Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

CHAPTER XXII. 335
God's patience is not wearied by the denial and
resistance of man's heart. He seems as earnestly
desirous of uniting it to himself, as if some great
advantage would accrue to him thereby; whereas in
truth he finds nothing in it but poverty, misery, and
corruption ; and, on the contrary, the lieart finds in
him, wisdom, holiness, greatness, riches, and all things
which make a perfect, infinite, and incomprehensible
felicity. Jesus Christ is himself the true victim of
God, slain for us, to which we are invited, and of
which we ought to partake, the sacrifice of the Chris-
tian covenant, and the marriage-feast and banquet:
and it is by eating of it that this union is completed;
here under the veil of the sacrament, but in heaven
openly and without any veil.
" 5. But they made light of it, and went their
ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise
6. And the remnant took his servants, and entreated
them spitefully, and slew them."
There are three sorts of states, wherein men run
the risk of living in a continual forgetfulness and
neglect of salvation. The first, is that of a soft, idle,
and voluDtuous life, wherein a man thinks of nothing,
but quietly to enjoy life, health, riches, conveniences,
good cheer, public diversions, and private pleasures.
This is the life of a man of fortune and pleasure.
The second state of life, is that of a man entirely
taken up with worldly business, merchandise, the
public revenues, or any gainful employment, in which
the love of riches, and application to the means of
acquiring them, generally stifle all thoughts of sal-
vation, and engross all that time which should be set
apart for the prosecution of it. The third state, is