Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/287

 it be  presented  to  you,  decked  with  pompous  ornaments,  or  simple and neglected,  provided  that  its  celestial  traits  are  still  to  be  recognised, it  preserves  the  same  rights  over  your  heart. And, indeed, is any  portion  of  its  sanctity  lost  by  passing  through  less  brilliant and less  copious  channels? Did the  holy  word  of  the  Lord  lose any thing  of  its  dignity,  whether  he  formerly  gave  it  out  from  a bush,  mean  and  despicable  to  the  sight,  or  from  a  cloud  of  glory; — whether he  gave  out  his  oracles  in  the  midst  of  the  desert,  and  in a  tabernacle  covered  with  the  skins  of  animals,  or  in  the  temple  of Solomon,  the  most  magnificent  which  hath  ever  been  raised  up  to the  glory  of  his  name? And did  the  faith  of  Israel  make  any  distinction, when  it  was  the  same  Lord  who  every  where  spake?

Nevertheless, how  few  among  all  those  who  listen  to  us,  who  do  not constitute themselves  judges  and  censurers  of  the  holy  word! They come here  merely  for  the  purpose  of  deciding  on  the  merit  of  those who announce  it,  of  drawing  foolish  comparisons,  of  pronouncing  on the  difference  of  the  lights  and  of  the  instructions;  they  think  it  an honour  the  being  difficult  to  please;  they  pass  without  attention over the  most  striking  truths,  and  which  might  be  of  the  most essential benefit  to  all;  and  the  only  fruit  reaped  by  them  from  a Christian  discourse  is  confined  to  the  miserable  pride  of  having, better than  any  other,  remarked  its  defects. This is  so  truly  the case, that  we  may  with  justice  apply  to  the  greatest  part  of  our hearers what  Joseph,  become  the  preserver  of  Egypt,  said,  through pure artifice,  to  his  brethren: — It  is  not  to  seek  food  that  you  are come here;  it  is  as  spies,  to  see  the  nakedness  of  the  land. It is not  to  nourish  yourselves  with  the  bread  of  the  word,  or  to  seek assistance and  efficacious  remedies  for  your  evils,  that  you  come  to listen  to  us;  it  is  in  order  to  find  out  cause  for  applying  some  vain censures, and  to  show  your  skill  in  remarking  our  defects;  which defects are  perhaps  a  terrible  punishment  upon  you  of  the  Lord, who, in  consequence  of  your  crimes,  refuseth  more  accomplished labourers in  his  vineyard,  who  would  have  been  enabled  to  recall you to  repentance.

But candidly,  my  brethren,  however  weak  our  language  may  be, do we  not  always  say  enough  to  overthrow  you,  to  dissipate  your errors, and  to  make  you  inwardly  confess  irregularities  which  you are unable  to  justify  to  yourselves? Are such  sublime  talents  required to  tell  you  that  fornicators,  extortioners,  and  men  without mercy, shall  never  enter  the  kingdom  of  God;  that  unless  you  become penitent,  you  shall  perish;  and  that  it  matters  little  to  become master  of  the  whole  world,  if  you  thereby  lose  your  soul? Is it not,  in  fact,  that  very  simplicity  which  constitutes  the  whole force, and  gives  such  energy  to  these  divine  truths? And ought they to  be  less  alarming  to  the  criminal  souls,  though  in  the  mouth of the  most  obscure  individual  of  the  ministry?

And besides,  granting  that  it  were  here  permitted  us  to  recommend ourselves,  as  the  apostle  formerly  said  to  ungrateful  believers, more attentive  to  censure  the  simplicity  of  his  appearance  and  of his  language,  and,  as  he  says  himself,  his  contemptible  figure  in