Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/203

 on the  contrary,  those  which  have  traversed  plains  and  countries, exposed to  the  day,  carry  there,  in  general,  only  muddy  waters, and drag  along  with  them  the  wrecks,  carcasses,  and  slime  which they have  amassed  in  their  course. Behold, then,  the  first  rule  of charity  which  our  Saviour  here  lays  down — to  shun  show  and ostentation in  all  works  of  compassion — to  be  unwilling  to  have your name  mentioned  in  them,  either  on  account  of  the  rank  which you may  here  hold,  or  from  the  glory  of  having  been  the  first  promoter, or  from  the  noise  which  they  may  make  in  the  world,  and not to  lose  upon  the  earth  that  which  charity  had  amassed  only for heaven.

The second  circumstance  which  I  remark  in  our  gospel,  is,  that no one,  of  all  the  multitude  who  present  themselves  to  Jesus  Christ, is rejected:  all  are  indiscriminately  relieved;  and  we  do  not  read that with  regard  to  them  our  Saviour  hath  used  any  distinction  or preference. Second rule:  charity  is  universal;  it  banishes  those capricious liberalities  which  seem  to  open  the  heart  to  certain  wants, only in  order  to  shut  it  against  all  others. You find  persons  in  the world, who,  under  the  pretext  of  having  stated  charities  and  places destined to  receive  them,  are  callous  to  all  other  wants. In vain would you  inform  them  that  a  family  is  on  the  brink  of  ruin,  and that a  very  small  assistance  would  extricate  it;  that  a  young  person hangs over  a  precipice,  and  must  necessarily  perish,  if  some  friendly and assisting  hand  be  not  held  out;  that  a  certain  meritorious  and useful establishment  must  fall,  if  not  supported  by  a  renewal  of charity;  these  are  not  necessities  after  their  taste;  and,  in  placing elsewhere some  trifling  bounties,  they  imagine  to  have  purchased the right  of  viewing  with  a  dry  eye  and  an  indifferent  heart  every other description  of  misery.

I know  that  charity  hath  its  order  and  its  measure;  that  in  its practice it  ought  to  use  a  proper  distinction;  that  justice  requires  a preference  to  certain  wants:  but  I  would  not  have  that  methodical charity (if  I  may  thus  speak)  which  to  a  point  knows  where  to  stop, — which has  its  days,  its  places,  its  persons,  and  its  limits, — which, beyond these,  is  cruel,  and  can  settle  with  itself  to  be  affected  only in certain  times  and  by  certain  wants. Ah! are we  thus  masters of our  hearts  when  we  truly  love  our  brethren? Can we  at  our will mark  out  to  ourselves  the  moments  of  warmth  and  indifference? Charity, that  holy  love,  is  it  so  regular  when  it  truly  inflames  the heart? Has it  not,  if  I  may  so  say,  its  transports  and  its  excesses? And do  not  occasions  sometimes  occur  so  truly  affecting,  that,  did but a  single  spark  of  charity  exist  in  your  heart,  it  would  show  itself, and  in  the  instant  would  open  your  bowels  of  compassion  and your riches  to  your  brethren.

I would  not  have  that  rigidly  circumspect  charity  which  is  never done with  its  scrutiny,  and  which  always  mistrusts  the  truth  of  the necessities laid  open  to  it. See if,  in  that  multitude  which  our Saviour filleth,  he  apply  himself  to  separate  those  whom  idleness or the  sole  hope  of  corporeal  nourishment  had  perhaps  attracted  to the  desert,  and  who  might  still  have  sufficient  strength  left  to  go