The parables of our lord and saviour Jesus Christ ::

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

Smart, Christopher (1722-1771)

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THE PARABLES.

PARABLE I. The Sower and the Seed.

II.

PARABLE II. The Kingdom of Heaven compared unto a Man who sowed good Seed in his Field.

III.

PARABLE III. The Kingdom of Heaven compared to a Grain of Mustard-seed.

IV.

PARABLE IV. The Kingdom of Heaven compared unto Leaven.

PARABLE V. The Kingdom of Heaven compared unto a Treasure hid in a Field.

VI.

PARABLE VI. The Kingdom of Heaven compared unto a Merchantman seeking goodly Pearls.

VII.

PARABLE VII. The Kingdom of Heaven compared unto a Net cast into the Sea.

VIII.

PARABLE VIII. The Scribes and Pharisees reprov'd.

IX.

PARABLE IX. The unmerciful Creditor.

PARABLE X. The Lord of the Vineyard and the Labourers.

XI.

PARABLE XI. The Father and his Two Sons.

XII.

PARABLE XII. The Householder and Husbandmen.

XIII.

PARABLE XIII. The Marriage Feast.

XIV.

PARABLE XIV. The Fig-tree.

XV.

PARABLE XV. The Ten Virgins.

XVI.

PARABLE XVI. The Traveller and the Talents.

XVII.

PARABLE XVII. The Seed cast into the Ground secretly.

XVIII.

PARABLE XVIII. The wealthy Self-deceiver—of taking no Thought of the Body—and of Watching.

XIX.

PARABLE XIX. The Barren Fig-Tree.

XX.

PARABLE XX. The Lost Sheep.

XXI.

PARABLE XXI. The Piece of Silver.

XXII.

PARABLE XXII. The Spiritual Œconomist.

XXIII.

PARABLE XXIII. The Prophet without Honour in his own Country.

XXIV.

PARABLE XXIV. The Prodigal Son.

XXV.

PARABLE XXV. The Unjust Steward.

XXVI.

PARABLE XXVI. The Rich Man and Lazarus.

XXVII.

PARABLE XXVII. Faith as a Grain of Mustard-seed.

XXVIII.

PARABLE XXVIII. The Importunate Widow.

XXIX.

PARABLE XXIX. The Pharisee and Publican.

XXX.

PARABLE XXX. The Camel and the Needle's Eye.

XXXI.

PARABLE XXXI. The Good Shepherd.

XXXII.

PARABLE XXXII. The True Vine.

XXXIII.

PARABLE XXXIII. The Good Samaritan.

XXXIV.

PARABLE XXXIV. The Children in the Market-Place.

XXXV.

PARABLE XXXV. Christ and Mary Magdalen at the Pharisee's Entertainment.

XXXVI.

PARABLE XXXVI. The Kingdom of Christ compared to a Little Child.

XXXVII.

PARABLE XXXVII. The Disciples the Salt of the Earth, &c.

XXXVIII.

PARABLE XXXVIII. The Beam and the Mote.

XXXIX.

PARABLE XXXIX. Pearls not to be cast before Swine.

XL.

PARABLE XL. A Stone not to be given for Bread, nor a Serpent for Fish.

XLI.

PARABLE XLI. The Strait Gate.

XLII.

PARABLE XLII. The Wolves in Sheep's Clothing.

XLIII.

PARABLE XLIII. The House built upon a Rock.

XLIV.

PARABLE XLIV. A House divided against itself.

XLV.

PARABLE XLV. The Whole need no Physician.

XLVI.

PARABLE XLVI. The Children of the Bride-Chamber.

XLVII.

PARABLE XLVII. The Bearing of the Cross.

XLVIII.

PARABLE XLVIII. The Necessity of Self-denial.

XLIX.

PARABLE XLIX. The Reed shaken with the Wind.

PARABLE L. Leaving all for Christ.

LI.

PARABLE LI. The Leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees.

LII.

PARABLE LII. Humility recommended.

LIII.

PARABLE LIII. The Necessity of Forecast.

LIV.

PARABLE LIV. The Advent of Christ's spiritual Kingdom.

LV.

PARABLE LV. The Harvest and Labourers.

LVI.

PARABLE LVI. Perseverance in Christ encouraged.

LVII.

PARABLE LVII. Adherence to the Doctrine of Christ.

LVIII.

PARABLE LVIII. The Stability of Christ's Church.

LIX.

PARABLE LIX. The Easiness of Christ's Yoke.

LX.

PARABLE LX. The Sign of the Prophet Jonas.

LXI.

PARABLE LXI. Spiritual Affinity.

LXII.

PARABLE LXII. The Woman of Canaan.

LXIII.

PARABLE LXIII. The two Sons of Zebedee.

LXIV.

PARABLE LXIV. The Head-Stone in the Corner.

LXV.

PARABLE LXV. Tribute payable to Cæsar.

LXVI.

PARABLE LXVI. The Woman and her seven Brethren.

LXVII.

PARABLE LXVII. The Hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees—The straining out a Gnat—The white Sepulchres—The Hen gathering her Chickens, &c.

LXVIII.

PARABLE LXVIII. The Ax laid to the Root of the Tree—The Lord's Fan.

LXIX.

PARABLE LXIX. The Temple of the Lord's Body.

LXX.

PARABLE LXX. The Second Birth.

LXXI.

PARABLE LXXI. The Woman of Samaria.

LXXII.

PARABLE LXXII. The Bread of God.

LXXIII.

PARABLE LXXIII. Many Mansions in God's House.

[Though the following Passages of the New Testament be not Parables, yet as they are altogether pertinent to our present Design, we have not scrupled to insert them.]

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PARABLE II. The Kingdom of Heaven compared unto a Man who sowed good Seed in his Field.

Christ's reign (again the Lord began)
Is liken'd to a certain man,
Who plow'd in hope, and sow'd his field
With seed most promising to yield.
But in the night his foe arose,
What time mankind indulg'd repose,
And having sown amongst the corn
Some tares, made off before the morn.
But when the blade grew up and stood
Bidding for harvest rank and good,
Then too the tares, with heads uprear'd,
Amongst the goodly crop appear'd.
His servants therefore came to know—
“Good seed, my Lord, didst thou not sow?
“Thy land what ails it, that it bears
“A mingled crop of wheat and tares?”

It is an enemy, he said,
Has this adult'rous mixture made.
Then did his men for licence plead
The bad from out the good to weed.
But he rejoin'd, “My children, nay,
“Lest while the tares ye take away,
“Ye gather too the wheat with them,
“And mar my harvest ear and stem.
“Stay till the season is at hand,
“When I my reapers shall command,
“First those vile tares in bundles bind,
“And be they to the flames consign'd:
“But that good wheat collect with care,
“And to my granary repair.”—
He spake—the multitude retired;
Then by the Twelve he was desir'd
The secret meaning to unfold
In all, that of the tares, he told.
He answers—it is Christ alone
By whom the genuine seed is sown:
The field's the world, the genuine seed
Are God's true heirs in word and deed.
By tares amongst the corn, you trace
The prince of darkness and his race.
The harvest is the last event;
By reapers are the Angels meant.

The tares into the flames are cast—
So must it needs be at the last.
The Son of man his host shall send
To take out all things that offend,
The race of base injurious men,
And hurl them to the infernal den:
There in the realms of death and pain
They wail and gnash their teeth in vain.
Then shall the righteous seed display
Their glory like the blaze of day,
And in their Father's realm appear—
Ye, that have ears for doctrine, hear.

University of Virginia Library

PARABLE II. The Kingdom of Heaven compared unto a Man who sowed good Seed in his Field.