Sermons on the Song of Songs

IF the perfumes of the Bride are so precious and so distinguished as they were found to be when they were treated of in your hearing, of what value must be those of the Bridegroom? And if I am not capable of expounding these in a manner worthy of their great excellence, yet that their virtue is surpassingly great, and their grace efficacious, is shown, without doubt, by this fact alone, that their fragrance arouses not the young maidens alone, but the Bride herself, to run [in the way of righteousness]. If you take notice, you will see that she does not venture to promise anything of this kind, as to follow from her own perfumes. She does indeed re joice in thinking that they are most excellent, yet she does not say that in them she has run, or would run; this she only promises to do in the perfumes of the Bridegroom. What would she have said, had she felt the outpouring upon her of that unction itself, of which even the fragrance alone, however slight it were, had such influence UDon her as to cause her to run forward [in the way of godliness]? It would be wonderful if she did not even fly. But someone, perhaps, says in himself: * Cease your commendations; it will sufficiently appear what they are when you have begun to define them.' But no. I do not at all promise that. Believe me when I confess that I do not as yet know whether those ideas which are presented to my mind are well founded. I suppose that the Bridegroom has not a few kinds of perfumes and balms, that these are different in nature, that some of these are more a delight to the Bride than others, as being nearer and in closer relation to Him, and that they delight her only; but that there are others which reach as far as the maidens, and some which find their way even to those who are most distant and most entirely strangers to Him, so that there are none hid from his life-giving heat. But although the Lord is good and kind to all, He is most markedly so to those of His own house; and the more nearly anyone draws to Him by the influence of a pure mind and holy life, the more also, as I believe, He perceives the fragrance of newer perfumes and of a sweeter anointing.

2. But these things the intelligence does not comprehend any farther than it is led by experience. That is why I would not rashly arrogate to myself a prerogative which is given only to the Bride. The Bridegroom alone knows the delights which it is given to His Beloved to taste by the Holy Spirit, by what inspirations He marvellously revives her spiritual senses, and by what odours He soothes them. Let her be for thee, then, a fountain proper to Him alone, in which no stranger shares, nor does any unworthy drink thereof; that is to say, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed (Cant. iv. 12); but thence do streams flow into the streets. These, I confess, are at my disposal, provided that no one finds fault or is ungrateful if I drink of them and draw from them for the good of all. For, that I may commend a little my ministry in this respect, it is not without some labour and fatigue that I go forth day by day to draw from the open streams of the Scriptures, in order to distribute to each one according to his need; so that without his own labour every one of you may have a supply of the spiritual waters for his various necessities; as, for example, to drink, and for cleansing, as for cooking his food. For the Divine Word is the saving water of wisdom, not only to drink, but also for cleansing, as the Lord hath said: Now ye are dean through the word which I have spoken unto you (John xv. 2). The Divine Word cooks, so to speak, over the fire which the Holy Spirit kindles, the crude reflections of the carnal mind, and turns them into spiritual teachings, which are nourishment for the soul, so that you may say: My heart was hot within me, and while I was musing the fire burned (Ps. xxxix. 3).

3. Those who, being of a spirit perfectly pure, are capable of apprehending by their own selves truths more lofty than those which have been brought forward by me, I congratulate upon the fact, and I do not dispute their right; but at the same time, they must allow me to bring forward simpler truths for simpler people. Would that it might be granted unto me that all might exercise the gift of teaching (prophetent), and that it might not be needful for me to occupy myself in it! Would that this care might fall upon some other, or at least, which I would prefer, that there were no one among you who had need of it; and that you were also open to the teachings of God Himself, that I might be able to remain in a profound repose, and contemplate the Bridegroom, who is God! For now it is the case (and I do not say it without tears), that it is not permitted to me, I do not say to contemplate, but even to seek after the King in His glory, sitting upon the Cherubfn, sitting upon His Throne, high and lifted up, in that Form in which He was begotten, Equal to His Father, in the splendour of His Saints, before the morning star [was created], in which also the Angels always desire to behold Him, God

of God. That which remains to me, who am but a man, is to speak of Him to men as Man, and in that Form in which, that He might in His exceeding condescension and love manifest Himself unto men, He was made a little lower than the angels, He who hath set in the sun His tabernacle, whence He cometh forth as a bridegroom out of His chamber (Ps. xix. 5). I speak of Him to you rather in His sweetness, than in His loftiness; as the Anointed One, rather than the High and Lofty One, who inhabiteth Eternity; of Him, that is, whom the Spirit of the Lord hath anointed, and sent forth to preach the Gospel to the poor, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to proclaim t/te acceptable year of the Lord (Is. lxi. 1, 2).

4. Leaving, then, to each individual whatever of more sublime and profound truth it has been granted to him by God's special grace to feel and experience regarding the perfumes of the Bridegroom, I offer for the common good what I have drawn from a source common to all. For He is the fountain of life, a Fountain sealed, springing forth from a walled garden, by the mouth of St. Paul, who made of himself a canal for that precious stream. He is truly that Wisdom which, according to the expression of holy Job, is drazun from secret places (Job xxviii. 21); which divides itself into four streams, and flows into the open ways of men; in which the Apostle declares to us the great truth that God hath made Him to be to us tvisdom, and righteousness, and sanctifcation, and redemption (1 Cor. i. 30). From these four streams, then, as it were of most precious perfumes — for it matters little whether we consider them as of water or of precious perfume, of water which cleanses, or of oil which perfumes — from these four, I say, as from precious ointments, composed of celestial balms upon the mountains of sweet spices, so great a sweetness and fragrance has filled the nostrils of the Church, that, being drawn from the four quarters of the earth by that perfume, [her people] hastened to the heavenly Bridegroom, as that queen of the East came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, being attracted by the good odour of his reputation (1 Kings x. 1-7).

5. Now, the Church was before not able to run towards the odour of her Solomon, until He, who was from all eternity Wisdom from the Father, was made by the Father to be for her benefit Wisdom also in time; for it was from that time that she began to perceive the Divine odour which proceeded forth from Him. Thus He was made for her in the same way righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, so that she might be able to follow after the odour of these also, which were in Him before the beginning of all things. For in the Beginning was the Word (John i. 1); but the shepherds made haste to come to see Him, only then at length when His Birth was announced to them. Then it was that they said the one to the other: Let us now go even to Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known to us (Luke ii. 15, 16). And, it goes on, they came with haste. Before, when the Word was with God, they did not stir; but when it came to pass that the Word was made [Flesh] and shown unto men, then they came with haste — they ran. Just as the Word was in the beginning, but the Word was with God; and yet the Word was made [Flesh] when He began to be among men also; so He was Wisdom in the beginning, He was righteousness, He was sanctification and redemption. But to the angels, and in order that He might be these to men also, the Father has made Him all these things, and He has done so because He is the Father. For, says the Apostle, of God He is made unto us wisdom. He does not say simply is made, but is made unto us; since that which He was unto the angels He is made unto us also.

6. But I do not perceive, you will say, how He was Redemption unto the Angels, f or in no passage of the Scriptures does it appear that they were ever captives of sin, or subject unto death, so that they had need of redemption; those only excepted, who, failing by the irremediable lapse of pride, have never deserved to be redeemed. If, then, the Angels have never been redeemed, some having no need to be, and others not deserving it; the one class, because they have not fallen; the other, because their fall was irrevocable: for what reason do you say that the Lord Jesus Christ has been to them redemption? Listen, while I briefly declare it. He who has raised up man who had fallen granted to the Angel, who was upright, the grace not to fall; thus, as He delivered the one from his bondage, so He protected the other from becoming subject to that bondage. And in this manner He was Redemption equally to each class, delivering the one from its fall, and preserving the other from falling. It appears, then, clearly that the Lord Christ was to the holy Angels redemption, as He was righteousness, wisdom, and sanctification; and that, nevertheless, He was made to be these four blessings on account of men, who are able to behold the invisible things of God only by the beholding of the things that are made (Rom. i. 20). So, then, all that He was unto the Angels, He was made to be unto us; that is to say, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption — wisdom in preaching, righteousness in the remission of sins, sanctification in the close relation which He had with sinners by His Life; and redemption by His Passion, which He endured on behalf of sinners. It is then when He was made by God to be all these things; that the Church has perceived His fragrance, and has followed, nay, has run, after Him.

7. Recognise, then, this fourfold anointing; recognise the abundant and inestimable sweetness of Him, whom the Father hath anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows (Ps. xlv. 7). Thou,.O man, wast sitting in the gloomy1 shadows of death through ignorance of the truth; thou wast sitting bound by the chains of thy sins. He descended to thee in thy prison, not to torment thee, but to deliver thee from the power of darkness. In the first place, that Teacher of truth dissipated by His wisdom the darkness of thy ignorance.

Then, by the righteousness which is of faith, He broke the bonds of thy sins, freely justifying the sinner. By that twofold benefit, He accomplished that word of the holy David: The Lord looseth the prisoners; the Lord giveth sight to the blind (Ps. cxlvi. 7, 8). More than this He did, by living a holy life among sinners, and so provided for thee a pattern of life, as a road whereby thou mightest return to thy own fatherland. Lastly, as it were to heap upon thee His goodness, He gave over His soul to death, and drew from His own side the price of thy redemption, and thus rendered satisfaction to the Father. In all this He plainly realized the verse: With the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption (Ps. cxxx. 7). Truly it was plenteous: for it was not a drop, but a flood that poured forth plenteously, of His Precious Blood, from five parts of His Body.

8. What ought He to have done for thee, that He has not done? He has restored sight to one blind, broken the chains of a captive, led back a wanderer, reconciled the guilty. Who will not run with ardour, with rapidity, after Him who delivers from error, and forgives offences; who by His Life bestows merits, and by His Death acquires [for thee] rewards? What excuse can there be for him who does not eagerly run in the fragrance of these perfumes, except perchance that their sweetness has not reached him? But the odour of life has gone forth into the whole world; for the whole earth is full of the mercy of the Lord, and His goodness is over all His works. Therefore he who has no perception of that fragrance, sweet, life giving, and everywhere diffused, and because of this%does not run after Christ, is either dead, or he is corrupt.1 That fragrance is the renown of His Name. The fragrance of faith in Him extends2 everywhere; it • arouses to run the Christian course; it brings to trial of His anointing, to the vision of Him for reward. All who attain it chant with one accord: Like us we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the Lord of Hosts, in the city of our God (Ps. xlviii. 8). We follow after Thee, O Lord Jesus, because of the goodness and kindness which we are fully assured of finding in Thee; because we learn that Thou dost not despise the poor, nor abhor the sinner. Thou didst not abhor the thief when he confessed, the sinful woman who wept tears of penitence, the Canaanite mother who came to Thee with her supplication, nor her who was taken in adultery, nor him who sat at the receipt of custom, nor the publican who implored pardon, nor the disciple who denied Thee, the persecutor of Thy disciples, nor Thy very crucifiers themselves. In the fragrance of these Divine virtues we run. Again, we perceive the fragrance of Thy wisdom from that word which we have heard, that if any lack wisdom, let him ask it of Thee, and Thou wilt give it to him; for Thou givest to all liberally, and upbraidest not (James i. 5). And the great fragrance of Thy righteousness is spread abroad upon every side, inasmuch as Thou art not only Righteous, but also Righteousness itself — yea, a 1 Putidus, or putridus. 2 Pervenit, or pravenit.

Righteousness which renders righteous him who is unrighteous. And as powerful as Thou art to justify, so bountiful art Thou also to forgive. Wherefore, let whosoever is touched with a sincere sorrow for his sins, who hungers and thirsts after righteousness, believe without hesitation in Thee, who justifiest the ungodly; and being justified by faith alone, he shall have peace with God. Of Thy holiness, also, the fragrance most sweet and full is spread abroad by Thy Conception, as by Thy Life. Sin, therefore, Thou hast neither committed nor contracted. Let those, then, who have been justified from their sins, who desire and propose to follow after holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, let them attend to Thy voice: Be ye holy for I am holy (Lev. xix. 2). Let them consider Thy ways and learn from Thee, for Thou art righteous in all Thy ways, and holy in all Thy works (Ps. cxlv. 17). And the fragrance of Thy Redemption, what numbers does it arouse to follow Thee! When Thou wert lifted up from the earth, Thou didst draw all men unto Thee. Thy Passion is the last refuge for men, and their only remedy. When wisdom is wanting, righteousness proves insufficient, and the merits of sanctity fail, Thy Passion comes to the rescue. For who can have the presumption to think his own wisdom, righteousness, or holiness sufficient for his salvation? As says the Apostle: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God (2 Cor. iii. 5). Therefore, when my own strength shall have failed me, I am not troubled, I do not lose heart. I know what I have to do: I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the. Name of the Lord (Ps. cxvi. 13). Enlighten mine eyes, O Lord, that I may know what is accepted before Thee at all times (Wisd. ix. 10); and thus I am wise. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions (Ps. xxv. 7); and [thus] I am righteous. Teach me Thy way, O Lord (Ps. lxxxvi. 11); and I [thus] am holy. But yet, unless Thy Blood interpose for me, I am not saved. It is to obtain all these graces that we follow — nay, we run after Thee; send us away [satisfied], for we cry after Thee.

9. But we do not all run with equal attraction towards all these perfumes, for you will see that some are more ardently affected by the love of wisdom; others are more carried towards penitence by the hope of obtaining pardon; others, again, are more animated to the practice of virtues by the example of His life and conversation; and others, still, are more fired with ardour for piety by the remembrance of His Passion. I think that we may be able to find examples of each of these classes. Those who had been sent by the Pharisees, for instance, were attracted by the fragrance of His 7eisdom, when they returned and said: Never man spake like this man (John vii. 46), for they admired His teaching, and confessed His wisdom. The holy Nicodemus did the same, when he came to Jesus by night (iii. 2), drawn by the great light of His wisdom, and returned, enlightened and instructed in many things. But Mary Magdalene came attracted by the fragrance of His righteousness; she, to whom many sins were forgiven, for she loved much (Luke vii. 47). Doubtless, she was no longer a sinner, as the Pharisee reproached her with being, but righteous and holy; he knew not that righteousness and holiness are the gift of God, not the work of man; and that he to whom the Lord will not impute sin, is not only righteous, but also blessed. Had he forgotten the manner in which [the Lord] in touching his [the Pharisee's] own bodily leprosy, or that of some other sufferer, had not contracted it Himself, but had cured it? Thus that Righteous One, being touched by the woman who was a sinner, imparted righteousness, and did not part with it; nor was He defiled with the stain of sin, of which He cleansed her. The Publican also followed after Christ, who, when he humbly implored pardon for his sins, went down to his house, as He who was Himself Justice declared, justified (Luke xviii. 14). Peter followed [Christ], he who wept bitterly for his fall (xxii. 62), so as to wash away his sin and regain righteousness. And David, who, acknowledging and confessing his crime, was found deserving to hear: The Lord also hath put away thy sin (2 Sam. xii. 13). Then again Paul bears witness that he followed Christ, when he boasts that he was His follower, and says to his disciples: Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ ( 1 Cor. xi. 1). They also did so who said: Behold, we have left all and followed Thee (Matt. xix. 27). That is, they had left all things for the desire to follow Christ. This precept exhorts all people in general to follow after the same fragrance: He that saith he abideth in Christ ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked (1 John ii. 6). If you wish to hear who they are who have run in the fragrance of the Passion of Christ, I will tell you: they are all the martyrs. You have, then, four kinds of odours: the first of wisdom, the second of righteousness, the third of sanctification, the fourth of redemption. Keep them in memory, avail yourself of the good of them, and do not institute any inquiry as to how they are composed, of what materials, or how mingled. For these things are not so easily to be ascertained with respect to the perfumes of the Bridegroom, as with regard to those of the Bride, which were previously considered. For in Christ all things are with a fulness which has neither measure nor limit. For His wisdom is infinite (Ps. cxlvii. 5); His righteousness is like the great mountains (Ps. xxxvi. 6), the mountains of God; His holiness so great as to be unequalled by any other, and His redemption is a mystery that cannot be discovered.

10. This also must be said, that it is to no purpose that the wise men of this world have disputed at such great length concerning the four great virtues, which they are in no wise able to attain, since they knew not Him, who of God is made unto us wisdom to teach us prudence, righteousness to remit offences, sanctification to give an example of living temperately and chastely, and redemption for a perfect pattern of patience in His Death bravely endured. Someone will perhaps say: The other qualities are very fitting for the virtues named; but sanctification seems to have no proper relation to temperance. To which I reply, first, that temperance is the same as continence; for it is usual in the Scriptures for continence or purity to be spoken of as sanctification. In fact, what did those sanctifications so frequent under the Law of Moses consist of but certain purifications of those who abstained from food, from drink, from indulgence, and such-like? But notice especially the Apostle himself, who commonly uses, or adapts, the word * sanctification ' to, or in, this sense. This is, he says, the will of God, even your sanctification... that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; not in the lust of concupiscence. And, again For God hath not called us to uncleanness, but unto holiness (1 Thess. *v- 3-7)- It is plain that in such passages he puts sanctification for temperance.

11. After having made clear what seemed a little obscure, I return to the point whence I digressed. What have you to do with virtues who know not the power (virttttem) of God, which is Jesus Christ? Where, I ask you, is true prudence, if not in the teaching of Christ? or true righteousness, if not in His mercy? Where is true temperance, if not in the Life of Christ? or true fortitude, if not in the Passion of Christ? Those only, therefore, who are imbued with His teaching are to be called prudent; those alone to be regarded as righteous who from His mercy have attained the pardon of their sins; those alone as temperate who study to imitate His Life; and those alone as courageous who in adversities follow with constancy the r example of His patience. That man labours in vain to acquire virtues who looks elsewhere than to the Lord in the hope of obtaining them; for it is His teaching which is the seed-plot of prudence; His mercy is a work of righteousness; His Life a mirror of temperance; and His Death a glorious pattern of courage. To Him be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.