Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/72

 duties which  have  succeeded  to  the  frenzies  of  the  passions  and the tumult  of  a  worldly  life,  which  have  provided  for  us  much more happy  and  peaceful  days  than  those  we  had  ever  passed  in the  midst  of  dissipation,  and  which,  though  they  still  leave  us something  to  suffer,  yet  occasion  us  to  enjoy  a  more  tranquil  and supportable lot.

Lastly. Faith, which  brings  eternity  nearer  to  us;  which  discovers to  us  the  insignificancy  of  worldly  affairs;  that  we  approach the happy  term;  that  the  present  life  is  but  a  rapid  instant;  and consequently, that  our  sufferings  cannot  endure  long,  but  that  this fleeting moment  of  tribulation  assures  to  us  a  glorious  and  immortal futurity,  which  will  endure  as  long  as  God  himself. What resources for  a  faithful  heart! What disproportion  between  the  sufferings of  virtue  and  those  of  guilt! It is  in  order  to  make  us  feel the difference  that  God  often  permits  the  world  to  possess  us  for  a time;  that  in  youth  we  deliver  ourselves  up  to  the  sway  of  the passions, on  purpose,  that,  when  he  afterward  recalls  us  to  himself, we may  know  by  experience  how  much  more  easy  is  his  yoke  than that of  the  world. I will  permit,  says  he,  in  the  Scriptures,  that my people  serve  the  nations  of  the  earth  for  some  time;  that  they allow themselves  to  be  seduced  by  their  profane  superstitions,  in order  that  they  may  know  the  difference  between  my  service  and the service  of  the  kings  of  the  earth;  and  that  they  may  feel  how much more  easy  is  my  yoke  than  the  servitude  of  men.

Happy the  souls,  who,  in  order  to  be  undeceived,  have  had  no occasion  for  this  experience,  and  who  have  not  so  dearly  bought the knowledge  of  this  world's  vanity,  and  the  melancholy  lot  of  iniquitous passions. Alas! since at  last  we  must  be  undeceived,  and must abandon  and  despise  it;  since  the  day  will  come,  when  we shall  find  it  frivolous,  disgusting,  and  insupportable;  when,  of  all its foolish  joys,  there  shall  no  longer  remain  to  us  but  the  cruel  remorse of  having  yielded  to  them;  the  confusion  of  having  followed them; the  obstacles  to  good  which  they  will  have  left  in  our  heart; why not  anticipate  and  prevent  such  melancholy  regrets? Why not do  to-day  what  we  ourselves  allow  must  one  day  be  done? Why wait  till  the  world  has  made  such  deep  wounds  in  our  heart, to run  afterward  to  remedies,  which  cannot  re-establish  us  without greater pain,  and  costing  us  doubly  dear? We complain  of  some slight disgusts  which  accompany  virtue;  but,  alas! the first  believers, who,  to  the  maxims  of  the  gospel,  sacrificed  their  riches, reputation, and  life;  who  ran  to  the  scaffolds  to  confess  Jesus Christ; who  passed  their  days  in  chains,  in  prisons,  in  shame  and in sufferance,  and  to  whom  it  cost  so  much  to  serve  Jesus  Christ; did they  complain  of  the  bitterness  of  his  service? Did they  reproach him  with  rendering  unhappy  those  who  served  him? Ah! they glorified  themselves  in  their  tribulation;  they  preferred  shame and disgrace  with  Jesus  Christ,  to  all  the  vain  pleasures  of  Egypt; they reckoned  as  nothing,  wheels,  fires,  and  every  instrument  of torture,  in  the  hopes  of  a  blessed  immortality,  which  would  amply recompense their  present  sufferings:  in  the  midst  of  torments  they