Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/308



In vain  had  Jesus  Christ,  during  his  mortal  life,  a  thousand times declared  to  his  disciples,  that  it  was  flattering  themselves to count  upon  a  reward  which  had  not  been  merited  by  crosses  and toils: this  truth  so  little  agreeable  to  nature,  had  never  been  willingly received;  and  all  the  times  that  the  Saviour  had  tried  to  undeceive them  on  the  opposite  error,  they  heard  not  that  word  of the  gospel,  and  it  was  not  seen  by  them. Such is  still  at  present the disposition  of  the  two  disciples  to  whom  Jesus  Christ  condescends to  appear  in  their  way  to  Emmaus;  they  expected  that their Master  should  deliver  Israel  from  the  yoke  of  nations,  and should cause  them  to  be  seated  on  twelve  earthly  thrones,  without any exertion  being  necessary  on  their  part  in  order  to  mount  them, without the1  Saviour  himself  having  occasion  to  suffer,  in  order  to triumph  over  his  enemies.

Besides the  mistake  which  led  them  to  consider  Jesus  Christ  as a  temporal  deliverer,  I  likewise  observe  another,  which  appears  to me  not  less  dangerous  in  them,  but  which  at  present  is  more  common among  us:  it  is  that  false  trust  by  which  they  are  persuaded, that, without  co-operating  toward  it  themselves,  and  in  leaving  to Jesus  Christ  the  whole  management  of  their  deliverance,  they  shall receive the  fulfilment  of  the  magnificent  promises,  which,  in  his conversations with  them  upon  the  earth,  he  had  so  often  reiterated. Now, my  brethren,  this  false  trust,  which  makes  all  to  be  expected by sinners  from  grace  alone,  without  any  co-operation  on  their part, and  the  reward  of  the  holy  to  be  hoped,  although  they  labour not toward  meriting  it;  this  false  trust,  which  always  reckons  upon the goodness  of  God  whom  it  offends,  which,  without  combating, promises itself  to  be  crowned,  and  which  always  hopes  against probability; this  false  trust,  which  is  unwilling  to  purchase  heaven, and  yet  expects  it,  is  the  most  universal  and  most  established error  among  Christians;  and  when  Jesus  Christ  shall  once more appear  upon  the  earth,  he  will  find  many  of  his  unbelieving disciples, who  shall  have  occasion  to  say  to  him,  "  we  trusted."

This, my  brethren,  is  what  induces  me  to  occupy  your  time  at present  upon  so  important  a  matter,  persuaded  that  a  false  trust  is the  source  of  condemnation  to  almost  all  sinners;  that  those  who are afraid  of  perishing,  never  perish;  and  that  I  could  not  better fulfil my  ministry,  than  by  establishing  in  your  hearts  those  salutary feelings  of  mistrust  which  lead  to  precautions  and  to  remedies, and which,  in  disturbing  the  peace  of  sin,  leave,  in  its  place,  the peace of  Jesus  Christ,  which  surpasseth  all  feeling. Thus, in  order to give  a  proper  extension  to  so  useful  a  subject,  I  reduce  it  to  two propositions. There is  no  disposition  more  foolish  than  that  of  the sinner who  presumes,  without  labouring  toward  his  amendment,  is the  first:  there  is  none  more  injurious  to  God,  is  the  second. The folly of  a  false  trust:  the  insult  of  a  false  trust. Let us  explain these two  truths.

Part I. — I  am  not  afraid  of  openly  agreeing  with  you,  my  brethren, that  the  mercies  of  the  Lord  are  always  more  abundant  than our wickednesses,  and  that  his  goodness  may  furnish  legitimate  motives of  trust  to  all  sinners. The doctrine  which  I  go  to  establish is sufficiently  terrible,  without  adding  to  it  new  terrors  by  concealing part  of  those  truths  which  may  tend  to  soften  it;  and  if  caution be  required  in  this  matter,  it  is  rather  in  not  bringing  forward all that  might  alarm  the  conscience,  than  in  concealing  what  might tend to  console  it.