[1] Upon one occasion, like the prophet Jeremiah, I visited the
potter's house. I admired the ingenuity and the beauty of
his work on the wheels. But after a little while, I found
there was really no reliance to be put on the results of
his labour and ingenuity. When put into the furnace, some
of the vessels were marred and rendered good for nothing;
they cracked and went to pieces. Did not the potter shape
them aright? Did he not make them of the same clay? Did he
not take the same pains with them? Then what was the
defect? They would not stand fire.--_Irons._
[2] H. E. I., 116-142.