EXPOSITIO IN CANTICA CANTICORUM

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« Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth. » The voice of the aforesaid woman.

1234CMany things, she says, you have often announced to me, O envoys of the heavenly King; many things concerning his nobility, his riches, his strength, his beauty, and many things concerning the man's wisdom 1235Ayou have reported. I have seen Moses, I have seen Elias, I have seen Jeremias, I have seen David, and I have seen others too, who announced his coming to me. I believe their words, I languish with love, I am ready; let the envoys cease. Now let him come himself, let him be made manifest, let him fasten kisses upon me, let him give embraces, and let him speak to me with his own mouth. Apostrophe. Thee, she says, I love, and I desire; I long to hear thee, to see thee. Why so? « Because thy breasts are better than wine. » Moses gave me wine, the rest of the prophets gave me wine — bitter and strong, harsh and rough to drink. For the words of the prophets are hard, not only to do, but even to speak. For, to say nothing of uttering and pronouncing them, in certain places they can scarcely be understood. But the preaching of Christ turned the wine into milk. For the two breasts are the two testaments, 1235Bfrom which Christ, by teaching and expounding, drew back a milky and sweet suavity. For those whom the law looked to slay, he mercifully healed. For the Jews wished to stone the woman taken in adultery, but Christ said, « Neither will I condemn thee (Joan. VII, 10). » And these words are better than wine. « Fragrant with the finest ointments. » What is signified by the ointment, if not the sevenfold grace of the Holy Spirit? And with these both the New and the Old Testament are fragrant, and shine, and give forth their scent. This odor the preaching of Christ brought in, since it made some wise, others understanding, others strong, others devout. « And the odor of thy ointments is above all spices. » By the spices we understand whatever things are odor-bearing. But what could be of so great an odor and so great a sweetness that it might be the Spirit himself, filled with whom the Apostle said: 1235C« We are the good odor of Christ unto God? » (II Cor. II, 15.) The voice of the Church to Christ: « Thy name is as ointment poured out. » Thy name, she says, like ointment poured out, has furnished health to all that believe. For Christ is named from the chrism, in which name we are all called Christians, cleansed by the water of baptism. This name, therefore, poured out over the elect, has joined them together by the grace of the Holy Spirit. « Therefore the young maidens have loved thee. » By the young maidens are understood the primitive and new churches, which, lately born to God and baptized, were frail after the manner of women, and 1236Ahad brought forth not many children. But she, having left behind her former oldness and received the Holy Spirit, had loved Christ with all her strength and with every affection of motherhood. The voice of the Church to Christ:

« Draw me after thee. » For Christ draws after himself whoever imitate him, so that they who are exalted above the heavens by his own command: « No man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven (Joan. III, 13). » He indeed ascended by himself, who is both perfect 606 God and perfect man. But the rest, since they cannot ascend by themselves, must needs be drawn. They are drawn, therefore, as the Lord himself says: « When I shall be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things to myself (ibid. XII, 32). » -- « And we will run after the odor of thy ointments, » that is, in the sweetness 1236Bof virtues, of preachings, and of graces. For those run after the odor of these who, captivated by their sweetness and delight, work good things without ceasing. But those who stink with vices — to them indeed all these things give no fragrance. The voice of the bride to the young maidens: « The King hath brought me into his storerooms. » Change of person. Already, she says, the King of kings has brought me by faith and hope into his storerooms and into the eternal tabernacles. We may also understand by the storerooms the several books of the prophets, into which the Church, being brought in, is made drunk with spiritual wine. Whence the Psalmist: « They shall be inebriated with the plenty of thy house (Psal. XXXV, 9). » Apostrophe. « We will exult and rejoice in thee. » For when churchly men find the praises and the mighty works of God in the sacred volumes, they exult and rejoice in so great and such a 1236Cman. And at last, when they have come to that highest blessedness, having received the highest and eternal goods, they will exult in him alone. « Mindful of thy breasts above wine. » In thee, she says, we will exult, mindful of thy breasts coming above the wine. The milk came above the wine, the New Testament came above the Old; the wine was tempered, and the law was made sweet, mild, and intelligible. The New Testament, therefore, was consummated over the house of Israel and over the house of Juda. « The kings love thee. » For he who rules himself and others is by a true definition called a king. For the apostles, the bishops, and the priests are kings. And unless the apostles had loved Christ, 1237Athey would not indeed have died for him. Therefore kings and upright men love him from whom they are made kings and upright. The voice of the synagogue: « I am black, but comely, O daughters of Jerusalem. » She called herself black for the ignobility of her race, but comely on account of penance and faith. And it is the Church of the Gentiles, or the apostolic company, that says this. You, she says, are daughters of Jerusalem, daughters of Libanus, daughters of whitening. But I was the daughter of Cedar, the daughter of darkness, the daughter of stags. I am the people that sat in darkness. I am she to whom it was said: « Ye were sometime darkness (Ephes. V, 8). » I grant, therefore, that I am black, since I was born in sins: black according to my creation and my former life, but according to my regeneration made whiter than snow. « I am comely; » but 1237Bwhere comely? In my eyes, in my ears, and in all my members. For eyes are uncomely in that they long to see uncomely and base things; ears are uncomely in that they delight to hear vain talk and buffoonery. But on the contrary, « how fair are the feet of them that preach peace, of them that preach good things (Rom. X, 15)! » I am black without, but most beautiful and comely within. She seems black to man, in that which he sees; most beautiful, in that which lies hidden from man. For man considers the face, but God the hearts.

« As the tabernacles of Cedar. » Cedar is interpreted darkness. But the blackness of darkness is put to flight by light alone. The Church, then, was black as the tabernacles of Cedar, and being illumined by the sun of justice she was made white. Whence the Evangelist: « And the light, he says, shineth in darkness, 1237Cand the darkness did not comprehend it (Joan. I, 5). » The tabernacles of Cedar are indeed those in which the princes of darkness dwell. And in short, according to the flesh the just are of no greater beauty than the unjust. « As the skins of Solomon. » I am black, she says, as the tabernacles of Cedar, but comely as the skins of Solomon. Let not Solomon therefore despise me, since my skin agrees with his skin. The Church, then, is fair and comely among women, since indeed the aforesaid Solomon « is fair in form above the sons of men (Psal. XLIV, 3). » The voice of the Church: « Consider not that I am swarthy. » And this is said in the person of the apostles. I am swarthy, she says, and as to my outward form I am uncomely; not anointed, not plump, not 1237Ddainty, but rather rough and hard to look upon. Yet let no one despise these things, but let him ponder more subtly what lies within. » Because the sun hath discolored me. » I have not rested in the shade, I have not given myself over to idleness upon a bed. 1238AWhat then? I labored in the vineyard, I tilled the field, I kept watch, I fasted; and moreover, having endured many adversities under the sun, I have been discolored and made swarthy. What wonder? The voice of the Synagogue: « For the sons of my mother have fought against me. » There was for me, she says, opportunity of rest, since it was necessary to prepare what was needful and 607 to fight against enemies. For not only barbarians, but even the sons of my mother made war upon me. Without, therefore, were fightings; within, fears; on this side the sword of tyrants, on that the disputation of the Jews and of the heretics. You may understand her mother to be Judaea, or the synagogue. Whence the Apostle: « When, he says, it pleased him who separated me from my mother's womb (Galat. I, 15), » etc. But we may also understand by this mother iniquity. Whence the Psalmist: 1238B« For I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother conceive me (Ps. L, 7); » she says:

« The sons of my mother have fought against me. » That is, the passions of the body have assailed me, the allurements of the flesh have discolored me, and therefore the sun of justice has not shone upon me.

« They have set me a keeper in the vineyards. » Who, then, sets keepers in the vineyards, except to ward off thieves? God planted one vineyard, and because it was turned into bitterness, many other vineyards were planted. Whence also that saying: « And they sowed fields, and planted vineyards (Ps. CVI, 37). » In these the apostles were set as keepers, lest all they that pass by the way should gather her vintage. « My vineyard I have not kept. » One vineyard, she says, I have left, but many 1238Cvineyards I have kept. And the many vineyards are the many churches. But the synagogue is one. And the apostles left her, as it is written: « To you it behooved us first to speak the word of God; but because you have rejected it, and have judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles (Act. XIII, 46). » This can also be read as a question. Have I not kept my vineyard? I have indeed kept it. And in that he set the vineyard first in the plural and then in the singular, he figured the unity of the Church, which, however much it be divided according to the character of places, is nevertheless one in faith and love. And the apostles and the doctors kept it, lest Arius, Sabellius, and the other thieves should craftily steal away some cluster, or separate any of the faithful from the Church. The voice of the Church 1238Dto Christ: « Show me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou liest down at midday. » Show me, she says, make me to know and firmly to understand, O shepherd, O ruler, whom with my whole mind and with all my strength 1239AI have loved and do love; show me where thou feedest thy flock, in what place, and with what food thou nourishest thy sheep. For God's sheep are fed in the assembly of preaching and in the sacred volumes. And this has been shown also to those bishops who, being dumb dogs unable to bark, suffer God's animals to perish of hunger. « Where thou liest down at midday. » What is meant by midday, if not the too greatly burning affliction of the saints? Say, she says, say, O shepherd, where thou liest down at midday, where thou art when the saints are afflicted, where thou art when thy lambs are torn in pieces by wolves? Art thou not he who, as a good shepherd, layest down thy life for the sheep? The heat is heavy, the sheep thirst, they are burned with the warmth. Lead them to the harbor, lead them to the shade. I know; thou wilt say: I am in thee, in thee I lie down and rest. « For upon whom doth my spirit 1239Brest, but upon the humble, and the quiet, and him that trembleth at my words? » (Isa, LVI, 2.) And likewise: « Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Holy Spirit dwelleth in you? » (Cor. III, 16.) Why then am I troubled? I know, thou wilt say, because through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdoms of heaven. The answer is true; now I fear nothing, since so great a guest guards the city. I do not shudder at the heat, since the living fountain is with me. There follows: « Lest I begin to wander after the flocks of thy companions. » What is meant by the companions, if not heretics and philosophers? But why companions? Because they too are shepherds, and feed a flock. And through their flocks and their conventicles those men wander who know not the way of the true pasture 1239Cand of the divine meadow. Let us ask our Lord, therefore, both to show us the sheepfold, and by his mercy to set us in a place of pasture.

Likewise verses: Why shouldst thou read me so many prophets, O royal Bridegroom? Let the envoys cease, who are ready only to give words. Thee I desire, thee I believe, thee alone I seek to look upon. Now have mercy on me, now suffer thyself to be seen. And now let it be thy care to give kisses to thy bride, And to our ears the strains of thy sweet voice. Now let it sound forth, I beg thee, if there be any love of thine toward me.

The voice of Christ to the Church: « If thou know not thyself, O most beautiful among women, go forth. » If thou, he says, most beautiful of women, fair of form, knowest not thyself; if, forgetful of thyself, unmindful of thy nobility, go forth, depart, 608 1239Dand wander, as thou hast said, after the tracks of the flocks. Follow the heretics, imitate the philosophers. For we know not our own selves, when, forgetful of our dignity, of our baptism, and of our newness, we are made subject to error and to vanity, and follow the tracks of the flocks of 1240Acaparrum and of he-goats.

« And feed thy kids beside the tabernacles of the shepherds. » if thou, he says, shalt not have known thyself, and shalt have departed from me, thy lambs will soon become kids. For just as in baptism roes are turned into lambs, so, by sinning and departing from God, we turn pure souls and most gentle lambs into butting and stinking he-goats. And these kids, beside the tabernacles of the shepherds and the conventicles of the heretics, having scorned the sweet food of the Scriptures, are fed with poisonous grass, that is, they drink in depraved teachings. The voice of Christ: « To my cavalry among the chariots of Pharao have I likened thee, my friend. » Neither ought thou, he says, to leave me nor to forget thyself. For I have likened thee to my cavalry among the chariots of Pharao And the Eeclesia is likened to it for this reason, namely, 1240Bthat the chariots and horsemen of Pharao pursued the people of Israel. But as Pharao, pursuing the aforesaid people with chariots and horsemen, was drowned in the sea, so also the devil, lying in wait with a multitude of vices for the souls of men, perishes in baptism. Having therefore received so great a benefit, let no one forget himself or God. The young maidens to the bride:

« Thy cheeks are beautiful as the turtledove's. » But when she had heard these words, as it were of rebuke, on account of the words spoken above, she drew upon herself the blush of shame. For she had said, « lest I begin to wander. » For wandering belongs to harlots. Recalling therefore this word and this rashness, she blushed. But the Bridegroom, when he saw this, 1240Cpraised her virginal modesty. For he says: « Thy cheeks are beautiful, » — thy face is bashful and chaste. Thou blushest to speak, or to have done, or even to have thought base things. For thou art not of those women who take their strength from crime. But how beautiful? As the turtledove's, as a virgin's, as of one who keeps great chastity and conjugal faith. For the Church serves no husband but one. « Thy neck as necklaces. » As the other virgins, he says, delight in necklaces, so thou delightest in the beauty of thy neck alone. What is meant by the neck, if not the doctors? For through the neck food is sent down into the belly, and out of it words also come forth. But the Church is nourished and instructed by the doctors. The office of the neck, therefore, is fulfilled by the doctors. Moreover, the weakness of the neck is the ruin of the whole body. The voice of the friends: « Golden 1240Dmurenulae will we make thee. » Murenulae indeed are ornaments of a virgin's neck, so named from the fish murena. And they signify the discourses of the prophets, lengthy, and dictinctos, and praiseworthy. Murenulae 1241Awere made for us by Moses, Isaias, Jeremias, David, and by him indeed who wrote these things, Ecclesiastes. « Inlaid with silver. » They are murenulae indeed, because they are slippery; but golden, because they shine forth with the light of wisdom; and they are said to be inlaid with silver, because they are marked out by the purity of eloquence.

Verses: Blessed Virgin, Made wondrous, Chaste bride, Sweet friend; Thee wisely, And becomingly, In order I fashion. Risen in thy ways, Pleasing to my Disciples, Know thou the pastures: And come thou to them, Much peace be to thee, And all things safe. What pleases the One, Is grievous to none.

1241BThe voice of the bride: « While the king was at his repose, my nard gave forth its odor. » While my king, she says, my bridegroom, my beloved, was at his repose, upon the little bed of the flesh, in the humanity which he took from a virginal womb, « my nard gave forth its odor. » And this can be understood according to the letter of Mary, who poured out the alabaster box of ointment upon the head of him as he reclined. For straightway the whole house was filled with the odor of the ointment. But spiritually it is understood of the Church. For before our Savior had come in man, the nard gave forth its odor in few, since the virtues and prayers of few were pleasing to the Lord. But after he came in the flesh, and the Lord went forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber, 1241Cstraightway the virtues and prayers of the saints gave forth their odor. Whence the Apostle: « We are, he says, a good odor unto God (II Cor. II, 15). » And the Psalmist: « Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight (Ps. CXL). » Hence it is that John saw golden vials full of odors (Apoc. V, 8). For after the incarnation of Christ both the virtue of the saints and their number increased. The nard therefore gave 609 forth its odor to Christ the Lord when he was made flesh. « A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me. » He set myrrh for bitterness. For Christ was to the Church a bundle of myrrh, and indeed a gathering of great grief and great bitterness. For how could she be otherwise than in grief and bitterness, widowed of so great and such a husband? So too it can 1241Dbe said: « My beloved is to me. » For my sake and for my profit was he made a bundle of myrrh, since he submitted himself for me to death and to the bitterness of the passion. Was he not carrying a bundle of myrrh 1242Aand of bitterness when he said: « My soul is sorrowful even unto death? « (Matth. XXVI, 38.) He was indeed a bundle, because he both drew many to himself and slew many with himself. For all the martyrs are gathered, as it were into one bundle, for his death. « He shall abide between my breasts. » For the excellent Bridegroom abides between the breasts of the bride, since he is not separated from her memory and her embrace. For the place of the heart is between the breasts. And where the heart is, there also is the memory. He therefore who abides between the breasts, since he lies in the heart, cannot escape the memory. Happy is that soul, and exceedingly happy, between whose breasts Christ abides, in whose heart he lies, and who never forgets him. « My beloved is to me a cluster of Cyprus. » For the wine of the island of Cyprus is the best 1242B. And wine gladdens the heart of man. And Christ is to his saints a cluster of Cyprus, since they are gladdened by the draught of his blood. And in short, if wine signifies gladness, then he who had been a bundle of myrrh in dying is rightly called a cluster of Cyprus in rising again. Whence the Psalmist: « In the evening, he says, weeping shall tarry, and in the morning gladness (Psal. XXIX, 6). » He is therefore a cluster of Cyprus. Where? There follows: « In the vineyards of Engaddi. » Engaddi is interpreted the fountain of the kid. And the fountain of the kid is in the churches. And the churches are the vineyards of Engaddi. For the fountain of baptism is in the Church, and he who enters it is a kid, but he who comes out is a lamb.

Verses of Scir Hascirim. 1242CThe Lord, who made all things, deigning to take flesh, of his own will redeemed by death the ruin of the human race: Hanging on the cross, when he suffered, a bundle of myrrh believe that he was. For he said sorrowful with death. Moreover Peter also wept bitterly; but afterwards the nard gave forth its odor, when he sought the heavens in a bloodstained garment.

The voice of Christ: « Behold, thou art beautiful, my friend. » Confirmation. « Behold, thou art beautiful. » Thou art beautiful, he says, thou art without spot, thou art chaste within and without. For great is the friendship between Christ and the Church, since both Christ would not hesitate to die for the Ecelesia, and the Church for Christ: « For greater love than this no man hath, than that a man lay down his life for his friends (Joan. XV, 13). » The voice 1242Dof the Church: « Thy eyes are those of doves. » Thine eyes, he says — thy memory, thy understanding, and thy reason — are those of doves, that is, chaste and simple. For in no way art thou proud of understanding or of wisdom. For thou art not of those 1243Awho say: « Our lips are our own (Psal. XI, 5). » The voice of the Church, or of Christ: « Behold, thou art beautiful, my friend, and comely. » For in this the greatest concord of them both is proved, that each of the two indeed praises the other for beauty. His comeliness and beauty can neither be spoken nor even conceived. « Our little bed is flowery. » What is meant by the little bed, if not the heart? Whence the Lord himself says: « Enter into thy chamber (Matth. VI). » And this little bed is flowery with virtues and with purity of conscience. And we may understand by this little bed also that blessedness of the saints, in which, resting in perpetual quiet and repose, the just shall flourish like the palm tree. « The beams of our houses are of cedar, our panelled ceilings of cypress. » And these houses you may understand to be the churches, dispersed throughout this world. And in them 1243Bboth the summit and the foundation is Christ, since by him they are upheld. But the columns and the walls are the apostles and the prophets. And the beams are the prelates and the doctors, by whom they are ruled, upheld, and covered. But the panelled ceilings, which pertain more to adornment than to usefulness, are the virgins and the widows, together with the order of monks. For the more these are divided from the world, the more do they shine with virtues and with holiness. And these profit themselves, and are no hindrance to the rest. But why are the one said to be of cedar and the other of cypress? For the cedar and the cypress are of an unfading and fragrant nature. And the saints are both immortal, and an odor most sweet to the Lord. 610

The voice of Christ: « I am the flower of the field. » He does not indeed deny that he 1243Cis beautiful and comely, but rather affirms that he is the flower and the beauty and the honor of the whole world. He is moreover the flower of the field, that is, the son of that virgin and unplowed earth of which it is written: « And our earth shall yield her fruit (Psal. LXV, 7). » Whence Isaias: « There shall come forth, he says, a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root (Isa. XI, 1). » -- « And the lily of the valleys. » For this lily is not of the mountains but of the valleys, since the Lord loves not the proud but the humble. As he himself says: « Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart (Matth. XI, 29). » The lily is born in the valley; the Savior dwells in the heart of the humble. « As the lily among thorns, so is my friend among the daughters. » For the lily 1243Damong thorns is pricked and pressed, yet it grows and gives forth its odor. And so the Church too is many times afflicted, oppressed, and pricked by her daughters — namely by heretics and schismatics, whom she has borne in the font of baptism. And this according to the letter. But spiritually 1244Athe lily among thorns is Christ among the Jews, and the just man among sinners. By thorns indeed the lily is oppressed, and by the Jews Christ is afflicted, wounded, and crucified. Among thorns the lily grows, since Christ reigns from the tree. And this lily upon the cross gave forth a most sweet odor to the Father. Whence the Psalmist: « Let my prayer, he says, be directed as incense in thy sight; the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice (Psal. CXL, 2). » And the primitive and apostolic Church, among the innumerable daughters whom she bore, holds this fitting likeness. Let but one city assemble, nay two, or four, and a whole province. Let Peter be set in the midst, let Paul be said to be present — does he not seem to thee a lily among thorns, a most pleasing flower 1244Bamong briers?

Verses: I am the flower of the field, the glory and praise of the kindly order; The angelic company is subject to me; I embrace all things, heaven, beyond the level of the sea: The Lord of all, Father and God — Who but I alone? No one, I tell thee, no one.

The voice of the Church: « As the apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my beloved among the sons. » For as the apple tree is fruitful among unfruitful trees, so was Christ among the Jews, and once among the apostles too. For this is that tree of which it is said that « it shall bring forth its fruit in due season (Psal. I, 3). » For at that time the apostles were without fruit, while Christ was yielding many fruits in Judaea. And in comparison with him 1244Cthey seemed not only without fruit, but even dry. Whence he himself says: « If in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry? » (Luc. XXIII, 31.) But how great a fertility these men, who before were dry and unfruitful, would bear once they had tasted the apples of this tree and received the Holy Spirit, is gathered from the words of the Savior himself, who says: « That you should go, and should bring forth fruit, and your fruit should remain (Joan. XV, 16). » -- « I sat down under his shadow, whom I had desired; » that is, at last I rested in his protection. For the Church was black, and darkened by the heat of vices, when she fled to the shade of this tree, when she came to know its shadow and felt the cooling of its heat.

« And his fruit was sweet to my throat. » Under his shadow, 1244Dshe says, I sat down, I came to know the fruits of this tree, and I was refreshed in the contemplation of him, and filled with sweet sayings. For of these fruits the Church says also elsewhere: « How sweet are thy words to my palate, above honey to my mouth (Psal. CXVIII, 103)! » -- « The king brought 1245Ame into the wine cellar. » What is meant by the wine cellar, if not the teaching of the New and Old Testament? For of this cellar it is said: « For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup of pure wine full of mixture (Psal. LXXIV, 9). » For drunk with the wine of this cellar the Apostle said: « We speak wisdom among the perfect (I Cor. II, 6). » And the Psalmist: « And thy cup, he says, which inebriateth, how goodly is it! » (Psal. XXII, 5.) And the Church, brought into this cellar, is made drunk with the sweetness of the wine from on high. « He set charity in order within me. » How is charity set in order in this cellar? Wilt thou hear? « Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole mind, and with all thy strength (Matth. XXII, 37). » What further? « And thy neighbor as thyself (ibid., 39). » This is the order and the true rule 1245Bof charity, that we love both God above all things, and our neighbor as ourselves. He set it in order in the first cellar; he set it in order in the second also. And in the first 611 how? « Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and shalt hate thy enemy (Matth. V, 43). » What is said in the second? « Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you (ibid., 44). » Does this order seem to thee contrary? Not contrary at all, but rather fitting; otherwise it would not be an order. For what in the first is understood of vice, in the second is understood of nature, so that it is said thus: Thou shalt hate thy enemy — the vice, not the nature. Thou shalt love thy enemy — the nature, not the vice. « Stay me up with flowers, compass me about with apples, because I languish with love. » For the bride desires to be stayed up with flowers and with pomegranates, that she may rest upon them 1245C. The charity of the Bridegroom, she says, is already set in order within me. I love, I languish with love. You therefore, my servants, my faithful ones, my clients, my confidants, my intimates, stay me up with flowers, compass me about with apples. For the apostles and the doctors stay up the Church with flowers, and compass her about indeed with apples. For many flowers Gregory, and many Ambrose, Jerome, and Augustine brought to the Church. By the flowers we understand sentences; by the apples, believers. We may also understand by the flowers the beginning of a work, and by the apples its perfection. For the flowers become fruits when the hearers believe the sentences, and fulfill in deed what they believe. « His left hand is under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me. » For when Christ died for the Church, was he not holding his left hand under 1245Dher head? For the left 1246Ahand is set for adversity. By this left hand, then, by this adversity, by this most hard death of our Savior, we have been lifted up out of the mire of the deep and out of the utmost misery. For when with bowed head he gave up the spirit, he doubtless raised our head to himself. And his right hand embraced the Church, because, rising from the dead and made immortal, he took up again by his right hand and his strength all the things which indeed he drew to himself. And we may also understand by the left hand those things which are necessary to this life, and by the right hand that highest beatitudiuem. For while we live in this world, the Lord holds as it were his left hand under our head, sustaining us in adversity and supplying what is needful. But after we leave this life, embraced by the right hand of God, clothed with immortality and strength, nothing sinister, 1246Bnothing adverse will any longer be able to touch us. The voice of Christ:

« I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and the harts of the fields, that you stir not up, nor make to awake my beloved, till she herself will. » What is meant by the daughters of Jerusalem, if not all the souls regenerated in the font of baptism? What by the roes and the harts, if not the virtues and good works, by which we both run to heaven and overcome the venom of serpents and of demons? And what by the beloved, if not the soul that is at leisure for the contemplation of God alone? For to rouse her from so great a sleep, to part her from so great a quiet and so great a blessedness, unless she herself will it or necessity compel it, is a sin. He therefore who loves the harts and the roes, who dreads to lose feet, wings, strength, and equity, let him not be troublesome to this beloved of God. 1246CVerses: As among the trees the apple, pleasing in fruits and in odor, So is my beloved in the sole assembly of the sons. Under his shadow I sat, in refreshment I rested. Apples sweet to my throat I received from him. He brought me into the cellar, and bade me drink wine. He gave me charity, the mother of all the virtues. By his left hand the head is lifted up, by his right hand the head is embraced. Besides this, unless he loved me, who would adjure me for his sake? The voice of the Church: « The voice of my beloved. » This, she says, is the voice, this which I hear, the adjuration of my beloved. For unless he had loved me, he would in no wise have spoken thus for me.

« Behold, he cometh. » But how shall he come? « Leaping 1246Dupon the mountains. » For coming from the heavens he gave his first 1247Aleap into the womb of the Virgin. This is that stone which is said to have been cut out of the mountain without hands. For without the embraces of a man Christ came forth from the Virgin. Thou seest, then, that Mary is called a mountain. He gave his leap therefore upon a mountain, since indeed it was upon Mary. He gave another leap also, namely upon the cross. For when he ascended into the heavens, he made his leap upon the highest mountains. Moreover the apostles are called mountains, and Christ leaping dwelt upon them. But if thou, O man, desirest to become a mountain, lift up thy mind, that from earthly desires thy hope 612 and thy heart may be exalted. For soon he will leap into thee who is said to leap upon the mountains. « Skipping over the hills. » Truly indeed skipping over the hills, since he surpasses both the saints in sanctity and all the mighty in power: « For who among the clouds shall be equal 1247Bto the Lord? » (Psal. LXXXVIII.) -- « My beloved is like a roe and the fawn of harts. » As if he should say: Therefore, because he leaps upon the mountains and skips over the hills, he is like a roe and the fawn of harts. For these both run over the mountains and skip over the hills.

« Behold, he standeth behind our wall, looking through the windows, looking forth through the lattices. » And what is meant by the wall, if not sin? For when this is set between, we cannot be joined to God. And it is called our wall, since we ourselves built it. And of this it is said also through the Psalmist: « And in my God I shall go over a wall (Psal. XVII, 30). » But we may also understand by the wall his humanity. For through this wall, that is, enclosed in his humanity, he could be known by few. He stood 1247Ctherefore behind our wall, because, covered with human flesh, he conversed with men. He looked through the windows, since he knew thoroughly what our eyes desire to see, what our ears to hear, what our mouth to speak, and what our hearts think. And he looks forth also through the lattices, since no one sings in the choir whose will he does not see. He sees the monk, he sees the bishop, he sees who sings with the mouth and who with the heart. For he knows who sings for love and who for favor. « My dove, my comely one, come. Behold, my beloved speaketh to me, saying: Arise, make haste, my friend. » Whence Isaias: « Command, command again (Isa. XXVIII, 10), » he says. Arise, ye apostles; preach, ye doctors; announce the Gospel. My dove, without gall, without 1247Dbitterness, innocent and simple. Whence he himself says: « Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and simple as doves (Matth. X, 16). » My comely one, made whiter than 1248Asnow, without spot or wrinkle. Arise, he says, do what thou art to do, and come to me at last, after the malice, and when thine office is fulfilled. « For winter is now past, the rain is gone and departed. » The winter and the rain are past, he says; the cloudy, harsh, and heavy season is past: « Behold, now is the acceptable time, behold, now is the day of salvation (II Cor. VI, 2). » -- « The night is passed, and the day is at hand (Rom. XIII, 12); » all things are now bright, all things now bare and manifest. « The flowers have appeared in our land. » Now the flowers, he says, appear in the land; now the Church glows red with the comeliness of virtues; now, with all the thorns and briers plucked up, our earth brings forth the Savior.

« The time of pruning is come. » And this is what the Lord says in the Gospel to his disciples: « Lift up 1248Byour eyes, and see the countries, for they are white already to harvest (Joan. IV, 35). » Now is the time of reaping, now the time of gathering the nations into one faith; it is the time of cutting away vices. Prune the vines, that grapes may spring up; cut away vices, that virtues may spring up. « The voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. » The voice of the turtledove, he says — the chaste voice, the apostolic voice — is heard in our land: « The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof (Psal. XXIII, 1). » -- « The fig tree hath put forth her green figs. » What is meant by the fig tree, if not the Synagogue? And she has put forth her green figs; she has given the first fruits of the fig, namely the patriarchs and the prophets. « The vines in flower have given forth their odor. » The vines in flower are the churches; but why in flower, if not because the cultivators of the virtues arise in them? And these have given forth their odor, since 1248Cby their virtues and prayers the vineyards delight the Lord; because to some they are the odor of death unto death, but to others the odor of life unto life (II Cor. II, 16). Verses: Leaping upon the mountains, skipping over the hills, behold, my beloved comes. Both Bridegroom and God, whom the wall of flesh from human eyes Hides, so that the Jew may say. He is not God. Dost thou not hear the voice? Which has pierced the inmost parts of my heart. Arise, come, come For the winter is past, all the rain is gone, the summer opens. And the turtledove is heard, the fig tree has given green figs, and it will give clusters, And the vines flower, and give forth an odor too.

1248D« Arise, my friend. » Sleep not, he says, but arise, and work good through faith and love. « My bride; » to whom I am joined with the love of so great an affection 1249Athat I deigned to take thy flesh for thee. « And come, my dove. » My dove, he says, lacking gall and all bitterness, come after me, follow me, have no leader but me. « And in the clefts of the rock, » — understand, tarry; that is, take delight in the wounds of my flesh, and acknowledge that these wounds were the cause of thy salvation. For Thomas had delayed 613 and would not believe, who afterwards, delighting in the wounds of this stone, said: « My Lord and my God (Joan. XX, 28). »

« In the hollow of the enclosure wall. » It is a confirmation. We may also understand by the hollow of the enclosure wall the guardianship of the doctors and of the angels, so that now, set as it were within enclosure walls, she may be protected by their defense — she who 1249Bbefore was shaken openly and without fortification by the assault of vices. « Show me thy face (Exod. XXXIII, 15). » Let it be proved of what sort thy renewal and thy beauty are; teach others as thyself; fear no one but me. « Let thy voice sound in my ears. » Preach me, he says, and confess me, that by thee and by others through thee the praise and honor due to me may be rendered. « For thy voice is sweet, » which I wish to hear, « and thy face comely, » which I desire to see. Let the bride prepare herself and adorn herself with garments, she who is to be looked upon by so great and such a bridegroom. Let her speak words not feigned or dishonorable, but rather sweet and pleasant. The voice against heresies: « Catch us the little foxes, that destroy the vines. » What is meant by the foxes, if not heretics, vices, and malignant spirits? And these, while they are small and in the very 1249Cbeginning of their origin, are to be caught, held fast, and destroyed. Whence the Psalmist: « Blessed, he says, is he that shall take and dash his little ones against the rock (Psal. CXXXVI, 9). » And the foxes destroy this vine, since they overthrow and scatter the Church of Christ. » For the vine « of ours hath flourished. » It has flourished, then, since, the vices being cut away, it is adorned with the whiteness and beauty of the virtues. It must therefore be guarded, lest, laid waste by the foxes, it be deprived of its flowers. Verses: Arise, my friend; come, my dove, In my wounds, being so healed, mayest thou take delight. Mayest thou be seen beautiful, mayest thou speak wisely. For thy voice is tuneful, and thy face comely Now let the foxes be caught, let the vices be destroyed Lest the flowers of the vines perish, and their odors.

1249DThe voice of the Church thus: « My beloved to me, and I to him. » My beloved, she says, furnishes me help and strength. And I serve him, and in all things 1250Aobey him. « Who feedeth among the lilies. » It is the same as to say that he rejoices and dwells among the many white and flowering choirs of the saints and of the virgins. For virgins delight in flowers. And in short, as thorns spring up in sinners, so do lilies in the saints. He feeds therefore among the lilies, since indeed he dwells in the saints.

« Till the day breathe, and the shadows decline. » Whence he himself says: « Behold, I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world (Matth. XXVIII, 20). » For the day will then breathe when the sun of justice shall rise upon the saints, and that day will begin which shall never have an end. Of which it is said: « For better is one day in thy courts above thousands (Psal. LXXXIII, 10). » And the shadows shall decline, because, when the adversities of this life cease, the prince of darkness with his satellites 1250Bshall be cast headlong into hell. « Return. » Thou hast ascended, she says, into the heavens, and, the battle being finished, thou hast returned to the Father. But return, look upon the earth, and hear the prayers of thine own. « Be like, my beloved, to a roe, » which makes for the mountains, « or to the fawn of harts, » which both desires the shade, and is eager to revisit its mother often, and of its own accord presents itself to the eyes of its pursuers. He is like a roe, therefore, in ascending into the heavens; but like the fawn revisiting its mother, dwelling in the saints, who are in no way scorched by the heat of vices, and again presenting himself in his second coming to the eyes of the Jews: « They shall look on him whom they pierced (Joan. XIX, 37). » -- « Upon the mountains of Bether, » — understand, in which thou dwellest. For Bether is interpreted the house of God. Let the saints therefore stand as 1250CBether, since indeed it is the house of God. And the house of Bether is called by some a rising house, or a house of watches. And the saints both always rise up to higher things from virtue to virtue, and watching await him who is to come as a thief in the night.

The voice of the Church: « In my little bed by night I sought him whom my soul loveth; I sought him, and found him not. » Of old, says the Church, in my little bed, in my heart and in the leisure of searching, I sought my Lord, my bridegroom, whom my soul loves above all. But by night, without faith, in darkness, in human wisdom, in blindness of mind. And therefore I found him not. For this the heretics, this the philosophers sought; but seeking by night and trusting in their own wisdom 1250Dthey found him not. Whence the Lord himself says: « I confess to thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, 1251Aand hast revealed them to little ones (Matth. XI, 25). » -- « I will rise, and will go about the city. » I will rise, says the Church. But what Church? The Church of the Gentiles, the people that sat in darkness and was given over to sleep, which had not yet said: « O God, my God, to thee do I watch at break of day (Psal. LXII, 1). » I will rise, she says, I will sleep no more; 614 I will go about the city, that is, the congregation of the saints and of the apostles, that they may teach me concerning God those things which I could not know by myself. « Through the streets and the broad ways, and in all places I will seek him whom my soul loveth; I sought him, and found him not. » But this was by night, this in my little bed. I will seek him therefore by day, that I may find him « The watchmen who go about the city found me. » I arose, she says, and went about the aforesaid city. 1251BAnd while I was doing this, the watchmen who guard the city found me. The city is the Church, and the watchmen are the apostles. And these find those who seek God by faith and by baptism. For in this the care of the guardians is set about her, who not she them. but they also are said to have found her. And when these were found, I said (the Church speaks of Christ): « Have you seen him whom my soul loveth? » And this is as if she should say: You who have the knowledge of God, show me God himself and the way of truth. « When I had a little passed by them, I found him whom the soul loveth. » When, she says, by hearing and understanding I had passed by them, and when I ran through their admonitions and their preaching (for by this manner of speech we are wont to say, I run through a book), I found, by their showing, 1251Chim whom my soul loveth. « I held him, nor will I let him go. » I found him, she says, and sweetly embraced him. « I held him. » How? In mind, and in work, and in perfect faith: « nor will I let him go, » but with most burning love I will cleave to him. « Till I bring him into my mother's house, » that is, into the dwelling of this earthen vessel, which he himself formed with his own hands, the earth being its parent. For the saints are the dwelling of God. Whence he himself says: « I will dwell in them and walk among them (II Cor. VI, 16). » -- « And into the chamber of her that bore me. » That is, into the secret place of my heart. And we may understand by this mother also the Synagogue, from whose house Christ went out, from the time when he said: « Your house shall be left to you desolate (Matth. XXIII, 38) » 1251D-- « But when the fulness of the Gentiles shall have come in, then shall Israel be saved (Rom. XV, 25); » then will he bring the Church into the house of her that bore her. « My beloved to me, and I to him. » For he does not indeed tarry either here or there, but dwells with the saints, until both the day breathe and the end of the shadows come.

Verses: To whom I said: Be thou like to a roe, Or upon the mountains of Bether to a little hart, 1252AIn my little bed through the nights I sought him; But since through the nights I found him not, I arose to go about the city. While I was passing again through the streets and the broad ways, The watchmen of the gates found me. Where my beloved was, they told me. I found him therefore, and I will not let him go Until I bring him into the little bed of her that bore me, That is, into the secret matter of this vessel, Or into the last people of the Jews.

The Bridegroom to faithful souls: « I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and the harts of the fields, » and the rest. By the roes, he says, and by the harts, by the apostles and the doctors, by virtue and faith and good work, by which you both run to heaven and to the promised prize 1252Band overcome the venom of serpents; you, daughters of Jerusalem, you who have the knowledge of God, I adjure and beseech, that you rouse not my beloved, my bride, nor part her from that work in which she delights. For one delights in fasting, another in vigils, another in giving alms, another in building churches. To sunder these from so great a sleep, from this delight, from this purpose of their own soul, is a great sin. For the graces are diverse, the wills are diverse, and diverse too are the works by which we can serve the Lord. Let each one therefore abound in his own sense. The Synagogue concerning the Church: « Who is she that goeth up by the desert. » Who, she says — of what sort, how beautiful, how wonderful is she, who mounts up to me by hastening 1252Cfrom virtue to virtue? Of what virtue, I say, and of what daring is she, who comes to me through the desert? For through the desert and through the adversities of this world the Church passed over to the Lord, fearing not the ambushes of robbers, nor the swords of tyrants, nor the teeth of lions, nor the sophisms of Jews and heretics. But how did she pass? « As a little rod of smoke made of spices, namely of myrrh and of frankincense, and of all the powder of the perfumer. » As if she should say: So am I delighted inhujus coming, as in the odor and sweetness of all perfumes. By the myrrh and the frankincense which are here named we understand the mortification of the flesh and the prayers of the saints.

Verses: Who is she through the desert, 1252DWhile heaven stands open, Who ascends as it were smoke, Whom the earth has not weighed down. Through the desert thus she passed, The narrow way she found, But she passed through the desert Bearing a pleasing spice.

The voice of the Church: « Behold, threescore valiant ones of the most valiant of Israel surround the little bed of Solomon. » 1253AFor Solomon is interpreted peaceable. « And he is our peace, who hath made both one (Ephes. II, 14) » By the little bed of Solomon, therefore, we understand 615 the Church, whom Christ has joined to himself with devoted love, not having spot or wrinkle. Of whom he says through the Prophet: « This is my rest for ever and ever; here will I dwell, for I have chosen it (Psal. CXXXI, 14). » And threescore valiant ones surround her; the apostles and the doctors guard her, lest perchance the Jews, the heretics, and the false apostles, adulterating the word of God, should defile the bed of Solomon and the conscience of the saints. But why are they said to be threescore, if not because the number sixty is made up of six and of ten? For six times ten, or ten times six, make sixty. And 1253Bsince God finished his work in six days, we rightly understand by six the perfection of works. And by ten we signify the ten precepts of the law. Those therefore who guard the little bed of Solomon, that is, holy Church, ought to be both perfect in works and wise in the teachings and institutions of the law. And these are said to be not only valiant, but of the most valiant of Israel, since the doctors of the Church must be stronger than the rest. « All holding swords. » Whence also the Psalmist: « And two-edged swords in their hands (Psal. CXLIX, 6). » And the Apostle: « And the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God (Ephes. VI, 17). » Let the bishops therefore hold swords, with which they may both destroy vices and defend the Church. « And most expert in war. » Whence is that saying: « Blessed 1253Cbe the Lord my God, who teacheth my hands to fight, and my fingers to war (Psal. CXLIII, 1). » For they are most expert in battle, since by suffering, not by defending themselves, they conquered in humility and patience. « Every man's sword upon his thigh. » For they have swords upon their thigh who drive back the assaults of lust with the bridle of chastity. Whence the Apostle: « I chastise, he says, my body, and bring it into subjection (I Cor. IX, 27). » -- « Because of fears in the night. » The doctors, he says, are armed and girt with swords, lest the heretics and the malignant spirits should by night, by guile and in secret, invade the bed of Solomon, that is, holy Church. The Church. « King Solomon hath made himself a ferculum of the woods of Libanus. » What is meant by the ferculum, if not the Church? And this ferculum, this refectory. 1253Dthis house of sacred banqueting the Lord made of the woods of Libanus, since no one dwells in the Church who has not been made white by the water of baptism. For Libanus is interpreted whitening. And of this ferculum it is said in the Psalms: « He hath set me there in a place of pasture. 1254A(Psal. XXII, 2). » And those who sit at this ferculum must have wedding garments. And here Christ set forth his own flesh to us to be eaten. Here we eat the living bread, here the prefigured lamb and the fatted bull; here we drink the chalice of the New Testament, here we are made drunk with the divine and most sweet wine. She says of Christ: « He made its pillars of silver. » What is meant by the pillars, if not the apostles and the doctors? And why pillars, if not because they are the supports of the whole Church? Of these it is said in the Psalms: « I have established the pillars thereof (Psal. LXXIV, 4). » And why of silver, if not because they are pale with the affection of simplicity, modesty, and sobriety? These are those feathers of the pillar which are said to be silvered over: « A resting-place of gold. » He made, she says, 1254Ba table and a resting-place of gold, since the New and the Old Testament shine forth with the light of wisdom. And of this table it is said: « Thou hast prepared a table before me (Psal. XXII, 5). » Let us draw near, therefore, to this golden table, that we may be refreshed with divine and spiritual feasts. « An ascent of purple. « For no one eats the food of this table unless he ascend by the purple way. For the Jews do not take this food, since they have not known the ascent of purple. Of whom it is said: « Let their table become before them a snare (Psal. LXVIII, 22). » For the way is purple which Christ made bloody with his own blood. And we may understand by the resting-place that heavenly blessedness. And it is called golden because it is more precious than all things; whose 1254Crest is eternal, whose ascent is of purple. No one ascends thither unless, redeemed by the death of Christ, he be led by his blood. The martyrs also rejoice that they ascended thither by the purple way.

« He paved it with charity in the midst, because of the daughters of Jerusalem. » And how has he paved and covered us with charity in the midst, if not because he redeemed all by a common love? And this because of the simple souls that were being plunged into the darkness of hell. And he paved it with charity in the midst, because, crucified for the salvation of all, he wrought salvation in the midst of the earth. The voice of the Church speaks concerning Christ: « Go forth and see, ye daughters of Sion, King Solomon. » Go forth, she says, ye daughters of Sion, outside the gate; come out, 1254Dye daughters of Jerusalem, and see your King, see Solomon, see Christ the truly peaceable. « In the diadem wherewith his mother crowned him. » And this mother is understood to be the Synagogue, since according to the flesh the Lord was born of the Jewish 616 nation. And she crowned her son, her lord, 1255Aher king, and set a crown of thorns upon his head. When? « In the day of his espousal. » That is, in the day on which Christ made the marriage and betrothed to himself the Church of the Father, and from the side of him as he slept fashioned a spouse. For as from Adam sleeping, one rib being drawn out, Eve was made, so from Christ sleeping, his side pierced with the lance, the Church was made. « And in the day of the joy of his heart. » O wondrous mercy! He rejoiced as he was dying, he gave thanks for his death, since he knew that thus he would redeem the world and free the patriarchs and the prophets from death. For although his flesh was sorrowful, yet his heart and his divinity rejoiced.

Verses. Behold, the most valiant surround the little bed of Solomon, 1255BAll holding swords, most expert in war Because of fears in the night they are girt with swords, By which they are a safeguard to their own, and a terror to strangers. King Solomon made a ferculum of the woods of Libanus, Whose pillars indeed you are, O apostles. There he fashioned a resting-place of gold With his own blood he made an ascent of purple. Daughters of Sion, why stand you? Go ye forth without. Behold your King crowned with thorns. Yet thou, O Virgin Mary, hast crowned thy Son; Because, taking flesh of thee, he is set in the midst. Whom the choir of the apostles, of the confessors, of the virgins, Sio surrounds, as a crown of prudent soldiers.

The voice of Christ: « How beautiful art thou, my friend, how 1255Cbeautiful art thou! » And why did he say twice, how beautiful art thou, if not because she is beautiful in work and in speech, within and without, in soul and in body? « Thy eyes are those of doves, » that is, thy understanding, thy reason, thy gaze is simple and keen, not confounded by anger, not disturbed by the blood of rage, not lifted up into pride. « Besides that which lieth hid within. » Many things, he says, can be said of thee. Thou art praiseworthy in virtue, in constancy, in wisdom. Great is that which is seen, greatest is that which lies hid. Great is the work that shines in thee; great is the recompense kept for thee in the heavenly treasury. Great is the labor, but greatest is the hope. We may also understand by the eyes the prophets, who long beforehand foresaw the things that were to come. These are called doves, 1255Dsince they served the Lord in humility and simplicity of heart. « Thy hair is as flocks of goats. » By the hair we understand those who kept the faith from Adam until Christ. For no part is higher than the hair. 1256ARightly therefore are they called hair, since indeed in respect of time they are higher than the whole Church. But why are they likened to a flock of goats, if not because they lived carnally, and served luxury and the pleasures of the flesh? For to them it had been said: « Increase and multiply (Gen. IX, 7). » And of such sort David and Solomon are proved to have been, of whose concubines there was no number. By faith alone therefore are these saved. These are they who by faith conquered kingdoms. « Which came up from mount Galaad. » For Galaad is interpreted a heap of testimony. They came up therefore from mount Galaad, because, observing the testimonies of the law and of the prophets, they deserved to climb the kingdoms of heaven. « Thy teeth as flocks of shorn sheep. » The teeth are the apostles. But why teeth, if not because, chewing over and expounding the weightier 1256Bsentences of the prophets and of the law, they feed and nourish the Church? And why flocks of shorn sheep, if not because, when all worldly things had been sold and given to the poor, they served the Lord naked, shorn, and stripped of vices, in innocence and simplicity? « Which came up from the washing. » From the washing indeed they came up, since, cleansed by the water of baptism and with all vices driven out, they were raised to the summit of faith and doctrine, and to the heavens. « All with twin young. » Twin young indeed they have, since, sleeping among the midst of the lots, they preach the New and the Old Testament. And we may understand by the twin young also teaching and work, or else the chastity of flesh and of soul, or the love of God and of neighbor. « And there is none barren 1256C» among 617 them, since they bring forth fruit with manifold seed.

« Thy lips are as a scarlet fillet. » What is meant by the lips, if not the bishops and the priests, and the others who continually praise and bless God? And these are said to be a scarlet fillet. But why a fillet? Because, as it binds many hairs, so they bind many of the faithful in one faith; or because they gather together at once many virtues and many sentences; or else because they hold in the thoughts of their heart, lest these be snatched through empty things by the wind of vanity. And why scarlet? Because they are both kindled with the fire of the Holy Spirit, and preach the passion of Christ. Scarlet has the appearance of fire, or of blood. « And thy speech is sweet. » Sweet indeed are the sayings of the saints, and pleasant to hear. Whence also that word: 1256D« How sweet are thy words to my palate, above honey to my mouth! » (Psal. CXVIII, 103) -- « As a piece of a pomegranate, so are thy cheeks. » For by the cheeks 1257Athe martyrs of God are understood, who, trusting in Christ openly and to his face, died for him. And these are said to be a piece of a pomegranate, since they were made bloody with their own blood. They are called cheeks, then, because they also blush for their sins; a piece, because they are slaughtered and broken for the name of Christ; and of a pomegranate, because of the shedding of blood. « Besides that which lieth hid within. » Beautiful, he says, are thy cheeks, rosy is thy face, virginal and chaste is thy countenance; yet far more praiseworthy are the things which do not yet appear, which lie hid in the heart, which are kept for thee in the heavenly treasury. « Thy neck is as the tower of David. » By the neck we understand the doctors of the Church. For through the neck passes the food by which the belly is refreshed and filled; through the neck 1257Balso come out words and the teachings of all doctrine; and lastly the neck bears up the shield, by which the whole body is covered. And the doctors nourish, teach, fortify, and defend the Church. Moreover they join the Church to Christ, as the neck joins the body to the head. And these defend the whole Church, as the tower of David once defended all Jerusalem.

« Which is built with bulwarks. » And so the doctors too have bulwarks, namely wisdom and virtue, which can be stormed by no engine, nor destroyed by any instruments of the enemy. « A thousand shields hang upon it. » For a thousand shields hang from the doctors, since by innumerable sentences and arguments flowing down from them 1257Cthey protect the Church. « All the armor of valiant men. » For nothing in her can be conquered or broken. « Thy two breasts are as two twin fawns of a roe. » For the roe is one, and the Church is one, whose sight is keen, whose feet are nimble, whose will seeks the higher things, whose course ascends the heavens; she has two breasts, because there are two twins. For the two breasts are the two Testaments. And the two twins designate two peoples, namely the Jewish and the Gentile. And these are called twins, since they are both born together and keep a twofold charity. « Which feed among the lilies, till the day breathe, and the shadows decline. » They feed indeed among the lilies who take delight in the sweet and fragrant sentences of the Scriptures. « Till 1257Dthe day breathe; » that day, namely, of which it is said: For « better is one day in thy courts above thousands (Psal. LXXXIII, 10). » -- « And the shadows decline. » and let the gloom flee, and let the prince of all darkness with his whole army be cast headlong into hell. The Bridegroom 1258Asays concerning the bride: « I will go to the mountain of myrrh. » I will go, says the Lord, to the mountain of myrrh; I will visit the lands, I will take flesh. For the mountain of myrrh is the flesh which he took. And this is that mountain which grew so great that it filled the whole earth. And it is called of myrrh for this reason, that it saw no corruption; according to that word: « Neither wilt thou give thy holy one to see corruption (Psal. XV, 10). » And we may also understand by this mountain the Church, which, mortifying her flesh with its vices and concupiscences, abides always in bitterness.

« And to the hill of frankincense, » that is, to those whose prayers delight me as the sweet odor of frankincense. « Thou art all beautiful, my friend, and there is not a spot in thee. » For she is all beautiful, because she has neither 1258Bspot nor wrinkle. The Bridegroom to the bride: « Come from Libanus, my bride, come from Libanus, come. » Thou art in Libanus, he says, thou art made white in virtues, thou shinest with the sanctity of flowers; nothing dark, nothing black, nothing obscure is seen to be in thee. Come therefore to me, and thou who hast always loved beauty, shine like the sun in my kingdom for ever. And he said « come » three times, because there are three things without which one does not come to him — that is, faith, hope, and charity; 618 or else because she serves the Lord in thought, in speech, and in work. And why she is called bride has been said above: « Thou shalt be crowned from the head of Amana. » For Amanus is a mountain of Cilicia, which is also called Taurus.

« From the top of Sanir and Hermon. » And these mountains 1258Care in Judaea. And in them lions and leopards dwell, as what follows makes plain. « From the dens of lions, from the mountains of leopards. » And by these mountains we understand those men in whom the army of vices, lions and leopards, and the malignant spirits themselves, dwell. And when these are overcome and driven out, the Church is crowned: « For no one shall be crowned except he strive lawfully (II Tim. II, 5). » She is crowned, therefore, from the head of the aforesaid mountains, because, the devil being overcome, who is their head and lord, she receives the prize and the crown for so great a struggle. « Thou hast wounded my heart, my sister, my spouse. » Sister indeed, because she is the daughter of the same Father. Whence the Apostle says: « And if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed 1258Dof God, and joint heirs with Christ (Rom. VIII, 17). » And spouse, because, taking our flesh, Christ came forth from a virginal womb. And this sister and wife wounded the heart of her bridegroom, namely with love and with the fear of death. « With one of thy eyes. » 1259AFor the Church has many eyes; she is full of eyes before and behind, she sees on every side, on every side she drives off the ambushes of robbers; she has one only eye that is most shining; she is enlightened by the one faith of the Trinity, without which no one shall please God. And those who have not this eye are blind, and walk in darkness. Whence the Apostle: « Blindness, he says, in part hath happened in Israel (Rom. XI, 25). » -- « And with one hair of thy neck. » It is a confirmation. For the many hairs are the many examples and sentences of the doctors. But why hairs, if not because they are fine and long? And the one hair is the one sentence which is the same among all, in which no Christian differs, which the apostles preached, and for which the martyrs shed their blood, which the holy Fathers 1259Bconfirmed. « How beautiful are thy breasts, my sister, my spouse! » Beautiful are her breasts, and beautiful too are her sons. For the breasts of the Synagogue are not beautiful, since she nourished her sons with black milk, with most filthy dregs, and with the understanding of error.

« Thy breasts are more beautiful than wine. » It is a metonymy. Behold, milk is compared to wine, which is assuredly whiter and sweeter. The Church gives her own children milk; the Synagogue makes her adulterous ones drunk. And these, being wisely brought up, grow quickly; but those, like drunkards, lose their senses. Of whom the Lord himself says: « And they that drank wine made me their song (Psal. LXVIII, 13). » -- « And the odor of thy ointments, » that is, of thy virtues, thy discourses, and thy graces. For all these are called ointment, 1259Cbecause they are both sweet, and heal the languors of all infirmities. « Above all spices, » that is, before all the sacrifices of the Jews. « Thy lips are a dropping honeycomb. » For a honeycomb is honey in wax, by which the spiritual understanding within the letter is signified. The lips of the Church drop a honeycomb, that is, sweet and pleasant words. « Honey and milk are under thy tongue. » With which every kind of men is delighted. And we may also understand by honey, which is made from the dew of heaven, the spiritual and higher teaching, of which the Apostle says: « We speak wisdom among the perfect (I Cor. II, 6); » and by milk the middling teaching, whence he himself says: « I gave you milk to drink, not meat (I Cor. III, 2). » -- « And the odor of thy garments as the odor of frankincense. » For the Church has a garment 1259Dwhich she herself has spun and woven with her own hands; for joining virtues to virtues, and knitting good works to good works, she has fashioned for herself a wondrous robe, in which the Bridegroom delights no less than in the abundant and most sweet odor of frankincense. « My sister, my spouse, is a garden 1260Aenclosed. » She is called a garden because, as diverse kinds of flowers and of trees, so diverse orders of saints and of the faithful are contained in her. There are the holy apostles, the confessors and the martyrs, the virgins and the widows. And enclosed, since she is fortified with the garrisons of the virtues and of the angels. No gate lies open to vices, through which robbers and enemies might steal in, to thieve and to snatch away her goods. « A garden enclosed, and a fountain sealed. » The fountain of baptism indeed is in the Church, by which both the filth of vices is taken away and the stains of soul and body are cleansed. And there is a living fountain in this garden, whose water he who drinks shall thirst no more. And of this fountain it is said: « My soul hath thirsted after God, the living fountain (Psal. XLI, 3). » But why sealed, if not because it is sanctified and blessed in the name 1260Bof the Trinity? The fountain is sealed, the water is known, to it the saints run, and from it both vices and malignant spirits flee. For by this sign this fountain is distinguished from others, since what this one has done, others cannot do. « Thy sendings forth are a paradise of 619 pomegranates, with the fruits of the orchard. » What he called a garden above, he here calls a paradise, since a paradise is a garden of delights. The Church, therefore, is called a paradise, since she is filled with the abundance of all delights. For here is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, namely the New and the Old Testament, which teach us both to shun evils and to do good. We have also the forbidden tree, that is, Christ, who is the living bread that came down from heaven. The four rivers of paradise are the four 1260CGospels. But what are her sendings forth, what her gifts, what her fruits, what her flowers, what are the fruits of pomegranates which this garden sends to the Lord? She sends pomegranates, he says, and commends many martyrs to the Lord. For the pomegranates are you, O apostles, who shed your blood for the name of Christ. « With the fruits of the orchard; » she sends not only martyrs, he says, but with the fruits of the other trees she presents the pomegranates together with virgins and confessors. « Cyprus with nard. Nard and saffron, sweet cane and cinnamon, with all the trees of Libanus, myrrh and aloes with all the chief ointments, » — understand, are in this garden. And in these we understand that all kinds of spices are found in holy Church. For by the cyprus, from which 1260Dthe royal ointment is prepared, and by the nard, which is of a most sweet and mighty odor, all the graces of the Holy Spirit can be understood, which are preferred before all things both in sweetness and in odor. For the cyprus is set with the nard, since those who are anointed with the divine and royal ointment 1261Aare a great and most sweet odor to God. Whence the Apostle: « We are, he says, the good odor of Christ unto God (II Cor. II, 15). » For by the saffron, the sweet cane, and the cinnamon, which are short and do not grow higher, we understand the simple and the humble, who, although men commonly do not venerate them, are yet of great virtue and holiness. And in these the person is humble, but the virtue lofty. « With all the trees of Libanus. » And by these you may understand the apostles and the prophets, who surpass the rest in height, in strength, and in beauty; since indeed the trees of Libanus are of great height. And the myrrh and the aloes, which resist rottenness and worms, signify chastity and the other virtues, which keep both soul and body unharmed from the touch of vices. « With all the chief » and greatest 1261B« ointments, » by which faith, hope, and charity can be designated, which hold the primacy for ever and ever. « The fountain of gardens, the well of living waters. » This, he says, is the fountain of gardens; these are the apostles and the doctors; this is that water by which the whole world is watered. For the many gardens are the many churches. Behold the well of living waters, behold the depth of the Scriptures. For the doctrine of the apostles is one, and the error of the heretics is dead: they who drink this water do not die; they who drink that other cannot live. Yet those drink from the fountain who sip the surface of the Scriptures with the tips of their lips alone. From the well they do not take the deeper waters, that is, they do not draw up the harder sentences. « Which flow with force from Libanus. » With force, he says — that is, with great 1261Cconstancy, virtue, and abundance — do these waters flow. But whence do they flow? From the force, from Libanus, from the whitened mountain. For Libanus, as has often been said, is interpreted whitening. Christ calls together the graces. « Arise, O north wind, and come, O south wind, blow through my garden, and let the spices thereof flow. » He spoke above of the garden, he spoke of the trees and the fruits, he spoke of the fountain and the well by which it is watered; but now he commands the winds to arise, to blow through the garden, and to fan the spices, that the odor may be rendered sweeter to him. For the winds rose up against the garden of Christ when the assaults and fury of tyrants, persecuting the Church, slaughtered the saints. For then the spices flowed, then the constancy and the virtues of the martyrs gave forth their scent, then a most sweet 1261Dodor of a reasonable holocaust and of a pure sacrifice was borne before the sight of the Lord. Yet we may understand by the north wind, which is a harsh and cold wind, the cruelty of tyrants. And by the south wind, which is calm, the blandishments of deceit are designated; whence it is said: « His enemies shall lick the ground (Psal. LXXI, 9). »

Verses: We have said that the Church is The royal bride of the King, 1262AWhose eyes you are, O prophets, You her most valiant teeth, O Peter and Paul, Who refresh her as is your wont. The cheeks always red Are assuredly the martyrs. Whosoever are imperfect are the hair, And the feeble of lesser merit, Because they are unstable like it. The neck that bears the shields We call the bishops, Who bravely defend their own sheep: Pursuing vices, and lions, Serpentine furies, and dragons. The garden is most safe, Most holy of the saints, 1262BWhich lacks neither lilies nor roses; Nor are the trees deprived of their fruits. There the fountain is of sweetest savor, This the blasts of the winds, 620 The columns of tyrants Disturb and toss with fury; The martyrs seek heaven with honor; The Lord takes delight in the odor.

The Church says of Christ: « Let my beloved come into his garden. » Let him come, she says, my beloved, my Bridegroom, my friend, into his garden, into his Church, into the congregation of the saints. To what end? « That he may eat the fruit of his apple trees. » Let him eat, she says, the fruit of the pomerum; let him receive the sheaf, 1262Cthe homage, and the good works of the saints. The apples are mellow, the trees are shaken, the martyrs are slain. Let the Lord therefore command that their souls be gathered into the heavenly treasury and into Abraham's bosom. Christ says: « Come into my garden, my sister, my bride. » Thou askest me, he says, to come; but I have already come.

« I have gathered my myrrh with the spices. » By the myrrh we understand the martyrs, chaste and incorrupt; but by the spices, the fragrance of good works. And there is myrrh with spices when, the concupiscences of the flesh being overcome, a man lives with the virtues alone. Then the flesh is incorrupt, then the virtues give forth their fragrance, then the Lord bids 1262Dthe saints come to him. For when the Apostle said: « I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ (Philip. I, 23), » was he not longing that his own myrrh should be gathered? « I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey. » With what sweetness and delight God receives his saints is declared in these words. « I have eaten, he says, my honeycomb with my honey » — I have received my love, I have taken up my sweetest and exceedingly beloved friends. Confirmation. « I have drunk my wine with my milk. » The wine indeed are you, O apostles, who, made drunk 1263Awith the divine cup, had all skill. But the milk are those who are adorned with a middling and imperfect knowledge. Christ therefore came into his garden, and carried away with him, with exceeding love, the myrrh which the wind had blown through — that is, the saints whom the tyrant had afflicted. Christ says to the apostles: « Eat, my friends, and drink. » Apostrophe to the apostles. You, he says, are my friends; do you eat the doctrine of the faith and my flesh, do you drink my blood. « For unless you shall have eaten my flesh and drunk my blood, you shall not have life in you (Joan. VI, 54). » Eat therefore the living bread; drink the cup of the new testament. « And be inebriated, my dearly beloved. » For he who is inebriated with this cup is inebriated with true knowledge. For he who spurns riches, desires 1263Bdeath, forgets himself, neglects what he sees, believes what he does not see — does he not seem to be drunk? « I sleep, and my heart watcheth. » He slept indeed according to the flesh, since he died and was buried; but the heart watches, because the divinity cannot sleep. Yet this is also understood thus in the person of the Church. I sleep, the flesh being overcome and subdued; but the heart watches — that is, the soul, which perseveres in good works. And we may understand by the heart the apostles of Christ. These watch, these guard the holy Church by day and by night. The Church: « The voice of my beloved knocking. » I hear, she says, the voice of my Lord; for he knocks at his saints, that they may not sleep, and exhorts them to watch. For he stands at the door and knocks. If any man open, he will come in and will sup with him. 1263C« Open to me, my sister. » Sister indeed, because both Bridegroom and bride are children of the same Father — he by nature, but she by adoption. « My friend, » for whom I did not hesitate to die, than which love there is none greater. « My dove, » lacking gall and bitterness. « My undefiled, » who, cleansed from all vices, art without spot or wrinkle. Open to me, he says, thy heart; open to me the gate by which I may enter both thy conscience and the consciences of others: « for my head is full of dew. » Confirmation. « And my ringlets with the drops of the nights. » All the night, he says, I have run; for love of thee I have kept watch. « Behold, I stand at the door and knock (Apoc. III). » Open to me, my sister. Christ indeed was in many adversities, in the night, and in death itself, for love 1263Dof her. Whence also that word: « Moreover, even until night my reins have chided me (Psal. XV, 7). » It is unjust, therefore, not to open to him, and not to receive so great a Bridegroom into the bridal chamber of the heart. But spiritually the dew upon the head is understood both of the heavenly blessing and of the grace of the Holy Spirit in him. Of which it is said 1264A: « Like the ointment upon the head, which ran down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron (Psal. CXXXII, 2): » The voice of the faithful soul. The bride to herself: « I have put off my tunic; how shall I put it on? » Rightly, she says, hast thou called me undefiled, since I have put off my tunic, have fled my former life, have stripped off the old man, and have driven away the concupiscences of the world, the cares of the age, and the vices in which I was wrapped and ensnared. I am undefiled; and clothed with thee, the new man, I shall walk in newness of life, and I shall no more put on the aforesaid tunic, nor shall I return to secular things; but what I have begun I shall work at without ceasing. « I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? » I have washed my feet, she says, and have put to flight those vices in which human frailty more frequently offends. For this part 621 of the body, because it is nearer 1264Bto the earth, is more often defiled. For there are certain sins from which scarcely anyone will be immune, as elation of mind, vainglory, idle words, and vain thoughts. The voice of the Church concerning Christ: « My beloved put his hand upon the opening. » My beloved, she says, put his hand — his doctrine and the spirit of his fortitude, and the very commemoration of his passion — upon the opening and the gate of my heart, which is never shut to him.

« And my belly trembled at his touch. » For who is there whom the Lord has touched and inspired with the Holy Spirit — who, calling his passion to mind, would not tremble? Whence is that word. « Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke (Psal. CXLIII, 5). » The Lord therefore puts his hand through the opening, he touches our heart; 1264Cit remembers the passion, it is gripped with wonder and fear that the Lord should suffer such things for his servants, the just for the unjust, the creator for the creature. « I rose up to open to my beloved. » I heard, she says, the voice; from the little bed of my delight I rose up, and forsook the blandishments of the world. I opened to my beloved, I believed his words, I cleansed of vices and of error my heart, in which so great a guest was to dwell. Whence it is said through the Psalmist: « At the hearing of the ear he hath obeyed me (Psal. 17, 45). » -- « My hands dropped with myrrh. » What by the hands but works? And what by the myrrh but incorruption? The hands therefore drop myrrh, since good works make both body and soul incorrupt. « And my fingers are full of the most 1264Dapproved myrrh. » For what do we understand by the fingers but the distinct performance of individual works? As to watch, to pray, to fast, and the like. And these are not undeservedly said to be full of the most approved myrrh, since they both mortify the flesh — and that not without a great recompense — and prepare an eternal incorruption. 1265A« I opened the bolt of my door to my beloved. » My heart, she says, was greatly hardened; it had been barred with many obstacles and fastenings. But after I heard his voice, and conceived in my mind the sayings of truth, I opened the whole understanding of my heart, and removed all the obstacles of error by which my heart was shut as by a bolt. I opened indeed, that I might receive him, and might understand most truly, perfectly, and reasonably who he is, and of what sort, and in what manner. But in vain. Why so? It follows. « But he had turned aside and had passed on. » For when men presume to search out the things that are God's, he indeed turns aside from them and passes on, since in what manner he is can in no way be comprehended. Whence is that word: « Man shall come to a deep heart, and God shall be exalted (Psal. 1265BLXIII, 7). » -- « My soul melted when he spoke. » My soul, she says, which was harder than iron and stone, when the most sweet voice of the Bridegroom had been heard, melted; and, softened as it were like wax, received the evangelical preaching written upon it. In short, when we have heard our doctors preaching the divine precepts, if perchance, pricked with fear and love, we dissolve our eyes into tears, then we have a soul that is melted. But the souls of the Jews have not melted, since their hearts, hardened beyond measure, cannot be inscribed with the stylus of the spirit. Which indeed their law signified, being shaped upon stones. « I sought him, and found him not. » For many seek the Lord, since they desire both to leave the world, and to be freed from necessities, and to be with him. Whence one says: « O that thou wouldst rend 1265Cthe heavens and come down! » (Isa. LXIV, 1.) And the Apostle: « I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ (Philip. I, 23). » Yet some seek, and do not at once find. « I called, and he did not answer me. » For they call and cry out, they beg to be freed from this flesh, and the Lord does not hear them. « The keepers that go about the city found me. » The city is the Church, the keepers the apostles; the keepers, I say, the apostles and doctors, who go about the Church, who defend her from her enemies, « found me. They struck me, » namely with the sword of the spirit. « For the word of God is living and effectual, and more piercing than any two-edged sword (Hebr. IV, 12). » -- « And they wounded me, » namely with the fear of compunction and of love, and with the sayings 1265Dof the Scriptures, which like the sharpest arrows put the army of the enemies to flight. « The keepers of the walls took away my cloak from me. » My cloak, she says — the depraved will and the multitude of vices in which I was wrapped and covered — the apostles and doctors took from me, and clothed me with the garment of faith, with a white and nuptial robe. Apostrophe. « I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him that I languish with love. » For by the daughters of Jerusalem the souls of the apostles are understood. And these have already ascended into Jerusalem 1266A, and dwell with the Lord, and have found their desire. And therefore God's beloved, that is, the Church, who still dwells in this world 622, adjures them to announce her love and her desire to God. For there are faithful witnesses in heaven.

Verses: Who is this that knocks at the door, Breaking the sleep of night? He calls me: O fairest of virgins, Sister, spouse, most splendid jewel, Rise quickly and open, most sweet one: I am the Son of the most high King, The first and the last, Who came from heaven into these shadows, Having suffered death and many injuries, 1266BTo set free the souls of the captives. Straightway I left my little bed, I ran to the bolt, That my house might lie open to my beloved, And that my mind might most fully see Him whom it most greatly desires to see: But he had already passed on from thence, He had left the door. What then, what was I, most wretched, to do? Weeping I followed the young man, Whose hands had formed man. The watchmen of the city found me, They stripped me, They took away and they gave a cloak, They sang to me a new canticle 1266CWhereby I might be brought into the King's palace.

The voice of the Synagogue: « What manner of one is thy beloved of the beloved? What manner of one is thy beloved of the beloved, O thou fairest among women? » More noble than the noble, stronger than the strong, wiser than the wise. What manner of one, I say, is he? Say what manner of one he is, « since thou hast so adjured us? » — that we might announce thy love to him. The voice of the Church: « My beloved is white and ruddy. » White indeed, because no stain of vices has discoloured him; but ruddy, because he was made bloody with his own blood. According to that word: « Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bosra? » (Isa. LXIII, 1.) « Chosen out of thousands, » that is, out of the whole multitude of angels and of men. « For who among the clouds 1266Dshall be equal to the Lord? » (Psal. LXXXVIII, 7.) « His head is the finest gold. » What by the head, but the divinity? Whence the Apostle: « The head of the man, he says, is Christ; but the head of the woman is the man; the head of Christ is God (I Cor. XI, 3). » And this head is called the finest gold, because the divinity is preferred before all things. For the thing made cannot be made equal to its maker, nor the creature to the Creator. For there are two natures in Christ, of which the one is gold and the other earth: namely, the divinity and the humanity. « His locks are the high boughs of palm trees. » For the high boughs 1267Aof palms are the longer branches, ever tending to higher things, not losing their greenness. The multitudes of the faithful, therefore, are the high boughs of palms, since they always hasten to higher things, do not lose their greenness, cannot be dried up or die, and, growing from virtue to virtue, ascend the heavens. Of whom it is said: « The just shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall be multiplied like the cedar of Libanus (Psal. XCI, 13). » And these are called Christ's locks, since they cleave firmly to his faith, which is the head of all men. « Black as a raven. » Why black? Because they are worn down, they are afflicted, they suffer the heat and many adversities. Whence she said above: « I am black, but beautiful. »

« His eyes are as doves, » that is, chaste and simple, not lifted up, not confounded with anger. And by the eyes 1267Bwe understand the graces of the Holy Spirit, by which the saints are enlightened. Whence is that word: « I saw a lamb as it were slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth (Apoc. V, 6). » And we may also understand by the eyes the patriarchs and prophets, to whom the Lord himself says: « You are the light of the world (Matth. V, 14). » -- « Upon the rivers of waters, » — understand: being there. For the apostles and doctors are upon the rivers of waters when they are exercised in the volumes of the Scriptures. « Which are washed with milk. » For otherwise the simple and the little ones cannot drink them. Therefore, because they are washed with milk, both the wise and the unwise make use of them, since they contain in 1267Cthemselves the sovereignty of all knowledge. « His cheeks are as beds of spices set by the perfumers. » His cheeks, she says, are odoriferous and pleasant to look upon. But what do we understand by the cheeks, save that knowledge which we have concerning Christ? Whence the Apostle says: « And he manifesteth the odour of his knowledge by us in every place (II Cor. II, 14). » For what odour is sweeter, and what delight greater, than to have the knowledge of Christ? The cheeks of Christ, therefore, are cognitions — namely, those which appear concerning him and can be both seen and understood — like collections of spices which have been compounded and set in order by the perfumers. « His lips are lips dropping the first myrrh. » They were indeed the lips of Christ when, preaching baptism, he said: « You must be born again (Joan. III, 7). » 1267DAnd likewise: « Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God (ibid., 5)., For while he was saying these things, the lilies gave forth odour and beauty. But his lips 623 1268Adropped myrrh — the mortification of the flesh and the incorruption of the whole man — then, when he was admonishing his disciples to be strong and to fear nothing, saying: « Fear not them that kill the body, but cannot kill the soul (Matth. X, 8). » And: « Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake (Matth. V, 10). » And: « If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you (Joan. XV, 20). » And likewise: « He that will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Matth. XVI, 24). » -- « His hands are turned on the lathe, full of hyacinths. » Why turned on the lathe, unless because he disposes and works all things by rule, with ease, in right order? He is the best of craftsmen; his hands are learned; he knows how to paint well, to carve well, and to turn vessels most excellently. But why golden, unless because his works are more excellent than all others? For as 1268Bgold excels the other metals, so the working of God excels all things. But why are they said to be full of hyacinths? For the hyacinth is a stone of the colour of air, or also a flower having a purple appearance. The hands of the Lord, therefore, are full of hyacinths — whether because his working rouses us to the heavenly kingdoms. « For the invisible things of him, as the Apostle says, from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made (Rom. I, 20); » or also because of the blood of the nails. For blood and purple are of the same colour. The hands of the Lord are also full of hyacinths, because all his works are done with an admirable distinction. Whence he himself says — that « not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these (Matth. VI, 29) » — when he was speaking of the lilies. « His belly is of ivory. » 1268CHis belly, she says — the humanity and the flesh — Christ the man was born of the Virgin of ivory; he is white, and strong, and chaste. Of ivory was the belly of Mary; of ivory that of Christ also: each white, each strong and chaste.

« Set with sapphires. » For the sapphire is a stone having the colour of a clear sky. The belly of Christ, therefore, was set with sapphires, since the Word made flesh did now heavenly things, as God, now human things, as true man. Therefore, because a belly is named, man and earth are understood; but because a sapphire is named, which we have said has a heavenly colour, he assuredly is denoted who came down from heaven.

1268D« His legs are pillars of marble. » For by the legs we understand ways and journeys, and it is the cause put for the effect. His legs, she says — his ways and journeys — are not weak. Not a reed shaken by the wind; rather, pillars. But what pillars? Of marble, assuredly, which can indeed be broken 1269A, but cannot be bent. For Christ could be slain, but there was no power to turn him aside from his purposed will. « Which are set upon bases of gold: » namely, faith concerning those things which God has taught us, and the firmness of wisdom. For the divinity of Christ both governed and sustained the assumed humanity. And we may also denote by the journeys the incarnation, the passion, the resurrection, and the ascension. Which are said to be set upon bases of gold for this reason, that they had inhered, before the foundation of the world, in the providence and counsel of the Father — which is assuredly a golden foundation. Whence he himself says: « Thou shouldst not have any power against me, unless it were given thee from above (Joan. XIX, 11). » And this is just as if he were to say: I have a most firm foundation, 1269Bwhich will not suffer me to be slain unless it so wills. « His beauty is as of Libanus, chosen as the cedars. » For this mountain surpasses in height all the mountains of that land; but the majesty of the mountain that is Christ fills and contains all things. In short, Libanus is called whitening, and Christ is fairer in form than the sons of men. His beauty, therefore, is as of Libanus: lofty, and fair, and more excellent than all. « Chosen as the cedars. » For the cedar is a tree which is reported to be lofty, odoriferous, fair, and of a nature that does not rot. And all these things befit Christ. « His throat is most sweet; » that is, the words which come forth from his mouth are pleasant and sweet, and sweeter than any honey. But why do I linger over particulars? « And he is altogether desirable. » I shall leave the particulars: summarily and briefly 1269CI shall say all. What shall I say? My friend is altogether desirable, he is altogether lovable. Let us therefore love him not in word, but in deed and in truth, with the whole heart, with the whole mind, with the whole intention of the heart. « Such is my beloved, » to whom I have been betrothed with a faithful ring, and joined with exceeding love and affection; « and he, » and not another — not a Jew, not a heretic — « is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. » Truly a friend indeed, since for her sake he shed his blood, than which there can be no greater love.

Verses: Whom does it concern to ask What manner of one he is, since there is none such, To whom the Father is equal And the Spirit sovereign, God and man. Whose head is pure gold, The light and splendour of souls; His locks are the high boughs of palms, Wondrously adorned with flowers, Typically the saints. His eyes are not lifted up, But likened to doves, Which upon the rivers of waters And the streams of the Scriptures Ever abide. His cheeks are pleasant, 624 To none grievous to look upon; His lips are exceedingly fair: 1270AMyrrh drops from them. What shall I add besides? Golden are his hands, Of ivory his belly, This is set with sapphires, Those are full of hyacinths: He knows all things. Of marble are his legs In their own stability, Exceedingly solid and hard, In no way to be broken: Believe me. Exalted like a cedar, Made white like Libanus, He fills all things with his majesty, 1270BHe offers a fragrance to all, The God of gods. Sweet are his words, Ever true and open; They are tried by fire And approved by the Fathers, Like silver. Such is my beloved And this is my friend, Whose praises, since we are not all Able to set forth, Here shall be the end.

« Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside, and we will seek him 1270Cwith thee? » For those who speak here are imperfect: therefore they inquire, as though they knew not, where God may be, whither he has turned aside, and in what place he might die. « My beloved is gone down into his garden. » What is it, she says, that you seek? Is it not known to you that my beloved has gone down into his garden? He has indeed come into his garden; he has visited me, his bride and his friend. In short, he also said: I will not forsake thee, neither will I abandon thee. From the time, therefore, that he came into the world, from the time that he joined me to himself by the bond of love, he is with me and dwells with me. He went to the Father, he did not leave me; he ascended the heavens, he did not forsake me. Do not therefore say, O man, whither is he gone? do not say, whither has he turned aside? Wilt thou seek him with me? See that thou art of one mind with me: work what I work, watch as I watch. Take oil with thee, if thou wilt ascend with me. I have none, thou sayest; then neither wilt thou go further with me. Watch therefore with lamps lighted, that thou mayest go joyfully to meet him when he comes. But why the Church is called a garden has already been said above: « To the bed of spices. » To the bed, he says, of spices. By the bed is understood any faithful soul which, cultivated by heavenly discipline and diligently ordered, and adorned with the evenness of its sides — that is, with the four chief virtues — brings forth in holy works many spices to be burned for God.

« That he may feed in the gardens. » Wilt thou become a garden? I will, thou sayest: cleanse then thy heart, take away the thorns and briers; see that thy soul flowers; see that it grows green with lilies and roses, with chastity and simplicity, and with the other virtues. 1271AThen will he feed in thy garden, then will he come who said: « If any man open, I will come in and will sup with him, and he with me (Apoc. III, 20). » -- « And gather the lilies. » For God is always gathering lilies, always joining souls to himself. For we know that the people is grass; and grass is baptized, from which God gathers lilies. Thou hast vowed to serve God, thou hast promised to serve God in chastity and humility, in patience and sobriety; these are the lilies which thou presentest to God; these are the lilies which the Lord gathers. « I to my beloved, and my beloved to me. » I, she says, serve my beloved and obey him in all things, and prepare in myself a place for his dwelling. And my beloved helps me, bestows the merits of my service, and brings himself into me as a guest. « Who feedeth among the lilies, » that is, 1271Bhe delights in the odour of the virtues and in the beauty of souls. The voice of the Bridegroom: « Thou art beautiful, my friend, sweet and comely as Jerusalem. » Beautiful indeed, since thou hast been baptized. « And sweet and comely as Jerusalem. » For Jerusalem is interpreted vision of peace. Rightly, therefore, is the Church called sweet as Jerusalem, since she knows and sees peace, follows peace, and believes unto peace. Whence it is written: « And his place is made in peace (Psal. LXXV, 3). » And because she is the daughter of the Jerusalem above, therefore she is said to have its beauty and comeliness; of which the Apostle: « That Jerusalem, he says, which is above is free, which is our mother (Galat. IV, 26). » -- « Terrible 1271Cas an army set in array. » Terrible indeed, because, armed with faith and hope and the other virtues, she puts to flight the ambushes of the malign spirits. For terrible was Peter, and terrible also was Paul. For Peter commanded Ananias with his wife to die; and Paul delivered the adulterer to Satan. Terrible too were the other saints, who forced the malign spirits to go out from the bodies they possessed. But why is she said to be as an army set in array? For the lines of a camp are so ordered that each man, set in his own place, may defend the place entrusted to him. So also in the Church. The bishop stands before the gates, lest the wolf steal in, lest he carry off the sheep. 625 But why say much? Each one fights in his own order. The doctors fight, the continent fight, the married fight also. They are skilled in battle; 1271Dthey destroy vices and overthrow the malign spirits. « Turn away thy eyes from me, for they have made me fly away from thee. » For since above, opening the bolt of her door, the Church both willed to receive Christ into herself and began to pry too far into the secrets of his divinity, therefore it is here said: « Turn away thy eyes from me. » Whence the Apostle also gave this precept: « not to be more wise than it behoveth (Rom. XII, 3). » Let us therefore turn away 1272Aour eyes; and let him who is of the earth speak of the earth: let no one try to comprehend what is incomprehensible. « For they have made me fly away from thee. » For the more deeply it is searched into, the more does the divine wisdom flee the minds of men. For God fled Arius, he fled Sabellius, and he fled many other heretics, since they looked upon him with crooked eyes, and disputed with a carnal gaze and by human reason concerning those things which cannot be known save by divine inspiration. « Thy hair is as flocks of goats that come up from mount Galaad. » Thy hair, he says — thy sayings and thoughts, the multitudes of the faithful — like flocks of goats, ever seek higher things and desire to be filled with heavenly food. And « since every best gift and every perfect gift 1272Bis from above, coming down from the Father of lights (Jac. I, 17); » loathing earthly sustenance, they await the food that comes to them from heaven; and finally they sacrifice their very selves to the Lord. « Which have appeared from mount Galaad. » For Galaad is interpreted heap of testimony. Why, therefore, these two Testaments are called Galaad appears plainly. » Thy teeth are flocks « of shorn sheep, which came up from the washing. All with twins, and there is none barren among them. As the rind of a pomegranate, so are thy cheeks, besides thine eyes. » The Lord praises his bride, and praises her with the same words as above; and he reproves nothing else in her save that she gazes upon him and pursues with her own eyes the discerning of those things which human sight cannot see. And therefore he cries out against it.

1272C« Turn away thy eyes from me. » Do not gaze upon me as though I were bound to a place, as though measurable, as though a statue of some shape. I am eternal, immeasurable, incomprehensible. « Man shall not see me and live (Exod. XXXIII, 20). » -- « There are threescore queens. » What by the queens, but the apostles and doctors, who rule and teach others? But why threescore? For the number sixty is made up of six and of ten. For six times ten, or ten times six, make sixty. And since God accomplished his work in six days, not undeservedly do we understand by the six the perfection of works; and by the ten we signify the ten precepts of the law. Thus, therefore, the queens of Christ are threescore, since in the Church there are found rulers both perfect in 1272Dworks and wise in the institutions of the law. « Fourscore concubines. » And by the concubines are understood those who, under the countenance of friendship, scatter their friend's house, squander his goods, deceitfully steal into the chamber of his lawful wife, and violate it most greedily. But why fourscore? For this number is made of eight and of ten: for eight times ten, or ten times eight, make eighty. These too, therefore, preach 1273Athe ten precepts of the law, but not out of charity, so that they do not do the things which they preach. For these are they of whom it is said: « For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens, and lay them on men's shoulders, but with a finger of their own they will not move them (Matth. XXIII, 4). » These are they who adulterate the word of God. But these are not found within the six days, since, given over to idleness, they are not exercised in good works. Yet neither will they have a sabbath-rest nor repose, since they have passed by the seventh day. But they will come to the eighth, on which the resurrection will take place. « For we shall all, whether good or evil, stand before the tribunal of Christ (Rom. XIV, 10). » And of this eighth it is said: « Why shall I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall encompass me (Psal. XLVIII, 6); » that is, in the 1273Bday on which the wicked shall enter into things eternal. There are therefore fourscore concubines, since many preach the law who on the eighth day shall be damned in the judgment. Many monks and bishops, therefore, shall be damned, who, letting good things flow from their lips and mouth while inwardly reserving their vices, shall be damned, hearing thus in the judgment: « Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire (Matth. XXV, 41). » This word is said also to monks who, dwelling alone and not rightly expending what they have, shall without doubt perish forever. « And of the young maidens there is no number. » What by the young maidens, but whatever faithful have been regenerated by the water of baptism? Of whom it is said: « Thy youth shall be renewed like the eagle's (Psal. CII, 5). » And their number he alone has known who numbers the stars. 1273C« One is my dove. » Many, he says, are the queens, and many too the concubines. Yet one is my dove, that is, the holy and universal Church, whose God 626 is one, whose faith is one, whose baptism is one, whose will — that is, heart — is one, and whose soul is the same. And she is truly called a dove, because she is simple, spiritual, humble, and meek. My perfect one, to whom the number six most certainly belongs, since she does not cease from my works. « She is the one of her mother, » that is, the only and singular daughter of the Jerusalem above. « The chosen of her that bore her. » Since, as she loves the heavenly fatherland, so also the heavenly fatherland loves her. We are therefore children of earth according to the flesh; but we are also children of heaven according to the soul. For the one 1273Dis earthly, but the other is heavenly. Let us therefore serve not the earthly mother, but rather the heavenly. « The daughters saw her. » that is, the aforesaid young maidens. 1274A« and declared her most blessed (Prov. XXXI, 28). » For which of the prophets, or of the apostles, or of the doctors has not proclaimed the blessedness of the Church? Which of the saints has not told of her happiness? Understand: none. « The queens and the concubines praised her. » For both the apostles and the doctors praised her. In short, even the heretics and the false apostles extolled her with praises. Many concubines still, many false preachers, many priests of deities and not of God, praise the Church. For it is she who, consisting of many persons of the faithful, makes the catholic — that is, the universal — Church.

Verses: Beautiful art thou, my sweet friend, Clothed about with beautiful garments. 1274BThou hast camps well armed, Well ordered, so that they cannot be overcome. I have given thee twin eyes, Wherewith thou shalt be able to behold me. By the eyes of heretics And of philosophers I shall not be able to be seen. I have threescore queens, And fourscore concubines; The young maidens can be loved, can be praised, But not numbered. Yet one is my dove, One is my love in her, Whom very many daughters have both seen and known And have praised.

« Who is she that goeth forth as the morning 1274Crising? » Who, he says, and of what sort, and how beautiful is she who goes forth, who does not linger in idleness, but climbs up to me by passing from virtue to virtue, and fills the world with her greatness, and is spread abroad in every land? « As the morning rising, » shining with virtues, gleaming with serenity, announcing the true and highest day to all nations. « Beautiful as the moon, » since she is illumined by the light of her brother and Bridegroom alone. « Chosen as the sun. » For what is chosen is preferred to the rest. The Church, therefore, is chosen, since she imitates the brightness of the sun. In short, since Christ is called the sun and the Church the moon, not undeservedly is she called chosen as the sun. For as the Church chose the sun, so also the sun of justice, Christ our Lord, 1274Dchose the Church. Whence is that word: « And with the elect thou wilt be elect (Psal. XVII, 17). » -- « Terrible. » Why terrible? Because she is prudent, because strong, because wise, because she is « as 1275Aan army set in array. » Ever watchful, ever armed, she is never off her guard. She says therefore: « And thou hast girded me with strength unto battle, and hast supplanted under me them that rose up against me (Psal. XVII, 40). » -- « I went down into the garden of nuts. » What by the garden of nuts, but the Church? But why the Church is called a garden has already been said above: yet why of nuts? For the nut yields a pleasant odour. And its fruit is clothed with a double covering. What is outermost is bitter; but the second is tough and hard. But what lies hidden within is sweet and pleasant. So too the Church has an outer garment, namely the flesh: bitter, wretched, tearful, rough and shaggy. But beneath this is covered that strong, white, and singular garment which she wove with her own 1275Bhands: for joining virtues to virtues and knitting good works to good works, she has composed for herself an admirable robe; clothed with which, she scorns the arrows of her enemies. And beneath this is covered the soul, of wondrous sweetness and pleasantness, free from gall and from all bitterness. « That I might see the fruits of the valleys. » Into this garden Christ went down. But why did he go down? That he might see the fruits of the valleys, that is, the humility and patience of the faithful. And of this valley it is said: « Every valley shall be filled (Luc. III, 5). » He went down into the garden, he saw the valley, he knew and chose the humble. « And that I might look whether the vineyard had flourished. » For the vineyard of God flourishes when the saints prepare themselves for good work. « And whether the pomegranates had budded. » The pomegranates 1275Care the martyrs, the pomegranates are the virgins, the pomegranates are all who blush for their sins. And these 627 are always budding; these bring forth and nourish not thorns and briers, but rather flowers and virtues. « I knew not. » The voice of the Synagogue: Thou, she says, camest into the garden. But I knew not; I was ignorant of thy coming. Why so? Because « my soul troubled me; » and this « on account of the chariots of Aminadab. » I saw, she says, Aminadab; I saw and heard Christ. For Aminadab is interpreted the willing one of his people. Christ, therefore, is Aminadab, since he did not hesitate to shed his own blood for us. And the Synagogue saw his chariots. She saw Mary, who bore him in her womb and in her hands. She saw also the very flesh in which the Lord lay hidden. She saw also the apostles, 1275Dwhom Christ ruled and guided as a good charioteer. Hence it is that it is said: « Thou who wilt mount upon thy horses, and thy chariots are salvation (Habac. III, 8). » This the Synagogue saw, and therefore she was troubled. She was troubled on account of Mary, and troubled also on account of 1276Athe flesh, since she said that God could neither be a man nor have a mother. She heard the apostles also preaching: she was troubled, since they seemed to speak against the law. For they preached « Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumbling block, but unto the Gentiles foolishness (I Cor. I, 23). » The consoling voice of the Church: « Return, return, O Sulamitess; return, return, that we may behold thee. » The voice of the chariots, that is, of the apostles: Thou, they say, O Synagogue, being foolish and unwary, didst not know him who went down into the garden, nor didst thou lose thy hardness for the din of his chariots. But thou, Sulamitess, thou people of the Gentiles, thou Church, return. Whither? To the Lord, into the fatherland, into the promised inheritance. And Sulamitess is interpreted captive or 1276Bdespised. But the Church, formerly despised, is now chosen by a husband. Which indeed Rachel signified. And she is a captive, since, taken in battle, she was carried off by the malign spirits. And « return » is said four times, since there are four Gospels, which do not cease to say « return, return. » For they always admonish us to return, to do penance, to return to the Lord. « That we may behold thee, » that is, that thou be not plunged into darkness, but that in the heavenly Jerusalem we may see thee with us, and thy beauty, forever.

« What shalt thou see in the Sulamitess, but the companies of camps? » For the companies of camps, as the custom is, both rejoice and sing, and adorn them; they burnish their arms, 1276Cthey fortify the bulwarks, they equip themselves for valour and boldness. But in the Church the praise of exultation and of confession resounds; and the flesh is understood as the horse of the soul, it is adorned with virtues, and arms and the sayings of the Scriptures are declared. and the one rouses the other to the service of God. The voice of Christ to the Church: « How beautiful are thy steps in shoes, O prince's daughter! » Beautiful are the steps, beautiful is the gait, and beautiful too is the working. Whence the Apostle says: « Let us walk honestly, as in the day (Rom. XIII, 13). » -- « In shoes. » Thou art shod, he says; thou art made ready for the journey. Thou saidst above, « I have washed my feet. » but now thou art shod, lest they be defiled. For patience shoes our feet, since it did not hesitate to shed the blood 1276Dof the innocent, and does not only suffer. We may also understand by the shoes the examples of the prophets who have died. And thus the king's daughter, this daughter of the eternal prince, is shod. « The joints of thy thighs are like necklaces, that are wrought 1277Aby the hand of a craftsman. » What by the thighs, but the begetting of children? For in the thighs generation takes place. Whence Abraham made his servant swear upon his thigh, since he knew that from thence Christ would come forth, by whose name they that fear God do not dare to swear in vain. Let it be said, therefore: The joint of thy thighs is to thee as necklaces — that is, the union, the love, and the concord of thy children. For children are a mother's glory, and by no necklaces is she more adorned than by children, if she has them well-mannered. And so much the greater glory is to be had in these, as the workmanship established by the hand of a higher craftsman is worthier and fairer. « Thy navel is a turned bowl. » What by the navel but the apostles? But 628 why the navel? For as the navel holds its place in 1277Bthe middle of the belly, so also the apostles hold theirs in the middle of the Church. According to that word: « In the midst of the Church he shall open his mouth (Eccli. XV, 5). » The apostles, therefore, are the navel. But why a bowl? Because they are filled with living water, with heavenly nectar, and with the inundation of all the Scriptures. But why turned on the lathe? For what is made on the lathe does not let go of rule and order. The apostles, therefore, are turned on the lathe, since they always observe the rule of truth; they are round, they are solid; no rough stone, no obstacle of worthy offence is to be found in them. « Never wanting cups, » since it is always full, always overflows, and always offers the cup of salvation to the thirsty. « Thy belly is as a heap of wheat. » For by the belly we understand the multitude of subjects and of the imperfect. 1277CAll the members of the body serve the belly: the feet carry it, the teeth feed it, the eyes lead it. So also are the preachers: they sustain, nourish, and enlighten the Church. The imperfect, therefore, are called the belly, since they are softer and more imperfect. And these are compared to a heap of wheat, because they are both many and have proceeded from one. Whence the Lord himself says: « Unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, itself remaineth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit (Joan. XII, 24). » This grain of wheat, therefore, fell into the ground, came into Mary, from which arose that multitude of the faithful which in this place is called a heap of wheat. « Set about with lilies; » encompassed with virtues and with the prayers of the doctors. 1277D« The two breasts are two twin fawns of a roe. » For the two breasts are the two Testaments. But the one roe is the one Church, which always seeks higher things and awaits the food from above out of the heavens. And the two fawns are the two peoples, namely the Jewish and the Gentile. As many breasts, therefore, so many sons also. The voice of Christ: 1278A« Thy neck is as a tower of ivory. » For the neck, the eyes, and the nose are said to be the apostles. The neck indeed, since they carry the shield, and nourish the Church, and bring forth the words of doctrine. The eyes, because they enlighten the blind. And the nose, because they discern both the odour of the sacred law and of the virtues, and the stench of the depraved doctrine of heretics and of vices. The neck of the Church, therefore — that is, any preacher — ought to be a tower, a refuge for the rest, and a lofty defence. Whence is that word: « A tower of strength against the face of the enemy (Psal. LX, 4). » And let it be of ivory too, that is, chaste, white, and strong. « Thy eyes are like the fishpools in Hesebon. » Hesebon indeed is interpreted girdle of sorrow, or city of the multitude. But the Church contains many within herself, and girds and binds many; many effeminate she prepares 1278Bfor manly deeds by girding up their garments; many unbridled and dissolute she constrains with bit and bridle, lest they wander through empty things. And by the fishpools which are in the Church we understand the font of baptism. And in these the fishermen both raise and take many fish. The eyes of the Church, therefore — that is, the holy preachers — are both clear and shining like the fishpools in Hesebon, especially since their preachings are the purgation of souls. For the souls which are once purged in baptism must be purged many times by the doctors. « Which are in the gates of the daughter of the multitude. » For the Church is called the daughter of the multitude, since she does not cease daily to bring forth a multitude of children. And in her gates are these fishpools, since no one enters into her unless he be first baptized. Wilt thou 1278Center the city? Go down into the fishpool. Wilt thou be joined to the Church? Be baptized, and believe.

« Thy nose is as the tower of Libanus. » For Libanus, which is interpreted whitening, and which stands out above all the mountains of that province, signifies Christ. And on this mountain, upon the firmness of this stone, that tower is set, that congregation of the apostles is founded, which looks upon and protects the whole Church from above. Whence they are also called bishops, as it were those who see from above. Lofty, therefore, is the tower, and lofty also is the foundation. It does not fear the stench, it does not dread the disturbance of the air. It seeks heavenly things; it does not lie in the wallowing-places of vices. « Which looketh toward Damascus, » that is, against the devil and his angels. For Damascus 1278Dis interpreted a drink of blood. Let the tower of God, therefore, look toward Damascus, that is, against those who thirst for the blood of the saints. For on that side from which more is feared, more watchmen are to be set. « Thy head is like Carmel. What by the head, but the heart and the understanding? For as the head in 1279Athe body, so also the understanding holds the sovereignty in the soul. And Carmel is interpreted the thought of circumcision. The head of the Church, therefore, is like Carmel: it is great, it is lofty; it knows not lowly things, not carnal things, but rather heavenly and spiritual ones. It follows not the letter which kills, but the spirit which gives life; it has learned the circumcision not of the flesh, but of the heart. « And the locks of thy head are as the king's purple bound to the channels. » For if the head is the understanding, what 629 will the locks of the head be, but the thoughts cleaving to the understanding. And these are likened to purple, since they both always blush for their sins and love the shedding of blood for Christ. Kings do not glory more in purple than the saints in the raiment of such thoughts. This is the robe and the purple of the saints; with these they are covered, with these they are 1279Badorned; these are bound to the channels, these always await the washing and the purgation. Let the saints, therefore, have a lofty understanding; let them be clothed and adorned with good thoughts; let them always desire the purgation of souls

« How beautiful art thou, and how comely, my dearest, in delights! » In what delights? In those of spiritual grace, that is, of the divine wisdom of the heavenly joys. « Thy stature, » that is, thy perfect and lofty stability, « is likened to a palm tree, » because it stands firm and upright and is never bent aside by the winds; its branches are tall, its fruit sweet, its greenness eternal. The palm befits victors; victory does not depart from the Church. « And thy breasts are clusters, » that is, the doctors, or the twin Testaments, which give us sometimes milk to drink, and sometimes 1279Cpure wine. And those who are inebriated with this wine forget earthly things.

Verses: Return to thy God, O Sulamitess, Believe the faithful sayings of the apostles: Come now, return. Thy feet are beautiful in shoes And thy words in the examples of the prophets, O prince's daughter. What shall I say of the joint of thy thighs? By which thou art adorned, for the merits of thy children, As with necklaces. By the navel all those are described Who in the midst of the churches speak 1279DSpiritual things. Thy belly is called a heap of wheat, From one grain, which is ever multiplied, Set about with lilies. The neck, and the nose, and the eyes are the doctors Who feed the belly, who drive off night and stenches, Men of weighty knowledge.

Christ, or the Church: « I said: I will go up into the palm tree. » For this Christ said; this he foreknew beforehand, 1280Athat he was to ascend into the palm and the virgin, into the cross. Mary is the palm, because she is ever green and a virgin. The cross is the palm, because it is the instrument of victory. It always grows, always is green; its praise is eternal, its power never grows old. « And I will take hold of its fruits. » The womb of Mary gave fruit, namely the restoration of the world. The cross of Christ gave fruit also, since, made purple with his blood, it made the dead to live. You are its fruits, O apostles, martyrs, and confessors. O palm! O victorious and admirable tree, that art adorned with such great fruits! Christ went up into the palm, he took hold of the fruits, since he drew all things to himself. « And thy breasts shall be as the clusters of the vine. » For the breasts of the Church contain both wine and milk: with milk they nourish the simple, with wine they inebriate the wise. 1280BWith this milk the Church nourishes her sons; with this wine she gladdens both minds and hearts. This wine gives wisdom; these fruitful cups have made the tongues of infants eloquent. « And thy odours are as of apples, » that is, pleasing and sweet. The odour is pleasing, the fruits are delightful. The sayings are sweet and weighty. The voice of the Church: « Thy throat is like the best wine; thy words are sweet and pleasant. » They are wine, but the best, since even if they be deep, yet they announce sweetness and gladness; they preach not death, but life. For thou willest not the death of the sinner, but life. For Moses was giving wine when, « an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (Deut. XIX, 21), » he said. But this wine seems heavy, and harsh to drink. « Worthy for my beloved to drink. » It is worthy, she says, 1280Ca life-giving wine, so sweet, so pleasant; let my beloved drink; it is worthy that words so honey-flowing should drop from his own mouth. For from this throat, from this precious vessel, went forth that wine with which the Church is inebriated. She has tasted the wine; she praises both the cupbearer and the wine. And as though asked whether the wine were good, she answered that it was worthy of a king. « And for his lips and teeth to ruminate. » What by the lips and teeth, but the apostles and doctors? These are they who both drink and ruminate the aforesaid wine. These are they who subtly search out the divine secrets. For to ruminate wine is to turn over the testimonies of God always both on the lips and in the heart. Whence the Apostle says: « Pray without ceasing (I Thess. V, 17). » The bride concerning 1280Dthe Bridegroom: « I to my beloved, and his turning is toward me. » I, she says, speak to my beloved, and confess my wishes to him; and he turns to me, answers me, and hears me. « Come, my beloved. » 630 And this is the voice of the prophets, and of all those who were awaiting the coming of Christ. « Come, my beloved, » look upon the lands, take flesh. « Let us go forth into the field, » that we may root out from it the thorns and briers. Let us till the field, let us preach to the nations, let him go forth 1281Ajar that sows, to sow his seed. « Let us abide in the villages; » that is, let us dwell among the nations. For we were country folk and unlearned. We knew not the law, nor judges, nor anything of judgments. But the Flius of God, coming into the world, left the cities, left Jerusalem. Whence he himself says: « Lo, I have gone far off, fleeing, and I abode in the wilderness (Psal. LIV, 8). » Now we have the law, now we speak in city fashion, since the universal king abides in the villages with the law and with judges. » « Let us get up early to the vineyards. » -- « The night has passed, and the day has drawn near (Rom. XIII, 12). » Let the doctors rise, because it is day; let them not sleep, because the night has passed. Rise thou, O Paul, who admonishest the rest to watch; prune the vineyard of God; prepare and cleanse thy planting. For thou hast planted, Apollo has watered. 1281B« Let us see if the vineyard has flourished, » that is, whether it has already received the faith and the teachings of the doctors. For this he saw, these flowers he desired, upon whom was the solicitude of all the Churches. « Whether the flowers bring forth fruits. » For the flowers bring forth fruits when good things come to their effect. Or when we carry through to the very end those good things which we have begun. « Whether the pomegranates have flourished, » that is, whether the martyrs still do not hesitate to die for Christ. In short, the pomegranates flourish when the humble and the poor shine with virtues and with holiness. For the pomegranate tree is low and unshapely. « And there will I give thee my breasts. » Where? In the vineyards I will give thee my breasts, for thee I will keep my chastity, to thy praise and honour I will suckle my children. Let the Jews flee, and let the heretics flee too, 1281Cto whom it is not lawful even to touch these breasts. « The mandrakes have given an odour in our gates; » that is, the apostles and doctors, because to some indeed they were the odour of death unto death, to others the odour of life unto life (II Cor. II, 16). And these in our gates — that is, in the hearing of the faithful — gave their odour and their knowledge. But why are these called mandrakes? For the mandrake fights against barrenness. And it was said above of the apostles and doctors that there is none barren among them. Moreover, the mandrake affords sleep to those who cannot sleep. And these both afford to all the rest of eternal life, and very often make those who were harassed by the solicitude of the world forget all earthly things. They give sleep and rest, they give 1281Dforgetfulness of the former life. « All fruits, new and old, my beloved, I have kept for thee. » The old indeed, because the patriarchs and prophets; but the new, because the apostles and confessors. And this is understood also of new and old 1282Asayings. The Church assuredly guards the fruits, and renders to her beloved those which the malign spirits long to steal.

« Who shall give thee to me for my brother, sucking the breasts of my mother. » Who, she says, shall give me this; who shall bestow on me this honour, this dignity, this blessedness, that thou, the Son of the most high King, taking flesh, shouldst become man and be called my brother, and shouldst say with thine own mouth: « I will declare thy name to my brethren (Psal. XXI, 23). » And Christ drew out the breasts of his mother the Synagogue, since he himself fulfilled the commandments of the law and of the prophets; or also because, according to the flesh, as it is written, he « advanced in age and wisdom before God and men (Luc. II, 52). » 1282B-- « And I may find thee without: » she says — for this reason she said it — that I may find thee without, that I may see thee in a man, that thou mayest proceed from the Father, come into the world, and be made manifest to the nations. « And kiss thee. » And this is what is written at the head of this book. « Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth. » -- « Let no man despise me. » Thou hast loved me, she says; for me thou hast assumed flesh; let no man despise me, since I am betrothed to so great a husband. « I will take hold of thee and lead thee into my mother's house. » Confirmation. « And into the chamber of her that bore me. » For she takes hold of him, since she cleaves to him with devout love. And she led him into her mother's house, namely into the flesh, which was made from the earth, the universal mother. For out of love for the Church 631 Christ our Lord willed to become man. « There thou shalt teach me. » In this 1282Chouse, she says, in this tabernacle, in this place of sleeping and of death, thou shalt teach me by what way and doctrine I may be able to come to thee. And rightly is the humanity of Christ called a chamber, since there he was seen to sleep who according to the divinity can neither sleep nor die. « And I will give thee a cup of spiced wine. » For the primitive vineyard, turned into bitterness, when it ought to have given grapes, brought forth wild grapes. But the Church gives wine well spiced, delightful to God and pleasant to drink. But why spiced, unless because the spiritual understanding is mingled with the letter. For Paul gave spiced wine, since as one delights in spiced wine, so in his sound doctrine and sweet preaching 1282DChrist was delighted. For he gave spiced wine when, to the praise and honour of God, he preached wisdom among the perfect. « And the new wine of my pomegranates. » For no one doubts that must is new wine; 1283Awhich indeed does not cease to ferment until the whole has been purged. And the pomegranates are the apostles and the other martyrs. And their must, their new canticle, put off its fermenting until both the error of the heretics and the unbelief of the pagans had ceased. The Church, therefore, gave the must of pomegranates when the martyrs of Christ both preached the New Testament and poured it out with their own blood.

Verses: Christ went up into the palm, He took hold of its fruits Because he was fastened to the cross, That the enemy might perish. Great glory be to God! 1283BFor the must, like wine Spiced with abundant honey, This the Apostle drank, And offered it to the nations. Great glory be to God! His bride said to him: I speak to thee, and thou to me, Come, come, my beloved, Be willing to be among the villagers. Great glory be to God! Let us go out into the vineyards; Let us see whether they now flower, Whether the flowers have given apples And have burst forth into fruits. Great glory be to God! 1283CThy mandrakes, O Christ, Give forth a great odour. Fruits old and new Thy bride lifts up for thee. Great glory be to God! Would that thou wert my brother, That one mother might be ours! Thine is a Father so immeasurable That no other is equalled to him. Great glory be to God!

« His left hand under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me. » The voice of Christ: « I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you stir not up, nor make the beloved to awake, until she herself please. » By the roes, 1283Dhe says, and the harts — by the apostles and doctors, by the virtues and faith and good working, whereby you run to the promised prize and overcome the venom of serpents. And these things, because they were expounded above, need no further exposition. The Synagogue concerning the Church: « Who is this that cometh up from the desert, 1284Aflowing with delights, and leaning upon her beloved? » Who, she says, and of what sort, how beautiful, how strong is she who always ascends, always hastens to higher things, never descends, but by the steps of the virtues seeks heavenly things? But whence does she come? « From the desert, » from a land pathless and waterless, and once forsaken by God. But how does she come? « Flowing with delights, » abounding in virtues, with full lamps. Who carries her? It follows: « Leaning upon her dilectem, » joined to him, cleaving to him whom she has loved with her whole mind and with all her strength, and who promised to draw her after him. The voice of the Bridegroom to the bride: « Under the apple tree I raised thee up. » Thou wast dead, he says, thou wast lying in sins; but I, taking flesh, raised up again under the apple tree. And of this 1284Bapple it is said above: « As the apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my beloved among the sons. » And this tree, this flesh of our Saviour, overshadows those whom he raised up. And this may also be understood of the cross, which by reason of Christ's blood had the colour and the appearance of this fruit. « There was thy mother corrupted, » namely the Synagogue, which crucified Christ the Lord: according to that word: « They are corrupt and are become abominable (Psal. XIII, 1). » -- « There was she violated that bore thee, » because she forsook her lawful Bridegroom. The Church says to Christ: « Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm. » For Christ is both the seal and the key and the firm signet of the heart of the saints. The bodies of the saints cannot be broken, 632 nor 1284Ccan their secrets be violated, sealed with so great and so well-guarded a signet. We have made a sign; let us remember our friends. Christ has given us his troth, the sign and pledge of love. They carry this sign upon the arm who do all that they do in the name of the Lord. The seal is on the heart, the seal is on the hand, since the saints are mindful of Christ always both in their thoughts and in their works. Let Christ therefore be the sign and the doctor of our heart, that we may readily believe his sign and his admonition. « For love is strong as death. » -- « For perfect charity casteth out fear (Joan. IV, 17). » Love does not fear death, it is not overcome by love. Death is strong, love is strong. The disciples of Christ do not fear death, since their love is strong as death. 1284DThey fight with death, they run to meet death. For they remember, and they have the seal, since the Lord's love over them was most firm. For the Father « spared not his own Son, but delivered him up to death for us all (Rom. VIII, 32). » And the Son says through the Prophet: « The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up 1285A(Psal. LXVI, 10). » Confirmation: « Jealousy is hard as hell. » Of this jealousy the Apostle says: « For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God (II Cor. XI, 2). » Hell subdues all things, charity overcomes all things. Charity does not fear hell, it does not fear its princes and its inhabitants. It is a metonymy. « Its lamps are lamps of fire and of flames. » For hell always burns with an inextinguishable fire. Charity is always kindled with an unconquerable fire. And of this fire the Lord says: « I came to cast fire upon the earth (Luc. XII, 49). » And this fire burns up vices and enlightens hearts. « Many waters could not quench charity. » Rightly, therefore, is charity likened to hell, since its fire, like that one's, is inextinguishable. « Neither shall the floods overwhelm it. » For as the Apostle 1285Bsays (Rom. VIII, 35), neither tribulation, nor augustia, nor death, nor life, nor any persecution shall be able to separate the saints from the charity which is in Christ Jesus. « If a man shall give all the substance of his house for love, he shall despise it as nothing. » What, he says, shall I say of charity? With what praises shall I exalt it? It is greater than can be thought, greater than can be spoken. What price is there for charity, which is matched with the divine love? Do not despise charity; do not say that it can be bought with riches. For if thou givest all that thou hast, if thou distributest all the substance of thy house for love, and thinkest that with these thou hast bought charity, thou despisest charity, which cannot be sold. Thou settest a price upon that which has no price. For it supercellit every price. Riches flee, 1285Cfriends remain; fortune deceives thee, friends die for thee. Let us therefore seek that friend who never dies, never forsakes his friends, never lies, abounds in all things; who, praising friendship, says: « Greater love than this no man hath, than that a man lay down his life for his friends (Joan. XV, 13). » Dying, therefore, for us, he fulfilled this love.

Verses: Who is she that cometh, Flowing with delights? She walks not upon her own feet But is drawn by her husband. Upon the cross I was with thee. 1285DThere I raised thee up; But thy mother fell And, as one violated, came to ruin; Since her firmament fled Set thereon a seal, Upon the heart and the arm. Love conquers all things. Jealousy fears nothing, For which there is no working. Who is not extinguished, Charity does not die; This virtue is ineffable, 1286ASublime, unutterable, Strong and unconquerable. If a man shall deliver over All things that he has had For this virtue, charity Is despised; because it is weighed out, For it is not sold for a price.

Christ to the Synagogue concerning the Church: « Our sister is little, and she hath no breasts. » This sister is understood as the Church of the Gentiles. The apostles say, therefore — the messengers of the Lord say — we are legates; we seek a wife for our Lord. Whom then shall we give him? Our sister is little, lately born, unwise and untaught. She has no breasts: she does not see the Testaments; she cannot yet bear, nor yet nourish 1286Bchildren; she knows not a husband. She must therefore be spoken to and admonished concerning the marriage. But « what shall we do to our sister in the day when she is to be spoken to? » With what words, or with what promises, shall we temper her mind. It follows: « If she be a wall, let us build upon it bulwarks of silver. » If, he says, we shall find in her a wall — constancy, faith, and fortitude — let us build upon it bulwarks of silver and the divine eloquences. For the sayings of the prophets and the discourses of the doctors are bulwarks to the wall and to our faith, since by these we are defended, by these we overcome vices, by these we withstand heretics. And these 633 are called silver, since nothing of lead or of brass, and nothing of falsehood, is found in them, « If she be a door, let us join it together with boards of cedar, » 1286Cetc. Let us paint the door, he says, let us mark the gates, and let us vary them, let us vary them, that the army of God and the multitude of the virtues may find an entrance; that they may recognize the sign, and may delight in comely adornments. Or also let us join it together and shut it, so that, the gates being fastened on every side, vices may be able to enter from no quarter. And let these be fortified with boards of cedar — with prophetic examples, unfading, and with other sayings. The voice of the Church: « And my breasts are as a tower. » I, she says, am a wall; I am strong, I am constant; I resist vices, I storm my enemies. « And my breasts are as a tower. » My breasts, she says — my doctrine and my wisdom — are a tower. The doctrine is lofty, the wisdom is great, well fortified, well armed, fearing neither the sophisms of heretics 1286Dnor those of philosophers. For these breasts nourish and defend her children. Whence they are called both a tower and breasts. But from what time is such fortitude hers? It follows: « Since I am become in his presence as one finding peace; » that is, since Christ loved me and reconciled me to the Father; since the angelic trumpet sounded; « Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will (Luc. II, 14). » The Synagogue says to the Church: « The peaceable one had a vineyard, which hath peoples. » By the vineyard understand the Church; and for the peaceable one, Christ. « For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel (Isa. V, 7). » -- « And he 1287Ais our peace, which hath made both one (Ephes. II, 14). » And this vineyard has peoples, because it gathers into one Jews and Gentiles, Greeks and barbarians, and all nations. « He delivered it to keepers, » that is, to the apostles and doctors, that they might cultivate it, and prune it, and guard it from thieves. « A man brings for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver. » For the number of a thousand is put for the highest perfection and fullness. And it is just as if he were to say: The holy and catholic man, that he may enjoy the merit and blessedness of this vineyard, gives away all things whatsoever he possesses. Christ says: « My vineyard is before me. » My vineyard, he says — my inheritance, or my Church — is before me and serves me; and although I had delivered it to keepers, yet I am always present 1287Bto fortify, prepare, and guard it. « A thousand of thine, O peaceable one, » — understand: are kept for thee. And those whom above he called pieces of silver he here calls peaceable ones. But why peaceable? Because they reconcile us to God, they soften his enmity, wrath, and indignation, and prepare peace for us, and lead us into peace. And these are reserved for the Church, and shall be rendered back to her multiplied. « And two hundred to them that keep its fruits. » Two hundred, he says, of the thousand peaceable ones are kept for the apostles and doctors. For to these, as to kings and masters, a double honour is to be had, since they guard the rest, and for the rest 1288Athey watch and die. Christ says to the Church: « Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the friends hearken. » Thou, he says, O Church, dwellest in the gardens, thou delightest in the lilies, thou liest among roses and violets; on every side are flowers, on every side virtues, on every side the sayings of the doctors. « Stay me up with flowers, » thou saidst; thy petition is fulfilled. My friends — namely, the angels and the apostles — hearken to thee; they desire to hear what thou believest, what hope thou hast, to what end thou tendest. « Make me hear thy voice; » namely, praise, jubilation, a canticle of praise and of confession. The voice of the Church to Christ: « Flee away, my beloved, and be like the roe and the fawn of harts upon the mountains of spices. » Flee, she says, leave the lands, fly away to the Father, that they who think thee only a man may believe thee to be true God. 1288BFor my sake thou camest, thou enteredst my house; already thou hast kissed me; to thee I am joined, to thee betrothed. Return therefore, draw me after thee, render me a like return, bring me into thy house. « Be like the roe, » seek the mountains, seek the heavens, seek the things above; « and the fawn of harts, » that thou mayest dwell in the shadow, in Selmon, and in refreshment; that thou mayest abide forever upon the mountains of spices, where the odour is most sweet, the place delightful, the splendour ineffable, the abundance unutterable; there the saints exult, there the angels rejoice; there with the Father and the Holy Spirit praise, honour, and glory are sung to thee forever. Amen.