The parables of our lord and saviour Jesus Christ Done into familiar verse, with occasional applications, for the use and improvement of younger minds. By Christopher Smart |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. | PARABLE VIII. The Scribes and Pharisees reprov'd.
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| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. |
| XLII. |
| XLIII. |
| XLIV. |
| XLV. |
| XLVI. |
| XLVII. |
| XLVIII. |
| XLIX. |
| L. |
| LI. |
| LII. |
| LIII. |
| LIV. |
| LV. |
| LVI. |
| LVII. |
| LVIII. |
| LIX. |
| LX. |
| LXI. |
| LXII. |
| LXIII. |
| LXIV. |
| LXV. |
| LXVI. |
| LXVII. |
| LXVIII. |
| LXIX. |
| LXX. |
| LXXI. |
| LXXII. |
| LXXIII. |
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 | The parables of our lord and saviour Jesus Christ |  |
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PARABLE VIII. The Scribes and Pharisees reprov'd.
The scribes and pharisaic race,
Abiding in the holy place,
Did to our blessed Lord repair,
And question'd him on this affair—
Why have thy followers rebell'd
'Gainst laws traditionally held,
And wash not e'er they take their bread?
To which the Lord in answer said—
“Why by tradition have ye broke
“God's great commandment, for he spoke
“Give either parent honour due,
“And he that does not let him rue.
“Tradition works another way:
“As whoso to his sire shall say,
“Whatever profit shall accrue,
“Or to my mother, or to you,
“Is my free gift, and not the fruit,
“Of God's commandment absolute;
“Him you acquit by your decree,
“And make a mock of God and me.
“Ye hypocrites, how well of old
“Esaias of your ways foretold?
“With words and mouths this froward race
“Adore me, and approach my face,
“And their lip-service they devote,
“While all their hearts are far remote.
“But all that worship is in vain,
“Which for your Maker you would feign;
“While you would have bye-laws injoin'd
“Of frail and fallible mankind.”
Abiding in the holy place,
Did to our blessed Lord repair,
And question'd him on this affair—
Why have thy followers rebell'd
'Gainst laws traditionally held,
And wash not e'er they take their bread?
To which the Lord in answer said—
“Why by tradition have ye broke
“God's great commandment, for he spoke
“Give either parent honour due,
“And he that does not let him rue.
“Tradition works another way:
“As whoso to his sire shall say,
“Whatever profit shall accrue,
“Or to my mother, or to you,
“Is my free gift, and not the fruit,
“Of God's commandment absolute;
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“And make a mock of God and me.
“Ye hypocrites, how well of old
“Esaias of your ways foretold?
“With words and mouths this froward race
“Adore me, and approach my face,
“And their lip-service they devote,
“While all their hearts are far remote.
“But all that worship is in vain,
“Which for your Maker you would feign;
“While you would have bye-laws injoin'd
“Of frail and fallible mankind.”
He therefore bade the throng draw near,
And said unto them, learn and hear:
Not outward things, however vile,
Receiv'd into the man, defile;
But that which cometh from within
Pollute the human soul with sin.
And said unto them, learn and hear:
Not outward things, however vile,
Receiv'd into the man, defile;
But that which cometh from within
Pollute the human soul with sin.
Then came the Twelve around and said,
Lord, what you urg'd upon this head,
Gave great offence, as we descry'd,
To pharisees—The Lord reply'd;
Whatever plant does not exist,
As set by God the Arborist;
Such must be rooted up and fall—
Let them alone, for one and all,
They're guides to whom no light's bestow'd,
Yet take the lead and show the road.
When to the blind the blind commit
Themselves, they all must to the pit.
Lord, what you urg'd upon this head,
Gave great offence, as we descry'd,
To pharisees—The Lord reply'd;
Whatever plant does not exist,
As set by God the Arborist;
Such must be rooted up and fall—
Let them alone, for one and all,
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Yet take the lead and show the road.
When to the blind the blind commit
Themselves, they all must to the pit.
Then did St. Peter interpose,
Lord, thy last parable disclose.
Then Jesus—dull, and taught in vain,
Can ye not fathom truths so plain?
Whatever in the mouth one takes,
Its passage to the stomach makes,
And thence into the draught descends:
But that in which a man offends
Must from a tainted heart arise;
Thence evil thoughts, that they devise,
Thence murder, fornication, fraud,
Thence blasphemies are spread abroad.
Such things all purity defeat,
Not with unwashen hands to eat.
Lord, thy last parable disclose.
Then Jesus—dull, and taught in vain,
Can ye not fathom truths so plain?
Whatever in the mouth one takes,
Its passage to the stomach makes,
And thence into the draught descends:
But that in which a man offends
Must from a tainted heart arise;
Thence evil thoughts, that they devise,
Thence murder, fornication, fraud,
Thence blasphemies are spread abroad.
Such things all purity defeat,
Not with unwashen hands to eat.
The blessed men our Saviour chose
To hear his doctrine, share his woes,
Still as they waited by his side
Were by his glory purified.
No limpid rill, no polish'd vase,
But were unclean before his face.
Where'er he travell'd, or remain'd,
Inevitable sweetness reign'd;
And by his very word applied,
He cleans'd, he bless'd, and sanctified.
To hear his doctrine, share his woes,
Still as they waited by his side
Were by his glory purified.
No limpid rill, no polish'd vase,
But were unclean before his face.
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Inevitable sweetness reign'd;
And by his very word applied,
He cleans'd, he bless'd, and sanctified.
| The parables of our lord and saviour Jesus Christ | |