Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/558

 Ah! my brethren,  God  could  not  be  seen  in  former  times  without instant  death  being  the  consequence. A whole  people  of  Bethshemites  was  exterminated  for  having  only  too  curiously  examined the ark:  the  angel  of  the  Lord  covers  Heliodorus  with  wounds,  because he  had  dared  to  enter  into  the  sanctuary  of  Jerusalem:  the Israelites in  the  desert  were  not  permitted  even  to  approach  the holy mountain  from  whence  the  Lord  gave  out  his  law;  the  thunders of  heaven  defended  its  access;  terror  and  death  every  where preceded the  face  of  the  God  of  Abraham. What! because whirlwinds of  fire  no  longer  burst  forth  to  punish  the  intruders  and  the profaners of  our  sanctuaries,  respect  and  dread  no  longer  accompany us  there! Weak men,  over  whom  the  senses  have  such dominion, and  who  are  never  religious  but  when  the  God  whom they worship  is  clothed  in  terror! for, say,  were  we  to  discern  the body of  the  Lord, — did  the  faith  of  his  presence  make  those  grand impressions upon  us,  which  it  would  undoubtedly  do  were  we openly  to  see  him,  ah! would we  tranquilly  and  almost  unfeelingly come to  seat  ourselves  at  this  table? Should a  few  moments  employed in  reciting,  with  a  languid  heart  and  an  absent  mind,  some slight formula,  prepare  us  for  an  action  so  awful? Should a  communion be  the  business  of  an  idle  morning,  perhaps  gained  from a customary  slumber  or  the  vain  cares  of  dress? Ah! the thoughts of it  should  long  previously  occupy  and  affect  us;  time  should even be  necessary  to  strengthen  us,  if  I  may  venture  to  say  so, against our  feelings  of  respect,  and  against  the  idea  of  his  majesty: the days  previous  to  this  sacred  festival  should  be  days  of  retirement, of  silence,  of  prayer,  and  of  mortification:  every  day  which brings us  nearer  to  that  blessed  term,  should  witness  the  increase of our  anxieties,  our  fears,  our  joy. The thoughts  of  it  should  be mingled  with  all  our  affairs,  all  our  conversations,  all  our  meals,  all our relaxations,  and  even  with  our  sleep  itself:  our  mind,  filled with faith,  should  feel  its  inability  to  pay  attention  to  any  thing else;  we  should  no  longer  perceive  but  Jesus  Christ:  that  image alone should  fix  all  our  attention. Behold what  is  meant  by  discerning the  body  of  the  Lord.

I know  that  a  worldly  soul  experiences  inward  agitations  at  the approach of  a  solemnity  in  which  decency,  and  perhaps  the  law, require his  presence  at  the  altar. But, O  my  God! thou who fathomest these  troubled  hearts,  are  such  those  religious  terrors  of faith  which  should  accompany  a  humble  creature  to  thy  altar? Ah! it is  a  sadness  which  operates  death;  these  are  inquietudes which spring  from  the  embarrassments  of  a  conscience  which requires to  be  cleared. They are  gloomy  and  sad,  like  the  young man of  the  Gospel whom  thou  orderedst  to  follow  thee:  they  dread these blessed  days  as  fatal  days:  they  look  upon  as  dark  and gloomy mysteries,  all  the  solemnities  of  Christians;  the  delights of thy  feast  become  a  fatigue  to  them;  they  only  partake  of  it  like the blind  and  the  lame  of  the  Gospel:  that  is  to  say,  that  the  laws of thy  church  must  drag  these  faithless  souls,  as  if  by  force,  from the public  places,  from  the  pleasures  of  the  age,  and  from  the