_II.--THE GROWTH OF THE CITIES_


This whole universal time or age, in which the dying give way and the
newborn succeed them, is the scene and history of those two cities which
are our theme. The City of the World, which lasts not for ever, has its
good here below, and rejoices in it with such joy as is possible. The
objects of its desire are not otherwise than good, and itself is the
best of the good things of earth. It desires an earthly peace for lower
ends, makes wars to gain this peace, wins glorious victories, and when
victory crowns a just cause, who shall not acclaim the wished-for peace?
These things are good indeed, and unquestionably are the gifts of God.
But if, neglecting the better things, which belong to the supernal city,
they covet these lower ends as if there were none higher, misery must
inevitably follow.

All men, indeed, desire peace; but while the society which does not live
by faith seeks its peace in the temporal advantages of the present life,
that which lives by faith awaits the promised blessings, and makes use
of earthly and temporal things only as pilgrims do. The earthly city
seeks its peace in a harmony of the wills of men with respect to the
things of this life. And the heavenly city also, or, rather, that part
of it which travels in this mortality, must use that earthly peace while
mortality remains. Living a captive life in the midst of the earthly
city, it does not hesitate to respect its laws. Since this mortality is
common to both cities, there is a concord between them in the things
that belong to it. Only, the heavenly city cannot have common laws of
religion with the earthly city, but has been forced to dissent, and to