Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/269

 unhappy, and  in  tormenting  itself  with  vain  fears,  suspicions,  and jealousies: the  more  generous,  true,  and  frank  it  is  itself,  the  more doth it  suffer;  it  is  the  martyr  of  its  own  distrusts. You know this well;  and  it  does  not  belong  to  me  to  pretend  to  speak  from this place  the  language  of  your  extravagant  passions.

But what  a  new  destiny  in  the  change  of  her  love! Scarcely is her  love  of  Jesus  Christ  commenced,  when  she  is  certain  of  being loved. She hears  from  his  divine  mouth  the  favourable  sentence, which, in  remitting  her  sins,  confirms  to  her  the  love  and  the  affection of  him  who  remits  them. Not only  are  her  debaucheries  forgotten, but  she  is  urged  to  be  convinced,  in  her  own  mind,  that  they are forgotten,  pardoned,  and  washed  out. All her  fears  are  prevented, and  ground  is  no  more  left  for  mistrust  or  uncertainty;  nor can she  longer  suspect  the  love  of  Jesus  Christ,  without  at  the  same time suspecting  his  power  and  the  faithfulness  of  his  promises.

Such is  the  lot  of  a  contrite  soul  on  quitting  the  tribunal  where Jesus Christ,  through  the  ministry  of  the  priest,  has  remitted  debaucheries, which  he  has  washed  out  with  his  tears  and  his  love. In spite  of  that  uncertainty  inseparable  from  the  present  state  of life,  whether  he  be  worthy  of  love  or  hatred,  an  internal  peace  bears testimony in  the  bottom  of  his  heart  that  he  is  restored  to  Jesus Christ: he  experiences  a  calm  and  a  joy  in  his  conscience  which can be  the  fruit  of  righteousness  alone. Not that  he  is  entirely delivered from  alarm  and  apprehension  on  account  of  his  past  infidelities, and  that,  in  certain  moments,  more  forcibly  struck  with horror at  his  past  errors,  and  the  severity  of  God's  judgments,  he is  not  tempted  to  consider  all  as  hopeless  to  him;  but  Jesus  Christ, who himself  excites  these  storms  in  his  heart,  has  quickly  calmed them; his  voice  still  inwardly  says  to  him,  as  formerly  to  Peter, alarmed upon  the  waves,  f?  O  thou  of  little  faith,  wherefore  doubtest thou?" Have  I  not  given  thee  sufficient  proofs  of  my  kindness and  my  protection?  Reflect  upon  all  that  I  have  done  in  order  to withdraw  thee  from  the  ways  of  iniquity.  I  seek  not  with  such perseverance  the  sheep  that  I  love  not;  I  recall  them  not  from  so far,  to  let  them  perish  before  my  eyes.  Distrust,  then,  no  more my  affection;  dread  only  thine  own  lukewarmness  or  inconstancy. First  consolation  of  her  penitence; — the  difference  of  her  love.

The second  is  the  sacrifice  of  her  passions. She throws  at  the feet of  Jesus  Christ,  her  perfumes,  her  hair,  all  the  attachments  of her  heart,  all  the  deplorable  instruments  of  her  vanities  and  of  her crimes; and  do  not  suppose  that  in  acting  thus  she  sacrifices  her pleasures; she  sacrifices  only  her  anxieties  and  her  punishments.

In vain  is  it  said  that  the  cares  of  the  passions  constitute  the felicity of  those  possessed  by  them;  it  is  a  language  in  which  the world glories,  but  which  experience  belies. What punishment  to a  worldly  soul,  anxious  to  please,  are  the  solicitous  cares  of  a  beauty which fades  and  decays  every  day! What attentions  and  constraints they must  take  upon  themselves,  upon  their  inclinations,  upon their pleasures,  upon  their  indolence! What inward  vexations, when these  cares  have  been  unavailing,  and  when  more  fortunate