Woodes, Nathaniel · published 1581 · first performed or written 1572 [1570-1581] (Annals) moral T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation typicality 0.81 · 499 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
The sentence of the righteous judge, cannot be called again, Who hath already judged me to everlasting pain: Oh that my body buried were, that it at rest might be, Though soul were put in Iudas place, or Cain's extremity. Oh Brother haste you to the Town and tell Theologus, What sudden plague and punishment, my Father hath befell, I run in haste, and will request him for to come with us. Oh Father, rest yourself in God, and all thing shallbe well, Ah dreadful name, which when I here, to sigh it me compel: God is against me I perceive, he is none of my God, Unless in this, that he will beat, and plague me with his rod. And though his mercy doth surpass, the sins of all the world, Yet shall it not once profit me, or pardon mine offence, I am refused utterly, I quite from God am whirled: My name within the Book of life, had never residence, Christ prayed not, Christ suffered not, my sins to recompense: But only for the Lords elect, of which sort I am none, I feel his justice towards me, his mercy all is gone: And to be short, within short space, my final end shall be, Then shall my soul incur the pains, of utter desolation, And I shall be a precedent, most horrible to see: To Gods elect, that they may see, the price of abjuration. To here my Father's doleful plaints, it bringeth perturbation, Unto my soul, but yonder comes, that good Theologus: Oh welcome sir, and welcome you good master Eusebius. GOd save you good Philologus, how do you by God's grace, You welcome are, but I (alas) vile wretch, am here evil found What is the chiefest cause (tell us) of this your dolorous case? Oh would my soul were sunk in hell, so body were in ground That angry God, now hath his will, who sought me to confound. Oh say not so Philologus, for God is gracious, And to forgive the penitent his mercy is plenteous. Do you not know that all the earth with mercy doth abound, And though the sins of all the world upon one man were laid, If he one only spark of grace or mercy once had found, His wickedness could not him harm: wherefore be not dismayed, Christ's death alone for all your sins, a perfect ransom paid: God doth not covet sinner's death, but rather that he may By living still, bewail his sins, and so them put away. Consider Peter who three times his Master did deny: Yea, with an oath, and that although Christ did him warning give, With whom before time he had lived so long familiarly, Of whom so many benefits of love he did receive, Yet when once Peter his own fault, did at the last perceive, And did bewail his former crime, with salt and bitter tears, Christ by and by did pardon him, the Gospel witness bears.
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)
The ſentence of the righteous Iudge, cannot be cald againe, Who hath already iudged mée to euerlaſting payne: Oh that my bodie buried were, that it at reſt might bée, Though ſoule were put in Iudas place, or Caines extremitie. Oh Brother haſt you to the Towne and tel Theologus, What ſodaine plague and puniſhment, my Father hath befell, I run in haſt, and will requeſt him for to come with vs. Oh Father, reſt your ſelfe in God, and all thing ſhalbe well, Ah dredfull name, which when I héere, to ſigh it mée compell: God is againſt mée I perceiue, he is none of my God, Vnleſſe in this, that he will beat, and plague mée with his rod. And though his mercy doth ſurpaſſe, the ſinnes of all the worlde, Yet ſhall it not once profit me, or pardon mine offence, I am refuſed vtterly, I quite from God am whorld: My name within the Booke of lyfe, had neuer reſidence, Chriſt prayed not, Chriſt ſuffered not, my ſinnes to recompence: But only for the Lordes elect, of which ſort I am none, I éele his iuſtice towardes mée, his mercy all is gone: And to be ſhort, within ſhort ſpace, my finall end ſhall bée, Then ſhall my ſoule incurre the paines, of vtter deſolation, And I ſhall be a preſident, moſt horrible to ſée: To Gods elect, that they may ſée, the price of abiuration. To héere my Fathers dolefull plaints, it bringeth preturbation, Vnto my ſoule, but yonder comes, that good Theologus: Oh welcome ſir, and welcome you good maſter Euſebius. GOd ſaue you good Philologus, how doo you by Gods grace, You welcome are, but I (alas) vile wretch, am héere euill found What is the chiefeſt cauſe (tell vs) of this your dolorus caſe? Oh would my ſoule were ſunke in hell▪ ſo body were in grounde That angrie God, now hath his will, who ſought mee to confounde. Oh ſay not ſo Philologus, for God is gracious, And to forgiue the penitent his mercy is plentious. Do you not know that all the earth with mercy doth abound, And though the ſinnes of all the world vppon one man were layde, If he one only ſparke of grace or mercy once had found, His wickednes could not him harme: wherefore be not diſmayde, Chriſtes death alone for all your ſinnes, a perfect raunſome payde: God doth not couet ſinners death, but rather that he may By liuing ſtill, bewaill his ſinnes, and ſo them put awaye. Conſider Peeter who thrée tymes his Maiſter did denye: Yea, with an oath, and that although Chriſt did him warning giue, With whome before tyme he had lyued ſo long familiarly, Of whome ſo many benefits of loue he did receiue, Yet when once Peeter his owne fault, did at the laſt perceiue, And did bewaile his former cryme, with alt and bitter teares, Chriſt by and by did pardon him, the Goſpell witnes beares.