Woodes, Nathaniel · published 1581 · first performed or written 1572 [1570-1581] (Annals) moral T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation typicality 0.78 · 471 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
But it as easily may be done, as you may with one spoon, At once take up the water clean, which in the seas abide: And at one draft, then drink it up, this shall ye do as soon, As to my breast of true belief, one sparkle shall betide: Tush, you which are in prosperous state, & my pains have not tried Do think it but an easy thing, a sinner to repent Him of his sins, and by true faith, damnation to prevent. The healthful need not Physics art, and ye which are all hail, Can give good counsel to the sick, their sickness to eschew: But here alas, confusion, and hell, doth me assail, And that all grace, from me is reft, I find it to be true. My heart is steel, so that no faith, can from the same ensue. I can conceive no hope at all, of pardon or of grace, But out alas, Confusion is always before my face. And certainly, even at his time, I do most plainly see, The devils to be about me round, which make great preparation, And keep a stir, here in this place, which only is for me. Neither do I conceive, these things, by vain imagination, But even as truly, as mine eyes, behold your shape and fashion. Wherefore, desired Death dispatch, my body bring to rest, Though that my soul, in furious flames of fire, be suppressed. Your mind corrupted doth present, to you, this false illusion, But turn awhile, unto the spirit of truth, in your distress, And it shall cast out from your eyes, all horror and confusion: And of this your affliction, it will you soon redress. We have good hope Philologus, of your salvation doubtless. What your hope is concerning me, I utterly contemn, My Conscience, which for thousands stand, as guilty me condemn. When did this horror first you take, what think you is the cause? even shortly, after I did make, mine open abjuration, For that I did prefer my goods, before God's holy laws. Therefore in wrath he did me send, this horrible vexation, And hath me wounded in the soul, with grievous tribulation: That I may be a precedent, in whom all men may view, Those torments, which to them, that will forsake the Lord, are due. Yet let me boldly ask one thing of you, without offence, What was your former faith in Christ, which you before did hold? For it is said of holy Paul, in these same words in sense: It cannot be that utterly, in faith he should be cold, Who so he be, which perfectly, true faith in heart once hold: Wherefore rehearse in short discourse, the sum of your belief, In these points chiefly, which for health of soul, are thought most chief.
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)
But it as eaſely may be done, as you may with one ſpoone, At once take vp the water cleane, which in the ſeas abide: And at one draught, then drink it vp, this ſhall ye doe as ſoone, As to my breſt of true beléefe, one ſparkle ſhall betide: Tuſh, you which are in proſperous ſtate, & my paines haue not tried Doe think it but an eaſy thing, a ſinner to repent Him of his ſinnes, and by true faith, damnation to preuent. The healthfull néede not Phiſicks art, and ye which are all haile, Can giue good counſell to the ſick, their ſickneſſe to eſchew: But here alas, confuſion, and hell, doth mée aſſaile, And that all grace, from me is reft, I finde it to be true. My hart is ſteele, ſo that no faith, can from the ſame inſue. I can conceiue no hope at all, of pardon or of grace, But out alas, Confuſion is alway before my face. And certainly, euen at his time, I doo moſt playnly ſée, The deuils to be about me rounde, which make great preparation, And kéepe a ſtirre, here in this place, which only is for mee. Neither doe I conceiue, theſe thinges, by vaine imagination, But euen as truly, as mine eyes, beholde your ſhape and faſhion. Wherefore, deſired Death diſpatch, my body bring to reſt, Though that my ſoule, in furious flames of fire, be ſuppreſt. Your minde corrupted dooth preſent, to you, this fale illuſion, But turne awhile, vnto the ſpirit of trueth, in your diſtreſſe, And it ſhall caſt out from your eies, all horror and confuſion: And of this your affliction, it will you ſoone redreſſe. We haue good hope Philologus, of your ſaluation doubtleſſe. What your hope is concerning mée, I vtterly contempne, My Conſcience, which for thouſands ſtand, as guiltie mée condemne. When did this horror firſt you take, what think you is the cauſe? Euen ſhortly, after I did make, mine open abiuration, For that I did prefer my goods, before Gods holy lawes. Therefore in wrath he did me ſende, this horrible veration, And hath me wounded in the ſoule, with gréeuous tribulation: That I may be a preſident, in whom all men may view, Thoſe torments, which to them, that wil forſake the Lord, are due. Yet let me bouldly aſke one thing of you, without offence, What was your former faith in Chriſt, which you before did holde? For it is ſaide of holy Paule, in theſe ſame wordes in ſence: It cannot be that vtterly, in faith he ſhould bee colde, Who ſo he be, which perfectly, true faith in hart once holde: Wherfore rehearce in ſhort diſcourſe, the ſum of your beléefe, In theſe pointes chiefly, which for health of ſoule, are thought moſt chéefe.