Sermons on the Song of Songs

But I say: since we have assigned greatness and righteousness both to the Image and to the soul which is made according to the Image, does the Image therefore possess nothing more than that which is made according to the Image? Yes, my brethren, and infinitely more. For the soul has received these perfections in measure, but the Image according to equality with the Giver. And is not this something more? But there is a further difference to which I would invite your attention. The soul owes her greatness and her righteousness to creation and condescension, whereas it is by generation they belong to the Word. Now there can be no doubt that it is a more magnificent thing to be great and righteous in the latter way than in the former. Neither shall it be gainsaid that the soul in the following respect too is surpassed by the Word, in that, namely, whilst she possesses the perfections in question merely as gifts bestowed by God, He has them by God and also of God. That is to say, He has them from the very Substance of the Father. For the Image of God is consubstantial with God, and everything which God seems to communicate to this same Image of Himself is essential and substantial, not accidental in Both. There is still another point deserving of your attention, as to which the Image immeasurably transcends that which is made according to the Image. Greatness and righteousness, as everybody knows, differ from each other in their proper natures. Nevertheless, they are one in the Image. What is more, they are one with the Image. For to the Image, not alone is it the same thing to be great as to be righteous, but it is also the same thing to be both great and righteous as simply to be. Such, however, is not the case with the soul. Greatness and righteousness in her are both distinct from her substance, and distinct from each other. For if, as I have already pointed out, the soul is great in that she is capable of things divine and eternal, and is righteous in that she is desirous of things divine and eternal, it follows that a soul which neither seeks nor relishes “the things above but the things that are upon the earth” can no longer be called righteous but rather curved, although she does not cease thereby to be great, since she still retains her natural capacity for eternal glory. Indeed it is not possible that she should at any time be without this capacity, even though it is destined never to be realised. Thus is fulfilled the word of the Prophet David, “Surely man continueth as an image”; yet only in part, so as to make manifest the pre-eminence of the Word Who is the perfect Image. For how could the Word fall from being either great or righteous, since these attributes belong to Him in such a manner that He is rather identified with them than possessed of them? And it may be said that for this reason also “man continueth as an image” in part, lest if he lost completely the qualities of an image, viz., both greatness and righteousness, he should also lose the hope of salvation. By ceasing to be great, he would cease to be capable of eternal glory, because, as I have said, the soul’s greatness consists in this capacity. But how could anyone hope for what he is incapable of receiving?

Consequently, “man continueth as an image” in the greatness which he retains even after he has lost his righteousness, halting, as it were, in one leg, and become as “children that are strangers.” For it is of such, as I think, that the Psalmist says, “The children that are strangers have lied to me, strange children have faded away, and have halted from their paths.” Very appropriately are they described as “children that are strangers.” For they are still children because of the greatness which they have preserved; and they are strangers inasmuch as they have lost their righteousness. Nor would the Psalmist have said of them that they “have halted,” but rather that they have fallen, or used some other similar expression, if men had put off all resemblance to an image. As the case is, however, “man continueth as an image” according to the greatness which he still possesses; whilst as regards righteousness he halts, so to speak, having been deposed and cast down from the dignity of an image, agreeably to what we read in Holy Scripture, “Surely man continueth as an image: yea and he is disquieted in vain.” In vain, truly, because, as the Psalmist goes on to say, “He storeth up; and he knoweth not for whom he shall gather these things.” Wherefore, my brethren, does he not know for whom he storeth, unless because, by stooping down to vile and earthly things, he treasureth up only earth for himself? Certainly as to those treasures which he lays up to himself on earth, “he knoweth not for whom he shall gather” them, whether for the moth that consumes, or for the thief that breaks through and steals, or for the enemy that plunders, or for the fire that devours. And therefore to the man who thus miserably bends and inclines himself to those things which are upon the earth we may apply the mournful words of the psalm, “I am become miserable and am bowed down even to the end: I walked sorrowful all the day long.” For such a one experiences in himself the truth of that saying of the Wise Man, “God made man right, and he hath entangled himself with an infinity of cares.” And immediately he heard addressed to him the words of mockery, “Bow down that we may go over” thee.