Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/407

 preserved only  with  that  of  their  irreligion,  they  vaunt  these  grand examples; after  such  illustrious  models,  it  appears  dignified  to  believe nothing;  their  names  are  constantly  in  their  mouths:  it  is  a false  embroidery,  where  a  laughable  vanity  and  littleness  of  mind alone are  conspicuous,  since  nothing  can  be  more  miserable  or  mean than to  give  ourselves  out  for  what  we  are  not,  or  to  assume  the personage of  another.

Thirdly, and  lastly. Because the  language  of  impiety  is  in  general the  consequence  of  licentious  society. We wish  to  appear the same  as  our  companions  in  debauchery;  for  it  would  be  a shame  to  be  dissolute,  and  yet  seem  to  believe,  in  the  very  presence of our  accomplices  in  riot. It is  a  sorry  cause,  that  of  a  debauchee who still  believes:  impiety  and  licentiousness  are  the  only  colour for debauchery;  without  these  he  would  only  be  a  novice  in  profligacy:  the  dread  of  punishments  and  of  a  hell  is  left  to  those  yet unexercised in  guilt;  that  remnant  of  religion  seems  to  savour  too much of  childhood  and  the  college. But when  attained  to  a  certain length  in  debauchery,  ah! these vulgar  weaknesses  must  all be soared  above;  their  opinion  of  themselves  is  raised  in  proportion as  they  can  persuade  others  that  they  are  now  above  all  these fears; they  even  mock  those  who  appear  still  to  dread:  like  the wife of  Job,  they  say,  with  a  tone  of  irony  and  impiety,  "  Dost thou  still  retain  thine  integrity?  Art  thou  so  simpie  as  to  believe all  these  tales  with  which  thy  childhood  hath  been  alarmed?  Thou seest  not  that  all  these  are  merely  the  visions  of  a  weak  mind,  and that  the  more  knowing,  who  preach  them  up  so  much,  believe  not a  word  of  them  themselves!"

O my  God! how mean  and  despicable  is  the  impious  man,  who seems so  proudly  to  contemn  thee! He is  a  coward,  who  outwardly insults, yet  inwardly  fears  thee;  he  is  a  vain  boaster,  who  makes  a show  of  unbelief,  but  tells  not  what  passes  within;  he  is  an  impostor, who,  wishing  to  deceive  us,  cannot  succeed  in  deceiving himself; he  is  a  fool,  who,  without  a  single  inducement,  adopts  all the horror  of  impiety;  he  is  a  madman,  who,  unable  to  attain irreligion, or  to  extinguish  the  terrors  of  his  conscience,  extinguishes in himself  all  modesty  and  decency,  and  endeavours  to  make  an impious  merit  of  it  in  the  eyes  of  men;  who  madly  sacrifices,  to the  deplorable  vanity  of  being  thought  an  unbeliever,  his  religion which he  still  preserves,  his  God  whom  he  dreads,  his  conscince which he  feels,  his  eternal  salvation  which  he  hopes. What a  desertion of  God,  and  what  a  sink  of  madness  and  folly!

And could  you,  my  brethren,  (and  in  this  wish  I  comprise  the whole  fruit  of  this  Discourse,)  who  still  feel  a  reverence  for  the  religion of  our  fathers,  but  be  sensible  of  the  contemptibility  of  those men who  give  themselves  out  as  freethinkers,  and  whom  you  often so much  esteem,  you  would  then  comprehend  how  much  the  profession of  unbelief,  now  so  fashionable  among  us,  is,  of  all  other characters, the  most  frivolous,  cowardly,  and  worthy  of  laughter: you would  then  know,  that  every  thing  mean  and  shameful,  even according to  the  world,  is  concealed  under  this  ostentation  of  im-