Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

142 ST. MATTHEW.
" 38. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest,
that he will send forth labourers into his harvest."
It is for God to send them, and for us to pray to
him to do it. Jesus Christ requires for labourers,
not such as confer upon themselves a mission, but
who receive it from God : not such as by intrigues
and human solicitations assume the office, but such
as are the fruit of the church's prayers : not such as
enter into the harvest, to make themselves the lords
of it, but who labour only for the profit of the Lord
of the harvest : not such as in the repose of an idle
life, enjoy the honour and temporal advantages of the
ministry, but such as work hard, like daily labourers.
We do not sufficiently comprehend how much it is
our duty and interest to pray for the obtaining good
bishops, good curates, holy preachers, full of zeal,
knowledge, and disinterestedness. Let us not read
this, without doing it with all the fervency of our
faith.
CHAPTER X.
THE INSTRUCTION OF THE APOSTLES.
Sect. L— Their Na?nes.
" L And when he had called unto him his twelve
disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits,
to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness,
and all manner of disease."
To call persons to the ecclesiastical ministry, be-
longs only to Him who can give power over the un-
clean spirit of sin, and over the diseases of the soul.