Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/96

 back, who  belie  themselves,  and  who  dishonour  piety,  by  their inconstancy and  inequality  of  conduct,  by  a  life  sometimes  blended with virtue  and  retirement,  and  at  others  devoted  to  the  world and weaknesses. And I  appeal  to  yourselves,  my  brethren,  if, when you  see  in  the  world  a  person  relax  from  his  first  fervour; gradually mingle  himself  in  the  pleasures  and  societies  he  had lately so  scrupulously  and  severely  denied  himself;  insensibly abate his  love  of  retirement,  his  modesty,  circumspection,  prayers, and exactitude  to  fulfil  his  religious  duties, — you  say  not  to  yourselves, that  he  is  not  far  from  returning  to  what  he  formerly  was? Are not  these  relaxations  regarded  by  you  as  a  prelude  to  his  ruin; and that  virtue  is  nearly  extinct,  when  once  you  see  it  weakened? Do you  even  require  so  much  to  arouse  your  censures  and  malicious presages  against  piety? Unjust that  you  are,  you  condemn a cold  and  unfaithful  virtue,  while  you  condemn  us  for  requiring of you  a  virtue  faithful  and  fervent! You pretend,  that,  in order  to  continue,  you  must  begin  with  moderation,  while  you prophesy that  a  total  departure  from  virtue  is  not  far  distant, when once  it  begins  to  be  followed  with  coolness  and  negligence!

From a  relaxation  alone,  therefore,  we  are  to  dread  a  return  to our  former  courses,  and  a  departure  from  virtue. It is  not  by  giving ourselves up  without  reserve  to  God,  that  we  become  disgusted with piety  and  are  forsaken  by  him. The way  to  come  gloriously off in  battle,  is  not  by  sparing,  but  overcoming  the  enemy. There is no  dread,  therefore,  of  doing  too  much,  lest  we  should  be  unable to support  it;  on  the  contrary,  to  merit  the  grace  necessary  to  our support, we  ought,  from  the  first,  to  leave  nothing  undone. What illusion, my  brethren! We dread  zeal,  as  dangerous  to  perseverance;  and  it  is  zeal  alone  which  can  obtain  it. We fix  ourselves in a  lukewarm  and  commodious  life,  as  the  only  one  which  can subsist; and  it  is  the  only  one  which  proves  false. We shun  fidelity, as  the  rock  of  piety;  and  piety  without  fidelity  is  never  far from shipwreck.

It is  thus  that  lukewarmness  removes  from  the  infidel  soul  the grace of  protection:  of  which  the  absence  depriving  our  faith  of all  its  strength,  and  the  yoke  of  Jesus  Christ  of  all  its  consolations, leaves us  in  a  state  of  imbecility,  that,  to  be  lost,  innocence  requires only  to  be  attacked. But if  the  loss  of  righteousness  is  inevitable on  the  part  of  grace  which  is  withdrawn,  it  is  still  more so on  account  of  the  passions  which  are  fortified  within  us.

Part II. — What renders  vigilance  so  necessary  to  Christian piety, is,  that  all  the  passions  which  oppose  themselves  in  us  to the  law  of  God,  only  die,  as  I  may  say,  with  us. We undoubtedly are able  to  weaken  them,  by  the  assistance  of  grace,  and  a  fervent and lively  faith;  but  the  roots  always  continue  in  the  heart;  we always  carry  within  us  the  principles  of  the  same  errors  our  tears have effaced. Guilt may  be  extinguished  in  our  hearts;  but  sin, as the  apostle  says,  that  is  to  say,  the  corrupted  inclinations  which have formed  our  guilt,  inhabits  and  lives  there  still. And that  fund