CHAPTER V. (Chap. V.--Verse 1.) Let my beloved come into his garden, that he may eat the fruit of his apples.
1. The beloved comes into the garden and eats the fruit, when Christ visits souls and satisfies himself with the delight of good works. Whence he also adds, saying: (Verse 1.) I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spices; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk.
2. The beloved reaps myrrh with spices when Christ, having brought the mortification of life to perfection, cuts off His chosen one from this life and brings him into the heavenly storehouse with a holy reputation. He eats the honeycomb with the honey when He fulfills the holy desire lying hidden in holy works, and brings the holy soul to the banquet of the saints to be fattened with His delight. He drinks His wine with milk when He refreshes Himself both with the perfection of some and, lovingly cherishing the innocence of others with piety, brings both to the eternal banquet. He invites all those remaining to follow their example, when He adds: (Verse 1.) Eat, my friends, drink and be inebriated, dearest ones.
3. It must be noted first of all that those who eat are called friends, while those who drink and become inebriated are declared to be the dearest beloved. By these words it is given to be understood that in this passage, to eat is good, but to drink and become inebriated is a greater good. For there are indeed certain persons in the holy Church who hear the divine precepts in such a way that they learn to love heavenly things more than earthly ones, give much to the poor out of desire for those things, guard themselves from wicked works, seize nothing from anyone by violence, willingly hear the preaching of the Church, instruct themselves in the faith, and exercise that faith through holy works — and yet they have wives, raise children, and care for their possessions, although they set Christ above all these things. These persons truly eat and are friends, because in hearing holy Scripture they take such refreshment for themselves that, even though they do not yet rise to the summit of perfection, nevertheless, perfect according to their own measure, they live without fault in the divine precepts. And while the parents of blessed John — namely Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1) — strove to observe this, through angelic revelation they merited in their old age to receive a son, than whom no greater has arisen among those born of women, and who himself merited to point out with his finger and to baptize the very Savior of the world (Matthew 11). Of his parents it is said: "They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord without blame" (Luke 1:6). But there are others who hear or read divine Scripture with such eagerness that, having at once renounced all earthly occupations, they seek only heavenly things; they abandon parents, wives, homes, children, and all transitory things, desiring only to follow and embrace Christ. Out of longing for Him they afflict themselves with fasts, pour forth tears, devote themselves to divine meditations, think only on what is eternal, give themselves to contemplation, laboring to this end: that forgetting the things which are behind, they may stretch themselves forward more and more to the things that lie ahead (Philippians 3). What indeed are these persons doing, what else, but drinking until they are inebriated — so that while they forget all earthly things through desire, they rightly deserve to be called by the heavenly Bridegroom not merely friends, but dearest beloved? Of these the same Bridegroom continues and says: (Verse 2.) "I sleep, and my heart watches."
4. Indeed, the hearts of the elect of this kind can rightly be called the heart of the bridegroom, for the more they flee the outward things that are in the world, the more secretly they come to know the inward things of the bridegroom. Of these the same bridegroom doubtless speaks elsewhere: "He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and I will manifest myself to him" (John 14:21). The bridegroom therefore sleeps, and his heart keeps watch: because while Christ, now glorified, rests in blessedness, whoever loves him perfectly labors to reach him. Of this watchfulness the bride spoke above: "While the king was on his couch, my nard gave forth its fragrance" (Song of Songs 1:11). For that his resting is called sleeping is made clear by what is read elsewhere: "In peace, in the selfsame, I will sleep and rest" (Psalm 4:9). Yet the bride herself can also say this of herself. Let her therefore say: "I sleep, and my heart keeps watch." As if a holy mind were speaking openly, saying: While I sleep outwardly from worldly tumults, I weigh in wakeful interior thought what heavenly things there are. For when holy men despise all earthly things, when they flee entirely the tumults of the world, when they take up leisure in the way of God, they by no means abandon those things in order to give themselves over to torpor; but laboring inwardly, they strive to behold in their heart what those things are for which they were made. For they do not sleep in order to grow sluggish, but they rest from transitory things in order to contemplate eternal things more freely. Yet sometimes the bridegroom rouses them for the benefit of their neighbors, and calls them back from the leisure they love so that they may profit those among whom they live. Hearing his voice, the bride says, even while she sleeps: (Verse 2) "The voice of my beloved, knocking." What he says while knocking, she adds: (Verse 2) "Open to me, my sister, my friend, my dove, my spotless one." She also joins the reason for his cry, saying: (Verse 2) "For my head is full of dew, and my locks with the drops of the night."
5. While the bride sleeps, the beloved knocks that she may open to him; because while the holy mind attends to itself through rest, Christ endures many sinful works in this world; which unless spiritual men gird themselves for teaching, carnal people never recognize on their own, nor care to correct. The bridegroom therefore wills that leisure be sometimes set aside, and that all spiritual persons be stirred to the edification of their neighbors; because while perfect men attend only to themselves through interior quiet, the bridegroom grieves that worldly people fall more and more toward worse things, since they know him less and less on account of the silence of spiritual persons; which he himself makes manifest when he says: 'Because my head is full of dew, and my locks with the drops of the nights.' What is meant by the head of the bridegroom, if not God, and what by the dew in this place, where it is spoken in lamentation, if not the coldness of minds? For it is written: 'The head of Christ is God' (1 Cor. 11:3). And concerning the coldness of any carnal mind it is again written: 'As a cistern makes its water cold, so has she made her malice cold' (Jer. 6:7). The head of Christ, therefore, is full of dew, because many who are placed in the Church both believe him to be God and yet, persisting in coldness, are not kindled to the ardor of charity. By his locks, moreover, we understand the peoples whom we know to hang from and weigh upon the faith of his divinity, as if from the head of Christ. But the locks are said to be full of the drops of the nights; because while they hang suspended in the time of this dark temporality, they flow more and more with the drippings of iniquities. The bride is roused to kindle these, when any spiritual person is called from rest to the prelacy of the Church for the edification of many. But since she fears that if she comes to the prelacy, it will be necessary to be occupied with the cares of the world; and thus, while through the occasion of edifying many she inclines herself to temporal things, she may lose her quiet and even be stained with the filth of sins — therefore she responds to the crying bridegroom, saying: (Verse 3.) 'I have put off my tunic; how shall I put it on again? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them again?'
6. His bride stripped herself of her tunic, because she cast off all the outward things by which she was burdened. Concerning this tunic it is said: "Now let him who has a tunic sell it and buy a sword" (Luke 22:36). For he buys a sword by selling his tunic, who renounces temporal things for the sake of eternal ones, and living in holy conduct, acquires the word of preaching. Of which it is said: "And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17). Moreover, the bride washed her feet, because while the holy soul lives in holy leisure, she diligently calls her works back to memory, and whatever she finds sordid in them upon examination, she bewails with daily tears and groans. She washed her feet, therefore, because she lamented the past works by which she had walked dissolutely through this world. She washed her feet, because, washing away her sins with tears, she longed to appear clean in the sight of her beloved. She fears to soil these feet again, because she is greatly anxious lest, if she is placed in a position of authority, walking through earthly things, she should again take up what she had put aside. For this reason she withdraws from her leisure unwillingly, because while she is far from the waves of the sea, she lives more securely, as if placed upon the shore. But her beloved does not lightly endure the death of his neighbors. And therefore, drawing nearer, he does not hesitate to rouse her by his own hand, when it is said: (Verse 4.) "My beloved put his hand through the opening, and my womb trembled at his touch."
7. The beloved sends his hand to the bride through the opening so that she may arise, when through subtle understanding he makes manifest to her by inspiring how great is the power of divine operation: namely, that he is able to save even amid dangers; that even in peace no one is saved except through him; that he does not abandon those hoping in him in the tumult of battle. At his touch the belly of the bride trembles: because the more the holy soul feels the divine power presently through interior visitation, the more strictly she judges whatever carnal thing she discovers in herself. For the greater the charity with which she burns for him whom she desires in her mind, the more timidly she submits herself to him, and the more she fears lest the bridegroom find something in her on account of which he would wish to dismiss her from himself. Therefore, obedient to the bridegroom, she prepares herself for labor; so that just as she appears familiar to the bridegroom in rest, so also she may appear devoutly serving in labor. Therefore she adds, saying: (Verse 5.) I arose to open to my beloved.
8. Having been touched, she rises to open: because when she receives the spirit of love more abundantly than usual, she immediately thinks about the edification of her neighbor; and by preaching she acts so that, with hearts opened, the Bridegroom, coming to dwell in her neighbors, may find an entrance for entering. She also demonstrates examples of works to her hearers along with her preaching, saying: (Verse 5.) My hands dripped with myrrh, and my fingers were full of the choicest myrrh.
9. What is understood by hands, if not works; what by myrrh, if not the mortification of the flesh? The hands of the bride who preaches therefore drip with myrrh; because whoever preaches to others, if they wish to benefit many, must strive to mortify the carnal life in all their work. But that this may be done with great discernment, he makes clear when he adds, saying: 'My fingers are full of the choicest myrrh.' For just as many fingers are divided from one hand, so in one holy manner of life diverse virtues are found through discernment. For the virtue of generosity is one thing, the virtue of frugality another. The work of humility is one thing, that of frank rebuke another. We do one thing when we keep ourselves in silence for our own edification; another when we speak to our neighbors for their benefit. But the fingers are said to be full of the choicest myrrh; because in everything that is done, it is always necessary that the mortification of carnality be maintained. This is rightly called the choicest when, in every temptation that is brought by the enemy, carnal pleasure is unceasingly guarded against lest it be admitted. When this happens, all hardness of mind is dissolved, and a way is prepared for the Bridegroom to enter the heart. Hence what follows: (Verse 6.) 'I opened the bolt of my door to my beloved: but he had turned aside and passed on.'
10. We make a bolt for the door when, through the pleasures of the flesh, we bar the entrance of the heart against the Bridegroom. But we open the bolt when, having removed fleeting pleasures, we soften our heart—which had previously been hard—into the love of Christ, and make a free entrance for the Bridegroom knocking at the door. Since this cannot happen suddenly while we live in this flesh, it remains for us to do so more and more each day. For no one, as it is written, suddenly becomes perfect. For sometimes, while we seek our Lord, placed as we are in this corruption, He seems to withdraw further from us rather than to draw near. And therefore it follows: 'But He had turned aside and passed by.' Now the Bridegroom touches His beloved, now He turns away: because when He sees us sluggish, He stirs us to love; but when it seems to us as we labor that He can be grasped, then lest He be grasped, He passes on and turns away. This is done by His greatest grace in us, so that namely neither do we, lying in our sluggishness, lose Him entirely, nor grow proud from what seems to us a full apprehension of Him. Yet as soon as He has withdrawn, He returns; and lest the holy soul be estranged from her Beloved for too long, He pours Himself into the longing soul by the word of His inspiration, and melts her. Whence the bride exults, saying: (Verse 6) 'My soul melted when my Beloved spoke.'
11. She says that she melted at the word of the Bridegroom, because when Christ pours himself through his spirit into the desiring soul, he soon dissolves all hardness of heart: and sometimes he melts the mind into such great tears that it can scarcely contain that which it rejoices to contain within itself, and inwardly marvels at what it had been and what it suddenly sees itself made into. While it feels this melting, it desires to apprehend it more perfectly; and sometimes while it thinks upon this very thing, what it was just feeling it no longer feels. Whence it is stirred to seek, that it might find the same thing again; but sometimes even when it has long wearied itself, it does not find what it just now held so present. Therefore there follows: (Verse 6.) I sought him, and did not find him: I called him, and he did not answer me.
12. The bride seeks the beloved, but does not find him; because the mind inspired by God continually desires to enjoy that intimate sweetness, but the corruption which it bears in this life prevents it. She calls, therefore, and no answer is given to her: because through her prayers and works she longs to be satisfied with the sweetness of his presence, but what she calls upon does not come according to her desire. It remains, therefore, that returning to herself she may know herself, and through the Holy Scriptures, aided all the more by that taste, seek her beloved. And this is what follows: (Verse 7.) The watchmen who guard the city found me; they struck me and wounded me; the watchmen of the walls took away my cloak.
13. While the bride is troubled in her search for the beloved, she encounters the watchmen of the city: that is, while the holy mind afflicts itself with desire for her Bridegroom Christ, she receives the words of the preachers in the divine Scriptures, and through them, as long as she is exiled from Christ, she devotes herself to the love of the very one whom she was seeking. What exercise she finds in them, she adds: 'They struck me and wounded me; the watchmen of the walls took away my cloak.' The watchmen strike the bride and wound her, because the holy preachers, when they speak of heavenly things, move the loving soul and pierce it with a greater love. They take away the cloak, because if anything of worldly pomp remained in the heart, they remove it from the soul by their exhortations. They take away the cloak, because sometimes before the words of the preachers we did not know ourselves, and they, while speaking, uncover everything that lay hidden within. While this happens, they are to be loved all the more, and they are to be implored more devoutly to speak to the beloved on our behalf. This the bride does when she adds: (Verse 8) 'I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, tell him that I languish with love.'
14. For when we disclose our thoughts to holy men, when we spread out our desire to them—whether they are still living among us or have already entered eternal life—and pray through God that by praying for us they may offer to the Lord Christ the desire with which we are moved, what else do we do than adjure the daughters of Jerusalem to announce to the beloved, to whom they are nearer than we are, that we are sick with love? But the Saints themselves, if they are still with us, both pray for those who ask them to pray and, when asked to carry the message, out of humility inquire as though they did not know, saying: (Verse 9.) What is your beloved more than another beloved, O most beautiful among women? But because the more ardently they love, the more sweetly they repeat words about him, they say the same thing again: (Verse 9.) What is your beloved more than another beloved, since you have so adjured us? The Bridegroom is called the beloved from the beloved: so that, clearly, through the repetition of love, the greatest love of the speaker may be shown. Or Christ is rightly called the beloved from the beloved, because if we love the Son, we consequently love also the Father from whom he is. The bride responds by continuing, saying: (Verse 10.) My beloved is white and ruddy, chosen out of thousands.
15. Christ is declared to be white and ruddy; because, committing no sin whatsoever, He held the beauty of justice in its entirety, and yet, as though He were a sinner, He approached the passion of death. To whom it is said through the prophet: "Why then is your garment red?" (Isaiah 63:2.) He is truly chosen out of thousands, because from the whole mass of the human race, no one is found without sin: but He not only was without sin, but also redeemed sinners by His justice and blood. There follows: (Verse 11.) "His head is the finest gold: his locks are like the branches of palm trees, black as a raven."
16. The head of Christ is God. This head is rightly called gold, because in comparison with the Creator every creature is reckoned a most worthless thing (1 Cor. 11). His locks are like clusters of palm branches, black as a raven. What do we understand by the locks of Christ, if not all the faithful? For while they guard the faith of the Trinity in their mind, and cleaving to God, do what they believe, they confer honor upon the one who bears them, as though hanging from his head. Moreover, the palm tree greatly thrives by ascending on high, and by its symbolism it signifies victory. Therefore his locks are like clusters of palm branches, because all the elect, while they always raise themselves to the heights of virtues, through the grace of God at length bring themselves to victory. Yet they are black as a raven, because however much they raise themselves by virtues, they always nevertheless recognize themselves to be sinners. There follows: (Verse 12.) His eyes are like doves beside streams of water, washed with milk, and sitting beside the fullest rivers.
17. The eyes of the bridegroom are like doves, because the preachers of Christ who show us the way live in simplicity. Moreover, they are said to be beside streams of water, because they always dwell in the refreshment of the divine Scriptures. Indeed, they are washed with milk, because by the grace of creative wisdom, as by a mother's milk, they have been cleansed from sins through baptism. What do we understand by the fullest streams, beside which they sit, if not the profound and hidden sayings of sacred Scripture, which we examine, by which we refresh ourselves, while we drink them in by reading or hearing? For this reason also doves are accustomed to sit beside streams, so that they may see the shadow of flying birds in the water, and casting themselves over it, they thus escape the talons of predators. So holy men perceive the deceits of demons in sacred Scripture, and from the description which they see, as from a shadow, they recognize the enemy. And while they devote themselves entirely to the counsels of Scripture, so that they do nothing except what they hear from the response of the Scriptures, as if casting themselves into the water, they elude the enemy. These streams are called most full, because concerning whatever difficulties counsel is sought in the Scriptures, it is found fully regarding all things without diminishment. (Verse 13.) His cheeks are like beds of spices, planted by perfumers.
18. If preachers are designated by the eyes, fittingly by the cheeks are figured those in the Church who are reported to have ended their lives by martyrdom in the Church. For while they do not hesitate to pour out their blood for the faith of Christ, they redden like cheeks on the face of the Bridegroom. Through them indeed the beauty of the Christian faith is made public: because they show toward how great a reward of faith they press forward, when they die for it. These are rightly said to be like beds of aromatic spices: because while the elect are tested by martyrdom in the steadfastness of faith, they are spread abroad through the cultivation of virtues and the fame of holy reputation, as if by the fragrance of spices. But the beds of spices are planted by perfumers; because the holy martyrs are both strengthened in their confession by the preachers who preceded them, and are brought forward by those who follow as an example of imitation to the peoples. By those who went before, the perfumes of virtues are cultivated; by those who follow, the perfumes of examples are taken up. Whence it also follows: (Verse 13.) His lips are lilies dripping choice myrrh.
19. For what do we understand by the lips of the Bridegroom, if not those very ones whom we call the preachers of Christ? Who, while they preach the deaths of the martyrs to the peoples, distill as it were myrrh as a seasoning for the mortification of the flesh. This myrrh is rightly said to be the first, because no one is so mortified as he who is ended by martyrdom for Christ. For he said "first" not with respect to time, but with respect to dignity. What does it mean that the lips of the Bridegroom are said to be lilies, except that those through whom Christ speaks must necessarily be pure, and through them a good fragrance is spread? Among whom was the apostle Paul, who said: 'We are a good fragrance to God in every place, both among those who perish and among those who are being saved' (II Cor. 2:15). But it should be noted that whatever of justice and fortitude is found in the Church is drawn from Christ himself through the examples of his works. Therefore there follows: (Verse 14.) 'His hands are turned columns of gold, set with hyacinths.'
20. For what is designated by the hands of Christ, if not the holy works which He performed in the world, and which are set before us for imitation? For He Himself says: "He who loves me, let him follow me" (perhaps John 12:26). And the Apostle: "He who says he abides in Christ ought to walk just as He walked" (1 John 2:6). His hands are said to be turned on a lathe, because His holy works, without the imposition of any iniquity, proceeded on every side in justice. For what is turned on a lathe revolves in its roundness without obstruction. So the works of Christ revolved in the roundness of rectitude, because no fault clung to Him that might prevent His justice from being carried through in its fullness. His hands are also said to be golden, because whatever He outwardly performed among men was inwardly ordered in the beauty of His divinity. The hands of the Bridegroom are also said to be full of hyacinths, because whoever imitates His works with a devout heart is enriched in recompense with the gifts of eternal happiness. Whence the same Redeemer says: "He who serves me, let him follow me; and where I am, there also shall my servant be" (John 12:26). There follows: (Verse 14.) His belly is of ivory, set with sapphires.
21. What is signified by the belly, if not mortality? And what by ivory, if not incorruption? For ivory is regarded as a very durable bone, and is taken up for the adornments of kings. Therefore the belly of Christ is rightly said to be ivory, because the mortality of Christ is brought through to immortality, since through the resurrection he is established in eternal life unto the glory of his Father, namely the eternal King. Of whom it is said: "Christ, rising from the dead, now dies no more; death shall no longer have dominion over him" (Rom. 6:9). He is truly taken up as an adornment of kings, because whoever is proven to be king and lord of his own flesh is adorned by the very mortality and resurrection of Christ, by love of knowledge and hope of immortality. Whence it is said elsewhere: "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord" (1 Cor. 1:31). But the belly is said to be set apart with sapphires, because in our corruption which he bore, he wove heavenly works into our sufferings through the miracles he performed. For the sapphire, which bears an airy color, fittingly signifies the heavenly deeds that were displayed in his miracles. And the belly of Christ is distinguished with sapphires, because while he worked divine miracles amid the sufferings of the flesh, corruption was, as it were, varied by incorruption. By this dispensation the apostles were instructed in the faith and stood firm and strong for enduring sufferings. Therefore there follows: (Verse 15.) "His legs are pillars of marble, set upon bases of gold."
22. For by the legs we understand the apostles, through whom he went around the entire world, and as they preached the faith, he scattered it among the peoples who heard. To whom he himself says in the Gospel: "Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). But the legs are said to be marble columns, because they support the Church unbendingly, while she is strengthened against all adversaries by their preaching and examples. Moreover, the columns are founded upon golden bases; because from the sayings of the prophets, so that they might stand strong, they received the faith whole and entire. Whence the first of the apostles himself says: "We have the more sure prophetic word, to which you do well to attend as to a lamp burning in a dark place" (2 Peter 1:19). For they are called golden because they are known to shine with the light of wisdom. There follows: (Verse 15.) His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars.
23. Lebanon indeed is a mountain on which very tall and fragrant trees grow. Moreover, Lebanon is interpreted as "whitening" or "making bright." And concerning Christ the apostle Paul says: "He himself was made for us by God wisdom and sanctification and righteousness" (1 Cor. 1:30). Rightly therefore his appearance is like that of Lebanon, because through him we who believe are made white; if we cling to him by our roots, we are made lofty. From his grace we also receive whatever fragrance of good reputation we may have. He is also said to be chosen like the cedars, because the Father speaks of him: "Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased" (Isa. 42:1). Now the cedar is a very tall tree, fragrant and incorruptible. But Christ is loftier than the cedars, because although he is man, he does not cease to be God. Of whom it is said through Isaiah: "And he shall be very exalted" (Isa. 52:14). Christ is also more fragrant than all others, because he himself says of himself: "I am the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys" (Song 2:1). And through the bride it is said to him: "We will run after the fragrance of your ointments" (Song 1:3). Of whom there rightly follows here: (Verse 16.) "His throat is most sweet, and he is wholly desirable."
24. For through the throat voices are conveyed, and flavors are drawn into the stomach. What then is understood by the throat of the Bridegroom, if not the Testament of Christ, through which Christ speaks to us, and in which how sweet the Lord is, is tasted by the faithful? He is therefore said to be wholly desirable; because through the fact that the holy soul hears all good things about him, she desires more and more always to see him. After so many of his good qualities have been recounted, she consequently concludes and says: (Verse 15.) Such is my beloved, and he is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
25. But with so many praises enumerated and so many gifts displayed, who upon hearing does not desire, who upon attending does not burn with longing? For every faithful soul, the sweeter and more abundant the things it hears about its Redeemer, the more ardently it yearns and desires to know yet more manifest things about Him, saying: (Verse 17.) "Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? Where has your beloved turned aside, and we will seek him with you?" For when one neighbor speaks to another about Christ, when one inquires of another how He may be found, what else is being searched out but how He ought to be sought? Although this can also be understood of the Synagogue, so that, once converted, it questions the Church, to which the Church immediately responds.