Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/525

 ness of  God,  and  which  we  have  almost  always  neglected;  so  much culpable and  voluntary  ignorance,  in  consequence  of  having  dreaded the light,  and  even  fled  from  those  who  could  have  instructed  us; so many  events  so  calculated  to  open  our  eyes,  and  which  have served only  to  increase  our  blindness;  so  much  good,  which, through our  talents  or  our  example,  we  might  have  done,  and which we  have  prevented  by  our  vices;  so  many  souls  whose  innocence might  have  been  preserved  by  our  bounty,  and  whom  we have  left  to  perish  by  refusing  to  abate  from  our  profusions;  so many  crimes  which  might  have  been  prevented  in  our  inferiors  or equals  by  prudent  remonstrances  and  useful  advice,  and  which  indolence, meanness,  and  perhaps  more  culpable  views,  have  made us suppress;  so  many  days  and  moments  which  might  have  been placed to  advantage  for  Heaven,  and  which  we  have  spent  in  inutility and  an  unworthy  effeminacy. And what  in  this  is  more dreadful, is  that,  in  our  own  eyes,  that  was  the  most  innocent  part of our  life,  offering  nothing  to  our  remembrance,  as  we  think,  but a great  void.

What endless  regret,  then,  to  the  unfaithful  soul,  to  see  such  a  list of days  sacrified  to  inutility,  to  that  world  which  is  no  more;  while a single  moment,  consecrated  to  a  God  faithful  to  his  promises, might have  merited  the  felicity  of  the  holy! — to see  so  many meannesses, so  many  objections  for  the  sake  of  riches,  and  a  miserable fortune  which  could  last  only  for  a  moment;  while  a  single self-denial, suffered  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ,  would  have  secured to  him  an  immortal  crown! What regret,  when  he  now finds that  not  half  the  cares  and  anxieties  were  required  for  his  salvation which  he  has  undergone  to  accomplish  his  destruction;  and that a  single  day  of  that  long  life,  wholly  devoted  to  the  world,  had sufficed for  eternity!

To that  examination  will  succeed,  in  the  fourth  place,  that  of  mercies which  you  have  abused;  so  many  holy  inspirations  either  rejected or  only  half  prosecuted;  so  many  watchful  attentions  of Providence  to  your  soul  rendered  unavailing;  so  many  truths,  declared through  our  ministry,  which,  in  many  believers,  have  operated penitence  and  salvation,  but  have  always  been  sterile  in  your heart; so  many  afflictions  and  disappointments,  which  the  Lord  had provided for  you,  in  order  to  recall  you  to  him,  and  of  which  you have always  made  so  unworthy  a  use;  even  so  many  natural  gifts which once  were  blossoms  of  virtue,  and  which  you  have  turned into agents  of  vice:  ah! if the  unprofitable  servant  be  cast  into outer darkness  for  having  only  hidden  his  talent,  with  what  indulgence can  you  flatter  yourself,  you  who  have  received  so  many,  and who have  always  employed  them  against  the  glory  of  that  Master who had  intrusted  them  to  you?

Here, indeed,  it  is  that  the  reckoning  will  be  terrible. Jesus Christ will  demand  from  you  the  price  of  his  blood. You sometimes complain  that  God  doth  not  enough  for  you;  that  he  hath brought you  into  the  world  weak,  and  of  a  temperament  of  which you are  not  the  master;  and  that  he  bestoweth  not  the  necessary