Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/557

 feel the  inability  of  supporting  his  presence:  of  that  faith  which, without rashly  examining  into  his  majesty,  is,  nevertheless,  overpowered with  its  lustre;  which  sees  the  celestial  legions  covering themselves with  their  wings,  and  the  pillars  of  the  firmament shaking before  this  King  of  terrible  majesty;  of  that  faith  to  which the senses  could  add  nothing,  and  which  is  blessed,  not  because it believes  without  seeing,  but  because  it  almost  sees  in  believing. I speak  of  that  respectful  faith  which  is  seized  with  a  religious trembling at  the  sole  presence  of  the  sanctuary,  which  approaches the altar  as  Moses  did  the  burning  bush,  and  the  Israelites  the thundering mountain;  of  that  faith  which  feels  the  whole  weight of God's  presence,  and,  in  fear,  cries  out,  like  Peter,  "  Depart  from me,  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  O  Lord." I speak  of  that  faith  of which  the  respect  approaches  almost  to  a  dread,  and  which  it  is even  necessary  to  comfort;  which,  from  the  farthest  spot  that  it discovers  Jesus  Christ  upon  the  altar,  feels  an  eclat  of  majesty which strikes  and  agitates  it,  and  overpowers  it  with  the  dread  of having  ventured  to  come  there  without  his  order.

Behold, my  brethren,  what  that  discernment  of  faith  is  which the apostle  demands  of  you. Great God! but doth  any  faith  like this still  remain  on  the  earth? Ah! in vain  dost  thou  still  manifest thy  presence  to  the  world;  it  knows  thee  no  better  than  formerly:  thy  disciples  themselves  often  know  thee  but  according  to the  flesh;  and,  by  being  constantly  with  thee,  their  eyes  become habituated, and  almost  no  longer  discern  thee. When thou  shalt show thyself  in  the  heavens  upon  a  bright  cloud,  men  shall  be consumed  with  terror,  and  the  impious  shall  seek  to  hide  themselves in the  deepest  caverns,  and  entreat  the  mountains  to  cover  their heads: ah! art thou  not  the  same  in  the  sanctuary  as  upon  a cloud  of  glory? Are the  heavens  not  opened  above  thee? When the priest  pronounces  the  awful  words,  do  not  the  heavenly  spirits come down  from  heaven  to  officiate  as  thy  servants,  and  to surround  thee  with  their  homages? Dost thou  not  judge  men  upon that mysterious  tribunal,  and  cast  looks  of  discernment  upon  that multitude of  worshippers  which  fills  thy  temples? Dost not  thou separate the  goats  from  the  sheep? Dost thou  not  there  pronounce sentences  of  life  and  death? In one  hand  dost  thou  not hold thy  wrath,  and  in  the  other  crowns? Dost thou  not  separate me there,  and  stamp,  with  an  invisible  hand,  upon  my  forehead,  the mark of  my  election  or  of  my  eternal  reprobation? Alas! and, while thou  art  perhaps  condemning  me,  I  have  the  presumption  to draw  near;  while  thou  art  casting  me  off  from  before  thee,  I  boldly present myself  there;  while  thou  perhaps  layest  open  the  abyss  to mark  out  my  place,  I  impudently  come  to  take  it  at  thy  table;  while thou perhaps  art  ranging  me  with  the  children  of  wrath,  I  come  to seat  myself  among  the  children  of  thy  love;  thy  body,  which giveth life,  to  me  is  a  body  of  death;  the  Lamb  without  stain, which breaks  the  seven  seals  of  the  book  of  death,  is  the  last  seal which fills  up  and  closes  that  of  mine  iniquities;  and  thou,  who shouldst be  my  Saviour,  becomest  my  guilt.