Wager, William · published 1570 · first performed or written 1560 [c.1559-c.1570] (Annals) moral unassigned nearest T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation · 526 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
God careth for his as the Prophet David doth say, And preserveth them under his merciful wing: The Heavenly I mean, that his will do obey, and observe his holy commandments in all thing. Yet not for our sakes, nor for our deserving. But for his own name sake openly to declare: that all men here on Earth aught to live in his fear. This same is one of our jolly talkers, That prattleth so much of Heaven and Hell: O, I tell you these are godly walkers, Of many strange things they can tell. They pass men yea Angels they excel, Sir, are you not called the Heavenly man? I have been in your company ere now but I cannot tell when Yes certainly Sir, that is my name, Unworthy of any such title I do confess: God grant that I may deserve the same, And that my faults I may amend and redress. Therefore now the truth do you here express, Is not the Worldly man your name? Yea in deed Sir, I am the very same. From the Heavenly man I cannot be long absent, Which in God's promises hath his consolation: Considering that he always is content, Patiently to suffer God's visitation. For understand you? my name is Contentation. Whom the worldly man doth mock and deride: And will not suffer him once in his mind to abide. This same is the Grandsire of them all, This is he that will through water and fire: Good reasoning betwixt us now hear you shall, For to follow him he will me earnestly require, But he shallbe hanged or he have his desire. You are welcome Sir, saving my quarrel in deed: You have reported of me much more than you need. Nothing but truth Sir, certainly I have said, Often times I have counseled you your covetousness to leave But my words as feathers in the wind you have weighed, And stuck to them as Glue to the water doth cleave. But take heed the reward thereof you shall receive. Once again I advertise thee to be content: And give thanks to God for that he hath thee sent. I pray you be you content for I am pleased, And meddle you no more with me than I do with you: To be angry without a cause, without mends must be eased We willbe more earnest than ever we were now. woe (saith our Saviour) to those that are rich, Which therein only have their consolation: He curseth them not be cause they have much, but because they receive it not with contentation. Building therewith to themselves a good foundation, That is to lay here on Earth treasure great store: to purchase a kingdom that lasteth ever more. Passion of me masters, what would you have me to do? You are fond fellows indeed as ever I knew: If I should not take pains, ride, run and go For my living, what thereof would ensue? A beggar should I die, masters this is true, Then my wife and children that I leave behind: I fear me at your hands, small relief should find.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
God careth for his as the Prophet Dauid dooth ſay, And preſerueth them vnder his merciful wing: The Heauenly I mene, that his wil doo obay, and obſerue his holy commaundements in all thing. Yet not for our ſakes, nor for our deſeruing. But for his owne name ſake openly to declare: that all men héer on Earth ought to liue in his feare. This ſame is one of our iolly talkers, That prattleth ſo much of Heauen and Hel: Oh, I tel you theſe are godly walkers, Of many ſtraunge things they can tel. They paſſe men yea Angels they excel, Sir, are you not called the Heuenly man? I haue been in your cōpany ere now but I cānot tel whan Yes certainly Sir, that is my name, Vnworthy of any ſuch title I doo confeſſe: God graunt that I may deſerue the ſame, And that my faults I may amend and redreſſe. Therfore now the trueth doo you héer expreſſe, Is not the Worldly man your name? Yea in déed Sir, I am the very ſame. From the Heauenly man I cannot be long abſent, Which in Gods promiſes hath his conſolation: Conſidering that he alwaies is content, Patiently to ſuffer Gods viſitation. For vnderſtand you? my name is Contentation. Whome the worldly man dooth mock and deride: And wil not ſuffer him once in his minde to abide. This ſame is the Grandſire of them all, This is he that will through water and fire: Good reaſoning betwixt vs now hear you ſhall, For to folowe him he wil me erneſtly require, But he ſhalbe hanged or he haue his deſire. You are welcome Sir, ſauing my quarrel in déed: You haue reported of me much more then you néed. Nothing but trueth Sir, certainly I haue ſaid, Oft times I haue coūcelled you your couetouſnes to leue But my woords as fethers in the winde you haue waid, And ſtuck to them as Glue to the water dooth cleaue. But take héed the rewarde therof you ſhall receiue. Once again I aduertiſe thée to be content: And giue thanks to God for that he hath thée ſent. I pray you be you content for I am pleaſed, And meddle you no more with me then I doo with you: To be angry without a cauſe, wtout mends muſt be eaſed We wilbe more erneſt then euer we were now. Wo (ſaith our Sauiour) to thoſe that are rich, Which therin onely haue their conſolation: He curſeth them not be cauſe they haue much, but becauſe they receiue it not with contentation. Building therwith to them ſelues a good foundation, That is to lay héer on Earth treaſure great ſtore: to purchace a kingdome that laſteth euer more. Paſſion of me maiſters, what would you haue me to doo? You are fond fellowes indéed as euer I knew: If I ſhould not take paines, ride, run and go For my liuing, what therof would inſue? A begger ſhould I dye, maiſters this is true, Then my wife and children that I leaue behinde: I fear me at your hands, ſmall reléef ſhould finde.