Chapter 7. On the Temple of the City of God.

BUT there is something else wanting in the city, viz : — a temple to praise God, and to take our meat and drink: of garments we shall stand in no need. For if in the earthly paradise Adam and Eve required

none, much less will the Saints want them in their heavenly paradise, where all are clothed with light as with a garment. And not only Adam and Eve required food, but also the angels themselves, as Raphael saith : " But I use an invisible meat and drink, which cannot be seen by men." (Tobias xii. 19.) And so also in relation to this temple, St. John thus speaks in his Apocalypse: "And I saw no temple therein. For the Lord God Almighty is the temple thereof, and the Lamb." (chap, xxi.) That St. John saw no temple in the holy city, must not appear strange to us : in the church militant temples are erected, for four reasons : That the word of God might be preached to the people ; that the sacra ments and sacrifices might be celebrated; that public prayer might be offered to God, and Psalms sung to the Lord with joy and gladness. Now the preaching of God's word will cease in heaven, where the uncreated Word itself will clearly speak unto all, according to the prediction of Jeremiah the prophet: "And they shall teach 110 more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying : "Know the Lord : for all shall know me from the least of them even to the greatest, saith the Lord." (chap. xxi. 34.) Sacraments and sacrifice likewise will not be necessary there, where neither sin is to expiated, nor signs are required, because the thing signi fied will then be made manifest. Prayer

and praise are here on earth given to God in sacred temples dedicated unto Him, because He hath promised to have His eyes and ears open to the prayers of those who should gather together in His name ; thus He spoke to Solomon in the 2nd Book of Paralipomenon : " My eyes also shall be open, and my ears attentive to the prayer of him who shall pray in this place." (chap. vii. 15.) But since in the heavenly city, God will be seen and heard by all, there is no necessity for a temple in that place. Thus we can easily understand what St. John saith : " And I saw no temple therein:" but why has he added, " For the Lord God Almighty is the temple thereof, and the Lamb?" If no temple be required, why is God himself said to be the Temple of that city, and not only God, but the " Lamb " also ? Or who shall explain for us, how God and the Lamb are called " Temples " in heaven? And what use hath this temple in heaven? In the holy Scripture it is usual for one sentence to serve as an explanation of another, or an obscure passage to be made intelligible by another that is clearer. In the 90th Psalm it is said: "He who dwelleth in the aid of the Most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of heaven." The meaning of these words is: he who is united to God by a sure confidence, abides as it were in God, in whom he dwells securely, and is protected from all evil. The

same may be said of prayer and praise ; for he that hy an intimate reverence is joined to God, makes, as it were, a house for himself in God, that so whilst living in it, he may praise God and pray unto Him as he ought. Thus, therefore, the Lord God Almighty is the "Temple" in heaven of the holy city, since these blessed citizens, most attentively considering the omnipo tence of God, and thus united to Him by an intimate reverence, dwell in Him, and offer Him worthy praise. So also when they consider the merits of Christ, who as an innocent Lamb delivered himself an obla tion, and a victim to God as an odour of sweetness, they are intimately united with Him by love : and reposing in Him as in a temple, they pray for us, and doubtless find the eyes and ears of God open, so that whatsoever they ask they obtain for us. But if, to praise God and to intercede for us, these blessed citizens dwell in Him and in Christ, as in a temple, what must we do who neither see God nor Christ ? 0 ! would that by the grace of God, we could so praise Him and pray unto Him, that being first united to Him by true humility, and a deep reverence from the consideration of His Supreme Majesty, we could dwell in Him as in a most sacred temple ! Then not carelessly or with distraction, but most attentively and devoutly should we sing our grateful praises to God, and offer up to the Lord prayers that would benefit ourselves

and our brethren ; then would these words be fulfilled: " The sacrifice of praise shall florify me : and there is the way by which will show him the salvation of God." (Psalm xlix.)

The divine praises, offered up on the altar of the heart by the fire of charity, ascend as an odour of wonderful sweetness ; and they obtain for us, that our path may be opened and our heart enlightened, to behold the salvation which God hath pre pared for those that love Him. But all these benefits those miserable men lose, who pray and sing the divine praises with distraction, and a voluntary dryness of heart; they participate with others in the labour of singing and praying, but they enjoy not the divine consolation, nor a fore taste of heavenly happiness.