11. It should be known that in the matter of men following God, sometimes they walk, sometimes they run, sometimes they run vigorously. He who follows tepidly, as it were, walks after God; he who follows frequently, runs; he who follows perseveringly, runs perfectly. For the heart was immobile for following God, and was unwilling to walk after him, until the coming of the Lord appeared in the world and moved human minds from their insensible standing place. Whence it is written: "His feet stood still, and the earth was moved" (Hab. 3:5, according to the LXX). Here, however, it is not movement but running that is spoken of, because it is not enough that we follow, unless we also run with desire. But because not even running suffices unless one also runs perfectly, Paul says: "So run that you may obtain" (1 Cor. 9:24). And some, while they run too much, slip into indiscretion; for they are wise more than is necessary, and they now set themselves before him whom they were following, while they choose their own virtues and set aside the judgments of him whom they were following. Whence it is well that when it was said, "we will run," it was prefaced with "after you." For they run after God who consider his judgments, who prefer his will to their own, and who strive to reach him through worthy action and discernment. Hence the prophet, considering the will of God, says: "My soul has clung after you" (Ps. 63:9). Hence it is said to Peter when he gives counsel: "Get behind me, Satan; for you do not savor the things of God, but the things of men" (Matt. 16:23; Mark 8:33). Because therefore perfect souls behold the judgments of God with the utmost caution, and presume to anticipate them neither through sluggishness nor through indiscreet fervor, it is well said: "We will run after you in the fragrance of your ointments." For then we run after you, when we both follow by loving and do not anticipate the divine judgments by fearing. (Verse 3.) "The king has brought me into his chamber: we will exult and rejoice in you."
12. The Church of God is like a kind of royal house; and this house has a gate, has a stairway, has a dining hall, has bedchambers. And everyone within the Church who has faith has already entered the gate of this house; because, just as a gate opens the rest of the house, so faith opens the door to the remaining virtues. Everyone within the Church who has hope has already come to the stairway of the house; for hope elevates the heart, so that it seeks the things above and abandons the things below. Everyone who, placed in this house, has charity walks as if in the dining hall; for charity is broad, which extends even to the love of enemies. Everyone who, placed in the Church, already searches into sublime things, already considers hidden judgments, has as it were entered into the bedchamber. Of the gate of this house someone said: "Open to me the gates of justice, and having entered through them I will praise the Lord" (Psalm 117:19). Of the ascent of hope he said: "He has disposed ascents in his heart" (Psalm 83:6). Of the broad dining halls of this house it is said: "Your commandment is exceedingly broad" (Psalm 118:96). In the broad commandment, charity is specifically designated. Of the king's bedchamber he was speaking who said: "My secret is mine" (Isaiah 24:16). And elsewhere: "I heard secret words which it is not permitted for men to speak" (2 Corinthians 12:4). The first entrance of this house, then, is the gate of faith; the second advance, the stairway of hope; the third, the breadth of charity; the fourth, now the perfection of charity unto the knowledge of the secrets of God. Because the holy Church, in her perfect members, that is, in her holy teachers, in those who are already full and rooted in the mysteries of God, has as it were arrived at sublime secrets, and while still placed in this present voice, already penetrates those things. "The king brought me into his bedchamber," she says: for through the prophets, through the apostles, through the teachers, who while placed in this life already penetrated the sublime secrets of that life, the Church had entered into the bedchamber of her king.
13. And it must be carefully noted that he does not say "into the chamber of the bridegroom," but "into the chamber of the king." For by naming the king, he wishes to show the reverence due to secrets, because the more powerful the chamber is, the greater the reverence that must be shown regarding those things into which one enters. Therefore, lest anyone, while coming to know the secrets of God, while searching out hidden judgments, while being raised to the heights of contemplation, become puffed up and slip into pride, it is said that one enters the chamber of the king — that is, of him to whom all the greater reverence must be shown, the more the soul is led to know his secrets. So that each person may profit who, already exalted through grace, has arrived at sublime secrets, let him examine himself, and from that very advancement be more deeply humbled. Hence Ezekiel too, as often as he is led to contemplate sublime things, is called "son of man," as if it were said to him: Consider what you are, and do not be exalted by those things to which you are raised. But it belongs to few in the Church to search out and comprehend these sublime and hidden judgments of God. Nevertheless, when we see that strong men are able to attain such great wisdom as to contemplate the secrets of God in their hearts, let us little ones also have confidence — that at some time we may come to pardon, and at some time to his grace. Hence from the words of the young maidens there follows: (Verse 3.) We will exult and rejoice in you.
14. While the Church, in those who are perfect, enters the chamber of the king, the young maidens promise themselves the hope of exultation; because while the strong attain to the contemplation of sublime things, the weak take hope of pardon for their sins. (Verse 3.) The king brought me into his chamber; we will exult and rejoice in you, remembering your breasts more than wine. The upright love you.
15. This bridegroom has breasts, he who is also called king on account of reverence. He has breasts — holy men clinging to him with their heart. The breasts are fixed in the chest cavity, and by internal nourishment they draw sustenance to those whom they nourish to strength. Holy men, therefore, are the breasts of the bridegroom, because they draw from what is innermost and nourish outwardly. His breasts are the apostles; his breasts are all the preachers of the Church. Wine, as we said above, was in the prophets; wine was in the law. But because greater commandments were given through the apostles than had been given through the prophets, it is rightly now said: "Mindful of your breasts above wine" — because those who can fulfill the things that are commanded in the New Testament without doubt transcend that knowledge of the Law.
16. Yet we can also understand this in another way: "Remembering your breasts above wine." There are many who indeed have the wine of wisdom, but do not have the knowledge of humility. Knowledge puffs these up, because charity does not build them up. But there are truly many who have the wine of knowledge in such a way that they know how to consider the gifts of doctrine, the gifts of spiritual grace; for the gifts of spiritual grace are like certain breasts on the chest, which subtly minister and nourish through hidden spiritual channels. "Remembering therefore your breasts above wine": because those who know how to pursue the gifts of your grace, so that they do not attribute to themselves what they know, but are not puffed up by the same wisdom they have received—they surpass those who are puffed up and carried away by their own wisdom. For it is more to be wise humbly than merely to be wise; for it is not truly to be wise if one is not wise humbly. "Remembering therefore your breasts above wine": because those who know how to consider the gifts of spiritual grace transcend those who indeed have knowledge, but do not have recognition of the gifts in their memory. Therefore, to speak plainly: "Remembering your breasts above wine": because humility is stronger than knowledge. For wine is the knowledge that intoxicates, while the memory of the breasts is what sobers, what recalls one to the recognition of gifts. "Remembering your breasts above wine": because humility conquers the abundance of knowledge.
17. The upright love you: As if he were saying: Those not yet upright still fear. The upright love you: for everyone who does good works out of fear, even if he is upright in his work, is not upright in his desire; for he would wish that what he feared did not exist, and he would not do good works. But whoever does good works out of love is upright both in work and in desire, yet the sweetness of love is hidden from those who fear. Whence it is written: How great is the multitude of your sweetness, O Lord, which you have hidden from those who fear you, and have perfected for those who hope in you (Psalm 30:20). For the sweetness of God is unknown to those who fear God, but becomes known to those who love him. Therefore whoever has striven to be upright through love, his love is perfect, so that he does not fear the judge when he comes, so that whatever he has heard about eternal punishments, he does not dread. Whence also Paul, while awaiting the coming of the judge, while seeking the rewards of eternal life, says: Which God has prepared not only for me, but also for all who love his coming (2 Timothy 4:8). For eternal rewards are prepared by the judge for those who love, because everyone who knows that he does evil works fears the judge when he comes; but whoever is confident in his own works seeks the coming of the judge. Therefore rewards are prepared for those who await the coming of God and who love his coming; because they do not love the coming of the judge unless they are confident in their own case. Moreover, all certainty, the uprightness of certainty, is in love; and therefore it is rightly said: The upright love you. (Verses 4, 5.) I am black but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. Do not consider me because I am dark, for the sun has discolored me.
18. We know that in the beginnings of the Church, when the grace of our Redeemer had been preached, some believed and others did not believe; but those who believed were despised by the unbelievers, and having suffered a kind of persecution, were judged to have departed, as it were, into the way of the Gentiles. Whence the Church in those same persons cries out against those who were not converted: "I am black, but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem." I am black indeed by your judgment, but beautiful through the illumination of grace. How black? "Like the tents of Kedar." Kedar is interpreted as "darkness"; for Kedar was the second of the lineage of Ishmael, and the tents of Kedar were the tents of Esau. How then black like the tents of Kedar? Because in your sight I have been judged after the likeness of the Gentiles, that is, after the likeness of sinners. How beautiful like the curtain of Solomon? It is reported that when Solomon built the temple, he covered all those vessels of the temple with curtains of skin. But surely the skins of Solomon could be beautiful in the service of the king. But since Solomon is interpreted as "peaceful," let us understand him as the true Solomon; for all souls clinging to God are skins of Solomon, mortifying themselves and returning to the service of the King of peace. I am indeed in judgment like the tents of Kedar, since I am judged to have departed, as it were, into the way of the Gentiles; but according to the truth I am like the curtain of Solomon, because I cling to the service of the King. (Verse 5.) "Do not consider me because I am dark, for the sun has discolored me."
19. He was regarding the sinful woman, that part which had believed in Christ. But let her say: Do not consider me because I am dark, for the sun has discolored me. The sun itself is the Lord; he himself coming discolored me. By his precepts he showed that I was not beautiful under the precepts of the Law. The sun discolors the one whom it touches more closely; so also the Lord, coming, discolored the one whom he touched more strictly through his grace; because the more we draw near to grace, the more we recognize ourselves to be sinners. Let us see Paul coming from Judea, discolored: But if, seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were also found to be sinners (Gal. 2:17). He who found himself a sinner in Christ found himself discolored in the sun. But behold, that part which believed from Judea suffered persecution from the unbelieving Jews, afflicted by many tribulations. Whence follows: (Verse 5) The sons of my mother fought against me.
20. Because the children of the Synagogue who remained in unbelief waged a war of persecution against the faithful of the Synagogue; but while that part which came from the Jews to the faith suffered persecution, it departed to the preaching of the Gentiles. Whence it also follows: (Verse 5.) They made me the keeper in the vineyards; my own vineyard I have not kept.
21. For while those who are in Judea persecute me, they have made me a guardian in the Churches. My own vineyard I have not kept, because I abandoned Judea. Whence Paul also says, whence also the apostles: The word of God had been sent to you; but because you judged yourselves unworthy, behold we go to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46). As if to say: We wish to guard our own vineyard, but because you yourselves have rejected us, you send us over to the guarding of others' vineyards. And so what we have said concerning the Synagogue converted to faith, let us now say concerning the Church called to faith: I am black, but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem. The Church coming from the Gentiles considers the faithful souls which she finds, whom she also calls daughters of Jerusalem. For Jerusalem is said to mean "vision of peace"; she considers what she has done, what she has become; and she confesses her past faults, lest she be proud; she confesses her present life, lest she be ungrateful, and says: I am black, but beautiful. Black by merit, beautiful by grace; black by her former life, beautiful by the way of life that follows. How black like the tents of Kedar? Kedar—they were the tents of the nations, they were the tents of darkness. And to the nations it was said: You were once darkness, but now light in the Lord (Ephesians 5:8). How beautiful like the curtain of Solomon? For we have been worn down through penance. The flesh, mortified through penance, is brought like a skin into the service of the king. All who afflict themselves through penance make themselves members of Christ. Therefore the members of Christ afflicted through penance are the skins of Solomon, because they become mortified flesh.
22. But behold, there were faithful in Judaea who disdained that the Gentiles should come to the faith; whence they also reproached Peter for having received Cornelius. Whence in the Church of the Gentiles it is added: "Do not consider me because I am dark." Do not despise the heathenism of my unbelief, do not despise my former sins, do not regard what I was. Why? "Because the sun has discolored me." The sun discolors in that upon which it presses more closely and severely. When God holds strict judgment, He, as it were, displays His severity more fully; and He discolors while He shines more brightly, because while He exercises His strictness more subtly, He judges severely. For the sun, as it were, withholds its rays when it considers our works mercifully; it, as it were, displays its power severely when it weighs our works strictly. Let the Church therefore say: I am dark for the same reason I am a sinner, because the sun has discolored me; because when my Creator abandoned me, I fell into error.
23. But O you so afflicted, so forsaken, what have you deserved? What have you obtained as a gift? The sons of my mother fought against me. The sons of the mother are the apostles; for the mother of all is the Jerusalem above. They fought against the Church, while through their preaching they pierced her from unbelief to faith, as if with certain spears. Whence Paul too, as a certain fighter, says: Destroying the counsels of thoughts, and every height that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (II Cor. 10:5). He who destroys a height is certainly a fighter. Therefore these fighters, these sons of mother Jerusalem, conquered the Church from her error, so that they might establish her in righteousness. The sons of my mother fought against me. And what did they do in fighting? They made me a keeper in the vineyards. The vineyards of the Church are the virtues that bear fruit; because while they fight against the vices in me, they drive me out, as it were, from my evil fruitfulness, and they gave me the pursuits of virtues; they made me a keeper in the vineyards, so that they might bring forth fruit. After the conquest, let her say specifically: My own vineyard I have not kept. The vineyard of the Church is the old habit of error, which, when a keeper is appointed over the virtues, abandoned its old habit of error.
24. We have spoken of the Synagogue coming to faith; we have spoken of the Gentile world converted; let us therefore speak generally of the whole Church together, and specifically of what must be understood concerning each individual soul. Wicked hearers are accustomed not to consider what their teachers are, but what they were. Sound teachers therefore confess to them what they were, and set forth what they are; so that they neither hide themselves as sinners, nor again deny their gifts as if ungrateful. Let the Church therefore say in these words: I am black, but beautiful. Black through myself, beautiful through the gift; I am black from the past, beautiful from what I have been made for the future. How black, how beautiful? Black like the tents of Kedar, beautiful like the curtains of Solomon. And it is not right that anyone should be judged from their past life, and that what one was should be regarded rather than what one is. Whence she adds: Do not consider me that I am dark; because the sun has discolored me. Sometimes in Sacred Scripture, the sun is taken as the excessive heat of earthly desires. Whence then dark? Because the sun has discolored me, and by the burning of earthly love I have been discolored before the bridegroom, that is, I have been made unsightly before the king. (Verse 5.) The sons of my mother have fought against me.
25. In all creation two rational creatures have been made, human and angelic: the angel fell; he persuaded man. For the mother of all creation is the goodness and power of God. We therefore and the Angels, from the fact that we were made as rational beings, have as it were a certain fellowship of brotherhood. But because the angels were made by the same power by which we also were made, who nevertheless as fallen angels wage war against us daily, let her say: The sons of my mother the Church fought against me. Behold, while these rational spirits fight, these spirits, sons of the mother, while they fight against the soul, they make her devote herself to earthly things, occupy herself with secular activities, seek transitory things. Whence she also adds: They made me a keeper in the vineyards; my own vineyard I have not kept. For the vineyards are earthly activities. As if she were to say: in earthly activities they made me a keeper, and my own vineyard, that is, my own soul, I have not kept; my life, my mind I have neglected to guard; because while I was outwardly entangled in the activity of earthly things, I slipped away from inward watchfulness. Many people judge themselves by what is near them, not by what they are. Near them are dignities, near them are outward offices; and while they guard what they have near them, they neglect to guard themselves. Let her therefore say: They made me a keeper in the vineyards; my own vineyard I have not kept; that is, while I serve outward guardianship in the activities of the world, I have lost the care of inward guardianship. But behold, the soul brought back to the grace of her Creator, let her now love, let her now seek where she may find her Redeemer. (Verse 6.) Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou liest down at midday.
26. At midday the sun is more fervent. Everyone who burns in faith burns in the love of desire. This bridegroom who is called below a young stag feeds the greenness of virtues in their heart; in their heart he reclines at midday, in the fervor of charity. Show me, O you whom my soul loves, where you feed, where you lie down at midday. Why she thus seeks where he feeds, where he lies down, she gives the reason for her inquiry. (Verse 6.) Lest I begin to wander after the flocks of your companions.
27. The companions of God are His close friends, just as all who live well are; but many appear to be companions and are not companions. For many teachers, while they were promoting perverse doctrine, seemed indeed to be companions, but turned out to be enemies. While Arius, Sabellius, and Montanus were still teachers, they appeared as if companions; but when they were strictly examined and exposed, they appeared as enemies. And very often faithful souls, while they cling to the word of God, while they love in their teachers that from which they may profit, do not know how to guard against the words of perverse teachers, and fall away through their very mouths. For how many congregations there are that trusted in these companions, and while those men pursued them, they wandered astray through the flocks of companions! Let her therefore say: "Show me where you pasture, where you rest at midday, lest I begin to wander after the flocks of your companions." Show me in whose hearts you truly rest, lest I begin to wander after the flocks of those who seem to be your companions, that is, who are believed to be your close friends and are not. All priests, all teachers are companions of God, as far as appearance goes; but as far as their life is concerned, many are not companions but adversaries. But these very things we have said about heretical masters, we can also say about Catholics who do not act rightly. For many little faithful ones within the Church desire to live well, wish to hold to a life of uprightness, and observe the life of the priests who are set over them; and when those very priests do not live well, when those who are in charge do not live rightly, those who follow after slip into error. Wherefore the Church, as if speaking in the person of those little and faithful ones, says: "Show me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture, where you rest at midday." Show me the life of those who truly serve you, so that I may know where you pasture — the verdure of virtues — so that I may know where you rest at midday, that is, where you repose in the fervor of charity; lest while I look upon the flocks of your companions, I myself begin to wander, not knowing to whose words and teachings I should entrust myself. For every hearer, every weak one, must carefully consider whose words he ought to believe, whose instruction he ought to follow, whose examples he ought to imitate. And behold, the words of the bridegroom are returned to the bride. (Verse 7.) "If you do not know yourself, O beautiful one among women, go forth and follow after the footsteps of the flocks, and pasture your young goats beside the tents of the shepherds."
28. Every soul ought to care for nothing more than to know itself. For he who knows himself, recognizes that he was made in the image of God, and ought not to follow the likeness of beasts, nor dissolve himself either in luxury or in present appetite. Concerning this ignorance it is said elsewhere: 'Man, when he was in honor, did not understand; he was compared to senseless beasts, and became like them' (Psalm 48:13). The footsteps of the flocks are the actions of the peoples, which the more numerous they are, the more entangled, the more perverse they are. Let it therefore be said to the Church: 'If you do not know yourself, O beautiful one among women, go forth, and go after the footsteps of the flocks, and pasture your kids beside the tents of the shepherds.' O you, who were foul through ignorance, and through faith have been made beautiful among the souls of others. This is clearly spoken to the Church of the elect: 'If you do not know yourself'—that is, you do not know this very thing, that you were made in my image—'go forth', that is, outside. If indeed you do not recognize by whom you were made, go forth and depart; go after the footsteps of the flocks; follow not my examples, but the examples of the peoples, and pasture your kids beside the tents of the shepherds. Our kids are carnal impulses; our kids are unlawful temptations. 'Go after the footsteps of the flocks'—that is, descend after the footsteps of the peoples—'and pasture your kids'—that is, nourish your carnal impulses, no longer spiritual senses, but carnal impulses. 'Go beside the tents of the shepherds': if you pasture lambs in the tent of the shepherds, you will be pastured—that is, in the teachings of the masters, in the teachings of the Apostles, in the teachings of the prophets. But if you pasture kids, pasture them beside the tents of the shepherds, so that you may be called Christian by faith, and not by works; because you appear to be within through faith, and not within through works. Because behold, you have rebuked, behold, you have reproved (for what do you not say?)—but what have you yourself kindly accomplished? Speak plainly: for there follows: (Verse 8.) 'I have compared you, my love, to my horsemen among the chariots of Pharaoh.'
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