Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/85

 uncertainty in  which  they  leave  it;  and  by  which,  however,  it  is purified. These are  not  the  vain  and  puerile  scruples  which  we blame  in  weak  minds. They are  those  pious  fears  of  charity  and of grace  inseparable  from  every  faithful  and  religious  soul. It works its  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling;  and  even  frequently regards as  crimes  actions  which  are  often  virtues  in  the  sight  of God;  and  which,  at  most,  can  only  be  regarded  as  simple  Weaknesses.

These are  the  holy  perplexities  of  charity,  which  derive  their source even  from  the  lights  of  faith. This path  has,  in  all  ages, been the  path  of  the  just.

Yet, nevertheless,  it  is  that  pretended  charity,  of  which,  in  the midst of  a  vicious  life,  and  of  all  your  infidelities,  you  believe yourselves still  possessed,  that  makes  them  appear  slight  to  you: it is  that  charity  itself,  which  you  suppose  not  to  have  lost,  that comforts and  encourages  you;  that  dimimishes  your  faults  in  your own sight,  and  fixes  you  in  a  state  of  peace  and  security:  in  a word,  that  not  only  banishes  from  your  heart  all  those  pious  alarms inseparable from  real  piety,  but  makes  you  regard  them  as  weaknesses, and  even  the  excesses  of  piety. Now tell  me,  I  beg  of  you, is not  that  an  inconsistency? Does charity  contradict  itself  in that  manner? Or can  you  place  much  dependence  on  a  love  which so nearly  resembles  hatred?

The last  character  of  charity  is  to  be  active  and  diligent  in  the ways of  God. We find  how  much  the  apostle  dwells  on  its  activity and fecundity  in  the  heart  of  a  Christian. It operates  wherever  it is;  it  cannot,  say  the  saints,  be  idle:  it  is  a  celestial  fire,  which no power  can  hinder  from  showing  itself,  and  from  acting:  it  may sometimes indeed  be  overwhelmed,  and  greatly  weakened,  by  the multitude of  our  weaknesses,  but,  while  not  entirely  extinguished, there always  proceed  from  it,  as  I  may  say,  some  sparks  of  sighs, wishes, lamentations,  efforts,  and  deeds. The Holy  Sacrament reanimates it;  prayer  arouses  it;  pious  reading,  affliction,  disgrace, bodily  infirmity,  all  rekindle  it,  when  not  utterly  extinguished. It is  mentioned  in  the  second  book  of  the  Maccabees, that the  sacred  fire,  which  the  Jews  had  concealed  during  their captivity, was  found  at  their  return  apparently  extinct. But as the  surface  alone  was  obscured,  and  the  sacred  fire  still  internally preserved all  its  virtue,  scarcely  was  it  exposed  to  the  rays  of  the sun, when  they  saw  it  instantaneously  rekindle,  and  present  to their  sight  a  brightness  altogether  new,  and  an  activity  altogether astonishing.

Behold, my  brethren,  a  faithful  representation  of  the  coldness of a  truly  just  soul;  and  which  likewise,  would  be  your  case,  had the multitude  of  your  infidelities  done  no  more  than  cover  and relax, as  I  may  say,  without  extinguishing,  the  sacred  fire  of charity  within  you: — behold,  I  say,  what  ought  to  be  your  situation, when  you  approach  the  Holy  Sacrament,  or  listen  to  the word of  God. When Jesus  Christ,  the  sun  of  righteousness,  darts upon you  some  rays  of  his  grace  and  light,  and  inspires  you  with