Loves Intercourse Between the Lamb and His Bride, Treatise · Chapter 1 · Verse 2
Verſe 2. Let him kiſſe me with the kiſſes of his mouth, for thy love is better then wine.
HEre the Church begins the Dialogue, In which words is 1. her petition to her beloved, and 2. the reaſon thereof ſubjoyned thereto. Her petition then is, Let Him kiſſe me with the kiſſes of his mouth, according to that allegory under which the whole ſong is written, as betrothed lovers do by kiſſes expreſſe their love one to another, even ſo here the Church betrothed to Chriſt, as a bride deſires his comfortable fellowſhip, and expreſſion or aſſurance to her ſoule of his tender affection.
As for kiſſes we reade of ſundry, for ſundry ends, and ſignifiing ſundry things in Scripture: for 1. there is a kiſſe of Salutation 1. Sam. 20. 41. 2 There is a kiſſe of Valediction. Ruth. 2. 9. 3 There is a kiſſe of reconciliation 2 Sam. 14. 33. and Luke. 15. 20. 4 There is a kiſſe of ſubjection. Pſal. 2. 12. 5 There is a kiſſe of religious adoration. 1. King. 19. 18. 6 There is a kiſſe of approbation. Pro. 20. 24. 26. And 7. there is a kiſſe of love and affection, as, Gen. 45. 15. Seeing therefore that ſhe ſpeakes here of kiſſes in the plurall number, the kiſſes that ſhe meanes are theſe two ſpecially, of Reconciliation and Affection, to the which may be added the third of Approbation which is the ſweeteſt of all, when he ſhall ſay, Come faithful ſervant, and enter into thy maſters joy; And of this kiſſe is ſhe moſt deſirous, as we may ſee, Rev. 22. 17.
In like manner, we muſt underſtand that there is mention made here of kiſſes in the plurall, to ſhew that ſhe had need not only of one act of mercy in pardoning & being reconciled, or kything his free love to her, but of many acts of his mercy and love, becauſe of her many times and daily ſinning againſt him, and of many new ſupplies of his grace to her ſoul in reſpect of her ſpirituall and many decayes and neceſſities, whereby when ſhe hath gotten faith and the like ſaving graces, ſhe hath need to pray and confeſſe, Lord I beleeve, but Lord increaſe my faith, and when ſhe hath gotten …ood to her ſoul, to ſay, as they ſaid John 6. Lord evermore give us this bread.
Neither is it ſuperfluouſly added [with the kiſſes of his mouth.] 1. Becauſe by his mouth opened in holy Scripture, he gives as it were this kiſſe of reconciliation, while as to every penitent ſinner and beleever 1. In reſpect of Pronunciationin the blood of Chriſt, abſolution from their ſinnes, and reconciliation unto God is pronounced, and as it were by the keyes of the kingdome of heaven, the ſame which was ſhut before againſt them is now opened unto them. 2. Becauſe by his mouth likewiſe opened in holy Scripture, Faith is begotten in the heart, (as the 2. Of Application.Apoſtle ſaith, Faith comes by hearing, and hearing is of the word,) by which ſaith the comfortable promiſes of remiſſion and reconciliation are applied to the ſoul of every penitent beleever, as it were Chriſts lips kiſſing their ſouls, and whereby he ſpeakes peace to his Saints, as Iſay 57. 19. and ſeales what is ſaid in his word, and ſaies to their ſoules that he is their ſalvation. And 3. becauſe by the Sacraments annexed to the Word, and by the teſtimony of his Spirit, the remiſſion of ſinnes and reconciliation 3. Of Obſignation.with God through Chriſt and his ſingular love to us is ſealed up and aſſured, as the Apoſtle tells us, till the day of our full redemption. Epheſ. 4. 30.
But before we get theſe kiſſes of his mouth, Bernard tells us that, with Mary Magdalen, we muſt begin at the kiſſes of his feet, and bedewing them with our tears, we muſt expect his bedewing our ſouls with the word of Comfort. And therafter alſo when we have gotten the kiſſes of his mouth (as Joſephs brethren got, when he diſcovered himſelf to them, Gen. 45. 15.) We muſt alſo kiſſe the Sonne as we are exhorted, Pſal. 2. with the kiſſes of homage and ſubjection, and not ſuffer any other ever to Lord it over us. But, without naming him, Why ſaies ſhe, let him kiſſe me? I anſwer, after an uſual phraſe of ſcripture ſpeaking of perſons ſuppoſed to be notably known, as Pſalm. 87. 1. and John. 20. 15. ſhe ſhowes you that Chriſt, being a common Saviour to all, Luke. 2. 10, therfore ſhe preſuppones that he ſhould be known by all.
Obſervations.
1. Out of this holy and Heavenly deſire of her's, while ſhe is on earth, yet having her heart on him and the deſire of his love, and Love-tokens who is in Heaven, we ſee what is the diſpoſition of the godly, like Jacobs, Gen. 32. Moſes, Heb. 11. Davids, Pſalm. 4. or others. And how contrary the ſame is to worldlings who have their portion in this life, which is their Non ultra, and ſing a requirem to their ſouls, when their barns are full, which they think to enjoy many yeares when they have not perhaps many hours to remaine therewith.
2. Seeing more particularlie, the gift of reconciliation, and ſenſe of Gods love to her thereby, and with a neerer union, is her deſire above all things; Let us try, if we be true members of Chriſts Church, if this be our's in like manner. Elſe if we be not like to her in her deſires and delights, it is a token that we are no true members of that myſticall body.
3. Seeing the ſpirituall benefits which we receive do come to us by his Word and miniſtrie thereof, as the kiſſes of his mouth; Let us highly eſteem of the ſame, as that man did, (Matth. 13. 44.) of the Field wherein the rich treaſure was: and as David profeſſeth, Pſalm. 19 and 119. which if we do not, but vilifie his mouth, we will alſo vilifie the kiſſes of his mouth.
4. But how comes it, that ſhe ſo boldly and familiarly talkes with Chriſt, (let him kiſſe me)? Should not fervour of affection have with it humility of reverence? To this Bernard anſwers, ſaying, Ne cauſemimi praeſumptionem, ubi affectio urget; reclamat pudor ſed urget Amor, qui nec conſilio temperatur, nec pudore fraenatur. Whence we obſerve that if our ſouls tell us truly that we love Chriſt, we may boldly come to the throne of grace, and find loves ſpeech graciouſly accepted.
For thy loves &c. This is the reaſon of her ſo great deſire of the kiſſes of his mouth as the evidence of his love towards her, becauſe his love is ſo ſweet and comfortable, that it is beyond all compariſon; and therefore is not onelyonly like, but better nor wine. Which being the principall thing that is uſed in banquets to make the heart cheerfull, is therefore put here for all the moſt comfortable, delicate and delightfull dainties which are uſed at moſt royall banquets, as we ſee Eſth. 1. the ſweetneſs of whoſe love (which ſhe ſo commends) ſweetens the moſt bitter things that the godly can ſuffer for him even death it ſelf, and makes all other things which were ſweet to fleſh and blood before and offenſive to him, to be moſt bitter and diſguſtfull, as we ſee in all true converts.
This love of Chriſt, is twofold towards his Church; or there are two ſorts thereof: the firſt is called amor bene placiti ſeu benevolentiae, or the love of his good pleaſure the other is called amor complacentiae, or the love of his good liking: the love of good pleaſure is before man was and eternall, and is that whereby from before all beginning in that decree of his election he choſe ſo many as the freely loved unto eternall ſalvation the love of his good likeing is in time, when man is, and walking in the wayes of the Lord's obedience, the Lord is well pleaſed with him.
This love of Chriſt towards his Church has theſe properties enſuing.
1. It is a love whereby he loves us firſt, as we have it Ezek. 16. and 1 Joh. 4. 19.
2. It is a free love, without either foreſeene merit againſt the Papist or for foreſeene faith, againſt the Arminian, and as we have it, Hoſ. 14. 4.
3. It is a ſervent and great love, as is ſhowne us Joh. 10. 15. that he gave his life for us, eſpecially being his enemies: and which is ſo great that the Apoſtle tells us, it paſſes all knowledge, Eph. 3. 19. as Augustin ſayes, quod tantus, tantillos, et tales, tantum dilexerit.
4. It is an eternall love, as we ſee Joh. 15. 9. both à priori in beneplacito, & therefore our ſalvation being grounded thereon is ſure, & à poſteriori becauſe it ſhal continue towards us for ever.
5. It is a matchles and incomparable love, ſo that the love of Jacob to Rachel, or Jonathan's to David or a mother's to a child cannot be compared thereto. And therefore, as is ſaid of Chriſts ſorrow Lam. 1. 12. ſo may it be ſaid of his love, Behold and ſee, if ever the like love was, as is my love, or as the Jewes ſaid of his love to Lazarus, ſo may we with admiration ſay, Ecce quam amavit.
6. Laſtly, it is an Immutable love, Joh. 13. 1. Ro. 8. 35. ſo that though we ſin, by *Note, a difference between the godly and wicked. Rom. 8. 1.falling (but not walking therein) he may correctus with the rods of men, but his loving kindneſs he will never take from us.
But why ſpeakes he of loves in the plurall number? I anſwer 1. this is to ſhew, not onelyonly the plentifull and ſuper aboundant meaſure of this love, which I may rather call unmeaſureable, and, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, paſſing all knowledge; but likewiſe, 2. to ſhew the diverſity of the manner of manifeſtation of the ſame, and how from this inexhauſtible and large Ocean ſo many lovely ſtreames do flow, as election, vocation juſtification, Sanctification, and, in end, glorification; all which proceed from Chriſts free love to us, and are as ſo many loves, or love tokens of his.
Now this love is compared and preferred to wine, 1. Becauſe as wine is pleaſant and delectable as we ſee Pro. 23. 31. ſo there is nothing ſo pleaſant and delectable to the chriſtian ſoule at all times and in all eſtates, as Chriſts love and the meditation and perſwaſion thereof. 2. As wine rejoyces the heart, & therefore is called a cheering liquor, Pſal. 104. 15. See Pro. 31. 6. ſo nothing rejoyces the heart of a true Chriſtian ſo much as Chriſts love, though one injoyed all the honours & pleaſures of the whole world, & although the whole world ſhould hate him, yet he cares not, if he have the love of God and of Chriſt Jeſus his Lord, 3. Wine is medicinall, as we ſee, Luk. 10. 34. And ſo is the love of God both in the effects, and aſſurance thereof to a wounded ſpirit, or ſick ſoule longing for cure and comfort as the ſpouſe does, Cant. 2. 5. 4 It ſtirres up courage in hoſtlie encounters, & ſo doth Chriſts love (the meditation and perſwaſion thereof) againſt all our ſpirituall enemies, yea and death it ſelf, Rom. 8. 35. Pſal. 23. 4. 5 It refreſhes and repaires (like Jonathan's hony comb) decayed ſtrength in fainting; and ſo does the contemplation of Chriſt's love, when the ſoul beginnes to faint in trouble or temptation. 6. Solomon ſayes, Pro. 31. 7. that wine makes a man forget his miſery, and ſo does the love of Chriſt and the aſſurance thereof, whatſoever miſery or hard eſtate he be in, in this preſent life, becauſe he lookes over all that: and, as the people did in the wilderneſſe on the braſen ſerpent, ſo he fixeth his eye upon the love of Chriſt, and the ſweet fruit thereof, which he ſhall enjoy at laſt. 7. Wine was uſed likewiſe in legall ſacrifices, as we ſee Num. 15. 5. And ſo in all our ſpirituall ſacrifices of prayer and praiſe, a main ingredient to ſtirre up our devotion, and to thank the Lord therefore, is, his love towards us: This alſo is an encouragement giving us confidence to be heard, and accepted; and this ſhould be (as the Apoſtle uſes it, Rom. 12. 1.) a maine motive, to offer up our bodies as an acceptable, holy, and living ſacrifice to God.
Obſervations.
1. We ſee that the Church takes the kiſſes of Chriſts mouth, which are the aſſurance to her ſoul of her reconciliation with God and ſuch ſpirituall gifts, as the onelyonly ſure teſtimonies of his love towards her; and therefore how farre is ſhe different in judgement from the worldlings, who meaſure gods love to themſelves by temporall things and worldly proſperity? which thing, like that woman, Rev. 12. 1. ſhe treads upon in affection, ſeeking quae ſupra, and with Jacob the birthright and bleſſing; or with David, Pſal. 4. 6. the light of Gods countenance.
2. We ſee, the cauſe why ſo earneſtly ſhe ſuits theſe tokens of Chriſts love, & conſequently his love it ſelf, is, her due and right valuation of the ſame, better nor wine, or the moſt pleaſant and comfortable thing in nature: therefore till we learn ſpiritually to diſcerne, and accordingly highly to value ſpirituall things, like Jacob who valued the birthright and bleſſing otherwiſe then Eſau; Or the wiſe merchant, Matth. 13. that valued the pearle otherwiſe than did Eſop's Cock, we will never earneſtly ſeek after ſuch things, but as moſt men do, we will viliſie and deſpiſe them and ſeek after other things buſily with Martha, which we moſt account of, neglecting this one thing which is moſt neceſſary of all; yea after ſinne, and ſinfull pleaſures which ſhould be bitter and moſt diſguſtfull to us.
3. As due valuation of ſpirituall things makes earneſtneſs of ſeeking after ſuch; ſo, till the ſoul be indued with ſpirituall ſenſes, that ſhe may taſte and ſee how good the Lord is, and thereby find in Chriſts love and the pledges thereof a ſurpaſſing ſweetneſs beyond that which is in any other thing whatſoever, ſhe will never value aright the ſame, and conſequently ſeek after the ſame earneſtly, and therefore we ſhould all ſeek theſe ſpirituall ſenſes, and not marvell to ſee worldlings who are dead in ſinne, to want the ſame altogether.
4. Seeing Chriſts love is ſo excellent, ſurpaſſing all the excellencie of earthly things, and that he has ſo freely beſtowed the ſame on us, worthleſs and wretched worms, how dearly ſhould we love him againe, and not ſet our love on any other object, in or of this World; and much leſſe on ſinne, the Cut-throat of our Soul and crucifier of Chriſt.