Woodes, Nathaniel · published 1581 · first performed or written 1572 [1570-1581] (Annals) moral unassigned nearest T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation · 487 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
Mine estate (alas) is now most lamentable, For I am but dead, whichever side I take, Neither to determine herein am I able, With good advice mine election to make: The worse to refuse, and the best for to take, My Spirit covets the one, but alas since your presence, My flesh leads my spirit therfroe by violence. For at this time, I being in great extremity, Either my Lord God in heart to reject, Or else to be oppressed by the Legates authority: And in this world to be counted an abject: My Lands, wife and Children also to neglect: This later part to take, my Spirit is in readiness, But my Flesh doth subdue, my Spirit doubtless. Your estate perhaps, seemeth io you dangerous, The rather because you have not been used: To incur before time, such troubles perilous: But to your power such evils have refused, Howbeit of two evils, the least must be choosed: Now which is the least evil, we will shortly examine, That which part to take, yourself may determine. On the right hand you say, you see gods just judgement, His wrath and displeasure, on you for to fall, And in steed of the joys of Heaven, ever permanent, You see for your stipend, the torments infernal: That is it indeed, which I fear most of all: For Christ said, fear not them, which the body can annoy, But fear him, which the body and soul can destroy: Well, let that lay aside, awhile as it is, And on the other side make the like inquisition, If on the left side you fall, then shall you not miss, But to bring your body, to utter perdition: For at man's hand, you know there is no remission: Beside your Children fatherless, your wife desolate, Your goods and possessions, to other men confiscate. Saint Paul to the Romans, hath this worthy sentence I account the afflictions of this world transitory, Be they never so many, in full equivalence: Cannot countervail those heavenly glory: Which we shall have through Christ his propitiatory: I also account the rebukes of our Saviour, Greater gains to me, than this house full of treasure. You have spoken reasonably, but yet as they say, One Bird in the hand, is worth two in the bush, So you now enjoying, these worldly joys may, Esteem the other, as light as a rush: Thus may you scape this perilous push: Yea, but my salvation to me is most certain, Neither doubt I, that I shall suffer this in vain. Is your death meritorious, then in God's sight? That you are so sure, to attain to salvation, I do not think so, but my faith is full pight: In the mercies of God, by Christ's mediation: By whom I am sure of my preservation. Then to the faithful, no hurt can accrue, But what so he worketh, good end shall ensue.
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)
Myne eſtate (alas) is now moſt lamentable, For I am but deade, which euer ſide I take, Neither to determine heerein am I able, With good aduice mine election to make: The worſe to refuſe, and the beſt for to take, My Spirit couites theone, but alas ſince your preſence, My fleſh leades my ſpirit therfroe by violence. For at this time, I being in great extremitie, Either my Lord God in hart to reiect, Or els to be oppreſſed by the Legates authorytie: And in this world to be counted an abiect: My Landes, wife and Children alſo to neglect: This later part to take, my Spirit is in readineſſe, But my Fleſh doth ſubdue, my Spirit doubtleſſe. Your eſtate perhaps, ſeemeth io you dangerous, The rather becauſe you haue not bene vſed: To incurre before time, ſuch troubles perilous: But to your power ſuch euils haue refuſed, Howbeit of two euils, the leaſt muſt be chuſed: Now which is the leaſt euill, wee will ſhortlye examine, That which part to take, your ſelfe may determine. On ye right hand you ſay, you ſée gods iuſt iudgment, His wrath and diſpleaſure, on you for to fall, And in ſteede of the ioyes of Heauen, euer permanent, You ſee for your ſtipend, the tormentes infernall: That is it indéede, which I feare moſt of all: For Chriſt ſaid, feare not them, which the body can ānoy, But feare him, which the body and ſoule can deſtroy: Well, let that ley aſide, awhile as it is, And on the other ſide make the lyke inquiſition, If on the left ſide you fall, then ſhall you not miſſe, But to bring your body, to vtter perdition: For at mans hand, you know there is no remiſſion: Beſide your Children fatherleſſe, your wife deſolate, Your goodes and poſſeſſions, to other men conſiſcate. Saint Paul to the Romanes, hath this worthy ſentence I accompt the afflictions of this world tranſitorie, Be they neuer ſo many, in full equiuolence: Cannot counteruaile thoſe heauenly glorie: Which we ſhal haue through Chriſt his propitiatorie: I alſo accompt the rebukes of our Sauiour, Greater gaines to mée, then this houſe full of treaſure. You haue ſpoken reaſonably, but yet as they ſay, One Birde in the hande, is worth two in the buſh, So you now inioying, theſe worldly ioyes may, Eſteeme the other, as light as a ruſh: Thus may you ſcape this perrillous puſhe: Yea, but my ſaluation to mee is moſt certaine, Neither doubt I, that I ſhall ſuffer this in vaine. Is your death meritorious, then in Gods ſight? That you are ſo ſure, to attaine to ſaluation, I doo not think ſo, but my faith is full pight: In the mercies of God, by Chriſts mediation: By whom I am ſure of my preſeruation. Then to the faithfull, no hurt can accrew, But what ſo he worketh, good end ſhall inſue.