Woodes, Nathaniel · published 1581 · first performed or written 1572 [1570-1581] (Annals) moral unassigned nearest T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation · 471 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
But all my joys in Heaven remains, whereas I long to be, And so wouldest thou, if that on Christ thy faith full fastened were, For that affection, was in Paul the apostle, we may see, The first to the Philippians doth witness herein bear, His words be these: oh would to God dissolved that I were, And were with Christ, another place his mind in those words tell, We are but strangers all from God, while in this world we dwell: Now mark, how far from his request, dissenting is thy mind, He wished for death, but more than hell, thou dost the same detest. The cause why Paul did loathe his life, may easily be assigned: Because the Jews in every place, did seek him to molest, But those which in this world, obtain security and rest: Do take delight to live therein, yea nature doth endue, Each living creature with a fear, least death should them accrue. Yea the same Paul at Antioch, dissembled to be dead, While they were gone who sought his life, with stones for to destroy Elias for to save his life, to Horeb likewise fled, So did king David flee, when Saul did seek him to annoy: Yea Christ himself, whom in our deeds, to follow we may joy, Did secretly convey himself, from Jews so full of hate. When they thought from the top of hill, him to precipitate. Wherefore, it is no sin at all, a man for to defend, And keep himself from death, so long as nature gives him leave. The same whom you recited have, conceived a further end: Then to themselves to live alone, as each man may perceive, For when that Paul had run his course, he did at last receive: with hearts consent, the small death, which was him put unto, So when Christ had performed his work, he did death undergo: And would to god, thou wouldest do that, which these men were content, For they despised worldly pomp, their flesh they did subdue, And brought it under, that to spirit, it mostly did consent: Whereby they seeking God to please, did bid the world adieu: Wife, Children, and possessions forsaking, for they knew That everlasting treasures were, appointed them at last, The which they thirsting, did from them, all worldly pleasures cast. But thou O wretch dost life prolong, not that thou wouldst gods name As duty binds us all to do, most chiefly glorify, But rather by thy living still, willt God's renown defame, And more and more dishonour him, this is thy drift I spy. I mean to live in worldly joys, I can it not deny. What are those joys, which thou dost mean, but pleasures straying from god? By using of the which, thou shalt provoke his heavy rod:
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T5 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
But all my ioyes in Heauen remaynes, wheras I long to be, And ſo wouldeſt thou, if that on Chriſt thy fayth full faſtned were, For that affection, was in Paull the apoſtle, we may ſée, The firſt to the Philippians doth witnes herein beare, His words be theſe: oh would to God diſolued that I were, And were with Chriſt, another place his mynde in thoſe words tell, We are but ſtraungers all from God, while in this world we dwell: Now marke, how far from his requeſt, diſſenting is thy mynde, He wiſht for death, but more then hell, thou doeſt the ſame deteſt. The cauſe why Paul did loth his lyfe, may eaſely be aſſignde: Becauſe the Iewes in euerie place, did ſéeke him to moleſt, But thoſe which in this world, obtaine ſecuritie and reſt: Do take delight to liue therein, yea nature doth indue, Ech lyuing creature with a feare, leaſt death ſhould them accrue. Yea the ſame Paul at Antioche, diſſembled to be dead, While they were gone who ſought his lyfe, with ſtones for to deſtroy Elias for to ſaue his lyfe, to Horeb likwiſe fled, So did king Dauid flee, when Saul did ſéeke him to annoy: Yea Chriſt himſelfe, whom in our deedes, to follow we may ioy, Did ſecreatly conuaigh himſelfe, from Iewes ſo full of hate. When they thought from the top of hil, him to precipitate. Wherefore, it is no ſinne at all, a man for to defende, And keepe himſelfe from death, ſo long as nature giues him leaue. The ſame whom you recited haue, conceiued a further end: Then to them ſelues to liue alone, as ech man may perceiue, For when that Paul had run his courſe, he did at laſt receiue: with hartes conſent, the ſmal death, which was him put vnto, So when Chriſt had perfourmed his work, he did death vndergoe: And would to god, thou wouldeſt do yt, which theſe men were contēt, For they diſpiſed worldly pomp, their fleſh they did ſubdue, And brought it vnder, that to ſpirit, it moſtly did conſent: Whereby they ſéeking God to pleaſe, did bid the world adue: Wife, Children, and poſſeſſions forſaking, for they knew That euerlaſting treaſures were, appointed them at laſt, The which they thiſting, did from them, al worldly pleaſures caſt. But thou O wretch doeſt life prolong, not that thou wouldſt gods name As dutie binds vs all to doo, moſt chiefly gloryfy, But rather by thy liuing ſtill, wilt Gods renowne defame, And more and more diſhonor him, this is thy drift I ſpy. I meane to liue in worldly ioyes, I can it not denye. What are thoſe ioyes, which thou dooſt meane, but pleaſures ſtraing frō god? By vſing of the which, thou ſhalt prouoke his heauy rod: