Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/279

 them. The last  disposition  is  a  grateful  feeling  for  that  mean  of salvation  still  provided  for  you  by  God,  in  preserving  the  sacred trust of  the  truth,  and  in  continuing  amid  you  the  succession  of those  ministers  alone  authorized  to  announce  to  you  the  holy  word.

In effect,  the  most  terrible  chastisement  with  which  God  formerly struck the  iniquities  of  his  people,  was  that  of  rendering  his  word rare and  precious  among  them. As he  saith,  through  his  prophet Amos, "And  they  shall  wander  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  east even  to  the  west;  they  shall  run  to  and  fro  to  seek  the  word  of  the Lord,  and  shall  not  find  it." And, not  only  he  ceased  to  raise  up true  prophets  in  Israel,  but  he  likewise  permitted  false  teachers to spring  up  among  his  people,  who  turned  the  tribes  away  from his worship,  and  preached  gods  to  them  which  their  fathers  had never known.

Now, my  brethren,  it  is  a  signal  mercy  of  God,  that,  notwithstanding the  iniquities  which seem  to  have  attained  to  their  utmost height among  you,  he  still  raiseth  up  to  you  prophets  and  pastors who hold  out  a  sound  and  a  faultless  word. It is  a  most  singular protection of  the  Lord,  that  error  hath  not  been  permitted  to  prevail over  truth  among  us. And what  have  you  done  to  merit  the being thus  distinguished  from  so  many  other  nations? Why is  it that  you  are  not  involved  in  the  same  condemnation? Why have  you dwelt in  that  happy  land  of  Goshen,  alone  shone  upon  by  the  lights of heaven,  while  all  the  rest  of  Egypt  was  enveloped  in  darkness? Is it  not  the  sole  mercy  of  God  who  hath  marked  you  out  from among so  many  nations  which  applaud  themselves in their  error? You are  still  under  the  care  of  your  pastors;  you  still  receive  from their mouths  the  doctrine  of  the  apostles;  truth  still  flows  upon you in  a  pure  and  divine  stream;  Christian  pulpits  still  resound in every  part  with  the  maxims  of  faith  and  of  piety;  and  by  preserving to  you  the  doctrine  and  the  blessings  of  instruction,  the goodness of  God  still  provides  for  you  a  thousand  means  of  salvation.

Nevertheless," when  you  come  to  listen  to  us,  do  you  bring  a  heart filled  with  gratitude?  Do  you  consider,  as  a  signal  blessing  of  God, the  charge  of  the  truth  and  of  the  holy  word,  which  he  hath  preserved, and  permitted  still  to  be  announced  to  you?  Do  you  ever say,  with  the  prophet,  "  He  hath  not  dealt  so  with  any  nation; and as  for  his  judgments,  they  have  not  known  them?"

Alas! you bring  here  only  vanity  and  irreligious  disgust. The most wearisome  of  your  moments  are  those  which  you  employ  in listening  to  truths  which  ought  to  compose  the  whole  consolation of your  life. We are  even  obliged  to  respect  your  languors  and disgusts, by  often  mingling  human  ornaments  with  the  truth,  which is thereby  weakened. It would  indeed  appear,  that  we  come  here to speak  to  you  for  ourselves;  and  you  give  the  same  attention  to us  as  you  do  to  troublesome  mendicants  who  are  soliciting  your favour. You have  no  regret  for  moments  occupied  by  the  frivolous pleasures of  a  profane  spectacle. There alone  it  is  that  every thought of  business,  of  fortune,  and  of  family,  is  rejected  as  an