Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/110

 source, and  examine  if  it  is  not  some  secret  root  of  bitterness  in your  heart? And can  you  pretend  to  justify,  by  the  innocency  of the  intention,  discourses  which  flow  from  so  corrupted  a  principle? You maintain  that  it  is  neither  from  hatred  nor  jealousy  against  your brother: I  wish  to  believe  it;  but  in  your  sarcasms,  may  there  not be motives,  perhaps,  still  more  shameful  and  mean? Is it not  your  wish  to  render  yourself  agreeable,  by  turning  your  brother into an  object  of  contempt  and  ridicule? Do you  not  sacrifice  his character to  your  fortune? Courts are  always  so  filled  with  these adulatory and  sordidly  interested  satires  on  each  other! The great are to  be  pitied  whenever  they  yield  themselves  up  to  unwarrantable aversions. Vices are  soon  found  out,  even  in  that  virtue  itself which displeases  them.

But, after  all,  you  do  not  feel  yourselves  guilty,  you  say,  of  all these vile  motives;  and  that  it  is  merely  through  indiscretion,  and levity of  speech,  if  it  sometimes  happen  that  you  defame  your  brethren. But is  it  by  that  you  can  suppose  yourself  more  innocent? Levity and  indiscretion! that vice,  so  unworthy  of  the  gravity  of  a Christian,  so  distant  from  the  seriousness  and  solidity  of  faith,  and so often  condemned  in  the  gospel,  can  it  justify  another  vice? \ What  matters  it  to  the  brother  whom  you  stab,  whether  it  be  done -^ y  through  indiscretion  or  malice? Does an  arrow,  unwittingly  drawn, / make  a  less  dangerous  or  slighter  wound  than  if  sent  on  purpose? Is the  deadly  blow  which  you  give  to  your  brother,  more  slight, because it  was  lanced  through  imprudence  and  levity? And what signifies the  innocency  of  the  intention,  when  the  action  is  a  crime? But, besides,  is  there  no  criminality  in  indiscretion,  with  regard  to the reputation  of  your  brethren? In any  case  whatever,  can  more circumspection and  prudence  be  required? Are not  all  the  duties of Christianity  comprised  in  that  of  charity? Does not  all  religion, as I  may  say,  consist  in  that? And to  be  incapable  of  attention  and care, in  a  point  so  highly  essential,  is  it  not  considering,  as  it  were, all the  rest  as  a  sport? Ah! it is  here  he  ought  to  put  a  guard  of circumspection  on  his  tongue,  weigh  every  word,  put  them  together in his  heart,  says  the  sage  Ecclesiasticus,  and  let  them  ripen  in  his mouth. Do any  of  these  inconsiderate  speeches  ever  escape  you, against yourself? Do you  ever  fail  in  attention  to  what  interests your honour  or  glory? What indefatigable  cares! what exertions and industry,  to  make  them  prosper! To what  lengths  we  see  you go, to  increase  your  interest  or  improve  your  fortune! If it  ever happen that  you  take  blame  to  yourself,  it  is  always  under  circumstances which  tend  to  your  praise:  you  censure  in  yourself  only faults which  do  you  honour;  and,  in  confessing  your  vices,  you  wish only to  recapitulate  your  virtues:  self-love  connects  every  thing  with yourself. Love your  brother  as  you  love  yourself,  and  every  thing will recall  you  to  him;  you  will  be  incapable  of  indiscretion,  where his interest  is  concerned,  and  will  no  longer  need  our  instructions, in respect  to  what  you  owe  to  his  character  and  glory.

But if  these  slanders,  which  you  call  trivial,  be  criminal  in  their motives, they  are  not  less  so  in  their  circumstances.