Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/277

 have I  attained  strength  for  such  separations  which  I  know  to  be so  indispensable  toward  my  salvation? I have  so  long  been  told, that to  defer,  as  I  have  done,  from  day  to  day,  my  penitence,  is  to be  determined  to  die  in  sin;  do  I,  even  now,  find  myself  more  disposed to  quit  my  deplorable  situation,  and  with  a  willing  heart  to begin  the  work  of  my  salvation?

Great God! cease not  to  give  me  a  heart  susceptible  to  truths, which always  affect,  but  never  change  me;  and  punish  not  the abuse which  I  make  of  thy  word,  by  depriving  it,  with  regard  to me,  of  that  efficacy  which  thou  still  permittest  it  to  have,  in  order to recall  me  from  my  errors  to  penitence! And, my  brethren,  how many believers  who  listen  to  me,  formerly  alive  to  those  truths which we  announce,  no  longer  offer  to  them  now  but  a  tranquil  and a hardened  heart! They neglected  those  happy  times  when  grace was yet  willing  to  open  this  way  of  conversion;  and,  ever  since  so continued  and  so  fatal  a  negligence,  they  listen  to  us  with  indifference, and  the  most  terrible  truths  in  our  mouths  are  no  longer  in their  ears  but  sounding  brass,  and  a  tinkling  cymbal.

Now, I  ask  your  own  hearts,  my  brethren,  if  this  feeling  of  sorrow, for  the  little  advantage  you  have  hitherto  reaped  from  so  many instructions, is  even  known  to  you? Doth that  outward  pomp, with which  you  come  here,  worldly  women,  announce  that  disposition? Do not  the  same  indecent  and  vain  cares,  which  fit  you for profane  spectacles,  accompany  you  to  our  instructions,  where the world  is  condemned? Do you  make  the  smallest  difference there in  your  appearance? And doth  it  not  seem,  either  that  we are  to  announce  the  foolish  maxims  of  the  theatres,  or  that  you come for  the  sole  purpose  of  insulting,  by  an  indecent  carriage,  even in the  eyes  of  the  world,  the  holy  maxims  of  the  Gospel?

But what  do  I  say,  my  dear  hearer? Far from  reproaching  to yourselves  so  many  truths,  heard  hitherto  without  fruit,  alas! you are perhaps  delighted  at  your  insensibility;  you  perhaps  pride  yourselves and  indulge  a  deplorable  vanity,  in  listening  to  us  with  indifference;  you  perhaps  consider  it  as  giving  you  an  air  of  consequence, and  as  a  proof  of  superiority  of  mind,  that  what  others  are affected by,  should  leave  you  tranquil  and  calm;  you  perhaps  make a vain  boast  of  your  insensibility. It seems,  that  in  you  it  would  be a  weakness  to  be  affected  by  truths  which  formerly  triumphed  over philosophers and  Ceesars;  by  truths,  evidently  come  down  from heaven, and  which  bear  with  them  such  divine  marks  of  sublimity and wisdom;  by  truths  which  do  such  honour  to  man,  and  alone worthy of  reason;  by  truths,  so  soothing  and  consolatory  to  the heart, and  alone  calculated  to  bestow  internal  tranquillity  and  peace. Lastly, by  truths,  which  propose  to  us  such  grand  interests,  and toward which  we  can  never  be  indifferent,  without  folly  and  madness. You vaunt  the  little  success  of  our  zeal,  and  that  all  our  discourses leave  you  exactly  as  they  found  you;  and,  in  declaring  this, you think  you  are  doing  honour  to  your  reason. I do  not  say to you,  that  you  make  a  boast  of  being  in  that  depth  of  the abyss,  and   in  that   state    of  reprobation  which   is   now  almost