feel the inability of supporting his presence: of that faith which, without rashly examining into his majesty, is, nevertheless, overpowered with its lustre; which sees the celestial legions covering themselves with their wings, and the pillars of the firmament shaking before this King of terrible majesty; of that faith to which the senses could add nothing, and which is blessed, not because it believes without seeing, but because it almost sees in believing. I speak of that respectful faith which is seized with a religious trembling at the sole presence of the sanctuary, which approaches the altar as Moses did the burning bush, and the Israelites the thundering mountain; of that faith which feels the whole weight of God's presence, and, in fear, cries out, like Peter, " Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." I speak of that faith of which the respect approaches almost to a dread, and which it is even necessary to comfort; which, from the farthest spot that it discovers Jesus Christ upon the altar, feels an eclat of majesty which strikes and agitates it, and overpowers it with the dread of having ventured to come there without his order.
Behold, my brethren, what that discernment of faith is which the apostle demands of you. Great God! but doth any faith like this still remain on the earth? Ah! in vain dost thou still manifest thy presence to the world; it knows thee no better than formerly: thy disciples themselves often know thee but according to the flesh; and, by being constantly with thee, their eyes become habituated, and almost no longer discern thee. When thou shalt show thyself in the heavens upon a bright cloud, men shall be consumed with terror, and the impious shall seek to hide themselves in the deepest caverns, and entreat the mountains to cover their heads: ah! art thou not the same in the sanctuary as upon a cloud of glory? Are the heavens not opened above thee? When the priest pronounces the awful words, do not the heavenly spirits come down from heaven to officiate as thy servants, and to surround thee with their homages? Dost thou not judge men upon that mysterious tribunal, and cast looks of discernment upon that multitude of worshippers which fills thy temples? Dost not thou separate the goats from the sheep? Dost thou not there pronounce sentences of life and death? In one hand dost thou not hold thy wrath, and in the other crowns? Dost thou not separate me there, and stamp, with an invisible hand, upon my forehead, the mark of my election or of my eternal reprobation? Alas! and, while thou art perhaps condemning me, I have the presumption to draw near; while thou art casting me off from before thee, I boldly present myself there; while thou perhaps layest open the abyss to mark out my place, I impudently come to take it at thy table; while thou perhaps art ranging me with the children of wrath, I come to seat myself among the children of thy love; thy body, which giveth life, to me is a body of death; the Lamb without stain, which breaks the seven seals of the book of death, is the last seal which fills up and closes that of mine iniquities; and thou, who shouldst be my Saviour, becomest my guilt.
