Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/213

 goes; and  as  his  intention  in  afflicting  us  is  to  sanctify  and  not  to destroy  us,  he  knoweth  what  degree  of  weight  to  give  to  his  hand in order  to  diminish  nothing  from  our  merit,  if  too  light,  and,  on the  other  side,  not  to  lose  it  altogether,  if  beyond  our  strength.

Ah! what other  intention  could  he  have  in  shedding  sorrows through our  life? Is he  a  cruel  God,  who  delighteth  only  in  the misery of  his  creatures? Is he  a  barbarous  tyrant,  who  finds  his greatness and  security  only  in  the  blood  and  in  the  tears  of  the subjects who  worship  him? Is he  an  envious  and  morose  master, who can  taste  of  no  happiness  while  sharing  it  with  his  slaves? Is it necessary  that  we  should  suffer,  groan,  and  perish,  in  order  to render  him  happy? It is  on  our  own  account  alone,  therefore,  that he punisheth  and  chastiseth  us:  his  tenderness  suffers,  as  I  may say, for  our  evils;  but  as  his  love  is  a  just  and  enlightened  love, he prefereth  to  leave  us  to  suffer,  because  he  foresees  that,  in  terminating our  pains,  he  would  augment  our  wretchedness. He is, says a  holy  father,  like  a  tender  physician,  who  pities,  it  is  true, the cries  and  the  sufferings  of  his  patient,  but  who,  in  spite  of  his cries, cuts,  even  to  the  quick,  the  corrupted  part  of  his  wound. He is never  more  gentle  and  more  compassionate  than  when  he  appears most severe;  and  afflictions  must  indeed  be  useful  and  necessary to us,  since  a  God  so  merciful  and  so  good  can  prevail  upon  himself to  afflict  us.

It is  written,  that  Joseph,  exalted  to  the  first  office  in  Egypt, could hardly  retain  his  tears,  and  felt  his  bowels  yearn  toward  his brethren in  the  very  time  that  he  affected  to  speak  most  harshly  to them,  and  that  he  feigned  not  to  know  them. It is  in  this  manner that Jesus  Christ  chastiseth  us. He affects,  if  it  be  permitted  to speak  in  this  manner,  not  to  acknowledge  in  us  his  co-heirs and his  brethren;  he  strikes,  and  treats  us  harshly,  as  strangers; but his  love  suffers  for  this  constraint. He is  unable  long  to maintain  this  character  of  severity,  which  is  so  foreign  to  him. His favours soon  come  to  soften  his  blows:  he  soon  shows  himself  such as he  is;  and  his  love  never  fails  to  betray  these  appearances  of rigour  and  anger. Judge, then,  if  the  blows  which  come  from  so kind  and  so  friendly  a  hand  can  be  otherwise  than  proportioned  to your  weakness.

Let us  accuse  then  only  the  corruption  and  not  the  weakness  of our  heart,  for  our  impatience  and  murmurs. Have not  weak  young women formerly  defied  all  the  barbarity  of  tyrants? Have not children, before  they  had  learned  to  support  even  the  ordinary  toils of life,  run  with  joy  to  brave  all  the  rigours  of  the  most  frightful death? Have not  old  men,  already  sinking  under  the  weight  of their  own  body,  felt,  like  the  eagle,  their  youth  renewed  amidst  the torments of  a  long  martyrdom? You are  weak;  but  it  is  that  very weakness which  is  glorious  to  faith  and  to  the  religion  of  Jesus Christ: it  is  even  on  that  account  that  the  Lord  hath  chosen  you to display  in  your  instance  how  much  more  powerful  grace  is  than nature. If you  were  born  with  more  fortitude  and  strength,  you would do  less  honour  to  the  power  of  grace:    to  man  would  be  at