Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/143

 opinion, is  thine  uncertainty,  and  thou  reproachest  to  us,  that  faith is a  vulgar  credulity.

But I  ask,  on  what  side  here  is  credulity? Is it  on  that  of  the freethinker or  the  believer? The latter  believes  in  a  future  state, on the  authority  of  the  divine  writings,  that  is  to  say,  the  book, without contradiction,  which  most  deserves  belief;  on  the  deposition of  holy  men,  that  is  to  say,  just,  pure,  and  miraculous  characters, who  have  shed  their  blood  to  render  glory  to  the  truth,  and  to that  doctrine  of  which  the  conversion  of  the  universe  has  rendered a testimony  that  to  the  end  of  ages  shall  rise  up  against  the  impious;  on  the  accomplishment  of  the  prophecies,  that  is  to  say, the only  character  of  truth  which  the  impostor  cannot  imitate; on the  tradition  of  all  ages,  that  is  to  say,  on  facts  which,  since the creation  of  the  world,  have  appeared  certain  to  all  the  greatest characters, the  most  acknowledged  just  men,  the  wisest,  and  most  civilized nations  the  universe  could  ever  boast  of:  in  a  word,  on  proofs at least  probable. The freethinker  denies  a  futurity  on  a  simple doubt, a  mere  suspicion. Who knows  it? says he;  who  has  returned from  it? He has  no  argument,  either  solid  or  decisive,  to overturn  the  truth  of  a  future  state. For let  him  avow  it,  and  then will we  submit. He only  mistrusts  that  there  be  any  thing  after this life,  and  upon  that  he  believes  that  all  dies  with  him.

Now I  demand,  which  here  is  the  credulous? Is it  he,  who,  in support  of  his  belief,  has  whatever  is  probable  among  men,  and most calculated  to  make  impression  on  reason;  or  he  who  is  resolved to  deny  a  future  state  on  the  weakness  of  a  simple  doubt? Nevertheless, the  freethinker  imagines  that  he  exerts  his  reason more than  the  believer:  he  looks  down  upon  us  as  weak  and  credulous men;  and  he  considers  himself  as  a  superior  genius,  exalted above all  vulgar  prejudices,  and  whom  reason'  alone,  and  not  the public opinion,  determines. O God! how terrible  art  thou  when thou deliverest  up  a  sinner  to  his  own  infatuation! and how  well thou knowest  to  draw  glory  to  thyself  even  from  the  efforts  which thine enemies  make  to  oppose  it.

But I  go  still  farther:  when,  even  in  the  doubt,  formed  by  the unbeliever, of  a  future  state,  the  arguments  should  be  equal,  and the trifling  uncertainties,  which  render  him  incredulous,  should  balance the  solid  and  evident  truths  which  promise  immortality  to us;  I  say,  that  even  in  an  equality  of  proofs,  he  at  least  ought  to wish  that  the  opinion  of  faith,  with  regard  to  the  nature  of  our soul, were  true;  an  opinion  which  is  so  honourable  to  man;  which tells him  that  his  origin  is  celestial  and  his  hopes  eternal;  he  ought to wish  that  the  doctrine  of  impiety  were  false;  a  doctrine  so  melancholy, so  humiliating  to  man;  which  confounds  him  with  the beast; which  makes  him  live  only  for  the  body;  gives  him  neither purpose, destination,  nor  hope;  and  limits  his  lot  to  a  small  number of  rapid,  restless,  and  sorrowful  days,  which  he  passes  on  the earth. All things  equal,  a  reason  born  with  any  degree  of  elevation would  prefer  being  deceived  by  what  is  honourable  to  itself rather than  adopt  a  side  so  disgraceful  to  its  being. What a  soul,