Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/296

 though, of  all  men,  he  had  only  thee  to  save;  thou,  in  a  word,  whose every moment  is  a  fresh  grace,  and  whose  greatest  guilt  shall  one day be,  that  of  having  received  too  many,  and  of  having  constantly abused them.

But, to  finish  your  overthrow,  upon  what  grounds  do  you  say that you  want  grace? You doubtless  say  so,  because  you  feel  that in your  present  state  conversion  would  require  too  many  sacrifices; but you  then  believe  that,  with  grace,  you  are  converted  without any sacrifice  on  your  part,  without  any  self-denial,  and  almost without being  sensible  of  it  yourself? You believe,  then,  that  to have  grace  is  to  have  no  more  passions  to  conquer,  no  more  charms to break,  no  more  temptations  to  overcome;  that  it  is  to  be  regenerated through  penitence,  without  tears,  pain,  or  sorrow? Ah! I assure you  that  on  this  footing  you  will  never  possess  that  chimerical grace,  for  conversion  must  always  require  many  sacrifices;  be the  grace  what  it  may,  you  will  always  be  required  to  make  heroical efforts to  repress  your  passions,  to  tear  yourself  from  the  most  beloved objects,  and  to  sacrifice  every  thing  which  may  yet  captivate you. Look around,  and  see  if  no  sacrifices  are  required  of  those who are  daily  returning  to  their  God;  yet  they  are  favoured  with grace, since  it  is  it  which  delivers  them  and  changes  their  heart. Inquire of  them,  if  grace  render  every  thing  easy  and  smooth;  if it  leave  nothing  more  for  self-love  to  undergo. Ask them  if  they have not  had  a  thousand  struggles  to  sustain,  a  thousand  obstacles to overcome,  a  thousand  passions  to  moderate,  and  you  will  know if to  have  grace  is  to  be  converted  without  any  exertion  on  your part. Conversion is,  therefore,  a  painful  sacrifice,  a  laborious  baptism, a  grievous  delivery,  a  victory  which  supposes  combats  and fatigues. Grace, I  confess,  softens  them  all;  but  it  by  no  means operates so  as  to  leave  nothing  more  to  overcome;  and  if,  in  order to change  your  life,  you  await  a  grace  of  that  nature,  I  declare  to you,  that  such  never  existed,  and  that  so  absurdly  to  await  your salvation and  deliverance,  is  to  be  absolutely  bent  upon  perishing.

But, if  the  pretext  of  the  default  of  grace  be  unjust  on  the  side of the  sinner  who  alleges  it,  it  is  not  less  rash  and  ungrateful  with regard to  God,  on  whom  he  pretends  to  fix  the  blame.

For you  say  that  God  is  the  master,  and  that,  when  he  shall want you,  he  will  perfectly  know  how  to  find  you;  that  is  to  say, that you  have  only  to  leave  him  solely  to  act,  and  that,  without giving yourself  any  trouble  with  respect  to  your  salvation,  he,  when so inclined,  will  know  how  to  change  your  heart;  that  is  to  say, that you  have  only  to  pass  your  life  in  pleasures  and  in  guilt,  and that, without  any  interference  on  your  part,  without  your  bestowing even a  thought  upon  it,  without  bringing  to  that  conversion,  which you expect,  other  preparation  than  a  whole  life  of  debauchery  and constant opposition  to  his  grace,  he  will  know  how  to  obtain  you, when his  moment  shall  be  come;  that  is  to  say,  that  your  salvation, that  grand,  that  only  business  which  you  have  upon  the earth, is  no  longer  a  concern  of  yours;  and  that  the  Lord,  who hath given  you  that  alone  to  manage,  who  hath  commanded  you  to