Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

CHAPTER XXI. 329
ment, in which God does not shower down his gifts
upon usj and require the fruit of them. The church
has been persecuted in all ages, under the law and
under the gospel, under the prophets and under Jesus
Christ ; and the greatest share of persecution has
still fallen on the ministers of it. There have been
always good and bad husbandmen ; and the former
have still been ill used by the latter. How happy
is the lot of those, who have faith enough to choose
rather to suffer in serving the church, than to enjoy
worldly peace by delining the service of it !
" 37. But last of all he sent unto them his son,
saying. They will reverence my son."
The Son of God incarnate, by his word, his ex-
ample, his mysteries, and his ministers, demands the
fruit of those graces which God has betowed on
mankind. Neither the infidelity of the Jews, nor
their abuse of God's benefits, could put a stop to his
goodness, or hinder him from sending his Son into
the world. My God, how far from this spirit are
the children of Adam ! The least trifle is enough
to raise their resentment, and to stifle their good-will.
" 38. But when the husbandmen saw the son,
they said among themselves, This is the heir; come,
let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance/'
The sinner, to enjoy the miserable peace of his
sin, would destroy both Christ and his gospel, if it
were in his power. To conspire against the church
and its doctrine, as heretics do, is to conspire against
Jesus Christ. We put him to death in every one
of his members, which, by the poison of bad doc-
trine, example, or conduct, we rob of the life of faith
and grace; or deprive of the food of prayer, of the
word, and of the body and blood of Christ.