Beasons. 1. First, In regard of outward infirmities, that we might be made conformable to his Son, Rom. viii. 17, and so reign with him, being first made suitable to the body. Christ was to be like us in all things, sin excepted, and to partake with us in flesh and blood, that he might destroy him that had the power of death ; that is, the devil, Heb. ii. 14. And we are to partake of him and his afflictions, that so we may come to partake of the divine nature, and be all in a suit,* as servants of the same master.
2. Secondly, In respect of outward and inward infirmities, both because God's glory is seen in our infirmities, 2 Cor. xii. 7, his grace being suffi- cient to uphold us, and also in regard our weakness commends his strength, and our folly his wisdom.
3. Thirdly, Because he would draw us out of the earth, and have us hasten to accomplish the marriage and come away, therefore he sends us so many crosses, and so little rest in the flesh.
4. Again, Because God would have us humble, patient, and pitiful people, neither of which would be unless our state were imperfect ; we would never know ourselves, our brethren, and God, unless it were so, that on both sides we saw the prints of our imperfections. The use is twofold.
Use 1. Is this so? Learn these lessons. First, confess if ive he of the church, so much. No man is more ready to charge the church than she is to confess her infirmities. She never hideth them, she never justifieth them ; she is black, she hath afflictions, she kept not her own vine, she wants knowledge, affection, discretion, love. She never denies it, but con- fesseth all freely from her heart ; she hides not her sin, but tells what she * That is, as elsewhere, ' wear the same dress.' — G.
VOL.'VII. G
98 THE CHUKCH S BLACKNESS.
is, what she hath done, that so she may give glory to the Lord God of Israel. And indeed, it maketh much for the honour of Christ, and com- mends his grace, that he, such a king, will set his heart and his eye upon such a deformed slut as the world deemeth her to be. It makes for the comfort of her poor children, and much stayeth them, when they shall hear the church in all ages, and in her Abraham, David, and Paul, saying, ' I am black,' I have aliiiction, corruption, as well as others. It makes for the silencing of all saucy daughters that will upbraid her ; an ingenuous confession, stops their mouths, and puts them all to silence. It much quickens her to the use of the means, and maketh her cry, ' Shew me, 0 thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest.' And to seek her comfort in Christ Jesus. Oh it doth her good to receive the sentence of death, shame, poverty, damnation, in herself, that so she may be found in Christ, arrayed with the rich robes of his righteousness. Hence her plain-hearted openness in her confession. Let us do the like, and leave it to the harlot and whore of Babj^lon to say herself is a queen, she is glorious, she cannot err. But let us say with the church, we are black ; yea, let us see it, let us speak it with sorrow, with shame, as the saints have done, and be so atiected with our estate, that it may truly humble us, and cause us to say, ' It is the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.' And let us so con- fess it in ourselves, that we pity others, and bear with them, though full of sins and miseries ; so confess it, that we stir up others thereby to run, as Paul did, and use the ordinances with all diligence, to pray much, to read much, to hear, to confer, to advise, and be humble and sincere. A verbal confession of frailties, without humility, mercy, diligence, without the use of the means, is hypocrisy. If we will speak with the church, we must feel what we say, and so well understand ourselves and our estate, that we may gain humility, mercy, watchfulness by it.
Use. 2. In tlie second place, thirst after heaven, nmj, after the day of resurrection. Well may it be called the day of refreshing, the day of mar- riage. Till then the church is parched with the sun, and not half tried, till then she is accompanied with sundry imperfections in her outside. The saints are subject to aches, shames; their bodies are vile, corruptible; though in the grave free from pain, yet not from dishonour. Imperfec- tions within the soul there are many, conflicts, corruptions, temptations, fears, sorrows, &c. Imperfections also in company : she is not taken out of the world ; she hath her dwelling in the tents of Kedar, meets with hypocrites, atheists, persecutions, devils. Imperfections for means; she seeth but in a glass, she beholds Christ but through a window ; she is in prison, and speaks through it ; and there are imperfections in services, repentance, faith, prayer ; and imperfections in parts and members : some members be not called yet, and it grieves her ; some being called are very sickly, weak, heady ; the best on earth imperfect, those in heaven not per- fected till we come also, Heb. xii. 23. Nay, Christ himself, as head of the body, not yet perfected in his members, and in his church, which is his fulness, as Paul speaks, Eph. i. 23. Oh then, sith nothing in the church attains its perfection till that day, sith Christ calleth, come away, that head and members may have the same glory together, sith the creatures here, and all saints cry, come ; let us so well understand our estate here, and there, and the odds of both, that we may say also, come, fly, my be- loved, and be like the roe, that so all the shadows may fly away ; and therefore, not only pray and hasten ourselves, but others also, that so harvest may be ripe when we sow betimes.