Wever, R. · published 1565 · first performed or written 1550 [1547-1553] (Annals) moral T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation typicality 0.74 · 503 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
Sir, I will be so bold by your deliberation To open my mind unto you now, trusting that by your good exhortation, I shall learn those things, which I never knew: This one thing chief I would learn of you How I may my life in thes my vocation lead. According as God hath ordained and decreed, The prophet David saith that the man is blessed, Which doth exercise himself in the law of the Lord, And doth not follow the way of the wicked, As the first psalm doth plainly accord: The four score & xiii psalms thereunto doth accord. Blessed is the man whom thou teachest, o Lord saith he To learn the law, precepts, word or verity And Christ in the Gospel saith manifestly. Blessed is he which heareth the word of god and keepeth it, That is to believe his word, & live accordingly Declaring the faith by the fruits of the spirit Whose fruits are these, as s. Paul to the Gal. doth wright Loue joy, peace, long suffering and faithfulness meekness, goodness, temperance and gentleness Be these words which unto you he doth express He teacheth that you ought to have a steadfast faith With out it is impossible doubtless, To please god, as saint Paul saith: Where faith is not, godly living decayeth For whatsoever is not of faith, saith. s. Paul, is sin, But where a perfit faith is, there is good working It seemeth to me that this your meaning, That when I observe gods commandments & the works of charity They shall prevail unto me nothing, Except I believe to be saved thereby. No, no, you are deceived very blindly, for faith in Christ's merits doth only iustyfy, And make us righteous in god's sight Why should I then in Good works delight? Seing I shall not be saved by them Becausy they are required of all christian men, As the necessary fruits of true repentance. But the reward of the heavenly inheritance Is given us through faith, for Christ's deservings, ●s. s Paul declareth in the four chapter to the Romayns therefore we ought not to work as hirelings: Seing Christ hath purged us once from all our wicked living. Let us no more wallow therein, But persever like good branches, bearing fruit in him. Now I know where about you have been. My elders never taught me so before. Though your elders were blind, doubt not you therefore For saint Peter saith, vain is the conversations, Which ye receive by your elders traditions, I will gladly receive your godly admonitions, But yet I pray you show me the cause, that they being men of great discretions Did not instruct me in gods laws, According to his will and ordinance Because they themselves were wrapped in ignorance Being deceived by false preachers. O Lord deliver me from wicked teachers, That I be not deceived with their false doctrine. to God's word you must only incline, All other doctrine clean set a part.
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)
Syr, I wil be so bolde by your delyberation To opyn my mind vnto you now, Trustynge that bi your good exhortacyon, I shall learne those thynges, which I neuer knew: This one thynge chiefly I woulde learne of you How I maye my lyfe in thes my vocacyon leade. Accordynge as God hath ordeyned and decrede, The prophet Dauid saithe that the man is blessed, Which doth excersise hym selfe in the lawe of the Lorde, And doth not folow the way of the wickid, As the fyrst psalme doth playnly accorde: The foure score & .xiii. psalmes therunto dothe accorde. Blessed is the man whome thou teachest, o Lord sayth he To learne the law, precepts, worde or verytie And Christ in the Gospel sayth manifestly. Blessed is he which heareth ye worde of god ād kepeth it, That is to beleue hys word, & lyue accordingly Declaryng the fayth by the fruytes of the spirit Whose frutes are these, as s. Paul to ye Gal, doth wrighte Loue ioie, peace, long suffring and faithfulnes Mekenes, goodnes, temperaunce and gentilnes Be these wordes which vnto you he doth expresse He teacheth that you ought to haue a stedfast faith With out it is impossible doutlesse, To please god, as sainct Paul sayth: Where fayth is not, godly lyuing decaieth For whatsoeuer is not of fayth, sayth. s. Paul, is synne, But where a perfite faith is, there is good working It semeth to me that this your meanyng, That whē I obserue gods commaūdemētes & ye workes of charyte They shall preuayl vnto me nothyng, Except I beleue to be saued therby. No, no, you are deceyued very blyndly, for fayth in Christes merites dothe onely iustyfy, And make vs righteous in goddes sight Why should I then in Good workes delight? Seing I shal not be saued by them Becausy they are required of al christian men, As the necessary fruites of true repentaunce. But the reward of the heauenli inheritaunce Is geuen vs through faith, for Christes deseruinges, s. s Paule declareth in ye .iiii. chapter to the Romayns therfore we ought not to worke as hierlinges: Seing Christ hath purged vs once from al our wicked lyuing. Let vs no more wallow therin, But perseuer like good braūches, bearing frute in hym. Now I know where about you haue bene. My elders neuer taught me so before. Though your elders wer blynd, dout not you therfore For sainct Peter sayth, vaine is the conuersations, Whiche ye receyue by your elders traditions, I wyll gladly receyue your godly admonicions, But yet I praye you shewe me the cause, that they being men of great discretions Did not instructe me in gods lawes, According to hys will and ordinaunce Because they thē selfes were wrapped in ignoraunce Being deceyued by false preachers. O Lord deliuer me from wicked teachers, That I be not deceyued with theyr false doctrine. to Gods word you must onely encline, Al other doctrine cleane set a parte.