Vol. 2

—CHAPTER IV. 347long. 30. But he, passing through the midst ofthem, went hisway,"This action of the inhabitants of Nazareth, is adreadful instance of that dereliction with which thoseare often punished, who, instead of receiving thetruth which is preached to them, persecute thosewho preach it. It renders those worse who opposeit. The sinner is incensed when he is reproachedwith his vices; and he himself justifies these reproaches,by giving himself up to his passions.wicked disposition of this people, shows itself inThethetreatment which they give the most amiable of men ;whereas the goodness and mortification of Christappear in the choice he made of their city, to passtherein almost his whole life. These hearts, whichan example so holy, and exposed so many years totheir sight, could not touch, make it very evidentthat nothing external can be of any advantage tous,unless internal grace causes us to make a good useof it.Sect.IV.Jesus preaches at Capernaum, Theunclean Devil, Peter's Wife's Mother," 31. And came down to Capernaum, a city ofGalilee, and taught them on the sabbath-days."Christ teaches his first ministers, not pertinaciouslyto continue preaching the truth to such aswill not hear it, but to carry it to another place. Heplainly shows that he does not seek his own satisfactionin the places whither he goes to preach; since,though Capernaum was so impenitent, that it will bemore tolerable even for Sodom in the day of judo--ment than for it, yet he did not refuse to live there