Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/484

 view with  trembling,  is  the  spectacle  of  a  conscience  stained  with crimes.

Such is  the  omnipotency  of  Jesus  Christ:  his  miracles  bear  no •mark  of  dependence;  and,  not  satisfied  with  thereby  showing  to us  that  he  is  equal  to  God,  he  also  advertises  us,  that,  whatever wonder is  operated  by  his  Father  upon  the  earth,  he  likewise  operates; and  that  his  Fathers  works  are  his. Hath any  prophet, down to  the  period  of  Jesus  Christ,  spoken  in  this  manner;  and  who, far from  rendering  glory  to  God  as  the  author  of  every  excellent gift, hath  attributed  to  himself  all  the  grand  things  which  it  had pleased the  Lord  to  operate  through  his  ministry?

But, my  brethren,  if  we  have  also  been  prophesied  with  Jesus Christ, we  are  moreover  participators  of  his  sovereignty  over  all creatures. Through faith  the  Christian  is  master  of  nature:  all  is subjected  to  him,  because  he  himself  is  inferior  only  to  God;  all his actions  ought  to  be  miraculous,  because  they  ought  all  to  proceed from  a  sublime  and  divine  principle,  and  far  above  the  powers of  human  weakness. We ought  to  be,  as  I  may  say,  miraculous men, masters  of  the  world,  in  contemning  it;  exalted  above  the laws of  nature,  by  overcoming  them;  sovereign  disposers  of  events, by a  thorough  and  tranquil  submission  to  them;  more  powerful than death  itself,  by  wishing  for  it. Such is  the  sublimity  of  the Christian: and  how  great  must  Jesus  Christ  have  been  to  have exalted human  weakness  to  such  a  pinnacle  of  grandeur  and  might!

Finally. The last  splendid  character  of  his  ministry  is  the  marvellous, and,  till  then,  unheard-of  circumstances  which  compose the whole  course  of  his  mortal  life. I know  that  he  came  in  nakedness and  humiliation;  but,  through  these  obscure  and  contemptible externals,  what  lustre  are  not  even  the  enemies  of  his divinity forced  to  acknowledge  there!

In the  first  place,  although  they  consider  him  as  a  man  similar to us,  they,  nevertheless,  believe  him  to  have  been  formed,  through the invisible  operation  of  the  Most  High,  in  the  womb  of  a  virgin of Judah,  in  opposition  to  the  common  law  of  the  children  of  Adam. What glory  already  for  a  simple  creature!

Secondly. Scarcely is  he  born,  when  celestial  legions  sing  the praises of  the  Lord,  and  give  us  to  understand,  that  this  birth  renders glory  to  the  Most  High,  and  brings  an  eternal  peace  upon the earth. What then  is  this  creature  who  can  render  glory  to the  Most  High,  whose  glory  is  in  himself  alone? Immediately after this  a  new  star  calls  the  wise  men  from  the  heart  of  the  East; and, guided  by  that  miraculous  light,  those  righteous  men  come from the  extremities  of  the  earth  to  worship  the  new  King  of the  Jews.

Trace all  the  circumstances  of  his  life. If Mary  bring  him  to the  temple,  a  righteous  man  and  a  holy  woman  proclaim  his  future greatness; and,  transported  with  a  holy  joy,  they  die  with  pleasure, after having  seen  him  whom  they  call  the  salvation  of  the  world, the light  of  nations,  and  the  glory  of  Israel. The doctors,  assembled in  the  temple,  behold,  with  terror,  his  infancy  to  be  wiser