Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/112

 Lastly. The vices  which  you  censure  are  light;  but  do  you  add nothing of  your  own  to  them? Do you  faithfully  exhibit  them  as they  are? In their  relation,  do  you  never  mingle  the  malignity  of your  own  conjectures? Do you  not  place  them  in  a  point  of  view different from  their  natural  state? Do you  not  embellish  your tale? And, in  order  to  make  the  hero  of  your  ridicule  agreeable,  do you  not  fashion  him  to  the  wish  of  the  company,  and  not  such  as in  reality  he  is? Do you  never  accompany  your  speeches  with  certain gestures,  which  allow  all  to  be  understood;  with  certain  expressions which  open  the  minds  of  your  hearers  to  a  thousand  suspicions equally  rash  as  dishonourable? Even with  a  certain  silence, which permits  more  to  be  imagined  than  any  thing  you  could  have possibly said? For, how  difficult  is  it  to  confine  ourselves  to  the bounds of  truth  when  we  are  no  longer  within  those  of  charity! The more  what  we  censure  is  light,  the  more  is  calumny  to  be  dreaded;  we  must  embellish,  to  attract  attention;  and  we  become  calumniators, where  we  did  not  suppose  ourselves  even  censurers.

Behold the  circumstances  which  regard  you;  but  if,  on  their  account, the  slanders  which  you  think  light,  be  highly  criminal, will they  be  less  so  with  respect  to  the  individuals  whom  they attack?

In the  first  place,  it  is  a  person,  perhaps  of  a  sex,  to  whom,  especially on  certain  points,  the  slightest  stains  are  important;  to whom  it  is  a  dishonour  to  be  publicly  spoken  of;  to  whom  raillery becomes an  insult,  and  every  suspicion  an  accusation;  in  a  word,  a person,  whom  not  to  praise,  becomes  an  outrage  and  a  disgrace to their  station. Thus St.  Paul  would  have  every  woman  to  be adorned  with  bashfulness  and  modesty;  that  is  to  say,  he  would wish those  virtues  to  be  as  conspicuous  in  them  as  the  ornaments with which  they  are  covered;  and  the  highest  eulogy  which  the Holy Spirit  makes  on  Judith,  after  speaking  of  her  beauty,  youth, and great  wealth,  is,  that  in  all  Israel  not  a  person  was  to  be  found who had  aspersed  her  conduct,  and  that  her  reputation  corresponded with her  virtue.

Secondly. Your censures  are  perhaps  pointed  toward  your  superiors;  or  against  those  whom  Providence  has  established  above  you, and to  whom  the  law  of  God  commands  you  to  render  that  respect and submission  to  which  they  are  entitled. For the  pride  which hates inferiority,  always  recompenses  itself  by  finding  out  weaknesses and  foibles  in  those  to  whom  it  is  under  the  necessity  of yielding  obedience;  the  more  they  are  exalted,  the  more  they  are exposed to  our  censures. Malignity is  even  more  quick-sighted  in regard  to  their  errors;  nothing  in  their  actions  is  pardoned;  the very persons  most  loaded  with  their  kindnesses,  or  most  honoured by their  familiarity,  are  frequently  those  who  most  openly  publish their imperfections  and  vices;  and  besides  violating  the  sacred  duty of respect,  they  likewise  render  themselves  guilty  of  the  mean  and shameful crime  of  ingratitude.

Thirdly. It is  a  person,  perhaps  consecrated  to  God,  and  established in  the  church,  whom  you  censure;  who,  engaged  by  the