Sermons on the Song of Songs

But He Who skipped over the air, visited heaven as well as the earth, since we read in Holy Scripture, “O Lord, Thy mercy is in heaven, and Thy truth reacheth even to the clouds.” “Even to the clouds,” my brethren, extends the heaven which is peopled by the holy angels, whom the Bridegroom does not skip over, but rather leaps upon, and leaves on them the impress of His two feet, namely, His mercy and His truth. Concerning these feet of the Lord, I remember to have discoursed at length in one of the preceding sermons. From the clouds downwards through this misty lower atmosphere is the dwelling of the demons. On them the Bridegroom disdains to leap. He skips over them and hastens on, so that they retain in themselves no footprints from the passing of the Lord. For how could truth have place in the devil, of whom it is stated in the Gospel that “he stood not in truth, but was a liar from the beginning”? Neither will any one call him merciful whom the same inspired Book pronounces to have been also a “murderer from the beginning.” And as is the head of the household, so shall be the members thereof. The Church, therefore, when singing of her Bridegroom, that He “dwelleth on high, and looketh down on the low things in heaven and on earth,” rightly omits all mention of the proud spirits who inhabit the air, because “God resisteth the proud and giveth His grace to the humble.”

The Spouse, consequently, beheld her Beloved leaping upon the mountains and skipping over the hills, when He was fulfilling the imprecation of David, “Let the Lord visit all the mountains which are round about, but Gelboe let Him pass over.” For the devil, here designated under the name of Gelboe, occupies a middle place between the mountains visited by the Lord, the angels above, and men below. After falling from glory, he was condemned, as part of his punishment, to make his abode in the air, midway between heaven and earth, that he might thence see the favours bestowed both on angels and men, and seeing be further tormented with jealousy, according to what the Psalmist says, “The wicked shall see and shall be angry, he shall gnash with his teeth and pine away.” What misery he must feel whenever he looks up to heaven, and beholds there innumerable mountains glittering in the light of God, resounding with the divine praises, exalted in glory, abounding in grace! But how much greater misery, as often as he turns his gaze down towards the earth, whereon he also observes countless multitudes of mountains belonging to the “purchased people,” sound in faith, sublime in hope, spacious in charity, adorned with virtues, and covered with the fruits of good works, deriving a daily blessing from the dew of heaven, as if it were from the Bridegroom’s leaping! How great must be the anguish and envy of one so ambitious of glory when, on the one hand, he sees the mountains round about him all resplendent with glory, and himself and his followers, on the other hand, without ornament, without light, without any capability for good of any kind; so that he who reproaches all is obliged to acknowledge himself the reproach of all, both men and angels, according to the testimony of David, “The sea-dragon which Thou hast formed for the purpose of mocking him”!

Such, my brethren, is the sterility with which these hills have been cursed, because, on account of their pride, they were skipped over by the Bridegroom, when He leaped upon the mountains that are round about; like the fountain which sprang up in the midst of paradise, refreshing the whole world, and “filling every animal with blessing.” Happy they who are accounted worthy to drink of this “torrent of pleasure,” even though it be at rare intervals! If the “water of wisdom” from the well-spring of life does not flow in them continuously, at any rate it leaps from time to time, so that in them also it becomes a “fountain of living water, springing up unto life everlasting.” It is of this fountain the Prophet says, “The stream of the river maketh the city of God joyful,” and that eternally and abundantly. God grant that the same river may sometimes overflow its banks, so to speak, and leap down upon our own mountains on earth; and that they, being thus themselves sufficiently watered, may send down a few little drops even to us who are the valleys. Then we shall no longer remain altogether barren and unproductive. But whatsoever regions are irrigated by none of these leapings of the fountain or distillations therefrom, but are entirely skipped over and disregarded, there, beyond question, misery, and poverty, and fearful famine must prevail. Hence we read in the Prophet Baruch, “And because they had not wisdom they perished through their folly.”

“Behold He cometh, leaping upon the mountains, skipping over the hills.” He leaps upon some in such a manner that He skips over others, since it is not His pleasure to visit all; for not all are pleasing to God. My brethren if, as the Apostle in his wisdom declares, these things “are written for our correction,” let us study the deliberate and prudent conduct of the Bridegroom, and notice how both amongst the angels in heaven, and amongst men on earth He leaps upon the humble and skips over the proud;” “For the Lord is high, and looketh on the low; and the high He knoweth afar off.” Let us, I repeat, consider these matters attentively, so that we may be careful to prepare ourselves for His leapings. Otherwise we may be found unworthy of His visitation and He will skip over us as over the mountains of Gelboe. “Why is earth and ashes proud?” Even the angels the Lord skipped orer, because their pride was an abomination to Him. Then let their reprobation be the cause of our reformation, since it has been recorded only “for our correction.” Let the fall of Satan co-operate unto good, for me, and in this way let me “wash my hands in the good of the sinner.” Do you wish to know how? Then often. It is evident enough that the awful and terrible malediction, “Let the Lord visit the mountains which the round about, but Gelboe let Him pass over,” was pronounced against the proud demon, whom David, as I have said, speaking in the Spirit, designates here order the symbolic name of Gelboe. Now when I read this, I turn my eyes upon myself; and after a careful scrutiny, I discover my own soul to be infected with the same disease which, when exhibited in Satan, inspired the Lord with such horror that He skipped over him, although all the other mountains round but, whether angels or men, were honoured with His gracious visitation. Then, with fear and trembling say to myself, if such has been the fate of the angel, what will become of me, who am but dust and ashes? He grew proud on a heavenly throne, I on a dunghill. And who does not feel more indulgence for pride in the rich than for pride in the poor? Alas for me! If that mighty spirit has been chastised so terribly, because his heart was lifted up, if the natural affinity which is known to exist between pride and greatness did not avail to excuse his sin, what punishment must I expect who am proud even in my misery!