Sermons on the Song of Songs

unction of piety. For He is a Spirit of wisdom and knowledge ; and as a bee bears honey and wax, so He has in Himself both that which enkindles the light of knowledge, and that which infuses the savour of grace. Let not him who has understanding of the truth, but without love, nor him who loves, without understanding the truth, think that he has received that gift, for in it there is no place either for error or for lukewarmness. That is the reason why the Bride, in order to receive this twofold grace, presents her two lips; I mean the reason full of intelligence, and the will full of love for heavenly wisdom ; so that, being full of joy at having received an embrace so full and so perfect, she may have the happiness to hear : Grace is poured upon thy lips, therefore God hath blessed thee for ever (Ps. xlv. 3). Therefore the Father, in His .Kiss to the Son, communicates to Him the depths of His Divinity in their fulness, and breathes [upon Him] the sweetness of His Love. And Scripture intimates this, where it is said : Day unto day uttereth speech (Ps. xix. 2). In this Embrace, eternal, unique, and blessed, it is not given to any created being to have

part ; the Spirit alone, who is both of the One and of the other, is conscious of that mutual Recognition and Love, and is a Witness of it. For who hath known the Mind of the Lord ? or who hath been His Counsellor ? (Rom. xi. 34). 7. But someone will perhaps say to me: 'How, then, have you come to a knowledge of that which you say is hid from the ken of every creature?' Undoubtedly the Only Begotten Son, which is in the Bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him (John i. 18). Yes, it is He who hath declared Him, not to me, a miserable man, unworthy of such an honour, but to the friend of the Bridegroom, to John, whose words these are; and not only to him, but to John the Evangelist, as the disciple whom Jesus loved. For his soul was pleasing to God, truly worthy of the name and of the dowry of the Digitized by Google 42 Bride, worthy of the embraces of the Bridegroom, worthy, finally, to recline upon the Breast of the Lord. In the Bosom of the only Begotten Son John drank in that which He had from the Bosom of the Father. Yet it was not He alone who received that great grace, but all

those also to whom the same, who is the Angel of great counsel, said : / have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you (John xv. 15).

This also did Paul drink in, who had received his Gospel neither from man, nor by man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ (Gal. i. 11, 12). Assuredly all these holy men can say as truly as happily, 'The Only Begotten Son, who is in the Bosom of the Father, hath declared Him unto us.' And that revelation, what was it but the bestowal of this embrace sacred and eternal ; as it is said : I and My Father are One. And again : The Father is in Me, and I in Him (John x. 30, 38). That is, indeed, as it were, a kiss, but one to which no creature draws near. A kiss it is of love and of peace, but the love surpasses all knowledge, and the peace all understanding. But that which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, God revealed to Paul by His Spirit, that is, by the Kiss of His Mouth.

Therefore the relation of the Father to the Son, and of the Son to the Father, is, so to speak, a kiss by the mouth. But that [relation] of which we read : We have received, not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know those things which are freely given unto us by God (1 Cor. ii. 12), is of and from this. 8. Now, to distinguish more clearly between these two, he who receives the fulness itself has the one, but he who receives only of the fulness has but the other. Paul was indeed a great man, but how high soever he might lift his head (os), and even though it should reach unto the third heaven, he must of necessity remain far below the Countenance of the Most High (os Altissimi), and must resign himself to remain within the limits of his condition. And since he will not be able to attain to that Countenance of glory, he must humbly entreat that God will condescend to him, and send to him a gift from on high. But He who thought it not robbery to be equal with God (Phil. ii. 6), so that He could say without fear I and My Father are One, because He is united to [His Father] as to an equal, and is embraced by Him as by an equal, He does not, from a lower station, beg for a gift, but is joined in an embrace with equality of rank, and by a privilege which is the right of Him alone. To Christ, therefore, the kiss is fulness, to Paul it is participation. 9. Happy, nevertheless, is the sign by which comes not only the knowledge of God, but also the love of Him as our Father, who cannot be fully known unless He be at the same time perfectly loved.

What soul among you has ever felt in the depths of his conscience the Spirit of the Son crying, Abba, Father ? (Gal. iv. 6). That soul which feels itself animated by the same Spirit as the Son, that soul, Digitized by Google 43 I say, may believe that it is the object of the affection of the Father.

Trust in Him, O soul, whosoever thou art, that hast the happiness to be in that condition ; trust in Him, doubting nothing. In the Spirit of the Son recognise that thou art a daughter of the Father, the sister, or the Bride, of the Son. Such a soul is, in fact, you will find, called by one or by the other name. The proof of this is at hand : it will not be difficult to produce it. For what is the voice of the Bridegroom to her ? Is it not, Come into My garden, My sister, My spouse? (Cant. v. i). She is sister because she has the same Father; she is spouse because she is in the same Spirit. And if a marriage in the flesh makes of two persons one flesh, shall not a spiritual bond much more join two into one Spirit? And, in fact, the Apostle declares that he who is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit (i Cor. vi. 17). But hear also with what affection and what condescension the Father names her His daughter, and as His daughter-in-law invites her to the kind embrace of His Son : Hearken, O daughter, and consider, incline thine ear ; forget also thine own people and thy father's house ; so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty (Ps. xlv. 10, 11). It is from Him that she makes this request. But, O holy soul, maintain the deepest reverence, for He is the Lord thy God ; not to be embraced, perhaps ; but rather to be adored, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.

OF THE BREASTS OF THE BRIDEGROOM — THAT IS, CHRIST: WHEREOF THE ONE IS PATIENCE IN WAITING FOR THE CONVERSION OF SINNERS ; THE OTHER, BENIGNITY OR WILLINGNESS TO RECEIVE THEM. T" ET us come now to the exposition of the book, and give the reason for the words of the Bridegroom, as well as the result -* — ' which follows from them. For without a commencement, they seem to hang in mid-air, and then abruptness, as it were, renders their sense obscure. Therefore it will be well, in the first place, to ascertain upon what previous facts or truths they rest. Suppose, then, that those whom we have called the companions of the Bridegroom now approach the Bride, as yesterday and the day before, to visit and to salute her. They find her plunged in sadness, uttering sighs and groans ; their surprise is excited, and they question her thus : What has occurred ? Why do we find you more sad than usual ? What is the cause of these unexpected sighs ? When, alienated and turned away from the path of right, you were following your earthly companions, you saw yourself obliged, by the sad condition to which their cruelties had brought you, to return at length to your true Lord,

Digitized by Google M 44 did you not entreat with many prayers and tears to be permitted but once to touch his feet ? ' I remember it,' she replies. ' Very well, then,' they continue, ' after having obtained that grace and received pardon for your offences in the permission to kiss His Feet, did you not again become impatient; and not content with such a condescension, but desiring still greater favour, you asked with the same eagerness, and obtained the second grace, that you should kiss His Hand, and by that grace have obtained virtues neither few nor small ?' ' I do not deny it/ she replies again. But they still continue : ' Were you not accustomed to protest and declare with an oath, that if ever it were granted to you to attain to kiss His Hand, that favour would suffice for you, and that you would ask for nothing more?' 'It was even so.' 'What then? Do you complain that anything has been taken away of what has been bestowed upon you?' 'Nothing.' 'Then, do you fear that you will fall again under condemnation for those offences of your past life which you believed had been pardoned ?' ' No, not at all.' 2. ' Come, then, say in what way we can satisfy

your need.' ' I shall not be at rest,' she replies, 'unless He complete His goodness to me.' I am thankful that I have been permitted to kiss His _Feet ; it is still more a cause of gratitude to me to kiss His Hand ; J but if He has any care for me at all, let Him grant unto me the third i . ' and crowning grace. I am not ungrateful, but I love. I have received, I confess it, favours which are far above my merits, but yet ' they are far below my desires. It is not reason which bears me on, but the vehement yearning of my soul. Do not, I entreat, complain of my presumption, which is but the effect of my ardent love. It is true that shame would withhold me, but love overcomes shame. I am not unmindful that the King's honour loveth judgment (Ps. xcix. 4), but the violence of love does not wait for judgment; it is not moderated by advice, nor restrained by shame, nor controlled by reason. I beg, I supplicate, I entreat again and again that He ^ grant unto me this my request. Lo, in His grace for many years ( waw I strive to live chastely and soberly, I apply myself to reading, ;

I resist all manner of vices, I occupy myself continually in prayer, I I keep watch against temptations, I reflect upon my past years in \ bitterness of my soul, I study to conduct myself among my brethren to the higher powers, going forth and coming in at the command of my elders ; I desire not the goods of any other — on the contrary, I have given up all that I have, and my own self also ; in the sweat of my face I eat my bread. But yet I go through all these practices of piety from mere custom, and not for the sweetness felt in them.

What else am I, to borrow the language of a Prophet, than as Ephraim, an heifer that is taught to tread out the corn ? (Hos. x. n).

And is it not said in the Gospel, that he who does only that which it is his duty to do is on unprofitable servant 1 (Luke xvii. 10). I / fulfil perhaps my appointed tasks as best I can, but throughout them Digitized by Google 45 all my soul does not cease to be as a land without water. That my offering may be a perfect one, let Him, I entreat, grant the grace for which I pray. 3. I remember that many of you also were accustomed in their private confessions1 to complain of a similar languor and dryness of soul, and of a kind of heaviness and stupor of mind which rendered them incapable of entering into high or refined thoughts, so that they felt little sweetness of spirit, or none at all. What do those souls yearn for, if not for this ? Yes, they long and sigh for the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding ; of understanding that they may reach knowledge ; of wisdom that they may love and take delight in that which they grasp with the understanding. I suppose that the Psalmist was referring to this disposition of mind when he uttered the prayer : Let my soul be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise Thee with joyful lips (Ps. lxiii. 5). He sought certainly for this mystical kiss, which, after having spread upon his lips the unction of special2 grace, should be followed by the effect which in another prayer he asks for : Let my mouth be filled with Thy praise, that L may sing of Thy glory and honour all the day long (Ps. lxx. 8). Lastly, when he has tasted that heavenly sweetness, he bursts forth : Oh, how great is Thy goodness, O Lord, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee! (Ps. xxxi. 19).

We have, however, lingered over [the explanation of] this, yet I have not, I fear, even yet expounded it as it deserves. But let us pass now to the rest, for that great truth is better known by the impression it makes [for itself], than by the expressions which are used of it. 4. The text goes on to say : Thy breasts are better than wine, and their fragrance than the choicest perfumes (Cant. i. 1, 2, Vulg.). Whose are these words, the author does not say, and thus leaves us at liberty to assign them freely to the person they best befit. There seem to me to be reasons for attributing them not unsuitably to the Bride, or to the Bridegroom, or even to the Bridegroom's companions.

First I will state those in favour of attributing them to the Bride. While she is conversing with the friends of the Bridegroom, He draws near who is the subject of their discourse. He is wont to approach those willingly who are speaking of Him. It was thus that He joined Himself to those who were going to Emmaus, and discoursing of Him by the way, and to them He showed Himself a pleasant and conversible companion (Luke xxiv. 15). It is this very thing which is promised in the Gospel : Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am L in the midst of them him their faults of negligence (as the Saint calls them in Sermon I. for the Day of the Circumcision, tt. 5) ; and they did this in private. Guy, the fifth Prior of the Chartreuse, gives this name to confessions made in private cells ; those which were made on Saturday, though in private, he calls common or public. See a Speeialis. Another reading is spiritualis.

Digitized by Google * 46 (Matt, xviii. 20) ; and by the prophet : Before they call, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear (Is. lxv. 24). So also in this instance, though not called, He is present ; and delighting in the words spoken, He anticipates the petitions offered And I judge that sometimes He does not wait for the spoken words, but appears in response to thoughts alone. Thus speaks the man who was found to be after God's own heart : Lord, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble : Thine ear has heard the preparation of t/ieir heart (Ps. x. 1 7, Vulg.). Do you also, brethren, keep watch over yourselves whereever you are, bearing in mind that God knoweth all your thoughts, that He trieth the very heart and reins, that He has fashioned the heart of each of you individually, and understands all your actions. The Bride, then, feeling that the Bridegroom is present, stops short. She is ashamed of the presumption in which she finds herself surprised.

In her modesty, she had thought to make her attempt by means of intermediaries, but now she turns suddenly to Him, and endeavours to excuse her temerity as best she can : Thy breasts are better than wine, she says, and their fragrance than the choicest perfumes.

As if she said : ' If I seem to raise my desire too high, it is Thou, O my Bridegroom, who art the cause of this, in that Thou hast deigned to nourish me with the sweetness of Thy breasts, and thus I have laid aside all fear, not because of my boldness, but of Thy lovingkindness, and am more bold in my requests than is fitting. This confidence renders me mindful only of Thy kindness to me, but unmindful of Thy Majesty.' Ail this is said to make clear the connection of the words which follow. 5. Now, let us consider after what manner the breasts of the Bridegroom are thus praised. These are the two evidences of His goodness by nature, that He patiently waits for the sinner, and receives the penitent with clemency. It is the very essence of sweetness,1 I repeat, that abounds in the Breast of the Lord Jesus, and it is twofold : patience in waiting for the sinner, and freeness in granting pardon to him when penitent. This is not a discovery of my own ; you may read of it in the Scripture, as with regard to His patience : Despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering 1 And again, Knowest thou not that the goodness of

God leadeth thee to repentance ? (Rom. ii. 4). To this end, indeed, it is that He long suspends the execution of His vengeance against the despisers, in order that He may show the grace of remission to the penitent. For He desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live. Let us give also some examples respecting [what I have called] the other breast — that is, of willingness to pardon. Of this you read, In the hour when the sinner shall lament for his sin, it shall be remitted unto him (Ezek. xxxiii. 11, 12); and again, Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him ; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon (Is. lv. 7). David sums Digitized by Google 47 both these attributes beautifully in few words : The Lord is merciful and gracious ; slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy (Ps. ciii. 8). It is just because the Spouse has made proof of this double goodness that she is emboldened, as she confesses, even to venture to ask of Him this grace. ' What wonder is it,' she says, ' O my Spouse, if I presume to

ask so much of Thee, since I have had experience of such abundance of sweetness from Thy breast ? It is the sweetness of Thy breast, not any confidence in my own merits, which encourages me to be so bold in my request.' 6. Of that further saying, Thy Breasts are better than wine, the meaning is this : The unction of grace, which flows from Thy Breasts, is more efficacious to me for my spiritual advancement than the severe reprimand of those set over me. Not only better than wine, but their fragrance than the choicest perfumes, because, not content with nourishing those who are present with the milk of inward sweetness, you sprinkle over those who are absent the pleasant odour of a good reputation, and make them to have a good report both from those who are within and from those who are without. You have, I say, milk within and perfumes without, since there will be none for you to nourish with milk, if you do not first attract them to you by the sweet odour of your perfume. We shall see later on whether those perfumes contain any meaning worthy of consideration when we come to that passage, We will run after the odour of Thy perfumes (i. 3). Now let us consider, as I

promised, whether the words which hitherto we have attributed to the Bride have any fitness for the Bridegroom also. 7. The Bride is speaking of the Bridegroom ; suddenly, as I have before explained, He is present ; He gives assent to her petition ; He gives her the embrace asked, and fulfils in her the Scripture, which says : Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips (Ps xxi. 2), of which the fulness of breasts is a witness. For so great is the efficacy of it, that the Bride, on receiving it, becomes fruitful, and thus gives testimony to its power. Those \ whose desire and endeavour it is to pray frequently, they have made \ proof of what I say. Often we approach the altar and begin to pray J with a heart lukewarm and dry. But if we steadily persist, grace j comes suddenly in a flood upon us, our breast grows full of increase, a wave of piety fills our inward heart ; and if we press on, the . milk of sweetness conceived in us will spread over us in fruitful flood. The Bridegroom then speaks thus: 'Thou hast, O my Spouse,—' that which thou prayedst for; and this is a sign to thee that thy

breasts have become more precious than wine. Thence shalt thou know that thou hast received it because thou hast become fruitful.

Therefore have thy breasts filled with abundance of milk better than the wine of worldly knowledge, which inebriates indeed, but with curiosity, not with charity, which fills but does not nourish ; which puffs up instead of edifying ; which gluts but strengthens not' 8. But, again, let us attribute these words to the attendants. Unjustly it is, they say, that you murmur against the Bridegroom, because Digitized by Google 48 that which He has already granted to you is of more value than that which you ask for. For that is, indeed, for your own delight and gladness ; but the breasts from which you nourish the children you bring forth are better — that is, more necessary, than the wine of contemplation.

The one is that which maketh glad the heart of one man alone ; but the other that which edifies many. For, although Rachel be the fairer, Leah is the more fruitful. Do not, therefore, linger too much over the sweetness of contemplation, for the fruits of preaching are the better. 9. There occurs to me still another sense, which I had not thought of, but I cannot pass it over. Why should we not say that the words befit those who are as little children, and are the first care, as little children are to their mother or their nurse ? For souls still young, as it were, and tender, do not bear patiently to see those whose duty it is to instruct them fully in the faith, and to train them by their own examples, giving themselves wholly to the repose of contemplation.

And is it not just such souls as these who become the prey of distress and inquietude of mind at a later time, when they are forbidden with solemn charges to disturb the repose of the Beloved until she please (ii. 7) ? Seeing that the Bride sighs for the grace of her Beloved, that she seeks retreat, that she flies from the world, that she avoids crowds, and prefers her own repose to the care which she ought to take of others, they cry, Do not thus, do not thus ; for in the helpfulness [of preaching] there is more fruit than in all the sweetness [of solitude]: for it is by the former that you deliver us from the desires of the flesh which war against the soul, that you take us from the world and gain us for God. It is this that they express in these words : Thy breasts are better than wine. The spiritual delights which thy breasts distil upon us are better than all the pleasures of the flesh, with which we were formerly enthralled and intoxicated as with wine. 10. It is with great beauty and fitness that they compare carnal desires to wine. For as the grape once pressed has nothing more to yield, but is condemned to lasting dryness, so

the flesh, under the pressure of death, is exhausted of all its delights, and never after revives to the enjoyment of its passions. Wherefore the Prophet saith : All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field; the grass withereth, the flower fadeth (Is. xl. 6, 7); and the Apostle : He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption (Gal. vi. 8) ; and again, Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats : but God shall destroy both it and them (r Cor. vi. 13). But see how that comparison suits, not only the flesh, but also the world. For the world, too, passeth away, and the lust thereof ; all things that are in the world have an end, and their end is unending. But not so with those things of which the Breasts are the type. For when they are exhausted they are renewed from the fount of the maternal breast, to nourish those who draw sweetness from them. Rightly, therefore, is it said that the breasts of the Bride are better than the love of the Digitized by Google 49 flesh or of the world, since they are never drawn dry by the number of those who receive of them, but are fed from

the deep fount of Charity, and so flow ever new. Truly these streams come forth from the body of Charity, and [in him who receives them] become a well of water springing up into everlasting life (John vii. 38 and iv. 14).

The praise of them far surpasses that of the choicest perfumes, because they are nourished not only with the taste and the savour of words, but they exhale the sweet fragrance which good deeds send forth. What remains to be said of them, with what milk it is that they are expanding, with what sweet odours they are perfumed, these things I will, Christ helping me, treat of in another sermon. Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

I HAVE neither such depth of knowledge, nor such brilliancy of genius, as to discover of myself anything new. But the mouth of St. Paul is a great and unfailing fountain which is open to us. From him it is that I draw what I am about to say on the subject of the bosom of the Bride, as, indeed, I am accustomed frequently to do. Rejoice, he says, with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep (Rom. xii. 1 5). He here expresses, in a few words, the affections of a mother's heart, because little children cannot either be in pain and grief, or in health and gladness, without the close sympathy of their mother in either case, nor can she fail to feel with them. Thus, following the opinion of St. Paul, I shall assign those two affections to the breasts of the Bride — to the one compassion, to the other congratulation.

If it were otherwise, if she had not these as yet — that is, if she had not learned to be quick in congratulating others, nor to be ready to condole with them in their grief — she would be but a child, and not of a marriageable age. If a person of such character as this is taken to discharge the oversight of souls, or to preach, he does not profit others, and to himself he does very great harm. And if he should thrust himself into these ministries, what a shameless action is that ! 2. But let us return to these thus typified, to the differences between them, and to the graces they yield. Congratulation pours forth the milk of exhortation, and compassion that of consolation.

Our spiritual mother1 feels her pious bosom abundantly supplied from above with both the one and the other of these as often as she is fulfilled 4 with the love of God. You see her occupied in nourishing her little children out of her abundance ; to one she gives consolation, to another exhortation, according as each seems to have need. For instance, if she sees that one of her children in the Gospel has been taken unawares by some violent temptation so that he is rendered troubled and sorrowful, doubting and fearful, and is no longer able to bear up against the force of the temptation, how she condoles with him and soothes him ! how she sorrows for him and gives him comfort, and finds many a pious reason to enable him to rise out of his state of depression ! If, on the contrary, she sees one active, energetic, and making good progress in the spiritual life, she rejoices greatly, she plies him with beneficial advice, she animates him to advance still further, instructs him in that which is requisite to perseverance, and exhorts him so that he may go on from strength to strength. To all she adapts herself, in her own heart she reflects the feelings and the dispositions of all, and, lastly, she shows

herself the mother no less of the feeble and failing soul than of the strong and progressive. 3. How many are there at the present day — I mean of those who have taken upon them the cure of souls — who are animated by sentiments the very reverse of these ? It is a fact not to be spoken of without groaning and tears ; they forge, so to speak, in the furnace of avarice, and make merchandise of, the very instruments of Christ's Passion — the scourge, the spitting, the nails, the lance, and, in fine, the Cross and the Death of Christ They squander all these things for the making of shameful gains ; they hasten to huddle into their own pouches the price of the Redemption of the world. The only difference which distinguishes them from Judas Iscariot is that he, for the price of all these things, received but, comparatively speaking, a few pence ; while they, with a greed much more insatiable, exact uncounted sums of money as their gains. They have for riches a thirst which is insatiable ; well-nigh their sole fear is lest they may lose these ; and if they should do so they grieve. Upon the love of them they brood in satisfaction, if, perchance, there be a moment

left free from the task of keeping what they have or of gaining more. As for the salvation of souls, or their loss, they think of it not at all. No maternal care for souls assuredly have they who, being too well nourished, having fattened and grown great upon the patrimony of the Crucified, are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph (Amos vi. 6).

A true mother is unmistakably to be known (non dissimulat) ; she is never void of nourishment for her children. She ceases not to rejoice with them that do rejoice, and to weep with them that weep ; to press from her bosom the life-giving milk— from that of congratulation the milk of exhortation ; from that of compassion, of consolation. I need not say more of these, and of what they contain. 4. I have also to point out what are the perfumes with which the same are fragrant, provided that I am assisted by your prayers, so that by their means that which it is given me to think may also be spoken Digitized by Google worthily, and to the profit of my hearers. The perfumes of the Bride differ from those of the Bridegroom, as they are different the one from the other. What was to be said of those of the Bridegroom is contained in a former discourse. Let us consider just now only the perfumes of the Bride ; and that with the greater care, been use Scripture commends them particularly to our attention in calling them not only good, but best of all. I mention several kinds, so that out of many those most befitting the Bride may be chosen. There is the perfume

of contrition, the perfume of devotion, and that of piety. The first is pungent, and causes pain ; the second is soothing, and relieves pain ; the third is curative, and removes disease. Now we will speak of these separately. 5. There is, then, a perfume or unguent which the soul — that is, if it be ensnared and entangled with many crimes — compounds for itself, if, when it begins to reflect upon its ways, it collects, heaps together, and pounds in the mortar of conscience its sins of many different kinds, and, putting them into the caldron, as it were, of a heart that heaves and boils [with distress], cooks them together over a kind of fire of grief and repentance, so that the man may be able to say, with the Psalmist : My heart was hot within me : while I was musing the fire burned (Ps. xxxix. 3). Here, then, is one unguent which the sinful soul ought to prepare for itself at the commencement of its conversion, and to apply to its still fresh wounds ; for the first sacrifice to be made to God is a troubled and contrite heart (Ps. li. 17). Although the sinner is poor and needy, and therefore unable to compound for himself an unguent better and more valuable,

yet let him not neglect to prepare this, though of poor materials and of no value, for a broken and contrite heart God will not despise (ibid.) ; and it shall appear so much the less vile in the sight of God, as by remembrance of his sins it becomes the more so to the sinner himself. 6. Yet if we say that this invisible and spiritual unguent was designated in type by that visible ointment wherewith the Feet of God manifest in the Flesh were anointed by the woman who was a sinner, we shall not be able to regard it as being altogether worthless.

For what do we read of it in the Scripture ? That the house was filled with the odour of the ointment (John xii. 3). It was poured by the hands of a sinful woman,1 and poured upon the extremities of the body — that is, upon the feet ; yet it was not so vile and so conAssumption, ' the woman who was a sinner,' mentioned in Luke vii. 37, is confounded with Mary, sister of Lazarus and of Martha, who poured precious ointment upon the feet of the Lord Jesus in the village of Bethany (John xii. 3), on which occasion, it is said, 'the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.9 But most ancient writers before Gregory the Great, and not a few since, distinguish, with exceedingly cogent arguments, between one of these persons and the other, and both from Mary Magdalene, out of whom Christ had cast seven devils (Mark xvi. 9) ; who, according to Luke (viii. 2, 3), followed Christ with other holy women, even (as it seems) before the conversion of her who was a sinner. Compare Sermon XII. , n. 6.

Digitized by Google 5* temptible that the power and the sweetness of its perfume could not fill the whole house. And if we consider with what fragrance the Church is perfumed by the conversion of one sinner, and how powerful an odour of life unto life each penitent becomes if his repentance is perfect and public, we shall be able to pronounce, without the least doubt, that the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Assuredly the odour of penitence extends even as far as the mansions of the blessed in heaven, so that, as the Truth Himself declares, there is joy among the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth (Luke xv. ro). Rejoice, O penitents ; be strengthened, ye that are weak of heart. To you I speak who are but lately converted from the world and from your evil ways, who are feeling the bitterness and confusion of a mind touched with repentance, and in whom the excessive pain of wounds, as it were, yet recent, still throbs and torments.

Your hands may with safety drop the bitterness of myrrh into this salutary ointment, for a broken and contrite heart God will not despise. Nor is such an ointment as this to be despised or counted vile, of which the odour not only draws men to conversion, but moves the Angels to joy. 7. Yet there is a perfume as much more precious than this, as the materials of which it is composed are of more excellent kinds. For the materials of the former do not require to be sought from far ; we find them without difficulty within ourselves, and in our own little garden-plots gather them easily in great plenty, as often as necessity requires. For who is there who [does not know himself to] have sins and iniquities of his own, enough and too many, always at his hand, unless he desires to deceive himself upon this point ? But these are, as you recognise, the materials of the former ointment, which I have described. But as for the sweet spices which compose the second, our earth does not produce them at all ; we must seek them in a land very far off. For is not every good gift, and every perfect gift from above, and does it not come down from the Father of Lights ? (James i. 17). For this perfume is compounded of the benefits which Divine goodness has bestowed upon the human race. Happy is he who with care and pains collects them for himself, and sets them before the eyes of his mind with acts of thanksgiving proportioned to their greatness. Assuredly when these shall have been bruised and pounded in the mortar of our breast, with the pestle of frequent meditation, then boiled together on the fire of holy desire, and finally enriched with the oil of joy, there will be as the result a perfume far more precious and more excellent than the former.

Sufficient as proof of this is the testimony of Him who says : Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me (Ps. 1. 23). Nor can we doubt that the remembrance of benefits is an incitement to praise of our benefactor. 8. Furthermore, while Scripture, when speaking of the former, testifies only that it is not despised by God (Ps. 11 17), of this latter it is plain that it is the more commended, in that it is said to glorify God. Besides, the former is poured upon the Lord's Feet; the latter Digitized by Google 53 upon His Head. For if in Christ the Head is to be referred to His Divinity, as St. Paul declares the Head of Christ is God (i Cor. xi. 3), then, without doubt, he anoints the Head, who renders thanks ; for this is addressed (tangit) to God, not to man. Not that He who is God is not Man also, for God and.

Man is one Christ, but because every good gift, even that which is ministered through man, comes from God, not from man. For it is the Spirit which quickeneth ; the flesh profiteth nothing (John vi. 63). And we know that Cursed is the man that trusteth in man (Jer. xvii. 5) ; although all our hope rests rightly upon Him who is the God-Man, yet this is not because He is Man, but because He is God. Therefore, the former perfume is poured upon His Feet; but this upon His Head, because the humiliation of a contrite heart is befitting to the humility of the flesh, but praise and glory to the [Divine] Majesty. See, then, of what a nature is this perfume which I have been describing to you, with which that Head, so august even to the Principalities and Powers of Heaven, does not disdain to be touched ; nay, rather regards it as an honour to Him, as He Himself declares : Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me (Ps. L 23). 9. Wherefore it does not belong to him who is poor and needy and of small courage to compound such a perfume as this, inasmuch as it is confidence alone which commands the sweet spices which are its materials, but a confidence which is born of freedom of spirit and purity of heart. For the soul which is of small courage and of little faith is hampered by the consciousness of the little which it possesses; its poverty does not permit it to occupy itself in the praises of God, or in the contemplation of those benefits which produce the praises.

And if ever it has the wish to rise to that point, immediately it is recalled to the consciousness of its cares and uneasiness about its necessities at home, and is straitened in itself by the miseries which press it hard. If you ask of me the cause of that misery, I reply that you are, or have been, conscious in your own selves (if I do not mistake) of that which I refer to. It seems to me that this depression of mind and want of joyful trust usually comes from one of two causes. Either, that is to say, it is from newness of conversion, or, especially if the conversion is not recent, from lukewarmness of conduct. Both the one and the other cause humiliates and casts down the conscience, and throws it into trouble and inquietude, since it feels that its former passions are not yet dead in it, either because of the shortness of the time since its conversion, or because of the feebleness and want of zeal in its efforts, and thus it is obliged to occupy itself entirely with rooting up from the garden of the heart the thorns of iniquity and briers of evil desires, nor is it able to divert any thoughts from itself. What then ? how can one, who is wearily occupied in sighing and groaning [over such a task as this], at the same time rejoice in the praises of God ? How can thanksgiving and the twice of melody », to borrow the phrase of the prophet Isaiah (li. 3), sound forth from the mouth of one that is groaning and lamenting ?

Digitized by 54 For, as the Wise Man teaches us, Music in mourning is a tale out of season (Ecclus. xxiL 6, Vulg.). And the giving of thanks follows the benefit, not precedes it. But the soul that is still in sadness needs to receive the benefit, and does not rejoice in having obtained it. It has a great reason to offer its prayers, but not to offer its thanksgiving.

How is it to acknowledge a blessing which it has not, in fact, received ? It was correct, therefore, for me to say that it was not the privilege of a soul that is poor and needy and of small courage to compound this precious perfume, which requires to be composed of remembered benefits of God ; nor is such a one able to behold the light, as long as its gaze is fixed upon the darkness. For it is in bitterness — the sorrowful remembrance of past sins occupies it ; nor can it admit any thought of joy. It is to such that the prophetic spirit bears testimony, saying : // is vain for you to rise up early (Ps. cxxvii. 2) ; as if he would remind them : It is in vain for you to rise up that you may behold bounties to be a delight to your soul, unless you have first received the light which shall comfort it with regard to the stains of sin which trouble it. This perfume, therefore, is not for the soul which is still in a state of spiritual poverty. 10. But see who they are who may rightly take the glory of having it in abundance. The Apostles departed from the presence of the council^ rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of Jesus (Acts v. 41). Assuredly those men were well filled with that unction of the Spirit, whose cheerfulness did not abandon them, I do not say, because of words, but not even because of blows.

They were indeed rich in charity, in whom it was exhausted by no spending, and who were enabled to offer themselves as a complete and worthy burnt sacrifice to God. Their hearts poured forth everywhere that holy unction, with which they had been imbued in plenitude, when they spake in various tongues the wonderful works of God as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts ii. 4, 11). Nor can it be doubted that they abounded in the same perfumes of whom the Apostle thus speaks : I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ : that in everything ye are enriched by Himy in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that ye come behind in no gift (1 Cor. i. 4-7). Would that I too might be able to render the same thanksgivings on your account, and to see you rich in virtue, ready and prompt to praise God, and superabounding in this spiritual fatness in Jesus Christ our Lord. Digitized by Google 55

OF TWO PRINCIPAL FACTS IN THE REDEMPTION OF THE HUMAN RACE; THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS ACCOMPLISHED, AND THE I SAID at the end of the last sermon, and I willingly repeat it now, that I desire to see you all become sharers in that sacred unction, by which a holy devotion acknowledges the benefits of God with joy and thanksgiving. For this is extremely beneficial, inasmuch as it lightens the troubles of this present life, which become more supportable when we rejoice in the praises of God, and also because nothing represents so perfectly on earth the state of the blessed in heaven as the gladness of those who are occupied in praising God ; as the Scripture declares : Blessed are they that dwell in Ihy House : they will for ever be praising Thee (Ps. lxxxiv. 5). I think it was this perfume that the Psalmist had particularly in view when he said : Behold^ how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to divell together in unity ; it is like precious ointment upon the head (Ps. cxxxiii. 1, 2). This does not seem to be a description of the former kind. For though that be good, it is far from being pleasant, because the remembrance of sins causes bitterness, not pleasure.

Nor do those who are compounding it dwell together, since each is occupied in separately lamenting his own sins. But as for those who are wholly occupied in praising God, they regard God only, and think but of Him ; and on this account, it is truly said that they dwell together in unity. Again, that which they are engaged in doing is not only good because they are ascribing glory to Him to whom it most justly belongs, but also pleasant, because they take delight in doing it. 2. On this account I counsel you, my friends, to turn yourselves away sometimes from the anxious and painful retracing of your past erring lives, and to pursue paths which are easier and afford more pleasant thoughts in the recalling of God's benefits, so that by fixing your thoughts and your eyes upon Him, you may obtain some relief from the shame and confusion of face which are caused by thinking of yourself. I would that you should make trial of the advice which the holy Psalmist gives when he says : Delight thou in the Lord, and He shall give thee thy hearfs desire (Ps. xxxvii. 4). Sorrow for sin is indeed necessary, but it ought not to be continual ; and there should be mingled with it the more

joyful remembrance of the Divine goodness, lest the heart should be burdened because of the sorrow it feels, and despair should bring about the actual loss of it. With wormwood let us mix honey, so that the draught thus tempered with moderate sweetness may be able to be drunk, and that its bitter may be salutary. Listen how God Himself tempers the bitterness of a Digitized by Google 56 contrite heart, so as to draw back from the abyss of desperation him who is in fear and discouragement ; to console the sorrowful by the honey of a sweet and faithful promise ; to raise up him who is of little faith. He says by the prophet : With my praise will I restrain thee as with a bridle, that thou perish not (Is. xlviii. 9, Vulg.); that is to say, ' For fear lest the sight of your sins should cast you into excessive sorrow, and that, carried away by despair, like a horse without rein, you should fall down a precipice and perish, I will rein you back (He says) by the bridle, as it were, of My mercy ; I will raise you up by My praises ; you shall breathe again at the sight of My benefits, instead of being confounded at the sense of your

own demerits ; and the more blamable you find yourself to be, the more shall you find Me kind and forgiving.' If Cain had been restrained by this bridle, he would not have said : My iniquity is too great to obtain pardon (Gen. iv. 13, Vulg.). God forbid ! God forbid ! For His goodness is greater than any iniquity whatsoever. That is why the just man is not his own accuser always, but only in the beginning of his discourse,1 for his custom was to close his discourse with praises of God. Notice in what order a just man proceeds : / thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto Thy testimonies (Ps. cxix. 59) ; so that after having endured contrition and unhappiness in his own ways, he takes delight in the way of the testimonies of God, as in all manner of riches. Do you also, after the example of the righteous, if you have feelings of humility about yourselves, be assured also of the goodness of the Lord. For so you read in the words of the Wise Man : Think of the Lord in goodness, and in simplicity of heart seek Him (Wisd i. 1). The frequent, or, I should say, the continual, remembrance of the Divine liberality will easily bring the mind

to a firm belief in this. Otherwise, how can that precept of the Apostle be carried out, In everything give thanks (1 Thess. v. 18), if those benefits for which thanks are owed are suffered to fade from the heart ? I would not that you should be open to that opprobrium which was deserved by the Jews, of whom Scripture testifies that they were not mindful of His benefits, nor of the wonderful works that He had showed them (Ps. lxxviii. n). 3. But as it is impossible for any man to recount and enumerate all the blessings which our merciful and compassionate Lord does not cease to pour upon the children of men (for who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord, or who can show forth all His praise? (Ps. cvi. 2), at least that which is the chief and the greatest of His benefits, I mean the work of our redemption, ought never to depart for a moment from the memory of those whom He has redeemed. And in this accusator sui* but either a translation {'Justus aecusator est sui in principio sermonis ') of the LXX. text of the passage, Auccuog iavrov Karrjyopoc Iv irputroXoytQ, which would be an unusual thing with him ; or, more probably, from his recollection of the reading made

use of by one of the Fathers, perhaps St. Ambrose (' De Offic Ministror.,' Bk. i. , c 25), 4 Justus in exordio sermonis accusator est sui '; or St. Cyril (Bk. ii., in Joan, c 14). — Ed.

Digitized by Google work there are two principal things which occur to my mind at this time, which I will commend to your meditation and study. This I will do in as few words as possible, being mindful of that saying : Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser (Pro v. ix. 9).

These two things are : the manner in which it was accomplished, and the benefits which we derive from it. As for the manner, it was the self-emptying (exinanitio) of God ; as for the benefit derived by us, it is that we should be filled with Him. Meditation upon the former great mystery is the seed-ground of holy hope ; upon the latter, the incentive to the most exalted and ardent love. Both the one and the other are necessary to our spiritual progress ; to ensure, on the one hand, that our hope be not unaccompanied by love, and therefore mercenary ; and, on the other, that our love be not lukewarm, and so become unfruitful. 4. The fruit and final reward of our love which we await, shall be such as He, whom we love, has promised : Good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, they shall give into your bosom (Luke vi. 38). That measure, as I hear, shall be without measure. But that which I long to know is what that is which shall be bestowed without measure, or rather, that eternal blessedness (immensilas) which is promised to us. But eye hath not seen, O Lord, except Thee, what Thou hast prepared for them that love Thee (Is. lxiv. 4, and 1

Cor. ii. 9). O tell us what good things Thou dost prepare, O Thou who art preparing them ! We believe, we hope in absolute confidence, as Thou hast in fact promised, that we shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy House (Ps. lxv. 4). But with what good things, I pray, and of what nature ? Shall it be with corn and wine and oil that we shall be satisfied, or, perchance, with gold and silver and precious gems? But these things we have known and seen; we have seen and have even contemned. That which we seek, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath the heart of any man risen to imagine it. This, of whatsoever nature it be, is what we choose and we desire ; and this it delights us still to seek. They shall all be taught of God, He saith (John vi. 45), and God shall be all in all (1. Cor. xv. 28). As I apprehend it, then, the fulness [of blessedness] which we await from God shall be derived from no other than God Himself. 5. But who can comprehend how great a variety of blessedness and sweetness is comprehended in this brief saying, God shall be all in all ? Not to speak of the body, there are

in the soul three faculties— the reason, the will, and the memory — and these three are, in fact, the soul itself. Everyone who walks in the Spirit feels how greatly each of these faculties is wanting in him during this present life. Wherefore is this the case, except that God is not yet all in all ?

Hence it is that the reason very often errs in its judgments, the will is agitated by manifold (quadruplici) troubles and passions, and the memory is confused by the multitude of things which it has let slip. To this threefold power of vanity a creature so noble is subjected, Digitized by Google 5» though against its will, yet it hopes one day to be delivered. For He who satisfieth with good things the longing desire of the soul, shall Himself be to the reason fulness of Light, to the will the completeness (multitude*) of peace, to the memory an eternal continuity. O Truth, O Charity, O Eternity ! O Trinity, blessed and blessing !

To Thee the trinity of my unhappy being aspires in its unhappiness, caused by its grievous separation from Thee. In how many errors, sorrows and fears, has not that separation involved it ? Woe is me ! what a trinity have I accepted in exchange for Thee ! My heart panteth, and thence my pain ; my strength faileth me, and thence my fear; the light of my eyes is also gone from me (Ps. xxxviii. n), and therefore my error and wandering. O trinity of my soul, how different a trinity hast thou found in the place of exile [from the Trinity of my God]. 6. Yet, why art thou cast down, O my soul ? and why art thou disquieted in me ? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise Him (Ps. xlii. 5) when error shall have passed away from my reason, the pain of wavering from my will, and every kind of fear from my memory ; and to those troubles a marvellous peace, a perfect blessedness, an eternal security, shall have succeeded. God as Truth shall perform the first : God as Charity, the second ; and God as Supreme Power, the third: and thus God shall be all in all, the reason receiving a light which shall never be extinguished, the will

obtaining a state of peace which cannot be disturbed, and the memory eternally inhering in the unfailing Source of being and of fact. You will consider whether you should not rightly assign the first of these to the Son, the second to the Holy Ghost, the third to the Father ; yet so as not to withdraw either of these from either the Father, or the Son, or the Holy Ghost, lest with regard to either of the Divine Persons, either distinction should lessen the Plenitude, or Perfection take away from that which in each is Proper and Particular. Consider also that there is a similar threefold division in that which the children of this world make their own — namely, the allurements of the flesh, the vain shows of the world, and the pomps of the devil ; and, nevertheless, it is by all this that the present world seduces those unhappy ones who are lovers of it, as St. John declares : All that is in the zvorld, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John ii. 16). So much with regard to the benefits of redemption. 7. As for the manner of redemption which I defined, if you remember, to be the self-emptying of God, there are

three chief points which I propose for your consideration. For this is not a simple inanition, or one which is only limited or partial; but the Lord emptied Himself so far as to assume flesh, to undergo death, to endure the Cross (Phil. ii. 7, 8). Who can possibly be able to form a just idea of the greatness of the humility, of the condescension, of the goodness, shown by the Lord of Glory in clothing Himself with Flesh, in suffering death, in bearing the ignominy of the Cross?

Digitized by Google 59 Someone will perhaps say : ' Could not the Creator repair His work without such difficulty ?' He could have done so, but He preferred to do it by the way of suffering, so that man might thenceforth find no ground for that worst and most odious vice of ingratitude. Unquestionably He endured many labours and pains that He might render man the debtor for much love, and that the difficulty of Redemption might carry gratitude to a much greater height in those whom the comparative ease of their Creation1 had so little inspired.

For what did man, created and ungrateful, say in his own behalf? ' I was of free grace brought into existence, but my Creator had no difficulty or labour in forming me ; for He spake, and I was made, as were all other works of His Hands. What great gift is it that you have bestowed at no greater cost than a word spoken ?' Thus did human impiety depreciate the benefit of creation, and draw a reason for ingratitude from that which ought to have been a ground for love, and for excuses, which themselves needed excuse, on behalf of human sins. But the mouth of those who spoke those evil words has now been stopped. It appears more clearly than light at what vast cost [God] has accomplished thy salvation, O man; for He has not disdained from being Lord to become a servant, from being rich to become poor, from being Son of God to become the Son of Man.

Remember, then, that though thou wert created out of nothing, thou wert not redeemed for nothing. It was in six days that He created all things, and thee among the rest. But it occupied more than thirty years of life upon the earth to accomplish thy salvation. How great were [thy Saviour's] exertions, and how great His sufferings !

Did He not endure the wants and infirmities of the flesh, the temptations of the devil, and the ignominy of the Cross ; and was there not heaped upon them all the horror of His Death ? And all these were necessarily endured. Thus it was, thus, that Thou, O Lord, hast saved men and beasts ; how excellent is Thy loving kindness, O God ! (Ps. xxxvi. 6, 7). 8. Meditate upon these things, revolve them continually in your minds. With such precious perfumes steep your hearts, that you may dissipate the evil odour of your sins which has long troubled them, and that you may abound in their odours, as salutary as they are sweet Yet do not suppose that you possess the best of those which are upon the bosom of the Bride. The want of time, and the necessity of bringing this sermon to a close, forbids my beginning to speak of these now. What has been said of the others, retain in your memory, approve your possession of them by your life; and finally, assist me by your prayers, that I may be enabled to speak worthily worthy words concerning these joys of the Bride which are so great ; and may build up your souls in the love of the Bridegroom, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. used in the sense of founding or bringing into existence. But see the next sentence. — Ed. Digitized by Google m 6o

OF THE PERFUME OF PIETY, WHICH IS THE MOST EXCELLENT OF ALL ; AND OF THE RESPECT WHICH THOSE UNDER AUTHORITY I REMEMBER that I spoke to you of two perfumes : the one, of penitence, which comprehends many sins; the other, of devotion, which contains many benefits — both of them salutary, but not both agreeable. The first has a stinging power which makes itself felt, because the bitter remembrance of sins moves the soul to compunction, and causes pain, whereas the power of the other is soothing; it gives consolation and relieves spiritual distress by bringing into view the goodness of God. But there is a perfume which far excels both of these ; I have called it the perfume of piety, because it is that which results from the necessities of the poor, the cares of the oppressed, the disquiets of the sorrowful, the faults of sinners, and finally, from all the misfortunes of those who are unhappy, even though they be our enemies. Those materials seem to be despicable, but the perfume which is distilled from them surpasses all other sweet odours. It is a perfume which cures, because blessed are the merciful^ for they shall obtain mercy (Matt. v. 7).

Many miseries, therefore, collected together, and regarded with an eye of compassionate goodness, are the materials from which is composed the best of all perfumes, worthy of the bosom of the Bride, and agreeable to the senses of the Bridegroom. Happy is the soul which has had the care to anoint and to enrich itself with these perfumes, pouring upon them the oil of mercy, and heating them with the fire of charity. Who, think you, is that happy man who has pity and lendeth (Ps. cxii. 5), but he that is wont to compassionate others, who is quick to help them, judging it better to give than to receive ; to whom it is easy to forgive, hard to be angry, a'nd almost impossible to take revenge ; and who in all things regards the interests of his neighbours even as his own ? O happy soul, whosoever thou art, who art of such a disposition, so imbued with the dew of mercy, so endued with charitable affections, so rendering thyself all things to all men, so regarding thyself as but a broken vessel, that thou mayest be at the service of others, and assist them in their need, whensoever and wheresoever it may be ; and who, finally, art dead to thyself, that thou mayst live to the

benefit of all O happy soul, thou plainly possessest this third and best of perfumes, and from thy hands have dropped all its sweetness. In the worst of times it shall not dry up, nor shall the fire of persecution exhaust it ; God shall be ever mindful of every sacrifice thou hast made, and shall render perfect thy burnt-offering. 2. There are men in the city of the Lord who are rich in virtues ; are there any among them who possess this perfume ? The first who Digitized by Google 6l occurs to me, and who is met everywhere in the way of goodness, is Paul — that vessel of election, yea, in truth a vessel of odour and sweetness, filled with every kind of fragrant powder. For he was to God a sweet savour of Christ in every place (2 Cor. ii. 14). Assuredly that generous heart, which took so great care of all the Churches, scattered far and wide fragrance of surpassing sweetness. See of what nature those were which he has amassed for himself. / die daily, he says, through your glory (1 Cor. xv. 31, Vulg.); and again, Who is weak, and I am twtweak ? who is offended, and I burn not f (2 Cor. xi. 29). And in many such passages, which

are well known to you, that good man shows how he abounded in preparing these precious perfumes. It was fitly thus, that the bosom which nourished the members of Christ should be redolent of the rarest and most precious perfumes, for Paul was assuredly a mother to them, travailing in birth as it were, once and again, until Christ were formed in them (Gal. iv. 19), and the members reformed in the likeness of their Head. 3. Let me tell you also of another, who was rich in this respect, who possessed materials carefully chosen for the compounding of precious balms. What does he himself say ? The stranger did not lodge in the street, but I opened my doors to the traveller (Job. xxxi. 32). And again : I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.

I was a father to the poor. . . . I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth (xxix. 15-17). If I have withheld t/ie poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail ; Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof ; If I have seen any perish1 for want of clothing ; If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep (xxxi. 16-20). With what a sweet odour must that good man have blessed the earth by these works of charity ! Each of such actions is a separate perfume, and with these he had stored his conscience, so as to counteract the exhalations of his noisome flesh by the sweet odour exhaled from his soul. 4. Joseph, after he had drawn in his train the whole of Egypt through the sweet odour yielded by his good deeds, afforded the same fragrance even to those who had sold him into slavery. He did, indeed, reproach them with an angry countenance ; but his tears burst forth from the fulness of his heart ; nor were they signs of his wrath, but betrayed the strength of his emotion (Gen. xliii. 30, and xlv. 2). Samuel mourned for Saul, who sought to kill him (1 Sam. xv. 35, and xvl 2), and the unction of his kindliness coming from within him, and warmed in his breast by the fire of charity, found issue by his eyes. And it was because of the sweet odour which his reputation spread throughout all the land that the Scripture says of him, All Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord (1 Sam. iii. 20). What version), * I despised the passer-by/ and varies from the Vulgate, which is rare with him, especially in a passage of some length.— Ed.

Digitized by Google 62 shall I say of Moses ? With what rich perfume had he too filled his heart ! That rebellious house, in the midst of which he was for a time occupied, was never able, with all its murmurs, or its angry passions, to make him lose that unction of spirit with which he had once been imbued, or to hinder his retaining his gentleness of temper among their constant strifes and daily quarrels. Well deserved, therefore, was the witness which the Holy Spirit bore to him, that ' he was the meekest of all men who were upon the face of the earth ' (Num. xii. 3, Vulg.). Even with those who hated peace, he was peacefully disposed, insomuch that he not only did not indulge anger against an ungrateful and rebellious people, but even interceded for them, so that the Divine anger was softened at his mediation ; ns it is written, He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen stood before Him in the gap, to turn away His wrath, lest He should destroy them (Ps. cvi. 23). And lastly, he said : Forgive, if Thou wilt, their sin : but if not, blot me out of the book which Thou hast written (Exod. xxxii. 32). A man truly filled

with the unction of mercy ! He obviously speaks with the feeling of a father, whom no happiness can delight apart from his children. It is as if a rich man should say to some poor woman who is a mother, ' Enter, and dine with me, but leave without the infant you carry in your arms, for fear that it should cry, and be a trouble to us/ What would that mother answer, do you suppose ? Would she not rather choose to remain without food, than to dine with the rich man alone, after having abandoned her dear pledge of affection? So also Moses did not choose to be admitted alone, even into the joy of his Lord, while his people remained without; for although they were restless and ungrateful, he retained for them the affection, as he held the place, of a mother. The bowels of his affection suffer, but he prefers to bear the suffering that they cause, rather than they should be torn from him. 5. What again can be a proof of greater kindness of heart than the lament of David over the death of that man, who had always thirsted for his death (2 Sam. i. n), and that he bore with so much regret the death of him, whom he succeeded in

the kingdom ? How hard it was to console him for the death of a son, even though he was [in intention] a parricide ! (2 Sam. xix. 4). Assuredly a kindliness of heart so great was an infallible mark of an abundant measure of this best of perfumes ; therefore, also, he addressed with confidence his prayer to God : Lord remember David and all his kindness of heart (Ps. cxxxii. 1, Vulg.). All these holy persons had then this best of perfumes, of which the fragrant odours are spread through all the Churches even at the present day. And not only they, but all those also who, during this life, have shown themselves benevolent and charitable, who have striven so to live humanely among men as not to keep for their own advantage, but to use for the common benefit of all, every grace which they possessed, regarding themselves as debtors, alike to enemies and to friends, to the wise and to the Digitized by Google 63 unwise. As they were useful to all, humble in all circumstances, and before all things showed themselves to be dear to God and to men ; so their fragrance is held in pious memory. As many, I repeat, of those who have gone before, who have been in character such as

this, were of good report as of sweet perfume in their own days, and their sweetness remains at the present time. Thus also with you, my brother, whosoever you are, if you shall willingly share with us, who are your companions, the gift which you have received from on high ; if you show yourself always helpful, sympathetic, kindly, tractable, humble, you, too, will have from all of us a similar testimony that you are fragrant with the richest perfumes. Everyone among you who not only patiently bears with the infirmities, whether of body or of mind, of his brethren, but also if it is permitted him, and if he has the ability to do it, to assist them by his services, to strengthen them by his exhortations, to train them by his wise counsels ; and if discipline does not permit him to do this, at least he does not cease to assist them in their weakness by his earnest prayers ; everyone, I say, who among you acts in this manner, exercises a precious influence among his brethren, sprinkles over them, so to speak, the costliest perfumes. Like sweet balm in the mouth, is such a brother as this in a community ; he is pointed out with the finger as a wonder, and all say of him

: This is a lover of the brethren, who prayeth much for the people, and for the Holy City.1 6. But let us now turn to the Gospel, and look if there be anything in it having reference to these perfumes. [And we so find that] Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, had bought sweet spices that they might come and anoint Jesus (Mark xvi. 1). Now, what were these perfumes so precious that they were purchased and brought to anoint the Body of Christ, so abundant also that they suffice to anoint it completely ? For neither of the two former was either purchased2 or made for the service of the Lord, nor do we read that they were poured over His whole body. But suddenly a woman is brought before us, who kissed His feet ; and in another place, either she, or another, having an alabaster box of ointment, brake it, and poured the ointment upon His Head (Luke vii. 38 ; John xii. 3 ; Mark xiv. 3). But in the instance we are considering, it is said, They bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Jesus. They bought, not ointments, but sweet spices ; the ointment for embalming is not taken ready-made, it is newly compounded ; and that to anoint,

not a part only of the Lord's Body, as His Head, or His Feet, but in the phrase used by Scripture, 4 to anoint Jesus? that is to say, His entire Body. 7. Do you also [who hear me, whosoever you may be], who art putting on bowels of mercies, show yourself liberal and kindly, not to your relatives or connexions only, or to those who you think have helped you in the past, or, as you hope, may help you in the future ; for this even the Gentiles do (Matt v. 46, 47) ; but, according to * Many MSS. omit purchased.

Digitized by Google 64 St. Paul's precept, study to do good, unto all men (Gal. vi. 10). So your constant principle should be that for the sake of God, the offices of humanity, whether corporal or spiritual, are not to be denied even to an enemy ; and if you act upon this rule, you will abound in these most precious perfumes, and will have undertaken to anoint, not the Lord's Head or Feet only, but (as far as in you lies) His whole Body, that is, the Church. And perhaps it was for this very reason that the Lord Jesus would not have the sweet spices which had been prepared expended upon His Body dead, in order that they might be reserved for His Body living ; for the Church is living, and subsists upon the Living Bread, which came down from heaven. It is that Body of Christ which is the more dear to Him, because it did not taste of death ; whereas the other, as no Christian is ignorant, He gave over unto death. It is this that He wishes to be cherished, to be anointed, and that its weak members should be restored to health by careful and salutary treatment. For this His Body, then, it was that He reserved those sweet spices, when anticipating

the hour, and hastening His glory, He instructed, rather than avoided, the devotion of the holy women. He declined to be^ anointed, not as despising the ointment, but as sparing it; not as" refusing that pious service, but as reserving the usefulness of it to a later time. I say 1 the usefulness/ not as referring to the material ointment, but evidently to the spiritual, which was designated or typified by it. In those sweet spices, therefore, the Master of piety reserved for use those choicest perfumes of piety, which He earnestly desired should be employed for the needs of His members, whether those needs be bodily or spiritual. When, only a little while before, a sweet perfume, and costly, was poured upon His Head, or even upon His I eet, did He forbid it ? Not at all, but, on the contrary, reproved those who did so. To Simon, who was indignant that He should permit Himself to be touched by a woman who was a sinner, He addressed a long parable of reproof; and to others, who complained of the pecuniary loss sustained by the expending of the perfume, He said : Why trouble ye the woman! (Matt. xxvi. 10). 8. If I may make here a little digression, it has sometimes happened to me when, for my

own good, I was sitting at the Feet of Jesus in great affliction, and offering to Him the sacrifice of a spirit troubled and afflicted at the remembrance of my sins ; and I might, as in rare instances has been the case, stand up and rejoice in the remembrance of His mercies, I, too, have heard those that said : To what purpose is this waste? That is, they complained that I was spending life to my own profit alone, while, as they thought, I might make myself useful to many. And they, too, said : This might be sold for much, and given to the poor. But it would not be a profitable transaction for me, even though I should gain the whole world, to lose my own self and work my own destmction. And therefore I regarded such scoffs as realizing what Scripture says of dead flies, which corrupt the sweetness of perfumes (Eccles. x. i); and I be65 thought myself of that utterance of Divine wisdom : My people, they which lead thee cause thee to err (Is. iii. 12). But let those who accuse me, as if I were slothful, listen to the Lord replying for me, and making my excuse : Why trouble ye the woman ? That is to say, you see only

the surface of things, and judge according to what you see. This is not a man, as you suppose, who is able to set his hand to heavy tasks, but [one who is in his weakness] a woman. Why do you attempt to lay upon him a yoke which I perceive that he is not able to bear? He hath done a good work upon Me. Let him remain in that which is good, as long as he has not strength to go on to that which is better. If ever, by progress in the spiritual life, from a woman he shall have become a man, and a perfect man, then he may take upon him the task of performing the work of perfection. 9. Brethren, let us revere Bishops, but let us have a dread of the labours in which it is the duty of their charge to engage. If we consider those labours, we shall not be desirous of the honours [which belong to them]. Let us recognise that our powers are unequal to these, and that the weak and delicate shoulders of women can have no call to support burdens which task men ; we ought to honour, but not to seek to obtain them. Now, there would be a want of good manners in criticising the

actions of those, the burden of whose labours we shun. What rashness is it of the woman who spins in the house to reproach her husband when returning from the field of battle ! I say, then, that if one who dwells in the cloister remarks that [a prelate], whose daily duty lies among the people, conducts himself with less discretion and self-restraint than he should, for example, in speech, in his food, in length of slumber, in freedom of laughter, in indulging anger, or allowing himself liberty of judgment, let him not jump immediately to a conclusion, and that unfavourable, but let him remember that it is written : Better is the iniquity of a man than a woman who doeth good (Ecclus. xliv. 14), for you indeed do well in guarding yourself with vigilance ; but he who is of assistance to many does even better,, and leads a more manly life. If such an one does not succeed in fulfilling this function without the commission of some faults, that is, without some want of uniform observance of rule in life and conversation, we must remember that charity covereth a multitude of sins (1 Pet. iv. 8). These warnings are given against a twofold temptation, by which men in religion are frequently assailed, that either they should be

induced to seek for themselves by ambition the dignity of the Episcopate, or, by the instigation of the devil, rashly to condemn the actions of Bishops. 10. But let us return to the perfumes of the Bride. Do you not see how vastly to be preferred to the others is that perfume of piety which alone must not, under any circumstances, be lost? So highly is it valued, indeed, that not even the gift of a cup of cold water is suffered to go unrewarded (Matt. x. 42). Nevertheless, that of contrition and penitence, which is composed of the remembrance of past sins, and is cast at the Lord's Feet, is good also ; for a broken and 5 Digitized by Google 66 contrite heart God will not despise (Ps. li. 17). But I judge that which is called of devotion, and made of the remembrance of the benefits of God, to be far better, inasmuch as it is thought worthy of being used for the Head, and that God speaks of it thus : Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me (Ps. 1. 23). But the unction of piety and charity, which comes from a regard to those who are miserable, and is diffused over the whole of the Body of Christ, vastly surpasses both the one and the other ;

and when I say the Body of Christ, 1 mean not that which was crucified in His Passion, but that which was obtained by the suffering of the former. That perfume is, in truth, the best, of which He who says : / will have mercy and not sacrifice (Matt. ix. 13) — declares that He does not regard others in comparison with it. I think, then, that, among all the virtues, the bosom of the Bride exhales most of all the perfume of that, since she strives in all things to conform herself to the will of her Spouse. Was it not that odour of mercy which Tabitha exhaled even in death ? And if she was raised speedily to life again, it was because that odour of life in her overcame the odour of death. 11. Let me give you now, in conclusion, a brief abstract of the whole subject : Whosoever in words is full of fervour and stimulating strength (inebriat\ and by benefits done to others gains a name of which the good report is fragrant, may claim the words : Thy breasts are better than wine^ and their fragrance than the choicest perfumes.

But who is it whom these words truly describe ? Who is there among us who possesses fully and perfectly even one of these two qualities in such a manner that he is not sometimes either unfruitful in his teaching or without earnestness in his actions ? But there is one who, with good right and without hesitation, may be praised as possessing both. It is the Church which, though the number of her children be so great, is never wanting in teaching to arouse and to stimulate them, or in good deeds of which the fragrance excites their admiration ; for that which is wanting in one, she finds in another [of her children], according to the measure of the gift of Christ, and of the good pleasure of the Holy Ghost dividing unto everyone severally as He will (Eph. iv. 7, and 1 Cor. xii. 11). The Church gives forth a fragrant odour of good report in those her children who make to themselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness ; and she gives forth teaching to arouse and to stimulate, in the ministers of the Word, who pour forth upon the earth the wine of spiritual joy, which, so to speak, inebriates it, and who bring forth fruit in patience. With safety and confidence she names herself Spouse, since her breasts are truly better than wine, and their fragrance than the choicest perfumes.

And though none of us would presume so far as to venture to say that his soul was the Spouse of the Lord, yet, since we are members of the Church which justly glories in that name, and in the fact which the name signifies, we may claim, not unjustly, a participation in that glory ; for that which the whole body of us possess, fully and entirely, each of us, as individuals, must surely have our part in. Thanks be Digitized by Google PRAISE AND GLORY IS ALWAYS TO BE RENDERED UNTO GOD 67 to Thee, O Lord Jesus, for that Thou hast deigned to join us to Thy Church, which is to Thee so dear, that we might be not only of the number of Thy faithful, but also [that our souls] might be united to Thee, as Spouse, in embraces blissful chaste, and eternal, when, with face unveiled, we shall behold Thy glory — the glory which Thou hast, equally and in common with the Father and the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen. THAT PRAISE AND GLORY IS ALWAYS TO BE RENDERED UNTO GOD, HE sea is the source of fountains and rivers ; the Lord Jesus I Christ is the source of every kind of virtue and knowledge.

For who but He who is the King of glory is the Lord of every virtue? So He, too, according to the song of Hannah (i Sam. ii. 3), is a God of knowledge. Continence in the body, diligence of heart, rectitude of will, flow from that Divine source. Nor is this all ; for if anyone is of skilled and able intellect, or of striking and powerful speech, or of winning and saintly character, it is from hence that this ability comes. Whatever discourse is wise and full of knowledge has its origin from Him, for in Him are hia all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. ii. 3). What ? are not pure purposes, just judgments, holy aspirations, one and all streams from that same source ?

If all waters seek incessantly to return to the sea, making their way thither sometimes by hidden and subterranean channels, so that they may go forth from it again in continual and untiring circuit, becoming visible once more to man and available for his service, why are not those spiritual streams rendered back constantly and without reserve to their legitimate source, that they may not cease to water the fields of our hearts ? Let the rivers of divers graces return from whence they came, that they may flow forth anew. Let the heavenly shower rise again to its heavenly source, that it may be poured anew and still more plentifully upon the earth. In what manner, do you ask ? In the manner prescribed by the Apostle St. Paul : In everything give thanks (1 Thess. v. 18). Whatever you think you have of wisdom and of virtue, attribute it to Him who is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God — that is, to Christ. 2. Who is so actuated by folly, you say, as to presume to think otherwise? No one, truly; even the Pharisee returned thanks to God (Luke xviii. n). Nevertheless, he had not praise from God for righteousness ; and that thanksgiving of his, if you remember well the Gospel, did not render him more acceptable to God. Wherefore? Because an outward show in word of devotion does not suffice to excuse the pride of heart in the man before Him who from afar off

Digitized by Google 68 recogniseth the proud (Ps. cxxxviii. 6). God, O Pharisee, is not mocked. Do you suppose for a moment that you possess anything which you have not received from Him ? No, you reply ; and therefore I render thanks to my liberal benefactor. If you do not possess anything at all of your own, then there was in you no antecedent merit on account of which you received those things upon the possession of which you boast yourself. If you confess this to be the case, then, in the first place, it is with unjustifiable presumpiion that you exalt yourself above the Publican who does not possess the same [merits] as you, only because he has not received them as you have. Farther, take care lest, by not attributing to God wholly and entirely the gifts which He has bestowed, but diverting to yourself some portion of the glory and honour of them, you may not justly be accused of fraud, and fraud towards God. For if you attribute to yourself somewhat of those merits of which you boast, I should suppose that it is because you are yourself deceived rather than that you desire to do an injustice ; and it is that error that I would correct.

But now, since, by the act of returning thanks, you show that you arrogate nothing to yourself, and that you prudently recognise your merits to be the gifts of God, it is evident that, in despising others, you betray yourself, and show that you speak with a double heart — on the one hand, lending your tongue to a falsehood ; on the other, usurping the glory of the truth. For you would not consider the Publican to be an object of scorn in comparison of yourself if you did not suppose that you were worthy of praise in comparison of him.

But what do you reply to the Apostle who lays down this rule : To God alone be honour and glory (i Tim. i. 17, Vulg.)? Or what to the angel who declares and distinguishes what it pleases God to reserve to Himself, and what He deigns to share with men ? For he says : Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of goodwill (Luke ii. 14). Do you not see how the Pharisee, in giving thanks — with his lips, indeed — honours God, but in the thought of his heart gives honour to himself? And we see many persons act thus : in their mouths resound words of thanksgiving. But this is by a kind of habit rather than by their true impulse or intention ; insomuch that men, even of the most abandoned class, are in the habit of giving thanks to God for their good success, as they think it, in the carrying out of this or that crime or outrage. You hear, for example, a robber, after having carried out an evil plan, and deprived someone of his portmanteau (manipulum), exulting secretly, and saying : ' Thank God, I have not made fruitless watches, nor spent my night to no profit !' Similarly, he who has killed a man,

does he not boast of it, and offer his thanksgiving that he has prevailed against his adversary, or avenged himself of his enemy ? Even an adulterer, exulting- in his success, thanks God that he has obtained his long-hoped-for pleasure. 3. Not every offering of thanks, therefore, is acceptable to God, but that only which proceeds from a pure and sincere heart. I say pure, because of those who boast themselves of their bad actions, and Digitized by Google PRAISE AND GLORY IS ALWAYS TO BE RENDERED UNTO GOD 69 even offer thanks to God for them. Let anyone who is of this character listen to these terrible words : Thou ihoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself, but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes (Ps. 1. 21). And I have added sincere, because of hypocrites, who, indeed, glorify God for their good works, but only with their lips ; while in heart they keep back all praise for themselves ; and since they act deceitfully in His presence, their iniquity is hateful. The former, in their impiety, attribute to God their own bad actions ; the latter fraudulently arrogate to themselves the good things which they have received from Him. As regards the former of these offences, it is so

full of folly and worldliness, and, I might even say, is, in a certain sense, so brutal, that I need hardly warn you to avoid it. But the latter is, above all, a besetting temptation to those who are religious and spiritually minded men. It is without doubt a great and rare virtue to have no consciousness of greatness, although performing great actions ; and that the sanctity of a man, while it is manifest to all others, should be hidden from himself. To appear admirable to others, and to think humbly of yourself, this I judge to be the most marvellous among the virtues themselves. You are truly a faithful servant if you suffer nothing to remain with yourself (tuts manibus adhaerere) of all the glory of your Lord, when that glory, though it does not come from you, yet passes through you or by your means. It is then that, according to the saying of the Prophet (Is. xxxiii. 15), you cast from you gains acquired by falseness, and keep your hands clean from every bribe. Then it is that, as the Lord commands, you let your light shine before men, that they may glorify, not you, but your Father which is in heaven (Matt. v. 16).

Thus, too, you are an imitator of St. Paul and of faithful preachers, who preach, not themselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord (2 Cor. iv. 5) ; nor seek their own interests, but those of Jesus Christ (Phil. ii. 21).

And on that account you, too, as they, shall hear the greeting : Well done, thou good and faithful servant ; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things (Matt. xxv. 21). 4. If Joseph, in Egypt, knew that the house and all the goods of his master had been entrusted to him, he was not ignorant at the same time that his mistress was an exception ; and because of this, he would not consent to her, saying : My master hath committed all that he hath to my hand, neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife (Gen. xxxix. 9). He knew that the wife is the glory of her husband, and regarded it as a great injustice and a shameful ingratitude to dishonour one uho had loaded him with so many honours. That man, prudent with the wisdom of God, knew that a husband is jealous of his wife as being his own honour, and that she is to be sacredly reserved to him, not passed on to another ; nor did he presume to stretch out his hand to that which was not given to him. What then ? Shall a man be jealous of his glory, and yet dare to

wish to defraud God of His, as if He had no care for it? But hear what God Himself says: I will not give My Digitized by Google 7° glory unto another (Is. xlviii. n). What, then, wilt Thou give, O Lord ; what wilt Thou bestow upon us ? Peace^ He replies, / leave with you ; My peace 1 give unto you (John xiv. 27). That is sufficient for me ; I gratefully receive that which Thou leavest to me, nor do I grasp at that which Thou reservest. With this [partition] I am satisfied and I do not doubt that it is for my advantage. Glory I wholly renounce, lest perchance in usurping what is not granted to me, I justly lose that which is bestowed. Peace I desire ; peace I long for, and nothing more. The soul for which peace does not suffice will not find even Thee sufficient. For Thou art our Peace, who hast made both one (Eph. ii. 14). That I should be reconciled with Thee, that I should be reconciled with myself, this is necessary for me ; and this is enough. For from the moment that I am set in contrariety to Thee, I am a burden to myself (Job vii. 20). I am on my guard, and do not

desire to be either ungrateful for the peace Thou hast bestowed upon me, or a sacrilegious usurper of Thy glory.

Let Thy glory, O Lord, remain undiminished to Thee ; with me all will be well if I possess peace. 5. When Goliath was overthrown the people rejoiced that they had recovered peace ; but to David alone fell the great glory. Joshua, Jephtha, Gideon, Samson, Judith also, though a woman, triumphed gloriously in their day over their enemies ; but though the people had the enjoyment of the peace that these heroes had achieved, they did not share with them the glory. Judas Maccabaeus also, a man illustrious by many victories, because he had so often fought valiantly, and thus given peace to his people, did he ever share with them his glory also ? 1 There was,' it is said, not great glory, but 1 very great gladness among the people ' (1 Mace. iv. 58). Are the works which the Creator of all things has done less than those due to the great men named, that He should have less ground for a glory all His own and unshared by others ? Alone He created all things that exist ; alone He triumphed over the enemy ; alone He freed the captives, and shall He have a companion in His glory ? Mine own Arm^ He says, brought salvation unto Me ; and again : / have

trodden the winepress alone ; and of the people there was none with Me (Is. lxiii. 5, 3). What share can I, then, pretend to in the victory, when I had none in the battle ? It would be the extremest effrontery in me to claim either glory without victory, or victory without combat But do ye, O mountains, bring peace unto the people (Ps. lxxii. 3); peace unto us, not glory; reserving that to Him alone who alone has fought the battle and gained the victory. Thus, I entreat, thus let it be : Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace to men of goodwill. He, however, is not a man of good will, but evidently of very evil will, who is not at all content with peace, but restlessly aspires also to the glory which belongs to God, with an eye of pride and a heart never satisfied ; and such a man neither retains peace nor attains glory. Who would believe the wall if it should lay claim to produce the ray of light which is thrown upon it through the window ? or who would not laugh to Digitized by Google PRAISE AND GLORY IS ALWAYS TO BE RENDERED UNTO GOD 7 1 scorn the clouds if they pretended that the showers which

they let fall were engendered in them ? I am well assured that the rivers of water have not their source from the channel in which they run, nor words of prudence from the lips and the teeth which give utterance to them, even though my bodily senses do not1 enable me to reach this conclusion. 6. If, then, I discern something in the saints which is worthy of praise and admiration when I examine it in the clear light of truth, I find that though they appear to be admirable and praiseworthy it is another than they who is really so, and 1 praise God in His saints.

Take, for example, Elisha, or that great prophet Elijah, each of whom restored the dead to life. It was not by any power of their own, but in the discharge of a ministry committed to them, that they achieved those new and unprecedented marvels ; it was God who abode in them and performed those marvellous works. He is invisible and unapproachable by His own Nature, but renders Himself visible and admirable in His saints, and alone admirable, since He alone doth wonderful things (Ps. lxxi. 19). Painting and writing are both arts worthy of praise, yet it is not the pen [or the brush] that is to be praised ; nor is the glory of an eloquent discourse given to the tongue or the lips which pronounce it. It is time that the Prophet should speak. Shall the axe, he says, boast itself against him that cutteth with it? or shall the saw exalt itself against him by whom it is drawn ? as if a rod should lift itself up against him that lifteth it up, and a staff exalt itself which is but wood (Is. x. 15) ; so is everyone who glorieth against the Lord, unless he glory in the Lord (2 Cor. x. 17). If it be needful for a man to glory, St. Paul

teaches us in whom, and in regard to what it should be done. Our glory, he says, is this, the testimony of our conscience (2 Cor. i. 12). I may glory without fear if my conscience bears me witness that I am usurping nothing of the glory of my Creator ; assuredly without fear, because I do it not against the Lord but in the Lord. This kind of glorying is not only not forbidden to us, but we are persuaded to employ it, for it is said : Ye receive glory one from another, and the glory which is from God alone you do not seek (John v. 44). In fact, the ability to glory in God alone comes but from God alone. Nor is this glory small, since it hath the Truth for its object, and is therefore true ; and, in truth, is so rare that even of the small number of those who are perfect there are but few who possess it perfectly. Leave, then, the sons of men, who are vain, who are untruthful : leave them by vanity to deceive each other (Ps. lxi. 10). For he who glories wisely will strictly prove his work, to examine it diligently by the light of truth ; and so he shall have glory in himself, and

not in the mouth of another. Foolish am I if I shall have confided my glory to the vessel of your lips, and so be obliged to beg it of you when I would obtain it. For thus it would be in your power to approve or to disapprove of me at your will. But in retaining [this] in my own power I preserve it for myself Digitized by Google 72 more faithfully. Or, rather, I do not trust it to myself at all, but commit it in preference to Him for safe keeping who is able to keep that which is committed unto Him until that day (2 Tim. i. 1 2), for He is both watchful in keeping and faithful in rendering up His charge. Then shall every one have sure praise from God, but those only who have contemned the praises of men. For the glory of those whose taste is only for earthly things ends in confusion, as it is declared even by David : Those that please men have been confounded, because God hath despised them (Ps. Hi. 6). 7. Brethren, if you know and feel these truths let none of you desire to be praised in this world, because every honour which you reach after and obtain in this life, and which you do