Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/139

 now almost  destined  to  alarm  the  timidity  of  merely  the  common people; — these grand  objects  are  become  like  vulgar  paintings, which we  dare  no  longer  expose  to  the  false  delicacy  of  the  great and connoisseurs  of  the  world:  and  the  only  fruit  we  generally  reap from this  sort  of  discourses,  is,  to  make  it  be  inquired,  perhaps, after quitting  them,  whether  every  thing  shall  take  place  as  we have  said.

For, my  brethren,  we  live  in  times  in  which  the  faith  of  many  has been wrecked;  in  which  a  wretched  philosophy,  like  a  mortal  venom, spreads in  secret,  and  undertakes  to  justify  abominations  and  vices, against the  belief  of  future  punishment  and  rewards. This evil  has passed from  the  palaces  of  the  great  even  to  the  people,  and  every where the  piety  of  the  just  is  insulted  by  the  discourses  of  irreligion and the  maxims  of  freethinking.

And, certainly,  I  am  not  surprised  that  dissolute  men  should doubt of  a  future  state,  and  endeavour  to  combat  or  weaken  a truth  so  capable  of  disturbing  their  criminal  sensualities. It is horrible  to  look  forward  to  everlasting  misery. The world  has  no pleasure  which  can  endure  a  thought  so  shocking;  consequently,  it has  always  endeavoured  to  efface  it  from  the  heart  and  mind  of man. It well  knows,  that  the  belief  of  a  future  state  is  a  troublesome check  on  the  human  passions,  and  that  it  will  never  succeed in making  tranquil  and  resolute  libertines,  without  having  first  made unbelievers.

Let us  deprive,  then,  the  corruption  of  the  human  heart  of  so wretched  and  weak  a  support:  let  us  prove  to  dissolute  souls  that they shall  survive  their  debaucheries;  that  all  dies  not  with  the body; that  this  life  shall  finish  their  crimes,  but  not  their  misery; and, more  completely  to*  confound  impiety,  let  us  attack  it  in  the vain pretexts  on  which  it  depends.

First. Who knows,  say  the  impious,  that  all  dies  not  with  us? Is that other  life,  of  which  we  are  told,  quite  certain? Who has  ever returned to  inform  us  of  it?

Secondly. Is it  worthy  of  the  majesty  of  God,  say  they  again,  to demean  himself  by  any  attention  to  what  passes  among  men? What matters  it  to  him,  that  worms  of  the  earth,  like  us,  murder, deceive, and  tear  each  other,  live  in  luxury  or  in  temperance? Is it not  presumptuous  in  any  man  to  suppose  that  an  Almighty  God is occupied  with  him?

Lastly. What likelihood,  add  they,  that  God,  having  made  man such as  he  is,  will  punish,  as  crimes,  inherent  inclinations  to  pleasure which  nature  has  given  us. Behold the  philosophy  of  the  voluptuary; the  uncertainty  of  a  future  state;  the  majesty  of  God, which a  vile  creature  cannot  offend;  and  the  weakness  of  man, which, being  born  with  him,  he  would  be  unjust  of  it  to  constitute a crime.

Let us  then  prove,  in  the  first  place,  against  the  uncertainty  of the  impious,  that  the  truth  of  a  future  state  is  justified  by  the  purest lights of  reason. Secondly, against  the  unworthy  idea,  grounded upon the  greatness  of  God,  that  this  truth  is  justified  by  his  wis-