Sermons on the Song of Songs

“In my bed by night I sought Him Whom my soul loveth.”

“In my bed by night I sought Him Whom my soul loveth.” Why does she seek Him, my brethren? I have told you already, and there is no necessity to repeat. Yet for the sake of some of you who were not present on the previous occasion when this question was under discussion, I will now again touch upon it briefly. And perchance what I have to say will not be without interest even for those who listened to my last sermon. For the subject could not be exhaustively treated in a single discourse. The soul therefore seeks the Word in order to “be at agreement” with Him by submitting to His correction, in order to be enlightened by His illumination, in order to be advanced to virtue by the assistance of His power, in order to acquire wisdom under His discipline and instruction, in order to be made beautiful by conformity to His perfection, in order to become a mother by being united with Him in spiritual wedlock, in order, lastly, to feel the delight which is found in His caresses. For all and each of these reasons the soul seeks the Word. I have no doubt that there are very many other motives besides, but these are all that at present occur to me. Anyone that cares to take the trouble can easily extend the list by self-examination. For since our infidelities are many, many also, aye, countless are the necessities of our souls, and of our anxieties there is no number. But although our misery is so great, greater still and more unmeasured is the Word’s abounding wealth. For He is that Wisdom Which no malice overcometh and Which conquers evil with good. And let me give you the reason of the reasons I have mentioned. To begin with that which is first, consider in what manner the soul seeks the Word to “be at agreement” with Him. In the Gospel we read these words of the Word, “Be at agreement with thy adversary betimes, whilst thou art in the way with him; lest perhaps the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer.” What wiser counsel could be offered? And in giving it the Word, if I mistake not, represents Himself as an adversary, for the reason that He stands opposed to our carnal desires, whilst He says of us, “These always err in heart.” Thou, therefore, my brother, who hearest these words, if terrified, thou art beginning to have the wish to “fly from the wrath to come,” I believe thou wilt be anxious to know how thou mayst “be at agreement with thy Adversary,” and so escape that wrath which He here appears to threaten thee with in such awful language. But thou canst not “be at agreement” with Him unless thou art at variance with thyself, unless thou art an adversary to thyself, unless with earnest and vigilant striving thou wagest against thyself an unceasing war, unless, finally, thou renouncest thy inveterate evil habits and thy natural affections. This, no doubt, is a difficult thing to do. To attempt it, relying on thine own strength exclusively, would be the same as to endeavour with one of thy fingers to stop the course of a torrent. It would be like trying to turn back again the waters of Jordan. What then art thou to do? Seek out the Word in order that thou mayst be reconciled to Him by means of the grace wherewith He will supply thee. Have recourse to Him Who is now thy Adversary, in order to be made such by Him that He will no longer be thy Adversary, but will caress instead of menacing, and will demonstrate the infusion of grace to be a more powerful corrective than the threatening of wrath.

Such, I take it, is the first necessity on account of which the soul begins to seek the Word. But if thou art yet ignorant as to the will of Him with Whom art now “at agreement” in thine own will, shall it not be said of thee also that thou hast “a zeal of God but not according to knowledge”? And lest thou shouldst regard this as of little moment, remember the words of the Apostle, “If any man know not, he shall not be known.” Dost thou desire to hear what I would counsel thee to do in the present necessity also? I would recommend thee to act in precisely the same way as in the preceding. If thou wilt follow my advice thou wilt this time also have recourse to the Word that He may instruct thee in His ways. Otherwise, in willing the good without knowing what is good, thou shalt be exposed to the danger of straying from thy course and “wandering where there is no passing and out of the way.” For the Word is Light. Hence the Psalmist sings, “The declaration of Thy words giveth light, and giveth understanding to little ones.” Blessed art thou if it is possible for thee also to say sincerely with the same Prophet, “Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my paths.” No slight progress has that soul made whose will has been so won to grace and whose intellect so enlightened by heavenly wisdom that she has now both the knowledge and the desire of the good. With the power to will what is good the soul has received the gift of life, with the power to know what is good, she has obtained the faculty of vision. For she was dead by willing what was evil, and she was blind through not knowing what was good.