Mirror of Sinners on the Contempt of the World

who is so confused that he defiles the soul created in the image of God, so that no trace of the image of God shines in it. And unless the Lord finds that same image in him on the last day, He will eternally condemn him. Whence He says: "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's," that is, to the devil, who is the lord of all lovers of the world. Whence the Lord Himself in the Gospel calls him the prince of the world, as is evident in many places of the Gospels, etc.

Also, it can be understood still more broadly: "Flee from Babylon," that is, from this sinful world, not by a physical displacement, but by a mental one, as all the saints of God have done, who, although they lived in the world among men, did not care for the world, but altogether despised it and took delight in Christ. Thus, we too ought to do: namely, flee from this world to a penitential state as has been said before. That is, perform penance, etc., so that you may decline and evade intolerable, eternal, and horrible punishments, and possess the pleasant and delightful kingdom of heaven with the saints and the elect, by their merits and prayers. May Jesus Christ, the son of Mary, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns for ages of ages, deign to grant us this. Amen.

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