Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/267

 which had  hitherto  engrossed  her  heart. I say,  the  difference  in the  object,  in  the  proceedings,  and  in  the  correspondence.

In the  object:  the  depravity  of  her  heart  had  attached  her  to men,  corrupted,  inconstant,  deceitful,  rather  companions  of  her debauchery than  real  friends,  less  watchful  to  render  her  happy than attentive  to  the  gratification  of  their  own  inordinate  passions; to men,  who  always  join  contempt  to  a  gratified  passion;  to  Amnons,  in  whose  eyes,  from  the  moment  that  they  have  obtained their wishes,  the  unfortunate  object  of  their  love  becomes  vile  and hateful; to  men,  whose  weaknesses,  artifices,  transports,  and  defects, she  well  knew,  and  whom  she  inwardly  acknowledged  to  be unworthy  of  her  heart,  and  to  whom  she  paid  any  attention,  more through the  unfortunate  bias  of  passion,  than  the  free  choice  of  her reason; in  a  word,  to  men,  who  had  never  yet  been  able  to  fix  the natural instability  and  love  of  change  of  her  heart. Her penitence attaches her  to  Jesus  Christ,  the  model  of  all  virtue,  the  source  of all  grace,  the  principle  of  all  light:  the  more  she  studies  him,  the more does  she  discover  his  greatness  and  sanctity;  the  more  she loves him,  the  more  does  she  find  him  worthy  of  being  loved:  to Jesus  Christ,  the  faithful,  immortal,  and  disinterested  friend  of her  soul,  who  is  concerned  for  her  eternal  interests  alone;  who  is interested  only  in  what  may  render  her  happy;  who  is  even  come to sacrifice  his  ease,  his  glory,  and  his  life,  in  order  to  secure  her immortal happiness;  who  has  distinguished  her  from  among  so many  women  of  Judah,  by  an  overflowing  of  mercy,  when  she  had rendered herself  the  most  conspicuous  of  her  sex,  by  the  excess  of her  wretchedness;  who  expects  nothing  from  her,  but  is  willing  to bestow  on  her  far  more  than  she  could  ever  have  hoped;  lastly,  to Jesus  Christ,  who  has  tranquillized  her  heart,  by  purifying  it;  who has fixed  its  inconstancy,  and  subdued  the  multiplicity  of  its  desires; who  has  filled  the  whole  extent  of  her  love;  who  has  restored to  her  that  internal  peace  which  creatures  had  never  been  able to bestow.

O my  soul! how long  shalt  thou  continue  to  love,  in  creatures, what is  but  thine  affliction  and  punishment? Wouldst thou  suffer more by  breaking  asunder  thy  chains,  than  thou  now  dost  in  bearing them? Would virtue  and  innocence  be  more  painful  than those shameful  passions  which  at  present  debase  and  rend  thee? Ah! thou shalt  find  every  thing  light  and  easy,  in  comparison  with the cruel  agitations  which  render  thee  so  unhappy  in  guilt. — Difference in the  object  of  her  love.

Difference in  the  steps. The excess  of  passion  had  led  her  to  a thousand  steps,  in  opposition  to  her  inclination,  her  glory,  and  her reason; — had led  her  to  make  a  sacrifice  to  men  of  her  quiet,  her inclinations, her  honour,  and  her  liberty;  to  shameful  condescensions and  disagreeable  submissions;  to  important  sacrifices,  for which the  only  return  was  their  thinking  themselves  more  entitled from thence  to  exact  still  more:  for  such  is  the  ingratitude  of  men; the more  you  allow  them  to  become  masters  of  your  heart,  the more they  erect  themselves  its  tyrant:  in  their  opinion,  the  excess