Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/504

 Behold the  first  degree  of  death,  which  every  sin  which  separates a soul  from  God  introduces  into  it;  but  habitual  sin,  like  inveterate death, goes  farther. Thus, Lazarus  not  only  is  without  life  in  the tomb, but,  having  been  there  for  four  days,  the  corruption  of  his body begins  to  spread  infection:  for,  although  the  first  sin,  which causes the  loss  of  grace,  leaves  us,  in  the  eyes  of  God,  without  life and without  motion,  yet  we  may  say,  that  certain  impressions  of the  Holy  Spirit,  certain  seeds  of  spiritual  life,  certain  means  of  recovering the  grace  lost,  still  remain  to  us. Faith is  not  yet  extinguished;  the  feelings  of  virtue  not  yet  effaced;  a  sense  of  the  truths of salvation  not  yet  lost:  it  is  a  dead  body  in  truth;  but  life  being only just  withdrawn,  it  still  preserves,  I  know  not  what,  of  marks of warmth,  which  seem  to  spring  from  some  remain  of  life. But, in proportion  as  the  soul  remains  in  death,  and  perseveres  in  guilt, grace withdraws;  all  extinguishes,  all  changes,  all  corrupts,  and  its corruption becomes  universal.

I say  universal;  yes,  my  brethren,  all  changes,  all  corrupts,  in the  soul,  through  a  continuance  of  disorder:  the  gifts  of  nature, gentleness, rectitude,  humanity,  modesty,  even  the  mental  talents; the blessings  of  grace,  the  feelings  of  religion,  the  remorses  of  conscience, the  terrors  of  faith,  and  faith  itself;  the  corruption  penetrates all,  and  changes  into  putrefaction  and  a  spectacle  of  horror both the  gifts  of  heaven  and  the  blessings  of  the  earth:  nothing  remains in  its  original  situation:  the  loveliest  features  are  those  which become the  most  hideous  and  the  most  undistinguishable;  the charms of  wit  become  the  seasoning  of  debauchery  and  the  passions; feelings  of  religion  are  changed  into  freethinking;  superiority of knowledge  into  pride  and  a  vain  and  shocking  philosophy;  nobility of  mind  is  no  longer  but  a  boundless  ambition;  generosity and tenderness  of  heart  but  a  yielding  to  the  sway  of  impure  and profane connexions;  the  principles  of  glory  and  honour  handed down to  us  with  the  blood  of  our  ancestors,  but  a  vain  ostentation, and  the  source  of  all  our  hatreds  and  animosities;  our  rank, our elevation,  the  cause  of  our  envies  and  mean  jealousies:  lastly, our riches  and  our  prosperity,  the  fatal  instruments  of  all  our  crimes.

But the  corruption  is  not  confined  to  the  sinner  alone:  a  dead body cannot  be  long  concealed  without  a  smell  of  death  being spread around:  it  is  impossible  to  live  long  in  debauchery  without the smell  of  a  bad  life  making  itself  felt. In vain  is  every  precaution employed  to  conceal  the  ignominy  of  a  disorderly  life;  in  vain  is the  sepulchre,  full  of  putrefaction  and  infection,  externally  whitened and embellished,  the  stench  spreads;  guilt,  sooner  or  later,  betrays itself; a  black  and  infectious  air  always  proceeds  from  that  profane fire  which,  with  so  much  care  was  concealed. A disorderly life betrays  itself  in  a  thousand  ways;  the  public,  at  last  undeceived, opens  its  eyes,  and  the  more  their  character  becomes blown, the  more  they  discover  themselves;  they  become  accustomed to  their  shame;  they  become  weary  of  constraint  and  decency; that  guilt  which  is  only  to  be  purchased  with  attention  and arrangements, appears  too  dear;   they  unmask  themselves;   they