Vol. 2

;274. ST. LUKE.To have joy in the birth of saints, and particularlyin that of the forerunner of Jesus Christ, is tohonour our Saviour and his grace. To promise thisjoy to a father, who knew no other joy but that ofthe Holy Ghost, is to promise him every thing forhis son. The gifts of God are not a true subject ofjoy, but only when they are to us a pledge of his love,and of the birth or new coming of Christ in us by hisSpirit.All joy which has no relation to him, is a joyof the world; a joy which comes not from heaven;a joy which we must lament." 15. For he shall be great in the sight of theLord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drinkand he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, evenfrom his mother's womb. 16. And many of thechildren of Israel shall he turn to the Lord theirGod. 17. And he shall go before him in the spiritand power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers tothe children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of thejust ;to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."Angels have no notion of human greatness,andare far from bringing tidings concerning any thingof that nature. The forerunner of him who came torender it contemptible, and to contemn it himself,can have no other greatnessbut such as makes himconformable to the Son of God in his state of humiliation.Nothing is truly great, but what is so in thesight of God. John's greatness arises, 1. From hismortified life. 2. From the fulness of God's Spiritin him. 3. From his zeal to make Christ known.4. From his fidelity and courage in rebuking vice, inreviving in the Jews the spirit of the patriarchs, andpreparing the hearts of the people for Jesus Christ.