Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/567

 man; here  lie  sanctified  the  marriage  and  the  feast  with  his  presence;  here  he  multiplied  the  loaves  to  fill  a  famished  multitude; here he  checked  his  disciples  who  wanted  to  bring  fire  from  heaven upon a  criminal  city;  here  he  deigned  to  hold  converse  with  a  woman of  Samaria;  here  he  suffered  the  children  around  him,  and rebuked those  who  wanted  to  drive  them  away;  here  he  restored sight to  the  blind,  made  the  lame  to  walk,  delivered  those  possessed of  devils,  made  the  dumb  to  speak,  and  the  deaf  to  hear. At these  words  our  fathers  felt  themselves  transported  with  a  holy joy; they  shed  tears  of  tenderness  and  of  religion  upon  that  blessed land; this  sight,  these  images,  carried  them  back  to  the  times, to the  actions,  to  the  mysteries  of  Jesus  Christ,  inspired  them with fresh  ardour,  and  consoled  their  faith;  sinners  found  there a sweet  trust,  the  weak  a  new  force,  and  the  righteous  new desires.

Ah, Christians! it is  not  necessary  that  you  cross  the  seas;  salvation is  at  your  hand;  the  word  which  we  preach  to  you  will  be, if you  wish  it,  upon  your  mouth  and  in  your  heart;  open  the  eyes of faith,  behold  these  altars;  they  are  not  places  consecrated  formerly with  the  presence,  it  is  Jesus  Christ  himself:  approach  in remembrance  of  him;  come  to  rekindle  all  that  your  heart  hath ever felt  of  tender,  affecting,  and  lively,  for  this  divine  Saviour. Let the remembrance  of  his  meekness,  which  would  not  permit  him  to break  the  reed  already  bruised,  nor  to  extinguish  the  yet  glimmering lamp,  quiet  your  transports  and  impatiencies:  let  the  remembrance of  his  toils  and  of  his  troublesome  life  overwhelm  you  for your effeminacy;  let  the  remembrance  of  his  modesty  and  of  his humility, which  made  him  fly  when  they  wanted  to  make  him  king, cure you  of  your  vanities,  of  your  schemes,  of  your  frivolous  pretensions:  let  the  remembrance  of  his  fast  for  forty  days  reproach you for  your  sensualities:  let  the  remembrance  of  his  zeal  against the profaners  of  the  temple  teach  you  with  what  respect,  and  with what holy  dread,  you  ought  to  enter  there:  let  the  remembrance of the  simplicity  and  frugality  of  his  manners  condemn  the  vain superfluities and  the  excesses  of  yours:  let  the  remembrance  of  his retirement and  of  his  prayers  warn  you  to  fly  the  world,  to  retire sometimes into  the  secrecy  of  your  house,  to  pass,  at  least,  some portion of  the  day,  in  the  indispensable  practice  of  prayer;  let  the remembrance of  his  tender  compassion  for  a  famished  people  give you bowels  of  compassion  for  the  unfortunate:  let  the  remembrance of  his  holy  discourses  teach  you  to  converse  innocently, holily, and  profitably  with  men:  in  a  word,  let  the  remembrance of all  his  virtues,  there  more  lively,  more  present  to  the  heart  and to the  mind,  correct  you  of  all  your  weaknesses. This is  what  is called  to  communicate  in  remembrance  of  him.

But, to  bring  continually  to  the  altar  the  same  weaknesses;  to familiarize  ourselves  in  such  a  manner  with  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ, that it  no  longer  awakens  in  us  a  new  sentiment,  but  leaves  us  always such  as  we  are;  to  nourish  ourselves  with  a  divine  food,  yet not to  increase;    frequently  to  approach  this  burning  furnace  with-