Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/83

 Now, in  order  to  give  this  reflection  all  its  weight, — that  disposition, which  deliberately  allows  itself  every  infidelity  which will not,  it  believes,  be  followed  by  eternal  punishment,  is  the disposition of  a  slave  and  hireling;  that  is  to  say,  that,  could  they promise themselves  the  same  impunity  and  indulgence  from  the Almighty, for  the  transgression  of  the  essential  points  of  the  law, they would  violate  them  with  the  same  indifference  as  they  violate the least;  for  were  cruel  and  avowed  revenge,  calumny  of  the blackest nature,  and  criminal  attachments,  to  be  attended  in  futurity with  no  worse  consequences  than  slight  and  momentary resentments, accidental  and  careless  evil-speaking,  or  too  much self-love, they  would  feel  no  more  horror  in  the  commission  of  the former than  the  last-mentioned  crimes;  that  is  to  say,  that  when faithful to  the  commandments,  it  is  not  from  a  love  of  righteousness, but  the  dread  of  that  punishment  which  would  attend  their infraction; it  is  not  to  order  and  to  the  law  that  they  submit  themselves, it  is  to  their  chastisement;  it  is  not  the  Lord  they  have  in view,  it  is  themselves;  for,  while  his  glory  alone  is  interested,  and no serious  consequences  may  be  expected  to  follow  our  infidelities, from their  apparent  slightness,  we  are  not  afraid  of  displeasing him; we  even  justify  to  ourselves  in  secret  these  kinds  of  transgressions, by  saying,  that  notwithstanding  they  offend,  and  are displeasing to  the  Lord,  yet  they  bring  not  death  nor  eternal  punishment to  the  soul. We are  not  affected  by  what  regards  only him, his  glory  goes  for  nothing  in  the  distinction  we  make  between actions allowed  or  forbidden;  our  interest  alone  regulates  our fidelity, and  nothing  can  warm  our  coldness  but  the  dread  of  everlasting punishment. We are  even  delighted  at  the  impunity  of those  trivial  transgressions;  of  being  able  to  gratify  our  inclinations, without  any  greater  misfortune  attending,  than  the  displeasure of  the  Almighty. We love  this  wretched  liberty,  which  seems to leave  us  the  right  of  being  unpunished,  though  unfaithful. We are  the  apologists  of  it;  we  carry  it  even  farther  than  in reality  it  goes;  we  wish  all  to  be  venial;  gaming,  dress,  sensual pleasures, passion,  animosities,  public  spectacles; — what  shall  I say? We would  wish  this  freedom  to  be  universal;  that  nothing which gratifies  our  appetites  should  be  punished;  that  the Almighty were  neither  just,  nor  the  avenger  of  iniquity;  and  that we might  yeild  ourselves  up  to  the  gratification  of  every  passion, and violate  the  sanctity  of  his  law,  without  any  dread  of  the severity of  his  justice. Provided a  lukewarm  soul  will  descend  to an  examination  of  itself,  it  will  feel,  that  this  is  truly  the  principle of its  heart,  and  its  real  disposition.

Now, I  ask  you,  is  this  the  situation  of  a  soul  in  which the sanctifying  charity  and  grace  are  still  preserved;  that  is  to say,  a  soul  which  loves  its  Maker  more  than  the  world,  more than all  created  beings,  more  than  all  pleasures  or  riches,  more than itself; — of  a  soul  which  can  feel  no  joy  bat  in  his  possession; which  dreads  only  his  loss,  and  knows  no  misfortune  but that of  his  displeasure? Does the  charity  you  flatter  yourselves