Sermons on the Song of Songs

“Let Him kiss me with the kiss of His Mouth.”

There are, as you know, my brethren, four distinct kinds of spirits, the irrational, the human, the angelic, and the Divine, the last being the Creator of all the others. Of these various orders, there is none but requires a body, natural or assumed, either for its own use, or for the needs of others, or for the sake both of itself and others—none, save the fourth, to Whom all creatures, whether corporeal or incorporeal, truly confess and say, “Thou art my God, because Thou dost not need my goods.” In the first place, it is evident that the irrational spirit is so dependent on its body that without its support it cannot exist at all. When the brute dies its spirit ceases to be at the same moment at which it ceases to vivify. Our spirits, on the other hand, survive our bodies; yet to those things which make life really happy, we have no means of attaining except through the bodies. This truth was not unknown to him who said, “The invisible things of God are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.” For “the things that are made,” that is, those corporeal and visible things, cannot enter into our knowledge except through the avenues of our bodily senses. The human soul, therefore, spiritual creature though she be, has need of a body, as without the help of this she could never acquire that science which, like a ladder, enables her to mount up to those higher realities, in the contemplation of which she finds her happiness. Here the case of infants who die soon after baptism may be urged against me as an objection. Our faith teaches us that the souls of such, departing the present life without the knowledge of sensible things are, nevertheless, admitted to the bliss of heaven. I answer briefly that they have this, not as a right from nature, but as a privilege from grace. Hence, as I am speaking now only of what happens in the ordinary course and by natural law, no argument against me can be derived from such extraordinary interpositions.

That bodies are necessary, even to angelic spirits, is sufficiently evident from that true and truly inspired utterance of the Apostle: “Are they not ministering spirits, sent to minister for those who shall receive the inheritance of salvation?” How, therefore, could they exercise their ministry without bodies, especially with regard to those who dwell in bodies? Moreover, it is only bodily substances that can traverse space, and pass from one point to another. Yet we have it on authority, as indubitable as well known, that the angels frequently do this. Hence it is that they appeared to the fathers, entered their dwellings, eat with them, and had their feet washed. Thus, both the angelic and the brute spirit have need of bodies, but rather as instruments to be employed for the good of others than as sources of benefit to themselves. The brute, as under a natural law of slavery, subserves human interests by ministering to our temporal and corporeal necessities. Consequently, its spirit passes with time and is extinguished with the body; for “the slave abideth not in the house for ever.” Yet if we use the slave as we ought, we shall turn the benefit of its temporal service into merit for ourselves of an eternal reward. But the angels, in the spirit of liberty, are anxiously solicitous to exercise towards us the offices of piety, and show themselves to mortals as willing and eager ministers “of future goods,” recognising in us their predestined companions for eternity and the co-heirs of their own immortal felicity. The irrational spirits, therefore, serve us from necessity, the angelic out of love; and, doubtless, it is as a means of benefiting us that both have need of bodies. What advantage they themselves derive therefrom, I am unable to see—at any rate with regard to eternity. The brute, indeed, by means of the body, is able to perceive corporeal objects. But surely it has not the power, by the help of such material and concrete impressions as bodily senses supply, to raise itself to the perception of spiritual and intellectual realities. Nevertheless, whilst unable itself to attain to such knowledge, it helps thereto, as we know, by its corporeal and temporal service, those amongst men who strive to draw eternal profit from the use of all transitory things, “using the world as though they used it not.”

But the blessed angels above, without the aid of a body and without the intuition of objects perceptible to bodily senses, by the mere spirituality and subtlety of their natures, are capable alike of comprehending what is most exalted and of penetrating what is most profound. The Apostle evidently realised this, because after saying that “the invisible things of God are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,” he immediately added, “by the creature of the world,” that is, of the earth. He thus indicates that the same is not true of the creatures of heaven. For those objects of contemplation to which the human spirit, imprisoned in the flesh and dwelling here below, endeavours to rise, little by little and step by step, from the consideration of material things, the same are reached swiftly and easily by the angelic citizens of heaven, owing to their native sublimity and penetration, without any dependence on corporeal sense, without any assistance from bodily members, without any intuition of material things. Why should they seek in bodies for those spiritual communications which they can read in the Book of Life without any contradiction, and understand without any difficulty? Why should they labour in the sweat of their brow to winnow the grain from the chaff, to press out the wine from the grapes, or the oil from the olives, when they have an abundance and a superabundance of such things ready to hand? Who, having plenty at home, would beg his bread from door to door? Who Would dig a well and laboriously search for water in the bowels of the earth, whilst a living, natural fountain poured its limpid treasures with unfailing generosity at his feet? Therefore, neither the angelic nor irrational spirits derive any assistance from their bodies as regards the acquisition of that knowledge which can make the intelligent creature happy. The latter, as being naturally stupid, lack the capacity for such enlightenment; the former, as enjoying the prerogative of a more excellent glory, have no need of it. But the spirit of man, occupying the middle place between the angelic and the brute, has need of a body for its own advancement in knowledge and for rendering service to others. Thus, to say nothing of the other bodily members or their functions, how, I ask, could instruction be imparted without a corporeal tongue, or attended to without corporeal ears?

As, therefore, without the help of a body the servile spirit of the brute cannot discharge the duty of its condition, nor the heavenly and angelic exercise the offices of piety, nor the rational spirit of man suffice to consult for its own or its neighbour’s salvation, it follows that every created spirit requires the agency of bodily members, either solely on account of others or for the sake both of itself and others. But what if there be found some irrational creatures of which we can discover no use and which minister to no human necessity? I answer that, although not otherwise useful, they render us more important service by furnishing objects of contemplation to our minds, than they could possibly do by supplying the needs of our body. Even allowing that some are dangerous and detrimental to man’s material well-being, still their bodies do not lack wherewith to “co-operate unto good to such as, according to His purpose, are called to be saints.” And if they do not serve us by becoming our food, or by otherwise accomplishing our purposes, they do so, at least, by exercising our intelligence, according to that measure and method of instruction, common to all who enjoy the use of reason, whereby the invisible things of God are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.” The devil and his satellites are, indeed, always intent on evil and always desire our hurt. But God forbid that they should have the power to harm those who are “zealous of good,” to whom it is said, “and who is he that can hurt you if you be zealous of good?” Rather they benefit them, even in spite of themselves, and “co-operate unto good” for those who are themselves good.