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CXXI.

The Adulteress deliver'd.

SCarce did the Sun the Temple-Gates behold,
And double-gild the Roof with heav'nly Gold,
When to the Courts his fteps our Saviour bends,
And down the Olive-bearing Hill defcends;
And while the Crowd,affembled there,he taught,
The Scribes and Pharifees a Woman brought,
I'th' very Act of foul Adult'ry caught;
Then tempting thus------

The Law of Mofes these forbids to spare,
They must be fton'd--- Is thine alike fevere?
Our Saviour their malicious Treafon found,
And stooping down he wrote upon the Ground;
As one who nothing heard, they still prefs'd on,
And ask him ftill; he rofe, and thus begun;
Whoever Innocent his Life has paft

Of the fame Crime, he the firft Stone may caft.
Again he stoops, each knows his own Offence,
Their Confcience urg'd within, and drove 'em

thence.

Singly they melt away till all were gone,
When Jefus rifing, found himself alone,
The Woman in the midft; he asks, if none
Had her condemn'd; none, Lord, th' accus'd
replies,

Ingenuous Tears thick-ftreaming from her Eyes:
Neither do I, he fays, thy danger's o're,

If truly thou repent; depart, and fin no more.

CXXI.

St. JOHN Chap. VIII. Ver. 4, 5, 6, 7.

121

4 The Scribes and Pharifees fay unto him, Mafter, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

5. Now Mofes in the law commanded u5, that fuch fhould be ftoned: but what fayeft thou?

6. This they Said, tempting him, that they might have to accufe him. But Fefus frooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground as though he heard them not.

7. So when they continued asking him, he lift up himfelf, and faid unto them, He that is without fir among you, let him first cast a stene at her!

CXXII.

The Jews boafting of Abraham offer to Stone Chrift.

As

S in the Treasury our Lord remain'd,
And to the Crowd his heav'nly Laws ex-
plain'd,

He's urg'd and tempted by the ungrateful Jews,
That to the Romans him they might accuse:
Poiz'd on himself, he ne're the more forbears,
Nor fears their Malice, nor their Vices spares:
In vain themselves they baaft of Abraham's Race,
Degenerate they, his facred Stem difgrace:
Rather their Sire the Enemy of Man,
Treason from him, and Murther first began.
To his Eternal Father Christ appeals,

Who by his Works his heav'nly Miffion feals.
Abr ham, he fays, from whom your Race you draw,
Juft Abraham law my Day, rejoycing saw:
Nor ought but my undoubted Right I claim,
Before your Father Abraham was, I AM:

The Temples Marble Pavement up they tear, And wou'd, for a Blafphemer, ftone him there: He thence himself does filently convey,

Paffes the num'rous Crowd, and fafe withdraws away.

CXXII

St. JOHN Chap. VIII. Ver. 57, to the End.

122

57. The Jews faid unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and haft thou feen Abraham ?

58. Fefus faid unto them, Verily verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

59. Then took they up ftones to caft at him: but Fefus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

CXXIII

Christ Jefus the Door, and the good Shepherd.

Only am the Shepherd and the Door,

Robbers and Thieves were all that came before. My Sheep their Shepherd know, they know his Voice,

And when they hear it, follow and rejoyce;
I chuse their walk, reduce 'em when they stray,
They know not Strangers, nor their Voice obey:
They with my Rod and Shepherd's Crook are led,
By cryftal Streams in verdant Paftures fed;
The Thief furrounds the Flock but to deftroy,
To fteal, to kill, to ravage, all his joy:
The Hireling bafely flees, nor dares engage
The furious hungry Wolf's invading Rage;
Nor heeds the Sheep, tho' fcatter'd o're the Plain,
Or by the hoary Robber feiz'd and flain.
The good, the faithful Shepherd, only I,
For my dear Flock who not refuse to die;
And other Sheep I have, which now are led
To different FOLDS, in diff'rent Paftures fed:

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