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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66751	Divine poems (by way of paraphrase) on the Ten commandments illustrated with twelve copper plates, shewing how personal punishments has been inflicted on the transgressors of these Commandments, as is recorded in the Holy Scriptures : also a metrical paraphrase upon the Creed and Lords prayer / written by George Wither.	Wither, George, 1588-1667.	1688 (1688)	Wing W3154; ESTC R25189	42,152	136

Divine Poems by way of Paraphrase ON THE TEN Commandments Illustrated with Twelve Copper Plates shewing how Personal Punishments has been inflicted on the Transgressors of these Commandments as is Recorded in the Holy Scripture Never before printed Also a Metrical Paraphrase upon the Creed and Lords Prayer Written by George Wither Esque Author of Brittains Remembrancer Psal 119. 5. Would God my ways were so directed that I might keep thy Statutes Licensed according to Order LONDON Printed by T. S. And are to be sold by R. Janeway in Queens Head Ally in Pater Noster Row. 1688. To all such as have formerly been Friends to the Author his Daughter and only surviving Child Dedicates these Meditations IT was seldom my Fathers practice especially of late years to Dedicate his Works to particular or great Persons And did I attempt any euch thing now I should be afraid lest I might disturb his rest in the Grave All you therefore that had a kindness as well for his Person as his Works I desire to accept of my good will in sending this Relique of his abroad in publick Which though it hath been written some considerable time is but lately minded or come to hand And however it happened to be bundled up with other old Writings where I found it yet I verily believe it was designed for the Press by thos many alterations he had made which had so blur'd the Original Copy that I was forced to get it Transcribed before it was fit for my self or any body else to read And having now perused it I could not in conscience conceal such necessary Truths as are therein contained in hopes that it may take the effect himself desires in his Epistle to the Reader exprest in his Prayer believing that that good Spirit which first dictated those Petitionary words will accompany them to the Worlds end And then I also believe that what I have done in making this publick will be acceptable both to God and Man which that it may shall ever be the Prayers of Your assured Friend in all Offices of Love and Service E. B. From my Lodgings at Mr. Snowdens a Printer at the lower end of Great Carter-lane the 23d of April 1688. ADVERTISEMENT THE Copper Plates mentioned in my Fathers following Epistle in some of his removals from one Habitation to another have been lost so that I have been forced to get new ones made TO THE READER IN that great Plague which as I believe was the most contagious Pestilence that euer afflicted this City of London it pleased God to enclose me there and to give me grace to make such observations upon his Justice and Mercy as I hope however others esteem of them shall never of me be forgotten during life A while before this last Visitation the same gracious God provided me a little place to escape unto where I did but only hear of that which my Brethren suffered and therefore as I may well fear was not so sensible of their misery as I ought to have been Yet I was not altogether without Meditations as became the time but as the necessities wherewithal God hath yet exercised me would give leave endeavoured to employ some hours in the consideration of things pertinent to the Honour of my Preserver that I might not appear less thankful for this deliverance which was without Terror than I seemed to be for that which I obtained with fear and danger Part of my Musings were upon the Moral Law the neglect whereof being the cause of all Plagues is never impertinently thought upon much less when the hand of God is extended to chastise us for infringment of the same And what I then meditated is now offered unto the publick view that it might the oftner occasion me and others to be mindful of our Duties Neither my Estate nor the place I lived in would afford me the use of Books at that time therefore instead of them I perused mine own Heart to to see what I could read there For in the Heart of Man it was originally written And though our corruption hath now so defaced it that we need some helps to explain the essential meaning of the Holy Text long since written in Stone Yet if we would but be so diligent as good Antiquaries in examining defective Inscriptions upon decayed Monuments we might sometime find the Truth more certainly than by trusting over-confidently to the search of others who many times deliver their own Fancies instead of the right meaning of Gods Law. Others I confess though not many in the English Tongue have to this purpose devulged large Commentaries But some want Money to purchase them and some want leisure to peruse them for they are so large that many Readers had rather venture to break all the Commandments than to scan over those Tracts and yet perhaps these brief Meditations have expressed somewhat which is not found in any of them I profess not as I have elsewhere said to teach the Learned but to be unto them a Remembrancer only of what they already know which will otherwhile happen by this means even when they take up my Books to peruse them with contempt rather than for any better end yet they who are as Ingenious as Learned have entertained them with good respect as not unuseful The same Spiritual nourishment which others have tendred more artificially dressed for the publick Feasts of the Soul I have here and elsewhere indifferently fitted for their private refreshments who are best nourished with plain Diet and who have heretofore wanted either opportunities or due care to come to those Repasts And if I can but find means to relieve the Blind and Lame in understanding till a more powerful means shall fetch them from the Hedges and High-way-sides to be Guests at the great Banquet I shall hope to have done somewhat worth my pains Ignorant persons may be advantaged hereby mediately or immediately by receiving Information or occasion of Reformation yea the Composing thereof in Verse will cause many to be the more delighted therewith Some the better to remember it others out of curiosity to take notice of it who may afterward give it more serious entertainment and no doubt all good men will afford it a favourable censure so far as it shall deliver the Truth So far only I desire it should be allowed and in that desire do humbly submit the same to the Censure of Authority and the Success to Gods blessing Which I beseech Oh Glorious God so to manifest in this Mite vouchsafed out of the Infinite treasury of thy holy Spirit that like a grain of Mustard Seed it may be fruitful to the encrease of Piety beyond the expectation answerable to so despised a means For some in these days have perverted the plain meaning of thy Law yea some have lately strived both by their words and works to make the same wholly void and of no use that they seem either not to have known or to have

quite forgotten That thy Truth remaineth from one Generation to another or That thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness in so much that we may justly repeat unto thee this complaint of thy Prophet David Lord it is time for thee to lay to thine hand for they have destroyed thy Law. Hear my prayer O Lord and though I am small and of no reputation yet since I would not forget thy Law deliver me from mine Oppressors and so teach me thy Statutes that I may keep them unto the end yea though the proud have me in derision and almost made an end of me upon Earth yet let my heart be made so upright in thy Statutes that I may not be ashmed to remember thy promise made to thy Servant even that wherein thou hast caused me to trust Let it quicken me and be my comfort in my troubles For thou art all my portion and I have determined to keep thy word Before I was afflicted I went so much astray that it was good for me to have some troubles O let me hereafter be always exercised in thy Law Let it be a Lanthorn unto my feet and a Light unto my path Look upon me and be merciful unto me as thou usest to be unto those who love thy name Let the proud be ashamed that they have dealt falsly with me Let such as fear thee be turned unto me and comfort thou me according to the years wherein I have been afflicted that they who see it may glorifie thy name for mine eyes have almost failed with waiting for thy assurance Though I have gone astray like a Sheep yet seek thy Servant and deal with me according to thy mercy Let all these my Supplications come before thee that my Soul may live that my Lips may praise thee and that my Tongue may sing of thy Goodness and Mercy for ever and ever Amen Sir among other kindnesses vouchsafed in your Neighbourhood I received from you the Copper Plates which are now made use of in this Book The words which I have added unto those dumb Figures will make them I hope much more profitable and cause them to be a means of publishing those Caveats and Universal Duties which are pertinent as well to the General well-being of Mankind as to the Glory of God which two things were the proper ends of our Creation and ought also to be the chief care of our life To those ends therefore and that your cost might not be unprofitably bestowed I have returned the Coppies of those Figures which you gave me illustrated with such Meditations as my leisure and ability could afford And they do now as well speak as make signs what is prepared for wilful Transgressors of these Laws whereby if God may receive any honour or his Children profit I desire it may be some honour and advantage which is the desire of Your Hearty and Well-wishing Friend GEO. WITHER The Decalogue And these wordes which I Command th● this day shal be in thine heart And thou shall rehearse them Continually unto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou 〈◊〉 in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe when thou risest up And thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon 〈…〉 they Shal be as 〈…〉 thine eies Also thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thine house and vpon thy gate● 6 Deut 6 7-8.9 I THOV SHALT HAVE NONE OTHER GODS BVT ME II THOV SHALT NOT MAKE TO THY SELFE ANY GRAVEN YMAGE III THOV SHALT NOT TAKE Y e NAME OF Y e LORD THY GOD IN VAINE IIII REMEMBER THAT THOV KEEP HOLY Y e SABBOTH DAY V HONOR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER VI THOV SHALT DO NO MVRDER VII THOV SHALT NOT COMMIT ADVLTERIE VIII THOV SHALT NOT STEALE IX THOV SHALT NOT BEARE FALSE WITNESSE X THOV SHALT NOT COVET Beholde I see before you this day a blessing and a Curse The blessing if ye Obey the Comaundements of the Lord your GOD which I Cōmand you this day And the Curse if ye wil not obey y ● Commandements of y e Lord your GOD but t●●ne Out of the way which I Command you this day to go after other gods which ye haue not known ●● Deut 26 27 28 Optimum ●●t aliena frui insania Happy shall that man become Who this Law departs not from Blessings will descend on him From the Mount of Gerizim But from Ebal they shall hear Curses who rebellious are Death for them attending stands Who shall break these just Commands And to those who them obey God proposeth life for aye THE Prologue Let All these following Lessons learn For all Mankind these Laws concern ALL you who Sons by Grace or Nature be Give ear to what my Muses preach to me For what I now do purpose to declare No less than Universal Statutes are Which every Child of Adam here beneath Must keep in person on the pain of Death Or by a faithful Penitence procure An able Pledge to pay his Forfeiture You who by Nature had the means to know What Duties Creatures to their Maker owe Read here what by God's Finger once was writ Within your hearts that you may practise it And having lost that Light which Nature gave Take what you may by Grace's tender have On fleshly Tables once again renew The fair impression which at first he drew For 't was your Sin which thence Gods Law did blot And Ignorance therefore excuseth not You whom the special grace of our Creator Brought by his power Almighty thro' the Water Of sound Baptism and within the Flood Of his dear Sons most pure and pretious Blood Drown'd all that Hoast of Sins which our Grand Foe Had mustred for our final overthrow Observe you also this renowned Law To keep it with a loving filial awe Lest though you scap'd enraged Pharoh's Hoast Your entrance to the promis'd Rest be crost And lest your following what your Lust deviz'd You in your lawless wandrings be surpriz'd By those yet living Tyrants who possess The passages of this Lifes Wilderness For though in Act we cannot keep entire So strict a Law we may in our desire And where Desire is not perverted quite We have a ready means to set it right If any say or think this Obligation Pertaineth only to the Jewish Nation They are deceiv'd for if they well compare These Precepts to those Laws which written are Within our hearts it will be out of doubt That these are but the same transcribed out In Stone they were engraven long ago Lest all the World should quite forgetful grow Of these their Duties To the Jews God gave them To be preserv'd from loss From them we have them Distinguish'd by two Tables to be known From Laws that were peculiars of their own And though some literal circumstance be found Appearing to oblige beyond the Bound Of Legal Ceremonies which to some A means of stumbling and offence become Yet they that meekly minded are shall