Sermons on the Song of Songs

“If thou know not thyself, O fairest among women, go forth and follow after the steps of the flocks, and feed thy kids beside the tents of the shepherds.”

“If thou know not thyself, O fairest among women, go forth and follow after the steps of the flocks and feed thy kids beside the tents of the shepherds.” In times long past, my brethren, holy Moses, who could presume much on the familiarity and the friendship to which the Lord had admitted him, made bold to aspire to a certain extraordinary privilege, so that he said to God, “If I have found favour in Thy sight, show me Thy Face.” But instead of the vision for which he prayed, he was given another far inferior, yet one whereby he might sometime attain to that he desired. The sons of Zebedee also, walking in the simplicity of their hearts, ventured to ask a great favour. But they likewise had to be satisfied with a lower grace, from which the ascent to the higher should be made. So here the Spouse, as seeming to make a presumptuous request, is reproved with an answer, sharp indeed, yet helpful and true. For it is necessary that he who aspires to things sublime should entertain lowly sentiments of himself. Otherwise, whilst attempting to rise above himself he would run the risk of falling below himself, unless he is solidly grounded in himself by means of true humility. And as without humility there is no possibility of obtaining extraordinary favours of God, he who is to be enriched with special graces, has first to be humbled by correction, in order that by humility he may merit his advancement. Therefore, my brethren, whenever you see yourselves humbled, consider this a certain sign of the approach of grace. For just as “the spirit is lifted up before a fall,” so is the soul humbled before being exalted. Both these laws of the spiritual life are found in Holy Scripture, where we read that “God resisteth the proud and giveth His grace to the humble.” Finally, we have the case of holy Job. After his magnificent triumph, when his heroic and splendidly proved patience was considered by God to be deserving of a great reward, did He not first cause him to be humbled by many severe trials and so prepared for the coming prosperity?

But it is not enough to receive willingly the humiliations which come to us directly from God, if we do not accept in the same dispositions those which He sends us through the agency of others. Wherefore, listen to a glorious example of such patience from the history of the Prophet David. On one occasion he was reviled with curses, and that by a servant. But the insults heaped upon him awakened in his breast no feelings of resentment, because the influence of grace was there dominant. “What have I,” said he, “to do with you, ye sons of Sarvia.” O truly “a man according to God’s own Heart,” who felt called upon to show indignation rather against the avenger than against the author of his wrongs! Hence he could say with a safe conscience, “If I have rendered to them that repaid me evils, let me deservedly fall empty before my enemies.” He therefore would not allow his followers to prevent the malevolent one from cursing him, esteeming this cursing as so much gain. “The Lord,” he added, “hath bid him curse David.” Surely he must have been “according to God’s own Heart,” seeing that he could thus discover the judgments of the Heart of God. Whilst the tongue of the maligner was pouring out its venom upon him, he kept his attention fixed on God’s secret designs. And his soul was bending down to receive a divine benediction, at the very time when that Semei’s cursing voice was sounding in his ears. Was the Lord, therefore, in the blasphemer’s mouth? God forbid! But He made use of the blasphemer to humble David. Nor was this unknown to the Prophet to whom God had manifested “the uncertain and hidden things of His wisdom.” Therefore he declared “It is good for me that Thou hast humbled me, that I may learn Thy justifications.”

Observe, my brethren, how humility justifies us. Humility, I say, not humiliation. How many there are who suffer humiliation without being humble! Some endure humiliation with bitterness, others with patience, others again with gladness. The first class are culpable, the second are innocent, the last are just. Although innocence may be considered a part of justice, still the perfection of justice belongs to humility. Now, he is truly humble who can say from his heart, “It is good for me that Thou hast humbled me.” But he who submits to humiliation against his will cannot sincerely say this. Much less, he who murmurs against it. To neither of these do I promise grace simply because he is humbled. Yet there is a vast difference between the two, since the one possesses his soul in patience, whereas the other perishes in his discontent. But, although the latter merits indignation, neither merits grace. For it is not to the humbled but to the humble that God gives His grace. The humble man is he who converts humiliation into humility, and it is only such can say to God, “It is good for me that Thou hast humbled me.”

No one, manifestly, esteems that a good to him, but rather an evil, which he endures only with patience. And we know that “God loveth a cheerful giver.” Hence, when we fast we are bidden to anoint our heads with oil and to wash our face, in order that our good work may be seasoned, so to speak, with spiritual joy, and that our “holocaust may be made fat.” For it is only a joyous and perfect humility that merits the grace of which humiliation is the herald. But the humility which is due to necessity or compulsion, such as that of the man who possesses his soul in patience, such humility, I say, although it obtains life on account of its patience, yet, as accompanied by sadness, gives no title to the grace of the promise. And the reason is, because the words of Scripture, “Let the brother of low condition glory in his exaltation,” do not apply to a humility of that description, which is neither spontaneous nor joyful.

Do you wish, my brethren, to behold a man glorying in the right way, and rightly deserving of glory? “Gladly,” says the great Apostle, “will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” He does not say he will bear his infirmities with patience, but that he will “glory” and “gladly glory” in them. Thus he proves that it is good for him that he has been humbled, and indicates that it is by no means sufficient to possess his soul by enduring humiliations patiently, unless he also obtains the grace promised to those who rejoice in their humiliations. Hence we may regard as a general rule these words of Christ, “He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” From them we learn that not every kind of humility is to be exalted, but that alone which is cheerfully embraced by the will, not with sadness, nor by constraint; just as, on the other hand, not every one that is exalted shall be humbled, but only he who exalts himself, he shall he humbled, in punishment, evidently, of his vain and voluntary ambition. In this way, then, not he who is humbled, but he who humbles himself, has the promise of exaltation, as the reward of his good will. But although the objective element, or the matter of humility, comes from outside, for instance, insults, injuries, or chastisement, not on that account would it be true to say that the man who determines for God’s sake to bear these trials is humbled by any other than by himself.