Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/73

 chaunted hymns;  and  regarded  as  a  gain,  the  loss  of  all,  for  the  interest of  their  Master. What a  life,  in  the  eyes  of  the  flesh,  is  that of these  unfortunate  men,  proscribed,  persecuted,  driven  from  their country, having  only  dens  and  caverns  for  their  habitation,  regarded every  where  as  the  horror  of  the  universe;  become  execrable  to their  friends,  their  fellow-citizens,  and  their  relations! They esteemed themselves  happy  in  belonging  to  Jesus  Christ. In their opinion, they  could  not  too  dearly  purchase  the  glory  of  being  his disciples, and  the  consolation  of  pretending  to  his  promises. And we, my  brethren,  in  the  midst  of  too  many  of  the  conveniences  of life;  surrounded  by  too  much  abundance,  prosperity,  and  worldly glory; finding,  perhaps  for  our  misfortune,  in  the  applauses  of  the world, which  cannot  prevent  itself  from  esteeming  worth,  the  recompense of  virtue;  in  the  midst  of  our  relations,  our  children,  and our friends, — we  complain  that  it  costs  us  too  much  to  serve  Jesus Christ; we  murmur  against  the  slight  bitterness  we  experience  in virtue;  we  almost  persuade  ourselves  that  God  requires  too  much of his  creatures. Ah! when the  comparison  shall  one  day  be  made between these  little  disgusts  which  we  exaggerate  so  much,  and  the crosses, the  wheels,  the  fires,  and  all  the  tortures  of  the  martyrs; the austerities  of  the  anchorites;  the  fasts,  the  tears,  and  sufferings of so  many  holy  penitents;  alas! we shall  then  blush  to  find  ourselves almost  single  before  Jesus  Christ;  we,  who  have  suffered nothing for  him;  to  whom  his  kingdom  has  cost  nothing;  and who, individually  bearing  before  his  tribunal  more  iniquities  than  a number  of  saints  together,  cannot,  however,  in  assembling  all  our works of  piety,  compare  them  united  to  a  single  instance  of  their exertions.

Let us  cease,  therefore,  to  complain  of  God,  since  he  has  so many  reasons  to  complain  of  us. Let us  serve  him,  as  he  wishes to be  served  by  us. If he  softens  our  yoke,  let  us  bless  his  goodness, which  prepares  these  consolations  for  our  weakness;  if  he makes  us  feel  the  whole  extent  of  its  weight,  let  us  still  esteem ourselves happy  that  he  deigns,  at  that  price,  to  accept  of  our  works and homage. With equal  gratitude,  let  us  receive  from  his  hand consolation or  affliction,  since  every  thing  which  proceeds  from  him alike conducts  us  to  him. Let us  learn  to  be,  as  the  apostle,  in want  or  abundance,  provided  we  belong  to  Jesus  Christ:  the  essential part  is  not  to  serve  him  with  pleasure,  it  is  to  serve  him with fidelity. In reality,  my  brethren,  in  spite  of  all  the  disgusts or repugnances  which  may  accompany  virtue,  there  is  no  real  or true  pleasure  but  in  serving  God;  there  is  no  solid  consolation  to  be reaped  but  by  attaching  ourselves  to  him. No, said  the  sage,  it  is still  better  to  feed  upon  the  bread  of  wormwood  and  gall,  with  the fear of  the  Lord,  than  to  live  in  the  midst  of  pleasure  and  profane joys, under  the  lash  of  his  wrath  and  indignation. Alas! of what pleasure can  we  be  capable,  when  we  are  the  enemies  of  God? What pleasure  can  we  taste,  when  we  bear  in  our  heart  only  the anguish and  bitterness  of  guilt? No, says  the  sage  once  more,  the fear of  God  can  alone  charm  our  weariness,  soften  our  moments  of