Sermons on the Song of Songs
Bernard's famous cycle of 86 sermons on the Canticle of Canticles, cited for teachings on contempt of the world, self-knowledge, and the primacy of spiritual anointing over mere learning.
Preface and Praise of Sacred Scripture
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Chapter II: On the Object and Breadth of Sacred Scripture
— Bernard quoted on Christ's words about selling all
"These are the words that persuaded the whole world to contempt of the world and voluntary poverty; these are the words that fill the cloisters for monks and the deserts for hermits."
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Chapter V: On the Dispositions Required for This Study
— Sermon 37 quoted: knowledge of God and of oneself must precede
"It is necessary," he says, "that the knowledge of God and of oneself precede our knowledge; sow for yourselves unto justice and reap the hope of life"
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Chapter V: On the Dispositions Required for This Study
— Bernard quoted: true wisdom is taught by anointing, not reading
"This true and genuine wisdom," he says, "is not taught by reading, but by anointing; not by the letter, but by the spirit; not by erudition, but by practice in the commandments of the Lord."
Chapter I (The Six Days of Creation)
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Verse 6: Let there be a firmament
— Cited (Sermon 27) on man as an image of heaven, with faith as the moon, hope as the evening star, charity as the sun
"says St. Bernard, sermon 27 on the Canticle."
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Verse 26: Let Us Make Man in Our Image and Likeness
— Cited (Sermon 24) on the body as image of the soul
"So St. Augustine, Book VI of On Genesis Literally, chapter 12, and Bernard, Sermon 24 on the Song of Songs."