VER. 15— 17. ST. LUKE. 607
chancemarvelthatthePhariseeforutteringa few wordsin
hisown praiseiscondemned,whileJob,thoughhe poured
forthmany, is crowned,I answer,thatthe Phariseespoke
theseatthe same timethathe groundlesslyaccusedothers;
butJobwas compelledby an urgentnecessitytoenumerate
hisown virtuesforthe gloryof God, thatmen might not
fallawayfrom thepathofvirtue.
BBDE.Typically,the Phariseeisthe Jewishpeople,who
boastoftheirornamentsbecauseof therighteousnessofthe
law;butthePnblicanistheGentiles,who beingata distance
fromGod confesstheirsins. Of whom theone forhispride
returnedhumbled,the otherforhiscontritionwas thought
worthytodraw nearand be exalted.
15.And theybroughtunto Him alsoinfants,that
He wouldtouchthem : but when His disciplessaw it,
theyrebukedthem.
16.But Jesus calledthem unto Him, and said,
Sufferlittlechildrento come unto Me, and forbid
themnot: forofsuchisthekingdom ofGod.
17.VerilyI say unto you, Whosoever shallnot
receivethe kingdom ofGod asa littlechildshallin
nowiseentertherein.
THEOPHYL.Afterwhat He had said,ourLord teachesus
alessonof humilityby His own example;He doesnotturn
awaythelittlechildrenwho are broughttoHim, but gra
ciouslyreceivesthem. AUG. To whom aretheybroughtto
betouched,but totheSaviour? And as beingthe Saviour
theyarepresentedtoHim tobe saved,who came tosavethat
whichwas lost.But withregardto theseinnocents,when
weretheylost? The Apostlesays,By oneman sinenteredRom.5,
intotheworld. Let thenthelittlechildrencome asthesick '
toa physician,thelosttotheirRedeemer.
AMBROSE.It may be thoughtstrangeby some thatthe
discipleswishedtopreventthelittlechildrenfromcomingto
ourLord,as itissaid,when theysaw it,theyrebukedthem.
Butwe must understandin thiseithera mystery,or the
effectoftheirlovetoHim. Fortheydiditnotfromenvyor