of discovering to them that truth which they seek; they boldly and openly demand in the midst of that great city. " Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" They propose their question with no palliations calculated to attract an equivocal answer; they are determined to be enlightened; and wish not to be flattered; from their heart they seek the truth, and for that reason, they find it.
New disposition, sufficiently rare among believers. Alas! we find not truth, because we never seek it with a sincere and upright heart; we diffuse a kind of mist over every attempt to find it, which conceals it from our view: we consult, but we place our passions in so favourable a light, we hold them out in colours so softened, and so similar to the truth, that we procure a reply of its being really so: we wish not to be instructed; we wish to be deceived, and to add, to the passion which enslaves us, an authority which may calm us.
Such is the illusion of the majority of men, and frequently even of those who, become contrite, have quitted the errors of a worldly life. Yes, my brethren, let us search our own hearts, and we shall find, that, however sincere our conversion may otherwise be, yet there is always within us some particular point, some secret and privileged attachment, upon which we are not candid; upon which we never but very imperfectly instruct the guide of our conscience; upon which we seek not with sincerity the truth; upon which, in a word, it would even grieve us to have found it; and from thence it is, that the weaknesses of the pious and good always furnish so many traits to the derision of the worldly; from thence we attract upon virtue continual reproaches and censures, which ought to light only upon ourselves. Nevertheless, to hear us speak, we love the truth; we are desirous of having it shown to us. But a convincing proof of that being only a vain mode of speaking, is, that whatever concerns, or has any allusion to this cherished passion, is carefully avoided by all around us; our friends are silent upon it; our superiors are obliged to use an artful delicacy, not to injure our feelings; our inferiors are upon their guard, and employ continual precautions; we are never spoken to but with lenitives which draw a veil over our sore; we are almost the only persons ignorant of our defect: the whole world sees it, yet no one has the courage to make it known to ourselves: it is clearly seen that we seek not with sincerity the truth; and that, far from curing us, the hand which should dare to probe our sore, would only succeed in making a fresh one.
David knew not, and respected not, the sanctity of Nathan, till after that prophet had spoken to him, with sincerity, of the scandal of his conduct; from that day, and ever afterward, he considered him as his father and deliverer; but, with us, a person loses all his merit from the moment that he has forced us to know ourselves. Before that, he was enlightened, prudent, full of charity; he possessed every talent calculated to attract esteem and confidence; the John the Baptists were listened to with pleasure, as formerly by an incestuous king: but, from the moment that they have undis-
