Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/542

 circumstances, so  many  accidents  of  disgrace,  of  loss,  of  death,  of treachery,  and  of  affliction;  all  provided  by  a  watchful  Providence to facilitate  the  means  of  breaking  asunder  his  chains:  those  special attentions  of  God,  even  when  in  the  paths  of  iniquity:  those disgusts, even  in  the  midst  of  his  pleasures,  provided  for  him  by  his goodness: those  inward  calls  which  incessantly  whispered  to  him, Return to  virtue  and  to  duty:  that  internal  monitor,  which,  go where  he  would,  never  left  him,  and  unceasingly  repeated  to  him, as formerly  to  St. Augustine, Fool! how long  wilt  thou  hunt  after pleasures which  can  never  make  thee  happy? When, by  terminating thy  crimes,  wilt  thou  terminate  thy  troubles? What more is yet  required  to  open  thine  eyes  upon  the  world,  than  thine  own experience itself,  of  thy  weariness  and  unhappiness  while  serving  it? Try if,  in  belonging  to  me,  thou  shalt  not  be  more  happy,  and  if  I suffice  not  to  fill  the  soul  which  possesses  me.

Such is  what  the  past  offers  to  a  contrite  soul. It there  sees  the accomplices of  its  former  pleasures  still  delivered  up,  by  God^s justice, to  the  errors  of  the  world  and  of  the  passions,  and  it  alone chosen, separated,  and  called  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.

With what  peace  and  consolation  does  that  reflection  fill  the  believing soul! " How  infinite,  O  my  God,"  cries  he,  with  the  prophet, ft  are  thy  mercies! Thou hast  covered  me  in  my  mothers womb: thou  hast  compassed  my  path,  and  my  lying  down,  and  all my ways  have  been  known  to  thee. What have  I  done  for  thee more than  so  many  other  sinners  whose  eyes  thou  deignest  not  to open,  and  to  manifest  the  severity  of  thy  judgments  and  of  thy  justice? How marvellous,  O  God! are all  thy  works,  and  that  my soul  knoweth  right  well  P — First  advantage  of  righteous  souls;  the remembrance even  of  their  past  infidelities  consoles  them.

But, secondly,  if  they  find  sources  of  solid  consolation  in  reviewing the  past,  their  piety  is  not  less  comforted  while  viewing  the present occurrences  of  the  world. And here,  my  brethren,  you  will presently see  how  essentially  requisite  is  virtue  to  the  happiness  of life,  and  how  that  very  world,  which  gives  birth  to  all  the  passions, and, consequently,  to  all  the  disquietudes  of  sinners,  becomes  the sweetest and  most  consolatory  exercise  of  the  faith  of  the  just.

What, indeed,  is  the  world  even  to  the  worldly  themselves,  who love it,  who  seem  intoxicated  with  its  delights,  and  who  cannot  do without  it? The world? It is  an  eternal  servitude,  where  no  one lives for  himself,  and  where,  in  order  to  be  happy,  we  must  bring ourselves to  hug  our  chains,  and  to  love  our  slavery. The world? It is  a  daily  revolution  of  events,  which  successively  arouse,  in  the hearts of  its  partisans,  the  most  violent  and  the  most  melancholy passions, cruel  antipathies,  hateful  perplexities,  torturing  fears,  devouring jealousies,  and  corroding  cares. The world? It is  a  land of curse,  where  even  its  pleasures  are  productive  of  only  bitternesss  and  thorns. Gaming fatigues  and  exhausts  by  its  frenzies and by  its  caprices:  conversation  becomes  wearisome  through  the contrariety of  tempers  and  the  opposition  of  sentiments;  passions and criminal  attachments  are  followed   with  their  disgusts,  their