Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/258

 affecting conversions,  held  out  to  us  by  the  church,  as  to  lessons which no  longer,  in  any  degree,  regard  us.

The second  goes  to  another  extreme:  we  represent  Christian penitence to  ourselves  as  a  horrible  situation,  and  the  despair  of human  weakness;  a  state  without  comfort  or  consolation,  and  attended by  a  thousand  duties,  every  one  more  disgusting  than  another to  the  heart;  and,  repulsed  through  the  error  of  that  gloomy image, the  examples  of  a  change  find  us  little  disposed  to  be  affected, because they  always  find  us  discouraged.

Now, the  conversion  of  our  sinner  confutes  these  two  prejudices, so dangerous  to  salvation. First, her  penitence  not  only  terminates her errors,  it  likewise  expiates  and  makes  reparation  for  them. Secondly, her  penitence  begins,  it  is  true,  her  tears  and  sorrow; but it  is  likewise  the  commencement  to  her  of  new  pleasures. Whatever she  had  despoiled  Jesus  Christ  of  in  her  errors,  she  restores to  him  in  her  penitence:  behold  their  reparation! But with Jesus  Christ  she  finds  in  her  penitence,  that  peace  and  those comforts which  she  had  never  experienced  in  her  errors:  behold their consolations! The reparations,  and  the  consolations  of  her penitence are  the  whole  history  of  her  conversion,  and  the  subject of this  Discourse.

Part I.— The  office  of  penitence,  says  St.  Augustine,  is  that  of establishing  order  wherever  sin  hath  introduced  corruption. It is false,  if  it  be  not  universal;  for  order  solely  results  from  a  perfect subordination of  all  desires  and  emotions  which  spring  up  in  our hearts: every  thing  must  be  in  its  place,  in  order  that  that  divine harmony, which  sin  had  disturbed,  may  be  restored;  and,  while the smallest  particular  there  remains  deranged,  in  vain  do  you labour to  repair  the  rest;  you  only  rear  up  an  edifice,  which,  being improperly arranged,  is  continually  giving  way  in  some  of  its  parts, and confusion  and  disorder  prevail  through  the  whole.

Now, behold  the  important  instruction  held  out  to  us  in  the  conversion of  this  sinner! Her sin  comprised  several  disorders:  first, an iniquitous  use  of  her  heart,  which  had  never  been  taken  up  but with creatures:  secondly,  a  criminal  abuse  of  all  natural  gifts, which she  had  made  the  instruments  of  her  passions:  thirdly,  a shameful  abasement  of  her  senses,  which  she  had  always  made  to contribute  to  her  voluptuousness  and  ignominy:  lastly,  a  universal scandal in  the  notoriety  of  her  errors. Her penitence  makes  reparation for  all  these  disorders:  all,  consequently,  are  forgiven;  for nothing is  neglected  in  the  repentance.

I say,  first,  an  iniquitous  use  of  her  heart. Yes, my  brethren, every love,  which  has  for  its  object  only  the  creatures,  degrades  our heart: it  is  a  disorder,  to  love  for  itself  that  which  can  neither  be our  happiness  nor  our  perfection,  nor,  consequently,  our  ease;  for to love,  is  to  seek  our  felicity  in  that  which  we  love;  it  is  the  hope of finding,  in  the  object  beloved,  whatever  is  wanting  to  our  heart; it is  the  calling  it  in  aid  against  that  shocking  void  which  we  feel within ourselves,  in  the  confidence  that  they  shall  be  able  to  fill  it: