Woodes, Nathaniel · published 1581 · first performed or written 1572 [1570-1581] (Annals) moral T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness typicality 0.76 · 526 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
Such is the blindness of the flesh, that it may not descry, Or see the perils which the Soul, is ready to incur: And much the less, our own estates, we can ourselves espy: Because Suggestion in our hearts such fancies often stir: Whereby to worldly vanities, we cleave as fast as burr: Esteeming them with heavenly joys, in goodness comparable, Yet be they mostly very pricks, to sin abominable. For proof we need no further go, then to this present man, Who by the blessing of the Lord, of riches having store, When with his heart to fancy them, this worldling once began: And had this Glass of vanities espied, his eyes before, He God forsook, whereas he ought have loved him the more: And chooseth rather with his goods, to be thrown down to hell, Then by refusing of the same, with God in heaven to dwell. Nay hark Philologus, how thy conscience can teach, And would detain thee with glosinges untrue: But hearest thou Conscience, thou mayest long enough preach, Ear words, from whence reason or truth none ensue, Shall make Philologus to bid me adieu. What shall there no rich man dwell in God's kingdom? where is then Abraham, Iob, and David become? I speak not largely of all them, which have this worldly wealth, For why, I know that riches are the creatures of the Lord: Which of themselves, are good each one, as Solomon us telleth, And are appointed to do good withal, by Gods own word, But when they let us from the Lord, then ought they be abhorred: Which caused Christ himself to say, that with much lesser pain, Should Camel pass through needles eye, then rich men Heaven obtain, Hereby Rich men, Christ did not mean, each one which wealth enjoy But those which fastened have their love upon this worldly dust, Wherefore another cries, and sayth, oh death, how great annoy Dost thou procure unto that man, which in his goods doth trust? That thou dost this Philologus, thou needs acknowledge must, Whereby each one may easily see, thou takest more delight, In Mundane joys, than thou esteemest to be with Angels bright. This toucheth the quick, I feel the wound, which if thou canst not cure, As maimed in limbs I must retire, I can no further go. This is the grief which Conscience takes against thee I am sure, Because thou usest those delights, which Conscience may not do, And therefore he persuadeth thee, to leave the same also: As did the fox, which caught in snare, and scaped with loss of tail, To cut off theirs, as burdenous, did all the rest counsel. In deed I cannot use, those fond and foolish vanities In which the outward part of man doth take so great delight, No, neither would I, though to me were given that liberty, But rather would consume them all to nought, if that I might, For if I should delight therein, it were as good a sight, As if a man of perfect age, should ride upon a stick: Or play with counters in the street, which pastime children like.
seed 43: T35 · seed 44: T34 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Such is the blindneſſe of the fleſh, that it may not deſcrie, Or ſée the perrils which the Soule, is ready to incurre: And much the leſſe, our owne eſtates, we can our ſelues eſpie: Becauſe Suggeſtion in our hartes ſuch fancies often ſtirre: Wherby to worldly vanities, we cleaue as faſt as burre: Eſtéeming them with heauenly ioyes, in goodneſſe comparable, Yet be they moſtly very prickes, to ſinne abhomynable. For proofe we néede no further goe, then to this preſent man, Who by the bleſſing of the Lorde, of riches hauing ſtore, When with his hart to fancy them, this worldlyng once began: And had this Glaſſe of vanyties eſpied, his eyes before, He God forſooke, whereas he ought haue loued him the more: And chooſeth rather with his goodes, to be throwne downe to hell, Then by refuſing of the ſame, with God in heauen to dwell. Nay harke Philologus, how thy conſcience can teache, And would deteyne thée with gloſinges vntrue: But heareſt thou Conſcience, thou maieſt long inough preache, Eare wordes, from whence reaſon or trueth none enſue, Shall make Philologus to bid mée adue. What ſhall there no rich man dwell in Gods kingdome? where is then Abraham, Iob, and Dauid become? I ſpeake not largelye of all them, which haue this worldly wealth, For why, I know that riches are the creatures of the Lorde: Which of themſelues, are good ech one, as Salamon vs telleth, And are appoynted to do good withall, by Gods owne word, But when they let vs from the Lord, then ought they be abhord: Which cauſed Chriſt himſelfe to ſay, that with much leſſer payne, Should Camel paſſe through néedles ey, thē rich men Heauē obtayn, Hereby Rich men, Chriſt did not mean, ech one which welth enioy But thoſe which faſtned haue their loue vpon this worldly duſt, Wherefore another cryes, and ſayth, oh death, how great anoye Doeſt thou procure vnto that man, which in his gooddes doth truſt? That thou doeſt this Philologus, thou néedes acknowledge muſt, Whereby ech one may eaſly ſée, thou takeſt more delight, In Mundane ioyes, then thou eſtéemeſt to be with Angels bright. This toucheth ye quicke, I féele ye wound, which if thou canſt not cure, As mamed in limmes I muſt retyre, I can no further go. This is the gréef which Conſcience takes againſt thée I am ſure, Becauſe thou vſeſt thoſe delights, which Conſcience may not do, And therefore he perſwadeth thée, to leaue the ſame alſo: As did the Fore, which caught in ſnare, and ſcapt with loſſe of tayle, To cut off theirs, as burthenous, did all the reſt counſayll. In déede I cannot vſe, thoſe fond and fooliſh vanities In which the outward part of man doth take ſo great delight, No, neither would I, though to me were geuen that liberty, But rather would conſume them all to nought, if that I might, For if I ſhould delight therein, it were as good a ſyght, As if a man of perfect age, ſhould ride vpon a ſticke: Or playe with compters in the ſtreet, which paſtime children lyke.