Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/187

 How grand,  my  brethren,  does  faith  render  the  righteous  on  the bed of  death;  how  worthy  of  God,  of  angels,  and  of  men,  is  the sight of  the  upright  soul  in  that  last  moment! It is  then  that  the faithful heart  appears  master  of  the  world,  and  of  all  the  created; it is  then  that,  participating  already  in  the  greatness  and  the  immutability of  the  God  to  whom  he  is  on  the  eve  of  being  united,  he  is elevated  above  all;  in  the  world,  without  any  connexion  with  it; in a  mortal  body,  without  being  chained  to  it;  in  the  midst  of  his relations and  friends,  without  seeing  or  knowing  them;  in  the midst of  the  embarrassments  and  changes  which  his  death  opens to his  sight,  without  the  smallest  interruption  to  his  tranquillity. He is  already  fixed  in  the  bosom  of  God,  in  the  midst  of  the  destruction of  all  things. Once more  my  brethren,  how  grand  is  it to  have  lived  in  the  observance  of  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  to  die in his  fear! With what  dignity  does  not  faith  then  display  itself in the  righteous  soul! It is  the  moment  of  his  glory  and  triumph; it is  the  centre  at  which  the  whole  lustre  of  his  life  and  of  his  virtues unite.

How beautiful  to  see  the  righteous  man,  then,  moving  with  a tranquil  and  majestic  pace  toward  eternity! And with  reason  did the false  prophet  cry  out,  when  he  saw  the  triumphal  march  of  the Israelites into  the  Land  of  Promise, — "  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the righteous,  and  let  my  end  be  like  his." Numb, xxiii. 10.

And behold,  my  brethren,  what  completely  fills  with  joy  and consolation the  faithful  soul  on  the  bed  of  death:  it  is  the  thought of futurity. The sinner,  during  health,  looks  forward  to  a  future state with  a  tranquil  eye:  but  in  this  last  moment,  beholding  its approach, his  tranquillity  is  changed  into  shudderings  and  terror. The upright  man,  on  the  contrary,  during  the  days  of  his  mortal life, durst  never  regard,  with  a  fixed  eye,  the  depth  and  the  extent of God's  judgments:  he  wrought  out  his  salvation  with  fear  and trembling; he  shuddered  at  the  very  thought  of  that  dreadful  futurity, where  even  the  just,  if  judged  without  mercy,  shall  hardly  be saved:  but,  on  the  bed  of  death,  ah! the God  of  peace,  who  displays himself  to  him,  calms  his  agitations;  his  fears  immediately cease, and  are  changed  into  a  sweet  hope. He already  pierces,  with expiring eyes,  through  that  cloud  of  mortality  which  still  surrounds him, and  sees  the  throne  of  glory,  and  the  Son  of  Man  at  his  Father's right  hand,  ready  to  receive  him;  that  immortal  country,  for which he  had  longed  so  much,  and  upon  which  his  mind  had  always dwelt; that  holy  Zion,  which  the  God  of  his  fathers  filleth  with  his glory and  his  presence;  where  he  overfloweth  the  elect  with  a  torrent of  delights,  and  maketh  them  for  ever  to  enjoy  the  incomprehensible riches  which  he  hath  prepared  for  those  who  love  him; that city  of  the  people  of  God,  the  residence  of  the  saints,  the  habitation of  the  just,  and  of  the  prophets,  where  he  shall  again  find  his brethren, with  whom  charity  had  united  him  on  the  earth,  and  with whom he  will  bless  eternally  the  tender  mercies  of  the  Lord,  and join with  them  in  hallelujahs  to  his  praise.

Ah! when also  the  ministers  of  the  church  come  to  announce  to