: T5 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
¶Softe stay a whyle, and be not so rash, Thinkest thou God vnmercifull to be: Wilt thou trust dispayre, euen at the fyrst dash, Hast thou no fayth in Gods mercy so frée, Call vpon god with repentaunce and fayth, By such wayes and meanes as I will instruct thée. ¶I beléeue God is mercifull, as the Scripture sayeth. ¶Well follow mée, and I will conduct thée. Oh heauenly Father pardon my offence. ¶Oh heauenly father, pardon mine offence. ¶And graunt that thy mercy may to me repayre. ¶And graunt that thy mercy may to me repayre, ¶Also O Father banish thou hence. ¶Also O Father banish thou hence. ¶That wicked Monster of Dispayre, ¶That wicked Monster of Dispayre. ¶How féelest thou now, thy conscience and minde. Hoyest thou not, of gods mercy and grace? ¶Well God be praysed that here I thée finde, How happy was I to approch this place. Dispayre is now fled, I perfectly know, And in Gods mercy I fyrmely doe trust, Therefore O Lord deliuer me from thrall: And pardon me a sinner, most vile and vniust. ¶That is very well sayd, if so thou doe thinke, And now frame thy selfe, thy life to amend, Let dispayre no more into thy mind sincke: But to be a new man, doe thou now pretend. And as hertofore thy mind for to please, Thou haste learned the Tyde will tarry no man, So now it behoueth for thy greater ease, That saying, after Gods will for to scan. Take time while time is, thus I doe meane, Amend thy life whilst here thou haste space: To Gods mercifull promises sée that thou leane, So shalt thou enioy the Tide of his grace. ¶To follow your councell, I will doe my indeuour, I will séeke the same in all poyntes to performe: The effect of your wordes I will forget neuer, And now I will hence, my wife to reforme. That she and I, in manner now, May amend our liues, to Gods glory and prayse: Wherefore good syr vnto you adue, I beséech the Lord to send thée good dayes. ¶Sée how the time takers their fact doth repent, Who no time will spare in pleasing their will: And although the beginning haue a pleasaunt sente, Yet of the ending, the taste is as ill. For who euer it be that without measure, Doth consume his substaunce in prodigall sorte: Although he had aboundaunce of treasure, Yet will he be a begger, and that in time shorte. I marueile where Authority is, Who should sée a helpe for the simple oppressed: Many thinges there are greatly amisse, Which by his meanes must néedes be redressed. His absence greatly disquieteth my minde, I will not cease séeking, vntill him I do finde.