Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/497

 the possession  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  of  immutable  riches; he hath  brought  to  them  the  knowledge  of  salvation  and  the doctrine of  truth. These gifts,  so  magnificent,  have  not  ended even with  him:  seated  on  the  right  hand  of  his  Father,  he  still sheds them  over  our  hearts;  all  our  miseries  still  find  their remedy in  him;  he  nourishes  us  with  his  body;  he  washes us from  our  stains  by  continually  applying  to  us  the  price  of  his blood; he  forms  pastors  to  conduct  us;  be  inspires  prophets  to instruct  us;  he  sanctifies  righteous  characters  to  animate  us  by their  example;  he  is  continually  present  in  our  hearts  to  comfort all  their  wants:  man  hath  no  passion  which  his  grace  doth not cure,  no  affliction  which  it  doth  not  render  pleasing,  no power  but  what  springs  from  him:  in  a  word,  he  assures  us himself,  that  he  is  our  way,  our  truth,  our  life,  our  righteousness, our  redemption,  our  light. What new  doctrine  is  this? Can an  individual  man  be  the  source  of  so  many  benefits  to other  men? Can the  sovereign  God,  so  jealous  of  his  glory, attach us  to  a  creature,  by  duties  and  ties  so  intimate  and  sacred, that we  depend  almost  more  upon  that  creature  than  upon  himself? Would there  be  no  danger  that  a  man,  become  so  beneficial  and so necessary  to  other  men,  should  at  last  become  their  idol? That a man,  author  and  dispenser  of  so  many  blessings,  and  who  discharges, with  regard  to  us,  the  office  and  all  the  functions  of  a  God, should likewise,  in  a  little  time,  occupy  his  place  in  our  hearts?

For observe,  my  brethren,  that  it  is  gratitude  alone  which  hath formerly made  so  many  gods. Men, neglecting  the  Author  of their  being  and  of  the  universe,  worshipped,  at  first,  the  air  which enabled them  to  live,  the  earth  which  nourished  them,  the  sun which gave  them  light,  and  the  moon  which  presided  over  the night: such  were  their  Cybeles,  their  Apollos,  their  Dianas. They worshipped those  conquerors  who  had  delivered  them  from  their enemies, those  benevolent  and  upright  princes  who  had  rendered their subjects  happy,  and  the  memory  of  their  reign  immortal; and Jupiter  and  Hercules  were  placed  in  the  rank  of  gods,  the  one for the  number  of  his  victories,  and  the  other  in  consequence  of the  happiness  and  tranquillity  of  his  reign. In the  ages  of  superstition and  credulity,  men  knew  no  other  gods  than  those  who were serviceable  to  them;  and  such  is  the  character  of  man,  his worship is  but  his  love  and  his  gratitude.

Now, what  man  hath  ever  benefitted  mankind  so  much  as Jesus  Christ? Recollect all  that  the  pagan  ages  have  told  us  of the  history  of  their  gods,  and  see  if  they  believed  themselves indebted to  them  what  unbelief  itself  acknowledges,  with  the  holy books, the  world  to  be  indebted  to  Jesus  Christ. To some  they thought themselves  indebted  for  favourable  winds  and  a  fortunate navigation; to  others  for  the  fertility  of  seasons;  to  their  Mars  for success in  battle;  to  their  Janus  for  the  peace  and  tranquillity  of the  people;  to  Esculapius  for  their  health:  but  what  are  these weak benefits,  if  you  compare  them  with  those  which  Jesus  Christ hath showered  upon  the  earth? He hath  brought  to  it  an  eternal