Mirror of Sinners on the Contempt of the World

...as they pass, namely, led joyfully in this life. Concerning these joys, Gregory says: "There is peace without discord, will without commandment, justice without injury, youth without old age, beauty without deformity, life without death, joy without perturbation. Songs do not cease, rewards do not fail, one will not lack friendships, the kingdom is not lost; there, nothing will be lacking that one desires, nothing will be desired that is not present." Also Augustine concerning these same celestial joys says: "Beautiful city! Christ will be with the souls so that they do not hunger, they do not thirst; a life that old age does not dissolve; no internal disease, no external fear; there will be health in the flesh, tranquility in the mind, joy in the soul." Bernard agrees: "They all rejoice there, because it is desirable in the aspect of the face of God, sweet to accomplish, sufficient by itself as a reward; nothing is sought outside of Him that is not found in Him, because everything that is desired is in Him." Augustine: "He is the end of our desires, who will be seen without end, loved without weariness, praised without fatigue." And to conclude much in few, hear yet Bernard, saying thus: "There is true joy, full knowledge, there is all plenitude of science, all beauty and beatitude, there is peace, piety, goodness, light, Christ, power, joy, delight, sweetness, life, salvation, glory, rest, love, and whatever good can be thought of is found there." If, therefore, the lovers of the world desire to possess these joys, let them hear the Lord saying: "Flee from Babylon, and your soul will be saved." Babylon, according to Jerome, is interpreted as the 'house of confusion,' and it directly signifies the world where everywhere there is confusion of faces, as is seen, as is evident in the unashamed clothing and in other infinite abuses, which experience teaches more than can be written or said. Therefore, flight from the world is the strongest remedy against vices and sins. To which flight the Lord urges us in the passage alleged above, where He says: "Flee from Babylon, etc." Not, of course, as Bernard explains, saying: "Flee from Babylon, that is, from the world, where chastity is endangered by delicacies, humility by riches, truth by much-speaking, and so on with others." Where, then, must one flee? I think to the religious life, which is a safer life or way to the narrow path that leads to the celestial homeland. One can, however, by speaking more broadly, understand by 'Babylon' a sinful state, which is so confused that it defiles the soul created to the image of God so that no traces of the image of God shine in it, and unless the Lord finds the same image in him on the last day, He will condemn him eternally. Whence He says: "Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s," that is, to the devil, who is the lord of all lovers of the world, whence the Lord through Himself in the Gospel calls him the prince of the world, as is evident in many places of the Gospel...