no interest on earth but that of the church, stooping even down to the earth by his humility and zeal in the service of souls, and ascending up to heaven by his prayers and his love of heavenly things. (6.) He ought to have no other business than to prepare the way for Jesus Christ in souls, and to count all things else as nothing. (7.) He must learn, even from his function itself, that souls are to be conducted to Christ by degrees, and that this is not the business of a moment; that he is to instruct them by the word, to cleanse them by repentance, and to keep them in the way, before he admits them to the enjoyment of Christ in the communion, which is only for those who are well prepared.

28. For I say unto you, Among those who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

There is a very great difference between the saints of this life and those of the other: a greater still between such as have only gifts profitable to others, namely, gifts of prophecy, of preaching, or of directing souls; and those who are united to God by his love, in whom his grace reigns, and who are rich in Christian virtues. True greatness consists in God's living and reigning in us, and in our being obedient to his will, and our relying upon his Spirit. That which proceeds from external gifts, and such as do not sanctify of themselves, is dangerous, and to desire them is pride and presumption.

29. And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.

How happy is a man when he knows how to value as he ought the grace of repentance, and to improve the time of mercy! It is by repentance that the designs of God are accomplished, and that he is most glorified; because nothing more fully displays his goodness in giving up his own interests, his wisdom in bringing good out of sin itself, which is the greatest evil, and his almighty power in changing the heart at his pleasure, and causing men to love and embrace that which is most contrary to his inclinations. It is by the works of a true conversion, and not by bare words, that men express a sincere acknowledgment for the gift of repentance.

30. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.

The illiterate people and great sinners profit more by the word of God, than the doctors of the law and the great pretenders to devotion. Men frequently, through a false greatness of soul and a wicked elevation of mind, despise small things, and thereby deprive themselves of great ones which are annexed to them; as the grace of receiving Christ was to the reception of John's baptism, which was designed to prepare them for the other. Religion is full of these dependencies and connections between the least and the greatest things. The humble submit to them and are saved; the proud reject them and are lost. God can easily make himself amends in the way of justice, and repair whatever loss his glory has sustained, by the refusal of his mercy; but nothing can repair that person's loss who rejects repentance.

SECT. IV.-JESUS CHRIST AND JOHN REJECTED BY THE JEWS.

31. ¶ And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? 32. They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. 33. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.

The more God displays his goodness in opening to men several ways which lead to himself, the more he discovers the depth of those wounds which sin has made in their hearts. Charity alone can heal them: and these external means, by their being ineffectual, show plainly the necessity there is of a remedy which may reach the heart, and work powerfully therein. Obstinacy, and the spirit of contradiction, are the effect of envy and covetousness. Both Jesus Christ and John were calumniated; and who then will complain of being so? Let us not pretend to satisfy the world, since they could not do it. The outward austerity 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 a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! The life of Jesus Christ, common in appearance, is an emblem of that of priests. Though we consult the fancy of the

world never so much, unless we approve of its conduct, it will never approve of ours. The part we have to take is to follow, without any human respect whatever, that course of life which God requires of us, and to perform the duties of our state and calling, without being at all solicitous concerning the judgment of men. It is the property of a Pharisee to take offence at a physician's visiting the sick, or a pastor's seeking sinners in order to lead them to Christ: but there are measures to be observed to avoid danger, and to give our neighbour no just occasion of offence. A clergyman, who either industriously hunts after plentiful tables, or frequents them too often, cannot fail of giving it.

35. But wisdom is justified of all her children.

The different ways of holy men justify the wisdom of God. It is neither austerity of life, nor liberty in the use of all things, nor poverty, nor abundance, which really distinguish the children of God from those of the world, but charity and concupiscence. The former leads to God by all manner of ways; the latter never finds him in any, because it corrupts all by its malignity.

SECT. V.-THE WOMAN ANOINTING THE FEET OF JESUS.

36. And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. 37. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,

We see in this woman the emblem of a true conversion. Grace attracts the most desperate sinners, for the encouragement of such souls as are most abandoned to sin, and to teach them not to despair of salvation. The first grace is, to know that there is a Saviour who waits for our repentance, and came for the sake of sinners. The second is, to seek him; which is done by prayer and by the desires, which are, as it were, the feet and wings of the heart. The third is, not to delay seeking him one moment. The fourth, to find him by faith. The fifth, to speak to God and Christ at first, no other way but by the motions of the heart. And the sixth,

to have an inward shame and confusion, which may make us despise all that to which we may be exposed in the sight of

men.

38. And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

The seventh grace is, to learn of this patient that the feet of Christ are the happy portion of a truly converted sinner. The eighth, not to be ashamed, in any place or on any occasion, to have recourse to the mercy of God, and to weep for our sins. The ninth is, to be convinced, that as we have spared nothing in the commission of sin, so we ought to spare nothing in making satisfaction to God. The tenth is, to be moved with compassion toward the poor, who are the feet of Christ, and to let them partake of the good things we have received from God. To kiss Christ's feet, is to serve and relieve the poor with respect and love, and with such a faith as causes us to discover and honour Jesus Christ in them. The eleventh grace is, to submit ourselves to his ministers, who are likewise his feet in another sense, because they bring peace and the grace of reconciliation to true penitents. The twelfth and last grace is, to make that useful and serviceable to charity which before served only to concupiscence.

39. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him; for she is a sinner.

It is one sign of pride to despise sinners, and to be unable to endure the goodness of God toward those whom he draws to himself. The proud person is at the same time cruel and unmerciful toward sinners, and irreligious toward God: he accuses him of not knowing sinners; and it is he himself who knows not his God, and removes still farther from him. I know thee, O Jesus, by thy love to sinners. Thou knowest them better than they know themselves. It is thou who drawest them to thyself, who inspirest them with confidence to approach thee, and who givest them a faith full of love, whereby they touch thee, and are reconciled to thee.

40. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

How lovely is this gentleness of Christ! How fine a pattern is it to imitate, when we would reclaim or instruct any one. Courteousness is so far from being contrary to holiness, that it is an effect of it. We do not become "barbarians in becoming Christians. We must learn to reconcile fidelity, in the performance of our duty, with that civility and obliging carriage which we owe our neighbour. We cannot possibly better requite hospitality, nor acknowledge our obligation to our neighbour in a better manner, than by giving him the wholesome advice whereof he stands in need, and assisting him in the attainment of salvation.

41. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most.

Miserable is he who loves not God, after having received from him many benefits, and the pardon of many sins! How much more does a Jew owe to God, who has wrought so many wonders for him, than a heathen, who has received nothing but the gifts of nature? But how much more, without comparison, does a Christian owe than a Jew, an orthodox person than a heretic, and a man particularly called to the service of God, than one abandoned to the torrent of the world? We always owe a vast debt to God, whether he shows his mercy either in pardoning our sins or in preventing them.

43. Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

The greatness of God's mercy toward us is the measure of our love toward him; but what possible return can we make for a mercy which is infinite, with a heart so small and narrow as our own? Our ignorance of what God has forgiven us, either in pardoning or preventing, and the knowledge we have of the corruption of our heart, are sufficient to convince us that we are those to whom he has forgiven most. There are two graces which are necessary above all others to a penitent: the first, to have a sight and sense of what he owes to God; the second, to judge rightly of it. Grant us, Lord, a third,