Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

406 ST. MATTHEW.
How severely shall they be punished who take
away the goods of others, when those are punished
after this manner who only refuse to give what is
their own ! It is not out of indigence or inability
that Christ suffers hunger in his members, but out
of mercy, and to give us an opportunity of making
some amends for our sins by our alms. In vain do
we flatter ourselves, that we should have fed Jesus
Christ whilst he was on earth, if we show ourselves
hard-hearted towards his suffering members.
" 43. I was a stranger, and ye took me not in
naked, and ye clothed me not : sick, and in prison,
and ye visited me not."
Who amongst us would not run to prisons and
hospitals, if an apostle assured us that Jesus Christ
was there, and stood in need of us? Christ himself
tells us so, and we turn a deaf ear to him. If our
conscience reproach us on this account, let us humble
ourselves and amend. Christ now speaks this to us
in his word, and out of mercy applies himself to our
hearts, that he may not have occasion to speak it
hereafter publicly in his anger at the great day.
" 44. Then shall they also answer him, saying.
Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or
a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did
not minister unto thee?"
It is want of faith which produces hard-hearted-
ness towards the poor. The carnal man has only
eyes of flesh and blood ; he will not believe what he
does not see. We find but too many who put on
an affected incredulity when we give them an ac-
count of the misery and wants of the poor, who seek
vain pretences to excuse themselves from assisting