Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/452

 with which  that  vice  had  afflicted  the  human  race. It became itself an  inexhaustible  source  of  troubles  and  anxieties  to  the  man who then  gave  himself  up  to  a  boundless  gratification  of  it:  it  held out peace  and  pleasure;  but  jealousy,  excess,  frenzy,  disgust, inconstancy, and  black  chagrin,  continually  walked  in  its  steps;  till then, that  the  laws,  the  religion,  and  the  common  example  authorizing it,  the  sole  love  of  ease,  even  in  these  ages  of  darkness  and corruption, kept  free  from  it  a  small  number  of  sages.

But that  motive  was  too  feeble  to  check  its  impetuous  course, and to  extinguish  its  fires  in  the  heart  of  men;  a  more  powerful remedy was  required,  and  that  is  the  birth  of  the  Deliverer,  who comes to  draw  men  out  of  that  abyss  of  corruption  in  order  to render  them  pure  and  without  stain;  to  break  asunder  those shameful bonds,  and  to  give  peace  to  their  hearts,  by  restoring  to them  that  freedom  and  innocence,  of  which  the  slavery  and  tyranny of that  vice  had  deprived  them. He is  born  of  a  virgin-mother, and the  purest  of  all  created  beings:  he  thereby  gives  estimation and honour  to  a  virtue  unknown  to  the  world,  and  which  even  his people considered  as  a  reproach. Besides, in  uniting  himself  with us, he  becomes  our  head,  incorporates  us  with  himself,  makes  us become  members  of  his  mystical  body,  of  that  body  which  no longer  receives  life  and  influence  but  from  him,  of  that  body  whose every ministry  is  holy,  which  is  to  be  seated  at  the  right  hand  of the  living  God,  and  to  glorify  him  for  ever.

Behold, my  brethren,  to  what  height  of  honour  Jesus  Christ,  in this  mystery,  exalts  our  flesh;  he  makes  of  it  the  temple  of  God, the sanctuary  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  portion  of  a  body  in  which the fulness  of  the  Divinity  resides,  the  object  of  the  kindness  and the love  of  his  Father. But do  we  not  still  profane  this  holy  temple? Do we  not  still  turn  to  shame  the  members  of  Jesus  Christ? Do we,  in  a  higher  degree,  respect  our  flesh  since  it  is  become  a holy  portion  of  his  mystical  body? Does that  shameful  passion not still  exercise  the  same  tyranny  over  Christians,  that  is  to  say, over the  children  of  sanctity  and  liberty? Does it  not  still  disturb the peace  of  the  universe,  the  tranquillity  of  empires,  the  harmony of families,  the  order  of  society,  the  confidence  of  marriage,  the  innocence of  social  intercourse,  the  lot  of  every  individual? Are not the  most  tragical  spectacles  still  every  day  furnished  to  the world by  it? Does it  respect  the  most  sacred  ties  and  the  most respectable character? Does it  not  reckon  as  nothing  every  duty? Does it  pay  attention  even  to  decency? And does  it  not  turn  all society into  a  frightful  confusion,  where  custom  has  effaced  every rule? Even you,  who  listen  to  me,  from  whence  have  arisen  all the miseries  and  unhappinesses  of  your  life? Is it  not  from  that deplorable passion? Is it  not  that  which  has  overturned  your  fortune, which  has  cast  trouble  and  dissension  through  the  heart  of your  family,  which  has  swallowed  up  the  patrimony  of  your  fathers, which has  dishonoured  your  name,  which  has  ruined  your  health, and now  makes  you  to  drag  on  a  gloomy  and  disgraceful  life  on  the earth? Is it  not,  at  least,  that  which  actually  rends  your  heart,  at present  filled  with  it? What goes  on  within  you  but  a  tumultuous