A paraphrase on the ten commandments in divine poems illustrated with twelve copper plates, shewing how personal punishments has been inflicted on the transgressors of these commandment, as is recorded in the Holy Scripture, never before printed : also, a metrical paraphrase upon the creed and Lord's Prayer
Wither, George, 1588-1667.
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[illustration]
VII. Thou shalt not Commit advlterie▪ &c.
VII. Thou shalt not Commit advlterie▪ &c.
When this Figure thou hastey'd,
Think how these two Wantons dy'd,
And what horror was therein,
When Death took them in their Sin,
Hurrying them from their delight,
To an Everlasting Night.
Mind it well, and mind it so,
That thou still may'st careful grow,
From those evils to be free,
Which this Law forbids to thee.
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Comman. VII.
Comm•• thou •o such Act unclean,
As 〈◊〉 Adultery, doth mean.
BEhold this Figure, you, who take delight,
To give the Reins to wanton Appetite:
And, say within your selves; why may not we,
Struck suddenly, in our Polutions be,
As well as these and others, who have bin,
At•••ched" in the very Act of Sin?
Consider this and tremble: For no year
Wheels round, but, we of one or other hear
Thus taken; That, you might forsake the snare,
And others be forwarn'd of coming there.
Permit Adultery, and none shall breed
Without a Mungrel and a mingled seed,
Allow such mixtures and none then shall know,
On whom the dues of birth-right to bestow,
Save a blest Faction. And what havoke then
Will Trecherys and Murthers make of Men?
And, who will careful be to foster that
Which no man owns, and Brutish Lust begat?
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So needful was this Law, that here to dwell
Without it, were to live the life of Hell
With Fiends incarnate, whose licentiousness
Their own and others mischiefs would increase.
Be therefore thankful for it; and declare
Your thankfulness with diligence and care
In keeping of it; that you may have rest
From sorrows here, and be hereafter blest,
And lest your Duties from you, may be hidden,
Observe that by this Precept is forbidden,
Not only such uncleanness as polluteth
A Married Bed; but, that it those reputeth,
Offenders too, who simply fornicate
Or in a married or unmarried state,
Abuse their Members in the wanton fact
Of any lawless or uncomely Act;
Which appertaineth to that fleshly sin,
Which by the Law hath interdicted bin.
No breach of Wedlock was perchance in that
Bold Zimri did with Cosbi perpetrate,
Yet vengeance followed on it, to affright
All those who in Laciviousness delight,
Young Onan climed not his neighbours bed,
Yet God for his transgression struck him dead.
And let the shameless wantons of our days,
Who boast (as of a deed that merits praise)
How many untouch't Virgins they deflowr'd
Lest by a sudden Plague they be devour'd,
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For less than that of which these villanies boast,
Full Three and Twenty Thousand lives did cost
In one days round; and it may forfeit them
Their freedom in the new Jerusalem.
To shun gross wantonness will not suffice,
Unless the wandrings of Adulterous eyes,
Lascivious touches intermixt among
The temptings of a lust provoking tongue,
Bewiching smiles, And Gestures, which, intice,
Both mind and body to embrace this Vice,
With such like Cycean Charmings, be supprest,
Which help transform a Man into a Beast,
Nay if the secret longings of the Heart,
We labour not (with all our strength) to thwart,
When they incline to Lust; we thereby shall.
Be guilty, though in Act we never fall.
If therefore blameless we would still abide,
We must some precious Antidotes provide
Against this Poyson. We must careful prove
Far from us, all occasions to remove,
Which may allure: And they are such as these
Vain Songs and Poems which are made to please
A wanton ear, and movingly express
The longings and the acts of Wantonness.
Obscaen Discourse; Lascivious Company;
The giving of an opportunity,
(That may be shunn'd) to such as we do know
Are not so bashful as to let it go.
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These are occasions, of especial note,
As Bounds to this Offence, not so remote,
But, that they bring it easily to pass,
Yea, other while before it purpos'd was,
And, for that Cause, this Law commands doth lay
That we remove those from us far away.
Nor are those all the temptings unto lust,
But there be otherswhich avoid we must
As much as these; Fantastical attires,
And wanton dressings kindle lustful Fires.
This makes them so esteemed, and so sought,
That other while they are full dearly bought,
That some to play the Harlot have been fain
Those various costly Dressings to maintain.
Oft visitings, and spending of the day,
With such as trifle half their time away
In Complements, (and intercourse between
Each other, but to see or to be seen.)
Ev'n these things blow the Flame, and many a one
By such impertinencies, is undone.
The faring delicately in excess,
The common sin of beastly Drunkenness,
Are here Attatch'd, Arraign'd and Sentenced,
For often causing an Adulterous Bed.
Constrained marriages made up by Friends,
For Honour, Wealth, or such improper ends,
Both partys very frequently undo,
And cause Adulterys and Murthers too.
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Where Touth and Age of too unequal years
Together match; both Jealousies and Fears
Are Guests, and rarely have such weddings bin
Without occasions of this filthy sin.
If, therefore of this Crime we would be clear,
Let us endeavour alwaies to forbear
All such as these, as well as to eschew
A gross Adultery, and so pursue
Each means which may be helpful to acquire
A blameless practice and a clean desire.
That we may Soul and Body beautify
With every flower of Spotless Chastity.
For, carnal whoredom was long since a gin
By Satan forged for the bringing in.
Of Ghostly Fornications most impure,
And frequent Testimonies may assure
That they who love strange flesh as many do,
Will change their God with small perswasions too.
LORD from these vanities direct our eyes
Which may at unawares the Heart surprize;
The Law within our members we do find
Doth cross the Law that's grafted in our mind.
That which we hate we are intie'd unto,
And what we love we often fail to do.
Our Will thou hast renew'd but in the Deed
We are not, yet, enabled to proceed
With such a Constancy as we desire,
Nor with such pureness as thou dost require.
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Make perfect what in me thou hast begun,
Compel me, that I after thee may run.
Let not the world adulterate in me
The Love which I have promis'd unto thee;
Although my waies be crooked in thy sight,
Preserve thou my affection still upright.
And let thy Love so keep my heart in awe
That I may still be blameless of this Law.
Amen.
