Woodes, Nathaniel · published 1581 · first performed or written 1572 [1570-1581] (Annals) moral T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation typicality 0.72 · 507 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
And as we the sooner believe that thing true, For the trial whereof more witnesses we find, So by the means of the Sacrament many grew Believing creatures, where before they were blind, For our senses some savour of our faith now do find, Because in the Sacrament there is this Analogy: That Christ feeds our souls as the bread doth our body Ah thou foul Heretic, is there bread in the Sacrament Where is Christ's body then which he did us give? I know to the faithful receiver it is there present: But yet the bread remaineth still I steadfastly believe. To here these his errors it doth me greatly grieve: But that we may shortly to some issue come, In what sense said Christ, Hoc est Corpus meum? even in the same sense that he said before: Vos estis sall terrae, vos estis Lux mundi: Ego sum ostium: and a hundredth such more, If time would permit to allege them severally, But that I may the simple sort edify, You ask me in what sense these words I verify, Where Christ of the bread said: this is my body: For answer herein, I ask you this question, Were Christ's disciples into salt transformed? When he said: ye are the salt of the earth every one, Or when the light of the world he them affirmed? Or himself to be a door when he confirmed, Or to be a Vine did his body then change? If not then, why now? this to me seemeth strange. Why dost thou doubt of Christ his omnipotency? But what so he willeth doth so come to pass? God keep me and all men from such a frenzy, As to think any thing Christ's power to surpass, When his will to his power joined was, But where his will wanteth his power is uneffectual: As Christ can be no liar, God cannot be mortal: Set down therefore some proof of his will, That he would be made bread, and then I recant. This Caitiff, mine ears with wind he doth fill: His words both truth and reason doth want: Christ's word is his will, this must thou needs grant. He spoke the word likewise, when he said: I am the door, Was his body transformed into timber therefore? Nay if thou beest obstinate I will say no more. Have him hence to prison and keep him full sure: I will make him set by my friendship more store: But hearest thou Zeal, go first and procure, Some kind of new torment which he may not endure. I am here in readiness to do your commandment, And will return hither again incontinent. At thy return, bring hither Sensual Suggestion. That if need be, he may us assist, lest that both I, and Careful provision, The zeal of Philologus, may not fully resist. But he in his obstinacy doth still persist, To put him to death, would accuse us of tyranny: But if we could win him, he should do us much honesty.
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)
And as we the ſooner beléeue that thing true, For the tryall whereof more witneſſes we finde, So by the meanes of the Sacrament many grue Beléeuing creatures, where before they were blynde, For our ſences ſome ſauour of our fayth now do finde, Becauſe in the Sacrament there is this Analogy: That Chriſt féedes our ſoules as the bread doth our body Ah thou foul Heretike, is there bread in the Sacrament Where is Chriſtes body then which he did vs giue? I know to the faythfull receiuer it is there preſent: But yet the bread remaineth ſtil I ſtedfaſtly beléeue. To here theſe his errors it doth me greatly gréeue: But that we may ſhortly to ſome iſſue come, In what ſence ſayd Chriſt, Hoc eſt Corpus meum? Euen in the ſame ſence that he ſayd before: Vos eſtis ſall terrae, vos eſtis Lux mundi: Ego ſum oſtium: and a hundreth ſuch more, If tyme would permit to alleadge them ſeuerally, But that I may the ſimple ſorte edifie, You aſke me in what ſence theſe wordes I verifye, Where Chriſt of the bread ſayd: this is my body: For anſwere herein, I aſke you this queſtion, Were Chriſtes diſciples into ſalt tranſformed? When he ſayd: ye are the ſalt of the earth euery one, Or when the light of the world he them affirmed? Or himſelfe to be a dore when he confirmed, Or to be a Vine did his body then change? If not then, why now? this to me ſéemeth ſtrange. Why doeſt thou doubt of Chriſt his omnipotencye? But what ſo he willeth doth ſo come to paſſe? God kéepe me and all men from ſuch a frencye, As to thinke any thing Chriſtes power to ſurpaſſe, When his will to his power ioyned was, But where his will wanteth his power is vneffectuall: As Chriſt can be no lyer, God cannot be mortall: Set downe therefore ſome proofe of his will, That he would be made bread, and then I recant. This Cytif, myne eares with winde he doth fill: His wordes both trueth and reaſon doth want: Chriſtes word is his will, this muſt thou néedes graunt. He ſpake the word likewiſe, when he ſaid: I am the dore, Was his body tranſformed into tymber therefere? Nay if thou béeſt obſtinate I will ſay no more. Haue him hence to priſon and kéepe him full ſure: I will make him ſet by my friendſhip more ſtore: But hereſt thou Zeale, go firſt and procure, Some kinde of new torment which he may not indure. I am here in redines to do your commaundement, And will returne hither agayne incontinent. At thy returne, bryng hether Senſuall Suggeſtion. That if néede be, he may vs aſſiſt, Leaſt that both I, and Carefull prouiſion, The zeale of Philologus, may not fully reſiſt. But he in his obſtinacie doth ſtyll perſiſt, To put him to death, would accuſe vs of Tirranny: But if we could win him, he ſhould do vs much honeſty.