Hebrews was being read, my Brethren, ye heard, “Obey them that have the rule over you,
and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that
they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you.”2763 When do
we it with joy? When we see man making progress in the words of God. When does the la-
bourer in the field work with joy? When he looks at the tree, and sees the fruit; when he
looks at the crop, and sees the prospect of abundance of corn in the floor; when he sees that
he has not laboured in vain, has not bowed his back, and bruised his hands, and endured
the cold and heat in vain. This is what he says, “That they may do it with joy, and not with
grief; for that is unprofitable for you.” Did he say, “unprofitable for them”? No. He said,
“unprofitable for you.” For when those who are set over you are saddened at your evil deeds,
it is profitable for them; their very sadness is profitable for them; but it is unprofitable for
you. But we do not wish that anything should be profitable for us, which for you is unprof-
itable. Let us then, Brethren, do good together in the Lord’s field; that at the reward we may
rejoice together.
2763 Heb. xiii. 17.
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