64
JEROME.
obviously, that each province has its own characteristics), can we suppose a Christian's education complete who has not visited the Christian Athens?
lo. In speaking thus we do not mean to deny that the kingdom of God is within us,' or to say that there are no holy men else- where; we merely assert in the strongest manner that those who stand first throughout the world are here gathered side by side. AVe ourselves are among the last, not the first; yet we have come hither to see the first of all nations. Of all the ornaments of the Church our company of monks and virgins is one of the finest; it is like a fair flower or a priceless gem. Every man of note in Gaul hastens hither. The Briton, " sundered from our world," " no sooner makes progress in re- ligion than he leaves the setting sun in quest of a spot of which he knows only through Scripture and common report. Need we re- call the Armenians, the Persians, the peo- ples of India and Arabia? Or those of our neighbor, Egypt, so rich in monks; of Pontus and Cappadocia; of Caele-Syria and Meso- potamia and the teeming east? In fulfilment of the Saviour's words, "Wherever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered to- gether," ' they all assemble here and exhibit in this one city the most varied virtues. Differing in speech, they are one in religion, and almost every nation has a choir of its own. Yet amid this great concourse there is no arrogance, no disdain of self-restraint; all strive after humility, that greatest of Christian virtues. Whosoever is last is here regarded as first. Their dress neither pro- vokes remark nor calls for admiration. In whatever guise a man shows himself he is neither censured nor flattered. Long fasts help no one here. Starvation wins no defer- ence, and the taking of food in moderation is not condemned. " To his own master" each one " standeth or falleth." ' No man judges another lest he be judged of the Lord." Backbiting, so common in other parts, is wholly unknown here. Sensuality and excess are far removed from us. And in the city there are so many places of prayer that a day would not be sufficient to go round them all.
II. But, as every one praises most what is within his reach, let us pass now to the cottage-inn which sheltered Christ and Mary.' With what expressions and what language can we set before you the cave of the Saviour? The stall where he cried as a
J Luke xvii. 21.
4 Cf. Matt. xix. 30.
^ Virgil, E. i. 67. ^ Luke xvii. 37.
5 Rom. xiv. 4. <> Matt. vii. i. ' Luke ii. 7,
babe can be best honored by silence; for words are inadequate to speak its praise. Where are the spacious porticoes? Where are the gilded ceilings? Where are the man- sions furnished by the miserable toil of doomed wretches? Where are the costly halls raised by untitled opulence for man's vile body to walk in? Where are the roofs that intercept the sky, as if anything could be finer than the expanse of heaven? Be- hold, in this poor crevice of the earth the Creator of the heavens was born; here He was wrapped in swaddling clothes; here He was seen by the shepherds; here He was pointed out by the star; here He was adored by the wise men. This spot is holier, me- thinks, than that Tarpeian rock ' which has shown itself displeasing to God by the fre- quency with which it has been struck by lightning.
12. Read the apocalypse of John, and consider what is sung therein of the woman arrayed in purple, and of the blasphemy written upon her brow, of the seven moun- tains, of the many waters, and of the end of Babylon.^ " Come out of her, my people," so the Lord says, " that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. " " Turn back also to Jeremiah and pay heed to what he has written of like im- port : " Flee but of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul."* For "Baby- lon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit."' It is true that Rome has a holy church, trophies of apostles and martyrs, a true confession of Christ. The faith has been preached there by an apostle, heathen- ism has been trodden down, the name of Christian is daily exalted higher and higher. But the display, power, and size of the city, the seeing and the being seen, the paying and the receiving of visits, the alternate flattery and detraction, talking and listening, as well as the necessity of facing so great a throng even when one is least in the mood to do so — all these things are alike foreign to the principles and fatal to the repose of the monastic life. For when people come in our way we either see them coming and are compelled to speak, or we do not see them and lay ourselves open to the charge of haughtiness. Sometimes, also, in returning visits we are obliged to pass through proud portals and gilded doors and to face the clamor of carping lackeys. But, as we have
1 Otherwise called the capitol. Here stood the great temple of Jupiter, which was to the religion of Rome what the Parthenon was to that of Athens. * Rev, xvii. 4, 5, 9 ; i. 15 ; xvii.; xviii.
3 Rev. xviii. 4. < Jer. li. 6. ^ Rev. xviii. 2,
