Sermons on the Song of Songs

But what of each of ourselves, individually, my brethren? Can we suppose that there is anyone amongst us to whom the same words may in some sense apply? But why do I say “anyone amongst us,” since it is my opinion that this question might be asked, and not unreasonably, with regard to every single member of the universal Church? However, the Bridegroom does not attend in the same manner to the individual Christian and to the multitude of believers. It was not for the sake of any particular soul, but on account of many, in order to collect many into one Church, to unite and form many into one single Spouse, that God did so much and suffered so much when He “wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.” This is the Spouse that is most dear to Him, exclusively His as He is exclusively hers, giving her love to no other Bridegroom, yielding her place to no other Bride. What may she not presume with so solicitous a Lover? What may she not hope for from Him Who came down from heaven to seek her and called her to Himself from the ends of the earth? And not alone has He sought her, but He has also bought her; and the price that was paid for her was the Blood of the Purchaser. There is another consideration also which is wont to be made the ground of special confidence. It is that, looking forward into the future, she clearly recognises that the Lord has need of her. Do you ask, for what purpose? “That He may see the good of His chosen, that He may rejoice in the joy of His nation, that He may be praised with His inheritance.” Nor must it be supposed that this is an object of but little moment. For I tell you that unless this is secured, no work of God shall continue perfect. Can it be denied that the end of all things depends upon the final state and consummation of the Church? Take this away, and then in vain “the expectation of the (inferior) creature waiteth for the revelation of the sons of God.” Take this away, and neither the patriarchs nor any of the prophets shall be consummated, because, as the Apostle assures us, God has so “provided for us that they should not be perfected without us.” Take this away, and the glory of even the holy angels shall suffer diminution by reason of the imperfection of their number. Take away this, finally, and the city of God itself shall be defrauded of the joy of its integrity.

How then, I ask, shall God be able to accomplish His design and bring to pass the secret purpose of His will, the “great mystery of godliness”? Or where shall you find for me the “infants and sucklings” out of whose mouths the Lord may perfect His praise? In heaven there are no infants or sucklings. They belong only to the Church, to whose children it was said, “I gave you milk to drink, not meat.” And it is these the Psalmist invites to perfect and complete, as it were, the praises of God, where he says, “Praise the Lord, ye children.” Do you imagine that God can have the praise of His glory full and entire, before the advent of those who shall sing “in the sight of the angels,” “We have rejoiced for the days in which Thou hast humbled us, for the years in which we have seen evils”? Gladness of this kind heaven could not know except through the children of the Church. To rejoice with such a joy is impossible to creatures who have never lived an hour without rejoicing. Especially sweet is the joy which succeeds to sadness, the repose which follows labour, the haven after shipwreck. Security is pleasing to all, but to him more particularly who has long been a prey to alarm. Light gives pleasure to everyone, but to none so much as to those who have escaped from the power of darkness. To have passed out of death into life doubles the joy of living. This is my portion at the celestial banquet, special to myself, and incommunicable to the blissful angels. Yet I dare to affirm it, that even the happiness of these heavenly spirits would be incomplete, as lacking the bliss which is peculiarly human, did they not (as they so graciously condescend to acknowledge) participate through their charity with me and through me in mine. Hence they certainly seem to owe to me something of the perfection of their blessedness, nor is that something a matter of little importance. We know that the angels rejoice over the conversion of a sinner. But if even my contrite tears are a source of delight to these citizens of heaven, how great must be their joy in my happiness! Their only occupation is to praise God. Yet they know how imperfect their praise shall be, if there be none who can sing, “We have passed through fire and water, and Thou hast brought us out into a refreshment.”

Happy, therefore, is the Church in her universality. Inadequate to the motives she possesses is all her glorying, looking not only to the benefits and prerogatives already granted her, but also to the favours which, by the divine promise, she shall hereafter receive. And why should she trouble herself about merits, seeing that she has a more solid and secure ground for glorying in the free purpose of God’s good pleasure than any merits of her own could give her? God cannot deny Himself, nor can He undo what He has already done; and, according to the Prophet, He has already accomplished the things that are to be. Yes, He will undoubtedly do as He has said. God will not be unfaithful to His promise. Thus, there is no longer any reason for you to ask me what those merits are whereon we may build our hopes of heaven, especially since you have heard through the Prophet Ezechiel the announcement, “It is not for your sakes that I will do this, but for My holy name’s sake, saith the Lord.” For our merit it suffices us to know that our own merit suffices us not. But just as it is sufficient for our merit not to presume on our merit, so it is sufficient for our judgment to be found entirely deficient in merit. Even regenerated infants are none of them without merits, for they have the merits of Christ. Yet one renders himself unworthy of a participation in the merits of Christ by not joining thereto merits of his own, if this is due not to incapacity but to negligence; which, however, is a danger rather for adults than for infants. Study, therefore, my brethren, to acquire merits. But when they have been acquired, be sure you regard them as the gifts of God. Let the mercy of the Lord be the fruit you expect from them. And in this way you shall avoid all danger of spiritual poverty, of ingratitude, and of presumption. The worst kind of poverty is poverty of merit, whilst presumption of spirit is but a deceitful show of wealth. Hence the Wise Man prays to the Lord, “Give me neither beggary nor riches.” Happy the Church to which are wanting neither merits without presumption, nor presumption without merits! She has indeed grounds whereon to presume, but these grounds are not her own merits. She has merits also, but merits which make her worthy of reward, not such as would lead her to presume. Is not the very fact of her not presuming on anything of her own real merit and a title to reward? Therefore the less she presumes on her own merits the more safely does she presume on the merits of Christ. Nor is it possible that she should be confounded in her glorying, who has so many motives for glorying. For “the mercies of the Lord are many” and “the truth of the Lord remaineth for ever.”