Exposition of the Apostles Creed, Part · Sermon 35
Of the Beauty of the Church Militant.
The Song of Solomon, cap. 1. ver. 5, 6.
I am black, but comely (O ye daughters of Jerusalem) as the Tents of Kedar, as the Curtains of Solomon.
Look not upon me, because I am blacky, because the Sunne hath looked upon me; My Mothers children were angry with me, &c.
THis is the defence which the Church Militant makes for her blackness. And it is directed to the daughters of Jerusalem, whom she might have called the daughters of Babylon, Bern.because out of envy they did detract from her beauty, and impute to her disgrace her Aethiopian face. To these she is forc'd to make her Apology, in which she shews her ingenuity, confessing in part what they alledge; black through actual and Original sin; black by the Rebellion of the flesh; black by many a temptation of the foul spirit; black through afflictions and persecutions, as black as the Tents of Kedar. But yet she would have them remember,Bern. non omne quod nigrum est continuo deforme est; there may be fair proportions, as in a black eye, or an Aethiopian face, where the colour is of deepest black, and such was yet in her; deformed she was not, though of a dark skin; black indeed, yet comely, through that beauty her Spouse had put upon her.Ezek. 16.14. Her condition then well consider'd, rather call'd upon them for pity than contempt; for comforts rather than detraction and invectives; from which that they might the better forbear, she yet at least desires them to consider the cause: Sol decoloravit me, filij Matris expugnarunt m…, I am sun-burnt with afflictions, and with sin the causes of afflictions; and besides, my Mothers sons, which should in these have stood by me, are angry with me, and become miserable comforters; and can you then blame me that I am subnigra, somewhat swarthy? O daughters of Jerusalem, know you should that there be three sorts of people. One …hat are Coal black, and have not any beauty at all about them, and such are all those that are dest…tute of divine grace; that carry about them the face of the Devil; and for this colour they must be brands in Hell. Another there are, who on the quite contrary, are as white, as fair, and beautiful, having nor spot, nor wrinkle about them; and these are the Saints in Heaven, who being freed from sin and misery, follow the Lamb, amicti stolis albis, Rev. 14.4.cloth'd in long white Robes, wheresoever he goeth. A third sort there is, who are in a middle state and condition; Souldiers in the field they are, and then at best they can but lodge in Tents; or Travellers they are, and 'tis well for them, if they be lodged in Curtains; in the field they meet with Enemies, within doors with difficulties; 'tis no wonder then that their beauty is much impair'd.
This is the case of the Church Militant, in which she retains an amiable beauty; which what it is, you shall see hereafter.
The occasion and substance of these words is apparent, and the partition of them is as easie. They thus fall asunder.
1. The ingenuous confession of the Militant Church, I am black; which she amplifies by both the Similees as some think, certainly by the first, Black as the Tents of Kedar.
2. The just Vindication of Her self by way of exception, Black, but fair; that also amplified as the best and most Expositors affirm, Fair, as the Curtains of Solomon.
3. Her request, motion, or petition to the Daughters of Jerusalem, that for Her blackness she should not be the less set by, Lo…k not upon me because I am Black. For of this Blackness she assignes two Reasons; both of which might abate their Morosity.
The one Native and from within; the other without.
1. Within, the Sun hath looked upon me.
2. Without, My Mothers Sons were angry with me, and have fought against me.
Nigra Sum. I am Black.
It is not denied, but man at first was made after the Image of God; Gen. 1.26.that he had a perfect, pure, white, clean soul; but in this Candour he long continued not, for he wilfully became guilty of disobedience, by which he fouled himself and his posterity; so that ever since there is not a man who is not blacked with Original and Actual sin.Mat. 9.18, 20. The Infant of a span long is as the young Maid dead in her Mothers House; and the longer liver, as the Woman with the bloody issue, of which he is infirm many years: and the faces of them all gather blackness, or is as Nigredo ollae, Nahum 2.10.as the old Translator reads those words. For as the new Earthen Vessel (when it comes fresh from the hand of the Potter) is white as the Virgin-clay, but being brought to the smoaky Furnace, is presently sullied, smooted, and contracts a blace hue: So the Soul of man at first coming from the hand of the Creatour, had nor spot, nor blemish, but was white and beautiful; But when Eve approach'd to the foul spirit, and Adam clove to his Wife, they brought forth an Aethiopian posterity, and all their childrens fac…s gather'd blackness. Partus sequitur ventrem, which David acknowledg'd, and calls all men to see it, Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, Psa. 51.5.and in sin my Mother conceiv'd me. And this Mother was not Sarah, for we were …ot children of the free-woman, but Hagar the Hand-maid, the Mother of those who dwelt in these Tents of Kedar. The Spouse therefore looking back upon these Her Progenitours, and Her old Grand-mother Eve, and remembring what deformity she had brought from their loines, ingenuously confesseth that Her self and all Her Children in the day of Her Nativity, were all Blackmoors; as black as those Tents of Kedar, which signifies darkness, in which Hagars children, as pilgrims and strangers, were wont to sojourn.
'Tis a rare thing in a Woman to acknowledge any defect in her beauty; nay, be her face never so swarthy, and her skin never so thick and tann'd, well she will not take it to be told it is so.
Manet alta mente repostum
Virg.Judicium Paridis, spretae{que} injuria formae.
But the contrary was in the Spouse of Christ to other Weomen; whereas others would have boasted and set forth their beauty, that they might have gain'd, what she at the first verse desired, a kisse; she makes Her …elf no better than she is, By Nature Black. You, O daughters of H…erusalem, may bragg and vaunt your own beauty (as too many of their Pharisaical off-spring did) I naturally have nothing to win the love of my Beloved but my Blacknesse; if this will not move Him, I have no more to plead.
And this did it, this deformity, this blackness; this Aethiopian colour moved him. For tell me, what was it that moved the Son of God to come from Heaven? why did he vaile h…s glory under the shape and flesh of man? but because the face of his Spouse was covered with blackness. It pitied him to see her whom he loved, so foul, so deformed; and therefore not out of any Merit, but meere Mercy, he came down and made her a Laver of his Blood; in which when she washed, she should be white, clean, beautiful. Bathe but in this Bloody Fountain, and though your sinnes be as scarle, they shall be as white as snow; Isa. 1.18.though they be red like Crimson, they shall be as Wool. One deep calls upon another; her depth of misery, his Sea of mercy; and therefore as if she were at confession, she makes not her self better than she is, but professeth her Native Blackn…ss; being assured, that he who casts his eyes upon such who are in her case, and acknowledge it, would cast a favourable eye toward her. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but he that confesseth and forsakes them, Prov. 28.13.shall have mercy.
This the Beloved Spouse knew, and therefore though now she knew and professeth her self after to be beautiful, yet she looks to what she was. She forgets not her first estate; she premiseth that, because that preceded this; which sets forth her humility in these respects.
1. That she intimates what she was of her self, and by her corrupt Nature. As black as the Tents of Kedar; black within and without: For as she was nothing of her self, and should quickly be reduced to nothing, did not the hand of her Spouse hold her up: So of her s…lf she was black, and a sinful creature; and what she was, she should alwayes be, had not her Husband put his beauty upon her: For …er Birth and Nativity was of the Land of Canaan; Ezek. 16.3.her Father was an Amorite, and her Mother a Hittite.
2. Be it that she was now washed with water, and cleansed from her blood, by grace beautiful indeed; yet, as an humble Convert,Ver. 9. in remembrance of her first condition, she retains her name still, she esteems her self black, because she was once black; which ought to be the estimate that every converted sinner, though now a Saint, ought to have of himself, and not to be overmuch puffed up with the thoughts of his present condition. To be pleased and contented with it, I can allow him, but not to be proud. How far was St. Paul from this, who though call'd, chang'd in name, in nature; …f a Persecutor, made a Preacher; yet looking back to what he first was, leaves this Character of himself, Ego minimus Apostolorum, I am the least of the Apostles; 1 Cor. 15.9.who am not worthy to be called an Ap…stl…, because I persecuted the Church of God! He saith not, Non fui dignus, sed non sum, I have not been, but I am not now worthy. Though now made worthy by the grace of God, yet recollecting even then his former courses, he h…ld himself unworthy of so high an honour. And the Reason of this is, because an humble penitent always hath before his eyes his former sins, and melts out of those enormities into a River of tears. My sin (saith David) is alwayes before me; Psal. 51.3.that which God casts behind his back, he sets before his face; and being alwayes in his eye, His eyes gush out Rivers of water, b…cause he hath not ke…t the Law of his God; Psal. 119.136.even for his fore-past life he thinks himself black still.
3. Or else in an humble manner she bears that reproach which she suspected the Daughters of Jerusalem would put upon her; for such is the nature of malicious men, that whom once they have known to be black, they will alwayes count black; once sinners, ever sinners; see it in the Phar…see, that never looked upon Maries repentance, but Maries sin; he considered not her tears, that she sate at Christs fe…t, but looked on her former life;Luke 7.39. and therefore even then fastens upon her, this foule Name, Haec Peccatrix, This Sinner, as his fellow Pharisee did upon the poor Publican, Hic Publicanus, This Publican. Whether this proceed out of malice, or incogitancy,Luke 18.11. I know not, or rather out of an estimate of others by themselves. They hold it not possible the pleasures and profits of sin can so easily be shaken off: Be it as it will, the Spouse fore-seeing the worst they could object, freely confesseth all; N…gra sum, I am black indeed; as St. Matthew gives himself the name of Publican long after his Conversion, because he had been a Publican. Matth. 10.3.Better (saith the wise son of Sirach) is the wickedness of a man, than a c…urteous woman, a woman that brings shame and reproach: Upon which words,Eccles. 42.14. Gregory ha…h this Note, An infirm, an effeminate, in…is…reet man, if he …oth any good Deed, is proud of it, and so commits a greater sin; but a discreet and sober Convert, knowing that he hath done evil, is the more humble and wary; he ever thinks what he was, Job 41.6.and therefore abhors himself in sackcloth and ashes. But yet in this black and mourning vesture, she is not disheartned; for she takes a second view of her self; though one eye be fastned on her first estate, yet the other she fixeth on her second, considering not altogether what she is by Nature, as what she is by Grace, and then bold she is to avouch that she is beautiful.
2. Nigra sum, sed formosa. I am black, but beautiful, comely.
The Kings Daughter is all beautiful within; Psal. 45.13.within then it is that we must look for this beauty, which is indeed the beauty of holiness, and this we are bound to believe; for so we confess in our Creed, I believe the Holy Catholick Church.
For be it she be black, for the Reason before alledged, because all her children are by nature the sons of wrath, being conceived in sin: Or which is another Reason, because the most of her company visibly seen, are for manners profane; yet for all this she doth not cease to be comely, because the denomination must alwayes be taken from the nobler and better part, and not from the multitude; now comely, fair, beautiful and holy she is, in four respects.
1. In respect of the Husband, to whom she is joyned; so that what beauty is in him, is also imputed to her. 'Tis his Prerogative to be beauty it self;1 Pet. 2.22. for he did no sin, neither was there any guile found in his mouth; but he is pleased to take away her blackness, and put upon her his own beauty: Become he is Jehovah our righteousness; and we again the righteousness of God in him. Jer. 23.6. 2 Cor. 5.21. Rev. 7.14.And now tell me, how can she choose but be beautiful, who hath washed her Robes in the blood of the Lamb! It is a certain Rule in Reason, that quod partis est qua pars, id rectè attribu…tur toti secundam illam partem: As for Example, the visual faculty properly belonging to the eye, as a part of the man, is in regard of that part attributed to the whole man; so that we may truly affirm the whole man doth see, though it be the eye properly only which doth see. In like manner, we may truly affirm the whole mystical body of Christ is fair, comely, holy, because the Head thereof, Christ Jesus, is fair and comely; that which properly belongs to a part, being attributed to the whole.
2. And that it might be thus attributed, he hath given to his Spouse his holy Spirit, who brings with him a Train of graces, not only to rid her of her blackness, but to adorn and beautifie her. Ʋertue (saith Plato) hath so many excellent Lineaments, and such a strange comeliness in it, that if it could be seen with the eye, Cic. Off. 1.it would draw eyes after it, and make men wonderfully in love with it. If he thus judged of his Moral Vertue, What shall we think of these graces of the Holy Spirit? If those would so beautifie the soul, what comeliness then will these adde to it! Those would make a man ne quid indecorè, effaeminative faciat; that he should do nothing unhandsomly, effeminately; and therefore much more these, whence there must needs arise an excellent comeliness in the soul; the Spouse then being decked with these effusions, must needs be comely.
3. And to increase her comeliness, Her Husband decked her with other Ornaments, he put Bracel…ts on her hands, and a Chain upon h…r neck, a Jewel in her fore-head, Ezek. 16.11, 12Earings in her ears, and a beautiful Crown upon her head. What were all these precious, outward Ornaments, but a Religion corrupted with no Errour, a Law stained with no sinful toleration, a holy Canon of Scripture, in which there is no lie nor falshood, nor shadow of untruth! besides, she hath Sacraments which are Conduits of grace, and Keyes committed to her hands to remove from her those who might pollute her. These are all Ornaments of beauty, and they make all those comely that live in her, and wear them; whereas in the Assemblies of Jewes, Pagans, and Turks, such comeliness is not to be found: Such? Nor any thing like it; their very sins being mashed with their Doctrines, Sects and Heresies; so that they let loose the reins to the lusts, and appetite of the flesh, and encourage sin by teaching it; such countenance wickedness never sinds in the Church, whose Law is undefiled, holy, Rom. 7.12.just and good. This she carries as a frontlet betwixt her eyes, as a Jewel in her ears; this she wears as a Bracelet on her hands, and as a Chain about h…r neck; Deut. 6.8.to obey this Law, she holds it her Glory, and her Crown; and then may not she well say she is comely? Yes sure, pulcherrima inter mulieres, the fairest among women.Cant. 1.8.
4. The last part of her comeliness, consists in her inherent holiness, which is a created quality in the Church, whereby the image of God lost in Adam is again renewed,Gal. 6.15. 1 Pet. 2.9. Rev. 1.6. and restored in every one of those that is one of her true children. These become new creatures, a peculiar people, a Royal Priesthood, Kings and Priests to God, upon whose Fore-heads was to be carried, Holiness to the Lord. A good Christian is a true Reformado, his life is innocent, his deeds honest, his actions just, his wayes exemplary: In a word,Exod. 28.36. His Conversation is in Heaven. In his understanding he is light, in his will goodness, in his affections love and charity, his indeavours and study perfection.Phil. 3.20. Be it then he be not perfect, & to a pulchra, altogether fair, yet he is comely, as beautiful as his condition in this life can attain to; sure pulcherema inter mulieres, fair if compared with others: As Noah, perfect in his Generation; as Job, Vir simplex, a plain man without doubling. Gen. 6.9. Job 1.1. Matth. 5.8.Of that number he is to whom our Saviour pronounceth Blessedness, Blessed are the pure in heart. His heart is not defiled with Carnality or Hypocrisie; he consents not to uncleanness, nor unclean desires; he feeds not his eye with unlawful objects, nor his heart with filthy thoughts; strife, faction, sedition, pride, are unknown to him as for sordid and earthy worldliness; so far he is from the acts of injustice and violence, that covetousness, and the plots of oppression never stay upon his soul to defile it. As for hypocritical service, he knows not what it means; for he is severe against himself in any known sin; he doubles not with his God, nor yet divides his heart, alotting th s to Mammon, his own lusts, his own interests, and that other part to his God. Totus totus sincerus, i. e. sine cerâ, without any dross or dregs; foreign, so far from any counterfeit disguises, or artifice of deceit, that he fears not to take his trial in the Sun; with David, Ps. 139.23, 24.he dares to venture himself naked and bare unto Gods eye, saying, Prove me O Lord, and try me, search out my reins and my heart.
Which yet I would not have so understood as if I freed him from sin; for if we say we have no sin, we deceive our selves, and there is no truth in us. 1 John 1.8.Even we that have fellowship with the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ; we that have fellowship with all the Saints, we may not say we have no sin; for if we should, we put a fallacy on our selves, and are lyars; for the truth is, so long as we carry this flesh about us, somewhat of Carnality will remain to be purged out, somewhat of doubling, some reliques of hypocrisie and self-love, will interpose in the best actions; which yet because the man is humbled, and a penitent for them; which yet because this humble penitent struggles to Master, and will not suffer them to Tyrannize and Master him; the man, notwithstanding these spots of a son, passeth in Gods eye for a comely creature, and before men walking foreign, without complaint, there is no Reason given why any man should impute his humane frailties, or fasten the name of uncomely upon him.
Thus have I seen the picture of some eminent beauty drawn at first rudely, the limbs only and lineaments shaped out with a black Cole, and yet a man may say, the person, whose image it is, is a comely piece, even before the hand of the Painter hath passed upon it, draw'n it in colours to the life, or fil'd it up. Such beauty in her black lines the Spouse here had, a beauty of holiness compassed with infirmities; and therefore she makes use of a diminishing term; absolute beauty she layes no claim to, but only to comeliness, so much she durst assume to her self. The Epithete of fair, she left to her Spouse to bestow on her; that yet she was comely, was her Glory and Crown.
Yea, but was not this a tincture of arrogance in her? What though comely, must she boast of it? At first view this seems to have somewhat of a Pharisee in it, who boasted himself in the Temple: But far be it from us to conceive any such affectation, or high thoughts to be in the heart of this humble Spouse of Christ; it was not self-love or pride that caused this; that would have moved her to have dilated and amplified, and given us in a particular of her comeliness,Luke 18▪ 11. as it did the Phar…s e, Lord, I thank thee that I am not like other men, no Extortioner, &c. I fast twice in the week, &c. Whereas she comes over it only, and humbly professeth her blackness with the same breath, not removing …he one by asserting the other. Black, but comely; for it is a Paradiastole, and no Antith…sis.
Here then a pattern we have what other servants of God may do in the like case; so that humility be alwayes preserved, lawful it is to make known those Endowments which God hath bestowed upon us, especially by way of Apology,Greg. 19. Mor. cap. 14▪ & hom. 9. & 19. in Ezek. as here it was; because from thence there ariseth a double profit, as St. Gregory hath excellently taught us.
The first is, that God by the comeliness in his Saints may be more glorified; for it often falls out, that the words of a good man are little set by, and the speech of him is contemptible, whose life men know not. To stay this i…l opinion, Gods Messengers are compelled to acquaint the World with their Conversation, that anothers mans life may by that Example be reformed and changed; at lest, that ill opinion which otherwise might be had of them, be taken off:1 Sam. 12.3. Job 31. To this end was that Apology of Samuel, Whose Oxe have I taken? To this intent Job acquits himself; to this our Saviour, W…ich of you can convince me of sin? John 8.48.After the Apostle had commended his Apostleship, recounted his Revelations, gloried in his sufferings, he addes, I was a fool in boasting, but ye have comp lled me; 2 Cor. 12.11.that is, I may seem foolish in the commendation of my self, but so I am not; for I have not done it willingly, but out of a kind of necessity; not for my profit, but yours; 'tis for the glory of God that thus much be known, and may stir in you the greater veneration and attention to what I teach, and the readier imitation of me; though the person be weak, yet such a perswasion may be powerful.
But when a force is put upon any man to shew his own comeliness, this Caution would not be forgotten, which may be learned from the Spouse here, that first he be humbled for his blackness, before he make report of his comely features. She layes her foundation in humility; thus she begins, I am black, I will gladly rather glory of my infirmities; but for these you Daughters of Jerusalem insult over me; I would have you therefore to stay your invectives, and withall to consider, that I am comely also; of this you had not heard, had you not compelled me to it: For I would have you to know that I am of the same mind with all holy men, who more willingly set forth their own miseries and imperfections, than their glorious gifts; the blackness I acknowledge readily, willingly, humbly, the comeliness against my will; Gods glory, your good inforces me to it.
2. And yet there is another Reason that the Saints make report sometime of this their comeliness; it is done in the day of their calamity, when Gods hand is heavy upon them; then they hold up their drooping spirits, and preserve their souls from splitting on the Rock of Despair, by the prospect of their inherent comeliness;Cic. de senect. for multorum Benefactorum recordatio est jucundissima. Thus it was with Hezekiah, sick and dying as he thought, in that extremity he presents to God his former life, and prayes in this form, Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee with a perfect heart: Isa. 38.3.That perfect heart was now his comfort, and to that end only he makes mention of it, and yet even then he forgets not his blackness; for for very shame he turned his face to the Wall. This was also the comfort of Job, when his Friends insulted over him,Job 31. and laid to his charge hypocrisie, that he seem not to despair, he calls to memory his former good deeds, lists them in order, and presents them to these his miserable comforters: What is it that this good man upon his dunghill, and among his ulcers produceth h…s vertues? Let another mans mouth praise thee, saith Solomon; why is it then, that he commends his own work,Prov. 27.2. with his own lips? In this it may be thought there was either vanity or vainglory. But in this evil day, he remembers his good things, that he might not be swallowed up of despair; by rubbing up the memory of these, he remained as a Wall of Brass in his Adversity.
Justum & tenacem propositi virum
Non Jovis ira, &c. Mente quatit solida:
Si fractus illabatur orbis,
Impavidum ferient ruinae.
The Spouse was here set upon by the envious Daughters of Jerusalem, and therefore as another Job, she raiseth her self into a lively hope by the conscience of her own comeliness, upon which she desires them also to cast an eye, and not to despise her because she is black.
Look not upon me because I am black.Verse 6.
Ne respiciatis ad me, Look not over your shoulder as it were,Jun. with a frowning, envious, and superc…lious eye. Nolite considerare me, Vulg.consider me not to contemn, deride, despise me, because I am black, till you are acquainted how this dark face hath happened to me: And there is great Reason for this her request, this request, this motion to be made to them; They were Daughters of Hierusalem, children of the same Mother; they then the unfittest of all other to object her discoloured visage unto her.
Even Morality hath taught us thus much, to look upon those faults which black the countenance of others, with the affection of a Friend, or a Father; Love in a Friend covers a multitude of sins, it excuseth, it extenuates what is amiss; nay, so blind it is, that foreign;Theoc. Tull. De natura Deorum. A Wart in Ʋenus's face, may be a beauty, and the cast of Roscias's squint-eye, a Sun-beam. What should I say, that a Father will not see the imperfection of the Eye, the Leg, the Face of his son; but balbutit scaurum, Hor. Sat.lisps them into such extenuating syllables as may hide their deformities! Oh that our Mother the Church could find so much love from her own children, whom she hath conceived in her own womb, with whom she hath travelled in pain, nursed at her own breasts, and carried in her bosome. So much were but a just return for all her care and indulgence: But if this may not be had, yet candor at least and humanity ought to be expected. This she finds not, but instead thereof scorn, derision, contempt, and that not from the sons of Edom, but from the daughters of Jerusalem; this she here deprecates; look not upon me, scorn me not, deride me not, because I am fusca, or subingra, blackish, and of a dusky colour.
For with so envious and malignant an eye her own bowels look upon her, that si quid sincerum est cupiunt incrustare, they call that black which is not▪ her Rites and Ceremonies with them are undecent, the Government of her House is wholly Antichristian, her Forms of Service are superstitious, the Order she hath prescribed carnal, beggarly, dung, dross. Not a child of hers, though but of the Age of four or five and twenty, if you anger him, but will swear, if need were, that he hath more wit than his Mother, or all the Reverent Attendants that have been hitherto in her Family: Be it that she is able to produce as Ancient, and as good Records as any can be required for matter of Fact, that these objected spots were esteemed for the perfections of her beauty, when she was in her prime and youth, yet this will not satisfie; black forsooth she must be, because these sons of pride and envy will black her.
And if for that which is her beauty she must be thus looked upon, what think you then shall be done in those things in which she is black indeed? For from such a colour, observe it, she excuseth not her self; for she never was, nor never shall be absolutely fair: Not any Church of any one denomination there hath been, nor shall be, which hath not had her spots. Those that pretend to it, must with Petilian, provide a Ladder to climb to Heaven; for on Earth they shall not meet with any company of such Saints, except among those who say, Quod volumus sanctum est; Every thing and man is holy, that they please to call so: For either in Doctrine or Discipline, or Manners, there wi…l be somewhat or other exorbitant; and in these none are more commonly out of the way, than those who most find fault. I name none, lest I should stir a Nest of Hornets, and make the Daughters of Jerusalem more angry than they are.
This only I int…eat, that since the supposed blemishes of our Mother are but few, and her perfections many; that for these excellencies they would grant her an indulgence, and not look upon her with such an e…vious, scouling, bitter eye, for that blackness which they conceive to be in her, but shall never be able to prove. In her constitutions I know none; in the practice if any be found, I desire a suspension of invectives and bitterness, till it be inquired, how her face became thus black: and if it appear that it is not wholly through her default, but out of an avoidable necessity, the condition of her Pilgrimage being considered, I hope she may the easilier obtain a candid censure for her defects of perfect beauty. Now two causes I here find of it; the first from the Sun, the other from her sons; both she puts in to stay their anger and envy, alledging both to be the causes of her blackness, and first the Sun; Look not upon me because I am black.
Because the Sun hath looked upon me.
Though the guilt and punishment of Original sin be remitted in Baptism, yet the Root actually remains;Epiphan. and as the stump of a wild Fig in an old Wall will continue after the body is cut off, which ever and anon will be putting forth; so this old Adam even after our Lavor of Regeneration, still will root and live in us, and be ready to shoot forth; nor is it possible to unroot that wild Tree, but by taking asunder the stones; nor to destroy this luxuriant flesh, till death dissolve the man. This is the Incentive and Nurse of sin; this is that which works us to evil, and brings upon us a difficulty to good. As the Sun blacks the faces of those upon whom it shines with its scortching beams▪ so this heat of concupiscence within us, scortcheth, and blacks all our actions, and causeth them all to fall short of the glory of God. Rom. 3.23.Thus much the Spouse here hath elegantly expressed under a Metaphor of the Sun discolouring her: O Daughters of Hierusal…m, look not contemptibly upon me, for that I am black; and be not scandalized for this, or troubled; despise me not, conetmn me not; for this my blackness is not voluntarily contracted; I have not chosen it, but I suffer it full sore against my will; for the Sun hath discoloured me, and blacked me; Combussit me Sol, Torrefecit me Sol, Aquila. Theod. Symm.Torvè me inspexit Sol: The Sun hath scortched and roasted me; the Sun h…th looked sternly upon me; that is, that fiery lust of concupiscence in my bones, which being transfused from the loynes of Adam, yet burns within me, hath done this; and yet know, that this swarthy colour is only in my outside; that is, my flesh; for in the inward man, which is renewed by the Spirit, I am yet comely; so that I am not tota nigra, but subingra; not wholly black, though blackish.
What one of my Sons …ffirms of himself, is as true of all. See, he joynes them together, Beauty and Blackn…ss. Black he professeth himself by the importunity of his rebe…lious flesh, but yet very comely by the ornament of Gr…ce: I delight, Rom. 7.21.sai…h he, ('tis St. Paul) in the Law of God according to the inner-man; b…hold him comely in the Spirit; but I see another Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my minde, and leading me captive to the Law o sinne. See how black he is become by the flesh! And while the flesh lusts against the Spirit, Gal. 5.19.we cannot choose but remember we are in the Tents of Kedar. But when the spirit lusts against the flesh, we may be pleased to call to minde we are inclosed within the rich and beautiful Curtains of Solomon. But however since in this fight we receive many a Foile…, it must not be denied, that we contract black and blew wounds by it.
2. But I said too little of it; would they were but foiles; they prove flat fal…s. For in the fight we too often yield, and Act not what the Spirit, but what the flesh commands; either out of ignorance, or infirmity, or importunity, or daily surreption, would I could not say malice and presumption, we take part with the flesh. And the fire of the temptation is so scorching, that I reade no… any one of my Mothers Sons (except he who did no sinne) but have been black'd wi…h it. If we say we have no sinne, 1 Joh. 1.8. Prov. 24.16. Jam. 1.14.we deceive ou… se…v s, and there is no truth in us, saith St. John; and he means not only Original, but Actual sinne; for the just man falls seven times aday. For this innate corruption of our Nature is stirring, foreign, it tempts, it inticeth, it draws, it conceives, it brings forth sinne. This more or less blacks the face of Her sons; and for their sakes she also is said to have a dark countenance.
3. This colour, 'tis true, no sooner her good sonnes discern, but they are ready to wash their smutch'd faces. They take the teares of Repentance, and of them make a Bath to scoure off all their filth. But even then do they not appeare to the eye of the world Black? Their garments are those of Mourners, their faces are sad, their eyes are dejected, their cheeks are bebl…bber'd, their gate is soft, their voice of the Publican, not a look they dare cast to Heaven. Peccavi, Pater, peccavi, the sole words you can get from them. You may behold them, if you please, abhorring themselves in sack-cloth and ashes, renting their garments, and beating their breasts. And could you at the same time look within, you might behold a dark c ou… upon the soul, so that the poor penitent is even swallowed up with sorrow, 2 Cor. 2.7.that he hath offended so good, so gracious a God.
Now whence proceeds this down-look of the Soul, this face of sadness and bemoaning himself in the Body? whence these Doves eyes, these mourning Robes, these sad and amazing thoughts? The Spouse in this place shall tell you▪ Sol decoloravit, The Sun hath done it. Sol justitiae,Mal. 4.2. Luk. 1.78. The day-spring from on high; that is, God is pleased thus to discolour me. For when he could by Baptisme, if he would, have taken away this Rebellious flesh with which I am scorch'd and black'd, yet he was pleased that i… should dwell with me still, that I should not be over enamour'd of my beauty,Rom. 7.17. but for the defect of it, and the defects that flow from it, appear in this mourning weed before him.
And it is his grace and favour, that I do so appear. For it is the Sunne from above that hath put these sad thoughts in my heart, and these penitential Ornaments upon my back. For when he enlightned me to know him, and inflamed me to love him, at the same instant he pierced my heart with a radiant beam, that I might know my own wickedness, and acknowledge my sin, mourn for it, and hate it;Psa. 51.3. at which time though in his eye I may be faire, yet to all that look upon me I am but black.
And it is his eye that blacks me; for Repentance is his gift: Now we see clearly, Act. 11.17, 18.saith the Church, that God hath given Repentance to the Gentiles also unto life. Observe it, and you shall find these go together, his aspect, and godly sorrow. He calls Zebedees Sons, Matthew, Zachaeus, others,Mat. 4.18. Luk. 19.5. but still the Evangelists inform us, he saw them first. Ʋidit illos, He look'd upon them before they were Converts. But this is in none more evident, than in the conversion of St. Peter; The Lord, said the Sacred Text, turn'd about and look'd upon Peter, and then he went out and wept bitterly. Luk. 22.61.The burning flame of tentation had black'd Peter, brought him to deny and forswear the Lord of glory. Could there be likely a blacker soul? But the Sun of righteousness yet is pleased to behold him; the beams whereof toucht, and shin'd, and struck upon his heart, inflam'd and burnt him with a vehement grief and contrition proceeding from the love of his Master; and as I may so say, discolour'd him within, while it made him sad at Heart, heavy in his Countenance, and distill'd a River of salt teares from his eyes, with which he might steep and rense off his contracted swarthy hue, and recover the beauty of Grace which he lost. This Sun suffer'd him to be discolour'd, that it might colour him afresh; it black'd him to make him whiter, it burnt him to make him brighter: For a while it was, as I may say, ecclipsed to him, that it might shine upon him with the more comfortable Beames.
To give you farther light about this matter; It will be worth observation, that sinners are put in a threefold difference, the men being compared to tares,August. lib. 4. Evang. in Mat. c. 11. or chaff; to tares, which have a root in Nature quite different from the wheat; or to chaff, which with the wheat springs from the same graine and root. The first we call Infidels; the last are yet in the number of the faithful.
1. These, if truly of that number, are not Coal-black, but fusci, blackish; and that face is said to be such, which hath more of blackness in it: So the faithful though they be black'd with sin, and discolour'd, having lost much of their first love, the violence of concupiscence drawing them to consent to sin, yet still they retain much of their Faith and Hope, they hold still to the true Religion, and so cannot be properly said to be Nigri, but Subnigri; discoloured they are, but they are no Moors; Tawny, but not pure Aethiops.
2. And hence may proceed another difference betwixt the faithful and the Infidels: That the profession blacks the one; but the sin, that dwells in him and cannot be shaken off, blacks the other. For the cause of this discolouring in the Sons of the Church, is not to be imputed to their Mother, nor to the Law, nor to the Doctrine or Rule of life, in which they are brought up: For all these are Holy, and would keep, if observ'd, her Children in perfect beauty; the fault must be laid upon the heate of concupiscence, for by this they become sun-burnt: Whereas it is not this flame only of inbred lust that doth bring this colour of night upon the souls of Jews, Mahometans, Heretiques, and Sectaries, but their very profession, that teacheth lyes, and corrupts good manners; because they worship an Idol, an imagination, a false Christ; so that the more Religious, the more black: The best of them being a… a brier; Mic. 7.4.and the most upright sharper than a thorne hedge.
3. And yet there is a third difference betwixt sinners among Christians. Some mask only under the name, and others are true believers. Those sin without any remorse of conscience;Psa. 7.14. they plot mischief, and rejoyce to do evil. The Sun, I mean the Son of God, seldom looks upon these; and therefore they are not discolour'd, and appeare not in the mourning garments of Repentance. The other sin often, but they are led Captives by the tyranny of concupiscence, and their heart murmurs, and riseth against what they do; their Maids, that is, their affections lead them as with the voice of Doves, Nahum 2.7.tabring upon their breasts. Whence it comes to pass, that the Sun of Righteousness looks upon, discolours them with mourning, lamentation, and tears of Repentance, that they may recover their first and true colour, and be restored to the image in which they were created. Of these the Prophet Zachary speaks, The feeble among them at that day shall be as David.Zach. 12.8. In that day of their godly sorrow as David these feeble ones shall be, not like Saul. For Saul repented not, amended not, but daily grew worse and worse; and consequently, blacker and blacker. But David had alwayes his iniquity before him, he acknowledg'd his wickedness, and so bath'd away his spots: So do the true Sons of the Church, sin as David, but cry peccavi as David; and so notwithstanding their blackness, or rather a seeming staine and tincture of it, acquire so much beauty that they are Comely in Gods Eye.
The Apostle reckons up seven effects of godly sorrow; 2 Cor. 7.11.among which zeal and revenge are the last; to which when any penitent comes, you shall find him black enough, whether his zeal moves him to take revenge either upon himself, or else to vindicate Gods Honor.
Let St. Paul be for an example; I run, saith he, but not uncertainly; 1 Cor. 9.26.I fight, but not as one that beats the aire, and therefore I chastise, and bring my body into subjection. Afraid he was of some Rebellion and resistance or other from this proud Beast his flesh, that might retard and hinder him in his course; and therefore wisely demit de hordeo, he fasts, and abates of his allowance, and ever and anon gives it a penitential blow to keep it in order.Luk. 18.11. And to what other end were that blow which the Publican gave himself on his breast? and that other stroak which Ephraim fix'd upon his thigh?Jer. 31.19. was it not out of heat and zeal to be reveng'd on that body which drew them to that sinne? whence no man can call Paul beautiful, for foreign, he gave his flesh, as it were; a black eye: As for the Publican, so much shame was in his face, that he durst not lift up his eyes to Heaven. And I see Ephraim at that time bemoaning himself. The countenance then could be no other than that of the night, which no man will call faire and amiable. But the truth of this appears not in any man more than in Job; He was totum pro corpore vulnus, a Botch rather than a man; nothing but boyles, from the crown of his head, to the sole of his …oot, Job 2.7, 8.and yet he took a potsherd to scrape himself withal. Upon which words Origen hath this Note, He took not any soft thing, no fine lint, or gentle foment,Origen. lib. 2. in Job. to wipe and clense his wounds, but he catch'd up the rough sherd of some broken pot, to raze away the scurfe, and to vex his sores. O blessed Job, say, why do'st thou this? why art thou thus so severe to thy self? why dost thou adde to thy pain? when thou ought'st to have taken Towels of the softest lint to have clens'd, water to have washed, oyles and balsome to have anointed and suppled, lenitives to have mitigated those boyles and ulcers, why is it that thou dost thus anger them with the rough edge of a sharp pot? This just man may be supposed to Answer, I nor yield to the Devils rage, nor yet fall under these his blows. Sore I am, but I am not wearied; sick, but I faint not: For these dolours do not exceed my valiant soul; nor are these torments harder than my heart; and therefore I take this Tile and Rake in these sores, and search them with it to the quick, that by provoking the pain, I might shew my enemy, how little I regarded his malice; that since liberty was given him to make me thus foule, I was content even with a test to open and witness my foulness, the sight whereof I knew would vex him, even as a thing that is raw. No beauty then at all may be found in any of our Mothers Sonnes, when out of zeal, and hatred of their own wayes, they have put upon themselves some severities and sharp penance for their sinnes.
4. No nor yet any beauty, when they are carried away with the zeale of their Masters Honor: Then they have been transported even beyond themselves,Deut. 9.17. Num. 20.10. 2 Sam. 6.14. and done such things, which did not much become them. Moses a meek man, yet being provoked first by Aarons Calf, after by the Rebellious Rout, breaks the two Tables written by Gods own finger, and smites the Rock. What was it that caused David to dance before the Ark in a linnen Ephod, except his zeal? which was so uncomely an habit for a King, that he was derided for it by his Wife Michal, to which he only return'd this Answer, I will be yet more vile, yet more uncomely. What, should I mention St. P…ter arm'd with a Sword?Joh. 18.10. Luk. 9.55. that became not an Apostle, or the two Disciples, that would by their good-wills have fire from Heaven to consume, which became not the Spirit of the Gospel! But to omit others, be pleased to behold the example of examples, Christ himself, of whom David had fore-told, and he made his words good, The zeal of thy House hath eaten me up. Whence, forgetting his mildness, being set as it were, on fire with zeale,Psa. 69.9. Joh. 2.15. he makes a whip of small Cords, and drives the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple. A whip in the hand of a Lamb was no comely sight; and yet his zeal made him far yet more uncomely when he was scourged, spet on, mocked, crucified; at what time his beauty was so far marr'd, that there was no form nor comeliness in him that we should desire him, Isa. 53.2. Isa. 9 7.If you will know the cause, the Prophet shall resolve you, The zeal of the Lord of Hosts hath done this.
And happy is that soul that is thus discolour'd, who is content, for Gods glory, to seem in the eyes of men uncomely. It is good, saith the Apostle, to be zealous in a good matter. Gal. 4.18. Phil. 2.21. Ezek. 2.6.The matter must be good, or else the zeal is stark …aught; and good it will never be, if we seek our own, not Christs. We live among briers and thornes, this may discolour us, but yet let us even for these deform our countenance a little further: To appear in Sack-cloth and Ashes for them, to weep Rivers of teares for their enormities, to send up in prayers the voice of a Dove for their conversion, to be constant in tribulation and persecution, so we may gaine them, may be to the eye of flesh and blood an uncomely sight, but in the eye of God our face will then appear most beautiful. Let then this fiery zeal of Charity, burn, black, toste, discolour you, so that with a good conscience you can take up those words after St. Paul, Quotidie morior fratres propter gloriam v…stram, as the old Translator renders it.1 Cor. 15.31.
As if he had said, for your salvation, and your conversion which is my glory as well as yours, I suffer within, without many things; I am discoloured, black, and without beauty; quotidie morior, I carry the face of death. This, Serm. 28 in Cant. 2 Cor. 11.29.saith Bernard, is to be burnt and discolour'd by the Sun, to be inflam'd with brotherly charity, to weep with those that weep, to be weak with those who are weak, and to burn with those who are offended, and to do all he can, that the scandals may be removed.
But that word Morior, I die, hath an Emphasis in it; for no man dies with this Zeal, but he that dies to himself, to his …wn profits and honours, and all worldly glory and beauty,1 Cor. 10.24. Not seeking th…se things which are his own, but which are Jesus Christs, and his Neighbours, and would be content to spend his wealth, his wit, his blood, his life, for that end. This is the man that may truly say, Decoloravit me Sol: For who is so much discolour'd and pale, as a man so dead? Now such a death proceeds from Love and Zeal:Cant. 8.6. Love b…ing as strong as death, killing the Lover, to give life to the Beloved; but yet while he thus dyes to himself, he lives happily; for he lives to his God, and shall live with him for ever and ever. Amen.