Chapter 10. The Earthly and Heavenly Paradise Compared.

WE have compared the joys of this world with the joys of the kingdom of heaven : we will now compare in a few words the joys of the earthly paradise, with those of the heavenly one. We may know how great were the pleasures of the terrestrial paradise from this circumstance, that it was a garden of pleasure given to men, who were created according to the image and like ness of God, whilst the other parts of the earth were given to the animals. But when Adam by his sin had lost the honour in which he had been placed by God, and had become like senseless beasts, he was then cast out of paradise into this place. St. Alchimus, in his poems on Genesis, and others describe paradise as a most beautiful region, and very temperate ; where neither the heat of summer could burn, nor the cold of winter injure, but a perpetual spring of flowers flourished, and autumn gave its fruits of every kind. St. Basil thus speaks of it in his book on Paradise : "God planted paradise where there is no violence of wind, no in clemency of seasons, no hail, nor thun der, nor storms ; no cold of winter, nor damp of spring, nor summer's heat, nor

autumn's dryness: but the seasons are temperate, and in peace among themselves, for they dance around that place ; yea, the pleasures of spring, the nourishment of summer, the joy of autumn, and the rest of winter meet there together with their blessings. Clear are its waters, affording great joy to the eye, but possessing more utility than joy. God, therefore, created this place at first as worthy to receive His plants. Afterwards he planted therein a variety of beautiful trees, most pleasing to the sight, and by them He bestowed a most sweet enjoyment/'

St. Augustine, in his " City of God," thus speaks of paradise: "What could these fear or grieve for, being in possession of such an abundance of good things ; where neither death was feared, nor any distemper of the body, and every thing was present which the will could desire ; nor could anything enter to injure the body or soul of those that lived so happily ? Their love of God was undisturbed, and they lived together in a faithful and sincere friendship : from this love came great joy. There was a tranquil avoiding of sin, which, while it remained, no evil could happen to give them sorrow. How happy, therefore, were these first men, whose minds were agitated by no fears, nor their bodies in jured by any evils ! The whole human race would have been as happy, had not these committed sin, which they passed to

posterity, and had not every one of their descendants sinned, and thus brought damnation." So far St. Augustine. I omit others who have written on the won derful beauty and fruitfulness of the earthly paradise, such as Claudius Marius Victor, St. John Damascene, St. Isidore, &c.

But whatever we may think of these particular accounts, we learn from the Holy Scripture itself that paradise was doubtless a more happy place than this our habitation, since, as a punishment for sin, it was said to Adam: "Because thpu hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that ^thou shouldst not eat, cursed is the earth in thy work : with labour and toil shalt thou eat thereof all the days of thy life. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee," &c. And to the woman He said : "I will multiply thy sorrows and thy conceptions ; in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thou shalt be under thy husband's power, and he shall have dominion over thee." (chap, iii.) In paradise, therefore, there would not have been steri lity of the earth, neither would its cultiva tion have required labour, nor would it have brought forth briars and thorns ; women would always have conceived with fruit, and although they might be subject to their husbands, the subjection would not have been despotic, but mild and moderate. These, therefore, would have led a happy

life, without fear or sorrow, without labour and trouble.

Now, if the earthly paradise, had not sin been committed, would have been free from every evil, and have abounded in all good, what ought we to think of our heavenly Paradise, which must be so much more beautiful as it is more excellent, being created for more excellent beings? The heaven of the blessed is, without any comparison, much more sublime than the para dise of Adam ; and the blessed inhabitants therein, as they cannot sin or die, are there fore far, far better off than the inhabitants of this earthly paradise, who are exposed to sin and to death. This, then, being the truth, let us give thanks to God that by the Passion of His Son, instead of the terres trial paradise snatched from^us by the envy of the devil, we have now gained a celestial one, far more excellent than the other ; and lest we should be ungrateful to so great a Redeemer, let us strive with our whole strength to enter the heavenly paradise, and to open its gates for ourselves by a lively faith, by a sincere hope, perfect charity, and good works.