Chapter 6. What Importance Men Attach to Earthly Kingdoms, and What Importance Ought to Be Attached to the Kingdom of Heaven.

LET us now consider with what eager ness men seek after earthly kingdoms; though insignificant, frail, and full of care and trouble, that hereby we may be con vinced with what ardour our heavenly Kingdom ought to be desired and sought after. The passion for dominion, without doubt far exceeds all other passions ; for a kingdom is not one individual "good/' but a collection of all those pleasures which are so much prized by men. These are, power,

honour, riches, and delights, as we have already seen ; there is the liberty of living just as we please, which is naturally pleas ing — not only to man, but also to beasts ; there is excellence, and a kind of divinity as it were, on account of which kings have no equals in their government, but are superior to all, above all, and are reverenced by all. Hence it is, that when kings wish to make a promise, they can find nothing greater than half of their kingdom. Thus Assuerus addressed Esther: "What wilt thou, Esther? What is thy request? If thou should even ask one half of the kingdom, it shall be given thee." (Esther v. 3.) And Herod said to Herodias: "Whatso ever thou shalt ask I will give it thee, though it be the half of my kingdom. " Hence it is, that to possess or extend king doms, men consider it lawful to throw aside every right; nor is there any thing so sacred which they will not violate for the sake of reigning. The very first individual who unjustly waged war against his friends and neighbours, was Ninus: he broke through every law, just and unjust, that he might enlarge his kingdom, as St. Augus tine* testifies. Julius Caesar was the first to oppress his country, which he did for the sake of being emperor. Maximinus the Thracian slew Alexander by his soldiers, that he might succeed to the empire,

• De Civitate Dei, Lib. iv. cap. 6.

although he had received from him many and great benefits. Philip the Arabian did the same also to Gordian the emperor. But the lust of reigning arms man, not only against neighbours and benefactors, but also against brothers, nephews, and even fathers. Thus Romulus killed his brother Remus, and Caracalla his brother Geta. Athalia slew all the children of Ochozias her son, who was king,^ that so she might obtain the crown. Thus the desires of sovereignty impels not only men, but also females to commit the most shock ing crimes. Sinochus, a Persian, contrived to murder his father and brother, in order that he alone might reign. But why do I mention these instances? the mother of Nero, when the astrologer told her that her son would be emperor, but that she would be destroyed by him, is re ported to have exclaimed, " Let him destroy me, provided he may reign !" Wherefore, this ambitious woman consi dered the kingdom to be of such impor tance to her son, that she preferred it to her own life. But this thirst for ruling not only makes injustice, to be justice, and arms man against a Brother, nephew, and parent, but it also violates the sacred obli gation of an oath, (which has always been considered most obligatory by every nation, even by the most cruel enemies,) when a throne is in view. If we are to give credit

to Cicero,"x" we are told that Julius Csesar was always accustomed to repeat these words of Euripides : " If an oath is to be violated, it may be violated for the sake of reigning : in other matters, cultivate piety." I omit innumerable other examples which demonstrate to all ages, that nothing what ever is prized more by men than a kingdom. ; and yet, not only do kings reign but for a short period, but also every kingdom will quickly be utterly destroyed ; whilst the kingdom of the blessed shall alone remain for ever. Hear the prophet Daniel : " But in the days of those kingdoms, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, and his kingdom shall not be delivered up to another people; and it shall break in pieces, and shall con sume all these kingdoms, and itself shall stand for ever." (ch. ii. 44.) This prophecy will be fulfilled at the end of the world ; for then not only all great monarchies, but also small states, cities, and all the temporal power of princes will vanish away ; but the kingdom of Christ and his saints will be eternal, according to the words of St. Luke : " And of His kingdom there is no end,"

Now if an earthly kingdom, which passeth quickly away, and which is obtained but by few, and full of many sorrows, be so ardently loved, sought after, preferred be-

fore every thing else, and acquired only by great dangers and bloodshed : why do so few love their heavenly kingdom, and so negligently seek after it ? And yet, if the Holy Scriptures are to be believed, we are certain that this kingdom is open to all men, can be possessed without the effusion of blood, and is without any comparison superior to all earthly kingdoms. If I should say, Despise this kingdom that you may obtain a small farm or a vineyard, you would justly be astonished and laugh at me : but when I say, or rather when God says, Despise this vile and contemptible kingdom, and seek that which is noble and great, (which you may obtain, if you wish, by the grace of God which is never want ing,) why do you not desire it, and hasten to obtain it ? I do not know what answer to make, except that the glory of this earthly kingdom is always before our eyes, and is touched, as it were, with our hands ; whilst our heavenly kingdom can neither be seen, nor touched, nor even conceived by faith. This, indeed, is true ; but if we attentively consider what force the authen ticity, truth, and inspiration of Scripture carry with them, <uid how forcibly and clearly this same Scripture speaks on this point, which is confirmed by the powerful testimony of many ages, not only by mira cles but also by blood, we shall certainly exclaim : ' ' Thy testimonies, 0 Lord, are become exceedingly credible." (Ps. xcii.)

The obscurity of our faith, therefore, is not the reason why we are not inflamed with a desire for this heavenly kingdom. But being occupied by exterior things, and weighed down by the force of custom, we have no time to think and consider what is expedient for us. We do not follow the advice of our Lord, ' ' by entering into our chamber/' and shutting the door of our heart ; we do not earnestly beseech God to direct us in so important an affair. But if, throwing aside for a time all minor cares, we were seriously to think on the kingdom of heaven ; how easily and securely it can be acquired. And what an ^immense dif ference there is between things temporal and things eternal — between that which is most insignificant and that which is most excellent — between what is of very little importance and what is of the utmost importance; in fine, between an earthly kingdom and a heavenly kingdom. Did we, I repeat, consider these truths, doubt less we should have such a contempt for all earthly thrones, crowns, and sceptres ; and, on the other hand, such an ardour for the heavenly things would rise in us, that, so far from being difficult, it would be a most easy task for us to employ all our strength in seeking and acquiring the kingdom of God, for which, as our true and last end, we were made by our wise Creator.*

• Father Caraffa was accustomed to say, that if men thoroughly knew the truths of eternity, and compared the