Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/403

 Such, my  brethren,  is  the  situation  of  almost  all  who  give  themselves out  in  the  world  as  unbelievers;  they  have  investigated  neither the  difficulties  nor  the  respectable  proofs  of  religion;  they know not  even  enough  to  doubt  of  them. They hate  it;  for  how is it  possible  to  love  our  condemnation? And upon  that  hatred are founded  their  doubts  and  their  only  arguments  to  oppose  it.

In effect,  when  I  glance  my  eye  over  all  that  the  Christian  ages have had  of  great  men,  elevated  geniuses,  profound  and  enlightened scholars, who,  after  an  entire  life  of  study  and  indefatigable  application, have,  with  a  humble  docility,  submitted  to  the  mysteries  of faith;  have  found  the  proofs  of  religion  so  strong,  that  the  proudest and  most  untractable  reason  might,  in  their  opinion,  without derogation, comply;  have  defended  it  against  the  blasphemies  of the  pagans;  have  silenced  the  vain  philosophy  of  the  sages  of  the age, and  made  the  folly  of  the  cross  to  triumph  over  all  the  wisdom and erudition  of  Rome  and  Athens;  it  strikes  me,  that,  in  order  to renew  the  attack  against  mysteries  so  long  and  so  universally  established;  that,  in  order  to  be  heard  in  appeal,  if  I  may  venture  to say  so,  from  the  submission  of  so  many  ages,  from  the  writings  of so  many  great  men,  from  so  many  victories  achieved  by  faith,  from the consent  of  the  universe;  in  a  word,  from  a  prescription  so  long and so  well  strengthened,  it  would  require  either  new  proofs  that  had never yet  been  controverted,  or  new  difficulties  that  had  never  yet been started,  or  new  methods  which  discovered  a  weak  side  in  religion, as  yet  never  found  out. It seems  to  me,  that,  singly  to  rise up against  so  many  testimonies,  so  many  prodigies,  so  many  ages, so many  divine  monuments,  so  many  famous  personages,  so  many works which  time  hath  consecrated,  and  which,  like  pure  gold,  have quitted the  ordeal  of  unbelief  only  more  resplendent  and  immortal; in a  word,  so  many  surprising,  and,  till  then,  unheard  of  events, which establish  the  faith  of  Christians,  it  would  require  very  decisive and  very  evident  reasons,  very  rare  and  new  lights,  to  pretend even to  doubt,  much  less  to  oppose  it. Would not  that  man  be deservedly  considered  as  out  of  his  senses,  who  should  go  to  defy a whole  army,  merely  to  make  an  ostentation  of  a  vain  defiance,  and to pride  himself  upon  a  burlesque  bravery?

Nevertheless, when  you  examine  the  majority  of  those  who  call themselves unbelievers,  who  are  continually  clamouring  against  the popular prejudices,  who  vaunt  their  doubts,  and  defy  us  to  satisfy or to  answer  them;  you  find  that  their  only  knowledge  consists  of some  hackneyed  and  vulgar  doubts,  which,  in  all  times,  have  been, and still  continue  to  be,  argued  in  the  world;  that  they  know  nothing but  a  certain  jargon  of  licentiousness  which  goes  from  hand to hand,  which  they  receive  without  examination,  and  repeat  without understanding:  you  find  that  their  whole  skill  and  study  of religion  are  reduced  to  some  licentious  sayings,  which,  if  I  may  descend so  low,  are  the  proper  language  of  the  streets;  to  certain maxims which,  through  mere  repetition,  begin  to  relish  of  proverbial meanness. You will  find  no  foundation,  no  principle,  no  sequence of  doctrine,  no  knowledge  even  of  the  religion  which  they