{"id":154,"date":"2015-11-18T04:08:36","date_gmt":"2015-11-18T04:08:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/?page_id=154"},"modified":"2017-08-29T18:47:30","modified_gmt":"2017-08-29T18:47:30","slug":"a-poem-version-1","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/a-poem-version-1\/","title":{"rendered":"A Poem [Version 1]"},"content":{"rendered":"

Transcribed by Michelle Brice<\/em><\/p>\n

The great creator gave to Brutes the light
\nOf\u00a0 sense<\/a> and natural instinct, that might
\nConduct him in a sensual<\/a> life; by this
\nThey steer their course, and very rarely miss
\nTheir instituted Rule<\/a>, nor yet reject
\nIts guidance, or its Influence neglect:
\nBut the Creator\u2019s great beneficence
\nGave unto Man, besides the light of sense
\nThe nobler light of Reason Intellect,
\nAnd Consience1<\/a> <\/sup><\/a> to govern and direct
\nHis life and Actions, and to keep at rights
\nThe motions of his sensual Appetite:2<\/a> <\/sup><\/a>
\nBut wretched man unhappily deserts
\nHis maker\u2019s Institution, and perverts
\nThe end of all his bounty, prostitutes
\nHis reason unto Lust, and so pollutes
\nHis noble soul, his Reason, and his wit<\/a>:
\nAnd intellect, that in the throne should sit
\nMust lackie<\/a> after Lust, and so fullfil
\nThe base commands and pleasure of her3<\/a> <\/sup><\/a> will
\nAnd thus the Humane nature great Advance
\nBecomes its greater ruine,4<\/a> <\/sup><\/a> doth inhance
\nIts Guilt, While Judgment, Reason, Wit
\nImprove<\/a> those very sins it doth commit.
\nDear Lord, Thy mercy surely must overflow,
\nThat pardons sins, which from thy bounty grow.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Footnotes:
\n1<\/sup> Related to conscience is the notion of synteresis: in theology, a name for that function or department of conscience which serves as a guide for conduct; conscience as directive of one’s actions. (OED) Back to text.<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>2<\/sup> According to Aristotle, the sensual appetite\u2014that is, desires of the body or senses\u2014drives humans to act in accordance with that which feels pleasurable and to avoid that which causes pain. Back to text.<\/a><\/p>\n

3<\/sup> Historically, women were thought of as being the more evil or sinful of the two sexes. In Genesis, Eve is the first to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and she is the one who convinces Adam to do so as well. Back to text.<\/a><\/p>\n

4<\/sup> This is perhaps a reference to original sin, a concept which can be found in the ninth article of the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion. These statements of doctrines of the Church of England were originally established in 1563. Article IX. Of Original or Birth-sin<\/em> states:<\/p>\n

Original Sin standeth not in the following of Adam, (as the Pelagians do vainly talk;) but it is the fault and corruption of the Nature of every man, that naturally is ingendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth God’s wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea in them that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in the Greek, “Phronema Sarkos”, which some do expound the wisdom, some sensuality, some the affection, some the desire, of the flesh, is not subject to the Law of God. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized, yet the Apostle doth confess, that concupiscence and lust hath of itself the nature of sin.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Back to text.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Transcribed by Michelle Brice The great creator gave to Brutes the light Of\u00a0 sense and natural instinct, that might Conduct him in a sensual life; by this They steer their course, and very rarely miss Their instituted Rule, nor yet … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/154"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=154"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/154\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":317,"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/154\/revisions\/317"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}