REDEMPTION. 183
Though nominal, in ceremonial rites Perfuse, external doers of the law, By faction rent, and sect conflicting torn; Alive, yet dead; in legal waters wash'd, Yet foul distain'd, unsanctified of heart, Corrupt and vile; wolves in God's heritage, Who fleece the hapless flock. So Pharisee, And Saducee, Herodian and Essen, Their mazy errors weave to Juda's hurt, And Satan's purpose subserve, obdure. These, ere the schools of Hillel and Shammai, Disjoin'd, were long for error sadly known; This, sore the writ by oral law oppress, That, spirit, immortality denies; One, or from Herod, or Gaulonitis, derived, The gentile law blends with Mosaic rites; The last, from Hasdanim, forbids the law, Increase and multiply, and fill the earth; And all, astray, their devious errors spin, Oppressors diverse of God's law become; Binders of burdens for the people's back, Which they, perverse, refuse themselves to bear ; Blind guides, and hypocrites, who heav'n shut, Nor entering there themselves, nor sun" ring those That would; with sanctimonious look and dress, With broad phylacteries and fringe enlarged, Who public, ostentatious, lift their voice, And God thank, they are not as other men; Yet poor devour, tithe cummin, auise, mint, And leave the weightier matters of the law, Mercy' and judgment, still less to faith incline. They, for one proselyte, encompass earth,
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