Sermons on the Song of Songs39 Sermon XXXIX. Of the chariots of Pharaoh, that is, the devil ; and of the chiefs of his army, who are malice, Sensuality, and avarice

/HA VE compared thee, O my love, to my company of horsemen among Pharaoh's chariots (i. 9). In the first place we recognise willingly in these words that the Church has been prefigured in the Patriarchs of the ancient Law, and that the mysteries of our salvation have been foreshown [in them]. In the Exodus of Israel out of Egypt, in that twofold wonder at the Red Sea, the giving passage to the people of God, while at the same time vengeance was executed upon their enemies, the grace of Baptism is clearly typified, inasmuch as it saves men and submerges offences. All our fathers says the Apostle, were under the cloud, and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea (1 Cor. x. 1, 2). But it is needful to notice, according to our custom, the succession of words [in our text], and to show the connection between the former ones and those which follow them, and so to draw, if we can, some sweet and profitable lesson from them to bear upon our practice. So, then [the Lord], after having repressed the presumption of the Bride with grave and severe reproof, not wishing that she should remain in too great dejection, recalls to her memory some of the blessings which she has already received, and promises to her others which have not yet beer granted; He also gives testimony that she is beautiful, and even calls her ' love.' 1 If 1/ says the Bridegroom, * have spoken to thee harshly and severely, O my love, do not suppose that it was from mistrust of thee, from hatred, or bitterness of feeling. For the gifts which I have lavished upon thee are unmistakable proofs of my affection. Nor is it in my mind to take away from thee these honours and adornments, but rather to add more and greater ones/ Or the words may be thus understood: * Do not take it ill, O my love, that you do not receive instantly all that you ask, for you have already received very great gifts from Me, and shall receive still greater if you walk in My precepts, and persevere in My love.' Thus much with respect to the connection of the words.

2. Now let us see of what nature are the gifts which He mentions that He has given. First of all is this, that He has rendered her like unto His army among the chariots of Pharaoh, in freeing her from the yoke of sin by the destruction of all the works of the flesh, in like manner as the people of Israel was freed from slavery to Egypt, and the chariots of Pharaoh were overturned and submerged in the Red Sea (Exod. xiv. 28). That was indeed a very great mercy, and I shall not be wrong if I desire to glory in having received it. It is a great truth that I declare. I confess, and will confess, that.

3. I do not doubt that there are some among you who feel already in themselves the truth of what has been said, and, indeed, anticipate it, because they are forewarned by their own experience. But it is for me to be mindful of that verse of a Psalm: The entrance of Thy wordsgiveth light: it giveth understanding unto the simple (Ps. cxix. 130). And for their sakes it is that I think it advisable to explain these things at greater length, for loving is the Spirit of wisdom (Wisd.i.). And it pleases Him that a teacher should be loving and diligent, and that, while desirous to satisfy the intelligent and learned, he should so proceed as to make allowance for those who are of slower comprehension. Wisdom herself says: They that explain me shall have life everlasting (Ecclus. xxiv. 31, Douay), and I should be unwilling to be deprived of that recompense. Furthermore, even in those things which appear plain there are often hidden meanings, and those of such a character that it is not superfluous to explain them with great care, even to those of the most capacious and swiftly-apprehensive minds.

4. But consider the comparison drawn from Pharaoh and his army and from the horsemen of the Lord. The comparison is not of the two armies between themselves, but of each with a third thing. For what concord hath light with darkness? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (2 Cor. vi. 15). The Bridegroom compares, no doubt, the holy and spiritual soul to the horsemen of the Lord; and, again, Pharaoh to the devil, and the army of the one to the army of the other. You will not wonder that one soul is likened unto horsemen, who are a multitude, if you consider the array [as it were an army of virtues which are found in that single soul which is holy. What order and regularity in its affections, what discipline in the use of all its faculties, what an armoury of strength in its prayers, what unshrinking resolution in its actions, how formidable is its zeal, what constancy in the combats it sustains with the enemy of souls himself, and how numerous the triumphs it obtains over him! Therefore, it is that we read of it in a later verse: Terriole as an army with banners (Cant. vi. 4). And, again: What will ye see in the Shulamitet THE CHARIOTS OF PHARAOH As it were, the company of two armies (vii. 1). Or if that explanation does not please you, know that a pious soul is never without a guard of Angels, who vie with each other in watching over it with a care truly Divine, that they may keep it for Him to whom it belongs, and present it as a chaste virgin to Christ Do not say in your heart: 1 Where are they, then; who has seen them?' The prophet Elisha saw them, and obtained at his petition that his servant [Gehazi?] should see them too. If you do not see them it is because you are not a Prophet, nor the servant of a Prophet. The Patriarch Jacob saw them, and said: This is God's host (Gen. xxxii. 2). The Apostle and Doctor of the Gentiles saw them too, and said of them: Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Heb. L 14).

5. Therefore the Bride, being in all her ways protected by Angelic ministries and attended by a bodyguard of Angels, is rightly compared to the horsemen of the Lord; to that army which on a former occasion, in the midst of the chariots of Pharaoh, triumphed over them by an astonishing miracle of Divine assistance. For if you notice with attention, you will find that all those circumstances in that former incident which you regard with wonder and admiration are to be discovered here, and to be admired no less. Indeed, it may well be thought that here the triumph is more magnificent still, since the former had to do with material things only; but here the type is spiritually fulfilled. Does it not appear to you, in fact, that there is far more of glory as of bravery in overcoming the devil than Pharaoh, and in conquering the powers of the air than in overturning the chariots of Pharaoh? There the combat is against flesh and blood; but here against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph. vi. 12). Follow out with me the details of this comparison. There it is a people delivered from Egypt, here man drawn away from the world; there Pharaoh is overcome, here the devil; there the chariots of Pharaoh are overthrown, here carnal and worldly desires which war against the soul are destroyed; those in the billows, these in floods of tears; billows of the sea in one case, floods of bitter regret in the other. I believe that when the demons encounter such a soul as this they cry out, as did the Egyptians of old: Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fighteth for them (Exod. xiv. 25). Do you wish now that I should point out some of the chiefs of Pharaoh's army by their own names, and that I should describe some of his chariots, so that you may in a similar manner find out others for yourselves? Learn, then, that one of the great captains of the spiritual and invisible king of Egypt is Malice, another is Sensuality, and a third is Avarice. These princes each possess under their king provinces bounded by such limits as are assigned to them by him.

1 2 Kings vi. 17. St. Bernard says 'Gehazi'; but this attendant on the prophet was probably not Gehazi, who had been before this period rendered unfit for service by leprosy (2 Kings v. 27).—Ed.

6. Listen also and learn of what kind are the chariots which Pharaoh has prepared for his princes that they may pursue the people of God. Malice has a chariot standing on four wheels, and these are cruelty, impatience, presumption, impudence. Swift is that chariot to shed blood; it is not stayed by innocence, nor retarded by patience, nor restrained by fear, nor kept back by shame. It is drawn by two horses extremely vicious, and ready for any injury to others—worldly Power, and temporal Ostentation. This car of Malice advances with great rapidity, since on the one side it has Power to accomplish the malicious designs of its occupier, and on the other, Ostentation to approve and applaud them when completed; so that the saying is fulfilled which is written: The wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous (Ps. x. 3); and also another Scripture: This is your hour, and the power of darkness (Luke xxii. 52). Over these two rule two drivers: Arrogance urges Pomp, and Jealousy Power. For the heart that is swelling with vanity is borne swiftly to the love of the pomps of the devil; while that, on the contrary, which is restrained by fitting fear, which gravity renders modest, humility sincere, and purity healthy and clear-sighted, will certainly not be borne lightly away by the wind of vainglory. In the same way is not the horse of worldly Power directed by Jealousy, and urged on with the two spurs of envy, I mean the apprehension of failing, and the uneasy fear of being surpassed. One of these is felt by him who is successful, the other by him who is trying to succeed; and by one or the other of these the powers of the world are constantly galled. So much as to the car of Malice.

7. The car of Sensuality also rolls upon four wheels: the Gluttony of the belly, the Lust of sexual passion, the Luxury of dress and adornment, and the Languor of sloth. It also is drawn by two steeds, Prosperity in life, and Abundance of goods; and directed by two drivers, Ease shameful and inglorious, and treacherous Security. For an abundance of all things easily produces sloth, and according to Scripture the prosperity of fools shall destroy them (Prov. i. 32), and assuredly for no other reason than this, that it infuses into them an unfounded sense of security; for when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them (1 Thess. v. 3). Now, these have no spurs, nor whip, nor anything of that kind; instead of these they make use of a net of gauze to give them shade, and of a fan to give them a cooling breeze. The gauze net may stand for Dissimulation, which casts a kind of shadow over the soul, and enables it to escape the heat and labour of cares. It is the mark of an effeminate and weak soul to seek to avoid even necessary cares for fear of feeling the anxiety and uneasiness of them; and for that 1 Conopeum, used in the sense of 'a sunshade.' In many editions is added *parvulo papilione? which in the MSS. is a marginal note.—Ed.

The CHARIOTS QF PHARAOH object to conceal itself under the shadow of dissimulation. And the fan is Prodigality, which produces the breeze of adulation. For the luxurious are wont to be prodigal, and to purchase with their gold the breath of the mouth of flatterers; but enough upon this subject.

8. Avarice also is drawn upon a chariot of which the four wheels are: Pusillanimity, Inhumanity, Disregard of God, and Forgetfulness of death. It is drawn by Stubbornness and Rapacity as steeds, and these have but one driver, Eagerness for gain. Avarice is content with one servant only; he is not willing to bear the expense of more. But that servant performs what is commanded him with promptness and unwearied industry; he urges on the steeds which draw his master's car with a whip of double thong—the Craving to acquire, and the Fear to lose.

9. The king of Egypt has other captains besides with their chariots, who serve their master in his wars: as Pride, who is one of his chief princes; Impiety, the enemy of the faith, who holds a chief place in the household and realm of Pharaoh; there are also lords and knights of lower rank in the army, whose number is very great, and I leave it to you to seek out the names and the offices, the arms and the equipment of these, to occupy you in these studies. It is thus that the invisible Pharaoh, full of confidence in the prowess of his captains and the strength of their chariots, charges to and fro, here, there, and everywhere, and as a cruel tyrant, wreaks his rage to the utmost of his power against the whole of the Lord's household, and pursues even at this very day Israel escaping from Egypt. The people of God are indeed neither clad in armour, nor borne onward in chariots; nevertheless [His army is rendered strong by the Hand of the Lord alone, and sings aloud in cheerful confidence: I will sing unto the Lor for He hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea (Exod. xv. 1); and again: Some put their trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God (Ps. xx. 7). All this bears on the comparison of the horsemen of the Lord, and the chariots of Pharaoh.

10. The Bride is called by the Bridegroom his Love. For she was beloved by Him, even before she was set free; He would not have set free one whom He did not love. But as for her, she was drawn to love Him, because of the priceless blessing of freedom which He had conferred upon her. Hear, in fact, the confession which she herself makes: We love Him, because He first loved us (1 John v. 19). Now recall to your minds the history of Moses and the Midianite (CEthiopissa) woman, and you will see that in it is prefigured the mystical union of the Word with the soul of a sinner; and distinguish, if you can, what it is, in the consideration of that most sweet of all mysteries, which gives you most heartfelt consolation and pleasure. Is it the benignant condescension of the Word, all too great as it is? is it the priceless glory accruing to the soul? or is it the sudden and unhoped for faith of the sinner? But Moses was not able to change the skin of his Midianite wife; while Christ is able to change the