Sermons on the Song of Songs5 Sermon V. Of the four orders of spirits—namely, the Spirit of God, of the angels, of man, and of the beast

Our orders of spirits are known to you—that of the animals, our own, the angelic, and His who created all these. To each of these a body is necessary, either for its own sake or for the sake of others, or for both of these reasons, excepting only that One to whom every creature, whether corporeal or spiritual, justly bears witness and says: Thou art my God: my goods are nothing unto Thee (Ps. xvi. 2). As to the first order, that of animals, it is plain that it has such need of a body that it cannot in any wise exist without one; for when the creature dies, that [class of spirit ceases at once both to be the source of vivifying power, and itself to live. But we live on after the body dies; still, there is no access open to us, except through the body, to those things whereby we live in happiness. He had perceived this who said: The invisible things of God are clearly seen, being understood by those things which are made (Rom. i. 20). For, indeed, those things which are made—that is, corporeal and visible things—unless they be perceived by the instrumentality of the body, do not come to our knowledge at all. The spiritual creature, therefore, which we are, must necessarily have a body, without which, indeed, it can by no means obtain that knowledge which is the only means of attaining to those things, to know which constitutes blessedness. If anyone object to me the case of little children who have been made regenerate [in Baptism], that should they go forth from the body without knowledge of things corporeal, they are believed to pass, nevertheless, into a life of blessedness, I reply, briefly, that it is grace, not nature, which confers this upon them. And what have I, now that I am discoursing of things in the course of nature, to do with a miracle of God?

2. Again, that heavenly spirits have need of bodies is proved by that true and plainly Divine declaration: Are they not ministering spirits, sent forth to minister unto them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Heb. i. 14). But how can they without bodies fulfil their ministry, especially towards those who are living in bodies? Then, again, it is a property of bodies only to move about, and to pass from one place to another, a thing which angels are shown to do by well known and undoubted authority. Hence it is that they were seen by the patriarchs, that they entered in unto them and ate with them, and washed their feet Thus spirits both of the higher and the lower order require bodies of their own, but for this reason only, that they may render assistance, not that they may receive it.

3. But the lower animals, though under an obligation by their creation to perform service, are able to help only in matters of a temporal and corporeal kind, and therefore the spirit which is Google irt an animal passes away with time and dies with the body. He which is but a servant does, indeed, abide not in the house for ever (John viii. 35), although those who use him will apply all the profit of his temporal servitude to the gaining of things eternal. But the angel performs these duties of benevolence with an entire freedom of spirit, showing himself to men, as to his future fellow citizens and co-heirs of heavenly blessedness, a prompt and ready minister of good things to come. Both orders, then, without doubt, need bodies, that they may render service; the one [the animal I that he may serve us from obligation, the other [the angel that he may assist us from benevolence. As for themselves, I do not see what advantage they derive from bodies, at least, with regard to eternity. The irrational spirit participates in the knowledge of things temporal by means of its body, nevertheless its body never assists it to such a point that, by the corporeal and sensible objects with which it is thus brought into connection, it should be led onwards to the knowledge of things spiritual and intelligible. Yet, as we know, it helps, by its service of body and, in time, to the attainment of such things, those who, using this world as though they used it not, transfer every use of temporal things to the profit of things eternal.

4. Moreover, the heavenly spirit, without any help from the body, or perception of those things which are felt by means of the body, is able to apprehend the highest things, and to penetrate the most secret, by its native force and the kinship of its nature to them. Was not this the Apostle's meaning when, having said, ' The invisible things of God are clearly seen, being understood by the things which are made,' he added forthwith, ' by the creature of the world'?l Surely because it is not so with the creature of heaven. For what the spirit clothed in flesh and a sojourner upon earth strives laboriously, by slow degrees and by little and little, to attain from the consideration of things presented to his senses, that the dweller in the heavens can most swiftly and easily reach by his natural [ingenita fineness and loftiness of perception, without help from bodily senses or from any limb or organ, nor yet as instructed by the contemplation of any material thing. Why should such a spirit search among corporeal things for spiritual meanings and spiritual truths which he reads in the Book of Life without contradiction, and understands without difficulty? Why should he labour in the sweat of his face to thrash grain, to press wine from grapes and oil from olives, who has enough and to spare of all ready to his hand? Who would beg his food at the houses of others that has abundance of bread in his own? Who would dig a well and seek for veins of water in the 1 Rom. i. 20. This is, of course, a merely fanciful argument, and does not give the meaning of the Greek diro kt'kswq kooiov. But St. Bernard was led to it by the ambiguous rendering of the Vulgate, ' a creaturd mundi. St. Anselm has much the same idea about this passage, though he supposes the creatura mundi to be man: 1 Hominemrqui dominus est, participium, nodus, et vinculum omnis creatura. Homo enim ex setpso, suisque partibus et potentiis tarn corporis quam anima, vel maxime cognoscere potest creatoretn suum Deuml—Ed.

5. Now, the spirit of man holds a certain middle place between the highest and the lowest, and it is plain that a body is necessary to it for each of these two purposes, so that without one it can neither help others nor be helped itself. For, to say nothing of the other members of the body and their offices, how, I ask, could you either instruct a hearer if you had not a tongue, or if yourself without ears could you comprehend the words of an instructor?

6. Since, then, without the assistance of a body neither the brutish spirit can perform the duties of its servile condition, nor the angelic and heavenly spirit can discharge its ministry of kindness, nor, again, can the rational soul be of service to his neighbour, nor, indeed, to himself, in regard to his salvation, it is plain that every created spirit has need of a body, whether simply to help others, or at once to help and to be helped. What if there are some animals which, as far as use is concerned, are unprofitable and altogether unadapted to the supplying of human necessities? They are good to look at, if not to use; and are of more advantage to the hearts of those who behold them, than to the bodies of those who make use of them. Thougrr they appear to be injurious, and even dangerous to human safety in this world, still their bodies are not without that which works together for good to those who, according to the Divine purpose, are called to be saints. And although they be not beneficial by affording us good, or by rendering to us service, they are so, assuredly, by affording a subject on which to exercise the intellect, according to that helpful system of mental and spiritual training which is common to all who have the gift of reason, and by which ' the invisible things of God are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made* For both the devil and his satellites, whose intention is always malignant, are ever desirous to do injury; but God forbid that they should succeed against those who are aiming at good, of whom it is said:: Who is lie that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? (1 Peter iii. 13); yea, rather, they are of service to them, though against their will, and work together for good to those who are good.

7. On the other hand, whether the bodies of angels be natural to them, as those of men are to them; and whether they are animal bodies, as [those of men are, though immortal, which men are not yet; whether, also, they change those bodies, and give to them such form and figure as they choose, when they desire to become visible; rendering them as dense and solid as they will, although they are in reality subtle and impalpable, and imperceptible to our sight, because of the fineness and purity of their nature and substance; or whether, THE FOUR ORDERS OF SPIRITS again, remaining in their simple spiritual substance, they put on bodily forms when they require them, and when their need of them is over suffer them to dissolve again into the same material out of which they were taken: these are points upon which I am unwilling to reply.

The Fathers appear to have held diverse opinions respecting them. I do not see any clear reason for teaching the one or the other, and confess that I do not know. I do not think, moreover, that a knowledge of these things will assist you much in your spiritual progress.

8. Know only this one fact, that no created spirit can by itself reach unto our minds—that is, supposing it to have no assistance from either our body or its own. No spirit can so mix with or be poured into us that we should become by the participation of it either learned or more learned, either good or better. No angel, no soul, is capable of possessing itself of me in such a manner; nor am I capable of possessing any other. Nor have the angels themselves any such power with regard to each other [i.e., without bodily organs]. This prerogative is reserved for the supreme Spirit, who is not limited by time or space, and who alone, when He imparts knowledge either to angel or man, does not need that we should have ears to hear, or that He should have a mouth to speak. By His own inherent power He pervades our souls; by His own inherent power He is made manifest; and being Himself a pure Spirit, He is apprehended by the pure. He alone has no need of any person or thing; He alone is sufficient, both to Himself and to all, by His Almighty Power alone.

. 1 St. Bernard propounds the same doubt in ' De Consideratione,' Bk. v., c. 5. Among the Fathers and chief Doctors of the Church there was great difference of opinion upon this point: some affirming that Angels are incorporeal (bodiless); others, and not a few, denying this, so that the Master of the Sentences, Bk. ii., distinct. 8, has not ventured to define anything in face of this variety of opinions. I see that St. Augustine has spoken doubtfully upon this matter, but yet rather inclines to the view that Angels have bodies. For as he had been imbued with the Platonic teaching, he elsewhere mentions the opinion of the Platonists respecting the bodies of Angels in such a way as that he appears to agree with it (' De Civitate Dei,' Bk. viii., c. 14-16). And in other passages he frequently calls Angels living beings, and assigns bodies to them. In 'Enchiridion' (a 59) he says that the question as to the bodies of Angels is a very difficult one. There is not space to point out other passages; Estius has noted a great many in Sentences, Bk. ii., distinct. 8.

At the present time it appears certain, and the opinion is approved by all, that Angels are incorporeal; that is to say, have not bodies united to them by their nature. (See St. Thomas, ' Summa,' part i., q. 50, art. I; and q. 51, art. I and 2.) Whether this is a part of the faith or no is a question on which all are not agreed. (See Estius, loco citato.) Sixtus of Sienna ('Biblioth. Sanct.,' Bk. v., annot. 8), commends St. Bernard's modesty in confessing ignorance and not hazarding an opinion on this question.

2 St. Bernard treats of this question rightly in ' De Consideratione' (Bk. v., cv. 12): 'An Angel is influential by the good thoughts which he suggests in us, not by the good which he works in us; he exhorts us to good, but does not create it in us. God is in us in such a way that He affects our soul expressly, that He pours into it His gifts, or rather is Himself poured into our soul, and causes us to have union and participation with and in Him, in so much that a certain one has not feared to say that He is one Spirit with our spirit (1 Cor. vi. 17). An Angel, then, is with the soul, God is in the soul; the former dwells with it under the same roof, but God is with it as its life.' 9. Yet He works effects unbounded and unnumbered by the creatures corporeal or spiritual which are subject to Him; but as commanding them, not as entreating their aid. For example, He has at this moment employed my tongue to do His work, that is, to instruct you; whereas He could undoubtedly have done it far more easily and sweetly. But this is through His indulgence, not through His indigence. In your spiritual progress He desires not a relief for Himself but the acquiring of merit by me. This every man who is doing any good needs to know, lest he should glory in himself, and not in the Lord, with regard to the good works of the Lord. There are those who do good without intending it, as an evil man or an evil angel. And in this case it is certain that the good which is done by his means is not done on His account, seeing that no good done can be of advantage to an unwilling doer of it. It is then only a dispensation which is entrusted to him. But (I know not how or why) we feel the good done by an evil minister to be more grateful and pleasant; and that is the reason why God sometimes does good to the just by the means of evil men, not that He needs their assistance in doing good.

10. As for those creatures which have neither reason nor sense, who can doubt that God has still less need of them? But when even they concur in the performance of some good work, then it appears how all things serve Him who can justly say, The world is Mine, and the fulness thereof (Ps. 1. 12). Assuredly, seeing that He knows the means best adapted to ends, He does not in the service of His creatures which are in bodies seek efficacy, but suitability. Suppose, then, that the ministry of such creatures is generally made use of in carrying on the various works of Divine Providence—as, for example, in the showers falling to vivify the seeds, or to increase the crops, or to ripen the fruits—what need of a body, I ask, has He to whom all bodies whatever, whether heavenly or earthly, are known to yield instant obedience? Clearly He, who finds no body alien to Himself, would find a body of His own superfluous. But if I tried to include in the present discourse all that occurs to me to be said upon this subject it would exceed its proper limits, and perhaps would overtax the strength of some of you, therefore I reserve for another occasion what remains unsaid on this.

1 Compare what is said upon the same subject in the treatise Concerning Grace and Free Will (c. xiii., n. 44, 45).

The SUPREME AND INFINITE SPIRIT