Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/459

 of discovering  to  them  that  truth  which  they  seek;  they  boldly and openly  demand  in  the  midst  of  that  great  city. " Where is  he  that  is  born  King  of  the  Jews?" They propose  their  question with  no  palliations  calculated  to  attract  an  equivocal  answer; they are  determined  to  be  enlightened;  and  wish  not  to  be  flattered; from their  heart  they  seek  the  truth,  and  for  that  reason,  they  find  it.

New disposition,  sufficiently  rare  among  believers. Alas! we find not  truth,  because  we  never  seek  it  with  a  sincere  and  upright heart; we  diffuse  a  kind  of  mist  over  every  attempt  to  find  it,  which conceals it  from  our  view:  we  consult,  but  we  place  our  passions in so  favourable  a  light,  we  hold  them  out  in  colours  so  softened, and so  similar  to  the  truth,  that  we  procure  a  reply  of  its  being really so:  we  wish  not  to  be  instructed;  we  wish  to  be  deceived, and to  add,  to  the  passion  which  enslaves  us,  an  authority  which may calm  us.

Such is  the  illusion  of  the  majority  of  men,  and  frequently  even of those  who,  become  contrite,  have  quitted  the  errors  of  a  worldly life. Yes, my  brethren,  let  us  search  our  own  hearts,  and  we  shall find, that,  however  sincere  our  conversion  may  otherwise  be,  yet there is  always  within  us  some  particular  point,  some  secret  and privileged attachment,  upon  which  we  are  not  candid;  upon  which we never  but  very  imperfectly  instruct  the  guide  of  our  conscience; upon which  we  seek  not  with  sincerity  the  truth;  upon  which,  in  a word,  it  would  even  grieve  us  to  have  found  it;  and  from  thence  it is,  that  the  weaknesses  of  the  pious  and  good  always  furnish  so many  traits  to  the  derision  of  the  worldly;  from  thence  we  attract upon virtue  continual  reproaches  and  censures,  which  ought  to light  only  upon  ourselves. Nevertheless, to  hear  us  speak,  we  love the truth;  we  are  desirous  of  having  it  shown  to  us. But a  convincing proof  of  that  being  only  a  vain  mode  of  speaking,  is,  that whatever concerns,  or  has  any  allusion  to  this  cherished  passion, is carefully  avoided  by  all  around  us;  our  friends  are  silent  upon it; our  superiors  are  obliged  to  use  an  artful  delicacy,  not  to  injure our feelings;  our  inferiors  are  upon  their  guard,  and  employ  continual precautions;  we  are  never  spoken  to  but  with  lenitives  which draw a  veil  over  our  sore;  we  are  almost  the  only  persons  ignorant of our  defect:  the  whole  world  sees  it,  yet  no  one  has  the  courage to make  it  known  to  ourselves:  it  is  clearly  seen  that  we  seek  not with sincerity  the  truth;  and  that,  far  from  curing  us,  the  hand which should  dare  to  probe  our  sore,  would  only  succeed  in  making a fresh  one.

David knew  not,  and  respected  not,  the  sanctity  of  Nathan,  till after that  prophet  had  spoken  to  him,  with  sincerity,  of  the  scandal of his  conduct;  from  that  day,  and  ever  afterward,  he  considered him as  his  father  and  deliverer;  but,  with  us,  a  person  loses  all  his merit from  the  moment  that  he  has  forced  us  to  know  ourselves. Before that,  he  was  enlightened,  prudent,  full  of  charity;  he  possessed every  talent  calculated  to  attract  esteem  and  confidence;  the John the  Baptists  were  listened  to  with  pleasure,  as  formerly  by an  incestuous  king:  but,  from  the  moment  that  they  have  undis-