Chapter 97

He beginneth to treat of that word of the verse which saith, Forget thy people. And of the two sorts of men which there are; good, and bad; and of the names which are given to evil men, and of their several significations.

HERE followeth now, this other word, which saith, Forget thy people, and the house of thy Father. For the declaration whereof, it is to be noted, That all mankind, is divided into one of these two different parties, or Cities; one of the good, and the other of the bad. Which Cities are not diversified, by any difference of place; for the inhabitants of them both, do live in the same town, yea and even in the same house; but they are distinguished, by the diversity of affections. For as S. Augustine saith, Two¹ Loves, did build up two Cities. The love of a man's self, which maketh a man despise God, doth erect the earthly City. The love of God, which maketh a man despise himself, doth build up that City which is celestial. The first is raised up in itself; the second, not in itself, but in God. The first, will needs be honoured by men; the second, holds it for honour enough, to have a conscience, which is clear in the sight of God. The first, doth lift up the head, in the glory of itself; the second, says to God. Thou art my glory, and he that doth exalt my head The first, is desirous of command, and dominion in the second one serveth another, for charity; the superiors do benefit the inferiors; and the inferiors, obey their superiors. The first, doth attribute the strength to his own forces, & doth glory in them; The second saith, Let me love thee, O Lord my strength. In the first, they who hold themselves for wise, do seck for no other good things, than such as are created; or if they knew the Creator, they did not honour him as such; but became giddy-headed in their own vain thoughts; and saying that they were wife, turned fools; but in the second, there is no wisdom, but the true service of God; which expecteth no other reward, but to honour the same God in company of the Saints, and Angels, that so God may be, all in all. Of the first, all the sinners of the world, are inhabitants. Of the second, all the just.

And because all they, who descend of Adam (excepting only the Son of God, and his Bl●●sed Mother) became sinners, even by their very being begotten; we must all therefore go, for natural inhabitants of this City of ours, out of which Christ draweth us by grace, that so we may be the inhabitants of his. This² wicked City, which is no uniting of streets, or houses, or market places, but of men that love themselves, and presume upon themselves, is called by several names, which signify the wickednethereof. It is called³ Egypt, which signifieth darkness, or misery; because they, who dwell in this City, either have not the light of the knowledge of God, through the want of faith; or if they have it (as those Christians have, who live wickedly,) yet is it dead, through want of charity, which is the life thereof. For this, doth S. John⁴ say, That he, that love's not God, knows not God, because God is love. He meaneth, That such an one, hath not that kind of enamoured⁵ knowledge, which is necessary for salvation. And so (one sort of them, living in the darkness of infidelity; and the other, in the obscurity of other sins) they have no joy at all, but all is anguish, and affliction For, as Tobias⁶ saith, What joy can I have, who cannot see the light of heaven.

It is also called⁷ Babylon, which signifieth confusion This name was imposed on it, when that proud people, had a mind to erect a Tower, which might reach, as it were to heaven; so to defend itself from the wrath of God, if he should descend to drown it a second time; and that also by the setting up of such a building, their name might be celebrated, throughout the world. But our Lord did hinder their folly, by giving them different⁸ languages, that so they might not understand one another. Whereupon they fell into brawls; every one conceiving, that the other mocked him; one man saying one thing; and another answering him another; and so the end of their pride, was confusion, unquietness, and division.

Most⁹ properly doth this name, agree to the City of wicked persons; For they would fayne sin, and not be punished; and they will not avoid the judgements of God, by forbearing to offend him; but if they could sinne, & decline the punishment, either by force, or sleight, they would attempt it. Proud people they are; and all their end, is but that their name may be renowned in the world; and if they can, they set up the towers of vain works; and if they cannot do it in deed; at least they do it in desire. God destroyeth such men as these, even when they are tasting the sweetest bit. As it is written, God¹⁰ resisteth such as are proud. And because they would not live, in the unity of one language, performing obedience to God; they are punished so far, as that they shall neither understand themselves; nor understand God; nor understand one another; nor any one of the creatures; for as much as when the wisdom of God is wanting, they understand nothing, for their good, as they ought.

How¹¹ many things do work in the hart of wicked men, which put them past their own skill; and they know not how to help themselves. Sometimes they desire one thing, sometimes another; yea sometimes they desire a thing, that is the contrary of the former. Now, they do, and then they undo; they weep, and they rejoice, and all to no purpose. Now, they are ready to despair, and soon after, they are vainly puffed up. They seek a thing with much labour; and when they have obtained it, they are sorry, that they did, so much as seek it. They find not that, which they imagined; yea they desire one thing, and they do another; being governed, not by reason, but passion. And from hence it grows, that man being a reasonable creature, whose principal part is his soul, whose office is to live under reason, (whereas these men will live according to appetite) it is plain, that they turn the wrong side outward; since they lead a kind of life of beasts; which is a life of bodies; and not a life, that is reasonable, which is proper to men. And upon this it riseth, that as God is a spirit, and must be served, not by a bestial manner of life, but by a spiritual; such persons as these, do not serve him, as hath been said; for their life is contrary, to his law. And since the union of Christians, groweth from the union of themselves within themselves, & from the union of themselves with God; these Citizens, being divided from¹² God, cannot have any good, or stable peace with one another; but rather, certain paltry quarrels, do spring from their discourses, from their works, and conversations; every one living according to his own fancy, without caring to content any other body. And on the other side, they have a quick sense of any affront, or injury, which is done to themselves, without regarding that of others.

These¹³ are the men, who neither use themselves, nor other things, to that end, for which they were created; but they use both themselves, and all other things, to their own advantage; making themselves the last end of all things. And therefore with reason they are called, by the name of Babylon, since all goes contrary to the creator.

They are also called sometimes, Chald●ans; sometimes of Sodom; and sometimes of Hedom; with a thousand other names, which decipher the wickedness of this people; which names are yet all unable, to declare the malice thereof. This is that people, which is called world (not because God created it so) for the world is good, as being created by him, who is supremely good; but because these men, (who are such as I have, here described) have no other feeling, nor no other love, but of the visible world; which, by¹⁴ S. John, is called the pride of life; the desire of the flesh; and the concupiscence of the eyes. He that loveth these things, shall perish, as saith the same S. John; but he that will do the will of God, shall remain for ever. And S. Paul¹⁵ saith, He that hath not the spirit of Christ, is not of Christ; and consequently, he is to be of the world; and S. james¹⁶ saith, That the amity of the world, is enmity with God.

Footnotes

1. A consideration most worthy of the great S. Augustin. ↩

2. Of the na●es & properties of the ci●ty of ignorance and sin. ↩

3. Sin leads, or keeps us, in darkness. ↩

4. ●. joan. 4. ↩

5. The knowledge of God, will not save us, unless it be accompanied by love. ↩

6. Tob. 5. ↩

7. Sin leads us into confusion. ↩

8. Gen. 17. ↩

9. Why the name of confusion, agreeth to sinners. ↩

10. jac. 4. ↩

11. A lively description of the vain & variable hart of sinful man. ↩

12. How true do we find this by experience, ↩

13. Self love is the bane of Charity. ↩

14. 1. joan. ●.
    ↩

15. Rom. ●. ↩

16. jac. 4. ↩