Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/106

 the mask  of  esteem,  and  the  flattering  expressions  of  friendship,  to conceal  the  keen  invectives  of  slander.

Now, although  this  be,  perhaps,  the  only  vice  which  no  circumstance can  palliate,  it  is  the  one  we  are  most  ingenious  in  concealing from  ourselves,  and  to  which  piety  and  the  world  at  present show the  greatest  indulgence. Not that  the  character  of  a  slanderer is  not  equally  odious  to  men,  as,  according  to  the  expression of the  Holy  Spirit,  it  is  abominable  in  the  sight  of  God;  but  in that  number  they  comprise  only  particular  defamers,  of  blacker  and more avowed  malignity,  who  deal  their  blows  indiscriminately,  and without art;  and  who,  with  sufficient  malice  to  censure,  are  destitute of  the  wit  necessary  to  please. Now, the  defamers  of  that description are  more  rare;  and  had  we  only  them  to  address  ourselves to,  it  would  be  sufficient  at  present  to  point  out,  how  much unworthy of  reason  and  religion  this  vice  is,  to  inspire  with  a  just detestation of  it  those  who  feel  themselves  guilty.

But there  is  another  description  of  slanderers  who  condemn  the vice, yet  allow  themselves  the  practice  of  it;  who,  without  regard, defame their  brethren,  yet  applaud  themselves  for  circumspection and moderation;  who  carry  the  sting  to  the  heart,  but,  because  it is  more  brilliant  and  piercing,  perceive  not  the  wound  it  has  made. Now, defamers  of  this  character  are  every  where  to  be  found:  the world is  filled  with  them;  even  the  holy  asylums  are  not  free:  this vice is  the  bond  of  union  to  the  assemblies  of  sinners;  it  often  finds its way  even  into  the  society  of  the  just;  and  we  may  safely  say, that all  are  tainted  with  it;  and  there  is  not  one  who  has  preserved his tongue  pure,  and  his  lips  undefiled.

It is  proper,  then,  my  brethren,  to  expose  at  present  the  illusion of the  pretexts  made  use  of  every  day  in  the  world,  in  justification of this  vice,  and  to  attack  it  in  the  circumstances  where  you  believe it most  innocent;  for,  were  T  to  describe  it  to  you,  in  general,  with all its  meanness,  cruelty,  and  irreparability,  you  would  no  longer apply it  to  yourselves;  and,  far  from  inspiring  you  with  horror  at it,  I  should  be  accessary  toward  your  persuasion  that  you  are  free from its  guilt.

Now, what  are  the  pretexts,  which,  in  your  eyes,  soften  or  justify the  vice  of  evil-speaking? In the  first  place,  it  is  the  lightness of  the  faults  you  censure:  we  persuade  ourselves,  that  as  it  is not  a  matter  of  culpability,  there  cannot  likewise  be  much  harm  in censuring  it. Secondly, it  is  the  public  notoriety,  by  which,  those to whom  we  speak  being  already  informed  of  what  is  reprehensible in our  brother,  no  loss  of  reputation  can  be  the  consequence  of  our discourses. Lastly, zeal  for  truth  and  the  glory  of  God,  which does not  permit  us  to  be  silent  on  those  disorders  which  dishonour him. Now, to  these  three  pretexts,  let  us  oppose  three  incontrovertible truths. To the  pretext  of  the  lightness  of  the  faults;  that the more  the  faults  which  you  censure  are  light,  the  more  is  the slander unjust: — first  truth. To the  pretext  of  the  public  notoriety;  that  the  more  the  faults  of  our  brethren  are  known,  the  more cruel is  the  slander  which  censures  them: — second  truth. To the