Page:The pastor in his closet.djvu/40

 of Thy mysteries, not in word only, but in deed. Thou wantest not careless shepherds who sit at ease; the sheep are many and need the shepherd's care. “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;” therefore the few must labour with the greater zeal.

It is said of the men of the world that they “rise up early and late take rest” in their carefulness for perishing things; shall not the like be said of the men of God, Thy ministers, in their zeal for imperishable souls? In the sweat of my brow ought I to labour, yea, in the sweat of my heart, for I am an husbandman of souls, and of this harvest Angels shall be the reapers. That I may throughly do this work, I must gather up the fragments of time, that nothing be lost. Ease must be unknown to me, for what has the preacher of the Cross to do with ease! He who would effectually preach the Cross must wear it and be crucified himself.

And how many souls hast Thou given me, O Lord! even (here insert the number of parishioners). This is my charge, this number of immortal souls; and each one of all these souls has to be numbered among the Angels or the devils! How can I abide at home, or rest, or take my pleasure, with such a burden and such a charge