The Disabled Debtor Discharged, Part 34
But this woman ſince the time I came in hath not ceaſed to kiſſe my Feet. Text.
Simons defect is here aboundantly (by this Penitent) ſupplied. Not his Face, but his very Feet ſhe kiſſeth; and might it have bin any ſervice to him, the very duſt under thoſe feet of his ſhould have bin licked by her: So great was the affection which ſhe bare unto our Saviour. Our Collection ſhall be this,
Doct. Who ſo loves Chriſt will be content to kiſſe even the very Feet of Christ.
Object. But Chriſt is in Heaven, you will ſay, who can aſcend on high to kiſſe him?
Reſp. Yet we muſt kiſſe him, as the Prophet David ſhews ſpiritually, though corporally we cannot, Pſ. 2.11, 12. More particularly
To kiſſe is put, firſt, for Reverence and high eſtimation Pro. 24.26. And thus we muſt kiſſe him, Phil. 2.10.2. It is put for Love and Affection, Ier. 29.13. And thus we muſt kiſſe him, Ioh. 21.15. 1 Cor. 16.22.3. For Obedience and Subjection, Gen. 41.40. And this kiſſe may not be wanting Rom. 14.11. Mat. 17.
S. Bernard makes a whole Sermon of kiſſing Chriſt, of which he might ſay as Lipſius did, when he wrote a Chapter de oſculis, beginning thus, Abi Venus, fallem ego te, quae ipſa multos; & de oſculis caput ſcribam & inſcribam, in quo tamen nihil tibi loci autju ris. Venus hath no place therein nor right, and therfore may be gone, it is chaſt enough: He tels us of a threefold Kiſſe, which is owing to him. The firſt is, Oſculum pedis, Bern ſup. Cant. Serm. 3.the Kiſſe of his Feet: And this we kiſſe when the ſoule doth lie proſtrate before him in Humility and Devotion, as we ſee here Maries did.
The ſecond is, Oſculum manus, the Kiſſe of the hand: And his Hand we kiſſe when the ſoule is taken up by him, ſo as to exerciſe the workes of Charity and the deeds of MercieMercy: Of this Kiſſe our Saviour ſpeakes, Mat. 25.35.
The third is, Oſculum oris, A Kiſſe of the lips: And thus we kiſſe Chriſt, when the ſoule doth enjoy the ſweetneſſe of his preſence, by the inſpiration of his Love and the contemplation of his Glory. Of which kiſſe the Spouſe ſpeaks Cant. 1.2.
And great Reaſon there is, why Chriſt ſhould thus be kiſſed by us. For, firſt, he is wholy delectable, there is nothing in him, but is amiable, Cant. 5.2. He came into the world and kiſſed us, Firſt, with the Kiſſe of Peace, and that at the firſt meeting: So ſang the Angelicall Quire, Glory be to God on high, and on Earth Peace, &c. And then at his parting, My Peace I leave with you, my Peace I give to you.
2. He kiſſed us with the Kiſſe of Reconciliation: Before we had the Kiſſe of his lips, all things were at variance and diſordered, but He made all one, Coloſ. 1.20. Ioh. 17.11.
3. With the Kiſſe of Religion he hath kiſſed us: All thoſe holy Doctrines which dropped from his lips like ſweet ſmelling Myrrh, Cant. 5.13. were as ſo many kiſſes. Come unto me all you that are weary and heavy loaden; Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly, &c. Matth. 11.28, 29. that was a ſweet Kiſſe (ſaith Melancton) Who ſo is a thirſt, let him come hither, Melanc. in Pſ. 2and I will give him to drinke freely, that was another Kiſſe of his Lips, Iohn 7.37. So Matth. 5.1. &c. Every Beatitude is a Kiſſe, that whole Sermon of his is like the Book of Canticles, it begins with kiſſing and ends in Spices.
We read in the French Hiſtory, Hiſtory of Iewis 11. l. 1. p 26.that a Queene of France paſſing by a Chamber in the Court, where the Chancellour of the Kingdome lay a ſleepe (which ſhe eſpying) (ſaith the Story) went and kiſſed him, ſaying thus to her Ladies (who began to marvell at it) I kiſſe not the man, but I kiſſe that mouth from whence have paſſed out ſo many excellent Diſcourſes: Let us kiſſe both man and mouth: If we do not, it will not be well taken, for ſo we find, Pſal. 7.12. Kiſſe the Sonne leaſt he be angry, that [He] is God the Father, whom in the ver. before we are willed to ſerve in Feare, verſ. 11. God the Father is provoked to wrath when his Son is not kiſſed, which may be another Reaſon to put us on upon the Duty.
There is a memorable Story in Theodoret, Theod. l. 5. c. 15.which may ſerve well for the Illuſtration and Amplification of this point, it is worth the hearing. Theodoſius the Emperour being earneſtly ſollicited by his Biſhops to remove the Arrians from their Churches (but all in vain) Amphilochius Biſhop of Iconium uſed at length this ſtratagem: He came into the Court and ſaluted the Emperour, but did not ſalute Arcadius the eldeſt ſon of Theodoſius who was newly created Emperour, and then ſitting with his Father: Theodoſius thinking he had not ſeen his Sonne, ſhewed him to the Biſhop and willed him to ſalute and kiſſe him: Amphilochius anſwered, that it was enough to honour the Father, and what he had done to the Father vvas ſufficient for both. Theodoſius interpreting this as a contempt of his ſonne, and ſo a diſhonour to himſelfe, grevv very angry, vvhereupon Amphilochius diſcovering himſelfe ſaid, Art thou offended O Emperour that I reverence not thy Sonne and ſo much out of patience with thoſe that reproach him, aſſure then thy ſelfe that Almighty God hateth the Blaſphemers of his Sonne, and is offended with thee for countenancing theſe Arrians who are ungratefull wretches againſt their Saviour and Redeemer. The Emperour overcome with theſe words, legem ſcribit, made a Law preſently, forbidding the Aſſemblies of the Arrians.
God counts the honour that is given to his Sonne, as given to himſelfe, Gloria Filio, abates not ought of Gloria Patri. He counts himſelfe ſerved when his Sonne is kiſſed, Ioh. 5 23. 1 Iohn 2, 22, 23. It would do well to be thought on by thoſe who ſcruple to give the Sonne the Kiſſe of Reverence and Subjection which is required, Phil. 2.10, 11. Fearing leaſt they ſhould therby make an inequality amongſt the Perſons in the bleſſed Trinity.
Vſe Seeing thoſe who love Chriſt will be content to kiſſe the very Feet of Chriſt; ſee we manifeſt our Love by this ſigne, and ſymbole of it. It is no ſleight omiſſion (what ere we thinke) Saul tooke notice of thoſe children of Belial who brought him no preſents after he was annoynted King,1 Sam. 10.27. though he held his peace for a while; and Chriſt doth no leſſe obſerve thoſe who refuſe to kiſſe him not giving him that homage of Love and Duty which is owing him.
But withall look that our kiſſes be holy and chaſt kiſſes, not Idolatrous, as are thoſe kiſſes given him by Papiſts. They ſay they love Chriſt; how proove they that? Why, by an Argument drawne from kiſſing; they kiſſe his Picture, they kiſſe the Pax, they kiſſe the Altar. But might not the Iſraelites under Ieroboam proove their Love to God by the like Argument, for they kiſſed the Calves, Hoſ. 13.2. Little love they ſhew him whilſt they rob him of his dignities and offices which God gave him.
Nor may it be a flattering Kiſſe, ſuch as that is which Hypocrites give him, Ezek. 33.31. Pſal. 5.9. & 12. 2, 3. & 78.36. Why call you mee Lord, Lord (ſaid Chriſt) and do not do what what I command you Such kiſſes Chriſt hath many. The Arrians thus kiſſed him in the dayes of Conſtantine, whilſt they profeſſed him to be true God, but did it deceitfully.
Nor may it be a treacherous kiſſe, as is that which Apostates and Backeſliders beſtow upon him, 2 Pet. 2.1, 20. Heb. 10.25, 26. Iudas you know kiſſed his Maſter, yet delivered him up into the hands of Sinners. I would it were not ſo with many; but thus it is, whilſt men kiſſe Religion and betray the Truth, kiſſe it at Church and betray it at Home.
Nor may we give him an Ʋnchaſt kiſſe, as doe all Prophane ones, who cry out, Let us ſinne that Grace may abound and good may come, Rom. 3.8. Turning the Grace of GOD into laſciviouſneſſe. Iud. 4.Becauſe Chriſt hath ſhed his blood, they will commit ſinne more greedily. Such kiſſers likewiſe were the Nicholaitans, who beeing called to the Knowledge of the Goſpell did teach moſt licentious Doctrine. With thoſe the Church of Epheſus was troubled, Revel. 2.6. And (as it may be feared) we may find of that ſtampe lurking in Corners more then were to be wiſhed.
To Conclude, as Saint Ambroſe anſwered Ʋalentine the Arrian when hee came and kiſſed him, Quid oſcularis eum quem non ignoveris? Why doeſt thou kiſſe him whom thou careſt not for? Soe will CHRIST one Day reproove all ſuch as theſe are, And when his wrath is kindled though but a little, bleſſed are all they that put their trust in him, Pſalme 2.12.