Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/256

 court, and  the  city;  interest  the  public  in  their  quarrel,  and  establish in  the  world  the  opinion  and  the  scandal  that  they  hate  each other; that  they  would  mutually  destroy  each  other;  that  they  still,  it is  true,  keep  up  appearances;  but  that,  at  bottom,  their  interests  and affections are  for  ever  estranged. Yet, notwithstanding  all  this, each party  lives  in  a  reputation  of  piety,  and  of  the  practice  of  good works; they  have  distinguished  and  highly  esteemed  confessors; in mutually  discharging  to  each  other  certain  duties,  yet  living otherwise in  a  public  and  avowed  hostility,  they  frequent  the  sacraments, they  are  continually  in  the  intercourse  of  holy  things,  they coolly approach  the  altar,  they  frequently  and  without  scruple present themselves  at  the  penitential  tribunal,  where,  far  from  confessing their  hatred  before  the  Lord,  and  weeping  over  the  scandal with which  it  afflicts  the  people,  they  make  fresh  complaints against the  enemy;  they  accuse  him,  in  place  of  accusing  themselves; they make  a  boast  of  the  vain  external  duties  which  they  pay  to him,  and  allege  them  as  marks  of  the  heart  not  being  rancorous. What shall  I  say? And the  very  ministers  of  penitence,  who should have  been  the  judges  of  our  hatred,  frequently  become  its apologists, adopt  a  party  with  the  public,  enter  into  all  the  animosity and  prejudices  of  their  penitents,  proclaim  the  justice  of  their quarrel, and  are  the  cause  that  the  only  remedy  destined  to  strike at the  root  of  the  evil,  answers  no  other  purpose  than  that  of  decorating it  with  the  appearance  of  godliness,  and  of  rendering  it  more incurable.

Great God! thou alone  canst  close  the  wounds  which  a  proud sensibility hath  made  in  my  heart,  by  nourishing  unreasonable  and iniquitous hatreds  which  have  corrupted  it  in  thy  sight. Enable me to  forget  fleeting  and  momentary  injuries,  in  order  that  thou mayest forget  the  crimes  of  my  whole  life. Is it  for  me,  O  my God! to be  so  feeling  and  so  inexorable  to  the  slightest  insults,  I who  have  such  necessity  for  thy  mercy  and  indulgence? Are the injuries of  which  I  complain  to  be  compared  with  those  with  which I have  a  thousand  times  dishonoured  thy  supreme  grandeur? Must the worm  of  the  earth  be  irritated  and  inflamed  at  the  smallest  marks of disdain,  while  thy  Sovereign  Majesty  hath  so  long,  and  with  so much  goodness,  endured  his  rebellions  and  his  offences?

Who am  I,  to  be  so  keen  upon  the  interests  of  my  glory;  I  who dare not  in  thy  presence  cast  mine  eyes  upon  my  secret  ignominy; I who  deserve  to  be  the  reproach  of  men,  and  the  outcast  of  my people;  I  who  have  nothing  praiseworthy,  according  even  to  the world, but  the  good  fortune  of  having  concealed  from  it  my  infamies and  my  weaknesses;  I  to  whom  the  most  biting  reproaches would still  be  too  gentle,  and  would  treat  me  with  too  much  indulgence;  I,  in  a  word,  who  have  no  salvation  now  to  hope,  if  thou forget not  thine  own  glory,  which  I  have  so  often  insulted?

But no,  great  God! thy glory  is  in  pardoning  the  sinner,  and mine shall  be  in  forgiving  my  brother. Accept, O  Lord,  this  sacrifice which  I  make  to  thee  of  my  resentments. Estimate not  its value by  the  puerility  and  the  slightness  of  the  injuries  which  I