Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

158 I
ST. MATTHEW.
education, an irregular love, and a cruel indulgence,
he leaves hira to take a wrong bias, instructs him not
in his duty, and puts ambition into his head. The
son is the father's enemy, when he is the occasion
of his doing injustice, in order to heap up an estate
for him, and to make his fortune. The mother is
the daughter'^s enemy, when she instructs her to
please the world, breeds her up in excess and vanity,
and suffers any thing scandalous and unseemly in her
dress. The daughter is the mother's, when she
becomes her idol, when she engages her to comply
with her own irregular inclinations, and to permit her
to frequent plays and balls. The master is the
enemy of his servant, and the servant that of his
master, when the one takes no care of the other's
salvation, and the other is subservient to his master's
passions.
Sect. VII. The predominant Love, Contempt
of Life,
" 37. He that loveth father or mother more than
me, is not worthy of me ; and he that loveth son or
daughter more than me, is not worthy of me."
He who loves not Christ above all things is not
worthy to have him for his Head. The life and the
works are the things which show plainly, which of
all these affections reigns in the heart. He whom
we love the most, is he whom we study most to
please, and whose will and interests we most com-
monly prefer. Let us judge ourselves by this rule.
He who is not worthy of Christ, that is, to be a
Christian and member of Christ, is unworthy of any
thing but hell. A soul, raised above all earthly
things, is that which is worthy of Jesus Christ.