The Three Laws of Nature, Moses, and Christ, Corrupted by the Sodomites, Pharisees, and Papists · chunk 1 of 30
Bale, John · published 1548 · first performed or written 1538 [revised c.1547 and 1562] (Annals) moral T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation typicality 0.69 · 504 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
IN ych comen wealth, most high prchemynence, Is due unto laws for such commodity, As is had by them, For as Cicero giveth sentence Where as is no law, can no good order be, In nature, in people, in house nor yet in city. The bodies above, are underneath a law, Who could rule the world, were it not under awe? Like as Chrysippus, full clarkly doth define, Law is a teacher, of matters necessary, A knowledge of things, both natural and divine Persuading all truth. dysswading all injury. A gift of the lord, devoid of all obprobry, An wholesome doctrine, of men discrete and wise, A grace from above and a very heavenly practise. Our heavenly maker, man's living to direct, The laws of Nature, of Bondage, and of Grace, Sent into this world, with vycyousnesse infect, In all righteousness, to walk before his face. But infidelity, so worketh in every place, That under the heavens, no thing is pure & clean, So much the people, to his perverse ways lean. The law of Nature, his filthy disposition. Corrupteth with idols, and stinking Sodometry. The law of Moses, with Avarice and ambition. He also polluteth. And ever continually, Christ's law he defileth. with cursed hypocrisy, And with false doctrine, as will apere in presence, To the edifying, of this Christian audience. Of infidelity, God royll himself revenge. With plagues of water, of wild fire and of sword. And of his people, due homage he will challenge. Ever to be known. for their God and good lord, After that he hath, those laws again restored, To their first beauty committing them to faith. He is now in place, mark therefore what he saith. I Am Deus pater, a substance invisible, All one with the son, & holy ghost in essence. To Angel and Man. I am incomprehensible, A strength infinite, a righteousness, a prudence, A mercy, a goodness, a truth, a life, a sapience. In heaven and in earth, we made all to our glory, Man ever having, in a special memory. Man I say again, which is our own elect, Our chosen creature, and servant over all, Above the others, peculiarly select, To do us homage and onour name to call, Acknowledging us for his author principal. Endued him we have, with gifts of special grace And laws will we send, to govern him in place. Step fourih ye three laws, for gydaunce of Mankind Whom most inteyrly, in heart we love and favour. And teach him to walk, according to our mind, In cleanness of life, and in a gentle behaviour. Deeply instruct him, our mysteries to saver, By the works of faith, all vices to seclude, And preserve in him, our godly similitude. Of duty we ought, always to be obeissant, To your commandment, for just it is and pleasant, Your precepts are true, & of perpetual strength On justice grounded, as will apere at length. Proudenesse ye abhor, with like inconvenients, All they are cursed, who go from your commaunedementes
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)
IN ych commen welthe, most hygh prchemynence, Is due vnto lawes for soch commodyte, As is had by them, For as Cicero geueth sentence Where as is no lawe, can no good order be, In nature, in people, in howse nor yet in citie. The bodyes aboue, are vnderneth a lawe, Who coulde rule the worlde, were it not vndre awe? Lyke as Chrysippus, full clarkely doth dyffyne, Lawe is a teacher, of matters necessary, A knowledge of thynges, both naturall and deuyne Perswadynge all truth. dysswadynge all iniury. A gyfte of the lorde, deuoyde of all obprobry, An wholesom doctryne, of men dyscrete and wyse, A grace from aboue and a very heauenly practyse. Our heauenly maker, mannys lyuynge to dyrect, The lawes of Nature, of Bondage, and of Grace, Sent into thys worlde, with vycyousnesse infect, In all ryghteousnesse, to walke before hys face. But Infydelyte, so worketh in euery place, That vnder the heauens, no thynge is pure & cleane, So moch the people, to hys peruerse wayes leane. The lawe of Nature, hys fylthy dysposycyon. Corrupteth with ydolles, and stynkynge Sodometry. The lawe of Moses, with Auaryce and Ambycyon. He also poluteth. And euer contynually, Christes lawe he defyleth. with cursed hypocresy, And with false doctryne, as wyll apere in presence, To the edyfyenge, of thys Christen audyence. Of Infydelyte, God royll hymself reuenge. With plages of water, of wylde fyre and of sworde. And of hys people, due homage he wyll chalenge. Euer to be knowne. for their God and good lorde, After that he hath, those lawes agayne restorde, To their first bewtye commyttynge them to fayth. He is now in place, marke therfor what he sayth. I Am Deus pater, a substaunce inuysyble, All one with the sonne, & holy ghost in essence. To Angell and Man. I am incomprehensyble, A strength infynyte, a ryghteousnesse, a prudence, A mercy, a goodnesse, a truth, a lyfe, a sapyence. In heauen and in earth, we made all to our glory, Man euer hauynge, in a specyall memory. Man I saye agayne, whych is our owne elect, Our chosen creature, and seruaunt ouer all, Aboue the others, peculyarly select, To do vs homage and onour name to call, Acknowledgynge vs for hys author princypall. Indued hym we haue, with gyftes of specyall grace And lawes wyll we sende, to gouerne hym in place. Steppe fourih ye iii. lawes, for gydaūce of Mākynde Whom most inteyrly, in hart we loue and fauer. And teach hym to walke, accordynge to our mynde, In clennes of lyfe, and in a gentyll behauer. Depely instruct hym, our mysteryes to sauer, By the workes of fayth, all vyces to seclude, And preserue in hym, our godly symylytude. Of duty we ought, alwayes to be obeysaunt, To your cōmaundement, for iust it is and plesaunt, Your preceptes are true, & of perpetuall strength On iustyce grounded, as wyll apere at length. Proudenesse ye abhorre, with lyke inconuenyentes, All they are cursed, wych go frō your cōmaūedemētes