Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Saints

under the bushel, but on the lampstand; for it is time for our light to shine before men, that they may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven (Matt. 5:16).

6. The blessing, however, we await at the end, when He will open His hand and fill every living thing with blessing. For in the four things named before merits consist; in the blessing are the rewards. In the blessing the whole grace of sanctification will be made complete, when at last we pass into the house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. That is the house which is built of living stones, namely angels and men. For its building and its dedication will be completed together. Timbers and stones, of course, make no house while they lie apart, nor can anyone dwell in them; only their joining makes a house. So the perfect unity of the heavenly spirits, bound together without any division among themselves, renders a dwelling whole and fit for God, which the glory of the Majesty dwelling in it makes blessed beyond words. For who would know all the counsels of kings, or who would know all their words and deeds, as well as the timbers and stones of the palace, if these did not lack the sense of understanding? So the living and rational stones of that heavenly court are present at the divine counsels, and know the mysteries of the Trinity, and hear unspeakable words which it is not lawful for man to utter. Blessed are they who dwell in Thy house, O Lord; they shall praise Thee for ever and ever! (Ps. 83:5.) For the more they see, the more they understand, the more they recognize, the more they love, the more they praise, the more they wonder.

7. But since we have said that that house holds together and is perfectly joined, it remains for us to set out in some measure the joining and binding itself. We read in Isaiah: It is good for gluing (Isa. 41:7). Those stones, then, cleave to one another with a double glue: full knowledge and perfect love. For they are bound to one another with a love the greater, the nearer they stand to Charity itself, which is God. Nor can any suspicion part them from one another, where the ray of truth, piercing all things, allows nothing whatever that is in one to be hidden from another. Since even now he who cleaves to God is one spirit with Him (1 Cor. 6:17), there is no doubt that the blessed spirits, cleaving to Him perfectly, penetrate all things together with Him and in Him. If you desire to come to this house, let your soul so long and faint for the courts of the Lord as the Prophet cries: One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life (Ps. 26:4). Imitate that same Prophet too, who, as he swore to the Lord, vowed a vow to the God of Jacob: If I enter into the tabernacle of my house, and so on (Ps. 131:2, 3). But from here on we shall have to treat in another sermon whatever the Lord Himself shall grant.

SERMON II. How we ought to hold together both among ourselves and with others.

1. Long ago the glorious king and prophet of the Lord, holy David, began to be stirred by a certain devout thought,

judging it unworthy that the Lord of hosts should as yet have no house on earth, while he himself dwelt in a house of royal dignity (2 Sam. 7:2; 1 Chr. 17:1). This very thing, brethren, it befits us too to think on faithfully and manfully to carry into effect. For that, although that thought of the Prophet pleased God, the work was nevertheless reserved for Solomon, is another matter, needing perhaps a longer discussion. But now, O soul, you dwell in a lofty house, which was built for you by God. I mean this body, which He so put together, so fitted, so adorned and ordered, that you might dwell in it gloriously and with delight. And for the body itself He made a house, lofty, most fitting and beautiful: I mean this sensible and habitable world. Do you not then think it unworthy that He Himself should have made a house for you, while you neglect to build Him a temple? You have a house as yet, but be sure that your house will soon fall, and unless you first provide yourself another, you will be left exposed to the rain, the wind and the cold. Alas, who shall endure before the face of His cold? Happy, then, and very happy the soul that can say: We know that if our earthly house of this dwelling be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens (2 Cor. 5:1). Therefore, O soul, give no sleep now to your eyes nor slumber to your eyelids, until you find a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob (Ps. 131:4, 5).

2. But what do we think, brethren? Where is the site for this building found, or who can be its architect? For this visible temple was certainly made for our sake, for our dwelling: for the Most High does not dwell in things made with hands. What temple, then, shall we build for Him who says, and says truly: I fill heaven and earth? (Jer. 23:24.) I should be sorely troubled, and my spirit would be in anguish within me, were it not that I hear Him saying of someone: My Father and I will come to him, and will make Our abode with him (John 14:23). So now I know where a house must be prepared for Him, since nothing holds Him but His own image. The soul has room for Him, for it was indeed created to His image. Hasten, then, adorn your bridal chamber, O Sion; for the Lord is well pleased with you, and your land shall be inhabited. Rejoice greatly, daughter of Sion; your God will dwell in you. Say with Mary: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to Thy word. Say in the words of blessed Elizabeth: And whence is this to me, that the majesty of the Lord should come to me? (Luke 1:38, 43.) For how great is the kindness of God, how great His condescension, how great the dignity, how great the glory of souls, that the Lord of all things, who has need of nothing, commands that a temple be made for Him in them?

Therefore, brethren, let us strive with all our desire and with worthy thanksgiving to build Him a temple in ourselves: careful first that He may dwell in each one, then in all together; for He disdains neither each one nor all. First, then,

let each one strive not to be at odds with himself; for every kingdom divided against itself shall be laid waste, and house shall fall upon house (Matt. 12:25); nor will Christ enter where the walls are leaning and the enclosures thrust down. For does not the soul wish to have the house of its body whole, and must it not leave it if the members are scattered from one another? Let the soul, then, see to it, if it desires that Christ should dwell by faith in its heart, that is, in itself: let it take careful heed that its members are not at odds with one another, that is, reason, will and memory. Let reason, then, be without error, so as to agree well with the will: for such a reason the will loves. And let the will be without iniquity, for such a will reason approves. Otherwise, if the soul judges itself, because of the depravity of the will, in that which it approves through reason, there is civil war and dangerous discord; for reason always strikes at such a will, nay accuses it, nay judges it, nay condemns it. That is why the Lord says in the Gospel: Agree with your adversary while you are on the way with him, lest perhaps the adversary hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the torturers, and you be cast into prison (Matt. 5:25). Let the memory too be without filth, so that no sin remains in it which is not blotted out by pure confession and worthy fruits of penance. Otherwise the conscience in which sin lies hidden is both hated by the will and cursed by reason. He, then, prepares a good dwelling for God whose reason has not been deceived, nor his will perverted, nor his memory defiled.

4. Now, when each one is so disposed, it is necessary also that all of us be joined and glued together, namely by mutual charity, which is the bond of perfection. For perfect knowledge cannot be had in this life, and perhaps it should not be. In the heavenly house, indeed, knowledge is the nourishment of love. For who will boast that he has a clean heart? Therefore it would be easy both for the one known to be put to shame and for the one who knows to take offence. There knowledge will be delightful, where there will no longer be any stain. That house, then, is more firmly joined, as being to abide for ever: this one, like a tent of warriors, holds together less perfectly. That is the house of joy, this of warfare; that the house of praise, this of prayer. This, I say, is the city of our strength, that is the city of our rest. So if we have been victorious here, there we shall be glorious, having a diadem in place of a helmet, a sceptre and a palm for a sword, a gilded cloak for a shield, for a breastplate the robe of gladness. Meanwhile, surely, it seems more profitable to be pressed than to be slain, and to bear the weight of shield and coat of mail than to be wounded by the fiery darts of the wicked one: from which may He guard us by His protection from on high, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

SERMON III. On the threefold equipment that we have for the guarding of God['s house].

1. This house, brethren, is the stronghold of the eternal King,

but one besieged by enemies. All of us, then, who have sworn to bear His arms and have given in our names for His service, let us know that we need a threefold equipment for the guarding of this fortress: namely fortification, arms and provisions. What, then, is the fortification? Sion is the city of our strength, says the prophet; the Saviour shall be set in it as wall and outer wall (Isa. 26:1). The wall is continence; the outer wall is patience. A good wall is continence, which so surrounds and girds on every side that death is given no entry, neither through the windows of the eyes nor through the other senses. A good outer wall is patience, which bears the first onsets of the enemy, so that amid very many temptations we may stand manfully and persevere unceasingly unshaken. For the one remedy, when continence is shaken and in a manner totters, is to set patience in the way and, however hotly the feeling of sin may burn, to refuse consent in every way. In your patience, He says, you will possess your souls (Luke 21:19). So the Saviour Himself is set in His city as wall and outer wall, made for us by God the Father justice, and the patience of the prophet, as the same prophet says: For Thou art my patience, O Lord (Ps. 70:5). The wall, I say, is set in [His] manner of life, the outer wall in [His] passion: abstaining from all the allurements of the flesh and of the present world, and bravely bearing all adversities.

2. But we must also make ready arms, spiritual arms, mighty to God, not only for resisting but also for attacking and manfully overthrowing the enemy. Put on the armour of God, says the Apostle (Eph. 6:11), and so on. For what do we think, brethren? Heavy indeed for us is the enemy's temptation; but far heavier for him is our prayer. His iniquity and cunning hurt us; but much more do our simplicity and mercy torment him. He cannot bear our humility; he is burned by our charity, tortured by our gentleness and obedience. Nor can we be pressed by hunger, so as to be forced to hand the fortress over to the enemy; for, thanks be to God, that terrible threat of the prophet, or rather of the Lord through the prophet, has not come upon us, namely of hunger and thirst; not for bread and water, but for the word [alias, for hearing the word] of God (Amos 8:11). For so we have it: Not by bread alone does man live, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Deut. 8:3; Matt. 4:4). So provisions are not lacking to us, who hear sermons often and holy readings more often still, and sometimes also taste the delights of spiritual devotion, as if the little dogs were eating of the crumbs that fall from their masters' table; by the masters I mean those heavenly guests who are filled with the abundance of the house of God. We have also the bread of tears, which, though less sweet, yet strengthens man's heart excellently. We have also the bread of obedience, of which the Lord speaks to His disciples: My food, He says, is to do the will of My Father (John 4:34). We have above all the living bread from heaven, the body of the Lord our Saviour, by the strength of which food all the strength of the opposing side is cast down.

3. So the strength of the Lord's fortress is fortified in such a way that there is no need now to fear anything, provided we are willing to act faithfully and manfully: that is, that we be found neither traitors, nor cowards, nor idlers. For they become traitors, all who strive to bring His enemies into this fortress of the Lord; such indeed are detractors, hateful to God, who sow discord and nourish scandals among the brethren. For as the Lord's place was made in peace, so it is plain that in discord a place is made for the devil. Do not wonder, brethren, if I seem to speak rather harshly; for truth flatters no one. Let anyone know himself to be altogether a traitor if perhaps, which God forbid, he tries to bring any vices into this house and make the temple of God a den of demons. Thanks be to God, we do not find many such here. Yet we do sometimes catch a few, perhaps, who parley with the enemy and strike a covenant with death, that is, who strive, so far as in them lies, to lessen the discipline of the order, to let fervour cool, to disturb peace, to wound charity. Let us at any rate beware of them as far as we can; as it is written of certain men: But Jesus did not trust Himself to them (John 2:24). And I tell you that, although they are borne with now, they will soon bear a heavy judgement unless they amend themselves quickly, as heavy as the harm they strive to inflict. For what, brother? Do you keep faith in your works with vanity, or lukewarmness, or any other vice, and lie to God by your tonsure? A fine fortress indeed you have taken from Christ, if you hand Clairvaux over to His enemies. From it He receives every year the finest revenues, precious in His eyes; and the great spoil He snatches from the enemy He is wont to bring into this place of His fortification, and He has great confidence in its strength. For see, those whom He redeemed from the hand of the enemy He gathered out of the lands, from the rising and the setting of the sun, from the north and from the sea. To what punishments, then, do you think the traitor of this fortress must be given over, once he has been caught and seized (for he can neither hide nor flee): to what punishments, I say? He will surely not be condemned to the common death of the rest; he must perish by exquisite torments. But I will not dwell on these things any longer now: I believe we shall henceforth be better on our guard against so execrable a treachery, striving from now on with greater care not to draw vices in but to drive them out, whatever they may be, whether carnal or worldly, lest we deserve to incur the brand or the punishment of traitors.

4. In the second place we must also beware lest anyone, cast down perhaps by faint-heartedness, flee from the fortification, trembling with fear where there is no fear, but, where the danger is greatest, secure in mad rashness. For whoever flees exposes himself to hostile hands and hostile swords, as if he did not know that those enemies are utterly without mercy: cruel indeed to strangers, but much crueller to their own, being, of course, cruellest of all to themselves.

5. Now I speak briefly of the third danger too, for the hour is already past, while, most eager (as is fitting) for your