Vol. 2

—CHAPTER VII. 411Sect. IV.Jesus Christ and John rejected hi/ theJews."31. f And the Lord said, Whereunto thenshall I liken the men of this generation ? and to whatare they like? 32. They are like uir.o childrensitting in the market-place, and calling one to another,and saying, We have piped unto you, and yehave not danced; we have mourned to you, and yehave not wept. 33. For John the Baptist cameneither eating hread, nor drinking wine;and ye say,He hath a devil."The more God displays his goodness in openingto men several ways which lead to himself, the morehe discovers the depth of those wounds which sin hasmade in their hearts. Charity alone can heal them ;and these external, means, hy their being ineffectual,show plainly the necessity there is of a remedy whichmay reach the heart, and work powerfully therein.Obstinacy, and the spirit of contradiction, are theeffect of envy and covetousness.and John were calumniated ;and who then will complainof being so ?Both Jesus ChristLet us not pretend to satisfy theworld, since they could not do it. The outwardausterity of John is the pattern of a retired life." 34. The Son of man is come eating and drinking;and ye say. Behold a gluttonous man, and awine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners !"The life of Jesus Christ, common in appearance,is an emblem of that of priests. Though we consultthe fancy of the world never so much, unless weapprove of its conduct, it will never approve of ours.The part we have to take is, to follow, without anys 2