The Life and Repentance of Mary Magdalene · chunk 38 of 38
Wager, Lewis · published 1566 · first performed or written 1558 [c.1550-1566] (Annals) moral T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation typicality 0.64 · 503 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
Then your love paid not your debts perceive you may The forgiveness of your sins you must refer, Only to Christ's grace, than you shall not err. Of this thing plain knowledge you may have In these words go in peace thy faith doth thee save. So by faith in Christ you have justification Freely of his grace, and beyond man's operation, The which justification here I do represent, Which remain with all such as be penitent. Here cometh love a special fruit of Faith, As touching this, hear meekly what he saith. O how much am I unto Iesus Christ bound, In whom so great mercy & goodness I have found? Not only my sinful life he hath renewed. But also with many graces he hath me endued, I am named love, from true faith proceeding, Where I am, there is no virtue needing, Love coming of a conscience immaculate, And of a faith not feigned nor simulate, Is the end of the law as Scripture doth say, And unto eternal felicity the very path way: This love grounded in Faith, as it is said, Hath caused many evils in men to be laid. For where as the love of God in any is perfit, There in all good works is his whole delight. This true love with Mary was present verily, When to Christ she showed that obsequy, But this love did proceed from believe, When Christ of his mercy did her sins forgive, Love deserved not forgiveness of sins in deed, But as a fruit thereof truly it did succeed. Of this matter we might tarry very long, But then we should do our audience wrong, Which gently hath heard us here a long space, Wherefore we will make an end now by God's grace, Praying God that all we example may take Of Mary, our sinful lives to forsake: And no more to look back, but to go forward still Following Christ as she did and his holy will. Such persons we introduce into presence, To declare the conversion of her offence. first, the law made a plain declaration, That she was a child of eternal damnation: By hearing of the law came knowledge of sin, Then for to lament truly she did begin. Nothing but desperation did in her remain, Looking for none other comfort but for hell pain. But Christ whose nature is mercy to have, Came into this world sinners to save, Which preached repentance sins to forgive, To as many as in him faithfully did believe. By the word came faith, Faith brought penitence, But both the gift of God's magnificence. Thus by Faith only, Marie was justified, Like as before it is plainly verified, From thence came love, as a testification Of God's mercy and her justification. Now God grant that we may go the same way, That with joy we may rise at the last day, To the salvation of soul and body evermore, Through Christ our Lord, to whom be all honour.
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)
Then your loue paid not your dets perceiue you may The forgiuenesse of your sinnes you must referre, Only to Christes grace, then you shall not erre. Of this thing playn knowledge you may haue In these wordes go in peace thy fayth doth thee saue. So by faith in Christ you haue Iustification Frely of his grace, and beyond mans operation, The which Iustification here I do represent, Which remayn with all suche as be penitent. Here commeth loue a speciall fruicte of Faith, As touchyng this, heare mekely what he saith. O how much am I vnto Iesus Christ bound, In whom so great mercy & goodnesse I haue found? Not onely my synfull lyfe he hath renued. But also with many graces he hathe me endued, I am named loue, from true faith procedyng, Where I am, there is no vertue nedyng, Loue commyng of a conscience immaculate, And of a faith not fained nor simulate, Is the end of the law as Scripture doth say, And vnto eternall felicitie the very path way: This loue grounded in Faith, as it is sayd, Hath caused many euyls in men to be layd. For where as the loue of God in any is perfite, There in all good workes is his whole delite. This true loue with Mary was present verily, When to Christ she shewed that obsequie, But this loue dyd procede from beleue, When Christ of his mercy dyd hir sinnes forgeue, Loue deserued not forgeuenesse of sinnes in dede, But as a fruite therof truely it did succede. Of this matter we might tary very long, But then we should do our audience wrong, Which gently hath heard vs here a long space, Wherfore we will make an end nowe by Gods grace, Praying God that all we example may take Of Mary, our synfull lyues to forsake: And no more to looke backe, but to go forward still Folowyng Christ as she did and his holy will. Such persons we introduce into presence, To declare the conuersion of hir offence. Fyrst, the lawe made a playne declaration, That she was a chylde of eternall damnation: By hearyng of the law came knowledge of synne, Then for to lament truely she dyd begynne. Nothyng but desperation dyd in hir remayne, Lokyng for none other comfort but for hell payne. But Christ whose nature is mercy to haue, Came into this world synners to saue, Which preached repentance synnes to forgeue, To as many as in hym faithfully dyd beleue. By the word came faith, Faith brought penitence, But bothe the gyft of Gods magnificence. Thus by Faith onely, Marie was iustified, Like as before it is playnly verified, From thens came loue, as a testification Of Gods mercy and her iustification. Now God graunt that we may go the same way, That with ioy we may ryse at the last day, To the saluation of soule and body euermore, Through Christ our Lord, to whom be all honor.