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النشر الإلكتروني

XLII.

St. MATTH. Chap. XXI. Ver. 4, to 9.

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This was done, that it might be fulfilled

which was Spoken by the prophet, saying,

5. Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, meek, and fitting upon an afs, and a colt the fole of an afs.

6. And the difciples went, and did as Jefus commanded them,

7. And brought the afs, and the colt, and put on them their cloaths, and they fet bim thereon, &c.

XLIII.

The Buyers and Sellers caft out of the Temple.

TO God's high Temple Jesus went and found
Large Droves of Oxen fpread the facred
Ground.

From diftant Bafan's fertile Paftures bought,
With Sheep from Carmel, or from Sharon brought.
The fair Piazzas round with Shops are fill'd,
And those with Bankers, well in cheating skill'd,
Before 'em tempting heaps of Coin were laid,
Far lefs has many a Prince and Realm betray'd.
Nor this our Lord, with anger in his Eyes,
A fcourge of smarting Cords he well applies,
Then thus--- Ye facrilegious, hence, away!
My Father's House where all should meet and pray,
By you a Den of Thieves and Robbers made,
A noifie Burfe for Barter, and for Trade.
Then his Disciples thought on Truths foretold
Of him, in holy Oracles of old.

"For Zeal of thy dear House my Spirits decay,
"It finks my Strength, and fteals my fainting Soul

away.

XLIII.

St. MATTH. Chap. XXI. Ver. 12, 13.

43.

12. Fefus went into the temple of God, and caft out all them that fold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the feats of them that fold doves,

13. And faid unto them, It is written, My houfe fhall be called the boufe of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves.

XLIV.

The wicked Husbandmen, and their juft Punishment.

ALord there was who plants a noble Vine,

To yield the choiceft Grapes and gen'rous
Wine:

This foon he did to Husbandmen convey,
A Juft proportion of the Fruits to pay.
As chanc'd he to far diftant Regions went,
And when the Vintage came, his Servants fent,
To bring him of the Fruit; the Churls refus'd,
Some did they beat, fome kill, and all abus'd:
What shall he do? his Son he fpeeds away,
For him they fure wou'd rev'rence and obey:
When him the Traitors at a distance spy'd,
The Heir himself! with barb'rous Joy, they cry'd:
Now muft our Force and Policy be shown,
Dispatch but him, the Vineyard's all our own.
They did, but when the Lord their Treafon knows,
How will he of the Murderers dispose?

The Wretches he'll deftroy, their Houses burn,
To thofe his Vineyards let, who will the Fruits

return.

XLIV.

St. MATTH. Chap. XXI. Ver. 33,to 38.

33. There was a certain houfholder which planted 4 vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a wine-prefs in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and fent his fervants to receive the fruits of it, &c.

37. Laft of all, he fent unto them his fon, Saying, They will reverence my fon.

38. But when the husbandmen Saw the fon, they faid among themselves, This is the heir, come, let us kill him, and let us feize on his inheritance.

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