Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/443

 the universe,  gave  way  to  all  the  different  worships  of  the  nations she had  subjugated;  and  beheld,  exalted  within  her  walls,  the different idols  of  so  many  conquered  countries,  that  they  became the public  monuments  of  her  folly  and  blindness,  rather  than  of her  victories.

But, after  all,  though  all  flesh  had  corrupted  bis  way,  God  no longer  wished  to  pour  out  his  wrath  upon  men,  nor  to  exterminate them by  a  fresh  deluge;  he  wished  to  save  them. He had  placed in the  heavens  the  sign  of  his  covenant  with  the  world;  and  that sign was  not  the  shining,  though  vulgar  rainbow  which  appears  in the  clouds;  it  was  Jesus  Christ  his  only  Son,  the  Word  made  flesh, the true  seal  of  the  eternal  covenant,  and  the  sole  light  which  comes to enlighten  the  whole  world.

He appears  on  the  earth,  and  restores  to  his  Father  that  glory of which  the  impiety  of  a  public  worship  had  wished  to  deprive him. The homage  rendered  to  him,  by  his  holy  soul  united  to  the world, at  once  makes  amends  to  his  Supreme  Majesty  for  all  the honours which  the  universe  had  hitherto  denied  him,  in  order  to prostitute  them  to  a  creature. A Man-God  adorer  renders  more glory to  the  Divinity  than  all  idolatrous  ages  and  nations  had  deprived him  of;  and  such  homage  must  indeed  have  been  agreeable to the  sovereign  God,  seeing  it  alone  effaced  idolatry  from  the earth, made  the  blood  of  impure  victims  cease  to  flow,  overturned the profane  altars,  silenced  the  oracles  of  demons,  reduced  to  dust the vain  idols,  and  changed  their  superb  temples,  till  then  the  receptacle of  every  abomination,  into  houses  of  adoration  and  prayer. Thus was  the  universe  changed:  the  only  God,  unknown  even  in Athens,  and  in  those  cities  most  celebrated  for  knowledge  and  polished manners,  was  worshipped:  the  world  acknowledged  its  Author: God entered  into  his  rights;  a  worship  worthy  of  him  was  established over  the  whole  earth;  and  he  had  every  where  adorers,  who worshipped him  in  spirit  and  in  truth.

Behold the  first  blessing  accruing  from  the  birth  of  Jesus  Christ, and the  first  glory  which  he  renders  to  his  Father. But, my  brethren, is  this  grand  blessing  for  us? We no  longer  worship  vain idols, — an incestuous  Jupiter,  a  lascivious  Venus,  a  cruel  and  a  revengeful Mars;  but  is  God,  therefore,  more  glorified  among  us? In their  place  do  we  not  substitute  fortune,  voluptuousness,  court favour, the  world,  with  all  its  pleasures? For, whatever  we  love more than  God,  that  we  worship;  whatever  we  prefer  to  God,  that becomes our  God:  whatever  becomes  the  sole  object  of  our  thoughts, of our  desires,  of  our  affections,  of  our  fears  and  hopes,  becomes likewise the  object  of  our  worship;  and  our  gods  are  our  passions, to which  we  sacrifice  the  true  God.

Now, what  idols  of  this  kind  still  remain  in  the  Christian  world? You, that  unfortunate  creature,  to  whom  you  have  prostituted  your heart; to  whom  you  sacrifice  your  wealth,  your  fortune,  your  glory, your peace;  and  from  whom  neither  religious  motives,  nor  even those of  the  world,  can  detach  you,  that  is  your  idol;  and  what less is  she  than  your  divinity,  since,  in  your  madness,  you  do  not