5. But let us return to the arrangement of the journey, and the order of the stops. And you spiritually follow this law of traveling; that you may come out of Egypt: and from there, advancing, you may pitch your tent in Socoth, let this be your first station. Socoth is the first stop, signifying the tent. Therefore, pitch the tent that is in you, and confirm the station of your mind; that you may remain rooted and founded in the faith of Christ. The next stop is in Mara, which means bitterness. Not all dwelling places are equal. From there, they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees. After the bitterness, in order to avoid the people from failing, pleasant and fruitful things had to come next. From there, it is followed by Rephidim, which is the praise of judgment. From there, it follows Sinai, which contains both the temptation of the people and the promulgation of the Law. The merits of dwelling places vary; because no one can have continuous success in this world. Therefore, the emperor provided manna to the hungry people in one place, and ordered water to flow from a rock in another place to quench the people's thirst, with magnificent provision. He gave the Law in another place, and bestowed triumphs in yet another place, so that the army, nourished by these benefits, would not feel the burden of a long journey.
Therefore, in that people there was a type, in us there is truth. Therefore, let us commit our journey to the guidance of the Lord Jesus, who first introduced the Law, and previously gave the land of promise as an inheritance to his people through Jesus. But even when Moses appeared to be the leader, Jesus was with him; however, he was not openly or plainly acting as the leader or prince of the people. For he was waiting until Moses completed his appointed time, and when it was completed, Jesus succeeded him. Therefore, if you consider the Scripture saying: 'Their days shall be one hundred twenty years' (Gen., VI, 3); you will see the mystery of the fullness of times and one hundred twenty years, after which both Moses rested on the mountain, and Jesus openly assumed the principality of the dwelling places; so that now the people may not be under the fear of the Law, but, having been raised from the dead, may enjoy the fruit of eternal life. Let us therefore walk according to the teaching of the Law: let the Law of God be our path.
While walking along this path, the Church says: I am the flower of the field, and the lily of the valleys, like a lily among thorns (Song of Songs, II, 1); for the faith of the believing people has gone out into all the earth, and Christ has set His feet in a spacious place. And therefore He rightly says that He is the flower of the field. Paul was also a flower, who said: We are the good odor of Christ to God (2 Corinthians, II, 15). And truly a flower, who could bring forth new and old from the treasure of his heart. The Church is also called a beautiful lily: just as the lily shines, so too do the works of the saints shine. It is also very beautifully said to be a lily of the valleys; because grace shines more in the humble. But this lily is in the midst of thorns, that is, among the Jews and heretics, that is, among the anxieties of this world, which afflict the mind and soul of man. We can also take it in another sense; because just as the lily stands out among thorns, so does the Church of God shine above all gatherings.
It is worth considering that this lily is surrounded by brightness, but inside it is red, good and fragrant; because the flesh of Christ, as if enclosed by the walls of divine glory, has the heavenly protection of grace. Finally, in the later part it says: My brother is white and red (Song of Songs, 5:10). White in divine brightness, red in human appearance, which he took on through the sacrament of the incarnation. And rightly so, even the redness itself smells good; because the flesh of Christ is without sin, which those who oppose desecrated by staining their hands: the holy ones, venerating, emitted the fragrance of piety.
9. The Lord Jesus accepts this fragrance of His Church, and says, 'Behold, my good neighbor.’ (Song of Solomon, I, 14 and 15). And the Church says to Christ, 'Behold, my good Brother, behold, You are good.' … like a fruit on the trees of the forest. This type of fruit has a fragrant smell that surpasses the fragrance of other fruits. Therefore, Christ, being fixed to the tree like a fruit hanging on a tree, poured forth the good fragrance of worldly redemption; for He removed the foul odor of sin and poured forth the anointing of the drink of life. Just as, he says, an apple is in the trees of the forest, so my cousin was among the children (Ibid.); because he was comforting the inner hearts of people with the sweetness of his words on the prophets and apostles. But not only fragrance, but also pleasant food is in the apple. Therefore, Christ is a pleasant food.
10. In the shade, he said, I desired her and I sat (Song of Songs, II, 3). For he had received the law, and he followed it, and he walked in its path. Therefore, resting in the law, he rested in the shadow of Christ. A good shadow, which alone defends us from the heat of iniquity. But who doubts that the law of God is the shadow of Christ? What is the law of the feast day, the new moon, the Sabbath, but a shadow of things to come? Which day, according to the law of Moses? Let me see six days, and the seventh day again, and so on for eternal ages. Who knows the second month according to the Law of Moses; if you know the month, you will know the first day of the month, the new moon, and the true holy offerings to be made on the new moons? According to the Law of Moses, the year consists of six years, as it says: The Hebrew shall serve for six years, and in the seventh year, he shall go free (Deuteronomy, XV, 12); so that six years may be found in which someone works the land. But in the seventh year, he shall release it to the proselytes, the poor, and the beasts of the earth. In this seventh year, when all debts are forgiven to the Hebrews? In this shade rested the faith of the fathers, and the sacred devotion of the prophets.
So the religious congregation or the holy soul says: In his shadow I desired and sat down (Song of Solomon, 2:3). His shadow is the Jubilee year. For who sees his mystical year, so as to recognize face to face, what must be fulfilled in the fiftieth year, according to the prescribed Law (Leviticus, 25)? The shadow is the feast days according to the Law, from the tenth day of the first month until the fourteenth day, and from there until the twenty-first day of the month (Leviticus, 23). What is that famous celebration between the first and seventh month in that anonymous time? The shadow is the sanctified freedom on the Sabbath. The shadow is the feast day of the seventh month's new moon and the memorial of the trumpets of the seventh month, the tenth day, the day of atonement (Lev. XXIII). You see that there are two festive days, the day of the thirteenth and the day of the fifteenth, the day of tabernacles for eight days. All these are in the shadow. The first day is called the shadow, and the eighth day is called the shadow, which is prescribed in the scenopegia according to the Law.
12. Establish for me some believers from the circumcision, learned in the Law, men of diligent observance, and now enlightened by the knowledge of the Gospel, nourished by spiritual grace; of whom the Church speaks, which sees Christ, which receives the Bridegroom, which is nourished by His food: In His shadow I desired, and I sat: and His fruit is sweet in my mouth (Song of Songs, 2:3). What is His sweet fruit, if not the preaching of the Lord's passion, as He Himself says: Behold, the heritage of the Lord, children, the reward of the fruit of the womb (Psalm 126:3)? For what sweeter fruit can there be in our mouths than the forgiveness of sins? And the Church is truly a good flower which proclaims the fruit, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom it is said to Mary: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb (Luke, 1:42).
Therefore, when he tasted the fruit of sweetness, he impatiently hurries towards more perfect things, saying: Bring me into the house of wine, establish love in me, strengthen me with ointments, sustain me with apples; for I am wounded with love. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me. I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and strengths of the field, if you awaken and revive love, how long will you delay? (Song of Solomon, 2:4-7). He seeks him deservedly, he desires him deservedly; because our Emperor has arranged everything well in this course and journey. First of all, he thought this tent of faith should be strengthened on a foundation. Then, if there is any rough and dry and steep lodging for us, that emperor nonetheless discerns the confused, irrigates the dry, and makes the deserted fruitful. If there is any bitterness, if there is any temptation, if there is any weakness, our leader both tempers the bitter and mitigates the anxious, dissolves the hard, and strengthens the weak.
14. So when the king of the earth wants to rest his army, he chooses not a lowly village, not one in need of supplies, not a sandy and barren place, but a city noble in buildings, full, and rich in resources, either a pleasant and green countryside with pastures, or a wooded and open area suitable for camps. Therefore, if earthly kings know how to provide benefits for those who follow them, how much more does God, who is good, know how to arrange what will benefit those who love Him? First, when an unknown journey is to be undertaken, leaders of the paths are chosen, who go ahead of the procession. But these commanders consider this to be disrespectful to themselves: however, God went ahead when the Hebrews were journeying. Finally, he spoke to them in a pillar of cloud. And so that you may know that he went ahead, God said, 'He went ahead of them on the journey, by day in a pillar of cloud showing them the way: and by night in a pillar of fire, and the pillar of cloud did not fail during the day.' (Exodus 13:21-22).
15. Following this preceding column of clouds, the Church does not fail, lest she herself should fail, her shadow was refreshed; and therefore she says: 'Under his shadow I desired, and sat down: and his fruit was sweet to my taste' (Song of Solomon, 2:3); because she was fed by the Lord, led to a fruitful place, and given refreshing water. 'Bring me into the house of wine' (Song of Solomon, 2:4). With preparations made, she seeks to progress to another dwelling where she may attain the grace of mysteries and embrace the sweetness of joy. Also from here, promoting the true way, he says: 'Establish love in me' (Ibid.). Good waypoints, where the fullness of charity is. 'Strengthen me,' he says, 'with ointments, support me with apples' (Ibid., 3).
You have other mansions to which the Church succeeds with joy. These mansions are the Cross of Christ and the tombs in which the Church was wounded, but wounded by the wound of charity. For the wound is what Christ received, but the ointment is what he poured out. The apple is what hung. The Church tasted this apple and said: 'His fruit is sweet to my palate' (Song of Songs, 2:3). And so that you may know that the apple is the Lord, you have read above: 'Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my kinsman' (ibid). We also acknowledge the wound when we preach Christ crucified: but we are a pleasing odor to God; for the cross of Christ is a scandal to the Jews, foolishness to the Greeks: but to us it is the power of God and wisdom. The Church is wounded by this wound when it proclaims the death of its Savior: but this wound is of charity. Finally, he who does not believe denies: he who loves confesses. The Manichaean denies, the Christian confesses; and therefore it is written; The wounds of a friend are beneficial, rather than the voluntary kisses of an enemy (Prov. 27:6). Beautifully, therefore, the Church says: 'For I am wounded by love.' (Song of Songs, 2:5).
17. Let us expose our members to a good wound, let us expose them to chosen arrows. This arrow is Christ, who says: He hath made me a polished shaft (Isaias XLIX, 2). It is good, therefore, to be wounded by this arrow. This is not a minor accomplishment: not everyone can say that they have been wounded by love. The apostles said this when they were stoned for Christ and preached Christ. Paul said this when he was thrice beaten with rods and day and night disputed with the gentiles about Christ. The martyrs say this, who are wounded for Christ: and because they have deserved to be wounded for His name, they love more.
18. So, coming to this dwelling place, the Church, to this procession, in order to offer her children for Christ, to receive the wounds of charity, finding them as nourishment of good faith, she herself tasted the fruits of piety and began to encourage others, saying: Taste and see that the Lord is sweet, as an apple (Psalm 33:8). And in the wound there is evil, but yet it is sweet (Song of Songs 2:3). She came again to the valley of the cluster, she saw a huge grape of great size, which two could hardly carry: one to go before, the other to follow. He tasted the mystery, he tasted it in Jesus the Son of Nun, he tasted it in Caleb, they said to the people: We have seen a land flowing with milk and honey (Numbers 13:28). Taste and see how sweet the Lord is.
19. And the Church adds, saying: His left hand is under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me. I have adjured you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and strengths of the field, if you awaken and revive charity, how long will you desire? (Song of Solomon, 2:6-7). And these mansions are the royal way of the advancing Church. For there are many mansions in my Father's house, as the Lord Jesus testifies (John 14:2); and behold, I come and call you (ibid., 3). A good dwelling of wisdom, whether on its left or right, is a good dwelling; because it is the royal way. And for this reason, wise messengers say: We will go by the royal way, we will not turn to the right or to the left, until we pass through your borders (Num. XX, 17). This is what the messengers sent by Moses said to the king of Edom, that is, the earthly king; because all earthly things, whether on the right or on the left, are evil. An evil dwelling is foolishness, an evil dwelling is intemperance; and therefore the Hebrew passes through these dwellings: he does not turn to them, but passes through; so that he may reach the left of wisdom and the right, and abide in them, where the riches of simplicity, where glory, where the length of life is. For the length of life is in her right hand, as Solomon says: in her left hand are riches and glory (Prov. III, 16). In her right hand is life, in her left hand is rest. I wish to rest upon her left hand, to seek no pillows. Woe to those who support pillows, Ezekiel says (Ezek. XIII, 18). The good leader prepares these abodes for his Church, and directs her journey through the ways of wisdom. Finally, the wise man praises her ways: Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful (Prov. III, 17).
But because wisdom, honesty, and fame are so perfect, if they have charity, for charity is the fullness of the Law (Rom. XIII, 10), it wants to be aroused and resurrected: aroused in the Old Testament, resurrected in the new. Charity is God, as we read (I John IV, 8): charity is Christ. It is aroused like a lion, and the lion's whelp, so that it may ascend from the tribe of Judah. It is resurrected like one sleeping, like one reclining; because he who is aroused from the dead is not by human, but by his own and his Father's majesty. Where does Scripture say: 'Who will rouse him up?' (Gen. XLIX, 9) ? For neither an angel nor a power could raise up what was foreign, since he raised others up himself. Therefore, when he says here, 'If you shall have aroused or awakened love until it wishes' (Cant. II, 7), he speaks of those who can fittingly preach his resurrection, so that they may ignite the ardor of faith and devotion in those who hear. Or Christ is aroused in those who approach first: he is awakened in those who, after approaching, have fallen asleep. Therefore, Christ sleeps in the negligent, but is awakened in the holy.
21. (Verse 33.) Therefore the Church has the means by which to progress: it has the dwellings of the mansions, in which the saints rest, of whom he is speaking who says: Set a law for me, O Lord, the way of your justice. He rightly says, establish; so that it may remain motionless and fixed in his heart, and not be torn away by any whirlwind of the world, from his affection; so that the law itself may be to him, having the written work of the law in his heart.
And I will seek her always, he says. For what is required for the grace of paradise, the kingdom of God, the fellowship of angels, and the dwelling of immortality, is not ordinary. Therefore, it is not sought in one day, nor in two, or a few months: but it is sought always, and sought through all things; so that many contributions of merits may come together; for διὰ παντὸς signifies both all time and through all things. Therefore, when he says: I will seek always, he says without end it is to be sought. But it is not enough to seek, unless you understand what you are looking for.
22. (Verse 34.) Therefore he says: Give me understanding, and I will search your law and keep it with all my heart. First, it is to be sought; then, understood and thoroughly examined in its entirety; and finally, kept in the heart. But who can keep the law of God unless they have understanding? And those who understand and examine it are led by their examination into the path of the commandments. In this, it should be noted that the law is justice, the commandment is judgment, as we also read in this letter. The way of the law is to stand in the ways of the law: it is the way of justice according to the first verse. There is therefore also the way of testimonies: I delighted in the way of your testimonies. And there is the way of commandments: I ran the way of your commandments. Let us therefore inquire about these ways, so that it may be said to us: Stand in the ways of the law and ask for the eternal paths, and see what is the better way, and walk in it (Jerem. VI, 16). Therefore, when we have all walked in the ways, we will come to the end of all the ways, which says: I am the way (John XIV, 6). Therefore Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Rom. X, 4). Hence I dare to say that Christ is the end of righteousness, who is righteousness; Christ is the end of testimonies, of whom it is said: Be my witnesses, and I am a witness, says the Lord, and my chosen servant (Esai. XLIII, 10).
23. Therefore, we note how much we must walk, in order to come to Christ. We must walk in the Law; for Christ is the end of the Law. Without the Law, one cannot come to Christ. Hence, it is clear that heretics, who do not accept the Law of the old Testament, even if they say they hold Christ, cannot hold the end, since they have not held the beginning. Jesus himself is the beginning and the end. Therefore, we must walk according to the spiritual Law, in order to come to the end of the Law, the Lord Jesus. We must follow the testimonies in order to attain the great testimony of the Lord Jesus. We must also walk in the commandments of the Lord in order to reach the great commandment, of which you have read: It was said to the ancients: You shall not kill . . . . But I say to you (Matt. V, 21 and 22); that is, I say it above every commandment. Therefore, I do not say it presumptuously, but truly, because just as they are holy of holies: so is the commandment of commandments.
24. But in order to preserve these things, let us seek understanding from the Lord. Let us understand what circumcision is. Jesus circumcised with the swords of Peter, and He took away the reproach of Egypt from the children of Israel. Christ is the rock. The Word of God circumcises you, with the sword of His mouth; and thus you will be free from the reproach of Egypt. Therefore, circumcision is not to be understood as of the flesh, but of the heart. If you understand the Law, you will keep it in your heart. The Jew does not keep the Law in his heart, but recites it with his lips, and does not know the Law. Finally, the people here honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me (Isaiah 29:13). How can one hold the Law who is far from the author of the Law? Let us consider what the third verse has.
25. (Verse 35.) Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I desire it. Who says this, except the one who follows Christ? No one else can say this, except the one who carries out what is written: You shall walk after the Lord your God and shall be joined to Him; for He Himself will lead you (Deuteronomy 13:4). Listen how He leads: Unless one takes up his cross and follows after me, he is not worthy of me (Matthew 10:38). Therefore, Christ precedes so that we may follow, the Word precedes. Christ is the beginning; thus Wisdom says: The Lord created me as the beginning of his ways (Prov. VIII, 22). We observe that Christ is both the beginning and the end of the ways. I am not afraid that someone may say: So you assert that Christ is created? I will respond: I say that he is created in the same way as he was made according to the law, that is, made from a woman, made under the law, that is, created by taking on flesh, according to how he was born from a Virgin. He was created to redeem creatures: he became man to free men from eternal death. He was created to show me the eternal ways by which man can return to the kingdom of God. Therefore, since he is the beginning of the ways of God, let us follow this beginning. He was the first to enter the way of the new Testament, to pave the way of devotion for us. If we fast, he fasted before us: if we endure injuries for the name of the Lord, he endured them first for our redemption. He placed his neck on the lashes, his cheeks on the palms: he ascended the cross to teach that death is not to be feared. Finally, like a forerunner, he said to Peter, 'You follow me.' (John 21:22). And so Peter completed his course, because he followed Christ.
26. (Verse 36.) The fourth verse follows: Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to covetousness. Some have usefulness: and I believe that it has been changed for this reason, because the usefulness of a good thing seems to be sought after rather than avoided. But because most people consider the gain of money to be their own usefulness; therefore, if we read usefulness, we should not understand the Prophet as turning away from the usefulness of the soul, but the usefulness of money. For the Holy One does not recognize these gains: but considers all these things as a loss; so that he may gain Christ. And rightly so. For what we think is gain from money is actually a detriment to the soul; because it is a detriment to virtue. Therefore, according to those who have received it in this way, may the Prophet desire to incline his heart to the testimonies, and not to greed; and may we also agree with approval. And may we follow the prayer of the holy one, and pray for what he prayed for, and what we pray for, let us imitate with zeal. For what does it profit me if I pray for God to turn my heart away from greed, and yet I myself seek opportunities for wealth day and night? If we pray with our words, let us also have compassion with our mind. Jesus hears and understands both of these, and knowing that they do not agree, speech and desire, he does not heed the one speaking. And therefore, the one who wanted to pray well, would say: I will pray with my spirit, I will pray also with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, I will sing also with my mind (I Cor. XIV, 15). Thus he listens more when someone prays, if he despises greed.
27. (Verse 37.) But because we are weak and often willing to turn ourselves away from money, gold, or silver, we are captivated by the sight of them and desire someone else's field or building. The Prophet added well, saying: Turn away my eyes lest they see vanity: revive me in your way. For he who is in the way of God does not behold vanities. The perfect way is Christ. Therefore, whoever is in Christ, how can they behold vanities; since Christ, in his flesh, crucified all the vanities of this world? Let us therefore avert our eyes from vanities; lest whatever our eyes see, our soul may desire. For now let us delay the mystical things. Oh, I wish with this interpretation we could turn our attention to different spectacles of circus games and theater, hastening towards them. That which you see is vanity. You see a pantomime, it is vanity; you see gladiators, it is vanity; because you see they struggle with a green laurel. For they are the true wrestlers, who struggle against the attractions of this world. Do not let the gym of the limbs capture your eyes. You see running horses, which is vanity; because those who cannot save the one ascending run in vain. Finally, let the return itself teach you that those who do not complete the direct path run in vain, forgetting what is above and seeking what is behind.
28. Before us is Christ, before us is his triumph, to which he came, who did not run uncertainly, nor did he turn back on his course, but pushed forward. Direct your eyes to him, turn away from spectacles, turn away from all worldly pomp. If you happen to hear popular applause, turn your eyes away from them, lower your gaze, and preserve yourself in order to raise up to better things. Raise them to the sky: either the necklaces of stars at night, the beautiful circle of the moon, or look upon the sun during the day. Look at the sea, behold the earth: so that every creature, made by divine work, may feed you. What grace of form is there in the beasts themselves? How much beauty in humans? How much beauty in birds? Look at these things, and you will not see iniquity and contradiction in the city. Look at these things, and death will not enter through the windows of your eyes.