The Three Laws of Nature, Moses, and Christ, Corrupted by the Sodomites, Pharisees, and Papists · chunk 17 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 0.60 · 499 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
As thu art, thu speakest, after they hearts abundance For as the man is, such in his utterance. My wife is the church, or christian congregation, Regenerate in spirit, doing no vile operation, Both clean and holy, without either spot or wrinkle The lamb with his blood, ded her wash & be sprinkle, This is not the church, of disguised hypocrites Of apysh shavelings, or papistical sodomytes. Nor yet as they call it, a temple of lime and stone. But, a livish building, grounded in faith alone, On the hard rock Christ, which is the sure foundation. And of this church some, do reign in every nation, And in all contrayes, though their number be but small Their number is such, as hath run over all The same Danes are they, men prophesy of plain, Which should over run, this realm yet once again. What Danes speakest thou of? thy meaning show more clerlye. Dane Iohan, Dane Robert, Dane Thomas, and Dane harrye. These same are those Danes, that lay with other men's wives. And occupyco their lands, to the detriment of their lives. These are accounted, a great part of the church, For in God's service, they honourably wurche, yelling and crying, till their throats are full sore. That church was describe, of Esaye long afore. This people (saith God) with their lips honour me In vain worship they teaching men's fatuyte. Apparent is that church, and open to the eyes, Their worshippings are, in outward ceremonies. That counterfeit church standeth all by men's traditions Without the scriptures, and without the hearts affections. My church is secret, and evermore will be, Adoring the father, in spirit, and in verity. By the word of God, this Church is ruled only, And doth not consist, in outward ceremony. This congregation, is the true Church militant These counterfeit demands, are the very Church malignant. To whom Christ will say, I know non of your sort. Much are they to blame, that their brethren so report Soch are no brethren, but enemies to Christ's blood. As put salvation, in shaven crown, mitre, or whode. I pray ye how long, have your sweet spouse continued Sens the beginning, and now is in Christ renewed. Adam had promise, of Christ's incarnation, So had Abraham, with his whole generation. Which was unto them, a preaching of the Gospel, Into salvation, and deliverance from hell. By this time I hope, ye have a fair increase? She is not barren, but beareth and never cease. The Corinth's first epistle, hath this clear testimony In Christo Iesu, per Euangelum vos genui. I have begot you, in Iesu Christ saith powle, By the Gospel preaching, to the comfort of yur soul Than are ye a cuckold, by the blessed holy mass, As I said afore, so cometh it now to pass. For I am a prophet, by high inspiration led. Now like I myself, much better than I ded. Ye beat that saint paule, begat your wife with child
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)
As thu art, thu speakest, after they hartes abundaūce For as the man is, soch in hys vtteraunce. My wyf is the church, or christen congregacyon, Regenerate in sprete, doynge no vyle operacyon, Both cleane and holy, without eyther spott or wryncle The lambe with hys bloude, ded her wash & be spryncle, Thys is not the church, of dysgysed hypocrytes Of apysh shauelynges, or papystycall sodomytes. Nor yet as they call it, a temple of lyme and stone. But, a lyuysh buyldynge, grounded in fayth alone, On the harde rocke Christ, whych is the sure foundacyon. And of thys church some, do reigne in euery nacyon, And in all cōtrayes, though their nombre be but small Their nomber is soch, as hath rōne ouer all The same Danes are they, men prophecy of playne, Whych shuld ouer rōne, thys realme yet ones agayne. What Danes speakest thu of? thy meanynge shewe more clerlye. Dane Iohan, Dane Robert, Dane Thomas, and Dane harrye. These same are those Danes, that laye with other mēnys wyues. And occupyco their lādes, to the detrymēt of their lyues. These are accounted, a great part of the churche, For in Gods seruyce, they honourablye wurche, Yellynge and cryenge, tyll their throtes are full sore. That church was descrybed, of Esaye longe afore. Thys people (sayth God) with ther lyppes honour me In vayne worshyp they teachynge mēnys fatuyte. Apparaunt is that church, and open to the eyes, Their worshyppynges are, in outwarde ceremonyes. That coūterfet church stādeth al by mēnys tradycyons Without the scriptures, and without the hertes affeccyons. My church is secrete, and euermore wyll be, Adorynge the father, in sprete, and in veryte. By he worde of God, thys Church is ruled onlye, And doth not consyst, in outwarde ceremonye. Thys congregacyon, is the true Church mylytaūt These coūterfet deades, are the very Church malygnaunt. To whom Christ wyll saye, I knowe nō of your sort. Moch are they to blame, that ther bretherne so report Soch are no bretherne, but enemyes to Christes blode. As put saluacyon, in shauen crowne, mytar, or whode. I praye ye how lōge, haue your swete spowse cōtynued Sens the begynnynge, and now is in Christ renued. Adam had promyse, of Christes incarnacyon, So had Abraham, with hys whole generacyon. Whych was vnto them, a preachynge of the Gospell, Into saluacyon, and delyueraunce from hell. By thys tyme I hope, ye haue a fayre increase? She is not barren, but beareth and neuer cease. The Corinthes first epystle, hath thys clere testymony In Christo Iesu, per Euangelum vos genui. I haue begote yow, in Iesu Christ sayth powle, By the Gospel preachynge, to the cōfort of yur sowle Than are ye a cuckolde, by the blessed holy masse, As I sayd afore, so cometh it now to passe. For I am a prophete, by hygh inspiracyon led. Now lyke I my self, moch better than I ded. Ye sayt that saynt paule, begate your wyfe with chylde