' Let him kiss,' &c. These words are the words of the spouse to Christ, containing in them two particulars.
First, an earnest desire, in these words, ' Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.'
In which note three parts.
First, the person desiring, the church.
Secondly, the person desired, Christ.
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Thirdly, the things desired, a familiar kiss of his mouth.
Secondly, the ground of the desire, fetched from the excellency of the thing desired, in these words, ' For thy love is sweeter than wine.'
From the whole in general observe a spiritual contract between Christ and his church. There is a civil contract between man and wife, answerable to which the spiritual contract between Christ and his church holds firm re- semblance.
1. That this civil contract may hold, both parties must consent. So it is between Christ and his spouse. He was so in love with mankind, that he hath taken our nature upon him ; and this his incarnation is the ground of all our union with Christ. First, his incarnation is the cause or ground of our union with him in grace here ; and, secondly, our union in grace is the ground of our union in glory. Now, that we may be a spouse to him, he gives us his Spirit to testify his love to us, that we might give our consent to him again, as also that we might be made a fit spouse for him.
2. Likewise in marriage there is a communicating of all good things. So it is here. Christ here in this spiritual contract gives himself, and with himself all good things. The Spirit is the church's. His happiness is the church's. His graces are the church's. His righteousness is the church's. In a word, all his privileges and prerogatives are the church's ; as saith the apostle, ' All things are Christ's, and Christ is yours,' 1 Cor. iii. 21 ; for all are Christ's, and all that are Christ's are yours by this spiri- tual contract. This excellency is set down by the prophet Hosea in his second chapter and latter end, where he, speaking of this spiritual contract between Christ and his church, saith, Hos. ii. 19, &c. ' In that day when he shall marry her unto himself in faithfulness, he will make a covenant for her with all creatures, with the beasts of the field, the fowls of heaven, and all that creepeth upon the earth.' So that upon this contract cometh in a league between the church and all the creatures. All that he hath done, all that he hath sufi'ered by this contract is made ours. We have the benefit of all.
Obj. But what have we to bestow upon him again ? Solution. Nothing at all ; neither portion nor proportion, beauty nor riches, but our miserable and base condition that he took upon him. Use. This is a ivell-sprirjg of much comfort, and a ground of much duty.
1. Christ condescended so far unto us, to such a near league, as to take us to be his spouse, who hath all things. What then can we want when we are at the fountain of all things ? We can want no protection, for that is the covering of this well. We can want no good thing but he will supply it. We have free access unto him, as the wife hath to her husband. Who hath free access to the husband if the wife hath not ? So who hath free access to Christ but the spouse ?
Obj. Yea, but we have infirmities.
Solution. True, indeed ; but shall man bear with his wife because she is the ' weaker vessel,' 1 Pet. iii. 7, and shall not Christ much more with his spouse ? Herein then is our chiefest comfort, that this union, this con- tract, is not for a time, but for ever : ' I have married thee unto myself for ever,' Hos. ii. 19. And therefore we shall never want protection nor direc- tion, nor anything that is good for us.
2. l^iow, the duty on our part is to love him again with a mutual love, and obedient love ; to honour him as Sarah did Abraham, by calUng him Lord, 1 Pet. iii. 6 ; and manifest it by doing what he would have thee to do, and by suffering what he would have thee to sufler.
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To come to particulars.
First, of the person desiring, * Let him kiss me.'
' Me ' is here the speech of the whole church, and so of every particular member which is the spouse of Christ.
Doct. All Christian favours belong to all Christians alike. We have one faith, one baptism, one Spirit. As every Christian may say ' me,' so may the whole church, and every Christian as well as the church. All Christian privileges belong to all alike.
Use 1. Herein have comfort then, that whatsoever belongs to the church in general, belongs to every member in particular.
Use 2. This teacheth us to reason from one spiritual thing to another, as thus Abraham believed, ' and it was counted to him for righteousness,' Rom. iv. 22 ; and therefore if I believe I shall be counted righteous. David sinned, and David repented and found mercy ; and therefore if I, &c. So all privileges belong alike to all Christians. Every Christian soul is the spouse of Christ as the whole church is. Therefore St Paul pro- pounds himself an example to all that would believe in Christ. * God had mercy on him,' 1 Tim. i. 16, and therefore he encourageth all to come unto Christ, by this, that he will have mercy on thee, as he had on him. What- soever is promised to the whole church, that apply to thy own soul in par- ticular ; and whatsoever is required of the whole church, that is required of thee in particular by Christ, if thou be a member. But though in spiritual favours all have a like portion, yet it is not so in outward things; but some are rich, some are poor, some honourable, some base. But in the best privileges and best gifts there is an equal extending to all alike, to the poor Christian as well as to the rich, to him that is base in the eye of the world, as well as to him that is honourable.