Song of Solomon 6:4

He who was spoiled by the soldiers, who was wounded by the spear, that he might heal us by the blood of his sacred wounds, will assuredly answer you (for he is meek and lowly of heart, and gentle in aspect): "Arise, O north wind, and come, O south, and blow upon my garden, that my spices may flow out." For from all parts of the world has the perfume of holy religion increased, and the limbs of the consecrated Virgin have glowed. "You are beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem." So it is not the beauty of the perishable body, which will come to an end with sickness or old age, but the reputation for good deserts, subject to no accidents and never to perish, which is the beauty of virgins.

You are beautiful, my friend, sweet and comely, etc. Jerusalem is called the vision of peace, by which name the habitation of the heavenly homeland, which the highest peace possesses, is very frequently signified. You are beautiful, friend of the bridegroom, sweet and comely like Jerusalem. The Church or any holy soul, indeed a portion of the Church, which by the purity of clean operation, the sweetness of divine praise, the pleasantness of mutual love, immediately becomes an imitator of the heavenly city, is sweet and comely like Jerusalem in the same way Isaiah speaks: Like the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make stand before me, says the Lord, so will your seed stand (Isaiah 66). It is also terrible as an army set in array, when through fixed intention of pure prayer it repels every incursion of the demonic army from itself, when through frequent proclamation of the heavenly word it breaks all the weapons of errant doctrine, when through continuous examples of good works it even challenges the depraved habits and life of false believers and leads them back to the path of truth. The Church is terrible as an army set in array, when each believer remains in the calling in which he was called, when leaders grant the form of saving doctrine and perfect operation to the subjects, when the continent purify themselves from every filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord, when the married so enjoy this world that by diligent liberality of alms they do not neglect to compare for themselves the rewards of the future age. Indeed, the prophet teaches that the Church consists in this triple distinction of faithful persons, when he asserts that only three men, namely Noah, Daniel, and Job, will be delivered in the time of heavenly vengeance. And when each of these have kept their own position inviolate, they indeed show an army set in array and on this account make the bride of Christ insurmountable to all enemies: likewise any perfect soul, when it works with such virtues that it leaves no place for vices, undoubtedly persists terrible to enemies as an army set in array: for if, by way of example, it so strives for continence that it does not hold the virtue of humility, or if it thus exercises the works of alms so as not to refrain the tongue from the fault of superfluous speech, or so insists on frequent prayers that it neglects to bestow the affect of love to the neighbors, such a soul is indeed less terrible to enemies, because it has arranged the army of its virtues less perfectly, having disposed faith firmly in part but left it inert in another part. But because the one and same Church of Christ partly already rejoices with its King in heaven, and partly still fights for Him in the world, that which it says: "You are beautiful, my love, sweet and lovely as Jerusalem," can be understood about that part of it which, having completed its struggle and finished its course, has already received the crown of righteousness. But what follows, "Terrible as an army set in array," can suitably be taken to refer to those who, still held in the body, resist with strong faith the adversary lurking around them in the manner of a roaring lion. Likewise, the Church is beautiful, sweet, and lovely as Jerusalem, in those things which it works spiritually and worthily for God within itself. It is terrible as an army set in array, because it strives to spread its spiritual empire throughout the whole world, even against the powers of the world. And indeed the empire of the Romans once, or the Greeks, or other nations, was set in array like an army, because it certainly oppressed the world with great power: but it was not sweet and lovely as Jerusalem, because it did not know how to hope for or imitate the joys of the peace of life. But truly the Church is both beautiful and sweet and lovely as Jerusalem, because it is accustomed to live a heavenly life on earth; and terrible as an army set in array, because it strives to draw even the barbarous minds and morals of various nations to its own rite. Yet, because it does not yet deserve to see the face of its beloved as it most longs to, it subsequently hears:

It should be noted, indeed, that the Synagogue will one day be converted to the faith through the preaching of the Church, so that, denying itself, it will follow Christ alone, and will love Christ with the same desire with which the Church loves him, whom she loves alone above all others.

Beautiful and beloved, sweet and comely like Jerusalem, is said to be the Synagogue; because, once converted, she will follow the four holy Gospels just as the Church does. Jerusalem indeed is interpreted as "vision of peace." By which the holy Church is well figured; because while she always suffers tribulation in the world, scorning the way, she contemplates by running what the peace of the heavenly homeland may be, trusting in him who said to his disciples: "In the world you will have tribulation; but be confident, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Worthily then the converted Synagogue is called beautiful and beloved and sweet and comely like Jerusalem; because while she imitates the holy Church, she practices the precepts of the four Gospels, from which she receives beauty of character so as to please, gathers the exercise of holy work so as to cling to friendship, learns the sweetness of meekness so as to endure, and displays the appearance of comely conduct, so as to draw others by example. Concerning which it is consequently said: "Terrible as an army set in array." It is known to those with experience that when soldiers go forth in battle array against enemies, if they advance in close and united formation, they are feared by the enemies coming against them; because while they see no entrance through a gap in them, they do not find, hesitating, how to penetrate them. And this becomes an impenetrable defense for them, that being arranged in harmony they protect themselves by means of themselves. For while they make a rampart for themselves from themselves, they leave no entrance for enemies to get through to them, and when attacked to be killed, they themselves more easily kill. So it happens among the multitude of the faithful, which while it does not cease to fight against malignant spirits, must be bound together by the peace of charity in order to be safe. For if it holds peace, it appears terrible to enemies. If it is divided through discord, it is easily penetrated on all sides by enemies. Therefore let it fortify itself with peace, bind itself with unity, unite itself with charity; so that while it suffers no damage within itself through division, it may always follow its leader rejoicing without confusion. In peace indeed the eye of the mind is cleansed, so that it may be directed toward the very vision of blessedness. Which no one beholds as it is in this life; because it is impossible to possess the homeland while each one of us groans in exile.

Since there can be no perfect cure without the conservation of the health that has been introduced; and the health that has been introduced cannot be conserved in the conflict of battle except in the battle-line of the Church, which is terrible as an army set in array; and this indeed comes about through the armor of sevenfold grace: hence it is that the Sacraments must be seven. For in order that this battle-line be perfectly and continuously fortified: since it consists of corruptible parts, it needs Sacraments that fortify, that raise up, and that renew: that fortify those who fight, that raise up those who fall, and that renew those who die. Now the Sacrament that fortifies either fortifies those entering, and thus it is baptism: or those standing firm, and thus it is confirmation: or those departing, and thus it is extreme unction. The Sacrament that raises up either raises up from a venial fall, and thus it is the Eucharist: or from a mortal fall, and thus it is penance.

The Sacrament that renews either renews in spiritual being, and thus it is orders, whose function is to administer the Sacraments: or in natural being, and thus it is matrimony. Whence, since baptism is for those entering, confirmation for those fighting, the Eucharist for those recovering strength, penance for those rising again, extreme unction for those departing, orders for those introducing new soldiers, and matrimony for those preparing new soldiers; the sufficiency and order of the sacramental remedies and arms is evident from these.

For it is necessary that the hierarchized soul have levels corresponding to the Jerusalem which is above. For the soul is something great: the whole universe may be described in it. The soul is called "as lovely as Jerusalem," for it is likened to Jerusalem through the disposition of the hierarchical levels. For they are disposed in the soul in a threefold manner: in relation to ascent, to descent, and to the return to God.