Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/251

 true, that  sinners  who  show  no  sign  of  piety  on  any  other  occasion, are, however,  reconciled  to  their  brethren  in  daily  instances;  and they who  cannot  prevail  over  themselves  in  the  easiest  duties  of  a Christian  life,  appear  as  heroes  in  the  accomplishment  of  this  one, which, of  all  others,  is  the  most  difficult. Ah! it is  because  they are heroes  of  vanity  and  not  of  charity:  it  is  that  they  leave  that part of  the  reconciliation  which  alone  is  heroical  and  arduous  in the  sight  of  God,  namely,  an  oblivion  upon  the  past  injury,  and  a total  revolution  of  our  heart  toward  our  brother;  and  they  retain of it  only  that  part  which  is  glorious  in  the  sight  of  men,  namely, an appearance  of  moderation,  and  a  promptitude  toward  amity, which the  world  itself  praises  and  admires.

But, if  the  greatest  part  of  reconciliations  turn  out  to  be  false when these  motives  are  examined,  they  are  not  less  so  if  we  consider them  in  their  proceedings. Yes, my  brethren,  what  measures and  negotiations! what formalities  and  solicitudes  in  concluding them! what attentions  to  bestow,  and  cautions  to  observe! what interests  to  conciliate,  obstacles  to  remove,  and  steps  to  accomplish! Thus your  reconciliation  is  not  the  work  of  charity,  but of the  wisdom  and  skill  of  your  friends:  it  is  a  worldly  affair;  it  is not  a  religious  step:  it  is  a  treaty  happily  concluded;  it  is  not  a duty  of  faith  fulfilled:  it  is  the  work  of  man,  but  it  is  not  the  deed of God:  in  a  word,  it  is  a  peace  which  comes  from  the  earth,  it  is not  the  peace  of  heaven.

For, candidly,  have  men  been  able,  through  their  arrangements and the  ingenuity  of  their  measures,  in  reconciling  you  with  your brother, to  revive  that  charity  which  was  extinguished  in  your heart? Have they  been  able  to  restore  that  treasure  to  you  which you had  lost? They have  succeeded,  indeed,  in  terminating  the scandal of  declared  enmity,  and  establishing  between  you  and  your brother the  outward  duties  of  society;  but  they  have  not  changed your heart,  which  God  alone  can  do;  they  have  not  extinguished that hatred,  which  grace  alone  can  extinguish. You are  therefore reconciled, but  you  still  love  not  your  brother;  and,  in  effect,  if you  sincerely  loved  him,  would  so  many  mediators  have  been  required to  reconcile  you? Love is  its  own  mediator  and  interpreter. Charity is  that  brief  word  which  would  have  saved  to  your  friends all those  endless  toils,  which  they  have  been  obliged  to  employ  in order  to  reclaim  you;  it  is  not  so  measured;  it  frankly  confesses what it  sincerely  feels. Now, before  giving  way,  you  have  insisted upon a  thousand  conditions;  you  have  disputed  every  step;  you have been  resolute  in  not  going  beyond  a  certain  point;  you  have exacted that  your  brother  should  make  the  first  advances  toward meeting you. Charity knows  nothing  of  all  these  rules;  it  hath only one,  and  that  is,  oblivion  upon  the  injury,  and  to  love  our brother as  ourself.

I grant  that  certain  prudential  measures  are  to  be  observed,  and that too  hasty  or  ill-timed  advances  might  often  be  not  only  unsuccessful, but  even  the  means  of  hardening  your  brother  still  more against you. But I  say  that  charity  ought  to  regulate  these  mea-