Sermon XIX. On the Different Motives on Account of which Christ the Lord is Loved by the Various Choirs of Angels

"Therefore young maidens have loved Thee."

The loving Spouse continues still to speak; still she continues to proclaim the praises of her Beloved. And she appeals for further grace, pointing out that that which she has already received "hath not been void "in her. For listen to her now. "Therefore," she proceeds to say, "young maidens have loved Thee." As if she should affirm, "not in vain, not without fruit has Thy name been poured out, O my Beloved, not in vain has it been poured out and spread abroad on my breast. Therefore young maidens have loved thee exceedingly." Wherefore? On account of Thy name poured out, on account of the breasts perfumed therewith. This it is which excites them to the love of the Bridegroom. This is the cause of their affection for Him. The Spouse receives an infusion of ointment, and immediately the "young maidens," who can never be found far from their mother, inhale the pleasant odour; and, filled with its sweetness, they exclaim, "The charity of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Who is given to us." Consequently the Spouse, commending their devotion, says, "This, O my Beloved, this is the fruit of the pouring out of Thy name, that therefore young maidens have loved Thee. They experience the sweetness of Thy name only when poured out, not having capacity to contain it entire, and hence have they loved Thee. For the pouring out makes Thy name capable of being contained, and irresistibly amiable; yet only for "young maidens." They who are endowed with a greater capacity do not need this pouring out, inasmuch as they can relish Thy name undissolved and entire. Such are the choirs of angels.

The simple Angel, the lowest celestial creature,¹ contemplates with undazzled eye the profound abyss of the divine judgments. Their sovereign equity ravishes him with delight. It is his glory, besides, that they are executed and promulgated by his own ministry. And therefore he has reason to love Christ the Lord. "Are they not all ministering spirits," writes St. Paul, "sent to minister for them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation"? As we must attribute to the Archangels something more excellent than what belongs to the inferior angelic order, I believe that they enjoy the high prerogative of being admitted more familiarly to the counsels of Eternal Wisdom, and that they are commissioned to superintend, with full authority, the execution of the same, each in its proper place and time, which privileges are to them a source of joy ineffable. This is their motive for loving Christ the Lord. Then, there are those blessed spirits named Virtues, so called, perhaps, for the reason that they have been divinely ordained to examine with blissful curiosity and to admire the constant and hidden causes of signs and wonders, and to employ with power all the elements in displaying on earth what prodigies they pleas? and when they please. These, too, discover in their proper function a special reason for loving the "God of Virtues," and for loving Christ Who is the "Virtue of God." For they find the fulness of delight and felicity in contemplating the "uncertain and hidden things of Wisdom" in Wisdom Itself. They also find the fulness of honour and glory in the consciousness that the operations and effects of the causes, concealed in the Divine Word, are exhibited by their own agency to the contemplation and admiration of the inhabitants of the earth.

Next in order come the celestial creatures, known under the name of Powers. These take particular delight in viewing and magnifying the divine omnipotence of the Crucified, which "reach eth from end to end mightily." They are invested with power to beat off and vanquish all opposing powers, whether human or diabolical, in defence of those who have received '• the inheritance of salvation." And have they not herein most ample cause for loving the Lord Jesus? Immediately above the Powers are the Principalities, who, contemplating the Word from a loftier level, recognise clearly that He is the First Principle of all being, and the "First Begotten of every creature," and they are endowed with such dignity and principality, that from the apex, so to speak, of the world where they sit enthroned, they exercise authority throughout the universe, with power to change and regulate kingdoms, principalities, and dignities of every kind, at their sole will and pleasure. They are also empowered to make the first last and the last first, according to the merits of each, to put down the mighty from their seat, and to exalt the humble. And this is the motive of their love for Christ. The Dominations also love the Lord Jesus. Why? Because a praiseworthy kind of presumption leads them to the discovery of certain inconceivably subtle and sublime truths relating to His interminable and irresistible dominion. They marvel to see Him everywhere throughout the universe, not only by His power, but also by His presence, and compelling everything, high and low, the revolution of the seasons, the motions of bodies, the thoughts and emotions of created minds, in the most beautiful order, to submit to the ruling of His most holy Will. And all this He does with so much vigilance that no creature in the whole universe can subtract the least jot or tittle, as the saying is, from its bounden service; and yet, with such ease, that His universal government never causes Him the slightest disquiet or agitation. When, therefore, they, the Dominations, behold the Lord of Sabbath judging all things with such tranquillity, they are transported out of themselves by an extraordinary but fully conscious stupor of contemplation, infinitely intense and unspeakably blissful, into the limitless ocean of Light Divine. There they seem to withdraw to a most secret recess of imperturbable peace, where they enjoy such calm and quiet, that, whilst they are in repose, all the other celestial creatures appear to unite in their service and in defence of their leisure, out of reverence for their prerogative, and as for true holders of dominion.

God Himself sits upon the Thrones.:In my opinion, this choir has greater reason and more numerous motives for loving Christ the Lord than any of those already mentioned. If you enter the palace of an earthly king, amongst the various seats to be seen there, accommodated to various dignities, you will notice the royal throne occupying the place of preeminence. You do not need to inquire where the monarch is accustomed to sit, for his will be the first seat that attracts your attention, being more elevated and ornate than any of the others. Understand from this that the choir of Thrones surpass all the rest in every kind of spiritual adornment, because it is on them that, by a special favour of amazing condescension, the Divine Majesty has elected to sit. But this sitting may be taken to signify the office of teacher. In that case, I should suppose that Christ, the Wisdom of the Father, Who is our only Master in heaven and on earth, although reaching everywhere by reason of His purity, yet specially and principally illuminates by His presence this hierarchical order, and thence, as from a solemn lecture-hall, He"teacheth men knowledge," and not only men, but the inferior choirs of angels also. For it is thence He communicates to the lowest angelic choir the knowledge of His judgments, and to the Archangels the understanding of His counsels. It is there the Virtues learn what wonders they are to work, at what time, and in what place. There, in a word, all the other choirs referred to, Powers, Principalities, and Dominations, are told their duties and what honours and privileges they may claim, as belonging to their rank, but above all, they are cautioned, every one of them, that the powers, which have been entrusted to them for advancing the glory of God, must not be employed for the satisfaction of their own wills, or the procuring of their own glory.

But those heavenly spirits called the Cherubim, if they really enjoy the privileges indicated by their name, cannot, as I think receive anything either from or through the inferior choir of Thrones. For to them it is given to drink their fill at the very fountain. The Lord Jesus Himself vouchsafes to introduce them directly into the plenitude of truth, and communicates +o them most generously the "treasures of wisdom and knowledge" concealed in Himself. Neither do the Thrones impart any illumination to the Seraphim. These are so completely drawn into and absorbed in the furnace of God's love, so inflamed with the fire of divine charity, that they seem to be but one spirit with God; just as ignited gas (aer) receives from the flames which kindle it not only their intense heat, but even their colour, and appears to be not so much on fire, as to be fire itself. Therefore, of the two last-mentioned choirs, the former find their chief delight in admiration of the knowledge of God, "of which thre is no number," the latter in contemplating His charity which "never falleth away." Hence, they derive their respective names irom that particular grace which seems to be in each order the characteristic and distinguishing endowment. For Cherub signifies "fulness of knowledge," whereas Sdaph means "enkindling" or "inflamed." Therefore, the Angels love God on account of the perfect equity of His judgments; the Archangels, on account of the supreme wisdom of His counsels; the Virtues, by reason of His infinite graciousness, which is exhibited in the display of wonders, calculated to bring unbelievers to the faith; the Powers, because of that exercise of His divinely-just omnipotence, whereby He defends and protects the good from the cruelty of the malignant; the Principalities, on account of that eternal and primeval efficacy by which He communicates being and th^ principle of being to every creature, superior or inferior, spiritual or corporeal, "reaching from end to end mightily" ', the Dominations, because of the imperturbable tranquillity of His will, wherewith He rules the universe in the might of His arm, and the more mightily in proportion to that native gentleness and unruffled calm by which He "disposeth all things sweetly"; the Thrones, for the benevolence of His illuminating wisdom, extending itself to all without envy, and for the unction of His grace which "teach eth of all things"; the Cherubim, cause "The Lord is a God of all knowledge," Who, knowing what is necessary for the salvation of each, distributes His gifts as He judges expedient, and with prudence and providence, amongst those who rightly pray for them; finally, the Seraphim love Him, because He is charity and"hateth none of the things that He hath made," willing "all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth."

Thus all the angelic choirs love according to their several capacities. But the "young maidens," with less understanding, have also less capacity, and are altogether unable to attain to things so high, for they are but "little ones in Christ," requiring to be fed with milk and oil. Hence it is on the breasts of the Spouse that they must find the motives of theii love. The Spouse possesses the oil poured out, the perfume of which arouses in the hearts of the "young maidens" a desire to "taste and see how sweet the Lord is." And seeing them inflamed with love, she turns to her Beloved, and says, "Thy name is as oil poured out, therefore, young maidens have loved Thee exceedingly²." What is it, my brethren, to love exceedingly? It is to love greatly, passionately, ardently. Oi perhaps in the spiritual sense of the words, the Holy Ghost conveys an indirect reproof to some amongst you who are beginners in the religious life, censuring that indiscreet zeal, or rather that "exceedingly" obstinate imprudence of theirs, which I have so often in vain endeavoured to repress. To such I say, you are unwilling to be content with the common life. Yoa are not satisfied with the regular fasts, with the solemn vigils, with the ordinary observance of discipline, with the clothes and food I provide for you. You prefer what is private to what is common. Why do you thus resume charge of yourselves after having once and for all committed that responsibility to me? For, lo! you have again taken as your superior, in place of me, that self-will, which, as your consciences bear witness, has betrayed you into so many offences against God. By it you are taught not to spare nature, not to listen to reason, not to follow the counsel or the example of the seniors, not to submit to my authority. Are you not aware that "obedience is better than sacrifice"? Have you not read in your Rule³ that whatever is done without the sanction and consent of the spiritual father shall be attributed to vainglory and shall merit no reward? Have you not read in the Gospel the example of obedience set by the Boy Jesus for the imitation of all other youths who aspire after holiness? For when He had remained behind in Jerusalem, and declared that it was necessary for Him to be about His Father's business, yet, as His parents would not consent to His staying longer, He did not disdain to follow them to Nazareth, the Master obeying His disciples, God obeying man, the Word, the Wisdom of the Father obeying a poor artisan and his consort! Nor is this all. The inspired narrative goes on to say, "And He was subject to them."

How long will you be wise in your own conceits? God commits and subjects Himself to mortals, and will you still walk in your own ways? You did indeed receive a good spirit, but you have made an ill use of the gift. I am now afraid lest that good spirit should depart from you and one that is wicked succeed, who will strive to deceive you with the outward appearance of virtue, so that having begun in the Spirit you may end in the flesh. Do you not know that the angel of darkness frequently "transformeth himself into an angel of light"? God is Wisdom and wills us to love Him, not alone sweetly, but wisely as well. Hence the Apostle speaks of "your reasonable service." Believe me, if you neglect the knowledge of truth, the spirit of error will have no trouble in misdirecting your zeal. For that cunning enemy can find no more efficacious means of expelling the love of God from your hearts than by causing you to walk in it without caution or reason. Wherefore, I am thinking of proposing to you certain canons of conduct which those who love God may find it worth their while io put in practice. But as to-day's sermon has reached its limits, on the morrow, if God continues to give me life and leisure for preaching, I will attempt to set them forth for your consideration. Then, when our bodies are refreshed by the repose of the night, and (what is more important) our minds duly reinvigorated by the tonic of prayer, we shall come again together for the discourse on divine love, through the favour of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom everlasting honour and glory. Amen.

Footnotes

1. The number and names of the angelic orders are gathered from various parts of the Old and New Testaments. In no one place are they all mentioned together. We find reference to eight of the nine in the Pauline Epistles (Heb. ix. 5, Rom. viii. 38, Colos. i. 16, 1 Cor. xv. 24, Ephes. i. 21, 1 Thess. iv. 15). The Pseudo-Dionysius, who flourished probably towards the end of the fifth century, is said to have been the first to group the choirs in hierarchies, three choirs to each hierarchy, and to arrange them in the order of dignity now generally accepted: Angels, Archangels, Principalities, Powers, Dominations, Virtues, Thrones, Cherubim, Seraphim. It will be seen that St. Bernard's scheme, which is also that of Popes St. Gregory the Great and Innocent III., differs somewhat from the Dionysian. According to this, next above the Archangels come the Virtues, then the Powers, Principalities and Dominations in order. In the Prefaces of the Mass only eight choirs are mentioned, and in this order: Angels, Archangels, Thrones, Dominations, Powers, Virtues, Cherubim and Seraphim. As to the distinction between the choirs, St. Thomas teaches that they differ in their natural and supernatural endowments, and consequently in the offices to which they are appointed. — (Translator.) ↩

2. "Ninus."St. Bernard gives this word as belonging to the text, but it is found in neither the Hebrew, Greek nor Latin Version. Cf. A Lapide, Comment, in Cantica, Caput i. — (Translator.) ↩

3. Holy Rule of St. Benedict, ch. xlix., "On the manner of keeping Lent." ↩