Sermons on the Song of Songs

“Thy neck (is) as jewels; we will make thee chains of gold inlaid with silver.”

“Thy neck (is) as jewels.” It is more usual, my brethren, for the neck to be adorned with jewels than to be compared to them. But the reason why people wear necklaces of jewels is because, having no beauty of their own, they are obliged to borrow from outer objects wherewith to simulate what nature denied them. Such is not the case with the Spouse of Christ. Her neck is in itself so beautiful and so perfectly formed by nature that it has no need of artificial embellishments. For why should that be decorated with the mendacious splendour of foreign hues, which possesses in itself a sufficiency of native and intrinsic loveliness, so much, in fact, as to rival the beauty of whatever jewels might be used to adorn it? This is what the Bridegroom gives us to understand when He says, not “Thy neck is encircled with jewels,” but “Thy neck is as jewels” Here we must implore the light of the Holy Spirit, that, as He enabled us to discover the spiritual cheeks of the Spouse, He would also deign to show us what is to be understood by her spiritual neck. As for me, who am under obligation to tell you what I think, the most probable and satisfactory explanation I have been so far able to find is to suppose that by the name of neck is here designated the intellect of the soul. And I venture to think you will agree with me in this view, when you examine the reason of the comparison. For do you not perceive that the intellect discharges for the soul functions analogous to those which the neck performs for the body, since it is through the intellect that all spiritual food passes into the soul, and is conveyed to the digestive organs of the will and the affections? The neck of the Spouse, therefore, understood in this sense, that is, the pure intellect, has no need of any borrowed embellishments, being sufficiently adorned with its simple and naked truth. Rather it is itself the beauty of the soul, as a most precious ornament, and for this reason it is likened to jewels. For truth is a priceless jewel; and so are purity and simplicity; and so is the wisdom that is “unto sobriety.” But the intellect of philosophers and heretics possesses in itself none of the splendours of purity and truth, and hence they are at such pains to deck it out and to set it off with the trumpery of grand words and syllogistic sophistry, lest, by showing itself as it really is, the turpitude of its falsity should be also made manifest.

It is added, “We will make thee chains of gold, inlaid with silver.” If it were said in the singular, “I will make,” and not in the plural, “we will make,” I should pronounce absolutely and unhesitatingly that the Bridegroom is the speaker here also. But consider now whether these words would not be better and more fittingly attributed to His companions, who are, as it were, trying to console the Spouse with a promise that, as she cannot yet attain to the vision of Him for Whose presence she pines, they will make for her beautiful and costly chains, as ornaments for her ears. The reason why she is especially promised ear-pendants is, as I think, because “faith cometh by hearing.” It also reminds us that as long as we walk by faith and not by sight, it is more important and necessary to exercise the ear in listening to instruction than the eye in contemplation. For it is useless to strain the sight if the heart be not purified by faith, since it is only to the clean of heart that the vision of God is promised. Hence it is written “purifying their hearts by faith.” Therefore, inasmuch as “faith cometh by hearing,” and by faith the purification of the sight, rightly do the companions of the Bridegroom apply themselves particularly to the task of adorning the ears of the Spouse. For reason itself teaches us that hearing is a preparation for vision. “Thou, O Spouse of Christ,” we may fancy them saying, “art longing impatiently to contemplate thy Beloved in His glory. But this happiness is reserved for the other life. Meantime we will present thee with ornaments for thine ears, which shall be a consolation to thee whilst thou art waiting, and a preparation for the favour thou hast solicited.” Or they may be supposed to address her in the words of the Psalmist, “‘Hearken, O daughter, and see.’ Thou dost desire to see, but first it is necessary to hearken. Hearing is the way to sight. Hearken, then, ‘and incline thine ear,’ for the ornaments which we make for thee, that through the obedience of faith thou may attain to the glory of vision. To thy hearing we will ‘give joy and gladness.’ But to grant thee the satisfaction of sight, wherein consist the perfection of happiness and the fulfilment of thy desires, belongs not to us, but to Him Whom thy soul loveth. He will show Himself to thee that thy joy may be full. He ‘will fill thee with joy with His Countenance.’But in the meantime, until thou attain to these ‘delights at His Right Hand even to the end,’ receive for thy consolation these ornaments from our hands.”

We must now consider, my brethren, what kind are the chains they offer her. “Chains of gold,” we read, “inlaid with silver.” By gold we are to understand the brightness of the Divinity and also the “wisdom which is from above.” It is therefore of such immaterial gold that the heavenly artificers, who are charged with this ministry, promise to make for the Spouse resplendent seals, as it were, of truth, and to fit them on the internal ears of her soul. This, as I take it, means nothing else than that they purpose to devise certain spiritual representations, by means of which they will present to the view of the soul, whilst she is engaged in contemplation, the purest images of the Divine Wisdom; in order that she may be able to see, at least “through a glass in a dark manner,” Him Whom it is not yet given her to behold face to face. These things, which I speak of, are altogether divine, and absolutely unintelligible except to those who have experienced them. For without the experience it is impossible to understand how it is that, whilst we are still in this body of corruption and walking by faith, with the glory of the Divinity still veiled from our view, the contemplation of pure truth nevertheless presumes to exercise its functions, at least in part and occasionally; so that each of us, on whom God has bestowed this extraordinary favour, may boldly say with the Apostle, “Now I know in part,” and “We know in part and we prophesy in part.” But whenever the soul, transported out of herself, is thus granted a clearer vision of the Divine Majesty, yet only for a moment and with the velocity, so to speak, of the lightning flash, there are suddenly presented to her imagination, from what source I know not, certain images of inferior objects, which admirably help and harmonise with the higher impression of the Divinity. These imaginative representations are intended, no doubt, both to temper the excessive splendour of the Light Uncreated and to facilitate its communication; for they intercept that most pure and dazzling ray of Divine Truth, like clouds before the face of the sun, render it more tolerable to the soul, and more capable of being transmitted to whomsoever we please. In my opinion, they are formed in our minds by the inspirations of holy angels, just as evil imaginations are unquestionably suggested by the wicked spirits.