little known in it, faith is so weakened, the law and truth so little observed, that what is virtue, with regard to it, may still be a great iniquity in the sight of God.
Rather compare yourselves with those holy penitents who formerly edified the church by the prodigy of their austerities, and whose life, even at this day, appears to us so incredible; with those noble martyrs who gave up their body for the truth, and who, amidst the most cruel torments, were transported with joy in contemplating the holy promises; with those primitive believers who suffered death every day for Jesus Christ, and who, under persecution, loss of property, and of their children, thought themselves still possessed of all, as they had neither lost faith nor the hope of a better life: behold the models by whom you ought to measure your piety, to find it still deficient, and all worldly. Unless you resemble them, in vain do you not resemble the world; you shall perish like it; it is not enough that you do not imitate the crimes of the worldly, you must also have the virtues of the just.
Lastly. Not only the goodness of Jesus Christ wishes, in this miracle, to furnish to his disciples and to the Jewish believers a fresh motive for believing in him, but in it his justice likewise supplies a fresh occasion of obstinacy and incredulity to the unbelieving Israelites: last circumstance of our Gospel. They take measures to destroy him; they wish to put Lazarus himself to death, that so striking a testimony of the power of Jesus Christ may no longer continue among them. They had wept his death; scarcely is he recalled to life when he appears worthy only of their fury and vengeance. And behold the sole fruit which the generality of you commonly reap from the miracles of grace; that is to say, from the conversion and the spiritual resurrection of great sinners. Before that the mercy of Jesus Christ had cast looks of grace and salvation upon a criminal soul, and while delivered up to the dominion of the passions, he was not only dead in sin, but spread every where around the infection and the stench of his disorders and scandals, you seemed touched for his errors and shame; you deplored the misery of his lot: you mingled your tears and regrets with the tears and regrets of his friends and relatives, and the public irregularity of his conduct experienced from you every sorrow and compassion of humanity; but, scarcely hath the grace of Jesus Christ, recalled him to life, scarcely, come forth from the tomb and that abyss of corruption in which he was buried, does he render glory to his deliverer by the holy ardours of a tender and sincere piety, than you become the censurers even of his piety: you had appeared touched for the excess of his vices, and you publicly deride the excess of his pretended piety: you had blamed his warm pursuits after pleasure, and you condemn the fervour of his love for God. Be consistent, therefore, with yourselves, and decide in favour either of the just or of the sinner.
Yes, my brethren, if the happiness of a soul, who before your eyes, returns from his errors, excite not your envy; if the contrition of a sinner, who was formerly the companion perhaps of your
