Sermons on the Song of Songs

Digitized by Google 503 not lost ; and that which is subsequent may hide the earlier and natural lineaments of the soul, but cannot obliterate them. Thus it is said by the Apostle : Their foolish heart was darkened (Rom. i. 2 1), and by a prophet : How is the gold become dim, how is the most fine gold changed/ (Lam. iv. 1). The gold laments that it has become dim, but it still remains gold ; its beautiful colour has changed, but the ground of the colour is not fundamentally changed. The pure and simple nature of the soul remains unshaken in its essential character, but it is concealed from view by a thick film of human fraudfulness, and pretence, and hypocrisy. 3. How incongruous is the mixture of duplicity with the natural simplicity of the soul ! What an unworthy action to raise a structure so poor on a foundation so precious ! It was with this duplicity that the serpent concealed his cunning purpose when, in order to deceive the first woman, Eve, he took upon himself the character of an adviser, and pretended to be her friend. It was with this that the first dwellers in the earthly Paradise, after they had been led into disobedience by him, endeavoured to conceal their nakedness and shame by the shelter of a leafy tree, by girdles of leaves, and by words of excuse (Gen. iii. 7, 8, 12, 13). From that time and thenceforward the poison of hypocrisy has spread deeply and widely, and has infested the whole of their posterity. Whom is there of ail the children of Adam who, I will not say wishes the entire truth in every instance to appear, but even suffers it to do so ? Nevertheless, the fundamental truthfulness of the soul persists [in conflict] with original duplicity in every soul, and confusion is increased by the simultaneous presence of the two ; and its immortality also continues, but an immortality shadowed and rendered sombre by the encroaching clouds of the death which belongs to the body. For although it is not deprived of life, it is unable to claim the full benefit of that life for its body. But of the soul which does not hold fast its own spiritual life, what shall I say ? For the soul that sinneth it shall die (Ezek. xviii. 4).

Does not that twofold death into which it falls, render the immortality (of what kind soever it may be) which it still retains, gloomy and unhappy to the last degree ? Add to this that the desires which it has for earthly things (which, indeed, all tend towards its destruction) render still more dense the clouds and darkness in which it is enveloped, so that a soul existing in such a state has, as it were, a countenance pallid and deathlike, nay, the very image of death.

Why does not the soul, being immortal, desire things which are eternal and immortal like itself, so as to appear that which it really is, and to live that life for which it was intended? But it delights in and seeks for things which are quite contrary to these ; it conforms itself to things which are mortal and perishable, by leading a life far degenerated from the nobleness of its nature, and blackens, as it were, the glory of its immortality by daily converse with, and preference for, things which are dingy and defiled. How can a longing desire for mortal things fail to assimilate the immortal to mortality and make Digitized by Google it unlike to itself? For * He/ saith the Wise Man, 'that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith 9 (Ecclus. xiii. 4). In the enjoyment of things that are mortal it is itself clothed with mortality, and though it does not put off its robe of immortality, it dims the brightness of it by the stains and similitudes of death. 4. Consider, for instance, how Eve, by attaching herself to things that were mortal, though herself an immortal soul, soiled the glory of her immortality by the mould of mortal things. Since she was immortal, why did she not contemn things that were perishing and transitory, and content herself with those that were unchangeable and eternal, similar to her own nature ? S/ie saw, saith the Scripture, that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise (Gen. iii. 6). That beauty, O woman, that sweetness, that desirableness, is not thine ; and if it belongs to thee because thou art in part made of the dust of the earth, is not thine alone, but thou hast it in common with all the living creatures of the earth. That which is truly thine is of another nature, and comes from another source ; it is eternal, and comes from eternity.

Why dost thou set upon thy soul another likeness, or, rather, a deformity which is strange to it? For what it desires to possess, that it fears to lose ; and that fear is a kind of colour, which stains its free will, which hides it, and renders it like unto itself. How much more worthy of its origin would it be that it should desire npthing, so that it should fear nothing ; and that, thus guarding its inborn freedom from servile fear, it should remain in its pristine beauty and strength ! Alas ! it is not so ; its perfect hue has faded. Thou dost fly, and hidest thyself ; when thou nearest the voice of the Ix>rd God thou lurkest in a hiding-place. Why is this, but that Him whom thou didst once love, now thou dost fear ; and that a slavish fear has taken the place of the beauty of thy freedom ? 5. That necessity voluntarily incurred, and that law of contradiction imposed upon the members (of which I have spoken in another discourse), weighs upon the same liberty, and at the same time allures and enslaves by means of its own will, a creature free by nature ; covers it with confusion and ignominy, so that it obeys, though unwillingly, the law

of sin which is in its flesh. Because, then, it has neglected to guard the original nobleness of its nature by innocency of life, it has followed, by the just judgment of its Creator, that it is not stripped of the freedom which belongs to it, but clad with its <nvn confusion as with a mantle (Ps. cix. 29). Well is it said, as with a mantle, that is, a garment which is folded or doubled (diploide\ because while its liberty remains, that being necessarily inherent in the will, yet its manner of conduct, which is servile, imposes upon it constraint and necessity. The same thing may be remarked of the simplicity of the soul, as of its immortality ; and if you observe closely you will find nothing in that also which is not covered, as it were, with a double mantle of likeness and unlikeness. Is not that like a doubled mantle, where deceit is not inborn, but is laid upon truthfulDigitized by Google ness, is attached and, as it were, sewn to it by the sharp needle of sin ; as also death to immortality, and necessity to freedom ? For this duplicity of disposition does not destroy the essential truthfulness of the soul, nor does death, whether it be the voluntary death of sin, or the

necessary death of the body, disprove the immortality of the soul by its nature ; nor, again, does the necessity which follows a voluntary servitude destroy the freedom of the will. Thus these evils are adventitious ; they do not follow from the good gifts which are natural, but are superinduced upon them ; they disfigure, without destroying them ; and trouble their action, though they do not nullify it. Thence it is that the soul is unlike to God, and unlike even to itself; thence it is that it is compared unto beasts that perish, and made like unto them (Ps. xlix. 12, 20) ; thence it is that, as we read, they have changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass (Ps. cvi. 20) ; thence it is that men, like foxes, have winding earths, as it were, of duplicity and fraud ; and, as they have made themselves like unto foxes, shall have the destiny of foxes ; for, according to the saying of Solomon, that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts : even one thing befalleth them (Eccles. iii. 19). Why should not one who has lived like the beasts have a death like theirs ?

He has attached himself to earthly things, and delighted in them, like the beasts ; like the beasts also he must leave them. And there is still another point. What wonder is it that we should go forth from this life similarly to the beasts, since we come into it in a similar manner? Whence is it, except from their resemblance to the lower animals, that there is in human creatures so much ardour in the indulgence of the passions, so much pain in parturition ? Thus it is that the human creature, in his conception and his birth, in his life and his death, is compared unto the beasts that perish, and made like unto them. 6. What shall I say of the fact that a creature who is free does not subdue appetite and rule it as a queen, but, on the contrary, follows and obeys it as a servant? Does not such a creature rank itself among animals without reason, and make itself like unto them whom their nature has not called to liberty, but has placed in a state of servitude, to follow and obey their lusts and appetites ? Is it not with justice that God is revolted at being considered and represented as like unto a man such as this ? And therefore it

is that He says : Thou thoughtest [wickedly] that I was altogether such an one as thyself; and declares, / will reprove thee, and set thee in order before thine eyes (Ps. 1. 21). It is not for a soul that sees and knows itself, to think that God is like unto it, especially such a soul as mine, which is unrighteous and a sinner. For it is to such that the stern accusation is addressed : 4 Thou thoughtest, O wicked one J not * O soul,' or ' O man/ that J was altogether such an one as thyself But if the wicked one be set, as it were, before his own eyes, and made to stand face to face, if I may so speak, with the ghastly and discoloured countenance of his inner man, so that he cannot avoid beholding the manifold Digitized by Google 506 uncleanness of his conscience, nor ignore it when beheld ; but, on the contrary, recognizes, even against his will, the defilement of his sins, and the deformity of his vices ; then he will by no means be able to think that God is like unto him ; nay, the difference which he will see will be so great that I think he will be driven to cry, Lord, who is

like unto Thee? (Ps. xxxv. 10), which, indeed, was spoken with reference to that voluntary and novel unlikeness. For the first resemblance still remains ; and it is that which renders the later unlikeness still more displeasing. Oh, how great a good is the one, and how great an evil the other ! And by the close contact and contrast of the two the effect of each in its kind is heightened. 7. When the soul discerns in itself two things so different and so opposed, how can it do otherwise than cry out, between hope and despair : Lord, who is like unto Thee ? By so great an evil it is drawn towards despair, but by so great a good it is recalled towards hope. Thence it is that the more it is offended by the evil which it beholds in itself, the more ardently it aspires to the good which it also descries, and the more it desires to become wholly like unto Him in whose image it has been formed ; that is to say, to be simple, upright, fearing God, and departing from evil. Why should it not be able to depart from that which it has been able to approach, or to draw near to that from which it has been able to withdraw

? Yet for either of these movements, I must not omit to say, grace must be relied upon, not nature, nor even laborious effort. For it is wisdom that prevails over vice (Wisd. vii. 30), not nature nor labour. Nor is ground for hope wanting, for it is the Word to whom it turns for help. The noble relationship of the soul to the Word, and the enduring likeness which it has to Him, of which, during the last three days, I have been discoursing, is not barren or ineffective with the Word. He deigns to admit into the fellowship of His Spirit that which is like unto Him by nature. Like seeks like assuredly, according to the natural order. Listen to His voice as He calls to the soul : JZeturn, return, O Shulamite : return, return, that we may look upon thee (Cant. vi. 13). He would not look upon her while she was unlike unto Him, but when she shall be in His likeness will behold her, and admit her also to the vision of Himself. For we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him ; for we shall see Him as He is (1 John iii. 2). Believe, then, that when it is inquired : Lord, who is like unto Thee ?

the words refer rather to a thing that is difficult than to one which is absolutely impossible. 8. Or, if you prefer to take it thus, it is a cry of admiration.

Assuredly it is a likeness wonderful and admirable, which accompanies the vision of God, or, rather, it is that vision itself. For I understand this of the vision which is brought about by love, for in love is that vision and that likeness. Who does not stand amazed at the great love of God in recalling to Himself a soul by which He has been scorned? It is with justice, then, that that wicked one, who was represented in a former sermon as usurping to himself the likeDigitized by Google ness of God, is severely censured, since in loving iniquity he is not able to love either himself or God, as it is written : He that loveth iniquity hateth his own soul (Ps. x. 6, Douay). The iniquity, then, which is in part the cause of the unlikeness between God and the soul, being taken out of the way, there shall be between them a spiritual union perfect and entire, a mutual discernment and vision, a reciprocal love. When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away, and there shall be between God and the soul a perfect and consummated affection, a full knowledge, a vision manifest, a firm union, an indivisible society, a perfect similitude. Then the soul shall know, even as also it is known (i Cor. xiii. 10, 12); then shall it love even as it is loved, and the Bridegroom shall rejoice over the Bride, because knowledge and love are reciprocal between them. He is Jesus Christ our Lord, who is above all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

OF THE MANNER IN WHICH THE SOUL, HOWEVER CORRUPTED IT MAY BE WITH EVIL HABITS, IS STILL ABLE, BY A CHASTE AND I HAVE, during three days, devoted myself, as far as the time prescribed by our rule for me to address you would permit, to show you the close relation and resemblance of the soul to the Word. What usefulness is there in all that endeavour? There is this. We have shown that every soul, though it may be burdened with sins, caught in the net of evil habits, taken captive by the allurements of sinful pleasures ; though it be as a captive in exile, confined in the body as in a prison, submerged and fixed fast in mud and clay, closely bound to its members, weighed down by cares, absorbed in business, saddened by fears, afflicted by sorrows, led astray by errors, anxious because of forebodings, uneasy through suspicions, and, lastly, an alien on the earth, in which it finds so many enemies, and, according to the saying of a prophet, defiled with the dead and counted with them that go down into hell (Baruch iii. 11) ; although a soul, I say, be thus under condemnation and thus despairing, yet, as I have shown, it is able to find in itself, not only reason for breathing freely in the hope of mercy and forgiveness, but also for daring to aspire to the heavenly nuptials of the Word ; nor does it fear to enter into alliance with God, and to bear the sweet yoke of love with Him who is the King of Angels. For why should it not venture to come confidingly into the presence of Him by whose image and likeness it sees and knows that it is still honoured and Digitized by Google 5o8 ennobled ? Why should even a Majesty so great be a cause of distrust to a being to whom its own origin gives a ground for confidence?

All that it has to do is to preserve with care the original purity of its nature by a pure and honourable life ; or, rather, to study to adorn and embellish by good and virtuous thoughts and actions, as by rich colours, that illustrious image which has been impressed upon the depths of its nature at its creation. 2. Why, then, does it remain inactive ? Labour and industry are assuredly a great gift of nature ; and if we do not employ it to its fullest extent, will not ail those good inclinations which are left in us by nature be hindered in their working, or remain, as it were, inactive and powerless ? This would indeed be an injury to the Creator.

That is the reason why God our Creator has willed to preserve always in the soul a clear sign of its Divine origin, so that it should be continually admonished by the resemblance which it has to the Word, either to remain with Him, or to return to Him, if it has been induced by any motive to quit His Presence. It does not leave Him, as by change of place, or by steps taken with the feet ; but it leaves Him in the manner of a spiritual substance, that is to say, by its purposes and affections, when it renders itself unlike Him, and degenerates from the nobleness of its origin, by the evil of its conduct and life, and thus becomes distinctly worse. That unlikeness, nevertheless, does not amount to an abolition of its nature ; but it is a grave fault, for good raises up nature as much by comparison with itself, as by conjunction [with evil] it is defiled. But this return of the soul is its conversion, that is, its turning to the Word ; to be reformed by Him, and to be rendered conformable to Him. In what respect?

In charity. For it is written : Be ye followers of God, as dear children : and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us (Eph. v. i, 2). 3. It is that conformity which makes, as it were, a marriage between the soul and the Word, when, being already like unto Him by its nature, it endeavours to show itself like unto Him by its will, and loves Him as it is loved by Him. And if this love is perfected, the soul is wedded to the Word. What can be more full of happiness and joy than this conformity? what more to be desired than this love? which makes thee, O soul, no longer content with human guidance, to draw near with confidence thyself to the Word, to attach thyself with constancy to Him, to address Him with confidence, and consult Him upon all subjects, to become as receptive in thy intelligence, as fearless in thy desires. This is the contract of a marriage truly spiritual and sacred. And to say this is to say too little ; it is more than a contract, it is a communion, an identification with the Beloved, in which the perfect correspondence of will makes of two, one spirit. Nor is it to be feared that the inequality of the two < who are parties to it should render imperfect or halting in any respect this concurrence of wills ; for love has no respect of persons. It is from affection, not from reverence, that it is named love. Let one who is struck with horror, with astonishment, with fear, with admiraDigitized by Google tion, rest satisfied with honouring ; but in one who loves all these feelings are merged in affection. Love is filled with itself ; and in the soul to which it has once come, it overcomes and transforms all other feelings. Therefore the soul which loves, in loving, is regardless of all else. He who justly deserves to be honoured and admired, and regarded as a miracle of perfectness, yet loves rather to be loved.

They are Bridegroom and Bride. What other bond or constraining force do you seek for between spouses, than to love and to be loved ? This bond overcomes even that which nature has drawn most closely, namely, the bond between parents and children. For this cause, says the Saviour in the Gospel, shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife (Matt xix. 5). You see how powerful is this feeling in those who are wedded ; not only does it prevail over all other feelings, but even over itself. 4. It is to be added that this Bridegroom is not only loving, He is Himself Love. Is He not also Honour ? Anyone who pleases may maintain that He is ; but I have not, in fact, read any such thing. I have read that God is Love (i John iv. i6) ; not that He is honour, or dignity; though it is not to be understood that God does not desire to be honoured, for He says : If I be a Fattier, where is Mine honour ?

He says that as a Father. But if He declares Himself to be a Bridegroom, will He not change the word, and say : ' If I be a Bridegroom, where is the love that is due to Me ?' For he had previously said : If I be a Master, where is My fear ? (Mai. i. 6). God, then, requires that He should be feared as Lord, honoured as Father, but as Bridegroom, loved. Which of these three is highest and most to be preferred?

Surely it is love. Without it fear is painful, and honour without attraction. Fear is servile as long as it is not rendered free by love ; and honour which is not inspired by love is not truly honour, but flattery. Certainly honour and glory are due to God, and to Him alone ; but neither of these will He receive, if they be not, as it were, seasoned with the honey of love. Love is alone sufficient by itself; it pleases by itself, and for its own sake. It is itself a merit, and itself its own recompense. It seeks neither cause, nor consequence, beyond itself. It is its own fruit, and its own object and usefulness. I love, because I love ; I love, that I may love. Love, then, is a great reality, and very precious, provided that it recurs to the principle on which it rests, that it is kept in continual relation with Him who is its origin, and draws from that pure source waters that flow continually in greater abundance. Of all the feelings, affections, and movements of the soul, love is the only one by which the reasonable creature is able to respond to its Creator, and even in some sort to repay, though not upon equal terms, the goodness which it has received from Him. For example, if God is displeased with me, should I be at liberty to feel displeasure towards Him ? Certainly not : I tremble, and humble myself before Him, and entreat His pardon. So also, if He accuses me, He is not to be accused by me in return, but the justice of His accusation is to be instantly Digitized by Google s recognised. Nor, if He shall judge me, will I judge, but will adore.

When He saves me, He does not ask of me salvation in return ; nor does He who restores freedom to all need that He should Himself be freed. Jf He exercises the authority which He has over me, my part is to doK Him service ; if He commands, my duty is to obey ; and it is not for me to require of the Lord either the service, or the obedience, that I properly render to Him. Now, you see what a great difference there is in all these respects with regard to love !

For when God loves us, He desires nothing else than to be loved, because He loves us that He may be loved by us, knowing that those who love Him become blessed by their love itself. 5. Love, then, is a great reality, but there are degrees in it. The Bridegroom stands highest of all. For though children have affection for their parents, yet they think of their heritage, and in the fear of losing that, they have more respect than love for him from whom they expect it. That love I hold in suspicion which seems to be produced only by the hope of acquiring something. It is weak ; for if that hope be withdrawn, it is either extinguished altogether, or greatly diminished.

It is impure, since it is founded on the hope of something else. l>ove that is pure is not mercenary ; it does not draw strength from hope, nor is it weakened by distrust. This is the love which is felt by the Bride, because all that she is is only love. The very being of the Bride, and her only hope, consists in love. In this the Bride abounds ; with this the Bridegroom is content. He seeks nothing else from her ; she has nothing but this to give. Thence it is that He is Bridegroom, and she is Bride. This belongs exclusively to a wedded pair, and to it none other attains, not even a son. For He cries out to His sons : Where is My honour? and does not say: 'Where is My love?' reserving the prerogative of the Bride. Thus we see that a man is bidden to honour his father and his mother (Deut. v. 16), and no mention is made of love; not because parents are not to be loved by their children, but because many children are disposed more to honour parents than to love them. It is true that the honour of a king loves judgment (Ps. xcix. 4) ; but the love of the Bridegroom, or rather of the

Bridegroom who is Himself Love, requires only love and faithfulness in return. Let it, then, be permitted to the Bride to love in return. How could she do otherwise who is the Bride, and the Bride of Love ? How can Love fail to be loved ? 6. Rightly, then, does she renounce all other affections, and devote herself wholly and entirely to Him who is Love, since she can make return to Him by a love which is reciprocal For when she has poured herself forth entirely in love, what would that be in comparison with the ever-flowing and inexhaustible source of love? Not with equal fulness of resource flows that stream from Love and from the creature that loves Him, from the soul and from the Word, the Bridegroom and the Bride, the Creator and the creature ; and the thirsty wayfarer might as well be compared with the fountain that satisfies his thirst. What then ? Shall the vow of the Bride, the deep Digitized by Google aspirations of her heart, her loving ardour and undoubting confidence, perish and become of none effect because she is unable to contend with a Giant who runs His course, to dispute the palm of sweetness with honey, of gentleness with the lamb, of whiteness with the lily, of brilliance with

the sun, or of charity with Him who is Himself Charity and Love ? No. For although, being a creature, she loves less than He by whom she is loved, because she is less ; yet if she loves with her whole self, nothing can be wanting where the whole being is offered. Wherefore, as I have said, to feel such love as this constitutes a spiritual marriage between the soul and the Word, since it is not possible for a soul to love thus, and yet not to be greatly loved ; and in the consent of the two parties consists a perfect marriage.

Unless anyone should feel a doubt whether the soul is not first loved, and with a greater affection, by the Word. Assuredly, it is both anticipated in loving, and surpassed in love. Happy is the soul whose favoured lot it is to be prevented with the benediction of a delight so great ! Happy the soul to which is granted to experience the delight of that communion so sweet, which is nothing else than a love holy and pure, sweet and delightful, as calm as it is sincere : a love mutual, endearing, powerful, which makes of two, by their close union, not, indeed, one flesh, but one spirit, as St Paul declares : He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit (1 Cor. vi. 17).

And now upon these subjects let us listen to her whom that unction which teaches of all things, and a frequent experience, has rendered more learned than all others in this mystery. Though perhaps it will be better to defer that subject to the beginning of another sermon, so that we may not confine an important matter within the limits of a sermon just upon the point of closing. So, then, if you approve, I will break off this discourse before reaching the end of the subject, in order that to-morrow we, as souls that are a-hungered, may assemble in good time to taste with eagerness those delights which it is the exceeding great reward of the holy soul to enjoy from the Word, and with the Word, who is her Bridegroom, Jesus Christ our Lord, who is above all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

THAT THE SOUL, SEEKING GOP, IS ANTICIPATED BY HIM ; AND IN WHAT CONSISTS THAT SEARCH FOR GOD IN WHICH IT IS THUS * By night on my bed I sought Him whom my soul loveth.1 — Cant. iii. I. IT is a great good to seek God. I think that, among all the blessings of the soul, there is none greater than this. It is the first of the gifts of God ; the last degree of the soul's progress.

By no virtue is it preceded ; to none does it give place. To what virtue is that added which is not preceded by any ? And to which Digitized by Google 5i2 should that give way which is the consummation of all virtues ? For what virtue can be ascribed to him who is not seeking God, or what limit prescribed to one who is seeking Him ? Seek His Face evermore (Ps. cv. 4), says the Psalmist ; nor do I think that when a soul has found Him, it will cease from seeking. God is sought, not by the movement of the feet, but by the desires of the heart ; and when a soul has been so happy as to find Him, that sacred desire is not extinguished, but, on the contrary, is increased. Is the consummation of the joy the extinction of the desire ? It is rather to it as oil poured upon a flame ; for desire is, as it were, a flame. This is, indeed, the case. The joy will be fulfilled ; but the fulfilment will not be the ending of the desire, nor therefore of the seeking. But think, if you can, of this earnest love of seeking God as being without any deprivation of Him, and of the desire for Him as without anxiety or trouble of mind. His Presence excludes the one, and the abundance of His graces prevents the other. 2. But now observe why I have made these introductory remarks.

It is that every soul among you which is seeking God should know that it has been anticipated by Him, and has been sought by Him before it began to seek Him. For without this knowledge it might be that out of a great blessing might arise great harm, if, when it has been filled with the good gifts of the Lord, it treats those gifts as if they had not been received from Him, and so does not render to God the glory of them. It is, doubtless, in this way that some who appeared very great before men, because of the graces which had been conferred upon them, were counted as the least before God, inasmuch as they did not render back to Him the glory which was due on their account. But in saying this, I have used inadequate terms. To spare you, I have spoken of ' greatest ' and of * least,' but I have not thus expressed my thought in all its force. I will make clearer the distinction which I have tried to mark. I cught to have said that he who is the best of men becomes in this way the worst. For it is a thing certain and without doubt that such a person becomes as blameable as he before was praiseworthy, if he ascribe to himself the praise of that which was excellent in him. For this is one of the worst of crimes. Someone will perhaps say, * God forbid that I should be of that mind ; I fully recognize that by the grace of God I am what I am ; but suppose that a person should try to take for himself a little spark of glory for the grace that he has received, is he, therefore, a thief and a robber ?' Let one who speaks thus listen to the words : Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant (Matt, xix. 22). For what can be more wicked than the servant usurping to himself the glory which belongs to his Lord ? 3. By night on my bed I sought Him whom my soul loveth. The soul seeks the Word, but it had been previously sought by the Word.

For otherwise, when it had been once driven out or cast forth from the presence of the Word, it would have returned no more to obtain the sight of the good things it had lost if it had not been sought by Digitized by Google the Word. Our soul, if abandoned to itself, is a spirit which goes to and fro, but does not return. Listen to a fugitive and wandering soul, and learn what it complains of, and what it seeks : / have gone astray like a lost sheep: seek Thy servant (Ps. cxix. 176). O man, dost thou desire to return ? But if that depends upon thy own will, why dost thou entreat help ? Why dost thou ask for from another what thou hast in abundance in thy own self? It is plain that he does desire this, and is not able to perform it ; he is a spirit which goes to and fro, and returns not ; though he who has not even the wish to return is farther removed still. Yet I would not say that the soul which longs to return, and desires to be sought, is wholly exposed and abandoned.

For from whence, comes this willingness which is in it ? It comes, if I do not mistake, from its having been already sought and visited by the Word ; nor is that visitation fruitless, since it has so worked in the soul as to produce that good will, without which a return would not be possible. But it does not suffice to be sought once only, so great is the languor of the soul, and so great the difficulty of the return. What if the will of a soul is to return ? The will lies inoperative, if it be not supported by the power to do so. For, to will is present with me> says the Apostle, but how to perform that which is good 1 find not (Rom. vii. 18). What is it, then, that the Psalmist seeks in the passage which I have quoted ? He plainly seeks nothing else than to be sought : which he would not seek if he had not been sought ; and yet again, which he would not seek if he had been sought sufficiently. This latter grace, indeed, is what he entreats : Seek Thy servant ; that is, that what it has been granted to him to desire, it may be granted to him also perfectly to attain,

according to the good pleasure of God. 4. Yet it does not seem to me that the present passage is capable of being applied to a soul such as this, which has not attained the second grace, and, though desiring to approach Him whom she loves, has not the ability to do so. For how can the words which follow be made to apply to such a soul ; namely, that she rises and goes about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways seeks her Beloved (iii. 2), seeing that she herself needs to be sought ? Let her do this as she is able ; only let her remember that, as she was first beloved, so she was first sought ; and to that she owes it that she herself loves and is engaged in seeking. Let us, too, pray, beloved, that those mercies may speedily anticipate us, for we are brought into extreme need of them. But I do not say this of you all ; for I know that very many of you are walking in the love wherewith Christ hath loved us, and are seeking Him in simplicity of heart But there are some (I say it with sorrow) who have not yet given us any mark of this saving and preventing grace

being in them, and therefore no sign of their salvation ; they are men who love their own selves, not the Lord, and seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 5. I have sought, says the Bride, Him whom my soul lo%}eth. It is to this that the goodness of Him who has anticipated you in seeking 33 Digitized by Google 5M you and loving you first, it is to this that His goodness is calling and arousing you. You would not seek Him at ail, O soul, nor love Him at all, if you had not been first sought and first loved. You have been anticipated by a twofold benediction, that of love and of seeking.

The love is the cause of the seeking ; the seeking is the fruit and the clear proof of the love. You have been loved, so that you might not fear that you were sought for to be punished ; you were sought for, that you might not complain that you were loved to no purpose. Each of these two great and unmistakable favours has given you courage, has removed shyness and timidity, has touched your feelings, and disposed you to return. Hence arises that zeal and ardour in seeking Him whom thy soul loveth ; because, just as you were not able to seek Him, until you had first been sought, so now that you have been sought, you are not able to do otherwise than seek Him. 6. Again, never forget whence it is that you have come hither.

And that I may apply the better to myself what has been said (which is the safer course), is it not thou, O my soul, who, having left thy first Bridegroom, by whose side all had been well with thee, hast broken the faith first pledged to Him, and gone after others? And now that thou hast sinned with them to the full, and art perhaps fallen into contempt with them, dost thou impudently and with effrontery desire to return to Him, to whom thou hast behaved with so much pride and insolence ? What ? when thou art fit only to hide thyself, dost thou seek the light, and though more deserving of correction than favour, dare to run unto the Bridegroom ? Wonderful it will be if you do not find a Judge to condemn you instead of a husband to receive you. Happy is he who shall hear his soul replying to these reproaches : ' I do not fear because I love, and also I am loved ; nor could I have loved unless He had first loved me. Let those fear who have no love; but for the soul that loves there is nothing to be feared. How can those who have no love do otherwise than be under constant apprehension of injury ? But because I love, I no more doubt that I am loved than I doubt of my own love ; nor can I possibly fear His countenance, whose affection for me I have assuredly felt. In what have I felt it, do you inquire ? In this : that not only has He sought me, unhappy as I am, but has caused me to seek Him, and to feel sure of succeeding in my search. Why should I not respond to Him in His search, to whom in His affection I respond ? Why should He be angry at my seeking Him, who, when I showed contempt for Him, forgave it ? He sought me when I contemned Him, why should He contemn me when I seek Him ?

Benign and gentle is the Spirit of the Word, and gentle is His greeting to me ; He makes me aware of His kindness towards me, He whispers to me and convinces me of the earnest love of the Word for me, which cannot be hidden from Him. For He searcheth the deep things of God, and knows that the Divine thoughts are thoughts of peace, and not purposes of vengeance. How can I be otherwise Digitized by Google than encouraged to seek Him, who have had experience of His clemency, and am persuaded of His reconciliation with me ?' 7. My brethren, to think seriously of these truths is to be sought by the Word ; to be persuaded of them is to be found by Him.

But not all are capable of receiving that Word. What shall we do for the little children among us, I mean those who are still in the stage of beginners (incipientes), and yet are far from being without understanding (insipientes), since they possess already the beginning of wisdom, being subject one to the other in the fear of Christ ? How, I say, shall we cause them to believe that the spiritual life of the Bride is marked by such experiences as these, since they know nothing as yet of such feelings themselves ? But I send them to one, to whom they cannot refuse credence. Let them read in a book [of Scripture] that which they fail to discern in the heart of a fellow man, and therefore will not believe. For it is written in one of the Prophets : If a man put aiuay his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again ? shall not that land be greatly polluted f but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet return again to Me, saith the Lord (Jer. iiL i). They are the words of the Lord, and it is not permitted to doubt or hesitate. Let them believe what they have not experienced, that by the merit of their faith they may one day attain the fruit of experience. I think that now it has been sufficiently explained what it is to be sought by the Word, and how this is necessary, not for the Word, but for the soul, so that the soul which has experienced this knows Him both more fully and more happily. It remains to be treated of in the next discourse how souls that thirst for Christ seek Him by whom they have been sought ; or rather that we should learn that from her, who is brought before us in these verses, as seeking Him whom her soul loveth, Him who is the Bridegroom of the soul, Jesus Christ our Lord, who is above all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Digitized by Google 5i6

OF THE SEVEN NEEDS OF THE SOUL, ON ACCOUNT OF WHICH IT OR what cause does she thus &eek ? That has been already stated, and it would be superfluous to repeat it : yet, for the sake of some who were not present when that question was treated, I will give a short summary of the causes, to which even those who were with us on the former occasion will not find it troublesome to listen. For not all that was to be said could be finished then.

The soul seeks the Word, and accepts His correction with willingness and joy, so that she may obtain enlightenment and the knowledge of Him, that by His support she may attain to virtue, and be reformed according to wisdom, that she may be conformed unto His likeness and rendered by Him fruitful in good works, and, finally, may be happy in the enjoyment of His Presence. For ail these causes the soul seeks the Word. I do not doubt that there are many others, but in the meantime these are what occur to me. Anyone who is disposed to do so may easily discover others in himself. For our unhappinesses are many, the needs of our soul numerous and unlimited, and our anxieties uncounted. But more richly and fully still does the Word superabound in good things, insomuch that He surpasses our badness by His wisdom, overcoming evil with good. And now hear the reason for these statements which I have made. In the first place, see how the soul consents, as I said first, to the Divine correction.

We read that the Word speaks thus in the Gospel : Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him, lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer (Matt. v. 25). What can be more prudent ? It is the advice of the Word, who declares solemnly, if I do not mistake, that He is an adversary to us, because He opposes Himself to our carnal desires, as when He says : 77 is a people that do err in their heart (Ps. xcv. 10).

Thou, then, who hearest this, if thou shait begin in a just fear to flee from the wrath to come, wilt be, I think, solicitous to know in what manner thou mayest agree with that adversary who seems to menace thee with a wrath so terrible. Now, that is impossible, unless thou shalt disagree with thyself, unless thou shalt become an adversary to thine own self, unless thou shalt combat with thyself in continual and untiring struggle ; in short, unless thou shalt renounce thy rooted habitudes and inborn affections. That is indeed a struggle hard and stern ; and if thou shalt attempt it in thy own powers alone, it is as if Digitized by Google thou shouldst try to arrest a rushing torrent with a finger, or to make the river of Jordan flow backwards. What canst thou do, then ?

Thou must seek the Word, by whose grace it is that thou art enabled to give a glad acquiescence to His will. Fly for help to Him who opposes thee [in evil], by whose help thou mayst become such that He will oppose thee no longer, that He who now threatens thee will approve and applaud thee, and that the grace which He imparts may be more effectual to transform thee than the most violent anger. 2. This is the first necessity, as I think, which brings the soul to seek the Word. But if you know not what He, to whose will you have already given consent, really desires, will He not say of you that you have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge ? (Rom. x. 2).

And that you may not think such ignorance a light thing, remember that which is written, that if any man know not he shall not be known (1 Cor. xiv. 38, Douay). Would you know what I should counsel you to do in this strait ? In the first place, my advice is that you should have recourse to the Word, and He will teach you His ways, for fear lest you, wishing to do good, but not knowing how, should only wander from the right road in your course, and go to and fro in a pathless wilderness. For the Word is Light, as it is said in the Psalms : The entrance of Thy words giveth light : it giveth understanding to the simple. Blessed art thou if thou also art able to say : Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path (Ps. cxix. 130, 105). In no small degree has your soul profited, if your will is changed and your reason enlightened, so that you are enabled both to desire that which is good and to recognise it when it appears to you. In the one gift your soul has received life ; in the other, vision.

For the soul was dead when it willed that which was evil, and blind when it was ignorant of good. 3. Now your soul lives, now it sees, now it is established in good ; but all this is by the help and by the working of the Word. If it stands upright, it is because it has been lifted up by the hand of the Word, and set, as it were, upon two feet, devotion and understanding. It stands upright, I repeat ; but yet let it take as spoken of itself that which is said : Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall (1 Cor. x. 12). Do you think that the soul, which was not able to arise by its own strength, will by its own strength be enabled to stand ?

I should suppose not What ? It was by the Word of the Lord that the heavens were made (Ps. xxxiii. 6), and shall a being which is but earth stand without Him ? If it were able to stand by itself, why was it that a man, formed also of the earth, prayed thus : Strengthen Thou me according unto Thy Word (Ps. cxix. 28) ? He had even experienced that he could not stand by himself, since he says : Being pushed, I was overturned that I might fall, but the Lord supported me (Ps. cxviii. 13, Douay). Does anyone inquire what it was that thus pushed ? It was not one only ; it was the devil, it was the world, it was perhaps some man. What man, do you rejoin ? In truth, every man is a tempter such as this to and for himself. Marvel not at this.

Digitized by Google To such a degree is every man a tempter to himself, and an occasion of falling, that you need not fear the temptation put before you by another person, if you can keep your own hands from working destruction to you. For who, says the Apostle, is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good f (i Peter iii. 13). By your own hands I mean the consent of your will. If, when the devil suggests to you, or the world persuades you to do, anything which is not right, you refrain from giving an inward consent to it, nor allow your members to be the instruments of iniquity, then you have not permitted sin to reign in your mortal body ; in resisting the promptings of evil you have approved yourself the follower of good, and the temptation has done you good rather than harm. For it is written : Do that which is goody and thou shalt have praise (Rom. xiii. 3). They are confounded who sought to harm your soul, and you shall sing : If they shall have no dominion over me, then shall I be without spot (Ps. xix. 14, Douay). You have shown yourself to be animated by a holy emulation if, under the guidance of wisdom, you have had affection for your own soul (Ecclus. xxx. 23), if you have kept your heart with all diligence (Prov. iv. 23), if, according to the precept of the Apostle, you have kept yourself pure (1 Tim. v. 22). Otherwise, even though you should gain the whole world, but suffer loss to your soul, we * shall certainly, as the Saviour Himself teaches, regard you as not being a follower of that which is good. 4. There are, then, three adversaries by whom you are threatened.

Of these the devil impels to evil by malice and jealousy, the world by the tempest of vanity, while man himself is burdened by the weight of his own corruption. The devil impels you indeed to evil, but he does not overthrow you, if you do not give him your help by yielding assent to his wicked suggestions. Thus we read : Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James iv. 7). It is he who in his envy tempted and overthrew those who were upright in Paradise, for they did not resist him, but consented to his evil suggestions. It is he who, by his pride, cast himself down from the height of heaven, and that without impulse from any other ; thus you may learn what very grave cause man also, because of the weight by which he is oppressed in his own nature, has to fear that he may fall. The world also impels to evil, because it lieth in wickedness (1 John v. 19). Its impulse is felt by all, but it overthrows only those who are of it, that is, who are consentient with it in mind and will. I desire not to be the friend of the world, lest I fall. For he who desires to be a friend of this world

becomes thereby an enemy of God, and this is the most calamitous fall it is possible to make. From this it appears that man is to himself the principal occasion of falling, since he can fall by his own impulse, and without any impulse from another person, but cannot fall without his own impulse, whatever instigation he may receive from others. Now, which of these three adversaries ought chiefly to be resisted ? Plainly, that one which is more importunate, as it is in more intimate relation with us, which is sufficient by itself Digitized by Google to make us fall, and without which no other adversaries are able to effect anything against us. Not without cause does the wise man declare : He that ruleth his spirit is better than he that taketh a city (Prov. xvi. 32). This is of great importance to you ; you have need of great strength, and of that strength with which you can be endued only from on high. That strength, if it be perfect, will easily render the soul victorious over itself, and, consequently, invincible by all other adversaries. For it is a spiritual strength, which knows not how to yield when in defence of the right. Or, if you prefer to express it thus, it is a spiritual strength which

stands firm and unshaken, with good reason, and on behalf of the right. Or, again, thus : a spiritual strength, which, as far as in it lies, directs and rules all things according to reason. 5. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord ? Whosoever shall take upon him to ascend to the top of that mountain, that is to say, to attain the perfection of virtue, must consider how arduous is that ascent, and how easy to fall without the assistance of the Word.

Happy is the soul which excites the joy and the astonishment of the Angels who behold it, so that it hears them speaking of it thus : Wha is this that cometh up from the wilderness^ leaning upon her Beloved ? (viii. 5). For otherwise she labours to no purpose, if she does not lean upon God (nitiiur, innititur). She will acquire new forces in her struggle with herself, and thus becoming the stronger, will bring all things into subjection to reason. She will regulate anger, fear, cupidity, and joy, as a skilful charioteer (if I may so speak), driving the chariot of the soul; she will bring into captivity every carnal affection, and subject all the senses to the control of reason and the practice of virtue. How can all things fail to be possible to a man who depends in his endeavours upon Him who can do all things ?

How firm a ground of confidence is that saying : / can do all things through Christ which strengthened me (Phil. iv. 13). Nothing shows more clearly the Almighty power of the Word, than that He makes all those whose hope is in Him to be, as it were, all powerful. For all things are possible to him that believeth (Mark ix. 23). Is not he all-powerful to whom all things are possible ? Thus it is that the soul, if it does not presume upon its own powers, but is strengthened by the Word, will be able so to rule over itself that no unrighteousness shall have dominion over it. It is thus, I say, that the soul, resting upon the Word, and endued with power from on high, cannot possibly be either overthrown or brought into subjection by any open violence, secret guile, or enticing allurement. 6. Would you have no fear of violence from without ? Then let not the foot of pride find place within you ; so the hand of the violent shall not cast you down. There are the workers of iniquity fallen (Ps. xxxvi. 12). It was thus that the devil and his angels felL They were impelled to evil by no force from without ; nevertheless, they were not able to stand,

but were driven forth from Heaven. He did not stand fast in the truth, who did not rely upon the Word, but Digitized by Google 520 trusted in his own strength. It was for that reason, perhaps, that he desired to sit, because he was not able to stand upright. For, he said : I will sit upon the mount of the congregation (Is. xiv. 13). But the judgment of God was otherwise ; he neither stood nor sat, but fell headlong, as we are told by the Lord Himself: J beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven (Luke x. 18). Therefore let the soul that stands, if it does not desire to fall, not trust in its own strength, but lean upon the Word. The Word Himself warns us : Without Me ye can do nothing (John xv. 5). That is most truly the case ; without the Word we can neither stand firm in the good to which we have attained, nor rise up towards any fresh good. Do you, therefore, who as yet art standing firm, give glory to the Word, and say : He set my feet upon a rock and ordered my goings (Ps. xl. 2). It is needful that the same Hand which has raised you up should hold you firm and prevent you

from falling. Thus much is by way of explanation of what I said, that we have need of the Word, that we may be supported by Him and enabled to attain unto virtue. 7. In the next place, let us consider what I have also asserted, namely, that it is by the Word we are reformed according to wisdom.

The Word is wisdom, and He is strength. Let the soul, then, draw wisdom from Him who is wisdom, and strength from Him who is strength ; and let each of these gifts be ascribed to the Word alone.

Otherwise, if either be ascribed to some other source, or arrogated to the soul itself, let it be said also that the river does not flow from the spring, the juice of the grape from the vine, or light from the orb of day. It is a faithful saying : If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not : and it shall be given him (James i. 5). This the Apostle expressly states ; and I think it is not otherwise with regard to strength. For strength is nearly allied to wisdom ; it is a gift of God, coming down from Him who is the Father of the Word, and to be ranked among the best gifts. If anyone should think that it is in all respects identical with wisdom, I do not contest it ; but that perfect resemblance is in the Word, not in the soul. For those excellences, which in the Word are one because of the unique simplicity of the Divine nature, have not in the soul the same action ; but accommodate and distribute themselves, as if diverse, according to its different and various necessities.

According to this principle, then, it is one thing for the soul to be acted upon by strength, and another for it to be directed by wisdom : one thing for it to be strengthened by power, and another for it to be delighted by sweetness. For although wisdom be powerful, and power sweet ; yet that we may attach to words each their proper signification, we attach to power the sense of a certain vigour in the soul, and to wisdom that of calmness and composure, accompanied by a kind of spiritual sweetness. This I take to have been specified by the Apostle when, after having given many exhortations relating to spiritual strength, he added with regard to sweetness : In siveetness* in the Holy Ghost (2 Cor. vi. 6, Douay). It is, then, an honour, Digitized by Google indeed, to stand firm, to resist, to repel force, by force, which are regarded as the works of strength and courage ; but it is also a labour.

For it is not the same thing to defend your honour with toil and danger, and to possess it in peace. Whatsoever strength laboriously prepares, wisdom makes use of and enjoys ; and that which wisdom ordains, contemplates, regulates, strength carries into effect. 8. 4 The wisdom of a scribe cometh by his time of leisure/ saith the Wise man (Ecclus. xxxviii. 25, Douay). The very leisure, therefore, of wisdom is a labour ; and the more leisurely wisdom is, the more laborious it is in its own way. But virtue, the more it is exercised in its own sphere of action, the more illustrious it is ; and the more it prevails over difficulties, the more it is approved. And if anyone should define wisdom as the love of virtue, I do not know that he would be far wrong. But where love is, there a task, whatever it be, is not a mere labour, but a pleasure and a joy. And perhaps the name 4 sapientia* is derived from * sapor/ since it is, as it were, the seasoning of virtue, to which it gives taste and savour, and which, in default of it, remains tasteless and insipid. Nor should I object •if anyone should define wisdom to be the love of, and taste for, good.

But we have lost this taste almost from the very appearance of our race upon the earth. From the moment in which sense has prevailed, and the venom of the old serpent has occupied and corrupted the palate of the heart, it has begun to have no longer a taste for that which is good, and a depraved and injurious taste has begun to enter in. Thence it is that the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth (Gen. viii. 21) ; that is, from the folly of the first woman. It is, then, the folly of the woman that was the cause of our losing the taste for good, and that because the malicious cunning of the serpent deceived her inexperience. But the very reason which made that malice appear to have gained the victory for a time, occasions it the mortification of defeat for all eternity. For, lo ! Wisdom once more has wholly filled the heart and the body of a woman ; so that as by a woman we had become deformed by falling into folly, so by a woman we should be reformed unto wisdom. And now wisdom constantly prevails over malice in those souls into which it has entered, destroying and replacing by a better that taste for evil which malice brought

with it. Wisdom, when it enters into the soul, renders insipid all the pleasures of the flesh, purifies the understanding, heals and restores the palate of the heart. Thus, with the restoration of its powers, it begins to desire that which is good, and to desire wisdom itself, than which there is nothing better. 9. How many good actions are done in which, notwithstanding, those who do them have no real delight, because they are not impelled to do them by a taste and love for them, but are, in a measure, forced to do them by the compulsion of reason, or of circumstances, or even by necessity ! And, on the contrary, how many there are who, though they do wrong, do not take pleasure in evil, but are led into it rather by fear, or by some desire which they wish to satisfy, than by any r Digitized by Google satisfaction in wrongdoing ! But those who act from deliberate purpose either are wise, and delight in goodness for its own sake, or they are of evil disposition, and find pleasure in evil as such, without being drawn to it by the hope of some advantage. What, indeed, is iniquity but the taking pleasure in what is evil ? Happy is the soul which has delight only in

whatever is good, and distaste and hatred for whatever is evil ! This it is to be reformed unto wisdom ; this is to have had happy experience of the victory of wisdom in one's own self. For that in which the predominance of wisdom over malice is most plainly shown is when, by the exclusion of all delight in evil, which is nothing else than evil itself, the soul feels itself to be wholly occupied by a deeply seated approval of, and delight in, that which is good. It is, then, to power we have to look for the ability bravely to endure tribulations, and to wisdom for the ability to rejoice in them. To strengthen thy heart, and wait patiently upon the Lord, that is the work of power ; to taste and see how sweet is the Lord, is the gift of wisdom. And as each gift shows to the greatest advantage in its appropriate virtue, so modesty of mind approves the man who is wise, constancy the man who is full of power. And it is with fitness that we put wisdom after power, because power of soul is, as it were, the firm foundation upon which wisdom raises for itself the complete edifice of the Christian character. But it is needful that the knowledge of

the good should precede each of these, for there is no point of agreement between the light of wisdom and the darkness of ignorance. And a good will also is needful, for * into a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter (Wisd. i. 4). 10. Now, having taken note that by the change of its will from evil to good the soul has recovered life, spiritual health by the instruction which God bestows, stability by the gift of strength, and, lastly, maturity by that of wisdom, it remains that it should obtain the gift of beauty, without which it is not able to please Him who is fairest among the sons of men. For she knows that it is said : The King shall greatly desire thy beauty (Ps. xlv. 11). How many good gifts to the soul, the gifts of the Word, have we enumerated : knowledge, goodwill, power, wisdom ; and yet we do not read that either of these is desired by the Word ; only of * thy beauty 9 is this said. So the Psalmist also says : The Lord hath reigned^ He is clothed with beauty (Ps. xciii. 1, Douay). How can He fail to desire that she who is at once His likeness and His Bride should be clad with a similar garment

of beauty to Himself? The closer is her resemblance to Him, the dearer will she be. In what, then, consists this beauty of the soul ? Is it not in this, that she is called honourable ? Let us take that meaning provisionally, if no better occurs to us. But honour appears in the outward behaviour ; not that it consists in this, but it is by this that it is recognised. Its origin and its dwelling-place are in the conscience, and the testimony of a good conscience is its glory. When the truth shines forth in the soul, and the soul beholds itself in the truth, there is nothing brighter than that Digitized by Google 523 light, nothing more glorious than that testimony. But of what nature is the image thus displayed ? It is that of a soul chaste, modest, selfrestrained, circumspect, admitting nothing which tends to obscure the glory of the testimony thus rendered ; conscious of no wrongdoing which should make it ashamed in the presence of the truth, and oblige it to hide its countenance, as if confused and repelled by the Divine light. This is without doubt that beauty which God takes most pleasure in beholding, among all the excellences of the holy soul ; and this we name and define as honour, 11.

But when the splendour of this beauty is diffused abundantly throughout the heart, so as to fill it wholly, it is of necessity that it should become visible also without, and be not as a light hidden under a bushel, but rather as a lamp shining in a dark place, and which cannot be concealed. Thus casting the bright illumination of its rays upon the body, it makes the latter an image of the soul, and diffuses itself through all its faculties and senses, insomuch that every action, every word, look, motion, every laugh (if it should ever give way to laughter) should be mixed with gravity and full of self-restraint.

When, then, all the movements of the body, all its gestures and habits, are grave, pure, and modest, far removed from all boldness and licence, from all lightness and luxury, but adapted to righteousness, and to every duty of piety, then the fairness of the soul shall be visible, provided there be no secret guile to obscure it. For it may be that all these things are put on and simulated, and do not come naturally out of the abundance of the heart. And to display this spiritual beauty in all its lustre, we will define, if you please, this honour, and show in what it consists. It is the candour of the soul, which is solicitous to unite the testimony of a good conscience within with spotlessness of reputation without, or in the words of the Apostle : Providing for things honesty not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men (2 Cor. viii. 21). Blessed is the soul which has clothed itself in that beauty of holiness, that pure whiteness of innocence, by which it may claim a glorious likeness, not to the world, but to the Word ; of whom we read, that He is the Brightness of the everlasting Light (Wisd. vii. 26) ; the Brightness of the glory of

God, and the express Image of His Person (Heb. i. 3). 12. From this degree the soul which is in such a condition ventures to think of union with the Word. Why should she not do so, when she sees that the more she resembles Him, the more fitted she is for that spiritual marriage ? The loftiness of His Majesty does not terrify her, because her resemblance associates her with Him, her affection unites her to Him, her profession of obedience and loyalty constitutes a betrothal. And this is the form of that profession : I have sworn, and will perform it, that I will keep Thy righteous judgments (Ps. cxix. 106). This the Apostles had followed when they said : Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed Thee (Matt. xix. 27). Similar is that saying which, referring to a carnal marriage, signified, nevertheless, the spiritual union which is betwixt Digitized by G00gle ' 524 Christ and His Church : For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh (Eph. v. 31) ; and by the Psalmist the Bride glorifies herself in these terms : // is good for me to draw near to God.: I have put my trust in the Lord

God (Ps. lxxiii. 28). When, then, you shall see a soul which, having left all, cleaves unto the Word with every thought and desire, lives only for the Word, rules itself according to His will, nay, becomes, as it were, fruitful by the Word, which is able to say with sincerity, To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Phil. i. 21), then you may have much assurance that this soul is wedded to the Word, and is His Bride. The heart of her Spouse trusteth in her, knowing her to be faithful, inasmuch as she has despised all things in comparison of Him, and counts them as dung (Phil. iii. 8), that she may win Christ, and be found in Him. Such the Lord knew him to be of whom He said : He is a chosen vessel unto Me (Acts ix. 15). Assuredly the soul of the Apostle St. Paul was, as it were, a faithful spouse and a tender mother, as was shown by his touching words : My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you (Gal. iv. 19). 13. But notice that in this spiritual marriage there are two ways of travailing in birth, different, though not contrary ; since saintly souls, as holy mothers,

either bring forth souls by preaching, or by meditation develop spiritual intelligences. In the latter kind of travail it sometimes happens that the soul is so transported out of itself, and entirely detached from the bodily senses, that, though conscious of the Word, it has no consciousness of itself. This is the case when it is drawn on by the ineffable sweetness of the Word, and, as it were, stolen from itself, or, rather, it is rapt out of itself to enjoy the Presence of the Word. The mind is affected in one way when it is rendered fruitful by the Word, and in another when it enjoys the Presence of the Word. In the one it is full of care for the necessity of its neighbour ; in the other it is filled with enjoyment of the sweetness of the Word. And, indeed, a mother has joy in her offspring, as a Bride in the kindness of her spouse. Dear and precious are children, who are the pledges of affection ; most sweet also the devotion of the beloved. So also it is a good work to save many souls ; but to depart and to be with the Word, that is far better. But when does that happen to us, or how long does it endure ? Sweet

is that communion ; but how seldom does it occur, and for how brief a time does it last ! And this is the final reason .of those for which, as I remember I stated above, the soul seeks the Word ; namely, that it may attain to spiritual joy through Him. 14. Perhaps it will be asked of me by someone who hears this, What is it to enjoy the Word ? I reply, Let that be asked rather from him who has had the happiness to experience it. Even though it were given to me to have that great blessing, how can you think it possible that I should explain a mystery which is incapable of being put into words ? Hear one who had known it : Whether we be beside Digitized by Google 5*5 ourselves^ it is to God : or whether we be sober ^ it is for your cause (2 Cor. v. 13). That is to say, It is one thing for me to have communion with God, and of that God alone is the judge; it is quite another for me to be in familiar speech, my brethren, with yourselves.

It has been permitted to me to have experience of that great blessing; it is not at all permitted to me to express it in speech. And in the reference which I have just now made to it, I adapt my words, so as to speak, as you are able to receive what I may say. O thou who art full of curiosity to know what it is to enjoy the Word, prepare thy heart for that, not thy ear. The tongue cannot reveal it, it is taught only by grace. It is hidden from the wise and prudent, and it is revealed to babes. Humility, my brethren, is a great and lofty virtue, by which that which is not taught is promised ; which is worthy to attain what is beyond the province of teaching ; worthy of the Word, and to receive by the Word that which it is not itself capable of expressing in words. Why is this ? Not because of any merit of its own, but because such is the good pleasure of Him who is the Father of the Word, the Bridegroom of the soul, Jesus Christ our Lord, who is above all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

OF THE CAUTION AND MODESTY BECOMING TO THE SOUL IN SEEKING I BELIEVE that nothing more will be expected of me upon the subject of the soul's reasons for seeking the Word, for I have already sufficiently stated them. Come, then, let us continue to expound what remains of the verse before us, as far only as relates to morals. Notice, then, in the first place, the modesty of the Bride.

I know not whether there is any virtue which man can attain more beautiful than this. This before all I would desire to take, so to speak, in my hands, and to gather it as a fair flower to present to those who are young among us. Not that those who are more advanced in it ought not to preserve it with every care, but because the grace of a tender modesty shines out more fairly and becomingly in those who are of a more tender age. What is there more amiable than a young man who is modest ? How fair, and even splendid, does this jewel of virtues show on the countenance and in the life of the young I What a certain and unmistakable mark it is of goodness of character, and of that which may be one day hoped for from them ! It is, as it were, a rod of correction to such an one, which is constantly present before his mind, which chastens the affections and the thoughtless actions of an age which is wont to be artful and deceptive, and which Digitized by Google 526 restrains its light or insolent actions. What is there more contrary than it to coarse speech, or to any kind of impurity ? It is the sister of continence. There is no mark so plain and unmistakable as this, of dove-like simplicity : and therefore it is the proof of innocence.

It is a lamp which burns without ceasing in a modest soul, so that nothing impure or unbecoming can attempt to enter there without being instantly discovered. Thus it acts as the destroyer of vices and promoter of inward purity, the special glory of conscience, the guardianof good fame, the ornament of life, the seat and the first-fruits of virtue, the glory of nature, and the token or ensign of everything honourable. What grace and beauty the very colour in the cheeks called up by modesty imparts to the countenance ! 2. Modesty is an excellence so natural to the soul, that even those who do not fear to act wrongly are ashamed to let it be perceived, as the Lord Himself declares : Every one that doeth evil hateth the light (John iii. 20). And again, St. Paul says : They that sleepy sleep in the night ; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night {1 Thess. v. 7) ; that is to say, the works of darkness, which are deserving of darkness everlasting, shroud themselves in darkness of their own accord. It is, however, important to distinguish here between the modesty of men who are not ashamed to do such actions, but blush to have them discovered, and therefore conceal them, and that of the

Bride, who does not merely conceal them, but rejects them absolutely, and drives them away. Thus the Wise Man declares : There is-a shame which bringeth sin : and there is. a shame which is glory and grace (Ecclus. iv. 21). The Bride seeks the Word ; seeks Him at night, and on her couch, but modestly and timidly; and this modesty is glorious, not sinful. She seeks to find Him for the purifying of her conscience, for the obtaining of the testimony, that she may say : Our glory is this9 the testimony of our conscience (2 Cor. i. 12, Douay). By night on my bed I sought Him ivhom my soul loveth (Cant. iii. 1 ). Her modesty, if you notice, is indicated to you both by the place and the time. What is there so congenial to a modest mind as secrecy ? Now, the night and the couch ensure that her prayer is secret. And, in fact, we are bidden, when wedesire to pray, to enter into our bedchamber (Matt. vi. 6), no doubt for the sake of secrecy. That is, indeed, to be done as a measure of precaution, lest if we pray in the sight of men human praise may hinder the effect of our prayer and deprive us of its fruit. But we

learn from it also a lesson of modesty \ for what course is so appropriate to modesty as to avoid even the praises that are due to it, and to fly from vainglory ?

It is, then, clear that the Son, who is the teacher1 and pattern of modesty, has expressly bidden us to seek for secrecy in our prayers, so as to promote modesty. What can be so unbecoming, especially in a young man, as an ostentation of sanctity ? It is to be borne in mind also that at that age it is particularly needful to make a beginning of religious obedience, according to the saying of Jeremiah : // Digitized by Google 527 is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth (Lam. iii. 27).

The prayer which you are about to offer will be well recommended if you cause it to be preceded by modesty, saying : / am very yauttg and despised : but I forgot not Thy justifications (Ps. cxix. 141, Douay). 3. It is needful that he who desires to offer acceptable prayer should observe not only the right place, but also the right time to do so. A time of leisure is the fittest and most convenient, and especially during the deep silence which night brings ; for then prayer arises most freely, and is most pure. Arise, says a prophet, cry out in the night ; in the beginning of the watcJies pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord (Lam. ii. 19). How securely during the night does prayer arise to heaven, unwitnessed, save by God alone, and by the holy Angel, who receives that prayer to present it before the Altar of Heaven ! How acceptable and clear it is, being rendered translucent by humility and modesty ! How serene and peaceful, since it is troubled by no sound nor interruption ! And lastly, how pure and sincere, as being free from the soiling dust of earthly care, nor deflected by the praise and flattery of human witnesses ! For these reasons it was that the Bride, who is as modest as she is prudent, sought the silence of the night, and the retirement of her chamber, to pray, that is, to occupy herself in seeking the Word.

For these two objects are one. Otherwise you do not pray aright, if in prayer you seek some other object than the Word, or seek it otherwise than on account of the Word, since in Him are all things [that you ought to seek]. In Him are the remedies for the wounds of your soul, in Him the help for necessities, supplies for all defects, abundance for the soul's progress in holiness, and, in a word, all things that man ought to have or to cfesire, all things that he needs, all things that are good for him. It is, then, wholly without cause that anything but the Word is asked of Him in prayer, for He Himself is all things. For although we sometimes seem to ask those temporal good things of which we have need, if it is for the sake of the Word that we ask them (as indeed it is fit and right we should do), it is not properly those good things themselves for which we are making petition, but for Him on whose account and for whose service we are asking them. Those whose rule of conduct it is to make use of all things so as to endeavour to deserve well of the Word, know the truth of what I say. 4. We

shall not regret examining still farther the mysteries indicated by this mention of the bed and of the night, to see if there be some spiritual truth concealed in it, which it will be for our benefit to discover. If, for example, by the bed we understand the weakness of our human nature, and by the night its ignorance, then we shall be thus taught that it is not without good cause that the Bride seeks with such touching and painful earnestness the Word, who is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God, that she may be fortified by His presence against each of these evils, which are to be attributed to the fault of origin. What can be more fitting than that Power Digitized by Google 528 should be opposed to weakness, and wisdom to ignorance? And that no doubt may linger in the hearts of the simple regarding this interpretation, let them hear what is said in a Psalm : The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing ; Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness (Ps. xli. 3). That is as relates to the bed. And as to the night of ignorance, what can be plainer than the statement in another Psalm : They know noty neither will they understand ;

they walk on in darkness (Ps. lxxxii. 5) ? which expresses with preciseness that state of ignorance into which the whole human race are born.

It was into this, as I think, that the blessed Apostle St. Paul both confesses that he was born, and glories that he has been delivered from it, saying : Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness (Col. i. 13). And on this account he says also : We are not [children] of the night, nor of darkness (1 Thess. v. 5) ; and also he says (Eph. v. 8) to all those who are elect : Walk as children of light. Thus far had the holy Bernard written^ when death arrested his proceeding farther with the work. This very Sermon was evidently left unfinished^ and on that account is so much shorter than the resty and wanting in the usual Ascription and Doxologv. [The Sermons on the Canticles were continued jby a disciple of St. Bernard, Gilbert, first Abbot of St. Mary of Hoiland (Swineshead Abbey, in the County of Lincoln), and apparently a countryman of our own. He carried the Exposition on as far as v. 10, in forty-eight Sermons, and then 'similiter prceventus morte' died, about a.d. 1200, at least his name cannot be traced in the records any farther than that date.] S. J. E. Digitized by Google