The Three Laws of Nature, Moses, and Christ, Corrupted by the Sodomites, Pharisees, and Papists · chunk 3 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 0.71 · 510 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
Where shall I sweet lord, for that same season dewell With such hard rulers, as will the people compel. Our mind to fulfil, withuot vain gauds of fables For a sign of this, hold these same stony tables. All they that observe, our laws invyolablye, Shall every where prosper, increase and multiply Then I perceive well, my course is last of all. What though it be so? yet art thu principal, Our all the world, thy beams shalt thu extend, And still continue, till the world be at an end. Where shall I father, for that same time persever? With the faithful foet, must thu continue ever. Thu shalt my people, return from far exile, And for evermore, to my grace reconcile. Take this precious book, for a token evident. A seal of my covenant, and a living testament. They that believe it shall live forevermore, And they that do not, will rue their folly sore, Blessed shall he be, that you my laws will keep. In city and field, whether he do work or sleep, His wife shall increase, his land shall frutyfye. And of his enemies, he shall have victory. The sky will give rain, when seasonable time shall be, The works of his hands, shall have prosperity. Cursed shall they be, that will not our laws fulfil, Without and within, at market and at mill. Of corn and cattle, they shall have non increase, Within their own house, shall sorrows never cease Never shall they be, without bile, botch, or blain, The pestilence & pox, will work them deadly pain, Show this unto Man, & bid him take good heed, Of our righteousness, to stand always in dread. We visit the sin. and the great abomination▪ Of the wicked sort, to third and fort generation. Thu law of Nature, instruct him first of all, Thu law of Moses, correct him for his fall, And thu law of Christ, give him a godly mind. Raise him unto grace, & save him from the find. Our heavenly blessing, be with you every chone, All praise and glory, to your majesty alone. Here still to tarry, I think it be your mind. My office ye know, is to instruct Mankind. Than God be with you, we leave ye here behind, THe law in effect. is a teacher general, What is to be done. & what to be laid aside But as touching me the first law natural A knowledge I am whom God in Man doth hide, In his whole working, to be to him a guide, To honour his God and seek his neighbour's health, A great occasion, of peace and public wealth, A sore charge I have, Mankind to over se. And to instruct him, his lord God to obey. That lord of heaven grant, I may so do my duty That he be pleased, and Man brought to a stay. His brittle nature, his slyppernesse to way, Much doth provoke me. But if God set to hand, He shall do full well. For none may him withstand,
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)
Where shall I swete lorde, for that same seasō dewell With soch harde rulers, as wyll the people compell. Our mynde to fulfyll, withuot vayne gaudes of fables For a sygne of thys, holde these same stony tables. All they that obserue, our lawes inuyolablye, Shall euery where prospere, increase and multyplye Then I perceyue well, my course is last of all. What though it b so? yet art thu pryncypall, Our all the worlde, thy beames shalt thu extende, And styll contynue, tyll the worlde be at an ende. Where shall I father, for that same tyme perseuer? With the faythfull foet, must thu contynue euer. Thu shalt my people, returne from farre exyle, And for euermore, to my grace reconcyle. Take thys precyouse boke, for a token euydent. A seale of my couenaunt, and a lyuynge testament. They that beleue it shall lyue foreuermore, And they that do not, wyll rue their folye sore, Blessed shall he be, that yow my lawes wyll kepe. In cytie and felde, whether he do worke or slepe, Hys wyfe shall encreace, hys land shall frutyfye. And of hys enemyes, he shall haue vyctorye. The skye wyll geue rayne, whā seasonable tyme shall be, The workes of hys hādes, shall haue prosperyte. Cursed shall they be, that wyll not our lawes fulfyll, Without and within, at market and at myll. Of corne and cattell, they shall haue non increase, Within their owne howse, shall sorowes neuer cease Neuer shall they be, without byle, botche, or blayne, The pestylence & poxe, wyll worke thē deadly payne, Shewe thys vnto Man, & byd hym take good hede, Of our ryghteousnesse, to stande alwayes in drede. We vysyte the synne. and the great abhomynacyon▪ Of the wycked sort, to thirde and fort generacyon. Thu lawe of Nature, instruct hym first of all, Thu lawe of Moses, correct hym for hys fall, And thu lawe of Christ, geue hym a godly mynde. Rayse hym vnto grace, & saue hym from the fynde. Our heauenly blessynge, be with yow euery chone, All prayse and glory, to your maieste alone. Here styll to tarry, I thynke it be your mynde. My offyce ye knowe, is to instruct Mankynde. Than God be with yow, we leaue ye here behynde, THe lawe in effect. is a teacher generall, What is to be done. & what to be layed asyde But as touchynge me the first lawe naturall A knowledge I am whom God in Man doth hyde, In hys whole workynge, to be to hym a gyde, To honour hys God and seke hys neybers helth, A great occasyon, of peace and publyque welth, A sore charge I haue, Mankynde to ouer se. And to instruct hym, hys lorde God to obaye. That lorde of heauen graunt, I may so do my dewtie That he be pleased, and Man brought to a staye. Hys bryttle nature, hys slyppernesse to waye, Moch doth prouoke me. But if God set to hande, He shall do full wel. For non maye hym withstande,