Woodes, Nathaniel · published 1581 · first performed or written 1572 [1570-1581] (Annals) moral T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation typicality 0.75 · 482 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
The thief likewise, and murderer, which never had done good, But had in mischief spent his days, yea, during all his life, With latest breath when he his sins and wickedness with stood, And with iniquities of flesh, his spirit was at strife, Thorough that one motion of his heart, and power of true belief, He was received into grace, and all his sins defaced, Christ saying, soon in Paradise with me thou shalt be placed. The hand of God is not abridged, but still he is of might, To pardon them that call to him unfeignedly for grace, Again, it is God's property, to pardon sinners quite: Pray therefore with thy heart to God, here in this open place, And from the very root of heart bewail to him thy case: And I assure thee, God will, on thee his mercy show, Through Iesus Christ, who is with him our advocate you know. I have no faith, the words you speak my heart doth not believe, I must confess that I for sin, am justly thrown to hell. His monstrous incredulity, my very heart doth grieve, Ah dear Philologus, I have known by face and visage well, A sort of men, which have been vexed, with Devils and spirits fell, In far worse state than you are yet, brought into desperation. Yet in the end have been reclaimed, by godly exhortation. Such are the mercies of the Lord, he will throw down to hell: And yet call back again from thence, as holy David writes. What? should then let your trust in God? I pray you to us tell, Sith to forgive, and do us good, it chiefly him delights. What would not you, that of your sins, he should you clean acquit? How can he once deny to you, one thing you do request? Which hath already given to you, his best beloved Christ. Lift up your heart in hope therefore, awhile be of good cheer, And make access, unto his seat of grace, by earnest prayer, And God will surely you relieve with grace, stand not in fear: I do believe, that out from God, proceed these comforts fair, So do the Devils, yet of their health, they always do despair. They are not written unto me, for I would fain attain, The mercy, and the love of God, but he doth me disdain. How would you have that man to live, which hath no mouth to eat No more can I live in my soul, which have no faith at all: And where you say, that Peter did, of Christ soon pardon get, who in the self same sin, with me, from God did greatly fall, why? I cannot, obtain the same, to you I open shall: God had respect to him always, and did me firmly leave, But I alas, am reprobate, God doth my soul reprove.
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 theefe lykewiſe, and murtherer, which neuer had don good, But had in miſcheefe ſpent his dayes, yea, during all his lyfe, With latteſt breth when he his ſinnes and wickednes with ſtoode, And with iniquityes of fleſh, his ſpirit was at ſtrife, Thorow that one motion of his heart, and power of true beliefe, He was receiued into grace, and all his ſinnes defaced, Chriſt ſaying, ſoone in Paradice with me thou ſhalt be placed. The hand of God is not abridged, but ſtill he is of myght, To pardon them that call to him vnfainedly for grace, Againe, it is Gods propertye, to pardon ſinners quight: Pray therefore with thy heart to God, here in this open place, And from the very roote of heart bewaile to him thy caſe: And I aſſure thée, God will, on thée his mercy ſhow, Through Ieſus Chriſt, who is with him our aduocate you knowe. I haue no fayth, the wordes you ſpeake my hart doth not beléeue, I muſt confeſſe that I for ſinne, am iuſtly throwne to hell. His monſtrous incredulitye, my very heart doth gréeue, Ah dere Philologus, I haue knowne by face and viſage well, A ſort of men, which haue bene vext, with Diuels and ſpirits fell, In farre worſe ſtate then you are yet, brought into deſperation. Yet in the ende haue bene reclaimde, by godly exhortation. Such are the mercies of the Lorde, he will throw downe to hell: And yet call backe againe from thence, as holy Dauid wrightes. What? ſhould then let your truſt in God? I pray you to vs tel, Sith to forgiue, and doo vs god, it chiefely him delightes. What would not you, that of your ſins, he ſhould you cleane acquite? How can he once denie to you, one thing you doo requeſt? Which hath already geuen to you, his beſt beloued Chriſt. Lift vp your hart in hope therefore, awhile be of good cheare, And make acceſſe, vnto his ſeate of grace, by earneſt prayer, And God will ſurely you reléeue with grace, ſtand not in feare: I doo beléeue, that out from God, proceede theſe comfortes faire, So doo the Diuels, yet of their health, they alway doe diſpaire. They are not written vnto mée, for I woulde faine attaine, The mercy, and the loue of God, but he doth me diſdaine. How would you haue that man to lyue, which hath no mouth to eate No more can I lyue in my ſoule, which haue no faith at all: And where you ſay, that Peter did, of Chriſt ſoone pardon get, who in the ſele ſame ſinne, with mée, from God did greatly fall, why? I cannot, obtaine the ſame, to you I open ſhall: God had reſpect to him alwaies, and did mée firmly leue, But I alas, am reprobate, God doth my ſoule reproue.