Sermons on the Song of Songs

Let the Spouse, therefore, cease, so long as she lives on earth, to inquire curiously into the things of heaven, lest haply the “searcher of majesty be overwhelmed by glory.” Let her cease, I repeat, as long as she dwells amongst women, to strain after those objects which are found in the abode of the high celestial princes, which to them alone are visible, to them alone lawful; for, heavenly themselves, they are only suitable for the contemplation of heavenly intelligences. “The vision, O my Spouse,” so the Bridegroom seems to speak, “which thou desirest to be shown to thee is entirely above thy capacity. Thou hast not yet the strength to gaze upon that marvellous and meridian brightness wherein I dwell. Thou sayst, ‘show me where Thou feedest, where Thou liest in the mid-day.’ But to be drawn up into the clouds, to penetrate into the plenitude of glory, to plunge into abysses of splendour, and to dwell in light inaccessible—this neither suits an earthly life nor the condition of a mortal body. It is reserved for thee until the last day, when I shall present thee glorious to Myself, ‘not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.’ Or knowest thou not that as long as thou livest upon earth in this body thou art an exile from the light? Whilst thou art not as yet wholly beautiful, how canst thou consider thyself capable of contemplating the Sum and Perfection of all beauty? Or how canst thou ask to see Me in My glory before thou hast learned to know thyself? For hadst thou a thorough knowledge of thyself, thou wouldst surely understand that, being weighed down by a body subject to corruption, thou canst not possibly lift up thine eyes to fix them on that Brightness on which the angels desire to look. But the time will come when I shall appear in My glory, and on that day thou shalt be wholly beautiful, just as I am wholly beautiful; and being thus made like to Me, thou shalt see Me as I am. Then shalt thou hear it said to thee, ‘Thou art all fair, O my beloved, and there is not a spot in thee.’ Meantime, although thou art like to Me in part, yet, because thou art also in part dissimilar, thou must be content to know in part. Attend to thyself, and ‘seek not the things that are too high for thee, and search not into things above thy ability.’ For, if thou know not thyself, O beautiful amongst women—I call thee beautiful, but only amongst women, that is, in part, ‘but when that which is perfect shall come, that which is in part shall be done away.’ If, then, thou know not thyself”—But the words which follow have been sufficiently expounded and there is no need to repeat. I had promised to put some useful considerations before you concerning the two kinds of ignorance. If you think I have failed to keep that engagement, I beg you to pardon me, as I certainly had the good will. “For to will is present with me, but to accomplish that which is good I find not.” That is to say, unless in so far as it shall be given to me unto your edification through the gracious mercy of the Bridegroom of the Church, Jesus Christ Our Lord, Who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen.