Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/276

 and far  more  in  order  to  attract  his  regards  than  those  of  divine mercy? Once more,  what  do  I  know? Perhaps views  still  more criminal, and  of  which  we  cannot  speak  without  degrading  the  dignity of  our  ministry. No motive  of  salvation  leads  you  here;  no view  of  faith  prepares  you,  no  sentiment  of  piety  accompanies  you to this  place;  in  short,  your  coming  to  listen  to  the  holy  word  is no  work  of  religion.

First cause  of  the  inutility  of  our  ministry. For, how  is  it  possible that  a  proceeding  altogether  profane  send  a  disposition  to grace;  and  that,  in  this  multitude  of  believers,  assembled  in  this holy place,  the  goodness  of  God  distinguished  you  from  among  the crowd, to  open  your  heart  to  the  word  of  life;  you  who  have  brought hither only  those  dispositions  which  are  most  calculated  to  keep  at a  distance  that  mercy? My brethren,  as  religion  hath  nothing grander, in  one  sense,  than  the  charge  of  the  doctrine  and  of  truth; so piety  likewise  knows  nothing  so  important,  and  which  requires more religious  precautions,  than  a  proper  attention  to,  and  the  being well instructed  in  them.

The second  disposition  which  ought  to  accompany  you  to  this holy place,  is,  a  disposition  of  grief  and  shame,  founded  on  the  little fruit you  have  hitherto  reaped  from  so  many  truths  already  heard. You ought  to  reflect  upon  all  those  feelings  of  compunction,  which the Lord,  through  the  ministry  of  the  word,  hath  operated  in  your hearts, yet  which  have  never  been  attended  with  any  success  toward your salvation;  so  many  pious  resolutions,  inspired  in  this  place, which seemed  to  promise  a  change  of  life,  yet  which  have  all  vanished on  the  first  temptation. For, what  in  this  ought  most  to alarm  you,  is,  that  all  those  truths  which  have  made  only  such  momentary impressions  on  you,  are  so  many  witnesses,  who  shall  one day depose  against  you  before  the  tribunal  of  Jesus  Christ:  in  proportion to  the  times  that  the  word  of  the  Gospel  hath  failed  to  touch you even  to  repentance,  so  many  times  hath  it  rendered  you  more unworthy of  obtaining  the  grace  of  repentance. Faith, on  this point, admits  of  no  medium;  and,  if  you  depart  unchanged,  you depart, in  some  respect,  more  culpable  than  before,  because,  to  all your other  crimes,  you  have  added  that  of  contempt  of  the  holy  word.

Behold the  reflections  which  ought  to  occupy  your  faith;  and, when you  enter  the  assembly  of  believers,  you  ought,  while  trembling over  the  past,  to  demand  of  yourself, — am  I  going  to  hear  a word  which  shall  judge  me,  or  truths  which  shall  deliver  me? Am I going  to  offer  up  to  the  compassion  of  God  a  docile  and  willing heart, or  to  his  justice  fresh  motives  of  condemnation  against  myself? It is  now  so  long  since  truths  have  been  announced  to  me, the force  of  which  my  utmost  deference  to  the  passions  cannot weaken in  my  mind;  for,  in  spite  of  myself,  they  make  me  inwardly acknowledge the  error  of  my  ways:  yet,  have  I  taken  a  single  step toward quitting  them? I have  so  long  been  warned,  that  the body of  a  Christian  is  the  temple  of  God;  have  T,  in  consequence, become more  temperate  and  chaste? I have  so  long  heard  it  said, that, "if  thine  eye  be  evil,  pluck  it  out,  and  cast  it  far  from  thee;"