the mystical temple of god 628 Doctor advises: “Attentively examine your integrity,” (says St. Bernard) “and examine your life in a daily scrutiny. Attend carefully to how much you advance or how much you fail; what is your conduct and what are your emotions; how similar or dissimilar are you to God; how near, or how far, are you from him, not by the distance of places, but by the emotions of your conduct. Therefore, display yourself to yourself, if not always, or often, then at least sometimes. Rule your emotions, direct your actions, set right your steps. Let nothing undisciplined remain in you. Place all your transgressions before your eyes. Set yourself before yourself, as if before another, and so grieve over yourself. Bewail your evil deeds and sins, by which you have offended God. Make known to Him your wretchedness, show Him the wickedness of your enemies. And when you have softened yourself before Him with your tears, I beg you to be mindful of me” (Med., Ch. 5,[1]).139 Thus far are Bernard’s words: having become better by his admonition, cleanse your soul everyday by a strict examination; in this way it will be a dwelling pleasing to God forever. CHAPTER 17 The Roof of the Mystical Temple Temples are known by their roofs; in like manner a Christian is known by his works of righteousness, without which he is nothing but an empty name. The Apostle pronounced a harsh judgment on such Christians, that: “They profess that they know God, but in their works they deny him” (Tit 1:16) [LV]. Zealously Augustine addressed this: “How,” he says, “can a man be called a Christian, when no Christian acts are apparent in him?” (Tr. 10 on John).140 Wherefore in order that the Lord may turn us away from this infamy, He obliged us to good actions by a serious injunction in the following saying: “Let your loins be 139 Bernard, Meditations, Ch. V, n. 1: PL 184, 494 (nn. 326, 14). 140 The the quoted text could not be found in the indicated passage: St. Augustine, Treatise X on the Gospel of John.
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