Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/552

 in declaring  himself  against  thee;  to  feel  his  wretchedness,  and  yet to love  it;  to  know  his  true  happiness,  and  yet  to  fly  from  it? What is  man,  O  my  God! and who  shall  fathom  his  ways,  and  the eternal contradiction  of  his  errors?

Would I  could  finish  what  I  had  at  first  intended,  and  prove  to you,  my  brethren,  that  the  lot  of  the  godly  is  still  more  worthy  of all  our  wishes;  for  this  reason,  that,  when  the  internal  consolations happen even  to  fail  them,  yet  they  have  the  external  aids  of  piety to strenghen  and  to  assist  them:  the  support  of  the  sacrament, which, to  the  reluctant  sinner,  is  no  longer  but  a  melancholy tribute to  decency,  equally  tiresome  and  embarrassing;  the  example of  the  holy,  and  the  history  of  their  wonders,  from  which the sinner  averts  his  eyes,  lest  he  see  in  them  his  own  condemnation:  the  holy  thanksgivings  and  prayers  of  the  church,  which,  to the  sinner,  become  a  melancholy  fatigue:  and,  lastly,  the  consolation of  the  divine  writings,  in  which  he  no  longer  finds  but menaces and  anathemas.

What invigorating  refreshment,  in  effect,  my  brethren,  to  the mind of  a  believer,  when,  after  quitting  the  vain  conversations  of the  world,  where  the  only  subjects  have  been  the  exaltation  of  a family,  the  magnificence  of  a  building,  the  individuals  who  act  a brilliant  part  on  the  theatre  of  the  universe,  public  calamities,  the faults of  those  at  the  head  of  affairs,  the  events  of  war,  and  the errors with  which  the  government  is  continually  accused:  lastly, where, earthly,  they  have  spoken  only  of  the  earth;  what  a  refreshment, after  quitting  these,  when,  in  order  to  breathe  a  little from the  fatigue  of  these  vain  conversations,  a  believing  soul  takes up the  book  of  the  law,  and  finds,  every  where  in  it,  that  it  matters little to  man  to  have  gained  the  whole  world,  if  he  thereby  lose his soul;  that  the  most  vaunted  conquest  shall  sink  into  oblivion with the  vanity  of  the  conquerors;  that  the  heavens  and  the  earth shall pass  away;  that  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  and  all  their glory shall  waste  away  like  a  garment:  but  that  God  alone  will endure for  ever;  and,  consequently,  that  to  him  alone  we  ought  to attach  ourselves! The foolish  have  repeated  vain  things  to  me,  O my  God! says then  this  soul  with  the  prophet;  but,  O  how  different from  thy  law!

And, certainly,  my  brethren,  what  soothing  promises  in  these holy books! What powerful  inducements  to  virtue! What happy precautions against  vice! What instructive  events! what sublime ideas  of  the  greatness  of  God,  and  of  the  wretchedness  of man! What animated  paintings  of  the  deformity  of  sin,  and  the false happiness  of  sinners! We have  no  need  of  thine  assistance, wrote Jonathan  and  all  the  Jewish  people  to  the  Spartans;  for, having the  holy  books  in  our  hands  to  comfort  us,  we  have  no  occasion for  the  aid  of  men. And who,  think  you,  my  brethren,  were these men  who  spake  in  this  manner? They were  the  unfortunate remains of  Antiochus's  cruelty,  wandering  in  the  mountains  of Judea,  despoiled  of  their  property  and  fortunes,  driven  from  Jerusalem and  the  temple,  where  the  abomination  of  idols  had  taken