Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/368

 is the  house  of  prayer,  where  every  one  ought  to  come  to  lay his secret  wants  before  the  Lord;  where,  in  public  calamities,  he is  appeased  by  the  general  prayers;  where  the  assembled  ministers lift  up  their  hands  for  the  sins  of  the  people;  and  where  the eyes of  the  Lord  are  ever  open  to  our  wants,  and  his  ears  attentive to our  cries.

Not but  we  may  address  ourselves  to  him,  as  the  apostle  says, in every  place;  but  the  temple  is  the  spot  where  he  is  more  propit  ious,  and  where  he  hath  promised  to  be  always  present  to  receive our homages,  and  to  lend  a  favourable  ear  to  our  requests. Yes, my brethren,  it  is  here  that  we  ought  to  come  to  join  in  lamentation with  the  church,  over  the  scandals  with  which  she  is  afflicted, over the  divisions  with  which  she  is  torn,  and  over  the  dangers which surround  her;  over  the  obstinacy  of  sinners,  and  the  coldness of  charity  among  believers:  we  come,  with  her,  to  solicit  the mercies of  the  Lord  upon  his  people;  to  entreat  of  him  the  cessation of  wars  and  other  public  scourges;  the  extinction  of  schisms and errors;  the  knowledge  and  the  love  of  righteousness  and  of truth  for  sinners;  and  perseverance  for  the  just. You ought, therefore, to  come  with  an  attentive  and  collected  mind,  a  prepared heart, and  which  offers  nothing  to  the  eyes  of  God  that  may  avert the favours  solicited  by  the  church  for  you,  and  to  appear  with  that exterior of  a  suppliant,  which,  of  itself,  shows  that  he  prays  and that he  worships.

Nevertheless, my  brethren,  while  the  ministers  are  lifting  up their  hands  here  for  you;  are  supplicating  the  Lord  for  the  prosperity of  your  families,  for  abundance  to  your  lands,  for  the  preservation of  your  relations  and  children,  who  perhaps  expose  themselves for  the  welfare  of  their  country,  for  the  end  of  wars,  dissensions, and  all  the  miseries  with  which  we  are  afflicted;  while  they are entreating  remedies  for  your  backslidings,  and  aids  for  your weakness; while  they  are  speaking  to  the  holy  God  in  your  favour, you deign  not  even  to  accompany  their  prayers  with  your  attention and your  respect. You dishonour  the  holy  gravity  of  the  church's lamentations  by  a  spirit  of  inattention,  and  by  indecencies  which would hardly  become  even  those  criminal  resorts  where  you  listen to profane  songs;  and  the  only  difference  in  your  behaviour  is, that, in  the  one,  you  are  touched  and  rendered  attentive  by  a  lascivious harmony,  while  here  you  endure,  with  impatience,  the  divine songs of  thanksgiving  and  in  praise  of  the  Lord.

Thus, my  brethren,  in  place  of  the  public  prayers  arresting  the arm of  the  Lord,  so  long  impending  over  our  heads;  in  place  of the  supplications,  which  resound  in  every  part  of  our  temples, being able,  as  formerly,  to  suspend  the  scourges  of  Heaven,  to bring  back  days  of  peace  and  of  tranquillity,  to  reconcile  nations and kings,  and  to  attract  peace  from  heaven  to  the  earth;  alas! the days of  evil  still  endure;  the  times  of  trouble,  of  mourning,  and  of desolation,  cease  not;  war  and  fury  seem  to  have  for  ever  taken up their  abode  among  men;  the  desolate  widow  demands  her  husband;  the  afflicted  father  in  vain  looks  out  for  his  child;  brother