Chapter 9. Ox the Mystical Foundation of the City of God.

WE have already considered one part of the heavenly Jerusalem, let us now consider another part of the structure. A city not only includes foundations, gates, walls, streets, but also a body of citizens, who according to the variety of their functions, are called the foundations, gates or walls. Hence perhaps a city may more properly be named a collection of citizens under the same laws, rather than a collection of houses within the same walls. Thus Cicero speaks in the Dream of Scipio : " An assembly of men united by laws are called citizens." Now concerning the heavenly city, which consists of citizens, not only St. John mentions it, but also St. Peter in his first Epistle, and St. Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians. We have read in the Apoca lypse, that in the twelve gates were twelve angels, and thereon were in scribed the names

of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel, and in the twelve foundations the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. In the first Epistle of St. Peter we read, " Unto whom coming as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen and made honourable by God; be you also as living stones built up." (chap, ii.) And in St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians, " Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow-citizens with the saints, and domestics of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone." (chap. ii. ver. 19.) In the first place, therefore, the city of God has for its foundations the apostles and prophets, because their doctrine supports the whole fabric. Faith is the beginning of salvation, but faith has been revealed by the prophets and apostles, either by writing or preaching the mysteries of the blessed Trinity, the incarnation, the resurrection of the dead, everlasting glory, eternal tor ments ; others also, which are above human reason, we have learned from the apostles and prophets, to whom God had revealed them.

But although faith has no place amongst the blessed, since what they believed they see, and what is seen is not believed, but known and understood ; yet the apostles and prophets are called the "Foundations" of the heavenly city, because faith being

the beginning of salvation, is consequently the beginning of beatitude. But since St. Peter saith, that we as living stones are built upon Christ, and St. Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, "For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus;" therefore there is but one foundation, because in the twelve foundations of the apostles Christ existed, as St. Austin teacheth in his expla nation of the 86th Psalm. He himself or His Spirit spoke by them and taught them : hear the apostle Paul, "Do you seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me :" hear Christ himself, " He that heareth you, heareth me;" and again, "It is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you." It is certain that the Spirit of the Father and the Son is one and the same; hence we may conclude, that not only the twelve Apostles are ^to be included in " the twelve foundations," but all those likewise who first preached the same faith ; otherwise St. Paul himself and St. Barnabas, and the seventy disciples who were not in the number of the Apostles, could not be called foundations, nor even the Prophets themselves; and we should make the apostle a liar, (which God forbid,) who hath said, "that we are built on?the foundation of the apostles and prophets."

But here occurs a rather difficult question; how can Christ be truly the founda tion of the building, when he is called by

the apostle " the chief corner-stone;" and David says of Him, that He is exalted to be the "head of the corner?" How can the same stone be in the foundation and at the top? But if we remember that these expressions are metaphorical, we shall easily understand, that to one person contrary names may be applied, on account of the diversity of his functions. Now not only Christ, who is both God and man, but every prelate is the foundation and the head of his Church, because as " the foundation/' he ought to bear the weight of the building, the infirmities of all, and therefore he ought to be below all; and yet as " head" of the building, he is appointed to rule all, command all, and be supported by all. Much more justly, therefore, can Christ our Lord be called the foundation of the Church, because He supports us all, and rules us by His power and authority ; at the same time, He is placed as the "Head," to connect the two points, and of the Jews and Gentiles to form one people, to rule and govern all.