The Life and Repentance of Mary Magdalene · chunk 21 of 38
Wager, Lewis · published 1566 · first performed or written 1558 [c.1550-1566] (Annals) moral T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation typicality 0.79 · 463 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
What God of his people doth require, What the people's duty is, they may see here, Which they own unto God in pain of hell fire. In me is declared the same justice, Which unto God is acceptable, Man's sin is here showed, and proud enterprise, Whereby he is convicted to pains perdurable. It was necessary and it did behove, Considering man's pride and temerity, Which was drunk and blind in his own love, To make a law to show his imbecility. Except the law had rebuked his vanity, So much he would have trusted in his own strength And believed, that through the power of his humanity, He might have obtained salvation at length. Wherefore as I said to a glass compared I may be, Wherein clearly as in the sun light, The weakness and sin of himself he may see, Yea and his own damnation as it is right. For the curse of God followeth sin always, And damnation followeth malediction: By this it appeareth as clear as the day, That my office is to fill the mind with affliction, I am a ministration of death working ire, I show God's request, and man's unability, I condemn him for sin unto eternal fire, I find not one just of man's fragility. O Prudence, hear you not what the law doth say, Exceedingly it pricketh my conscience. I may cry out alas now and wellaway, For I am damned by Gods own sentence. Prick of conscience, quoth she? it pricketh you not so sore As the young man with the flaxen beard did I think What a devil about him here do you pore. If ever I see any such, I pray God I sink. The more you look on him, the worse like him you shall. Come away, come away from him for very shame. And in deed will you be gazing on him still? If you repent not this, let me suffer blame. O friend Prudence, do you see yonder glass? I will tell what therein I do see: I can not speak for sorrow, now out alas, All men for sin by God's sentence damned be. The spirit of God speaketh by king Solomon, That no man on earth liveth without sin. David saith there is none good, no not one, No not a child that this day doth his life begin. Now sin I see requireth eternal damnation, If a child be damned that is but a day old, Alas, where then shall be my habitation? Which hath done more sins than can be told. Yea woman, God doth not only prohibit the deed, But he forbiddeth the lust and concupiscence, Therefore thy heart hath great occasion to bleed, For many lusts and deeds hath defiled thy conscience.
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)
What God of his people doth require, What the peoples duetie is, they may see here, Which they owe vnto God in paine of hell fyre. In me is declared the same iustice, Whiche vnto God is acceptable, Mans synne is here shewed, and proude enterprise, Wherby he is conuicted to paines perdurable. It was necessary and it dyd behoue, Considering mans pride and temeritie, Whiche was dronke and blynde in his owne loue, To make a lawe to shewe his imbecillitie. Except the lawe had rebuked his vanitie, So much he would haue trusted in his own strength And beleued, that through ye power of his humanitie, He might haue obteined saluation at length. Wherfore as I sayd to a glasse compared I may be, Wherin clerely as in the sunne lyght, The weakenesse and sinne of him self he may se, Yea and his owne damnation as it is ryght. For the curse of God foloweth synne alway, And damnation foloweth malediction: By this it appereth as cleare as the day, That my office is to fyll the mynde with affliction, I am a ministration of death workyng yre, I shewe Gods request, and mans vnabilitie, I condemne hym for synne vnto eternall fyre, I fynde not one iust of mans fragilitie. O Prudence, heare you not what the law doth say, Excedingly it pricketh my conscience. I may crie out alas nowe and welaway, For I am damned by Gods owne sentence. Prick of cōsciēce, quod she? it pricketh you not so sore As the yong man with the flaxen beard dyd I thinke What a diuell about him here do you poare. If euer I see any suche, I pray God I synke. The more you loke on him, ye worse like him you shal. Come away, come away from him for very shame. And in dede will you be gasyng on him styll? If you repent not this, let me suffer blame. O frend Prudence, doe you see yonder glasse? I will tell what therin I doe see: I can not speake for sorowe, now out alasse, All men for synne by Gods sentence damned be. The spirite of God speaketh by kyng Salomon, That no man on earth lyueth without synne. Dauid saith there is none good, no not one, No not a child that this day doth his life begynne. Nowe synne I see requireth eternall damnation, If a childe be damned that is but a day olde, Alas, where then shall be my habitation? Whiche hath done more synnes than can be tolde. Yea woman, God doth not onely prohibite the dede, But he forbiddeth the lust and concupiscence, Therfore thy heart hath great occasion to blede, For many lustes and dedes hath defiled thy cōscience.