That many make progress through the examples of the just was treated at the end of the previous discourse. And the prophet himself opens this very thing to us more clearly when he adds to what he had said: Verse 24.—And I heard the sound of the wings, as it were the sound of many waters. 1. In holy speech peoples are wont to be designated by waters. Whence through John it is said: The waters are peoples (Revelation 17:15). And for this reason a people is designated by waters, because it both has in life a sound from the tumult of the flesh, and daily flows away from the running-down of mortality. But as we have often already said, the wings of the living creatures are the virtues of the saints.
What then is it that the prophet hears the sound of the wings as the sound of many waters, but that by the mercy of Almighty God those wings of the virtues, which sounded before in few saints, now also, by the enriched preaching, resound in the intercourse of many peoples! For when the Lord had been incarnate, had suffered, and had risen again, there were few winged living creatures, because very rare were those who existed who desired heavenly things, and lifted themselves on high by the wings of the virtues.
But after the preaching of his divinity was spread abroad in the world, how many little ones already, how many of graver age, how many strong youths, how many the feeble, how many converted sinful women, how many aged women as virgins, fly up to heavenly things through faith, through hope, through love—who can tell, who can estimate enough? Behold the sound of the wings, which before was in few living creatures, now already resounds in the peoples; now already the wings of the virtues lift the multitude of the world to heavenly desire. Well therefore it is said:
And I heard the sound of the wings, as it were the sound of many waters, because, as we said before, that sound of the virtues, which was first made in the ear of God from few saints, was afterward multiplied out of many waters, that is, out of innumerable peoples. Of which sound it is still well added: The same.—As the sound of the sublime God. 4. What is it that the sound of the wings in the holy living creatures is called as the sound of the sublime God, but that Almighty God both himself fills the minds of the saints with heavenly desire, and himself hears them when filled? For he himself creates in the hearts of the saints love, and he himself receives prayer from loving hearts. Peter wept bitterly his denial, but yet there it is set before, that Jesus looked upon Peter (Luke 22:61-62).
Mary Magdalene came, after many stains of guilt, to the feet of our Redeemer with tears (ibid. 7:38); but who poured that grace within her, save he who kindly received her without? Who urged her to tears through the spirit of compunction, save he who outwardly, before those reclining together, received her unto pardon? Our Redeemer therefore drew forth the mind of the sinful woman when he pricked her with compunction over guilt, and received her that he might free her from guilt. Well therefore is this sound of the wings called as the sound of the sublime God, because whatever is wrought in the virtues of the saints belongs to his grace who bestows the merits. 5. Who is rightly recorded through the prophet as the sublime God.
For in sacred Scripture God is sometimes named by way of appellation, but sometimes essentially. For he is named by appellation, as it is written: Behold, I have appointed thee the god of Pharaoh (Exodus 7:1). And as Moses says: If anyone has done this or that, bring him to the gods, namely to the priests (Exodus 22:8). Who again says: Thou shalt not detract from the gods (ibid. v. 28), that is, from the priests. And as the Psalmist says: God stood in the synagogue of gods, and in the midst he judgeth gods (Psalm 81:1). But God is called essentially, as he himself says to Moses: I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob (Exodus 3:6).
Whence Paul the apostle, wishing to distinguish the appellative name of God from the essential, spoke of our Redeemer, saying: Whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ according to the flesh, who is over all things God blessed forever (Romans 9:5). For he who is called God by appellation is among all things; but he who is so essentially is God above all things. Therefore, that he might show Christ to be God by nature, he recorded him to be not merely this God, but God above all things, because even any elect person, as we premised, or one set to be preferred in an example of justice, can be called God—but among all things, since by appellation a god; but Christ is God above all things, because by nature God.
Whom therefore Paul calls God above all things, this one Ezekiel the prophet names the sublime God. But after it was said: I heard the sound of the wings, as it were the sound of many waters, since it is still added: As the sound of the sublime God, we can also understand this to be what we know will be for all the elect. For the sound of the wings, as we have said, was in the holy preachers; the sound of the waters, in the converted and following peoples. But that same sound will at some time be the sound of the sublime God, because the multitude, which is now drawn to the faith through the holy teachers, will at some time be gathered into the heavenly homeland, so that there all the elect may praise without end, when they shall have seen without end him whom they praise.
And because then perfectly the whole multitude of the saints is made the body of the Redeemer, according to the voice of Paul saying: Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the sons of God (Romans 8:21); and they then so cleave to him, that in them, concerning the corruption which is conquered through the resurrection, nothing now in their holy love contradicts him, but being united it becomes the glory of their Redeemer; rightly it is said: As the sound of the sublime God. 4. The order of the one describing is to be noted, because first it is a good sound from the wings of the living creatures, which afterward is as the sound of many waters, but at the last as the sound of the sublime God.
For what the saints first preached, this the peoples afterward, being converted to the faith, believed and held, who at the last also, being lifted up into the heavenly things, will render praise to the Deliverer of all. And so the sound of the living creatures becomes as the sound of the waters, and the sound of the waters becomes as the sound of the sublime God, because the praise of the Almighty Lord, which few first proclaimed in the world, this afterward many proclaimed. And what many now proclaim, while as yet their own corruption strives against them in themselves, this all the elect, now united to their own Head, will resound in the heavenly homeland. But still the works and virtues of the holy living creatures are described, when it is subjoined: The same.—When they walked, it was as the sound of a multitude, as the noise of camps. 5.
If by the sound of the sublime God the praise of our Creator in the heavenly homeland is designated, it is not to be wondered at that the prophetic word is again poured back to the works of the saints yet living in this life, because the Holy Spirit in the heart of the prophets does not cast out at once through the tongue that which he shows within at once. For the water of knowledge, with which the mind of the one prophesying is filled, vehemently overflows in contemplation. But because every mouth of man is narrow for the spirit—that is, the orifice of the flesh—to fulfill that immensity which is beheld, in bringing it forth the tongue is varied.
After therefore he beheld in the heavens the sound of the wings as the sound of the sublime God, he returns again to the earth, and tells what the winged living creatures do here, that there they may deserve the highest things, saying: When they walked, it was as the sound of a multitude, as the noise of camps. When the holy preachers go about the world, preaching and drawing, the living creatures walk. And because these whom they gather, as soon as they have believed, rise up into praise of our Creator, there is made a sound as the sound of a multitude. And because in the same preaching they take up war against the aerial powers, it is rightly subjoined: As the noise of camps.
For when the faithful peoples are joined to the holy preachers, against the malignant spirits, in the array of faith, multitudes of camps are formed. And while daily each of the faithful is filled with heavenly desires, despises earthly things, sets hard things before himself for love of the supernal homeland, camps are formed against the aerial powers, because armed with faith and fortified with good works they march. For as it were to certain camps of the spiritual army it is said through Paul: Put on the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the snares of the devil, for our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spiritual wickednesses in the heavenly places (Ephesians...
6:11, 12). 5. The multitudes of the saints therefore are camps, which have undertaken war against the aerial powers. Whence also the holy universal Church is so described under the appearance of the beloved, that it is said: Thou art fair, my friend, sweet and comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army set in array (Song of Songs 6:3). For because Jerusalem is interpreted 'vision of peace,' by whose name the heavenly homeland is expressed, the holy Church is said to be sweet and comely as Jerusalem, because its life and desire is compared already to the vision of inmost peace, so that in this—that it loves its Author, that it longs to see his beauty, of whom it is written: On whom the angels desire to look (1 Peter...
1:12), through those very desires of its love it is said to be like the angels: which, by how much it is made lovable to God, by so much it brings it about that it becomes terrible to the malignant spirits. But in what manner it is terrible, is shown by the subjoined comparison, that is, As an army set in array (Song of Songs 6:4). What is it that the holy Church should be dreaded by its enemies as an army in array? For this comparison is not void of great understanding, and therefore is to be subtly considered. For we know and it is established that an army in array is then shown terrible to its enemies, when it has been so closely packed and made dense, that in no place is it seen interrupted.
For if it is so disposed that a vacant place is left through which an enemy might enter, assuredly it is no longer terrible to its enemies. And we too therefore, when we set the line of spiritual combat against the malignant spirits, most greatly need to be found always united and bound together through charity, and never interrupted through discord, because whatever good works there may be in us, if charity be lacking, through the evil of discord a place is opened in the line, whence the enemy may avail to enter to strike us. 7. But the ancient enemy does not fear chastity in us, if it be without charity, because he himself is neither pressed by flesh, so as to be dissolved in his own luxury.
He does not fear abstinence, because he himself uses no food, who is not pressed by the necessity of the body. He does not fear the distribution of earthly things, if charity be lacking to the same work, because he himself has no need of the supports of riches. But he greatly fears in us true charity, that is, the humble love which we mutually bestow upon one another, and exceedingly he envies our concord, because we hold this on earth, which he, unwilling to hold, lost in heaven. Well therefore it is said: Terrible as an army set in array (Song of Songs 6:9), because the malignant spirits dread the multitude of the elect by so much as they behold them, through the concord of charity, united against themselves and massed together. 8.
But how great is the power of concord is shown, when without it the remaining virtues are demonstrated to be no virtues. For great is the virtue of abstinence; but if anyone so abstain from foods that he judges others in eating, and even condemns for the faithful those same foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving (Romans 14:3, 6), what has the virtue of abstinence become to him but a snare of guilt? Whence the Psalmist also, designating that there is no abstinence without concord, says: Praise him on the timbrel and choir (Psalm 150:4). For in the timbrel the dry skin resounds, but in the choir voices sing concordantly. What therefore is designated by the timbrel but abstinence, and what by the choir but the concord of charity?
He therefore who so holds abstinence that he forsakes concord, praises indeed on the timbrel, but does not praise in the choir. And there are some who, while they study to be wiser than is necessary, spring back from the peace of their neighbors, while they despise them as though dull and foolish. Whence through himself Truth admonishes, saying: Have salt in you, and have peace among you (Mark 9:49), so that whoever studies to have the salt of wisdom, must needs take care that he never withdraw from the peace of concord. But what we have said of these two virtues, this is to be understood of all the rest. Whence Paul terribly admonishes, saying: Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see God (Hebrews 12:14). 9.
But that nothing without concord pleases God, Truth itself by itself demonstrates, saying: If thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath something against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift (Matthew 5:23, 24). Behold, from those at discord he will not accept sacrifice, he refuses to receive the holocaust. Hence therefore weigh how great an evil discord is, on account of which even that is cast away through which guilt is loosed.
But because the elect are always joined together in charity, and this same charity of theirs renders the sound of praise to its Author, but to the malignant spirits, that is, to their ancient enemies, strikes the punishment of fear, rightly now of the winged living creatures it is said: When they walked, it was as the sound of a multitude, as the noise of camps. 10. But it is pleasing to reach, with the eye of faith, from the rise of the holy Church even to the end of the world, and to see how these same camps walk. For camps are the multitudes of the army called, when they march in battle-array, or tarry in some certain place on the journey. To the camps therefore the way is the life of the present age, all the saints living concordantly.
But there are other camps of the preachers, who labor here and there in the array of holy work for the gathering of souls. Other camps of the continent, and of those withdrawing from this world, who daily prepare themselves in heart against the wars of the malignant spirits. Other camps of good married persons, who, living concordantly in the love of Almighty God, so in turn pay one another the debt of the flesh, that yet they by no means forget what they owe to God concerning good works. And even if in anything they offend, as men, they incessantly redeem this by pious deeds. Because therefore, distinct in the order of the faithful, from the rise of the holy Church even to the end of the world living concordantly, they fight against the aerial powers, the camps walk;
And there arises, as it were, a certain sound of a camp, because within them the swords of virtues and the arms of miracles ring out to the praise of Almighty God. Concerning the holy living creatures it is further added: 'And when they stood, their wings were let down.' The holy living creatures stand when they consider the things that are of God with intent contemplation. But their wings are let down, because while they gaze upon the lofty judgments of God, their own virtues grow cheap in their eyes. This is plainly set forth when it is at once added: 'For when a voice came from over the firmament that was above their head, they stood and let down their wings.' The higher firmament we have judged must be expounded under a twofold understanding. For, as has been said, by the name of firmament the heavenly powers can be understood.
And by the name of firmament the incarnate Only-begotten can be designated, in that in Him our nature has been made firm unto eternity. First therefore let us speak of what we feel concerning the angels, and afterward of the ranks of the angels. For behold it is said: 'When a voice came from over the firmament, they stood and let down their wings.' In which place this first must be understood, that 'to let down' ought to be understood not as reaching from a lower to a higher place, but as letting the wings down from a higher to a lower place, on account of that which was set forth before: 'When they stood, their wings were let down.' We must therefore inquire what that voice is which comes from over the firmament.
But we understand that same voice better if, ascending from the lowest to the highest as by certain steps, we mount upward. As the hearing of the body is roused by a voice, so the sense of the mind is roused by an understanding which is stirred from within. The voice therefore is in the mind, as it were a certain sound of intelligence. But it must be known that to our senses sometimes the voice of the flesh speaks, sometimes the voice of the soul, sometimes the voice of the firmament, sometimes the voice that is above the firmament. Let us set before our eyes that someone has been wronged by his neighbour, who out of human reasoning thinks to repay the injury and to render evil for evil: to this man the voice of the flesh speaks in his mind, because, whereas the divine commandments enjoin us to do good to those who hate us,
whoever thinks to do evil to those who hate him, in his soul the voice of the flesh sounds. Many earthly things we do daily; after these we return to prayer. The soul is kindled to compunction, but the images of those things which we have done throng in the mind, and hinder the intention of compunction in prayer; and what we did willingly outwardly, this we suffer inwardly unwillingly, so that certain phantasms of thoughts scatter the mind through bodily images, lest it gather itself wholly and closely in prayer. This too is the voice of the flesh.
But when we subdue even these, and drive away from the eyes of the mind all bodily images, seeking in our very selves the very nature of the soul—what manner of thing it is that can quicken the flesh, yet cannot, as it desires, bind itself fast in good thoughts—we find a certain intellectual spirit living through the Creator's power, quickening the body which it sustains, yet still subject to forgetfulness, subject to mutability, one whom fear often afflicts and levity puffs up. This very intellect of the soul, then, is its voice, because it sounds forth what it is—yet this voice is still beneath the firmament.
But transcending the soul, we seek the voice from the firmament, when we investigate what manner of thing that innumerable multitude of holy angels is in the sight of the Almighty Lord: what is in them the endlessly renewed vision of the Lord, what the joy without failing, what the ardour of love that torments not but delights; how great in them is the desire for the vision of God together with satiety, and how great the satiety together with desire—in whom neither does desire beget pain, nor satiety bring forth loathing; how by cleaving to blessedness they are blessed, how by contemplating eternity they are ever eternal, how being joined to the true light they are made light, how gazing ever upon the Unchangeable they are changed into unchangeableness.
But when we think these things concerning the angels, it is still a voice from the firmament, not above the firmament. Let the mind therefore pass on, and let it transcend by these very things all that is created. Let it fix the eyes of faith on the light of its Creator alone: that the one God who created all things quickens all things; that He is everywhere, and everywhere is wholly present; that He is uncircumscribed and incomprehensible, that He can be perceived and cannot be seen; that He is nowhere absent, and yet is far from the thoughts of the wicked; that He is not absent even there where He is far, because where He is not present by grace, He is present by vengeance; that He touches all things, yet does not touch all things equally. For some things He touches that they may be, yet not that they may live and feel, as are all insensible things.
Some things He touches that they may be, live, and feel, yet not that they may discern, as are the brute animals. Some things He touches that they may be, live, feel, and discern, as is human and angelic nature. And though He Himself is never unlike Himself, He nevertheless touches unlike things unlike. He who is everywhere present, and can scarcely be found; whom we follow while He stands, and are unable to lay hold of Him. Let us therefore set before the eyes of the mind what that nature is which holds all things, fills all things, encompasses all things, surpasses all things, sustains all things. Nor does He sustain by one part and surpass by another; nor does He fill by one part and encompass by another;
but by encompassing He fills, by filling He encompasses, by sustaining He surpasses, by surpassing He sustains. When the mind, closely fixed upon it, ponders the power of this nature, a voice comes from above the firmament, because it conceives the understanding of Him who by His incomprehensibility transcends even the perception of the angels. When therefore a voice comes from above the firmament, the living creatures stand and let down their wings, because when the minds of the saints consider with intent contemplation the power of their Creator, the virtues which they have grow cheap in their soul, and they become as humble in their own esteem as that height which sounds above the angels is lofty to them. For perhaps they are teachers;
but when they begin to ponder in silent mind what the ineffable wisdom of God is, which teaches the minds of men without the noise of words, and how, if this same wisdom does not teach the minds of the hearers, the voice of teachers labours in vain, their own teaching at once grows cheap to them, because 'neither is he that plants anything, nor he that waters, but God that gives the increase' (1 Cor. 3:7). Perhaps they are prophets; but when they consider in silent mind that their prophecy cannot with one glance penetrate all the mysteries of the Godhead at once, since, as the Apostle says: 'We know in part, and we prophesy in part' (1 Cor. 13:9),
they see, amid that immensity of hidden things, that all which they see is but little, and they consider from that same immense height of light how much less is that which they saw with intent eye as though through chinks. Let them therefore let down their wings when a voice comes from above the firmament—that is, let them be humbled in that which they lay hold of, when they behold the things above which cannot be comprehended by them. Often too the very good things which they have flatter the thoughts of the saints, so as to raise their minds into some self-confidence; but at once they have recourse to the hidden judgments of God—how some by pride fall from virtues to hell, and others corrected out of vices are lifted to heaven by humility.
Whence the Prophet, recalling us to humility, terrifies and admonishes, saying: 'Come and see the works of the Lord, how terrible He is in His counsels over the sons of men' (Ps. 65:5). For who can worthily consider how great is the terror of God's counsels over us, when both the one from virtues tends in the end to vices, and the other from vices ends up in virtues? For, according to the voice of Solomon: 'There are just men and wise, and their works are in the hand of God; and yet man knows not whether he be worthy of love or hatred, but all things are kept uncertain for the future' (Eccl. 9:1). And: 'There is a way that seems right to men, and the end thereof leads to death' (Prov. 14:12).
To ponder these depths of hidden judgment, then, what else is it than to let down the wings—that is, to trust no longer in any virtue, but to tremble under great fear? For whether they consider the nature of Almighty God, or weigh His judgments, they tremble, they are utterly afraid. For them, therefore, to let down their wings, as it were, is to humble the virtues which they have. Thus Abraham let down his wings, who, when he began to speak with God, acknowledged himself to be dust and ashes, saying: 'Shall I speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes?' (Gen. 18:27). Thus Moses let down his wings, who, though instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians (Acts 7:22), as soon as he heard the words of the Lord, perceived that he had no words, saying:
'I beseech Thee, Lord, I am not eloquent since yesterday and the day before. For since Thou hast spoken to Thy servant, I am of more impeded and slower tongue' (Exod. 4:10). As if he plainly said: After I hear from Thee the words of life, I recognize myself confounded in my former words. Thus Isaiah, whose life had pleased the Lord for preaching, when, contemplating that same Lord, a live coal was cast from the altar upon his mouth, said: 'Woe is me, because I have kept silence, because I am a man of unclean lips' (Isa. 6:5). Behold, lifted up to higher things, he displeased himself for the pollution of his lips. For had he not beheld the heights of heavenly cleanness, he would not have found himself worthy of judgment. Thus, as the Lord spoke, Jeremiah cries out:
'Ah, ah, ah, Lord God, behold I know not how to speak, for I am a child' (Jer. 1:6). For in view of those words which he heard, he recognized that he had no words. Thus Daniel, seeing a lofty vision, for many days grew faint and was sick (Dan. 8:27), because those who are strong in virtues, when they behold the higher things of God, become in their own estimation weak and feeble. Thus blessed Job, of whom the Lord said to his friends: 'You have not spoken rightly before Me, as My servant' (Job 42:7), when he heard the words of God conversing with him, answered, saying: 'I have spoken unwisely, and things that beyond measure exceeded my knowledge' (Job 42:3). And a little after:
'Therefore I reprehend myself, and do penance in dust and ashes' (Job 42:6). For he who, as regards men, had spoken wisely, hearing God speak to him, reproves himself for having spoken unwisely, because in the contemplation of true wisdom his own wisdom grew cheap to him. At the voice therefore coming from above let the living creatures let down their wings, because whether we seek to contemplate the power of God in His own nature, or think to investigate it in His hidden judgments, inasmuch as His high things are impenetrable to us, whatever good things were believed to be in us grow cheap to us.