Sermons on the Song of Songs83 Sermon LXXXIII. Of the manner in which the soul, however corrupted it may be with evil habits, is still able, by a chaste and Holy love, to recover its resemblance to the Bride- groom, that is, Christ
Sermon LXXXIII. Of the manner in which the soul, however corrupted it may be with evil habits, is still able, by a chaste and Holy love, to recover its resemblance to the Bride- groom, that is, Christ
Ihave, 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 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 admira- 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 (1 John iv. 16); 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 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
1. Quantum quidem regularis hora permisit, quam nobis constituimus ad loquendum, triduum [ alias, biduum] hoc in demonstranda Verbi animaeque affinitate expensum est. Quae utilitas in omni labore isto? Nempe haec. Docuimus omnem animam, licet oneratam peccatis, vitiis irretitam, captam illecebris, exsilio captivam, corpore carceratam, luto haerentem, infixam limo, affixam membris, confixam suris, distentam negotiis, contractam timoribus, afflictam doloribus, erroribus vagam, sollicitudinibus anxiam, suspicionibus inquietam, et postremo advenam in terra inimicorum, juxta prophetae vocem, coinquinatam cum mortuis, deputatam cum his qui in inferno sunt; licet, inquam, sic damnatam, et sic desperatam, docuimus tamen hanc in sese posse advertere, non modo unde respirare in spem veniae, in spem misericordiae queat; sed etiam unde audeat aspirare ad nuptias Verbi, cum Deo inire foedus societatis non trepidet, suave amoris jugum cum Rege ducere angelorum non vereatur. Quid enim non tute audeat apud eum, cujus se insignem cernit imagine, illustrem similitudine novit? quid, inquam, vereatur de majestate, cui de origine fiducia datur? Tantum est ut curet naturae ingenuitatem vitae honestate servare, imo caeleste decus, quod sibi originaliter inest, dignis quibusdam studeat morum affectuumque venustare et decorare coloribus.
2. Utquid enim dormitet industria? Grande profecto in nobis donum naturae ipsa est: quae si minus suas exsequatur partes, nonne quod reliquum habet natura in nobis, totum turbabitur, totum quasi quadam vetustatis operietur rubigine? Id quidem injuria auctori. Et utique ad hoc auctor ipse Deus divinae insigne generositatis perpetuo voluit in anima conservari, ut semper haec in sese ex Verbo habeat, quo admoneatur semper, aut stare cum Verbo, aut redire, si mota fuerit. Non mota quasi locis migrans, aut pedibus gradiens, sed mota (sicut substantiae utique spirituali moveri est cum suis affectibus, imo defectibus) a se quodam modo in pejus vadit, cum se sibi vitae et morum pravitate dissimilem facit, reddit degenerem: quae tamen dissimilitudo non naturae abolitio, sed vitium est, bonum ipsum naturae quantum sui comparatione attollens, tantum foedans conjunctione. Jam vero animae reditus, conversio ejus ad Verbum, reformandae per ipsum, conformandae ipsi. In quo? In charitate. Ait enim: Estote imitatores Dei, sicut filii charissimi; et ambulate in dilectione, sicut et Christus dilexit vos.
3. Talis conformitas maritat animam Verbo, cum cui videlicet similis est per naturam, similem nihilominus ipsi se exhibet per voluntatem, diligens sicut dilecta est. Ergo, si perfecte diligit, nupsit. Quid hac conformitate jucundius? quid optabilius charitate, qua fit ut humano magisterio non contenta, per temet, o anima, fiducialiter accedas ad Verbum, Verbo constanter inhaereas, Verbum familiariter percuncteris, consultesque de omni re, quantum intellectu capax, tantum audax desiderio? Vere spiritualis, sanctique connubii contractus est iste. Parum dixi, contractus: complexus est. Complexus plane, ubi idem velle, et nolle idem, unum facit spiritum de duobus. Nec verendum ne disparitas personarum claudicare in aliquo faciat convenientiam [ alias, conniventiam] voluntatum, quia amor reverentiam nescit. Ab amando quippe amor, non ab honorando denominatur. Honoret sane qui horret, qui stupet, qui metuit, qui miratur: vacant haec omnia penes amantem. Amor sibi abundat, amor ubi venerit, caeteros in se omnes traducit et captivat affectus. Propterea quae amat, amat, et aliud novit nihil. Ipse qui honori merito, merito stupori et miraculo est: amari tamen plus amat. Sponsus et sponsa sunt. Quam quaeris aliam inter sponsos necessitudinem vel connexionem, praeter amari, et amare? Hic nexus vincit etiam quod natura arctius vinxit, vinculum parentum ad filios. Denique, propter hoc, ait, relinquet homo patrem suum et matrem suam, et adhaerebit sponsae. Vides iste affectus quam sit in sponsis, non caeteris tantum affectibus, sed etiam se ipso potentior.
4. Adde quod iste sponsus non modo amans, sed amor est. Nunquid honor? Contendat quis esse: ego non legi. Legi autem quia Deus charitas est; et non quia honor est, vel dignitas, legi. Non quia honorem non vult Deus, qui ait: Si ego pater, ubi est honor meus? Verum id Pater. Sed, si sponsum exhibeat, puto quia mutabit vocem, et dicet: Si ego sponsus, ubi est amor meus? Nam et ante ita locutus est: Si ego Dominus, ubi est timor meus? Exigit ergo Deus timeri ut Dominus, honorari ut pater, et ut sponsus amari. Quid in his praestat, quid eminet? Nempe amor. Absque hoc et timor poenam habet, et honor non habet gratiam. Servilis est timor, quandiu ab amore non manumittitur. Et qui de amore non venit honor, non honor, sed adulatio est. Et quidem soli Deo honor et gloria: sed horum neutrum acceptabit Deus, si melle amoris condita non fuerint. Is per se sufficit, is per se placet, et propter se. Ipse meritum, ipse praemium est sibi. Amor praeter se non requirit causam, non fructum. Fructus ejus, usus ejus. Amo, quia amo; amo, ut amem. Magna res amor, si tamen ad suum recurrat principium, si suae origini redditus, si refusus suo fonti semper ex eo sumat, unde jugiter fluat. Solus est amor ex omnibus animae motibus, sensibus atque affectibus, in quo potest creatura, etsi non ex aequo, respondere auctori, vel de simili mutuam rependere vicem. Verbi gratia, si mihi irascatur Deus, num illi ego similiter reirascar? Non utique, sed pavebo, sed contremiscam, sed veniam deprecabor. Ita si me arguat, non redarguetur a me, sed ex me potius justificabitur. Nec, si me judicabit, judicabo ego eum, sed adorabo: et salvans me non quaerit a me ipse salvari, nec vicissim eget ab aliquo liberari, qui liberat omnes. Si dominatur, me oportet servire; si imperat, me oportet parere, et non vicissim a Domino vel servitium exigere, vel obsequium. Nunc jam videas de amore quam aliter sit. Nam, cum amat Deus, non aliud vult quam amari: quippe non ad aliud amat nisi ut ametur, sciens ipso amore beatos qui se amaverint.
5. Magna res amor; sed sunt in eo gradus. Sponsa in summo stat. Amant enim et filii, sed de haereditate cogitant: quam dum verentur quoquo modo amittere, ipsum a quo exspectatur haereditas, plus reverentur, minus amant. Suspectus est mihi amor cui aliud quid adipiscendi spes suffragari videtur. Infirmus est, qui forte spe subtracta, aut exstinguitur, aut minuitur. Impurus est, qui et aliud cupit. Purus amor mercenarius non est. Purus amor de spe vires non sumit, nec tamen diffidentiae damna sentit. Sponsae hic est, quia hoc sponsa est quaecunque est. Sponsae res et spes unus est amor. Hoc sponsa abundat, hoc contentus et sponsus. Nec is aliud quaerit, nec illa aliud habet. Hinc ille sponsus, et sponsa illa est. Is sponsis proprius est, quem alter nemo attingat, nec filius quidem. Denique ad filios clamat: Ubi est honor meus? et non. Ubi est amor meus, dicit; servans sponsae praerogativam. Sed et jubetur homo honorare patrem suum et matrem suam, et de amore tacetur: non quia non amandi sint parentes a filiis, sed quia multi filiorum honorare parentes magis quam amare affecti sunt. Esto quod honor regis judicium diligat: sed sponsi amor, imo sponsus Amor solam amoris vicem requirit et fidem. Liceat pro inde redamare dilectam. Quidni amet sponsa, et sponsa Amoris? Quidni ametur Amor?
6. Merito cunctis renuntians affectionibus aliis, soli et tota incumbit amori, quae ipsi respondere amori habet in redhibendo amore. Nam et cum se totam effuderit in amorem, quantum est hoc ad illius fontis perenne profluvium? Non plane pari ubertate fluunt amans et Amor, anima et Verbum, sponsa et sponsus, Creator et creatura, non magis quam sitiens et fons. Quid ergo? peribit propter hoc, et ex toto evacuabitur nupturae votum, desiderium suspirantis, amantis ardor, praesumentis fiducia, quia non valet ex aequo currere cum gigante, dulcedine cum melle contendere; lenitate cum agno, candore cum lilio, claritate cum sole, charitate cum eo qui charitas est? Non. Nam, etsi minus diligit creatura, quoniam minor est; tamen si ex tota se diligit, nihil deest ubi totum est. Propterea, ut dixi, sic amore, nupsisse est: quoniam non potest sic diligere, et parum dilecta esse, ut in consensu duorum integrum stet perfectumque connubium. Nisi quis dubitet, animam a Verbo et prius amari, et plus. Prorsus et praevenitur amando, et vincitur. Felix, quae meruit praeveniri in tantae benedictione dulcedinis! Felix, cui tantae suavitatis complexum experiri donatum est! Quod non est aliud, quam amor sanctus et castus, amor suavis ei dulcis; amor tantae serenitatis, quantae et sinceritatis; amor mutuus, intimus, validusque, qui non in carne una, sed uno plane in spiritu duos jungat, duos faciat jam non duos, sed unum, Paulo ita dicente: Qui adhaeret Deo, unus spiritus est. Et nunc potius eam super his audiamus, quam facile magistram de omnibus fecit et magistra unctio, et frequens experientia. Nisi forte id melius servamus in aliud sermonis principium, ne rem bonam coarctemus inter angustias hujus jam propemodum finiendi. Et si probatis, facio finem etiam ante finem, ut famelici tempestive conveniamus cras ad delicias sanctae animae, quibus beata meretur frui cum Verbo, et de Verbo, sponso utique suo, Jesu Christo Domino nostro, qui est super omnia Deus benedictus in saecula. Amen.