Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

CHAPTER IX, 141
the proofs of it evidently appear. He works none
but salutary and beneficial miracles, because his
ministry is a ministry of salvation. Bodily cures
foretell that of the soul ;
and are instrumental there-
to, because God makes them so.
" 36. f But when he saw the multitudes, he
was moved with compassion on them, because they
fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having
no shepherd."
Here is the pattern of a pastor who is indefati-
gable, and full of compassion for sinners. Let us
view here the shadow of what we should be without
the divine Shepherd of our souls ; and let us never
grow weary of praising God for having bestowed
him upon us. Without him there is nothing but
fainting and wandering.
" 37. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest
truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few :"
There is extreme want of labourers in the church.
There are abundance who bear this character, but
few who really work ; and a great many who work
in the Lord's name, but very few whom he will own
for his ministers. Christ, by declaring the needs
of the church, invites to labour all ecclesiastical per-
sons who either live in idleness, or employ them-
selves about something quite different from that
which they ought to do. If the wants of Europe
are great, how much more those of other countries,
where several provinces have only one minister f
The place of the harvest is the whole earth. It
signifies but little where a man works, provided it
be by the appointment, in the Spirit, and with the
blessing of God.