Sermons on the Song of Songs

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,

OF THE CAUTION AND MODESTY BECOMING TO THE SOUL IN SEEKING THE WORD, AND OF THE PRAISE OF MODESTY.

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 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 we- desire 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: // 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 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.