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 Commandments, as is Recorded in the Holy Scripture. Never before Printed. Also, a Metrical Paraphrase upon the Creed and Lord's-Prayer. Written by George Wither |
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| VIII. | Comma. VIII.
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 | A Paraphrase on The Ten Commandments in Divine Poems |  |
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Comma. VIII.
[Light fingred Achan here doth figur'd stand]
What want so e're oppress thee may
Steal not, anothers goods away.
Steal not, anothers goods away.
Light fingred Achan here doth figur'd stand,
Who for infringing of this Eight Command,
Brought both on him and his a fearful Doom
To make it known to every age to come,
That Sacriledge and pilfring may undo
Both such as use it, and their Children too.
Who for infringing of this Eight Command,
Brought both on him and his a fearful Doom
To make it known to every age to come,
That Sacriledge and pilfring may undo
Both such as use it, and their Children too.
So strongly are these Precepts knit together,
And have so much dependance each on other,
That none of their whole number can be mist,
Nor virtue perfect, without all subsist.
And have so much dependance each on other,
That none of their whole number can be mist,
Nor virtue perfect, without all subsist.
A Families necessities, who can
Support aright or honour God or Man
With due respects? or fully exercise
The praiseful work of Christian Charities,
Unless this righteous Law had been ordain'd
Whereby each man his own might have retain'd?
Support aright or honour God or Man
With due respects? or fully exercise
The praiseful work of Christian Charities,
Unless this righteous Law had been ordain'd
Whereby each man his own might have retain'd?
The painful hand had wrought but for a prey
For slothful Drones to spoil and steal away,
Did not this Law prevent; and they should then
Possess most wealth who were the strongest men.
For slothful Drones to spoil and steal away,
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Possess most wealth who were the strongest men.
None would have labour'd but for present need,
And to procure and keep, whereon to feed,
Would so imploy us, that we should not find
A leisure hour to rectify the mind,
By knowledge, or by seeking that which is
The Essence of our Being, and our bliss,
For, as base Poverty hath dwelling there
Where lawless living and disorders are;
So, where that Poverty, doth much abound,
A brutish Ignorance is alwayes found,
For, though wealth makes none wiser, yet, it might
Yield means of knowledge, being us'd aright;
And equal are the sins, to rob the rich
As spoil the poor although they seem not such,
Since that which makes the difference in the facts
Is in the sufferer, not in him that Acts.
And to procure and keep, whereon to feed,
Would so imploy us, that we should not find
A leisure hour to rectify the mind,
By knowledge, or by seeking that which is
The Essence of our Being, and our bliss,
For, as base Poverty hath dwelling there
Where lawless living and disorders are;
So, where that Poverty, doth much abound,
A brutish Ignorance is alwayes found,
For, though wealth makes none wiser, yet, it might
Yield means of knowledge, being us'd aright;
And equal are the sins, to rob the rich
As spoil the poor although they seem not such,
Since that which makes the difference in the facts
Is in the sufferer, not in him that Acts.
Let no man therefore, lay his hand on what
Is portion of another mans Estate,
With purpose to defraud him; lest it bring
A Gangrene, and become a cursed thing,
Which will devour what he before possessed,
And stop him in the way of being blessed.
Is portion of another mans Estate,
With purpose to defraud him; lest it bring
A Gangrene, and become a cursed thing,
Which will devour what he before possessed,
And stop him in the way of being blessed.
Rob none; But of all other shun the Theft
By which poor widdows are of that bereft
Which is their lively hood, or that whereby
The Fatherless compelled are to cry
To God for vengeance. And be wary too
Thou do not willfully thy self undo
By execrable things, lest Achan's Crime
Bring on thee Achan's death, in evil time.
For, though Deaths due for every sin that's done
Some louder cry, and bring it sooner on.
By which poor widdows are of that bereft
Which is their lively hood, or that whereby
The Fatherless compelled are to cry
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Thou do not willfully thy self undo
By execrable things, lest Achan's Crime
Bring on thee Achan's death, in evil time.
For, though Deaths due for every sin that's done
Some louder cry, and bring it sooner on.
There are a thousand Thieveries by which
The worldling is advanced to be rich
With little sence of sin, although they be
Infringements of this Law in high degree.
The worldling is advanced to be rich
With little sence of sin, although they be
Infringements of this Law in high degree.
The Trades-man stealeth by a frequent lying
In bargaining, in selling and in buying;
And most he suffers by this fair-tongu'd thief,
Who entertains of him the best belief.
In bargaining, in selling and in buying;
And most he suffers by this fair-tongu'd thief,
Who entertains of him the best belief.
Some Courtiers have their pilfrings, which they call
Their Fees or Vails, whereby when dues are small,
And, their expences large, they soon grow great,
And keep their Master also in their Debt,
Whose Royal name is used to conceal
Their frequent robbing of the Common weal.
Their Fees or Vails, whereby when dues are small,
And, their expences large, they soon grow great,
And keep their Master also in their Debt,
Whose Royal name is used to conceal
Their frequent robbing of the Common weal.
Some steal into Estates by their unjust
Abuse, by whom they have been put in trust;
And men so frequently this way misdo,
That such are counted honest Livers too.
Abuse, by whom they have been put in trust;
And men so frequently this way misdo,
That such are counted honest Livers too.
Some rob the Church (and this too is no news)
By keeping from her Labourers their dues,
And by assuming as their own Estate
What Piety to God did consecrate
By keeping from her Labourers their dues,
And by assuming as their own Estate
What Piety to God did consecrate
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Some Church-men rob the Layty by taking
That Calling on them without conscience making
Of those performances, for which God gave
The portions and the places which they have;
And doubtless, for the sins of such as they
The Churches heritage is took away.
That Calling on them without conscience making
Of those performances, for which God gave
The portions and the places which they have;
And doubtless, for the sins of such as they
The Churches heritage is took away.
Some by Authority or quirks of Law
Raise projects from their neighbours to withdraw
Their livelihood: Some others do no less
By outward shews of strict Religiousness,
Or cloked honesty, the latter sort
Make means to Cousin by their good Report.
Raise projects from their neighbours to withdraw
Their livelihood: Some others do no less
By outward shews of strict Religiousness,
Or cloked honesty, the latter sort
Make means to Cousin by their good Report.
Some wantons, (guilty of no petty wrong)
Steal Hearts, which unto others do belong.
Some steal both Goods and Persons. Thus do they
Who take the heirs of mens Estates away
Against their Wills; And when this theft's begun,
Most commonly both parties are undone.
Steal Hearts, which unto others do belong.
Some steal both Goods and Persons. Thus do they
Who take the heirs of mens Estates away
Against their Wills; And when this theft's begun,
Most commonly both parties are undone.
Some steal the wit of others. And an Ass
To be a witty Creature, thus may pass.
Some steal rewards and praises which are due
To other men; and these are not a few.
To be a witty Creature, thus may pass.
Some steal rewards and praises which are due
To other men; and these are not a few.
Some steal preferments, I could tell you how,
But will not, lest indanger'd I may grow
By babling of it; or lest other some
May by that means to wealth and greatness come,
Who do as yet retain their honesties,
Because they have not learn'd such tricks to rise.
But will not, lest indanger'd I may grow
By babling of it; or lest other some
May by that means to wealth and greatness come,
Who do as yet retain their honesties,
Because they have not learn'd such tricks to rise.
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Some steal mens good opinions, by concealing
Their own enormities, and by revealing
Their Neighbours errors, with such shews of Ruth
As if they were all Charity and Truth.
Their own enormities, and by revealing
Their Neighbours errors, with such shews of Ruth
As if they were all Charity and Truth.
Shun all such thievish Paths, for he that follows
These Tracts, may peradventure scape the Gallows,
But shall not scape unpunish'd, though God may
Defer his wages till a longer day.
These Tracts, may peradventure scape the Gallows,
But shall not scape unpunish'd, though God may
Defer his wages till a longer day.
As those are not excus'd; So shall not he
From our Infringement of this Law be free,
Who nourisheth a cause of this offence
By Idleness, by Prodigal expence,
By vicious gaming, by regardlesness
To husband wisely, what he doth possess
By keeping to himself what was bestown
As well for others uses, as his own;
Or by withdrawing (through deceit or might)
The hirelings wages or the poor-mans right
Whereby those may be driven to supply
By stealth or fraud, their griping poverty.
From our Infringement of this Law be free,
Who nourisheth a cause of this offence
By Idleness, by Prodigal expence,
By vicious gaming, by regardlesness
To husband wisely, what he doth possess
By keeping to himself what was bestown
As well for others uses, as his own;
Or by withdrawing (through deceit or might)
The hirelings wages or the poor-mans right
Whereby those may be driven to supply
By stealth or fraud, their griping poverty.
More such occasions, he himself may find
Who doth examine with a single mind
His private practices, and how the end
Of one thing on another doth depend.
Oh Lord vouchsafe me grace to be content
Who doth examine with a single mind
His private practices, and how the end
Of one thing on another doth depend.
“With whatsoever thou to me hast lent
“As long as life on me shall be bestown,
“Let me be fed and cloathed with my own,
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“May make my Neighbour want, or else repine;
“If by a wilful or unwitting wrong
“I have detained ought which doth belong
“Unto my Neighbour, Give me means and will
“By restitution for my doing ill
“To make amends, or else do thou repay them
“The dues which I unwillingly delay them.
“Forgive thou also my unrighteousness,
“That it corrupt not that which I possess,
“Or marr my thrift; and for the time to come
“So wary keep me of departing from
“This Law, that I may still in heart and hand
“Continue faithful unto this Command
Amen.
| A Paraphrase on The Ten Commandments in Divine Poems | |