Sermons on the Song of Songs41 Sermon XLI
Sermon XLI
1 Compare this with the Letter to the Monks of Mont Dieu.
3. We must now consider what are the pendants which they offer. Pendants of gold, it is said, and studs of silver. Now, gold denotes the splendour of Divinity, and the wisdom which is from above. It is this gold which the celestial workers, to whom that ministry is committed, promise to fashion into glittering signs and tokens (so to speak) of truth, and to insert them into the inward ears of the soul. That signifies, I believe, nothing else than to construct the similitudes of certain spiritual realities, and to bring the purest intuitions of the Divine wisdom before the perception of the soul absorbed in contemplation, so that it may behold, at least darkly and as in a glass, what it is not yet equal to beholding face to face. These things are wholly Divine, and are known only to those who have had experience of them; they alone know how, while yet in this mortal body, while yet in the state of faith, while the real substance of Light perspicuous and lucid is not yet made manifest, it may nevertheless come about that contemplation of the pure truth may sometimes already mark out within us the outline of its form, at least in part, so that he from among us who is so happy as to have received that gift from on high may say with the Apostle: Noiv I know in part; and again: Now we know in part, and we prophesy in part (1 Cor. xiii. 12, 9). But when the spirit, coming forth, as it were, out of itself, and rapt in ecstasy, beholds somewhat of the more Divine and sacred Truth, which flashes before its vision with the rapidity of lightning, then, either in order to temper the exceeding brilliance of a light too penetrating to be endured, or to render us capable of communicating the substance of it to others, forthwith, I know not whence, there present themselves to our imagination images and figures of lower (that is, earthly) things, to which the truths revealed from above are accommodated, which veil in a certain sense that most pure and splendid ray of truth, and render it more supportable by the mind, and more able to be communicated to others. These are, I think, formed in our minds by the ministry of good angels, as, on the other hand, there is no doubt 4. And perhaps this is that very mirror [of the imagination through which, as I have said, the Apostle saw darkly (1 Cor. xiii. 12), which is formed, so to speak, by the hands of Angels, and from which come gleams of pure light, beautiful and heavenly ideas and images. This, indeed, gives us the knowledge of God, who is discerned as pure Being, and without any phantasy of bodily semblance, and we must attribute to this Angelic ministry that similitude of supreme excellence which affords to us an idea of Him who is clad in majesty so awfuL There is another version which seems to express this more strikingly still: We [artificers will make for thee images of gold, with [badges or distinctions of silver. One says with badges of silver, [the other with studs of silver.. In which are signified, as it seems to me, not only that the inward images are suggested to our minds by the Angels, but also that the grace and eloquence of their outward clothing [of words is ministered to us by the Angels also, so that by their fitting and graceful expression they are more easily received, and more fully enjoyed, by the hearers. If you shall say, What relation or likeness is there between words spoken and silver, the Psalmist replies to you: The words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried in a fumaa (Ps. xii. 6). Thus, then, it is that those heavenly and ministering spirits fashion for the Bride, while she is a pilgrim here on earth, pendants of gold with studs of silver.
5. But notice how, while desiring one thing, she receives another. She sighs for the repose of contemplation, and the labour of preaching is laid upon her; and while she is thirsting for the presence of the Bridegroom, the care of bringing forth children for Him and of nourishing them is entrusted to her. Nor is this the only occasion when this was so; for once before, as I remember, when she was sighing for the presence and affection of her Bridegroom, the reply to her was: Thy breasts are better than wine (i. 1), so that she might recall that she was a mother, and be reminded of her duty to impart milk to her little children and nourishment to her sons. Perhaps you may remark the same thing in other passages of this Canticle if you will take the trouble to seek them out. Was not the same truth once prefigured in the holy patriarch Jacob when he was defrauded of the nuptials with Rachel, which he had desired and long waited for, and instead of a wife who was barren, though beautiful, he received against his will, and even without his knowledge, one who was fertile though dim-eyed? (Gen. xxix. 23-25). So, also, it is now; the Bride, inquiring and longing to know where the Bridegroom feedeth, where He maketh His flock to rest at noon, receives, instead of that knowledge, pendants of gold with studs of silver—that is, wisdom with eloquence, without doubt for the work of preaching.
6. From this we are taught that it is often needful to leave spiritual contemplation, however sweet, for the sake of the practical labours 1 Cant i. II in the LXX. VTiyparvv rov dpyvptov.—Ev.
Two KINDS OF HUMILITY which give nourishment, and that no one must live for himself alone, but for the good of all. Woe to those who have received the grace to think and to speak worthily of God, if they make a gain of Godliness; if they turn into a reason for vainglory that which they had received that they might win souls to the glory of God; if, having lofty and noble thoughts, they have not also lowly personal feelings. Let them listen in fear and trembling to that which the Lord speaks by the mouth of His prophet: I gave her... silver and gold, which they have used in the service of Baal (Hosea ii. 8, Douay). Do you, then, hear what the Bride replies, having received on the one hand a reproof, and on the other a promise; for she is not exalted by promises, not angered by a repulse, but practises that which is written: Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee (Prov. ix. 8); and also that which relates to gifts and promises: The greater thou art, the more humble thyself (Ecclus. iii. 18), which will appear the more clearly in her reply. But the consideration of that we will defer, if you please, to the commencement of another sermon; and for what has been said let us render glory to the Bridegroom of the Church, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is above all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
1. Collum tuum sicut monilia. Solet ornari collum monilibus, non ipsis comparari. Sed hoc illae faciant, quibus quia de proprio non inest decor, aliunde necesse est ut mendicent, unde se speciosas mentiantur. Nam sponsae collum ita in se ipso formosum, et tam decenter quasi natura formatum est, ut extrinsecus non requirat ornatum. Quid enim opus est peregrinorum fucos adhibere colorum, cui propria, et tanquam innata sufficit pulchritudo, in tantum ut ipsorum quoque, quae ad ornandum quaeruntur monilium possit adaequare nitorem? Hoc nempe intelligi voluit, qui minime quidem a collo, ut assolet, pendere monilia, sed ipsum potius esse sicut monilia dixit. Non jam invocandus est nobis Spiritus sanctus, ut sicut spirituales sponsae genas sua dignatione tribuit invenire, ita etiam ipsius spirituale collum demonstrare dignetur. Et meo quidem intellectui (quia mihi incumbit loqui quae sentio) nihil interim verisimilius probabiliusve elucet, quam ipsum animae intellectum colli nomine designari. Tu quoque idem, ut arbitror, approbabis, si advertas similitudinis rationem. Annon siquidem tibi videtur colli quodam modo vice fungi intellectus, per quem tua anima trajicit in se spiritus vitalia alimenta, atque in quaedam transfundit viscera morum, affectumque suorum? Hoc ergo sponsae collum, id est purus et simplex intellectus, eum nuda et aperta veritate satis per se ipsum reniteat, non indiget ornamento; sed ipsum magis, tanquam pretiosum monile, animam decenter exornat, ac proinde simile monilibus ipsis describitur. Bonum monile veritas, bonum puritas sive simplicitas, bonum plane monile sapere ad sobrietatem. Philosophorum vel haereticorum intellectus non habet hunc in se puritatis, veritatisque nitorem: et ideo multam curam gerunt ipsum colorare et fucare phaleris verborum, et versutiis syllogismorum, ne, si nudus appareat, falsi etiam appareat turpitudo.
2. Sequitur: Muraenulas aureas faciemus tibi, vermiculatas argento. Si, faciam, singulariter, et non pluraliter, faciemus, dixisset, absolute et indubitanter hoc etiam loqui sponsum pronuntiassem. Nunc autem vide ne forte magis sodalibus ejus congruentiusque assignemus, sponsam quasi consolantibus tali promissione, quod donec perveniat ad visionem ejus, cujus sic flagrat desiderio, facturi sint illi muraenulas pulchras et pretiosas, quae sunt aurium ornamenta. Atque hoc propterea, ut opinor, quia fides ex auditu; et quandiu per fidem ambulatur et non per speciem, danda opera potius instruendo auditui, quam visui exserendo [ alias, exercendo]. Frustra namque intenditur oculus qui non sit fide mundatus, cum solis qui mundo corde sunt, videndi copia promittatur. Scriptum vero est: Fide mundans corda eorum. Quia ergo fides ex auditu, et ex illa visus purgatio est, merito illi ornandis auribus intendebant, dum auditus, sicut ratio docuit, visus sit preparatio. Tu, inquiunt, o sponsa, intuendae dilecti inhias claritati; sed hoc alterius temporis est. Damus autem in praesentiarum ornamenta auribus tuis, quod erit tibi interim consolatio, erit et praeparatio ad hoc ipsum quod postulas, ac si illud prophetae ei dicant: Audi, filia, et vide. Videre desideras, sed audi prius. Gradus est auditus ad visum. Proinde audi, et inclina aurem tuam ornamentis quae tibi facimus, ut per auditus obedientiam ad gloriam pervenias visionis. Nos auditui tuo damus gaudium et laetitiam. Nam visui non est nostrum dare (in quo gaudii plenitudo et tui desiderii adimpletio est), sed illius quem diligit anima tua. Ipse ut gaudium tuum plenum sit, ostendet se ipsum tibi; ipse adimplebit te laetitia cum vultu suo. Tu interim accipe ad consolationem muraenulas has de manu nostra; caeterum delectationes in dextera ejus usque in finem.
3. Advertendum cujusmodi ei muraenulas offerunt: Aureas, inquit, et vermiculatas argento. Aurum divinitatis est fulgor, aurum sapientia quae desursum est. Hoc auro fulgentia quaedam quasi veritatis signacula spondent se figuraturos hi, quibus id ministerii est, superni aurifices, atque internis animae auribus inserturos. Quod ego non puto esse aliud, quam texere spirituales quasdam similitudines, et in ipsis purissima divinae sapientiae sensa animae contemplantis conspectibus importare, ut videat, saltem per speculum et in aenigmate, quod nondum facie ad faciem valet ullatenus intueri. Divina sunt, et nisi expertis prorsus incognita quae effamur; quomodo videlicet in hoc mortali corpore, fide adhuc habente statum, et necdum propalata perspicui substantia luminis, jam tamen [ alias, interim] purae interdum contemplatio veritatis partes suas agere intra nos vel ex parte praesumit; ita ut liceat usurpare etiam alicui nostrum, cui hoc datum desuper fuerit, illud Apostoli: Nunc cognosco ex parte: item, Ex parte cognoscimus, et ex parte prophetamus. Cum autem divinius aliquid raptim et veluti in velocitate corusci luminis interluxerit menti spiritu excedenti, sive ad temperamentum nimii splendoris, sive ad doctrinae usum, continuo, nescio unde, adsunt imaginatoriae quaedam rerum inferiorum similitudines, infusis divinitus sensis convenienter accommodatae, quibus quodam modo adumbratus purissimus ille ac splendidissimus veritatis radius, et ipsi animae tolerabilior fiat, et quibus communicare illum voluerit, capabilior, Existimo tamen ipsas formari in nobis sanctorum suggestionibus angelorum, sicut econtrario contrarias et malas ingeri immissiones per angelos malos non dubium est.
4. Et fortassis hinc illud est speculum atque aenigma, ut dixi, per quod videbat Apostolus, ex istiusmodi puris pulchrisque imaginationibus angelorum quasi manibus fabricatum: quatenus et Dei esse, quod purum et absque omni phantasia corporearum imaginum cernitur, sentiamus; et elegantem quamlibet similitudinem, qua id digne vestitum apparuerit, ministerio deputemus angelico. Quod signasse expressius videtur alia interpretatio, dicens: Similitudines auri fabri faciemus tibi, cum distinctionibus argenti (Cant. I, 10, juxta LXX. Unum est, cum distinctionibus argenti, et vermiculatas argento. In quo mihi significare videtur non modo similitudines intus per angelos suggeri, sed nitorem quoque eloquii per ipsos extrinsecus ministrari, quo congrue atque decenter ornatae, et facilius ab auditoribus capiantur, et delectabilius. Quod si dixeris: Quid eloquio et argento! dicit tibi propheta: Eloquia Domini, eloquia casta, argentum igne examinatum. Ita ergo illi coelestes administratorii spiritus peregrinanti in terris sponsae faciunt muraenulas aureas, vermiculatas argento.
5. Vide autem quomodo illa aliud cupit, et aliud accipit: et nitenti ad contemplationis quietem labor praedicationis imponitur; et sitienti sponsi praesentiam, filiorum sponsi pariendorum, alendorumque sollicitudo injungitur. Neque nunc tantum accidit illi hoc; sed et alia vice, ut memini, cum sponsi amplexus et oscula suspiraret, responsum est ei: Qua meliora sunt ubera tua vino; ut ex hoc se intelligeret matrem, atque ad dandum lac parvulis, nutriendumque filios revocari. Fortassis et in aliis cantici hujus locis hoc ipsum tu quoque, nisi piger sis ad inquirendum, per te ipsum advertere poteris. An non res ista quondam in sancto patriarcha Jacob praefigurabatur, cum frustratus optatis diuque exspectatis Rachelis amplexibus, pro sterili et decora fecundam et lippam invitus atque ignarus accepit? Ita ergo nunc sponsa scire cupiens et inquirens, ubi in meridianis horis dilectus pascat et cubet, muraenulas pro eo reportat aureas, vermiculatas argento; id est, sapientiam cum eloquentia; haud dubium quin ad praedicationis opus.
6. Docemur ex hoc sane, intermittenda plerumque dulcia oscula propter lactantia ubera; nec cuiquam sibi, sed omnibus esse vivendum. Vae qui bene de Deo et sentire, et eloqui acceperunt, si quaestum aestiment pietatem; si convertant ad inanem gloriam, quod ad lucra Dei acceperant erogandum; si alta sapientes, humilibus non consentiant. Paveant quod in propheta legitur, dicente Domino: Dedi eis aurum meum et argentum meum; ipsi autem de argento et auro meo operati sunt Baal. Tu ergo audi quid sponsa, accepta hinc quidem increpatione, inde vero promissione, responderit. Neque enim vel de promissis extollitur, vel pro repulsa irascitur; sed, sicut scriptum est: Corripe sapientem, et amabit te; et item quod ad donationes et promissiones spectat: Quanto major es, humilia te in omnibus; quod ex ejus responsione melius utrumque patebit. Sed ipsa, si placet, discussio in aliud sermonis principium differatur, et de iis quae dicta sunt, glorificemus Sponsum Ecclesiae Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, qui est super omnia Deus benedictus in saecula. Amen.