Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/273



Nothing can  give  a  better  idea  of  the  power  and  of  the  sublimity of  the  word  of  the  Gospel,  than  the  images  employed  by  Jesus Christ to  foretel  its  effects. One while  it  is  a  sacred  sword,  which is to  divide  father  from  child,  husband  from  wife,  brother  from  sister, and  man  from  himself;  to  bend  all  minds  under  the  yoke  of faith,  to  subjugate  the  Caesars,  to  triumph  over  sages  and  the learned, and  to  exalt  the  standard  of  the  cross  upon  the  wrecks  of idols  and  of  empires:  through  that  is  represented  to  us  its  might, which the  whole  world  hath  been  unable  to  resist.

One while  it  is  a  divine  fire,  spread  in  an  instant  throughout  the earth, which  goes  to  dissolve  the  mountains,  to  depopulate  the cities, to  people  the  forest,  to  reduce  into  ashes  the  profane  temples, to  inflame  the  minds  of  men,  and  to  make  them  fly,  like madmen, to  death  in  the  sight  of  nations;  and  under  these  parabolical traits  are  figured  to  us  the  promptitude  of  its  operations  and the rapidity  of  its  victories.

One while  it  is  a  mysterious  leaven,  which  joins  and  reunites the whole  mass;  which  binds  all  its  parts  together,  and  impresses upon them  one  general  efficacy  and  virtue;  which  overthrows  the distinctions of  Jew  and  Gentile,  Greek  and  barbarian,  and  gives to all  the  same  name  and  the  same  being:  and  here  you  comprehend how  great  must  be  its  sanctity  and  inward  might,  seeing  it hath  purified  the  whole  universe,  and  of  all  nations  hath  made  but one people.

But at  present  Jesus  Christ  compares  it  to  bread,  which  serves as the  food  of  man;  and  he  thereby  means  to  inform  us  that  the word of  the  Gospel  is  a  powerful  and  solid  nourishment,  often pernicious to  such  as  receive  it  into  a  diseased  and  corrupted  heart, and useful  only  to  souls  who,  with  a  holy  appetite,  nourish  themselves with  it,  and  who  bring  to  this  place  a  heart  prepared  to listen  to  it.

To confine  myself,  then,  to  this  idea,  I  shall  say  nothing  of  the wonders which  this  word,  announced  by  twelve  poor  and  humble men, formerly  wrought  throughout  the  universe,  I  shall  pass  over in silence  the  sanctity  of  its  doctrine,  the  sublimity  of  its  counsels, the wisdom  of  its  maxims;  and,  limiting  myself  to  the  instruction, and to  that  which  may  render  the  word  of  the  Gospel,  which  we announce,  beneficial  to  you,  I  shall  inform  you,  firstly,  what  are  the dispositions which  ought  to  accompany  you  to  this  holy  place  for the purpose  of  hearing  it;  and,  secondly,  in  what  mind  you  ought afterward to  listen  to  it:  two  duties,  not  only  neglected,  but  even