San Juan de la Cruz (John of the Cross) - A Spiritual Canticle of the Soul and the Bridegroom Christ by gnosisclassics

ST.

THE WORKS OF JOHN OF THE CROSS

NIHIL OBSTAT HENRICUS

BOWDEN Censor Deputatus.

IMPRIMATUR EDMD. CANONICUS SURMONT Vicarius Generalis.

WESTMONASTERII

DIE 28 JUNII 1909.

A SPIRITUAL CANTICLE

OF THE SOUL AND

THE BRIDEGROOM CHRIST BY

ST.

JOHN OF THE CROSS TRANSLATED BY

DAVID LEWIS WITH CORRECTIONS AND AN INTRODUCTION BY

BENEDICT ZIMMERMAN, Prior

of St.

O.C.D.

Luke s, Wincanton

COLL

LONDON THOMAS BAKER MCMXIX

First Revised Edition 1909

Reprinted 1919

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION, BY REV. BENEDICT ZIMMERMAN,

O.C.D.

. .

SPIRITUAL CANTICLE OF THE SOUL AND THE BRIDEGROOM CHRIST PACK .. .. .. .. Prologue Song of the Soul and the Bridegroom

. .

Argument

EXPLANATION OF THE STANZAS Note

STANZA God

The Only-begotten Son. essentially hidden. The peaceful pain of hope . . . . treasure.

STANZA Messengers of the

wounded

The search

God commenced. enemy

soul.

Meeting the

. .

The message

STANZA after

The hidden

of love

III

Flowers by the roadside. .

. .

STANZA IV The Universe questioned about God

STANZA V Answer Note

of the Creatures

. .

CONTENTS

STANZA VI Creature excites love for the Creator

The

STANZA

PAGE

VII

Testimony of

God the desired message and messenger. rational creatures

. .

STANZA Death in the quiver of

life

VIII .

Note

STANZA IX Complaint of the wounded

Love the reward

soul.

of love

Note

66 70

STANZA X The

soul satisfied

by God

The uncreated

alone.

light

. .

Note

STANZA XI The soul asks to see God and die. Man cannot see God and live. Death the Note

The cure

friend.

of imperfect love

. .

STANZA XII The

crystal fount of faith reflects the face of God. likeness and union .

Note

. .

STANZA Dark approach

to Divine Light. Voice of the Beloved .

Note

Love begets .

87 94

XIII Glance of the Divine eyes.

&quot;

. .

104

STANZA XIV Song

of the Bride- soul.

voice vision

God

upon the waters. .

the undiscovered country. His The gentle air and the night .

105

CONTENTS

Vll

STANZA XV PAGE

Calm morning

Universal twilight. .. Spiritual banquet of love

hymn

of praise to God.

121

...

128

Note

STANZA XVI Foxes in the vineyard. heart

The nosegay

Solitude of the

of roses. . .

. .

Note

130 136

STANZA XVII The

and south winds.

North suffering of love. sweet-smelling flowers ..

Note

Breath of the

137

. .

144

STANZA XVIII The

soul rebukes the rebellious motions of the flesh. The royal captive in prison. Loiterers at the gate of the city

Note

146

149

STANZA XIX The

Sunlight on the mountains.

communication with God

Note

. .

soul asks for purely spiritual ..

151

. .

154

STANZA

The Bridegroom guards his bride. The by Christ. God a joy for ever

soul restored to justice .

156

167

STANZA XXI The

reign of everlasting peace

Note

169

STANZA XXII Rejoicing of the Good Shepherd over His recovered sheep. penance to perfection. The spiritual marriage

Note

. .

From

170 177

CONTENTS

viii

STANZA XXIII PAGE

The

and

trees of Paradise

of Calvary.

The Cross our second X 78

Mother

Note

l81

STANZA XXIV Perfume shed Bliss of the state of perfect union with God. . . Divine flowers. Virtues a crown and defenced

by .

182

Note

190

STANZA XXV The

soul gives thanks for graces bestowed on others. Running New and old wine. The old friend of in the way of life.

God Note

190

....

198

STANZA XXVI state of the soul in Divine love. may know little and love The shepherd loses his flock folly.

Happy

love.

Perfect fear, perfect

Note

Wisdom and

much. .

200 2ii

STANZA XXVII The communion

God and

reserved surrender.

Note

the soul in love. Mutual and un Perfect fulfilment of the law of love .

213

217

STANZA XXVIII The

soul centred on love, its sole occupation. else

Note

God, and nothing .

218 222

STANZA XXIX Love

Loss and gain of the highest in importance and profit. The better part. Mary and Martha .. .. ..

soul.

Note

225

230

CONTENTS

STANZA

XXX PAGE

First flowers of spring sweetest. The delight of the bride-soul and Christ in the possession of the virtues and gifts of each Christ crowned by His Saints. other. Beauty and strength of the perfect soul

231

Note

238

STANZA XXXI -God captive to pure strong love. The thread of Love binding together God and the soul. Tower of trust in God

Note

240

244

STANZA XXXII Grace the cause of merit. The soul refers all to God, and gives thanks to Him for His mercy in looking lovingly upon her

Note

245

250

STANZA XXXIII The

soul prays for the continuance of the Divine spiritual union. The soul s beauty God s gift. God honours His own work

Note

252

257

258

STANZA XXXIV The

olive

branch

peace

Note

261

STANZA XXXV The Dove

nest

. .

Note

262

266

STANZA XXXVI &quot;The

soul ripe for heaven. Beauty of depths of Divine truths

-Note

God .

in the soul. .

Infinite

268

275

CONTENTS

STANZA XXXVII To know God of the

PAGE is

eternal

Truth as

life.

pomegranates

it is

in Jesus.

New wine .

Not

2 -5

282

STANZA XXXVIII Love

for love.

Note

Day

God

Victory and Crown

s eternity.

283 291

STANZA XXXIX Breath of eternal its

beauty.

life.

The

Blissful

nightingale

and consuming

song. fire of

The grove and God s love .

291

STANZA XL Going up by the desert of death. of Life

Encampment by

Index to passages from Holy Scripture General Index

the waters ..

303

309

INTRODUCTION

HP HE

present volume of the works of St. John of the Cross contains the explanation of

-I

the

Spiritual

Canticle

the

Soul

and

the

Bridegroom Christ/ The two earlier works, the Ascent of Mount Carmel and the Dark Night of the Soul/ dealt with the cleansing of the soul,

the unremittant war against even the smallest imperfections standing in the way of union with

God

imperfections

;

partly

strict

self- discipline,

direct intervention of

reins

trials,

pleasing to

partly

by the

heavy

interior

away whatever is Although some stanzas

purges

Him.

the

God, Who, searching

by means

and hearts

exterior

which must be removed,

and dis

refer

to this preliminary state, the chief object of the

Spiritual

Canticle

Biblical simile of Espousals

picture

under

the

and Matrimony the

blessedness of a soul that has arrived at union

with God.

The

Canticle

was composed during the long xi

INTRODUCTION

xii

imprisonment

St.

John underwent December 1577

at Toledo

from

till the middle the beginning of of August of the following year. Being one of the principal supporters of the Reform of St.

Teresa, he

was

also

one of the victims of the war

waged against her work by the Superiors of the old branch of the Order. St. John s prison was a narrow, stifling cell, with no window, but only a small loophole through which a ray

of light

entered for a short time of the day, just long enough to enable him to say his office, but affording little

facility for

John stood

reading or writing.

However,

no need of books.

Having for many years meditated on every word of Holy Scripture, the Word of God was deeply written

St.

in his heart, supplying abundant food for con versation with God during the whole period of his imprisonment.

From time

forth his soul in poetry

municated his verses to

One

;

to time he poured

afterwards he

com

friends.

of these poetical works, the fruit of his

was the Canticle/ imprisonment, Spiritual as the reader will is an which, notice, abridged paraphase of the Canticle of Canticles, the Song of

Solomon, wherein under the image of

pas

sionate love are described the mystical sufferings and longings of a soul enamoured with God.

INTRODUCTION

From the earliest

xiii

times the Fathers and Doctors

Church had recognised the mystical char acter of the Canticle, and the Church had largely

of the

utilised

in her liturgy.

so holy but that

may

But

as there

nothing be abused, the Canticle

more than any other portion of Holy Scripture, had been misinterpreted by a false almost

Mysticism, such as was rampant in the middle It had come to pass, of the sixteenth century. said the learned

and

saintly Augustinian, Fray Luis de Leon, that that which was given as a medicine was turned into poison,* so that the Ecclesiastical authority,

by the Index

of 1559,

forbade the circulation of the Bible or parts of the Bible in any but the original languages,

Hebrew, Greek, and Latin

;

and no one knew

Leon himself how rigorously were enforced, for he had to expiate

better than Luis de

these rules

by nearly

five years

imprisonment the audacity

of having translated into Castilian the Canticle of Canticles. t

Again, one of the confessors of St. Teresa,

monly thought *

Los nombres de

com

have been the Dominican, Fray

Cristo.

Introduction.

This exceptionally severe legislation, justified by the dangers of the time, only held good for Spain and the Spanish colonies, and has f

ong since been revised. It did not include the Epistles and Gospels, Psalms, Passion, and other parts of the daily service.

INTRODUCTION

XIV

Diego de Yanguas, on learning that the Saint had written a book on the Canticle, ordered her to

throw

into the

fire,

we now only possess work, which, unknown to

so that

a few fragments of her St. Teresa, had been copied by a nun. It will now be understood that St. John s poetical paraphrase of the Canticle must have contemplative souls who desired to kindle their devotion with the words of

been welcome to

many

Solomon, but were unable to read them in Latin. Yet the text alone, without explanation, would

have helped them little and as no one was better qualified than the author to throw light on the ;

mysteries

hidden

Venerable

Ann

under

imagery, the of Jesus, Prioress of the Carmelite oriental

convent at Granada, requested St. John to write a commentary on his verses.* He at first excused himself, saying

that he was no longer in that

state of spiritual exuberance in

when composing the *

Ann de

Canticle,

which he had been

and that there only

Lobera, born at Medina del Campo, November 25, 1545, until her eighth year. When she applied for ad

was a deaf-mute

mission to the Carmelite convent at Avila St. Teresa promised to much as a novice, but as her companion and future

receive her not so

she took the habit August i, 1570, and made her pro successor fession at Salamanca, October 21, 1571. She became the first prioress of Veas, and was entrusted by St. Teresa with the foundation of Granada ;

(January 1582), where she found St. John of the Cross, who was prior convent of The Martyrs (well known to visitors of the Alhambra although no longer a convent). St. John not only became the director of the

INTRODUCTION

remained to him a confused recollection

of the

wonderful operations of Divine grace during the

Ann

period of his imprisonment.

not satisfied with this answer

;

of Jesus

she not only

was

knew

that St. John had lost nothing of his fervour, though he might no longer experience the same

but she remembered what had happened Teresa under similar circumstances, and

feelings,

to St.

believed the same thing might happen to St. John.

When

Teresa was obliged to write on some mystical phenomena, the nature of which she did not fully understand, or whose effect she had St.

tion

God granted

her unexpectedly a repeti of her former experiences so as to enable

forgotten,

her to fully study the matter and report on it.* Venerable Ann of Jesus felt sure that if St. John

undertook to write an explanation of the Canticle he would soon find himself in the same mental

when he composed

attitude as St.

John

at last consented,

it.

and wrote the work

and confessor of the convent of nuns, but remained the most faithful helper and the staunchest friend of Mother Ann throughout the heavy trials which marred many years of her life. In 1604 she went to Paris, to found the first convent of her Order in France, and in 1607 she pro ceeded to Brussels, where she remained until her death, March 4, 1621. The heroic nature of her virtues having been acknowledged, she was declared Venerable in 1878, and it is hoped that she will soon be beatified. *

See

Life of St. Teresa

xvi. 2, xviii. 10.

ed.

Baker (London, 1904),

ch. xiv. 12,

INTRODUCTION

XVi

now

come

lately

formation of

following letter, which has

The

before us.

some valuable

light,

its

composition.

gives

dalen of the Holy Ghost, nun

was professed

August

The

Mag

writer,

of Veas,

where she

was

1577,

inti

mately acquainted with the Saint.

When

the holy father escaped from prison, he took with him a book of poetry he had written

while there, containing the verses commencing In the beginning was the Word,&quot; and those

&quot;

others

&quot;I

know

and runs, though &quot;

&quot;

the fountain well which flows it

Where hast thou hidden

O nymphs

Judea&quot;

and the

night,&quot;

&quot;

thyself

(stanza

canticle,

as far as

XVII I.).

The

maining verses he composed later on while rector of the college of Baeza (157981), while some of the explanations were written at Veas

the

request of the nuns, and others at Granada.

The

Saint wrote this book in prison and afterwards left it at

Veas, where

some copies of it. from my cell, and

was handed

Later on I

never

make

was taken away

knew who took

it.

was much struck with the vividness and the beauty and subtlety of the words. One day I asked the Saint whether

God had

given him these words which so admirably explain those mysteries,

and He answered

&quot;

Child, sometimes

God gave

INTRODUCTION

them

to me, *

and

Xvii

them

at other times I sought

myself.&quot;

The autograph

of St.

John

work which

served at Jaen bears the following

Explanation exercise of love

Christ

its

Stanzas

title

pre

treating

the

between the soul and

Jesus and with commenting Spouse, dealing

on certain points and effects of prayer written at the request of Mother Ann of Jesus, prioress ;

of the Discalced Carmelite

nuns of

St.

Joseph

convent, Granada, 1584. As might be expected, the author dedicated the

book to Ann of Jesus, at whose request he had written it. Thus, he began his Prologue with the following words Inasmuch as this canticle, :

Reverend Mother (Religiosa Madre), seems to have been written/ etc. A little further on he said :

The stanzas that

having been written under the influence of that love which proceeds follow,

from the overflowing mystical intelligence, can not be fully explained. Indeed, I do not purpose

any such thing, for my sole purpose is to throw some general light over them, since Your Reverence has asked too, is *

do so, and since this, in

the better course.

And

again:

Manuel Serrano y Sanz, Apuntos para una

tores espanoles.

(1903, p. 399).

my opinion I shall,

Biblioteca de Escri-

INTRODUCTION

xviii

however, pass over the more ordinary (effects of prayer), and treat briefly of the more extra ordinary to which they are subject who, by the mercy of God, have advanced beyond the state of beginners. is

much

that

ginners

;

This is

do for two reasons

the

first

already written concerning be

and the second

that

addressing

Your Reverence at your own bidding for you have received from Our Lord the grace of being led on from the elementary state and led myself

;

inwards to the bosom of His divine love. continues thus

therefore trust, though I

He may

some points of scholastic theology relating to the interior commerce of the soul with God, that discuss

not using such language altogether in vain, and that it will be found profitable for pure spiritua I

For though Your Reverence is ignorant of scholastic theology, you are by no means ignorant lity.

of mystical theology, the science of love, etc/

From

these passages it appears quite clearly that the Saint wrote the book for Venerable Ann of Jesus

and the nuns

of her convent.

With the

exception of an edition published at Brussels in 1627, these personal allusions have disappeared from both the Spanish text and the translations,* * Cf. Berthold-Ignace

Jesus

(Malines, 1876),

de Sainte Anne, 343 sqq.

Vie de

Mre Anne

INTRODUCTION

nor are they to be found in Mr. Lewis s version. There cannot be the least doubt that they repre sent St. John s own intention, for they are to be

found in his original manuscript.

This,

con

taining, in several parts, besides the Explanation

poems by the

of the Spiritual Canticle, various

was given by him to Ann of Jesus, who in her turn committed it to the care of one of her

Saint,

nuns, Isabelle of the Incarnation,

who took

with her to Baeza, where she remained eleven years,

and afterwards

to Jaen,

where she founded

a convent of which she became the

first prioress.

She there caused the precious manuscript to be bound in red velvet with silver clasps and gilt edges.

It still

was there

we know, remains

in 1876, and, for aught

to the present

ing of the said convent.

It is

day in the keep a pity that no

photographic edition of the writings of St. John (so far as the originals are preserved) has yet

been attempted, for there edition of his works.

The following Stanzas

the

need for a

division

critical

the work:

to IV. are introductory; V. to XII.

refer to the contemplative life in its earlier stages

;

XIII. to XXI., dealing with what the Saint calls the Espousals, appertain to the Unitive way, where the soul is frequently, but not habitually,

INTRODUCTION

admitted to a transient union with God

XXII.

to the

end describe what he

calls

and

;

Matri

mony, the highest perfection a soul can attain The reader will find an this side of the grave. epitome of the whole system of mystical theology in the explanation of Stanza XXVI. This work differs in

and

Ascent

many Dark

the

respects from the

Night/

Whereas

these are strictly systematic, preceeding on the line of relentless logic, the Spiritual Canticle/

work ought to do, soars high above the divisions and distinctions of the scholastic as a poetical

With a boldness akin

method.

that of his

Patron Saint, the Evangelist, St. John rises to the highest heights, touching on a subject that should only be handled by a Saint, and which the reader, were he a Saint himself, will do well to treat cautiously

the partaking

the Divine Nature, Deification

These

are

or, as

by the human St. John calls

the soul (Stanza XXVI. regions where the ordinary

threatens to turn

;

but St. John, with the

soul of it,

the

sqq.),

mind

know

ledge of what he himself had experienced, not

once but others,

many

times,

what he had observed

and what, above

all,

he had read of in

Holy Scripture, does not shrink from lifting the veil more completely than probably any Catholic

INTRODUCTION

Xxl

writer on mystical theology has done. in silence the last

wonders

of being misunderstood,

mount

these mysteries in

love for fear

would have been tanta

to ignoring the very

are led along the

God

To pass

way of human

end

for

perfection

which souls ;

to reveal

language, and say

that can be said with not a

all

word too much, not

an uncertain or misleading line in the picture this could only have been accomplished by one whom the Church has already declared to have :

been taught by God Himself (divinitus and whose books She tells us are

instructus), filled

with

heavenly wisdom (coelesti sapientia refertos). It is hoped that sooner or later She will proclaim him (what many grave authorities think him to be)

a Doctor of the Church, namely, the Doctor of Mystical theology.* As has already been noticed in the Introduction *

Ascent/ the whole of the teaching of St. John is directly derived from Holy Scripture and from the psychological principles of St. to

the

Thomas Aquinas. of

an influence

There

no trace to be found

of the Mystics of the Middle Age,

with whose writings St. John does not appear to have been acquainted. But throughout this * On this subject see Fray Eulogio de San Jose, Doctorado de Santa Teresa de Jesus y de San Juan de la Cruz. C6rdoba, 1896.

INTRODUCTION

XX11

treatise there are

many

obvious allusions to the

writings of St. Teresa, nor will the reader fail to notice the encouraging

remark about the pub

The fact is that the same Venerable Ann of Jesus who was respon sible for the composition of St. John s treatise was at the same time making preparations for the lication of her

works

(p.

TOO).

edition of St. Teresa s works which a few years

appeared at Salamanca under the editorship of Fray Lu,is de Leon, already mentioned.

later

Those of

his readers

who have been

struck with,

not to say frightened by, the exactions of St. John in the Ascent and the Dark Night/ where

he demands complete renunciation of every kind of satisfaction and pleasure, however legitimate in themselves,

and an

entire mortification of the

senses as well as the faculties

and powers

of the

and who have been wondering at his selfabnegation which caused him not only to accept,

soul,

but even to court contempt, will find here the clue to this almost inhuman attitude. In his response

Our Lord, What shall I give thee for all thou hast done and suffered for Me ? he Lord, to suffer and be despised for Thee

to the question of

was not animated by grim misanthropy or stoic indifference, but he had learned that in propor tion as the

human

heart

emptied of

Self, after

INTRODUCTION

xxiii

having been emptied of all created things, it is open to the influx of Divine grace. This he fully proves in the Spiritual Canticle/ To be made 1

partaker of the Divine Nature/ as St. Peter says, human nature must undergo a radical trans formation. ing of St.

Those who earnestly study the teach John in his earlier treatises and en

deavour to put his recommendations into practice, will see in this and the next volume an unexpected perspective opening before their eyes, and they will begin to understand how it is that the suffer

whether voluntary or involun are not worthy to be compared with the

ings of this time

tary

glory to

come that

shall

be revealed in

us.

masterly translation of the works of St. John of the Cross appeared in 1864 under the auspices of Cardinal Wiseman. In the second

Mr. Lewis

edition, of 1889,

m^de numerous changes, with

out, however, leaving a record of the principles

that guided him. edition

Sometimes, indeed, the revised terser than the first, but just as often

the old one seems clearer.

It is

difficult to

understand the reasons that led him to alter very extensively the text of quotations from Holy Scripture.

always which

In the

edition he

had nearly

adhered to the Douay version, the one in official use in the Catholic

strictly is

first

XXIV

INTRODUCTION

Church

in English-speaking

countries.

may

not always be as perfect as one would wish it to be, but it must be acknowledged that the whole sale alteration in

say the

Mr. Lewis

least, puzzling.

second edition

is,

Even the Stanzas have

undergone many changes in the second edition, and it will be noticed that there are some variants in their text as set forth at the beginning of the

book, and as repeated at the heading of each chapter.

The present corrections, is

allowing for some slight a reprint of. that of 1889. edition,

BENEDICT ZIMMERMAN, PRIOR, ST.

LUKE

WINCANTON, SOMERSET,

Feast of St. Simon Stock,

May

1 6,

1909.

O.C.D.

A SPIRITUAL CANTICLE OF THE SOUL AND THE BRIDEGROOM CHRIST*

PROLOGUE INASMUCH

as this canticle seems to have been written

with some fervour of love of God, whose wisdom and love are, as

they reach

said in the

book

Wisdom, f so vast that

from end unto end/ and as the

taught

soul,

and moved by Him, manifests the same abundance and strength in the words

it uses,

set forth all that greatness

which

do not purpose here to

and fulness the

embodies in

is fruitful,

spirit of love,

Yea, rather

it.

would

be foolishness to think that the language of love and the mystical intelligence

can be at

are

Spirit of our

saith J

all

and that

Anne

Lord who helps our weakness

dwelling in us

of Jesus, at

and addressed f

Wisdom I

what these stanzas

explained in words of any kind, for the

* [This canticle was made of the Mitigation, in Toledo.

it,

makes

as St. Paul for

petitions

us with

by the Saint when he was in the prison It came into the hands of the Venerable

whose request he wrote the following commentary on it

viii. i.

to her.] +

Rom.

viii.

26.

A SPIRITUAL CANTICLE

groaning unutterable for that which

we cannot

understand or grasp so as to be able to make

The

Spirit helpeth our infirmity

He shows

selves

who

experience

words that can explain

Assuredly no one can do

For who

to loving souls in

whom He dwells ? Who can set forth in which He makes them feel ? and, lastly, who that for which they long

known.

the Spirit Himself

requesteth for us with groanings unspeakable/

can describe that which

it.

That

not even they them

;

the reason

why

use figures of special comparisons and similitudes hide

somewhat

abundance

that

well

which they

feel

and

they they

;

in the

of the Spirit utter secret mysteries rather

than express themselves in clear words. 3.

And

these similitudes be not received in the

simplicity of a loving mind,

and

in the sense in

which

they are uttered, they will seem to be effusions of folly rather than the language of reason in the divine Canticle of Solomon,

;

and

any one may

see

in others of the

sacred books, wherein the Holy Ghost, because ordinary

and common speech could not convey His meaning, uttered His mysteries in strange terms and similitudes. It follows

from

have

and may

said,

nor can words do falls far

that after

this,

say,

;

all

that the holy doctors

no words of theirs can explain it

and

so, in general, all

short of the meaning.

that

;

said

OF THE SOUL AND

The stanzas that

ITS

BRIDEGROOM

follow having been written under

the influence of that love which proceeds from the over flowing mystical intelligence, cannot be fully explained.

Indeed

to throw

object in

do not purpose any such thing, for

opinion

some general

light over

the better course.

the outpourings of love in their

sole

them, which

better to leave

It is

own

fulness, that

every

may apply them according to the measure of his spirit and power, than to pare them down to one particular one

sense which

not suited to the taste of every one.

do put forth a particular explanation,

though

others are not to be

that

is,

bound by

it.

And still

The mystical wisdom

the love, of which these stanzas speak

does

not require to be distinctly understood in order to pro

duce the is

effect of love

and tenderness

in this respect like faith,

in the soul, for it

by which we

love.

God with

out a clear comprehension of Him. 5.

I shall therefore

be very concise, though now and

then unable to avoid some prolixity where the subject

and when the opportunity

offered of dis

requires

it,

cussing

and explaining certain points and

prayer I

must

many of which being referred to in

discuss

some

them.

I shall,

effects

these stanzas,

however, pass over

the more ordinary ones, and treat briefly of the

extraordinary to which they are subject who, by the

mercy

God, have advanced beyond the state of

A SPIRITUAL CANTICLE

4 This

beginners.

much

second

for

the

that

addressing those

from our Lord the grace state

;

who have

of being led

that

first is,

already written concerning beginners

is,

mentary

two reasons

and the received

on from the

and are led inwards to the bosom

ele

His

divine love. I therefore trust,

though

may discuss some points

of scholastic theology relating to the interior of the soul

with God, that

altogether in vain, and that

not using such language

it will

be found profitable

For though some

for pure spirituality.

commerce

may

be alto

gether ignorant of scholastic theology by which the divine verities are explained, yet they are not ignorant of mystical theology, the science of love,

by which those

but at the same time are

verities are not only learned,

relished also. 7.

And

in order that

be the better received,

what

going to say

may

submit myself to higher judg

ments, and unreservedly to that of our holy mother the

Church, intending to say nothing in reliance on

my own

personal experience, or on what

in other

spiritual persons, nor

though firm

on what

intend to profit by

have observed

have heard them say

all this

unless I can con

with the sanction of the divine writings, at least

on those points which are most 8.

The method

difficult of

comprehension.

propose to follow in the matter

OF THE SOUL AND this

to cite the words of the text

first of all,

subject before me.

now

I shall

transcribe

and place them at the beginning

explain

I shall

them

line

and then

them which belongs

to give that explanation of

next place,

BRIDEGROOM

ITS

all

to the

the stanzas

of this treatise.

In the

take each of them separately, and

each line in

line,

its

proper place

before the explanation.

SONG OF THE SOUL AND THE BRIDEGROOM i

THE BRIDE Where hast Thou hidden

And abandoned me

Thou hast fled like the Having wounded me.

groaning,

O my

but Thou wert gone.

;

shepherds,

you who go

Through the sheepcots up the If you shall see Him

Whom I Tell

Him

hill,

love the most, I

languish, suffer,

and

die.

In search of I will

Love

go over mountains and strands

gather no flowers, will fear no wild beasts

;

I will I

And

Beloved

hart,

ran after Thee, crying

Thyself,

;

pass by the mighty and the frontiers.

A SPIRITUAL CANTICLE IV

groves and thickets Planted by the hand of the Beloved

;

O verdant meads Enamelled with flowers, Tell me, has

passed by you

ANSWER OF THE CREATURES A

thousand graces diffusing

He passed through the groves And merely regarding them As He passed

in haste,

Clothed them with His beauty.

THE BRIDE who can heal me ? Give me at once Thyself, Send me no more

A messenger Who cannot tell me

what

I wish.

VII

All they

who

serve are telling

Of Thy unnumbered graces And all wound me more and more, ;

And something leaves me dying, I know not what, of which they are

darkly speaking.

VIII

But how thou perseverest, O Not living where thou livest The arrows bring death Which thou receivest

From thy

life, ;

conceptions of the Beloved.

OF THE SOUL AND

BRIDEGROOM

ITS

Why,

after

wounding

This heart, hast

And why,

Thou not healed

after stealing

Hast Thou thus abandoned

And

it ?

it,

it.

not carried away the stolen prey

x Quench Thou my For no one

And

let

;

mine eyes behold Thee,

For thou art their

And

troubles,

can soothe them

else

I will

light,

keep them for Thee alone.

Reveal

Thy

presence,

And

let the vision and Thy beauty Behold the malady Of love is incurable

Except

kill

presence and before

Thy

me.

Thy

XII crystal well

Oh that on Thy silvered surface Thou wouldest mirror forth at once Those eyes desired

Which

are outlined in

heart

XIII

Turn them away, 1

am on the wing

O my

Beloved

THE BRIDEGROOM My Dove The wounded hart Looms on the hill Return,

In the

air of

thy

flight

and

refreshed.

face.

A SPIRITUAL CANTICLE XIV

THE BRIDE My

Beloved

the mountains,

The solitary wooded valleys, The strange islands, The roaring torrents, The whisper of the amorous

gales

;

xv The tranquil night At the approaches of the dawn, The silent music, The murmuring solitude, The supper which revives, and enkindles

love.

XVI Catch us the foxes, For our vineyard hath flourished

While

;

of roses

We make a nosegay, And let no one appear on

the

hill.

XVII

killing north wind, cease Come, south wind, that awakenest love

Blow through

garden,

And let its odours flow, And the Beloved shall

feed

among

the flowers.

XVIII

O nymphs of Judea While amid the flowers and the rose-trees !

The amber sends

forth its perfume,

Tarry jn^the suburbs, And touch not our thresholds.

OF THE SOUL AND ITS BRIDEGROOM XIX

Hide

thyself,

Turn Thy

O my

Beloved

face to the mountains.

not speak,

But regard the companions Of her who is travelling amidst strange

islands.

THE BRIDEGROOM Light- winged birds, Lions, fawns, bounding does,

Mountains, valleys, strands, Waters, winds, heat, And the terrors that keep watch by night

;

XXI

By the soft lyres And the siren strains,

adjure you,

Let your fury cease, And touch not the wall,

That the bride may

sleep in greater security.

XXII

The bride has entered The pleasant and desirable garden,

And

there reposes to her heart

Her neck

content

reclining

On the sweet arms

of the Beloved.

XXIII

Beneath the apple-tree There wert thou betrothed There

;

gave thee My hand, And thou wert redeemed I

Where thy mother was

corrupted.

;

A SPIRITUAL CANTICLE

XXIV

THE BRIDE Our bed

of flowers

By dens of lions encompassed, Hung with purple, Made in peace, And crowned with

a thousand shields of gold.

xxv In Thy footsteps The young ones run

At the touch

And by The

Thy way

;

of the fire

the spiced wine,

divine balsam flows.

XXVI In the inner cellar

Of my Beloved have Over all the plain I

knew

And

drunk

;

and when

went forth

nothing, the flock I followed before.

lost

XXVII

There There

He gave me His breasts, He taught me the science

full of

gave to Him reserve without Myself There I promised to be His bride.

And

there

;

XXVIII

soul

occupied,

And all my substance in His service

Now

guard no flock, Nor have I any other employment

;

sole occupation

love.

sweetness.

OF THE SOUL AND

BRIDEGROOM

ITS

XXIX If, then, on the common land I am no longer seen or found,

You

will say that I

lost

;

That, being enamoured, I lost

myself

;

and yet was found.

XXX Of emeralds, and

of flowers

In the early morning gathered,

will

make

Flowering in

And bound

the garlands,

Thy

love,

together with one hair of

my head.

XXXI

that one hair

Thou hast observed

And on my neck

fluttering

neck,

regarded,

Thou wert captivated And wounded by one of my ;

eyes.

xxxn

When Thou

didst regard me,

Thine eyes imprinted in For this didst Thou love

me Thy grace me again,

And thereby mine eyes did merit To adore what in Thee they saw

XXXIII Despise

For

was swarthy once

if I

Thou Since

not,

canst regard me now Thou hast regarded me, ;

Grace and beauty hast Thou given me.

A SPIRITUAL CANTICLE

XXXIV

THE BRIDEGROOM The little white dove Has returned to the ark with the bough And now the turtle-dove Its desired mate

;

the green banks has found.

XXXV In solitude she

And And

lived,

in solitude built her nest

;

in solitude, alone

Hath the Beloved guided her, In solitude also wounded with

love.

XXXVI

THE BRIDE Let us

rejoice,

O my

Beloved

Let us go forth to see ourselves in Thy beauty.

the mountain and the

Where the pure water

hill,

flows

iet us enter into the heart

of the thicket.

XXXVII

once

shall go at

To the deep caverns of the rock Which are all secret, There we shall enter in And taste of the new wine of the pomegranate. XXXVIII

There thou wilt show

That which

And

there

Thou

soul desired; wilt give at once,

Thou, my life That which Thou gavest !

the other day.

OF THE SOUL AND

BRIDEGROOM

ITS

XXXIX The breathing of the air, The song of the sweet nightingale, The grove and its beauty In the serene night,

With the flame that consumes, and

gives no pains.

None saw

;

Aminadab

Neither did

The

And

siege

appear.

was intermitted,

the cavalry dismounted sight of the waters.

At the

ARGUMENT of a soul

These stanzas describe the career first

entrance on the service of

final state of perfection

till

states or

its

comes to the

the spiritual marriage.

refer accordingly to the three

spiritual training

God

from

ways

They of the

the purgative, illuminative, and unitive

ways, some properties and effects of which they explain.

The way.

first

stanzas relate to beginners

The second

spiritual betrothal

next to the unitive marriage.

The

to the advanced ;

that

way

is,

to the purgative

to the stc.te of

the illuminative way.

The

that of the perfect, the spiritual

unitive way, that of the perfect, follows

the illuminative, which

that of the advanced.

last stanzas treat of the beatific state,

already perfect soul aims

at.

The

which only the

A SPIRITUAL CANTICLE

[STAN.

I.]

EXPLANATION OF THE STANZAS NOTE The

considering the

soul,

the days of

seeing that

of eternal life is strait

be saved

and

deceitful

that

;

on the ground strict,

die

all

that time

;

and recognising is

self,

for

all else,

created

and the correspondence

itself

was born

and

difficult

solely for

life is

;

which

of its will to

indebted to

it will

Him

due,

Who

owes

Him

His love

blessings for

God even

;

which

before

also that a great part of its life has

wasted, and that

been

have to render an account of

from beginning unto the end, to the payment of

all

the last farthing/

with lamps

end *

whole

of its

for Himself alone, for

acknowledges

water poured

and salvation most

and remembering other innumerable it

empty

uncertain, the last account

Who has

which the service it

way

on the other hand, the great debt

also,

owing to God,

has redeemed

* that the

;

and perish is

state,

man shall scarcely

the just

f that

perdition most easy,

that

are short

its

that the things of this world are

;

man

obligations

of the

;

^ that

day

Job xiv. 5. Kings xiv.

it is

st Matt -

vii

search Jerusalem

shall

already

** in order to t

14.

when God

and perhaps the

late,

remedy -

J 4-

St. Matt. v. 26.

** St. Matt. xx. 6

+ [[

so great I

evil,

st Pet iv l8 -

Sophon,

12.

[STAN,

OF THE SOUL AND

i.]

especially

when

it is

ITS

BRIDEGROOM

conscious that

God

grievously

offended, and that He has hidden His face from it, because it

would forget

Him

for the creature,

the soul,

now

touched with sorrow and inward sinking of the heart at the sight of its

imminent

risks

and

ruin,

renouncing

everything and casting them aside without delaying

for

a day, or even an hour, with fear and groanings uttered

from the heart, and wounded with the love of God, begins to invoke the Beloved and says

STANZA

THE BRIDE Where hast Thou hidden Thyself,

A nd left me to my sorrow, Thou hast fled like the hart, Having wounded me. I ran after Thee, crying

IN this

first

;

but

Beloved

Thou wert gone*

stanza the soul, enamoured of the Word,

the Son of God, the Bridegroom, desiring to be united to

Him

in the clear

Him

the anxieties of

And

this the

Who

has

still

its love,

vision, sets before

complaining of His absence.

so because,

with love, for which itself, it

and substantial

now

pierced and

had abandoned

wounded

all things,

even

to endure the absence of the Beloved,

has not released

from

its

mortal

flesh,

that

A SPIRITUAL CANTICLE

might have the fruition

Hence

Him

[STAN. I.]

in the glory of eternity.

cries out,

Where hast Thou hidden Thyself

Show me, O Thou the Word,

the soul said,

It is as if

Bridegroom, the place where Thou art hidden/

asks for the revelation of the divine Essence

God

place where the Son of St.

divine

bosom

the

John,

Essence,

of the

human

speaking to God,

Verily

this

which

in this

have they any

Thou

art a

are not

life,

affinity

vision,

the

and

hidden God/ f From

may

amid

as hidden,

all

God

and the most

be,

God which

;

and

essentially, neither

it is

Him

in His hiding-place, saying,

Where hast Thou hidden Thyself sublime

therefore expedient

these grandeurs, always to consider

and to seek Him

Neither

the soul

with Him, for in very truth

hidden from the soul

understanding, as Isaias saith,

however great they

may have

it,

according to

mortal

sublime and profound knowledge of

for

for the

;

learn that the communication and sense of His

presence,

still

is,

Father/ all

transcending

all

hidden from

hidden

communications

nor

sensible

presence furnish any certain proof of His gracious pre sence of

;

nor

the absence thereof, and aridity, any proof

His absence from the * St.

John

18.

soul.

He come

t Is

xlv

to me,

OF THE SOUL AND ITS BRIDEGROOM

[STAN.

i.J

I shall

not see

stand. *

That

Him

;

depart, I shall not under

tion, or impression, or spiritual

knowledge,

on that account persuade

that what

is it

to enjoy or see it

brings

God

may

these sensible

and

it is itself

itself

clearly

and

nearer to Him, or

such feelings

be.

spiritual

Him

nor

then

it,

feels

however deep

when

the other hand,

communications

and

in dryness, darkness,

in truth the former state is

must not

in His Essence, or that

no sign of

the latter a sign that

knoweth not whether he be worthy

far

from

it it

all

and

fail it,

desolation,

God

not on that account suppose that

of grace,

communica

the soul have any great

is, if

must ;

for

being in a state

its it is

not

for

;

man

of love or hatred f

in the sight of God.

The

chief object of

the soul in these words

not to ask only for that affective and sensible devotion,

wherein there is no certainty or evidence of the posses sion of the

Bridegroom in

this life

but principally for

;

that clear presence and vision of His Essence, of which it

longs to be assured and satisfied in the next.

too,

was the object

of the bride

who, in the divine song

desiring to be united to the Divinity of the

Word, prayed to the Father, saying,

Thou

feedest,

where Thou

liest in

ask to be shown the place where *

Job

ix. ii.

This,

Bridegroom

Show me where

the midday/

Eccles. ix.

fed

was J

For to

to ask to be

Cant.

A SPIRITUAL CANTICLE

shown the Essence

of the Divine

[STAN.

Word, the Son

;

I.]

because

the Father feedeth nowhere else but in His only begotten Son,

Who

the glory of the Father.

shown the place where He for the

same

the Father,

lieth in the

thing, because the

Who

Son

midday, was to ask the sole delight of

no other

lieth in

In asking to be

place,

and

com

prehended by no other thing, but in and by His beloved

Whom He

Son, in

Him

reposeth wholly, communicating to

His whole Essence, in the

eternity,

where the Father

midday/ which

ever begetting and the Son

ever begotten. 5.

This pasture, then,

the Bridegroom Word, where

the Father feedeth in infinite glory. of flowers love,

whereupon He reposes with

profoundly hidden from

every created thing. soul

when she

This

all

also the

infinite delight of

mortal vision and

the meaning of the bride-

says,

Where hast Thou hidden Thyself 6.

That the thirsty soul may

and be one with Him so far as that

drink which this

life, it

asks of

Him

find the Bridegroom,

and quench

its thirst

with that

possible to drink of at His

hands in

be as well

that

in the union of love in this life

possible

it is

will

bed

since that is

we should answer

out the special spot where

for

what the

soul

Him, and point

hidden, that

He may be

[STAN,

OF THE SOUL AND

i.]

ITS

BRIDEGROOM

found there in that perfection and sweetness of which this life is capable, loiter uselessly in

and that the soul may not begin to

the footsteps of

its

companions.

must remember that the Word, the Son

God, together with the Father and the Holy Ghost,

of is

hidden in essence and in presence, in the inmost being of

That

the soul.

go out from

all

soul, therefore, that will find

things in will and affection,

the profoundest self-recollection, and to

they existed not.

Hence,

found Thee not without,

all

St.

O Lord

;

without in vain, for Thou art within/ * fore hidden within the soul, will seek

Him

and enter into

thou

Augustin saith

sought Thee

God

there

and the true contemplative

there in love, saying,

soul, then,

know

so longest to

must be

things

Where hast Thou hidden Thyself 8.

Him, must

most beautiful

of creatures,

the place where thy Beloved

is,

who that

thou mayest seek Him, and be united to Him, thou

knowest now that thou art thyself that very tabernacle

where He dwells, the

hidden.

thy good and thee

;

or, to

be without *

secret

chamber

Rejoice, therefore, all

thy hope

His retreat where

and

exult, because all

so near thee as to be within

speak more accurately, that thou canst not it,

Soliloq.,

for lo, the c.

31.

kingdom

Opp. Ed. Ben.

God

torn. vi. app. p. 98.

within

A SPIRITUAL CANTICLE

20 you.

it,

adds

You

are the temple of the living God. f

joy for the soul to learn that

even in mortal sin

What more

I.]

So saith the Bridegroom Himself, and His servant,

St. Paul,

What

[STAN.

;

how much

God never abandons

less in a state of

grace

canst thou desire, what more canst

thou seek without, seeing that within thou hast thy thy delight, thy satisfaction, thy fulness and thy

riches,

kingdom seekest

that

;

thy Beloved,

is,

Rejoice, then,

Whom

thou desirest and

and be glad in Him with thou hast

recollection, seeing that

Him

interior

so near.

Then

love Him, then desire Him, then adore Him, and go not to seek

Him

out of thyself, for that will be but distraction

and weariness, and thou there

fruition of

shalt not find

Him more

more intimate than that which

One

10.

within, yet

know the

difficulty

hidden.

But

it is

place of His secret rest, that

there with certainty.

which thou askest

within. :

soul,

though

a great matter to

He may be

The knowledge

for here,

because

;