Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/41

. It rarely  happens  that  the  decisions  of  our  inclinations  are found the  same  with  those  of  the  holy  rules;  nevertheless,  it  is that  which  decides  on  all  our  preferences  in  the  business  of  salvation.— Second  step  of  our  imprudence  in  the  affair  of  our  eternal salvation. — In effect,  there  is  scarcely  a  doubt  with  regard  to  our duties, which  conceals  from  us  the  precise  obligation  of  the  law  on every  step. We know  the  paths  by  which  Jesus  Christ  and  the saints have  passed;  they  are  still  pointed  out  to  us  every  day;  we are  invited  by  the  success  which  they  have  had,  to  walk  in  their steps. In this  manner,  say  they  to  us,  with  the  apostles,  did  those men of  God  who  have  preceded  us,  overcome  the  world,  and  obtain the performance  of  the  promises. We see,  that,  by  imitating  them, we may  hope  for  all,  and,  in  the  way  in  which  we  walk,  that  every thing is  to  be  dreaded. Ought we  to  hesitate  on  this  alternative? Nevertheless, in  every  thing  we  resist  our  own  lights;  every  where we prefer  danger  to  safety;  our  whole  life  is,  indeed,  one  continued danger:  in  all  our  actions  we  float,  not  between  the  more or less  perfect,  but  between  guilt  and  simple  errors. Every time we act,  the  question  is  not  to  know  whether  we  are  doing  the greatest good,  but  if  we  are  committing  only  a  slight  fault,  worthy of indulgence. All our  duties  are  limited  to  the  inquiry  at  ourselves, if  possessing  such  principles;  if,  to  a  certain  degree,  delivering ourselves  up  to  resentment;  if  employing  a  certain  degree of duplicity;  \f  not  denying  ourselves  a  certain  gratification,  be  a crime,  or  a  venal  fault;  you  always  hang  between  these  two  destinies; and  your  conscience  can  never  render  you  the  testimony, that on  any  occasion  you  made  choice  of  the  part  in  which  there was no  danger.

Thus, you  know,  that  a  life  of  pleasure,  of  gaming,  of  show, of amusement,  when  even  nothing  gross  or  criminal  is  mingled with it,  is  a  part  very  doubtful  for  eternity;  no  saint,  at  least, has left  you  such  an  example. You are  sensible,  that  more  guarded and more  Christian  manners  would  leave  you  nothing  similar  to dread:  nevertheless,  you  love  an  accommodating  doubt  better than an  irksome  safety;  you  know  that  grace  has  moments  which never return;  that  nothing  is  more  uncertain  than  the  return  of holy  impulses,  once  rejected;  that  salvation  deferred,  almost always fails;  and  that  to  begin  to-day  is  prudently  assuring  ourselves of  success:  you  know  it:  yet  you  prefer  the  uncertain  hope of a  grace  to  come,  to  the  present  salvation  which  offers  itself  to you. Now, my  brethren,  I  only  demand  of  you  two  reflections, and I  shall  finish. In the  first  place,  when,  even  in  this  path which you  tread,  the  balance  were  equal,  that  is  to  say,  when  it were  equally  suspicious  whether  you  are  to  be  saved  or  lost,  did the smallest  portion  of  faith  remain  to  you,  you  would  be  plunged in the  most  cruel  alarms;  it  ought  to  appear  horrible  to  you  that your eternal  salvation  was  become  a  problem,  upon  which  you knew not  what  to  decide,  and  upon  which,  with  equal  appearances of truth,  you  might  determine  for  the  happiness  or  the  misery  of your  everlasting  lot,  in  the  same  manner  as  upon  those  indiffer-