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The Gospel of Jesus Christ According to St.
Matthew Pasquier
Quesnel Translated
by the Rev. Daniel Wilson, D.D., Vicar of Islington and now Bishop of Chapter XI Sect. I. John The Baptist Sends His Disciples
To Christ. 1. AND it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. Nothing persuades more, than for a man to
put in practice himself the instructions which he gives to others. There is
no empty space in a pastor’s life. A good bishop is continually employed,
either in forming and instructing subordinate ministers, or in teaching and
labouring in the place of his residence, and his visitations. 2. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, A prisoner of Jesus Christ employs his
thoughts less about his own condition and danger, than about the interests of
his Master, and the salvation of those whom he has committed to his care. His
consolation is, to entertain and fill his mind, not with the world, and with
what passes therein, but with Christ, with his life, his works, his kingdom,
and his church. To feed prisoners is a good work; but how much more so is it
to show them the true Deliverer, the wonderful works of the mystery of
redemption, what it is wherein their true captivity does consist, and what
use they ought to make of the confinement of the body toward the deliverance
of the soul. A director (of the conscience) should always send his disciples
to Christ, and teach them to have regard to him in every thing. 3. And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? There is a kind of holy address belonging
to the pastoral charity and humility, which consists in knowing how to become
weak with the weak; in hiding our knowledge like St. John, when the good of
souls requires it; and in choosing rather that God should make himself known
by himself, than by our ministry. He
who really loves the majesty of God, loves also his own abasement. Yes, Lord,
thou art he who shouldst come to heal, to sanctify,
and to save me. Perform thy work in me; for I look not for another: and thou
alone art my light, my strength, and my salvation. 4. Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: Christ would have men judge of him and of
others only by works. One secret in the art of guiding souls is, to manage
the tenderness of the weak, and to instruct them by seeming to instruct
others. Even Christ, when asked concerning his mission, makes the proof of it
evidently appear in his miracles, which had been foretold; and now, persons
without piety, without mission, without authority, without succession, would
oblige us to believe them upon their bare word. St. John points out the
prophecies; Jesus Christ shows the completion of them in himself. 5. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. Cause, my God, blind sinners to (see and)
know thy truth, and the way of salvation; make them walk therein with a
steady, even, and constant pace; let them be cleansed from the corruption of
their heart; let them hear thy word with joy and with advantage; let them, as
persons raised from the dead, live the new life of Christ; and let the most
poor and miserable receive, love, and observe the gospel. Christ re quires a
heart which is poor, void of itself, and convinced of its own indigence,
unworthiness, inability, and misery. Make my heart, Jesus, thus poor, that it
may be enriched and satisfied with the sacred truths of thy gospel. 6. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. He who reads or hears the word of God, and
does not practise it, takes from thence an occasion of falling, and is
offended at it. As Christ condemns the life and maxims of the world by his
own; so the world condemns the life and maxims of Christ by those which it
prefers before them; and this is to be offended or scandalized at them. If we
be not as yet strong enough to enter into the ways of the gospel; at least
let us esteem them, and not entertain any prejudice against them. A man is
offended in Christ, when he does not follow him; how much more then, when he
diverts others from the paths of piety and perfection, in softening the
gospel by a loose morality? To design to amend the gospel,
is to blame and condemn it. Sect. II. The Eulogy Of St. John. 7. And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? One ought to avoid praising teachers, and
(spiritual) directors, in the presence of those who esteem it an honour to be
under them. Though the praise might not all exalt the disciple, yet it may
reach even the master, and either tempt or corrupt him. Jesus Christ is not a
false friend, who dares not declare for him who is in disgrace; on the
contrary, he has spoke of and for St, John only since his imprisonment. When
the world persecutes good men, then is the time for
those who belong to God, with prudence to imitate Christ in relation to them.
The first virtue of which Christ takes notice in St.
John, is his steadfastness; and it is not without some mystery that he
commends this virtue before all others in this minister of his word. 8. But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in king’s houses. The second is his mortified life, which
gives authority to his preaching. A preacher should have nothing which
worldly, or which borders upon excess and softness. That man is mistaken, who
thinks to prevail upon the world by conforming himself to its fashions and
manners; the world will much sooner entirely corrupt the heart which opens
itself thereto. Would to God, that in this age luxury and softness were to be
seen only in kings houses! It is a greater
misfortune than we imagine, to see these vices
overflow all ranks and conditions of men, even those of the most moderate for
tune; this is what draws down the judgments of God upon us. 9. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you. and more than a prophet. The third advantage of St. John is his
gift of prophecy, whereby he discovers Christ. This is indeed to be “more
than a prophet,” for a man to point out the Saviour and sacrifice of the
world, and to foreshow him by his retirement, his mortification, his
preaching, and his faithfulness, so great, as even to die for the sake of
truth. Preachers ought to imitate him, and to be in some measure more than
prophets in this respect. 10. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger* before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. (*Fr. Angel.) The fourth advantage of St. John is his
office of being the harbinger of the Son of God. His mission is authorized by
the Scriptures, not by miracles, because it is not extraordinary. A man
should be an angel in purity, in knowledge, in zeal, and in activity, to
prepare the way for Christ in the soul, as it is the duty of pastors to do. 11. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding, he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. The fifth advantage of this holy
forerunner is his excellence beyond the other prophets, on the account both
of his knowledge and the sanctity of his life. The latter, not the former,
renders a man great in the sight of God. The way to be exalted in heaven
above others, is to humble ourselves on earth below all. The greatest without
comparison among all, is he who made himself the least of all, in stooping so
low as to resemble sinners, and to become the Lamb or Sacrifice for sin. 12. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. The sixth advantage of John the Baptist is
to have set up the standard of repentance, which is the way to heaven. Heaven
is not to be taken but by the violence which a man does to his inclinations.
All right to eternal happiness is lost in Adam. It is not due to any one;
this evangelical violence is that which carries it as by conquest. Happy
those holy bands of penitents, those violent persons of the gospel, who, as
it were, take heaven by the force of their prayers, their obedience, their
humility, etc. But wo unto the men of this world,
who know not what it is to deprive themselves of any thing, or to do the
least violence to themselves in order to their own salvation! 13. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. The seventh advantage of St. John is his
having first showed Jesus Christ present; whereas the state of the law was no
more than a state prophetic of his coming, in which his mysteries were
represented and typified; the prophets having only foretold the Saviour to
come, and the true righteousness which he should bring into the world. Let us
praise God that we live now, after that all has been unfolded, that truth has
succeeded figures, that the promises have their effect, that the prophecies
are fulfilled, that Jesus is given, and that he has wrought the salvation of
men! 14. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. The last advantage which Christ would have
us observe in St. John, is his having been an Elias
by his office, his zeal, and his fidelity. He did that at the first coming of
Christ, which Elias (perhaps) will do at the second. Pastors should do the
same in proportion, in order to the coming of Christ into the soul, by their
faithfulness in making him known, by their zeal, their mortification, and
their constancy. This is what few are willing to comprehend. Give us, Lord,
some Johns and Eliases, who may both understand and
do for souls that which thou requirest of them! 15. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Happy he, who has the ears of the heart;
for they are not given to all. This is a gift which we must often beg. We
frequently lose our time in desiring and expecting an Elias, a good director
(of the conscience) to assist our endeavours after perfection or salvation;
whereas a good will, and the ears of the heart, are the things which are wanting, and for which we should earnestly pray. Sect. III. Both Jesus And John Rejected Of
The Jews. 16. But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 17. And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. The wicked person, by his malice, makes
all which God has done for his salvation become fruitless. Nothing but
charity can make it beneficial. There are some, to whom every thing is useful
in leading them to God; others, to whom nothing is sufficient. To these, the
easy and less austere ways seem too remiss; and yet a more rigorous and
severe kind of life quite disheartens them. The defect is in the heart, and
not in the means. Every thing is good to a good heart; every thing is hurtful
to a corrupt one. 18. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The sinner will not be persuaded, that
what he has no mind to imitate can come from God. There are such violent
aversions in some persons, as to make them rather blame even virtue itself,
than esteem it in those whom they do not love. This vice has several degrees;
let us take care that there be no degree of it in ourselves.
Men sometimes affect to appear wise and prudent in condemning those ways
which seem too austere. Pride, envy, and vanity, are the sources of these
false and rash judgments. 19. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. Whatever measures good men take, they will
never escape the censures of the world; the best way is not to be concerned
at them. Iniquity, being always ready to oppose and contradict the divine
conduct, often contradicts itself. God still finds his glory, not only in the
faithfulness of the righteous, but even in the hardness of the wicked,
bringing good out of evil itself. Wisdom, which does all for the sake of the
elect, knows thereby how to find the justification of her different ways in
their salvation, to which she makes every thing subservient. We discover in
all things sufficient cause to adore the wisdom and goodness of God, when we
are of the number of the true children of this incarnate Wisdom. Sect. IV. The Impenitent Cities Worse Than
Sodom. 20. Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Happy he, who, by a speedy conversion and
a true repentance, prevents the reproaches which his conscience would
otherwise cast upon him at the hour of death. The more effects of his power
God has employed to draw us to himself, the more
inexcusable are we. We cannot complain that we have seen no miracles, since
all those of our Creator are ex posed to the eyes of our mind and of our
body, and all those of our Saviour to the eyes of our faith. Let us take to
our selves these reproaches of our Lord, since his miracles also are designed
for us. 21. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. An impenitent Christian is worse than a
Pagan; and his heart is more insensible to the divine word and to miracles
than an infidel’s. Let us adore the judgments of God in the distribution of
his gracious dispensations, without desiring to pry into the reasons of them;
and let us not cease to thank him, that his great goodness to us has suffered
no obstruction from our extreme ingratitude. 22. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. How terrible are God’s judgments on the
impenitent! Every thing will help to overwhelm them at the tribunal of God;
the benefits and favours which they have received, as well as the sins which
they have committed. The divine mercies, which the sinner now buries in
oblivion, shall be then rendered present to his mind, in order to his
confusion and condemnation. Let us prevent this misfortune. 23. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. The proud, who of all sinners are the most
difficult to be converted, shall likewise be the most humbled. Pride is a
vice, which, instead of diminishing, increases with time. Ye great men of the
world, ye rich men of the earth, who think of nothing but how to advance
yourselves, and who are never satisfied with wealth, honours, and preferments, read here the sentence of your condemnation
if you continue impenitent. Pride hardens the heart even more than the
greatest sins of impurity. There is nothing more opposite to the Christian
religion, the whole design of which is to make us humble. Every man has some
degree of pride, and therefore ought to examine the progress or decrease of
it. 24. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. There is a difference and inequality of
pains in hell, answer able to that of sins. The contempt and abuse of preaching,
and of the word of God, will be there dreadfully punished. Men glory in
having holy preachers; and it is this very thing which brings a severer
judgment upon those who continue in impenitence. Lord, humble us at present,
rather than reserve us for the eternal humiliation of the reprobate! Sect. V. The Wise Blinded, The Simple
Enlightened. 25. At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Ye wise men of the world, who are prudent
in your own sight, fear lest you should be left to your own darkness in the
business of salvation, while the humble shall walk by the divine light. Let
us dread, but not endeavour to fathom the judgments of God, which are just,
terrible, and unsearchable. It was one of the employments of Christ on earth
to adore them, and glorify his Father for them; it ought likewise to be the
employment of Christians. They have a beauty, which we shall never fully
discover but in heaven. The full sight of God’s mercies toward his elect, of
their preference, distinction, and separation from the corrupt mass, deserves
the praise and acknowledgment even of Christ’s heart; and this heart alone is
worthy to know them perfectly, because to him they are given by his Father.
Simplicity and humility are their distinguishing character. My God and my
Saviour imprint on my heart this amiable character, which is the mark of thy
elect. 26. Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. Let us with fear and trembling adore the
conduct of God in the disposal of his creatures, and the distribution of his
favours. The knowledge of the mysteries of religion and divine truths ought
not to puff up any one, because it is a gift altogether free, and which
proceeds purely from the will of God. He is master of his own gifts, but he
divides them by a will full of wisdom, and upon motives which are in himself,
not in us, and which tend to the manifestation of his great ness and power,
of his mercy and justice. 27. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. This is a great truth, and the key of the
science of salvation. Christ is the sovereign dispenser of this, and the Lord
of all things, by the donation of his Father. All the springs, and the whole
dispensation of the divine favours, are in the hand of Christ, as priest and
sacrifice of God, as Saviour and mediator, head and pattern, pastor and
sovereign judge of men. There is no knowledge, no belief of the mystery of
the most Holy Trinity, but what is a gift of God by Jesus Christ, and
according to his will. How lovely is this dependence! Jesus, I accept it with
joy, I desire to depend on thee. Make me know the Father; make thyself known to me; but let the love in me be yet greater
than the knowledge. Sect. VI. The Easy Yoke. 28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Our only remedy is to have recourse to
Christ, under our troubles and afflictions, after our miscarriages, in our
temptations, and in our inability to do good. How
sweet is it to have our dependence on a God who comes to meet us, in order to
solicit us to come to him! Sinners, wearied in the ways of iniquity, throw
yourselves into the bosom of this amiable Shepherd, who while on earth took
so much pains to seek you, and to bring you back to
his fold. Penitents, humbled under the weight of your crimes, unite
yourselves to this sanctifying Victim, who bore your sins on the cross.
Christians, over burdened with the multitude of your defects, arid with the
greatness of your duties, lift up yourselves to this eternal High-Priest, who
is at the right-hand of God his Father, and presents himself continually
before his face in your behalf. Jesus excepts none:
all are invited and urged to go to him. But in order to do so, he must speak
to the heart, and say, “Come unto me,” in such a manner as to make it hear,
and to attract it. No man goes to Christ without receiving rest. He himself
promises it, and shall we not believe it? I would fain come to thee, Lord;
but as thou givest me the will, be thou also my
guide, my light, and my strength, to conduct me to thyself. 29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Strange paradox! that
a man already weary and over loaded, must take a new weight upon him, in
order to be eased, and to find rest! But Christ’s yoke eases those whom
charity inclines to bear it. Jesus Christ is the sole teacher of humility.
There is no rest, but only for the humble in heart. Pride is the source of a
thousand disquiets. It is not sufficient to go to Christ by faith; we must
take upon us the yoke of his law and gospel, that we may conform
our lives thereto, and study his dispositions and behaviour, that we may be
capable of imitating them. In the schools of the world, some study
philosophy, others physic, law, etc. In the school of Christ, every one must
study meekness and humility; for to these two the whole science of
Christianity may be reduced. Meekness of charity: calm and sedate in the midst
of wrongs, injuries, affronts, persecutions, without envy, without revenge.
Humility of heart: remote from all inordinate and worldly desires by which
pride is nourished, ascribing nothing to itself, and desiring nothing, ready
to part with all things, to be placed below all men, to remain in silence and
oblivion. Lord, vouchsafe to teach us this science, writing it in our hearts
by thy love! 30. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. How easy and sweet is it, to serve Christ,
even in bearing his cross! How hard and painful is the slavery of the world,
of sin, and of our own passions, even with all their false pleasures! That
satisfaction, peace, and comfort which grace gives here below, and that which
hope encourages us to expect in heaven, make a
Christian full amends for all his pains in subduing his passions, and in
opposing the world. A yoke which Christ takes together with us, can that be
uneasy? A burden which he bears in us by his Spirit, can that be heavy? Come,
taste and know by experience how sweet the Lord is, and how worthy his yoke
is to be chosen and loved! |
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