Sermons on the Song of Songs

But it must also be simple. If evil has been really committed do not be at pains to justify the intention as you may feel tempted to do, inasmuch as this is not visible to the human eye. Do not try to palliate your fault, if you know it to be serious. Neither should you attempt to excuse it on the plea of persuasion by others, since no one can be compelled to do wrong against his will. To justify the intention is rather self-defence than self-accusation, and calls down, instead of appeasing, the anger of heaven. To extenuate one’s guilt shows a want of gratitude, because by striving to lessen your culpability, you detract from the glory of the divine mercy which pardons you. Besides, favours are conferred the less willingly, accordingly as they are observed to be the less thankfully received, as being considered by the recipient the less necessary to him. Consequently, he who depreciates the divine bounty, by endeavouring with words to extenuate his guilt, forfeits thereby the divine forgiveness. Let the example of the first man deter you from transferring to others the responsibility of your transgression. Adam did not deny his fault, yet he did not obtain pardon, and the reason doubtless was because he made mention also of the sin of his wife. That is a familiar way of excusing oneself, namely, when accused yourselves to accuse another. But let holy David tell you how not merely unprofitable, but even pernicious it is to wish to excuse oneself by accusing one’s neighbour. “Evil words” he calls “excuses in sins.” And he begs and entreats the Lord not to “incline his heart” to them. Nor without reason. For he who excuses his guilt sins against his own soul, rejects the medicine of pardon, and thus with his own mouth deprives himself of spiritual life. What can be more malicious than to take up arms in this way against one’s own salvation, and to pierce oneself, so to speak, with one’s own sword? “He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good?”

It is also required that confession should be trustful. This is necessary in order that it may be made in hope, with full confidence of forgiveness, lest otherwise, instead of being justified, you condemn yourselves with your own lips. Judas, who betrayed Our Lord, and Cain, who slew his brother, both confessed, but both without confidence. “I have sinned,” said the former, “in betraying innocent blood.” “My iniquity,” exclaimed the latter, “is greater than that I may deserve pardon.” Truthful confessions both, but unavailing, because untrustful. These three qualities of a good confession, added to the four properties of acceptable compunction, considered just now, will make up the mystical seven.

Now, when you feel such compunction and have so confessed, and consequently are assured of the possession of life, you will also, as I think, admit as certain that the name Jesus is no empty title in Him Who has both the will and the power to work such wonders in you; and that it has not been in vain He Himself followed the staff which He sent on before. His coming has not been in vain, because He came not empty. How, indeed, could He be empty in Whom dwelt the fulness of the Divinity? For to Him the Spirit has not been given in measure. Moreover, it is written that He came in the “fulness of time” to indicate to us that He came not empty. Assuredly He was full Whom the Father “hath anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows.” And He was anointed that He might Himself anoint us. All who have deserved to receive of His fulness, have been anointed by Him. Therefore He says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because the Lord hath anointed Me. He hath sent Me to preach to the meek, to heal the contrite of heart, and to preach a release to the captives, and deliverance to them that are shut up, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” He came, as you have just heard, to anoint our sores and to soothe our sorrows. Therefore did He come anointed. Therefore did He come “sweet and mild, and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon Him.” He knew He was descending to an afflicted race and assumed the character most necessary for their relief. And as there were many infirmities, like a physician of wisdom and foresight, He came provided with many remedies. He brought with Him the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and fortitude, the Spirit of knowledge and piety, and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord.

You see, my brethren, what a number of phials full of precious ointments this heavenly Physician prepared for healing the wounds of that poor man “who fell amongst robbers.” They are seven in number, designed perhaps for the excitation of the above-mentioned seven “gapings.” For the Spirit of life dwelt in these phials. Out of them, certainly, He poured oil upon my wounds. He also poured wine, but less wine than oil. That is to say, He so accommodated His treatment to my infirmities, that mercy should be exalted over justice, just as the oil floats above wine when poured into the same vessel. He brought five vessels of oil as against only two of wine. For it is only fear and fortitude that wine can be understood to symbolise. The other five virtues, namely, wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, and piety, suggest the idea of oil by the sweetness of their flavour. In the Spirit of fortitude, “like a mighty man that hath been surfeited with wine,” He descended into hell, “broke in pieces the gates of brass, and burst the bars of iron.” In the same Spirit He bound “the strong man,” and delivered human souls from the yoke of Satan. But He descended also in the Spirit of fear, not of fear felt by Himself, but of fear to be struck into others.

O Wisdom, powerfully sweet and sweetly powerful! With what healing art in wine and oil dost thou restore the health of my soul! Surely thou “reachest from end to end mightly and disposest all things sweetly,” driving far off the enemy and taking care of the weak! “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed.” I will sing and praise Thy name, and will say, “Thy name is as oil poured out.” Not as wine poured out, for wine signifies power and fear, and O Lord, “enter not into judgment with Thy servant”; but as oil, since Thou dost “crown me with mercy and compassion.” Yes, as oil, which, floating above all liquids, into which it is poured, by this property beautifully typifies the name “which is above all names.” O name, exceeding sweet, exceeding savoury! O name, glorious beyond all, chosen out of all, sublime and exalted above all for ever! This is truly the oil that makes “the face of man cheerful,” that “fattens the head” of him who fasts, so that he does not feel the oil of the sinner. This is the “new name which the Mouth of the Lord hath named,” which was even “called by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.” Not alone the Jew, but “whosoever shall call upon this name shall be saved,” for to this purpose has it been poured out. This the Father gave to His Son, the Bridegroom of the Church, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen.