Sermons on the Song of Songs

Of the above-mentioned classes, the last two alone are free from the guilt of abusing knowledge, for only these seek understanding as a means of well-doing. And we read in the psalms, “A good understanding to all that do it,” i.e., to all who have the good will to guide themselves by its prescriptions. As for the others, let them attend to the words of St. James, “To him who knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is sin.” To express the same truth metaphorically, to him who takes food and does not digest it, to him it is harmful. For food which is badly prepared or ill-digested generates noxious humours and thus injures instead of promoting bodily health. In just the same way, extensive knowledge stored up in the memory—which is, as it were, the stomach of the soul—unless it has been cooked over the fire of charity and so distributed and disposed amongst our spiritual members—which are our habits and our acts—so that the soul herself derives a goodness, as our lives and morals testify, from the goodness of the things she knows—unless this be the case, our knowledge shall be imputed to us as sin, and shall be likened to the undigested meat which gives rise to bad and unwholesome humours. Or does it not seem to you that sin is an unwholesome humour? Are not loose morals unwholesome humours? Does not such a one, viz., “he who knoweth to do good and doth it not,” suffer in his conscience the torments and inflammations of spiritual indigestion? And does he not hear within himself the doom of death and damnation as often as he calls to mind those words spoken by Christ, “The servant who knew the will of his Lord, and did not according to His will, shall be punished with many stripes.” And see if perhaps it be not in the person of such souls that the Prophet Jeremias exclaims, “My bowels, my bowels are in pain.” But possibly the repetition is intended to signify a twofold sense, so that besides the meaning just mentioned, there is need to look for another. This is what occurs to me. The Prophet may also have spoken thus in his own proper person, to indicate that, though full of knowledge and burning with the fire of charity, and longing to communicate these spiritual treasures to others, he yet was unable to find any willing to hear him; and so what he could not distribute became, as it were, a burden to himself. Accordingly, the holy teacher of the Church weeps both for those who proudly refuse to learn how they should regulate their lives, and also for those who, possessing that knowledge, live nevertheless in disregard of the law. Thus much in explanation of the Prophet’s repetition.

Do you not perceive now, my brethren, with how much truth the Apostle says that “knowledge puffeth up”? Consequently, I desire that my soul should learn in the first place to know herself, for this is required by reason both of utility and right order. By reason of good order, since the first object and truth for each is that which he is himself. And by reason of utility, because such knowledge does not inflate us with pride, but rather humbles us, and is thus an excellent preparation for the spiritual edifice we intend to raise. For this edifice cannot remain standing unless it be firmly grounded on the foundation of humility. Now, the soul can find nowhere a more fit and efficacious means for humiliating her than in a true knowledge of herself. Only let her not dissimulate; let there be no guile in her spirit; let her place herself as she really is before her own eyes; and let nothing be allowed to distract her attention from herself. Contemplating herself thus in the light of truth, she shall discover how far removed she is from the ideal of perfection. Then, groaning in her wretchedness, for her real wretchedness can no longer remain concealed from her, will she not cry out to the Lord, with the Prophet, “In Thy truth Thou hast humbled me”? For how can she help being truly humbled in this true knowledge of herself, when she beholds herself laden with sins, oppressed with the weight of this corruptible body, entangled in worldly cares, polluted with the filth of carnal desires, blind, earthward stooping, feeble, involved in many errors, exposed to a thousand dangers, agitated by a thousand fears, disquieted by a thousand suspicions, discouraged by a thousand difficulties, burdened with a thousand necessities, prone to vice, indisposed for virtue? What motive for pride can such a one have? How can such a one haughtily lift up her eyes or boldly hold her head erect? Will she not rather, according to the words of the Psalmist, be “converted in her anguish, whilst the thorn is fastened?” Yes, she will be converted to tears; she will be converted to lamentations and groans; she will be converted to the Lord. Then will she cry out in her humility, with the Prophet, “Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee.” And being now converted, she will receive consolation from the Lord, because He is “the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation.”

As for me, my brethren, so long as I look upon myself, “my eye abideth in bitterness.” But if I lift up my face and turn my gaze to the help of the divine compassion, the depressing vision of my own unworthiness is relieved by the joyous vision of God, and I say to Him, “My soul is troubled within myself, therefore, will I remember Thee.” Nor is that an unimportant vision of the Deity, which gives us the experience of Him as loving and gracious; because in truth, “He is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy, and ready to repent of the evil,” since goodness is His very nature and it is peculiar to Him “to show mercy always and to spare.” By this experience, therefore, and in this order, God gives us a saving knowledge of Himself. Man first recognises the helplessness of his condition. He then cries to the Lord. The Lord hears and makes answer to him, “I will deliver thee and thou shalt honour Me.” And thus the knowledge of oneself leads on to the knowledge of God. He is perceived by means of His own image, which is renewed in us, whilst we, confidently “beholding the glory of the Lord with open face, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

But now, lastly, observe that both self-knowledge and the knowledge of God are alike essential for salvation, so that it is impossible to save one’s soul in the absence of one or other. For if you do not know yourselves, you cannot have in you either the fear of God or true humility. Now, I leave it to yourselves, my brethren, to decide whether or not you can count upon your salvation without the fear of God and without humility. I am glad to learn from that murmur you have made that you have not the mind, or rather the madness, to take the affirmative view. Consequently, there is no need for me to labour a point already sufficiently clear. But let me call your attention to the other questions. Or, perhaps, I had better break off here for the sake of the drowsy. I expected to complete in one discourse my promised instructions concerning the two kinds of ignorance. And I should do so in fact, only that this sermon has already wearied many of you and is judged to be tedious. For I can see some yawning, and some even fast asleep. However, I am not surprised. The unusual length of last night’s vigils accounts for their heaviness and excuses it. But this defence is not possible in the case of all. For what shall I say of those who have succumbed to sleep, both here and during the divine office? But I will not shame them further. It is enough to have made them sensible of their fault. And I am sure they will be more vigilant in future, fearing the penalty of my animadversion. In that expectation I will spare them for this time. And although reason demands that this discourse should be completed without a break, out of charity for them I will now interrupt it, making an end where the end is not, and will resume the discussion on another occasion. But let the offenders, in gratitude for the mercy they have obtained, glorify with us all the Bridegroom of the Church, Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen.