Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/353

 that he  has  attained  to  the  state  of  repentance;  and  that  he  has entreated forgiveness  and  mercy  from  God;  upon  these  grounds you hope  every  thing  for  his  salvation,  and  you  no  longer  entertain a doubt  but  that  the  Lord  hath  shown  him  mercy:  some  reluctant marks of  religion,  which  have  been  extorted  from  him,  are  sufficient, in your  idea,  to  secure  to  him  the  kingdom  of  God,  into  which  nothing defiled  shall  ever  enter;  are  sufficient,  I  say,  in  spite  of  the excesses and  abominations  of  his  whole  life;  and  an  entire  life  of virtue  is  not  sufficient,  in  your  opinion,  to  render  it  certain  to  a faithful  soul,  from  the  moment  that  he  mingles  the  smallest  infidelity with  his  past  conduct:  you  save  the  wicked  on  the  most  frivolous and  equivocal  appearances  of  piety,  and  you  condemn  the just on  the  slightest  and  most  excusable  proofs  of  humanity  and weakness.

I might  add,  my  brethren,  that,  consulting  only  your  own  interests, the  imperfections  of  the  pious  ought  to  find  you  more  indulgent and  favourable.

For they  alone,  my  brethren,  spare  you:  they  alone  conceal  your vices, smooth  your  faults,  excuse  your  errors,  and  with  pleasure dwell upon  whatever  may  be  praiseworthy  in  your  virtue;  while the world,  your  equals,  your  rivals,  and  your  pretended  friends, perhaps lessen  your  talents  and  services,  speak  with  contempt  of all  your  good  qualities,  ridicule  your  defects,  number  your  misfortunes amongst  your  faults,  exaggerate  these  very  faults,  and  impoison  your  most  innocent  words  and  actions;  the  virtuous  alone excuse you,  justify  your  heart,  and  are  the  eulogists  of  your  virtues, or  the  prudent  dissemblers  of  your  vices;  they  alone  break up those  conversations  in  which  your  reputation  is  attacked;  they alone refuse  to  join  with  the  public  against  you;  and  for  them alone you  are  destitute  of  humanity,  and  to  them  alone  you  cannot pardon even  the  virtues  which  render  them  estimable. Ah! my brethren, return  them  at  least  what  they  lend  to  you;  spare  your protectors and  apologists,  and  by  decrying  them,  do  not  debilitate the only  favourable  testimony  which  is  left  for  you  among  men.

But I  speak  too  gently;  not  only  the  pious  refuse  to  join  with the malignity  of  the  public  against  you,  but  they  alone  are  your true friends;  they  alone  are  touched  with  your  misfortunes,  affected by your  wanderings,  and  interested  in  your  salvation;  they  carry you in  their  heart;  while  excusing  your  passions  and  irregularities before men,  they  silently  lament  over  them  before  God;  they  raise up their  hands  for  you  to  heaven;  they  supplicate  your  conversion; they entreat  the  forgiveness  of  your  crimes;  and  you  cannot  bring yourselves to  render  justice  even  to  their  piety  and  innocence? Ah! they may  make  against  you  the  same  complaint  to  the  Lord, that the  prophet  Jeremiah  formerly  made  against  the  Jews  of  his time, unjust  censurers  of  his  piety  and  conduct;  *  Give  heed  to  me, O Lord/3  said  that  man  of  God,  "  and  hearken  to  the  voice  of them  that  contend  with  me.  Shall  evil  be  recompensed  for  good? For  they  have  digged  a  pit  for  my  soul;  remember  that  I  stood  before thee  to  speak  good  for  them,  and  to  turn  away  thy  wrath  from  them."