Prison-pietie, or, Meditations divine and moral digested into poetical heads, on mixt and various subjects : whereunto is added a panegyrick to the right reverend, and most nobly descended, Henry Lord Bishop of London / by Samuel Speed ...

¶ On Blasphemy.

IT sets in mouth against each holy place, And shoots out words like darts, against the face Of God; despising his great Majesty, Imposing things upon the Deity. Thus written 'tis by the Historian, Speaking of the Apostate Julian, When he engag'd against the Parthian Bands, And then receiv'd a wound, with outstretch'd hands He took his blood (to shew he did persist) And in derifion threw it toward Christ, Thus saying, to augment his si•…•…ful sum, O Galilean, thou hast 〈◊〉〈◊〉. So by an outward gesture we may finde The secret indignation of the minde: And he that doth blaspheme his God, doth broach Designes to cast upon him all reproach His little Wit or Folly can invent, Vainly to shew the reach of his intent. But Julian being wounded with a Dart (Unknown from whence) that reach'd his wretched heart, In scorn to Christ, he Galilean 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Perish'd in fin, so this Blasphemer di'd.

Caius Caligula, with judgment dim, His Statue fix'd, that men might worship him. The holy Temple, with profane abuse, He dedicated to his proper use, Making himself a God; but it appear'd At length, that Vengeance this Blasphemes heard. It is a sin that studies how to fight Against the dictates of Dame Nature's light; Which Princess oft have punished with death: The very Turks will not endure that breath That wounds the Ears of Heaven, but punish those That to blaspheming Christ their lips dispose. If Turks to this great fin give a restraint, How piercing must it be unto a Saint?