Chapter 5. On the Foundations and Gates of the City of God.

THE foundation is of such a nature, that the city alone may justly be called the foun dation. Thus speaks St. Paul in his Epis tle to the Hebrews, "For he looked for a city that hath foundations ; whose builder and maker is God/' (chap. xi. 10.) The Apostle gives the reason, why Abraham did not build a city in the land of promise, but dwelt therein as a stranger : the reason was, because he knew that the land of pro mise was but a figure of a better land of promise; and, therefore, he was unwilling to build a house or city that would perish,

because he looked for a city that had a strong foundation, "whose builder and maker is God/' Wherefore, this heavenly city alone truly and properly hath a foundation, since it was built by God to endure for ever. The cities which Cain, Nimrod, Ninus, Nabuchodonosor, Romulus, &c., founded, have often fallen, and at the last day will entirely be e destroyed: this proves that they had no solid foundation. Hence, we may understand how much wiser were the Patriarchs than we are, who, although they lived more than double the number of our years, and were obliged to wait so many thousands of years before they could enter the heavenly city; yet they built neither cities nor houses, but dwelt in tabernacles, as strangers and pilgrims, be lieving with an assured hope that they were destined to inhabit an Eternal city in heaven, and that all things on earth would quickly perish. But we, who live to such a short period, and who can, if we wish, immediately after death, enter into that most blessed city, so labour in erecting and adorning buildings on earth, as if we were either never to die, or else had no expecta tions of entering Heaven. In this point, we certainly imitate not the faithful Patri archs, but unbelieving Infidels: and yet we are Christians, and we know that Christ and his Apostles built neither a city, nor a tower, nor had even a house ; neither did they wish for one. But still, I do not

blame the princes of this world, although Christians, for building new cities : nor pri vate individuals for erecting houses for their own convenience. For we know that David, a pious king, enlarged the city of Jerusalem, and built in it a royal palace, as we read in the Second Book of Kings. We also know that St. Lewis, king of France, erected in Palestine, at his^ own expense, several cities for the Christians : neither are we ignorant, that it is but just Princes should possess more magnificent habitations than private men, and patri cians more than the common people. But we only require moderation, and condemn extravagance, especially when individuals wish for the palaces of princes; and princes, not content with their palaces, erect im mense buildings that look like towns : in fine, we blame a too great affection for temporal goods, as if our chief happiness consisted in them: but we praise a con tempt for the world, joined with the humi lity of Christ.

The gates of this city are said by St. John to be made of precious stones, and the walls of the jaspar- stone; but the whole city itself of pure gold. All this signifies that every part is precious, pure, and trans parent; for we know that pearls are both precious and white: the jaspar-stone is sometimes found white, and other times green. But St. John says : " And the light thereof was like to a precious stone, as to

the jaspar- stone, even as crystal :" he adds, "as crystal," to show that he is speak ing, not of a green jaspar, or any other colour, but of a white and clear one. Thus also when he says, that the streets are of pure gold, he adds, "like to clear glass;" that is, transparent and white like crystal. Wherefore, whether we consider the whole city, or the gates, the walls, or the streets, all is precious: nothing is mean, unbe coming, fading ; but every thing is beautiful, every thing visible, because there nothing can be found to be hidden or concealed : all behold all things : there no sus picions nor stratagems are admitted. This perhaps is the reason why St. John says in the same place, " And the gates thereof shall not be shut/' because no darkness, no robbers, no enemies are there, on ac count of which the gates should be closed at night. This verse is not opposed to the words of the Psalmist, where he praises the heavenly Jerusalem: "Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem, because he hath strengthened the bolts of thy gates." (Psalm cxlvii.) Both the Psalmist and the Evangelist mean this only — that in the heavenly Jeru salem, no danger is to be apprehended from enemies or robbers. By the gates being always shut, the one signified, that the divine protection would never permit any enemy to enter the beloved city of God: the other meant, by the gates being always open, th~t the city was so secure from

every evil attack, there was no need^ of keeping the gates shut, nor of employing any guards. But what do the gates, the walls, and streets Signify? The gates always open signify, that by the passion of Christ admittance has been given to all men, of entering the city of God, and of His angels ; " Christ having overcome the sting of death, hath opened to believers the kingdom of heaven." And not one only, but'twelve gates are there, by which christians can enter the city : thus St. John tells us : "On the east, three gates ; and on the north, three gates ; and on the south, three gates; and on the west, three gates/' Therein enter, not the Jews alone, as they imagine ; but all nations from every quar ter of the earth: nay, so few Jews enter, as to bear no comparison with the others. Thus our Lord predicted when He spoke of the centurion: " Amen I say unto you, I have not found so great faith in Israel. And I say to you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven : but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness." And in the parable of the vineyard, " Therefore I say to you, that the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a nation yielding the fruits thereof." But this is most clearly expressed in St. Luke : {'' There shall 'be weeping and gnashing of teeth,

wlien you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. And there shall come from the east and the west, and the north and the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God/' Three gates are said to be from every part of the world, making in all twelve, because an entrance will be open, not only from the east and the west, the north and the south, but from the beginning of the east, from the middle, and from the end of the east, and so of the other parts. Another explanation may perhaps please us more, that the three gates are fixed to each part of the heavenly city, to express the mystery of the Trinity and the three most necessary virtues: for all those enter from the four quarters of the globe, who being baptized in the name of the three divine Persons, have persevered to the end in Faith, Hope, and Charity.