Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/223

 distress and  misfortune;  and  after  having  censured  and  cast  a  stain upon the  piety  of  afflicted  souls,  as  a  measure  too  easy,  and  to which  little  merit  is  attached,  as  it  required  almost  no  exertion,  you excuse yourself  from  adopting  it  in  your  affliction,  and  from  making a  Christian  use  of  it,  because  you  pretend  that  it  is  not  possible in it  to  pay  attention  to  any  thing  but  to  your  sorrow. Answer, or rather  tremble,  lest  you  find  the  rock  of  your  salvation  in  a  situation which  ought  to  be  its  surest  resource. After having  abused prosperity, tremble  lest  you  now  make  your  misfortunes  the  fatal  instruments of  your  destruction,  and  lest  you  shut  upon  yourself  all the ways  of  goodness  which  God  might  open  to  you  in  order  to recall  you  to  him.

When, O  my  God! will the  time  come  that  my  soul,  exalting itself through  faith  above  all  creatures,  shall  no  longer  worship but thee  in  them;  shall  no  longer  attribute  events  to  them  of which  thou  alone  art  the  author;  shall  recognise,  in  the  diverse situations in  which  thou  placest  it,  the  adorable  arrangements  of  thy providence; and,  even  amid  all  its  crosses,  shall  taste  that  unalterable peace  which  the  world,  with  all  its  pleasures,  can  never  bestow? How melancholy,  in  effect,  my  brethren,  when  visited  and  afflicted of  God,  to  seek  for  consolation  in  rising  up  against  the hand which  strikes  us;  in  murmuring  against  his  justice;  in  casting ourselves  off  from  him,  as  it  were  in  a  frenzy  of  rage,  despair, and revenge,  and  to  seek  consolation  in  our  madness! What a horrible  situation  is  that  of  a  foolish  soul  whom  God  afflicteth,  and who for  consolation  flies  in  the  face  of  his  God;  seeks  to  ease  his troubles in  multiplying  his  trespasses;  yields  himself  up  to  debauchery, in  order  to  drown  his  sorrows;  and  makes  the  overwhelming sadness  of  guilt  a  horrible  resource  against  the  sadness  of his  afflictions!

No, my  brethren,  religion  alone  can  truly  console  us  in  our  misfortunes. Philosophy checked  complaints,  but  it  did  not  soften the anguish. The world  lulls  cares,  but  it  does  not  cure  them: and, amidst  all  its  senseless  pleasures,  the  secret  sting  of  sadness always remains  buried  in  the  heart. God alone  can  comfort  our afflictions; and  is  another  necessary  to  a  faithful  soul? Weak creatures! You may  easily,  by  vain  speeches,  and  by  that  customary language  of  compassion  and  tenderness,  make  yourselves  to be  understood  by  the  ears  of  the  body;  but  there  is  none  but  the God of  all  consolation  who  can  speak  to  the  heart:  in  the  excess of my  pains,  I  have  vainly  sought  consolation  among  ye:  I  have sharpened my  sufferings,  while  thinking  to  soften  them,  and  thy vain consolations  have  been  to  me  only  fresh  sorrows.

Great God! it is  at  thy  feet,  that  I  mean  henceforth  to  pour  out all the  bitterness  of  mine  heart. It is  with  thee  alone,  that  I  mean to forget  all  my  grievances,  all  my  sufferings,  all  creatures. Hitherto I have  given  way  to  chagrins  and  to  sadness  altogether  human;  a thousand  times  have  I  wished  that  thy  wisdom  were  regulated  by the  mad  projects  of  my  heart:  my  thoughts  have  wandered;  my mind  hath  formed  a  thousand  delusive  dreams;   my  heart  hath