Exposition of the Apostles Creed, Part 2 · Sermon 11
The Ardent desire of the Patriarchs, Prophets, and holy men of God, that Christ would appeare in the flesh.
CANT. 1.1.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.
A Strange beginning of a Book you'le say, and with Solomon unusual. His Proverbs beare his name.Prov 1.1. The Proverbs of Solomon, the Son of David, King of Israel. His Sermons set forth the Authour. The words of the Preacher, and his Text on which he preacheth, Ʋanity of vanity, all is vanity; Eccles. 1.1.upon which one hath thus descanted;
Cum vanitas sit vanitatis filia
Quae vanitati vanitatem procreet:
O vanitas, quid vanitate vanius?
But for this Book, had not the Inscription been added by some old Rabbin, we had been to seek the Composer.
Without all question it is of his Composure. Who as in his Proverbs he reads us many Lectures in the Ethicks, Politicks, and Oeconomicks, and in Ecclesiastes in the Physicks; so in this Book he is Metaphysical, and Treats upon a Subject beyond both, to wit, of the indissoluble conjunction of Christ and his Church, whose longing desires he presents to us in these words, Let him kisse me.
A passionate expression! and at first it is hard to say of whom, or to whom; The Pronounes, Him and Me, are so indefinite. But be they spoken by whom they will, certainly it is of one deeply in love; for she desires a kiss, and kiss after kiss; kisses doubled, if not trebled; Let him kisse me with the kisses of his own mouth. And this is indeed the Solaecisme of love, which thinks that every one is bound to take notice of whom she is enamoured. She sayes only here, Let him kiss me; and supposes all the world bound to take notice who this He is, whom she meanes, though she discover not his name, nor say one word more. Amor, quem ipse cogitat, neminem putat ign…rare. This is Loves own Dialect, that spends more upon desires, than words.
Were you then affected as you ought, I should not need to name who the persons are; nor He, nor She; nor the Bride, nor the Bridegroome; nor her that desires a kiss, nor him from whom it is desired. But I feare you are too earthly-minded; I must therefore raise your thoughts. Never was there so high an extasie, never so passionate intercourses of love. And yet abi Venus; John 6.63.For whatsoever is here expressed, is wholly Spiritual and Divine. These words are Spirit and life. The deepest things of God being involv'd in Allegories, and shadowed in Riddles, which who so will understand, must be in love, as the Spouse was here.
The enamour'd soule was here the Church; the object of her love Christ, which takes upon him the person of a loving Husband, to enrich his Spouse with what is his. This she well knowing, longs, and sighs, and wishes for the Marriage day, which was (to speak truth) the day of his Nativity, and apparition in the flesh. And against that day, Solomon moved by the Spirit of God, composed this Epithalamium, or wedding Song.
Which is stiled Canticum Canticorum; as if he should say the most excellent of all his Songs.1 Kings 4.26. Exod. 15. Judges 5. 1 Sam. 2. Five hundred he composed, but none like this. No nor ever any Song made like this. Moses Song is extant, and Deborahs Song is upon record, and Annahs, and Davids, and Asaphs. These were all sweet Singers of Israel; but not any of those yet it seems, to be equall'd to this. They bare Cantica, Psalms, Hymns, Songs; but this as having preheminence of all the rest, Canticum Canticorum, The Song of Songs. Sung they were by particular persons most wise for some benefit receiv'd; as put case, that of Moses for Israels safety, and Pharaohs overthrow, of Deborah for her victory over Sisera, Annah for her Son, &c. But this was a Song penn'd to be sung by the whole Church to God, for the Redemption of the World by his Sonne. For look whatsoever God had promised, the Prophets foretold, the Patriarchs expected, the Evangelists wrote, the Apostles preached, either for the building up of our faith, or confirming our hope, is fully, though darkly comprehended in it, Eloquio jucundo, figurato tamen.
Here indeed is a vaile, as sometimes over Moses face; but time hath removed it;Exod. 34.33, 34, 35. Ephes. 3.9. 1 Tim. 3.16. Cant 8.1. and the mystery, hid from the beginning of the world, is now opened, since God is manifested in the flesh. What those old Fathers had in Spe, that we have in Re. What the people of God then expected, we enjoy. The Church then desired, Oh that thou wert as my brother, sucking the breasts of my mother. But we behold that our brother an infant of a spanne long, drawing those milk-white breasts. The kisses which she desired, have been sealed upon our lips; and those lips that gave them, have by himself spoken unto us.Heb. 1.2.
Tertullian said it long ago, Christianus nihil aliud nisi Judaeus reformatus, That a Christian was nothing else but a reformed Jew. For the Doctrine of Christ was no strange thing in the world; It began not 1654. yeares ago, but was from the beginning. A Doctrine first made known by God,Gen. 3.15. Rev. 13.8. Acts 28.20. & 26.6, 7. Heb. 13.8. The seed of the woman shall break the Ser…ents head; and all Sermons since, are but rehearsals and explanations of that old Text, and old Truth. For Christ was that Lamb slaine from the beginning of the world. He was that common hope of the Fathers, and us their Children. He was yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever. To all the same spiritual meat, and the same spiritual drink. They that went before, and they that follow'd after,1 Cor. 10.4. Mat. 20.15. cryed, and yet cry, Hosanna to this Son of David.
The Apostle witnesseth that they pleased God;Heb. 11.39. and was God ever yet pleased with any but through his Sonne? The voice from heaven assures us that it was no otherwise. Th u a t my Sonne in whom, Mat. 3.17.it is not with whom I am well pleased. Pleased with him, but in him pleased with us too. There never was, there never shall be but one Catholick Church; there never was, nor never shall be but one Communion of Saints; and of these Saints one Christ is the Redeemer, and of th s Catholick Church one Christ is the Head. The Fathers that lived before, and they who lived at, and we who have lived since the time he took these lips to kiss us, are all but members of th…s one body. Though they were forward as Jacob, Gen 25.26.and put forth their hand, and laid hold on the promises before their brethren, yet they were joyn'd to the body by this head. And that which united them, was their faith; which was one and the same in respect of the object, the seed of the woman; expected and desired by them, performed and exhibited to us: They believ'd and hoped for salvation by a M…ssias to come, we believe and hope for salvation by the same Messiah that is come.
Which that it may the better be conceiv'd, you shall do well to consider Faith in these respects.
1. Q…oad internam illuminationem, by the light of knowledge, which is the first ground of faith; and thus their faith was not the same with ours; for our light is greater than ever theirs was. For what they in general believed of the Messiah, that we have unfo…ded, and digested into particular Articles Mans life is compared to a day; and by the parts of a day, this truth may be best known. Some there be that are up betime before the day spring, or the Sun hath scatter'd the clouds and mists, and what such men see, they behold darkly as in a Fogg. Thus the old Patriarchs (that lived before …he day-spring from on high came to visit us) saw the Messiah; They saw only a shadow and a glimpse of him breaking through the darkness of Prophesies, and the mists of Sacrifices, Types, and Ceremonies. Some other walk abroad at noon-day when the Sun is in the Zenith, and what they see, they behold clearly. Thus they saw the Messiah, that conversed with him,Jude ver. 3. which caused them to contend for the faith so earnestly, so constantly, so faithfully. But whosoever since have seen him, are come nearer to the evening; and therefore though the object be the same, yet the Medium is darker, misted with Heresies, errours, profane life of the professors, which makes the apprehension the weaker by much. In regard of the light then faith hath its degrees. The Fathers that had less light saw less, but in the other respects, their faith was the same with ours.
2. Quoad ob…ectum; In regard of the object, as I said but now;Justine Martyr. for foreign, &c. they who lived under the old Testament, had a firme hope that God would make good his promise,Gen. 22.18. Gal. 3.23. Gen. 49.18. and bless all nations in the seed of Abraham, and a lively faith in the Redeemer to be revealed in the fulness of time. Jacob thus speaks to God on his death-bed, I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord; or as some read it, Jesum tuum, Thy Jesus.
3. Quoad assensum, for they assented, and yielded no less to this way of Salvation than we do. Abraham saw my day, and rejoyced. John 8.56.Just as a man that sees but with one eye, equally believes, and is pleased with the object he sees, as he that perfectly beholds it with both.
4. Quoad applicationem, In regard of application; and so the Fathers by Faith receiv'd the promises of the Messiah to come, and applyed them to themselves for their own benefit; No lesse shall I say? nay, I feare me, much more than we do:Heb. 11.13. foreign, They gave them a kinde embrace. This was Jobs stay, he took it and put it in his bosome next his heart,Job 19.25. I know that my Redeemer liveth. A Redeemer would not serve h s turne; He never was at rest, till he knew that he was his Redeemer; till he had taken hold of him, and applyed him, even by faith made him his own; and made, as I may so say, a kinde of Monopoly of him, My Redeemer liveth.
Their faith then was true, but not so cleare. True, for it had for its object the Messiah. True againe, in that it did assent and rest in the promise. True lastly, in that they did apply to themselves the Redeemer, and expected to be saved by him. But not so clear, because all the particulars of this Redemption were not made known to them.
And now perhaps you will say, What needed this waste of time? what use of this long preamble? you may judge it superfluous, but I say 'twas necessary, and could not well be spared; For had not the Church believed all this, to what purpose should have been those ejaculations, those fervent petitions of the old Patriarchs and Prophets that desired to see this day? how could we have understood what the Spouse here intended, when she passionately thus breaks forth, Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth. Out of which I shall commend unto you these three Points to be considered.
1. The earnest desire of the old Church.
2. The Object of her desire, to see Christ in the flesh.
3. The end that she desired it; viz. that peace might be made betwixt heaven and earth; of which a kiss given and taken is a token and pledge.
1. The desire of the old Church earnest.
The prayers of the old Church were neither Trepidae, nor Tepidae; boldly they came to the Throne of grace; for they were arm'd with faith, and fervently th… …ent up their petitions from thence, for they were wing'd with Love. Where the love is cold, the prayer is cold; whereas from a heart warm'd with this passion, the petition is earnest. Heate a man once with the fire of the Spirit, and he will speak to God in sighs and groans that cannot be uttered;Rom. 8.26. as the old Saints did in this case. David fetcheth one grone about it,Psal. 14.7. Isa. 64 1. Cant 8.1. O that thou wouldst give salvation to Israel out of Sion. Isaiah another, Oh that thou wouldst rent the heavens. And the Spouse a third, Oh that …hou wert as my brother. And this here, Let him kiss me, is no faint desire.
When you pray then, pray thus. Thus as the Spouse with heat and love; be earnest and serious with God; and conceive not that God will heare you, when you heare not your selves. True it is, that the prayer of the righteous man prevailes much; James 5.16.but it must then be fervent; for if cold, it freezeth in the Clouds, and comes not to heaven; whereas a zealous prayer mou ts higher,Gen. 32.24, 26 wrestles with God, and will not let him alone. It is an Argument that a man is not much touch'd with the sense of what he wants, or wanti…g asks, when his suit is heavily commenced; for every one that truly feels his own necessity, will be importunate, he will press his friend even after a denial;Luke 18.3. So it was with the poor Widow, which cried, and cried still after the unjust Judge, till she made him heare; an example that our Saviour hath left upon Record, that we should be earnest, importunate, and zealous in our prayers, and not petition as if we cared not much whether what we ask'd were granted or not; so did not the Spouse, for she was transported with the love of what she wanted and sued for, and would not be satisfied without she sped. Let him kiss me.
2. There be that observe here again her humility and reverence in her suits, in that she said, Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, not with the kisses of thy mouth; that phrase she thought too familiar, homely and unmannerly; which will check their impudence, that take upon them to command God, when they should intreat. Thus I have seen their Petitions printed, Thou Lord shalt do this for us, Thou must do it, We command thee to do it; grounding their bold pride and confidence upon that place of the Prophet Isaiah; And concerning the work of my hands command ye me; Isa. 45.11.which is an Ironical Sarcasme to the Babylonians, Jun. & Trem. in locum.that thought they might lay an interdict upon God, and stay his Decree for the return of the captivity, and no warrant for a brazen-fac'd prayer. Sure I am, that the cream of Gods servants have petitioned, not commanded, and thought it a great happiness, if upon a suit tendered with all submission, humility and reverence, they might be heard, and dismissed with Be it unto thee as thou desirest. Familiarity begets contempt,Mat. 15.28. and contempt draws on anger; and in anger I deny not, but a Petition may be signed; but better it were for him, it were denied; for it proceeds à Deo irato non propitio; and what is so granted, is given as the Israelites Quails, far better be without it. Faith, though it be confident, yet it is not impudent; it blusheth when it asks; though it desires a kiss, yet it shall be modestly, submissively done, approaching not as a bold Whore, but as a chaste Spouse, being prepared rather to receive, than to command a kiss.
A kisse, or kisses: And that was a great matter, as I shall by and by make evident to you. This teacheth us, that so often as we approach the Throne of Grace, we sue not for Trifles; it becomes not the Majesty of heaven to attend such Suits: Tu cum oras, magna ora: When you pray, ask for great things.Ambrose in Psal. 118. Mat. 6.33. First seek the Kingdom of God, and the righteousness of that Kingdom, which are the kisses the Spouse sues for in this place, and then for other matters: For one temporal ask five eternal; this is the method by which we are taught to pray, in which we have but one single petition for daily bread, but five for this one, for those things that concern Gods honour, and our souls wealth. Transitory things then would be put into our petitions, as they stand in our Pater noster, not too oft repeated, nor too much insisted on; as for heavenly and spiritual, they cannot be too frequently, too earnestly pressed, because they properly concern our happiness. And among these, this especially, which the Church here asks to be reconciled to God through his Son, a work that could never have been done, had he not become the Son of man; for how should he ever have given a kiss, that had no lips? how should he speak peace, that had no mouth? when then she desires a kiss, or kiss from his mouth, her mind no question was, that he would appear in the shape of man, which was that same Magnum I hinted to you, and to that now I come.
2. The object of the Churches desire, which was, to see Christ in the flesh.Gen. 3.15. Gen. 12. Gen. 49. Acts 10.43. Numb. 24.17. Deut. 18.18. Psal. 2.7. Isa. 7.14. Jer. 23.5. Ezek. 34.23. Dan. 9.25. Micah 5.2. Zach. 3.8. Rev. 19.20. 2 Pet. 1.19.
Long before such a kiss was promised, or else she had never presumed to desire it. What did God else mean by the seed of the woman? What else by the blessing to come from Abrahams seed? What by Jacobs Scepter? which was not to depart till he came. Infinite it were to insist upon all the Prophesies of him; for to him give all the Prophets witness. Baalam by a Star: Moses by a Prophet: David by a son: Esay by a child: Jeremy by a just God, Jehovah our righteousness: Ezekiel by a Pastor: Daniel by the Messiah: Micah by a Governour: Zachary by a branch: So that the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophesie; this is the light that shines in a dark place, to which he that gives heed must needs be brought to Christ.
And to him again give all the Types and Sacrifices witness; the Paschal Lamb, the Brazen Serpent, the Scape-goat, the Red Cow, and I know not how many more of them, so that the testimony of Jesus are the Types of the old Law. But all Prophesies hang in suspense till the fulfilling of them; and all Types are but shadows, empty things, till the substance be exh bited. And yet this was all the light that the old Church had; a Saviour rather shadowed out darkly, than clearly expressed; and therefore she is desirous to know fully what those darker Prophesies aimed at, and what those obscure Types intended; petitions to God to open them, and fulfill them.
'Tis as if she had said, Quo mihi semiverbia illa Prophetarum ora? What comfort can I take in those half and cloudy expressions of the Prophets?Exod. 4.10. Isa. 6.5. Jer. 1.6. I'le hear Moses no longer, he is a man of a stammering tongue, and no way eloquent. Isaiah's lips are polluted. Jeremy is a childe, and knows not well how to speak. As for Visions and Dreams, and Types, I wot not what to make of them; and therefore ipse loquatur, quem loquuntur, let him come himself and speak of whom they speak so much, and speak to me, and kiss me with his own mouth; so may the mystery that hath lyen hid from the beginning of the world be made known to me.
But it was not curiosity only that made the old Synagogue to be so earnest to see the promise fulfilled; a farther matter there was in it. God and the world for mans disobedience were fallen out; God was become angry with man, and man was an enemy to God; and betwixt both fore-told it was, that there should be a peace concluded by the lips of the womans seed:Micah 4.3, 4. Isa. 9.6. Micah said it, that when he came, peace should be in our Land. Isaiah before him, that he should be Shar-shalon, the Prince of peace, the first that should take that burden upon his shoulders.
This was the promise, but where's the performance? some mockers there were which said, You Prophets cry peace peace, but we find no peace; How long do you torment our souls? If he your Child, your Messias will have us perswaded of his good will so often signified by you his servants, then let him come down and make the peace, make your words good, and pacifie all in heaven and earth.
Upon this Angeli pacis amarè flebant, those Messengers of peace began to weep bitterly; and as well to stop the mouths of these mockers, as to assure their own peace, they were very earnest with God. David would have the heavens bowed:Psal. 144.5. Isa. 64.1. &, 41.8. Bow the heavens O Lord, and come down. Isaiah would have them rent and broken: O that thou wouldst break the heavens; rather those celestial orbs suffer violence, bow and rend, and dissolve to dew, than he should not descend to make up their and our peace; nay, such was the earnestness of Daniel, that he was stil'd Vir desideriorum, a man of desires; and whether think you that Balaam had not a months mind this way, when he passionately laments,Numb. 24.23. Luke 2.25, 38. Numb. 6.25. Alas, who shall live when God doth this? those that lived near his coming, as Zachary, Simeon, Anna, were always looking and expecting this day. Considerable also it is, what the Jews meant by that common salutation, Ostendat tibi Dominus faciem suam; the Lord make his face to shine upon thee; for what was the face of God, but the Son of God, the very Image and Character of his brightness, whose appearance and manifestation they prayed for, by this form of speech as is conceived?
But what speak I of particular men, when I have here the request of the whole Church? Osculetur me; let him kiss me, &c. All the kisses given before were but in words only, this real; they in hope, this in truth; they but like the Prophets staffe sent by Gehazi a servant, 2 Kings 4.31. Bern.and laid u…on the face of the childe without effect, without vertue. There was no voice, no life in the child; as yet he breaths not, moves not, looks not up. That great Prophet himself must come in person, he must put his mouth upon our mouths, and his hands upon our hands, and his eyes upon our eyes, or else we shall never recover. Nam quod tactus baculi non potuit, tactus carnis mirabilitèr perficiet. For what the cold touch of the staffe could not do, that the touch of his flesh will in a wonderful manner bring to pass.
3. The end why the Fathers desired the Incarnation of Christ; it was, that he would kiss her.
And now let us see what those kisses were which she so much desired, for many they were; Oscula, a plurality of kisses; which when we know, confess we shall that not one of them could be spared, for we stood in need of them all.
1. The first kiss he gave to our nature whereby he took the seed of the woman, and join'd it to his Deity, so of two making one, of two natures, that of God, and that of man, one person. By this there was a stay made of that pollution or birth-sin that defiles our nature. By this an infusion of that purity and holiness which was requisite in a Mediatour; for had he been any way defiled with sin himself, he never could have reconciled God to sinners.
In his person there was the grace of union, and the grace of unction; and because the first of union, therefore this latter of unction; the conjunction of our dust to his Deity, raised our clay to a higher pitch,Thom. Part 3. Q. 7. Art. 10. Viguerius. and gave to the seed of Abraham which he assumed, a sacred unction and ability, & intensivè, & extensivè, & quoad essentiam, & quoad virtutem; in the intensest and highest degree that possibly grace may be had, and a faculty to use it unto all effects and purposes that grace can extend. 'Tis acutely observed by Rupert, Mat. 3.16. Acts 2.3.that the Holy Ghost descended upon our Saviour in the shape of a whole creature, a whole Dove; whereas it came upon the Apostles in the form of a parted and divided tongue. Because grace was bestowed upon him totally and perfectly, being habitually and formally inherent in his humane nature; whereas unto them there was a division made of those gifts, every one having his share, as was requisite for themselves; for the jointing of the Saints; Eph. 4.12.for the work of the Ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ. Psal. 45.7.Above his fellows he was to be in the work, and therefore to be anointed with the oyle of gladness above his fellows.
But because this work could never be done without this union,Psal. 49.7. therefore he decreed that these two natures should meet and kiss. Man cannot redeem his brother; it is a work too high for him, he must let that alone for ever; God is unapt to do it, as having no blood to shed,Hebr. 9.22. without which there can be no Redemption. Could then there be a person of that wonderful composition found, who might be foreign, God and man, this alone were he who were apt to stand up in the gap, and reconcile the disagreeing persons; that then he might be God to merit, and man to dye, and by both to bring salvation to those who were lost; his Deity did vouchsafe to humble it self, and kiss the seed of the woman; after which grace of union there followed kiss upon kiss; for many they are.
1. A kiss in Baptisme, when he first meets with us,Acts 2.38. and by water seals upon our lips a pardon and remission of sins.
2. After this another kiss by the other Sacrament, when to our mouths he offers his body, and to our lips his blood,Mat. 26.28. 1 Cor. 10.16. as a sure pledge of our peace made with him.
3. These kisses at some particular times; but all our life long a kiss by his Spirit of love. He comes and calls, and knocks, and visits us day by day:Cant. 5.2. Rev. 3.20. 1 Cor. à 4. ad 11. 1 Cor. 1.5. 2 Tim. 4.2. Joh. 1.16. Upon some he bestows foreign, gifts, and seals them on their lips; their eloquence, their utterance, their words spoken in season, and out of season, are of these ample testimonies; but to others he gives foreign, graces, and seals them in their hearts, and by good works on their hands, and by good words on their tongues.
4. And yet we have another kiss from his lips, a kiss of Instruction, a peculiarity in this kiss; for the same word Nazak in the Original, that signifies to kiss, signifies to instruct also. Instructed he hath, and taught us now a new lesson, yea, and that from his own mouth; for saith the Apostle, God hath spoken to us by his Son. Hebr. 1.2.The old lesson we had from his Messengers and Servants, Moses and the Prophets; but this not from any man of God, though never so eminent, but from the Lord of the Prophets; not from any servant, though never so great in place, but from the Son himself; from his mouth we have received notice of Gods will; he himself, ore tenus, gave us this kiss.
5. Now the last kiss he gives, is a parting kiss, a comfortable kiss indeed, without which we should take out farewel of the world with small content: Did not he come, when we are passing from these houses of earth, and seal upon our lips, Osculum pacis, the kiss of peace, pronouncing with a clear voice, and a serene countenance, Pax tibi frater, Peace be to thee my brother; assuring us that through his blood our Father is reconciled to us, and we to him, without which we should pass hence with a sad and amazed soul. Did you ever behold the chearful look, and the Swan-like song of a Saint of God upon the approach of grim-fac'd death?Luke 2.29. that which caused him to sing his Nunc dimittis with such content, was the assurance of this kiss. On the other side, have you ever been by to hear the groans and pitiful complaints, not of men of the common sort, but of spirit and valour, that durst have looked death in the face,Isa. 38.1, 14. yet upon the Summons, Set thy house in order, for thou shalt dye, brought so low, that they mourn as a Dove, and chatter as a Swallow? That which struck them into this terror, was, that they could find no inward certificate of this kiss. It is no light thing then that the Spouse here sues for, since to it is annexed all our comfort; since when it is either denied or with-held, there is nothing but the greatest discomfort and perplexity.
A kiss is the perfectest Symbol of love and amity, and given from the lips of Christ most sure. Among men it may be, as they are, deceitful; for there is a crafty and insinuating kiss,2 Sam. 15.5. Mat. 26.49. as was Absoloms; and a false and treacherous kiss, as was that of Judas; but in God there cannot be the least suspition of falshood, no ill intent; and therefore from his mouth a kiss given, must needs be Charitatis Symbolum, a sure sign of love and peace.
Luke 2.14. John 14.27. John 16.33. Eph. 2.13, 14, 15, 16. Luke 19.42. Isa. 53.5. Joh. 20.21, 26.When he was born, it was his Xenium, his New-years Gift, Peace be to men; when he dyed, it was his Legacy, My peace be with you. In his life he prayed for it, paid for it, wept for it. At his death he dyed for it, and at his rising he brought and bequeathed it, he stood in the midst and said, Peace be unto you: And when they are parting with the world, present he is with his, to dismiss them with a kiss of peace: In signo pacis facit de pace securos, by this love-token of peace, he makes them secure of his peace.
Yea, but what now, did not Abraham the friend of God, the Patriarchs and Prophets enjoy this? Had not they their kiss of peace and reconciliation long before he had any lips to give it? yes certainly, and they joyed at it; but yet their joy was not full; no more then his can be, who having a friends word past to him for a courtesie, yet is not wholly quiet in his mind till what is promised is performed. Though then their assurance for the performance was as firm as ours, yet the way how it should be performed was not so clear and evident; and this as it needs must abate of their content, so also it did very much fire and inflame their desires.Cicero de Senect. Nihil molestum est quod non desid…res; nothing is troublesome that a man desires not; and then by the Rule of contraries it will follow, Omne molestum quod desideres; every thing puts a man to ttouble which he desires. Promise a man victory, and say he believes it, yet he is not satisfied till he know how it should be done. Let an Angel from heaven tell Sarah of a Son; or Mary, that she shall conceive,Gen. 18.10. Luke 1.31, 34. and enquired it will be, foreign; How can this be? and till that be known, the soul is restless: So it was in this case; Gods Word was past, that in time the Bridegroom should come, who should give his Spouse this kiss, which she believed, and yet desired; and so much the more desired, because it was but V…spertina notitia, a glimmering of light to our Sunshine which came to them.
For first it was brought to them by piece-meal, and not all at once. One piece to Adam in gross, that he should be the seed of the woman; no more.Gen. 3.15. Gen. 22.18. Gen. 49.10. Psal. 132.11. Then another piece to Abraham, that of his loins, his people; after of the Tribe of Judah, then last of the Family of David; his Pedegree was thus by degrees made known, and more clearly discovered. And for his Offices, these were not declared all at once neither, but sometimes to one, sometimes to another. To Moses that he should be a Prophet:Deut. 18.18. Psal. 110.4. To David that he should be a Priest: To Isaiah a Prince or King. And …ot to hold you long, the circumstances of his birth were by pieces delivered: To Isaiah, made known it was that his mother should be a Virgin. To Micah, Isa. 9.6. Isa. 7.14. Micah 5.2. Dan. 9.24.that the place of his birth must be Bethlehem: To Daniel, that the time must be after seventy weeks. A man in this piece of an houre may now come to as much knowledge of him, as they arrived to in some hundreds of years. Now how was it possible, but as they saw the light arise by little and little, so also they should still be desirous to see more of it, indeed to behold it in its full strength and beauty, without which they could not be satisfied? All they heard of him hitherto, except that intimation given to Adam and Abraham, was immediatly from the mouth of man. One word from his own lips were worth ten thousand of theirs; now this she, the Spouse here desires, and this in the last times he granted; for he came in the fulness of time, and spake by himself.
The Conclusion.
When I lay to heart the earnest desire of the old Jewish Synagogue for the Incarnation of the Son of God, and behold our coldness and negligence, our little regard and esteem of him, now that he is born and come amongst us, I wish that my head were a fountain of water, and my eyes wells of tears, Jer. 9.1. Tit. 2.11.that I might weep day and night for the security of the daughter of my people. For to which of us doth the grace of God which hath appeared, give so much content as the promise only that he was to appear, gave to them? Now tell me I pray why their joy should be greater than ours; the mouth which the old world beg'd to see, we have heard to speak to us; the lips which they desired to kiss, is at this Feast presented unto us, hanging and sucking at his Mothers breasts: Eye-witnesses then were enough that saw him, Angels, Luke 2. Mat. 2.Shepherds, Wisemen, lying in a Cratch, crying in Swadling Cloaths, an infant of a Span long. And thus much Apostles, Disciples after affirmed and made good, by working of Miracles, Acts 6.8. & 8, 6, 9. Hebr. 2.4. 1 John 1.1. John 20.31.and healing all manner of diseases among the people; and what they saw, they delivered; and what they handled of the Word of life, they wrote; and they wrote it, that we might believe.
Believing then what those old Fathers hoped for, there is no reason our thanks be less; and enjoying what they expected, a shame it were that our affections should be colder. In great love and greater humility he hath heard the desires of his old Saints, and is come down to kiss us; fit then it were that we met him half way, and kiss'd him. From him this is foreign a love-token indeed, but from us foreign a due debt. Little children, and new-borne babes we are wont to kiss; and this day you may heare of him at Bethlehem, a pretty childe hanging at his mothers breasts,Luke 2. Mat. 2. and emptying those Virgin bottles. Some sowre men may conceive what they list; but sure I am that it will please God, that at his birth we rejoyce with the Shepherds, Sing a Charol with the Arch-Angel,Luke 2.13, 20. Mat. 2.10, 11. run after the star, fall down with the wise men, and offer gold, incense, and myrrh; gold to our King, incense to our God, myrrh to our Redeemer.
Nazianzen Preaching on this day, thus begins his Sermon, foreign, &c. Christ is born, glorifie him; Christ from heaven, go out to meet him;Naz. Orat. 38. Christ upon the earth, exalt him; Christ in the flesh; be glad with feare, and joy; with feare, that your sinnes brought him down; with joy, for the hope of Reconciliation. And Cyprian long before him thus begins also,Cypr. de Nativ. Christi. Adest multum desiderata & diu expectata Nativitas, adest solemnitas inclyta, & in praesentia Salvatoris grates & laudes visitatori suo per orb…m terrarum sancta reddit Ecclesia. In his dayes then it was a Solemnity, a famous Solemnity kept by the holy Church over all the world; in which they gave laude and thanks to him who came to visit them, and to give them a kiss. No man, I dare say, ever thought ill of the day, but he who grudgeth to performe the duty;Naz. Orat. cit. That Eloquent Father is perswaded, that on this day the powers of heaven, because they honour God and love men, do foreign, sing with, rejoyce and keep this Solemnity with the Church. What they do, we can but guess at; what the prime and best Christians did, we know; and 'tis more wisdome to hear them to speak for, and celebrate a Christian Feast, than to hear the clamours of new men without sense, without reason against it. They thought on this day they were bound to do their duty, to return a kiss for his kiss, taking their direction from his lips, who spake by the mouth of the Prophet David, Kiss the Son: And now I shall acquaint you how it is to be done.Psal. 2.12.
1. By a constant profession of his Name; this cannot be done without the lips;Rom. 10.10. Heb. 4.14. 1 Pet. 3.15. for the Apostle hath taught us, With the mouth confession is made to salvation. To this he requires that we stick close, hold fast the profession without wavering; and of it Saint Peter would have us ready to give an answer. This will distinguish us from Jews and Turks; to God they give a kiss; the Father they profess, but deny the Son; whereas we are bound not on…y to kiss the Father, but his Son also. This will distinguish us, if it be hearty, as it ought, from lukewarm Professors,2 Tim. 4.10. 1 Tim. 1.20. 2 Tim. 2.17. Demas, Hymenaeus, and Philetus, who go away, and leave the Son, and give him no kiss at all in a hard time; whereas true Professors continue with him to the end, and cannot be beaten from his lips, no not in the time of the greatest trouble.
2. To kiss is to adore. Idolaters to that purpose kissed their Gods. Tully tells us of Hercules brazen shrine, that the very chin and lips thereof were worne off by those who did adore him,Cic. in Ver. Act. 4. Quia non solum in precibus & adorationibus adorare, sed & osculari solent. Solent, it was their custome in their prayers, not only to adore, but to kiss. And Pliny tells us, that in their adorations they turn'd the service of the right hand into a kiss.Plin. lib. 20. c. 2. But what need I rake the Heathens to prove this, when the Scriptures note it in Ephraim and Baals servitours?Hos. 13.2. 1 Kings 19.8. Ephraim kissed the Calves. I have reserved unto me seven thousand, whose mouths have not kissed Baal. When they saw the Sun in his glory, and the Moon in her strength, their mouth kissed their hand;Job. 31.37. which Job did not. To kiss then is to adore; and so the old Translatour reads it, Adorate filium, not osculumini, Adore the Son.
Get ye then to your knees, with the wise men fall down and worship him; they did it when he was in a low estate,Mat. 2.10. when a Childe in the Inn, in the Stable, in the Manger, and therefore in no worshipful condition. You behold him on high, far above all heavens, sitting on the right hand of God; fall low then before him:Ephes. 4.10. Col. 3.1. And for the many kisses he hath given you, give him this one of honour.
2. This one? nay second it with another of Homage and Subjection. Homagers kiss the hands of their leige Lords; and of old,Godw. Antiq. Jud. lib. 3. c. 2. Subjects were wont to kiss their Soveraigns. Samuel so soone as he had emptied his horne of oyle upon Sauls head, kissed him, to signifie that he was his Subject.8 Sam. 10.1. And Phaeraoh when he made Joseph Lord over all Egypt, that he might assure him of his grant, told him, That according to his word all his people should Nasak, Gen. 41.40.kiss, that is, be ruled.
Now such a kisse bring to your Saviour, a Subjects kisse. Take every word as a favour that falls from his lips, and no sooner hear, but be as ready to obey.Psal. 18.44. It is the truest Character of one of Gods good Subjects, that in auditu auris, that he will no sooner hear than obey. Strange children may dissemble, hear and do nothing; but they who do truly submit to his government, pendent narrantis ab ore, Psal. 85.8.hearken these will what the Lord God will say concerning ihem; To which the Spirit of God here exhorts in the judgment of the Septuagint and Chaldee Paraphrast; for the first read it foreign, and the last recipite disciplinam, receive his doctrine, and follow your instruction, hear, submit, and be content to be taught by him. Erudimini, apprehendite di…ciplinam.
But Subjects are not all of one sort; some obey for fear, others for love; some do but flatter and dissemble with their double lips,Psal. 78.36. others mean simply & plainly, give a true kisse of love. Now such must be the kisse you bring this child, if any; see it be foreign, a true, friendly, hearty salute, or else forbear. Judas brought him a kisse, but it had been better kept; For a kisse from a false heart moves him not, except to wrath. Beware then, give not a kisse of complement, or for fashion, as the multitude; give him not a trayterous kisse, as the hypocrite; but if you intend to kisse him at all, be sure it be with a true lovers heart, or else abstaine. Hurt your selves you may;1 Sam. 28.15. you shall not winne him, if you play the Devils part in Samuels mantle.
3. Lastly, since he is come to make our peace, be not foreign,2 Tim. 3.3 be not of that generation which will have no peace, that will admit of no reconciliation. He for his part hath signified his mind to bestow on you sculum pacis, a kisse of peace; I pray therefore kisse and be friends. Why should you stand out any longer? Testifie if you can, wherein he hath grieved you;Mic. 6.3. Heb. 3.10. Ez. 16.43. that you have grieved his Spirit, and fretted him, is too too apparent, and yet as if the wrong and injury had been done by him, he seeks to man for his good will.
Prepare then to meet thy God O Israel, Amos 4.12. Luke 19.42. Eph. 6.15. Rom. 3.17. Isa. 9.6. Rom. 10.15.be ready to meet him in the things that concerne thy peace. Meet him in his Gospel of peace; meet him in his wayes of peace; meet him by faith in his Sonne, who is the Prince of peace; meet him in his Sacraments, which are his Conduits of peace; meet him in his Ministers, who are the Angels of peace: and never then doubt but thou shalt be dismissed at last with a kisse of peace, a certaine evidence of reconciliation; which is properly the kisse of his mouth, not of ours.Ephes. 2.15. For he it is that must assure us that the peace is made, else we shall have no comfort in it. When the kind father had fallen upon the neck of his Prodigal,Luke 15.20. and kissed him, then he was sure that his pardon was sign'd, not before. The father gave it, the Son receiv'd it.
To kisse Christs feet, or his hands, belongs to us; when we adore him, we kisse his feet; when we submit to him, we kisse his hands, and are both a duty in us: But to give a kisse with his mouth, that is to be reconcil'd to us, only belongs to him, and is no otherwise a duty laid upon us, but that we be earnest and instant to obtain it. And to say truth, the sole way to purchase this favour, is to begin with his feet, and go on to his hands.
Mary the penitent began at his feet;Luke 7.38. at his feet she sate with a broken spirit and a contrite soul, with blubber'd eyes, and mournful sobbs; and what now, if we got us all thither, stooped down to his feet, and watered them with this contrite dew, and kiss'd them with our sorrowful lips? 'Tis but our duty, and a readier way there is not to obtaine a kisse from his mouth.
This kisse of the feet is for Penitents, which yet, when we have sadly given, it becomes us not presently to be over-hasty or presumptuous to challenge that of his mouth. Ther'es another kisse to be given by the way, a middle duty; the hand is then offer'd, and we must remember to kisse that. For what? thou wast but yesterday polluted with blood, and wilt thou presume to touch his lips? but now thou layst grovling at his feet loaden with, and confessing thy deformities, and wilt thou presently be so bold as to approach his mouth? Take his hand in the way, and kisse that; Pray humbly, that with his hand he may raise thee, with his hand uphold thee, with his hand assist thee, that thy hands which before were instruments of iniquity, may hereafter be hands of innocency, dedicated wholly to his service, to his honour.
When we have thus humbly done our parts, kissed his feet with penitent tears,Nehem. 2.8. and humble souls; and kissed his hands in acknowledgment of our dependance upon him,Heb. 4.16. telying wholly upon the good hand of God for power to execute our begun resolutions: Then we may the more boldly come to the throne of grace,Luke. 7.48. 2 Cor. 12.9. and beg a kisse of his mouth from him. Say it be that of Mary, Thy sinnes are forgiven thee. Say it be that to Saint Paul, My grace is sufficient for thee, yet there is great comfort in it; for as it follows in the close of this verse, his love is better than wine. A Pardon pronounced by his lips, and a sufficiency of grace assured by his promise, is farre beyond the delights of all earthly delicates.Cant. 1.14. Talk no more then of the clusters of Engeddi, name not to me the Valleys loaden with Wheat, nor the Fields with Olives; These may please and content for a time, be some comfort rather to a living, than a dying man.Luke 2.29. While I live and breath, and at that instant when I shall breath my last, the Lord afford me this kisse, and seale his love upon my lips and soul, that I may depart in peace.
If I erre in this my desire, I am content to erre; neither am I willing, that either the motives of the ambitious, nor the incentives of the wanton, nor the wedge of the covetous, nor all the delights of the sonnes of men, ever perswade me from this error. For I am assured, that a kisse of reconciliation will be a better cordial to my now panting heart, and then parting soul, than all the pleasures of Solomon, or the treasures of Tyre. Evermore therefore Lord give me of this comfort, kisse me with the kisses of thy mouth, that I may live in peace, and dye in peace, and rest in peace, and enjoy the fruits of this peace for ever and ever. Farre be it from your heart to imagine me so uncharitable, as that I have not included you in this my desire; for know that I wish you no worse than my self; why is it that I spend this breath, but that Christ should have his kisses from you, and you again your kisses from him? He his of adoration and submission, and you yours of reconciliation and peace. Go toward him,Luke 15.20. and make your tender of them, as did the Prodigal, and then though you be a great way off, he will fall upon your neck, and give you his kisse. Nothing can hinder you from it, but your undervaluing of it; which if you do, I shall hold you unworthy of so great a grace, so great love, so great a benefit, But I hope better things of you, and that you are as ambitious of it, as he ready to give it. Be content then to be reconcil'd to God, and he will be reconcil'd to you, upon which only depends your present, and your future happinesse.
For till you be at peace with him, all the world is in warre with you; The Angels have a drawn sword,Numb 22.31. Judg. 5.20. Joel. 2.25. and are ready to smite you. The Starres in their courses fight against you; Gods mighty Army are in armes, and wait but for his sword to fall upon you: Whereas if you shall meet him, and kisse his Sonne, nay pray earnestly that he would kisse you, be willing that he apply his mouth to your mouth, and receive instructions from him, he will strike up with you a Covenant of peace. Peace you shall have in earth with all creatures; Peace within in your own hearts. And peace in heaven with your God. This will be the fruit of your reconciliation with Christ, and the end everlasting peace. Which God grant, &c.