Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/117

 wish to  say  to  you  at  present:  the  evil  conduct  of  such  a  person  is become  notorious. Very well;  whoever  of  you  is  without  sin,  let him cast  the  first  stone! If, before  God,  you  have  nothing,  perhaps more  criminal,  with  which  to  reproach  yourself  speak  with freedom; condemn,  in  the  severest  manner,  his  fault,  and  open upon him  the  whole  flood  of  your  derisions  and  censures:  it  is permitted  to  you. Ah! you, who  so  hardly  speak  of  it,  you  are more fortunate;  but  are  you  more  innocent  than  he? You are thought to  possess  more  virtue,  and  more  regard  for  your  duty; but God,  who  knoweth  you,  will  he  judge  like  men? Were the darkness which  conceals  your  shame  to  be  dissipated,  would  not every stone  you  throw  recoil  upon  yourselves? Were an  unexpected circumstance  to  betray  your  secret,  would  not  the  audacity and malicious  joy  with  which  you  censure,  add  additional  ridicule to your  confusion  and  disgrace? Ah! it is  only  to  artifices  and arrangements, which  the  justice  of  God  may  disconcert  and  lay open in  an  instant,  that  you  are  indebted  for  this  phantom  of  reputation on  which  you  pride  yourselves  so  much. You perhaps  border on  the  moment  which  shall  reveal  your  shame;  and,  far  from blushing in  secret  and  in  silence,  when  faults  like  your  own  are made known,  you  speak  of  and  relate  them  with  pleasure,  and  you furnish the  public  with  traits  which  one  day  it  will  employ  against yourself. It is  the  threat  and  prediction  of  our  Saviour:  "  All  they that  take  the  sword  shall  perish  with  the  sword." You pierce  your brother with  the  sword  of  the  tongue;  with  the  same  weapon  shall you be  pierced  in  your  turn;  and  though  you  were  even  exempted from the  vices  you  so  boldly  censure  in  others,  the  just  God  will deliver you  up  to  it.

Disgrace is  the  common  punishment  of  pride. Peter, on  the evening of  the  Lord's  supper,  never  ceased  to  exaggerate  the  guilt of the  disciple  by  whom  his  Master  was  to  be  betrayed. He was the most  anxious  of  them  all  to  know  his  name,  and  the  most  forward to  express  his  detestation  of  his  perfidy;  and,  immediately after, he  falls  himself  into  the  infidelity  which  he  had  so  lately blamed with  such  pride  and  confidence. Nothing draws  down upon us  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God  so  much  as  the  malicious pleasure with  which  we  magnify  the  faults  of  our  brethren;  and his mercy  is  incensed,  that  these  afflicting  examples,  which  he  permits for  the  sole  purpose  of  recalling  us  to  our  own  weaknesses and awakening  our  vigilance,  should  flatter  our  pride,  and  excite only our  derisions  and  censures.

You depart,  then,  from  the  rules  of  Christian  humility,  when you permit  yourselves  to  censure  the  faults,  however  public,  of your  brother;  but  you  likewise  essentially  wound  those  of  charity; for charity  never  faileth  says  the  apostle. Now, if  the  vices  of  your brother be  known  to  those  who  listen  to  you,  to  what  purpose, then, do  you  repeat  them  afresh? What, indeed,  can  be  your  intention? To blame  his  conduct? But, is  his  shame  not  already sufficient? Would you  wish  to  overwhelm  an  unfortunate  wretch, and give  the  last  stab  to  a  man  already  pierced  with  a  thousand