Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/149

 attentions necessary  for  him,  to  see  what  passes  on  the  earth? Is it not  in  him  that  we  are,  that  we  live,  that  we  act? And can  we shun  his  looks,  or  can  he  even  avert  them  from  our  crimes? What folly, then,  in  the  freethinker,  to  suppose  that  it  requires  care and observation  from  the  Divinity,  if  he  wishes  to  remark  what passes on  the  earth! His only  employment  is  to  know  and  enjoy himself.

This reflection  admitted,  I  answer,  in  the  first  place,  if  it  become the  greatness  of  God  to  leave  good  and  evil  without  punishment or  reward,  it  is  then  equally  indifferent,  whether  we  be  just, sincere, friendly,  and  charitable,  or  cruel,  deceitful,  perfidious,  and unnatural: God,  consequently,  does  not  love  virtue,  modesty,  rectitude, religion,  more  than  debauchery,  perjury,  impiety,  and  villany;  since  the  just  and  the  impious,  the  pure  and  the  impure, shall experience  the  same  lot,  and  an  eternal  annihilation  equally awaits them  all  in  the  grave.

What do  I  say? God even  seems  to  declare  in  favour  of  the impious here  against  the  just. He exalts  him  like  the  cedar  of Lebanon,  loads  him  with  riches  and  honours,  gratifies  his  desires, and assists  his  projects;  for  the  impious  are  in  general  the  prosperous on  the  earth. On the  contrary,  he  seems  to  neglect  the upright man;  he  humbles,  afflicts,  and  delivers  him  up  to  the  falsity and  power  of  his  enemies;  for  disgrace  and  affliction  are  the common portion  of  the  good  below. What a  monster  of  a  Supreme Being, if  all  must  finish  with  man,  and  if  neither  miseries  nor  rewards, except  those  of  this  life,  be  to  be  expected!

Is he,  then,  the  protector  of  adulteries,  profanations,  and  the most shocking  crimes;  the  persecutor  of  innocence,  modesty,  piety, and all  the  purest  virtues? Are his  favours  the  price  of  guilt, and his  punishments  the  recompense  of  virtue? What a  God  of darkness,  imbecility,  confusion,  and  iniquity  does  the  freethinker form to  himself!

What, my  brethren! It would  become  his  greatness  to  leave the world  he  has  created,  in  a  general  confusion;  to  see  the wicked almost  always  prevail  over  the  upright;  the  innocent crushed by  the  usurper;  the  father  the  victim  of  an  ambitious  and unnatural son? From the  height  of  his  greatness,  God  would amuse himself  with  these  horrible  transactions,  without  any  interest in their  commission? Because he  is  great,  he  should  be  either weak, unjust,  or  cruel? Because men  are  insignificant,  they  should have the  privilege  of  being  dissolute  without  guilt,  or  virtuous without merit.

O God! if such  be  the  character  of  thy  Supreme  Being, — if it  be  thee  whom  we  adore  under  such  shocking  ideas,  I  know  thee no more  then  as  my  heavenly  Father,  my  protector,  the  consoler of  my  sufferings,  the  support  of  my  weakness,  and  the  rewarder  of  my  fidelity! Thou art  then  only  an  indolent  and  capricious tyrant,  who  sacrificest  all  men  to  thy  vain  pride,  and  hast drawn them  from  nothing  only  to  serve  as  the  sport  of  thy  leisure or caprice!