Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/345

 what is  visible,  and  leaves  to  the  Lord  to  judge  of  the  intentions and thoughts;  lastly,  according  to  the  rules  of  goodness  and  humanity, which  always  oblige  us  to  presume  in  favour  of  our  brethren. What would  there  be  in  such  a  mistake  to  alarm  you? How noble  for  the  mind  when  the  deception  proceeds  from  a  motive of  humanity  and  kindness! What honour  do  not  such  mistakes render  to  a  good  heart;  for  none  but  the  virtuous  and  the sincere are  capable  of  them! But you,  alas! not being  such,  prefer that deception  which  degrades  the  virtuous  and  pious  man  from that estimation  which  is  his  due,  to  hazarding  the  chance  of  not covering the  hypocrite  with  the  shame  he  deserves.

But, besides,  whence  spring  this  zeal  and  inveteracy  against  the abuse, made  by  the  hypocrite,  of  real  virtue? Is the  glory  of  God so warmly  taken  to  heart  by  you,  that  you  wish  to  avenge  him  on the  impostors  who  dishonour  him? What matters  it  to  you,  who neither serve  nor  love  him,  whether  the  Lord  be  served  by  a  double or a  sincere  heart? What is  there  which  can  so  strongly  interest you for  the  integrity  or  the  hypocrisy  of  his  worshipper, — you who know  not  how  he  is  even  worshipped? Ah! were he  the  God of your  heart,  did  you  love  him  as  your  Lord  and  Father,  were  his glory dear  to  you,  we  might  then  indeed  pardon,  as  an  excess  of zeal,  the  boldness  with  which  you  rise  up  against  the  outrage  done to God  and  his  worship  by  the  simulated  piety  of  the  hypocrite. The just,  who  love  and  serve  him,  are  surely  more  entitled  to  cry out against  an  abuse  so  injurious  to  sincere  piety;  but  you,  who live like  the  Pagans,  who,  sunk  in  debauchery,  are  without  hope, and whose  whole  life  is  one  continued  guilt,  ah! it belongs  little to you  to  take  the  interest  of  God's  glory  against  the  fictitious piety which  is  the  cause  of  so  much  disgrace  and  sorrow  to  the church; whether  he  be  faithfully  served,  or  merely  through  grimace is no  affair  of  yours. Whence then  comes  a  zeal  so  misplaced? Would you  wish  to  know? It is  not  the  Lord  whom  you  wish  to avenge,  nor  is  it  his  glory  which  interests  you;  it  is  the  good  name of the  pious  which  you  wish  to  stain;  it  is  not  hypocrisy  which irritates your  feelings,  it  is  piety  which  displeases  you;  you  are  not the censurer  of  vice,  you  are  only  the  enemy  of  virtue;  in  a  word, you hate  in  the  hypocrite  only  the  resemblance  of  the  pious.

In effect,  did  your  censures  proceed  from  a  fund  of  religion  and true zeal,  ah! with grief  alone  would  you  recall  the  history  of  these impostors, who  have  sometimes  succeeded  in  deceiving  the  world. What do  I  say? Far from  alleging  to  us,  with  an  air  of  triumph, these  examples,  you  would  lament  over  the  scandals  with which they  have  afflicted  the  church;  far  from  applauding  yourselves, when  you  renew  their  remembrance,  you  would  wish  that such melancholy  events  were  for  ever  effaced  from  the  memory  of men. The law  cursed  him  who  should  dare  to  uncover  the  shame and turpitude  of  those  who  had  given  him  life;  but  it  is  the  shame and dishonour  of  the  church,  your  mother,  which  you  expose  with such pleasure  to  public  derision. Do you  carefully  recall  certain humiliating circumstances  to  the  house  from  which  you  spring,  and