Golding, Arthur / Beza, Theodore · published 1577 · first performed or written 1575 (Annals) biblical play unassigned nearest T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation · 503 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
Of truth no better can a man devise, Than of the Lord to sing the excellence, For none can pay him other recompense For all his gifts which daily he doth sand, Than in the same, his goodness to commend. Come on then, let us now begin to sing with hearts in one accord, The praises of the sovereign heavenly king our only God and Lord. His only hand doth give us whatsoever We have, or shall hereafter have for ever. It is alonely he that doth maintain the heaven that is so high, So large in compass and in space so main: and eke the starry sky, The course whereof he stablished hath so sure, That aye withouten fail it doth endure. The skorching heat of summer he doth make, the harvest and the spring: And winters cold that maketh folk to quake, in season he doth bring. Both wethers, fair, and fowl, both sea & land, Both night and day be ruled by his hand. Alas good Lord! and what are we that thou didst choose and entertain Alonely us of all the world, and now doth safely us maintain So long a time from all the wicked routs In town & country where we come throughouts Thou of thy goodness drewest us away from places that are given To serve false gods: and at this present day hast wandringly us driven, To travel still among a thousand dangers, In nations unto whom we be but strangers. The land of Egypt in our chiefest need thou mad'st to have a care, Thy servants bodies to maintain and feed with fine and wholesome fare, And in the end compelledst pharaoh, Full sore against his will, to let us go. Four mighty Kings that were already gone away with victory, I overtook and put to flight anon before they could me spy. And so I saw the fields all stained read With blood of those which through my sword lay dead. From God received well this benefit: For he doth mind us still, As his dear friends in whom he doth delight, and we be sure he will, Perform us all things in due time and place, As he hath promised of his own free grace. To us and unto our posterity this land belongs of right, To hold in honour and felicity as God it hath behight, And we believe it surely shall be so, For from his promise God will never go. Now tremble you ye wicked wights therefore, which sowed are so thick Throughout the world, & worship now such store of gods of stone and stick, which you yourselves with wicked hands do carve, To call upon and vainly for to serve. And thou O Lord whom we do know to be the true and living God, Come from thy place, that we may one day see the vengeance of thy rood Upon thy foes, that they may come to nowght With all their gods devizd through wicked thought.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Of truth no better can a man deuise, Than of the Lord to sing the excellence, For none can pay him other recompence For all his giftes which daily he doth send, Than in the same, his goodnes to commend. Come on then, let vs now begin to sing with hartes in one accord, The prayses of the souerein heauenly king our onely God and Lord. His onely hand doth giue vs whatsoeuer We haue, or shall hereafter haue for euer. It is alonly he that doth mainteine the he auen that is so hie, So large in compasse and in space so mayne: and eke the starrie skie, The course whereof he stablisht hath so sure, That ay withouten fayle it doth endure. The skorching heate of sommer he doth make, the haruest and the spring: And winters cold that maketh folke to quake, in season he doth bring. Both wethers, faire, and fowle, both sea & land, Both night and day be ruled by his hand. Alas good Lord! and what are we that thou didst choose and enterteyne Alonly vs of all the world, and now doth safely vs mainteine So long a time from all the wicked rowtes In towne & coūtry where we come throughouts Thou of thy goodnes drewest us away from places that are giuen To serue false gods: and at this present day hast wandringly vs driuen, To trauell still among a thowsand daungers, In nacions vnto whom we be but straungers. The land of Egypt in our chiefest neede thou madst to haue a care, Thy seruants bodies to mainteine and feede with fine and wholsom fare, And in the ende compelledst pharao, Full sore against his will, to let vs goe. Foure mightie Kinges that were already gon away with victorie, I ouertooke and put to flight anon before they could me spie. And so I saw the feeldes all stained red With blud of those which through my sword lay dead. From God receiued well this benefite: For he doth mind vs still, As his deere freendes in whom he doth delight, and we be sure he will, Performe vs all thinges in dew time and place, As he hath promist of his owne free grace. To vs and vnto our posteritie this land belongs of right, To hold in honor and felicitie as God it hath behight, And we beleue it surely shall be so, For from his promise God will neuer goe. Now tremble you ye wicked wights therefore, which sowed are so thicke Throughout ye world, & worship now such store of gods of stone and sticke, which you your selues wt wicked hāds do carue, To call vpon and vainly for to serue. And thou O Lord whom we doe know to be the true and liuing God, Come from thy place, that we may one day see the vengeance of thy roode Upon thy foes, that they may come to nowght With all their gods deuizd through wicked thowght.