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A BRIEF EXPLICATION OF THE Ten Commandments; Intended for a help to the Understandings and Memories of CHILDREN.
The Preface.
THe Lord that once took Israel by the hand
To bring him out from Aegypts bondage, and
To set him free from the Oppressing crew,
Who vext their souls with burdens old & new,
Spake all these words which here explained are:
Mark well, and hear them with a hearing ear.
The First Command.
THe First Command informs us rightly where
Worship must fix, whom we should love and fear;
Be sure you have a God, and have but one,
He that hath more is like him that hath none.
Love, Fear, Esteem, Honour, Desire, Adore,
Praise, Trust, Believe, chuse him, to chuse no more.
The Second.
The Second sacred Law directs us now
To Worship God, forbids to make or bow
Before an Idol; this excludes as vaine
In Worship all the froth of humane braine,
Injoynes us to observe with reverend Awe,
The Sacred Ordinances of his Law.
The Third.
The Third Command forbids irreverend use
Of Gods most Holy Name, which we abuse
If slightly or prophanely we shall dare
To name it, but much more uncall'd to sweare:
Because this sin is common, is it small?
No; such Transgressours shall not scape at all.
The Fourth.
The Fourth Command requires a Seventh dayes rest,
Holy to God, comforts both man and beast;
Lay by thine own works, words, and thoughts, to raise
Heaven-ward thy heart, by Faith, Hope, Love and Praise.
This Law requires thy care for thee and thine,
That needfull things with good you onely joyne.
The Fifth.
The Fifth Command requires a reverend Awe
Of those whom Providence or Nature's Law
Hath plac't above us, whether they be known
To be our Countries Parents or our own:
Kings, Rulers, Parents, Pastours, Masters are
All to be honour'd with a pious care.
The Sixth Command.
Thou shalt not Kill; thus speaks the Sixt Command.
Murther's a crying Sin, pollutes a Land.
To th' Neighbour's person, name, or goods, a willing
Wrong done by deed, word, thought, 's a kind of killing.
Miscall, revile him not; the Scriptures tell
That causeless anger leads the way to hell.
The Seventh.
Take heed, fly from Adult'ry, sayes Command
The Seav'nth in order, giv'n by Moses hand:
Beware of loose behaviour, wanton dress,
Words, gestures which entice to wantonness:
'Bove all, observe thine heart least it should steal
Out by thine eye, a secret way to Hell.
The Eighth.
Thou shalt not steal: This Law secures thy store
From fraud, and rapine, and the idle Poor;
Injoynes thee strictly to do all you can
To further the Estate of every man.
Just weights and ballance keep, the goods restore
Unjustly gotten, though it make thee poor.
The Ninth.
When thou art call'd 'twixt man and man by Oath
Or Word to witness, speak the Truth for both.
Raise not, nor spread a slander, to defame
Thy Neighbour, and unjustly wound his name:
The flying Tale suppress; see thou defend
His Credit as thine own unto the end.
The Tenth.
The Tenth Commandment bids us be content
With what Gods Providence to us hath lent:
This is thy Neighbours hedge, let him alone;
Look not to lust, and say would 'twere mine own.
The goodness of this God and Law admire,
Who would that none should wrong thee in desire.
The Conclusion.
Treasure up all these in thy youthfull heart,
And let them not in age from thee depart;
But pray that he that did at first indite 'em,
Would once for thee in fleshly Tables write 'em:
So shalt thou find them to thy joyes increase,
Wayes of great pleasantness, and paths of peace.