The Life and Repentance of Mary Magdalene · chunk 22 of 38
Wager, Lewis · published 1566 · first performed or written 1558 [c.1550-1566] (Annals) moral T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation typicality 0.70 · 543 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
Body of God, are you so mad him to believe▪ These things are written to make folks afraid, Will ye to him or to me credence give? Or to your friends, by whom you were never dismayed▪ And I put case that the words now were true, He speaketh of men, but no women at all, Women have no souls, this saying is not new, Men shall be damned, and not women which do fall. By this term man, truly in holy Scripture, Is undertake both man, woman, and child in deed, Yea as many of both kinds as be of man's nature, Which proceed of Adam the first parent's seed. By the Law cometh the knowledge of sin, Which knowledge truly here I represent, Which fret and bite the conscience within, Causing the same evermore to lament. I am evermore before the conscience sight, Showing before him his condemnation, So that by the deeds of the law, or by his own might He can not attain unto salvation. Lo Mary, have ye not spun a fair thread? Here is a pocky knave, and an ill favoured, The deulll is not so evil favoured I think in deed, Corrupt, rotten, stinking, and ill savoured. It is not possible truly to declare here, The horrible, loathsome, and stinking vility, Which before the eyes of God doth appear, Committed by this wretched woman's iniquity. Now woe be to the time that ever I was borne, I see that I am but a damned devil in hell, I know that there with devils I shall be torn, And punished with more pains than my tongue can tell O blessed Law show me some remedy, The Prophet calleth thee immaculate and pure, Thou of thyself in many places dost testify, That the keepers of thee are always safe and sure. He that observeth all things written in me, Shall live in them, as Moses doth express: But never man yet in this world I did see, Which did not the contents in me transgress. It is beyond all man's possibility, To observe any commandment in me required, Thereby appeareth his weakness and fragility, Happened through sin, that against God he conspired. The power of the law is man's sin to declare, And to show his damnation for the same, But to give salvation for the soul's welfare, The law doth no such promise any time proclaim. If there be no more comfort in the law than this, I wish that the law had never been made: In God I see is small mercy and justice, To entangle men, and snarl them in such a trade. I can you thank for that Mary in deed: Well spoken, an unjust God do you esteem. Even from the heart that sentence did proceed, Fear not, their unjust God do you blaspheme: You see no remedy but utter damnation. Follow my counsel, and put care away, Take here your pleasure and consolation, And make you merry in this world while you may. Of one hell I would not have you twain to make: Be sure of a heaven while you dwell here, Refresh yourself, and all pleasure do you take, Pluck up a lusty heart, and be of a good cheer.
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)
Body of God, are you so madde him to beleue▪ These thyngs are written to make folkes afrayde, Will ye to him or to me credence geue? Or to your frends, by whom you wer neuer dismaid▪ And I put case that the wordes nowe were trewe, He speaketh of men, but no women at all, Women haue no soules, this saying is not newe, Men shall be damned, and not women which do fall. By this terme man, truely in holy Scripture, Is vndertake both man, woman, and child in dede, Yea as many of both kyndes as be of mans nature, Whiche procede of Adam the first parents sede. By the Lawe commeth the knowledge of synne, Whiche knowledge truely here I represent, Whiche freate and byte the conscience within, Causyng the same euermore to lament. I am euermore before the conscience sight, Shewyng before hym his condemnation, So that by the dedes of the law, or by his own might He can not attaine vnto saluation. Lo Mary, haue ye not sponne a fayre threde? Here is a pocky knaue, and an yll fauoured, The deulll is not so euill fauoured I thinke in dede, Corrupt, rotten, stinkyng, and yll sauoured. It is not possible truly to declare here, The horrible, lothsome, and stinkyng vilitie, Which before the eyes of God doth appere, Committed by this wretched womans iniquitie. Now wo be to the time that euer I was borne, I see that I am but a damned deuill in hell, I know that there with diuels I shall be torne, And punished with more pains than my tong can tell O blessed Lawe shew me some remedy, The Prophete calleth thee immaculate and pure, Thou of thy selfe in many places doest testifie, That the kepers of thee are alway safe and sure. He that obserueth all thyngs written in me, Shall liue in them, as Moyses doth expresse: But neuer man yet in this world I dyd see, Which dyd not the contentes in me transgresse. It is beyond all mans possibilitie, To obserue any commaundement in me required, Therby appeareth his weaknesse and fragilitie, Hapned through sinne, that against God he cōspired. The power of the law is mans synne to declare, And to shew his damnation for the same, But to giue saluation for the soules welfare, The lawe doth no suche promise any tyme proclame. If there be no more comfort in the lawe than this, I wishe that the lawe had neuer ben made: In God I see is small mercy and Iustice, To entangle men, and snarle them in such a trade. I can you thanke for that Mary in dede: Well spoken, an vniust God do you esteme. Euen from the heart that sentence dyd procede, Feare not, their vniust God do you blaspheme: You see no remedy but vtter damnation. Folowe my counsell, and put care away, Take here your pleasure and consolation, And make you mery in this worlde while you may. Of one hell I would not haue you twayne to make: Be sure of a heauen while you dwell here, Refresh your self, and al pleasure doe you take, Plucke vp a lusty heart, and be of a good chere.