Sermons in One Volume, Sermon 2 – Religious treatise 4
THE AFFINITIE OF THE FAITHFVL.
Luke 8.
19 Then came to him his Mother, & his Brethren, and could not come neare him for the preaſe.
20 And it was told him by certaine which ſayd, thy mother and thy brethren ſtand without, and would ſee thee.
21 But he anſwered, and ſaid vntounto them, My Mother & my brethren are theſe which heare the word of God, and do it.
HEre is Chriſt preaching, a great preaſe hearing, his mother and his friends interrupting, & Chriſt againe withſtanding the interruption, with a comfortable doctrine of his mercies toward them which heare the word of God, and doe it. When Chriſt was about a good worke, and many were gathered together to heare him, the Diuell thought with him ſelfe as the Prieſtes and Sadduces did in the fourth of the Acts; If I let him alone thus, all the world will follow him, and I ſhall be like Rachel without children: therefore deuiſing the likelieſt pollicie to fruſtrate & diſgrace but one of his Sermons, thereby to make the people more vnwilling to heare him againe;Gen. 3. 6. as he ſet Eue vponupon Adam, and made Iobs wife his inſtrument,Iob 2. 9. when hee could not fit it himſelfe: ſo he ſendeth Chriſts Mother, and putteth in the mind of his kinſmen to come vntounto him at that inſtant, when he was in this holy exerciſe, & call vponupon him while he was preaching, to come away, and go with them.
Chriſt ſeeing the ſerpents dealing, how he had made his mother his tempter, that all his Auditorie might go away emptie, and ſay, where they came; We heard the man which is called Ieſus, and he began to preach vntounto vsus, with ſuch words, as though he would carie vsus to Heauen; but in the middeſt of his Sermon came his Mother and Brethren to him, that it might be knowen what a Kinſman they had: and ſo ſoone as hee heard that they were come, ſuddenly he brake off his Sermon and ſlipt away from vsus, to go and make merrie with them. Chriſt, I ſay, ſeeing this traine laid by Sathan to diſgrace him, (as he doth all his Miniſters) did not leaue off ſpeaking, as they thought he would: but, as if God had appointed all this to credite and renowne him; that which was noyſed here to interrupt his doctrine, he taketh for an occaſion to teach another doctrine, that there is a nearer Coniunction betweene Chriſt and the faithfull, then betweene the mother and the ſonne, which are one fleſh. Therefore, when they ſay, Thy mother and thy brethren are come to ſpeake with thee, hee pointeth to his hearers and ſaith; Theſe are my mother and my brethren, which heare the word of God and doe it: as if hee ſhould ſaie, I hauehave a Mother indeede which brought me foorth, but in reſpect of them which heare the word of God, and doe it, ſhe is like a ſtepmother, and theſe are like a naturall mother.
With this wiſe anſwer hee quieted the Auditors, and made them heare him better then they did before. For now they thought with themſelues, what man is this which loueth vsus more then his mother? his mother called him, and yet he would not go from vsus: his brethren ſtay for him, and he maketh as if he did not know them, but ſaith; Who is my mother? who are my brethren?
Thus Chriſt ſtood vp as it were in an indignation againſt Sathan, and ſaide; Sathan, this Sermon was not begun for thee, neither ſhall it end for thee: this worke was not done for my mother, neither ſhall it be left for my mother. Thus he caught the diuell with his owne baite, and made the people more louing and attentiue towardes him, by that which Satan thought to diſgrace him. He was ſo armed with the Spirite, that let the diuell tempt him, or the woman tempt him, or princes tempt him, all is one.
Here are two doubtes: the firſt is, the difference betweene the Euangeliſts: For Mathew ſaith that one brought this meſſage:Mat. 12. 47 Marke and Luke attribute it to mo;Mar. 3. 31. both may ſtand:Luk. 8. 20. for the word which his mother gaue of calling him foorth, was receiued of the reſt, and ſo paſſed amongſt many till it came to Chriſt: ſo that one may be ſayd to bring this meſſage, becauſe one noyſed it firſt: and many may be ſayd to bring this meſſage, becauſe many noyſed it after.
The ſecond doubt is, becauſe Chriſt had no brethren, how they ſaid; Thy brethren would ſpeake with thee?
You muſt vnderſtand, that they which are heere called Chriſtes brethren, were his Coſens by the mothers ſide: that is, her ſiſters children: for there were three Maries, and theſe three were ſiſters: Marie the virgin, Marie the mother of Iames, & Marie the daughter of Cleophas, whoſe ſonnes theſe were: their names were Iames, Ioſeph, Iudas, and Simon; and they are called the Lordes brethren, becauſe they were kinne vntounto him. Therefore note that in holie Scripture there be foure ſortes of brethren: Brethren by nature,Gen. 27. 30. ſo Eſau and Iacob were called brethren, becauſe they had one father, and one mother: Brethren by nation, ſo all the Iewes are called brethren,Den. 15. 12. becauſe they were of one Countrey: Brethren by conſanguinitie, ſo all are called brethren which are of one familie,Gen. 13. 8. and ſo Abraham called Lot his brother, and Sarah his ſiſter,Gen. 12. 13. becauſe they were of one line: Brethren by profeſſion, ſo all Chriſtians are called Brethren,Mat. 23. becauſe they are of one Religion: Theſe were Brethren of the third order, that is of Conſanguinitie, becauſe they were of one Familie.
Now when his Mother, and his Brethren were come to ſee him, it is ſayd, that they could not come neare him for the preaſe. Here were Auditors inough: Chriſt flowed now with Diſciples, that his mother coulde hauehave no roome to heare him, but after a while it was low water againe.
When the ſhepheard was ſtroken,Mat. 26. 31 the ſheepe were ſcattered: when he preached in the Streetes, and in the Temple, and in the Fieldes, then manie flocked after him: but when he preached vponupon the Croſſe, then they left him, which ſayd they would neuer forſake him: then there was as great a preaſe to ſee him dye, as there was heere to heare him preach:Mat. 27. and many of theſe which ſeemed like Bretheren, and Siſters, were his betrayers, and his accuſers, and his perſecutors, ſo inconſtant we are in our zeale, more than in any thing elſe.
Thus much of their comming and calling to Chriſt, now to the doctrine which lieth in it.
Heere be two Speakers: one ſayth, Thy Mother and thy Brethren are come to ſpeake with thee: the other ſaith, Theſe are my Mother, and Brethren, which heare the worde of God, and doe it. The ſcope of the Euangeliſt is this: Firſt, that Chriſt would not hinder his doctrine for mother, or brethren, or any kinſman: Then, to ſhewe that there is a nearer coniunction between our Sauiour Chriſt and the Faithfull, than betweene the mother and the ſonne.
The firſt is written for our inſtruction, and the latter is written for our comfort. Touching the firſt,Exod. 20. he which teacheth vsus to honor our father and mother, doth not teach vsus here to contemne father and mother, becauſe hee ſpeakes of another mother: for it is ſaid; That he was obedient to his parents, Luk. 2. 46.in Luke 2. This he ſheweth, when being found in the temple among the Doctors, hee left all to goe with his mother, becauſe ſhe ſought him: ſo he honoured her, that hee left all for her. This hee ſhewed againe at his death, being vponupon the croſſe, he was not vnmindfull of her: for pointing vntounto Iohn,Ioh. 19. 26. hee ſaid; Behold thy mother: and pointing vntounto her, he ſaid; Woman behold thy ſonne: ſo he commended her to his beloued Diſciple before he dyed.
Therefore this is not a doctrine of diſobedience, but a rule how to obey. As he taught his Diſciples to giuegive vntounto Caeſar that which is Caeſars,Mat. 22. 21 and to God that which is Gods:Luk. 20. 25. ſo hee teacheth vsus here,Mat. 19. to giuegive vntounto parents that which is parents, & to the Lord, that which is the Lordes. When God ſaide, Honour thy father and thy mother, Exod. 20.hee did not giuegive a commaundement agaynſt himſelfe: and therefore he ſaith; Honour me, before hee ſaith Honour them. The firſt commandement is Honour God, and the fift commandement is nour thy Parents; leaſt you ſhould honor your Parents before God.1. Kin. 2. 20. When Salomon bad his mother aske him anie thing, he ſignified that the mother ſhould be obeied in many things; but whē he denied his Mother that one thing which ſhe asked, he ſheweth that the Mother ſhould not be obeied in al things. Whē Chriſt ſaide,Mat. 23. 9. You hauehave but one Father, and one Maſter, he ſpeakes of Faith and Religion, ſhewing; that when it concerneth our Faith and Religion, we ſhould reſpect but one Father and one maſter, which is the giuer of our faith and the maſter of our Religion.
When Paule ſaid,Eph. 6. 1. Children obey your Parents in the Lord, hee meaneth not that wee ſhoulde obeye them againſt the Lorde; As when hee ſaith,Rom. 13. 5. Obey Princes for conſcience ſake, hee meaneth not that wee ſhould obey them againſt conſcience. Therefore when it commeth to this, that the earthly father commaundeth one thing, and the heauenly Father commaundeth another thing; then as Peter anſwered the Rulers, ſo maieſt thou anſwere thy Parents; Whether is it meete to obey God, or you? Then theſe are the hands which thou muſt cut off, then theſe are the eyes which thou muſt pull out: or elſe they ſhould be as deare vntounto thee, as thy hand or thine eye.
In the nineteenth of Mathew, A man muſt forſake his father & his mother, to dwel with his wife. In the ſixteenth of Luke, he muſt forſake father, & mother, & wife too, to dwel with Chriſt: For He which forſaketh father or mother for me, ſhall receiue more, ſaith our Sauiour.Luk. 14. 26. Nay, He which doth not hate father, or mother, or wife for me, can not be my Diſciple. Shewing, that our louelove toward God ſhould be ſo great, that in reſpect of it, our louelove towards men ſhould ſeeme but hatred. Thus he which obeyed his parents more than we, yet would hauehave ſome rule, ſome ſentence, ſome example in Scripture of not obeying them too, becauſe it is ſuch a hard point, to know how farre they are to be obeyed, which are ſet in authoritie ouer vsus.
As none but God ſpeaks alwaies aright, ſo none but God muſt alwayes be obeyed: we are not called onelyonly the ſonnes of men, but we are called the ſonnes of God. Gen. 6. 2.Therefore, as Chriſt anſwered his mother, when ſhe would hauehave him turne water into wine, Woman, what hauehave I to do with thee? Iohn 2.ſo wee ſhould anſwere father, and mother, and brethren, and ſiſters, and rulers, and maiſters, and wife too, when they will vsus to do that which is not meete, What hauehave I to do with you? For to leaue doing good, and do euill, were not to turne water into wine, but to turne wine into water. Peter was not Sathan, but when he tempted Chriſt like Sathan, Chriſt anſwered him as he anſwered Sathan,Mat. 16. 23 Come behind me Sathan: ſhewing, that we ſhould giuegive no more attention vntounto father, or mother, or maſter, or wife, when they tempt vsus to euill, than we would giuegive vntounto Sathan, if he ſhould tempt vsus himſelfe.
Three things children receiue of their parents; life, maintenance, and inſtruction. For theſe three they owe other three: for life, they owe louelove; for maintenance, they owe obedience; for inſtruction, they owe reuerence; for life, they muſt be loued as fathers; for maintenance, they muſt be obeyed as maiſters; for inſtruction, they muſt be reuerenced as Tutors. But as there is a king of kings, which muſt be obeyed aboue kings: ſo there is a father of fathers, which muſt be obeyed aboue fathers; therfore, ſometime you muſt anſwer like the ſonne, when he was bid go into his fathers vineyard, I will go: and ſometime you muſt anſwer as Chriſt anſwered, I muſt go about my Fathers buſineſſe.
When two milch kine did carrie the Arke of the Lord to Bethſhemeſh, their calues were ſhut vp at home, becauſe the kine ſhuld not ſtay, when they heard their calues crie after them: ſo when thou goeſt about the Lordes buſineſſe, thou ſhalt heare a crie of thy Father, and thy Mother and thy brethren, and thy Siſters, and thy Kinred, to ſtaie thee; but then thou muſt thinke of another father, as Chriſt thought of another Mother: and ſo as theſe Kine went on till the Lord brought thē where the Arke ſhould reſt; ſo thou ſhalt go on till the Lord bring thee where thou ſhalt reſt. It is better to flie from our friends, as Abraham did,Gen. 11. 31 and 12. 1. then to ſtay with ſome friends,Iudg. 16. 4. &c. as Sampſon did with Dalila.
I may ſay, Beware of Kinſmen, as well as our Sauiour ſaid, Beware of men. For this reſpect of couſenage made Eli his ſons Prieſts;1. Sam. 2. and this reſpect of couſenage hath made manie like Prieſtes in Englande: this reſpect of couſenage made Samuels ſonnes Iudges,1. Sam. 8. 1. and this reſpect of couſenage hath made manie like Iudges in England: this reſpect of couſenage brought Tobias into the Leuits chamber & this reſpect of couſenage hath brought manie Gentlemen into Preachers liuinges,Neh. 13. 45 which will not out againe. As Chriſt preferred his ſpirituall kinſmen, ſo we preferre our earthly kinſmen. Manie priuiledges, many offices, and many benefices hauehave ſtooped to this voice, Thy Mother calleth thee, or thy Kinſmen would hauehave thee.
As this voice came to Chriſt while he was labouring, ſo many voyces come to vsus while we are labouring. One ſaith, Pleaſure would ſpeake with you: another ſaith, profit would ſpeake with you: another ſaith, Eaſe would ſpeake with you: another ſaith, a Deanrie would ſpeake with you: another ſaith; a Biſhopricke would ſpeake with you: another ſaith, the Court woulde ſpeake with you.
When a man is in a good way, and ſtudieth the Scriptures, to bee a teacher in the Church; a voyce commeth to his eare, as this came to Chriſts, and faith; Thy frends would hauehave thee ſtudie the Lawe, for by Diuinitie thou ſhalt attaine to no preferment; & thine owne Flocke wil vexe thee, or the Biſhop wil ſtop thy mouth. This wind ſomtime turneth Ionas his ſailes from Niniue to Tharſhiſh,Ionas 1. & makes him burie his talent.
If he be a Diuine alreadie, and preach his conſcience, a voyce commeth vntounto him againe, as this did to Chriſt, and ſaith; Thy friendes would hauehave thee be quiet, or there bee Spies which note what thou ſayeſt, or there be fellowes which lye in wayte for thy Liuing: ſo ſometimes (with a little intreatie) he beginneth to drawe vp his hand, and lay his finger on his mouth, and preach peace when he is ſent with warre. Thus we are cumbred like our maſter, before our Sermons, and in our Sermons, and after our Sermons, euen of them ſometime, which ſhould encourage vsus:…. 14 and therefore as Chriſt ſaith, Beware of men, ſo ſay I, Beware of kinſmen.
So ſoone as the Children bee borne, their Parents bring them to the Temple, and baptiſe them, & offer them to God: but ſo ſoone as they be able to ſerue him, they tempt them away from him, to Lawe, or Phiſicke, or Merchandiſe, or Husbandrie, and had rather they ſhould be of any Tribe, thā of the Tribe of Leui,Num. 3. 6. 7. 8. which ſerueth in the Temple. Hee which will be hindred, ſhall hauehave blockes inough: but we muſt learne to leape ouer all, as Chriſt leaped ouer this. If we ſhould leaue Father, and Mother, and Wife, and Children for Chriſt; much leſſe ſhould wee care for labour, or loſſe, or ſhame, or trouble, or diſpleaſure; for wee woulde aduenture theſe for our friendes. Thus much of his naturall kindred: now of his ſpirituall kindred.
Here is another genealogie of Chriſt, which Mathew and Luke neuer ſpake of. As Chriſt ſaith. I hauehave another bread which you knowe not: ſo he ſaith, I hauehave other kinſmen which you know not.
Saint Iohn writing to a Ladie,2. Iohn 1. 1. which brought vp her children in the feare of God, calleth her the elect Ladie: ſhewing, that the chiefeſt honour of Ladies, and Lordes, and Princes, is to be elect of God. Saint Luke ſpeaking of certaine Beroeans,Act 17. 11. which receiued the word of God with louelove, calleth them More noble than the reſt: ſhewing, that God counteth none noble, but ſuch as are of a noble Spirite. As Iohn calleth none elect, but the vertuous; and Luke calleth none noble, but the religious: ſo Chriſt calleth none his kinſmen, but the righteous: and of thoſe onelie hee ſaieth, Theſe are my Mother, and my Brethren, which heare the word of God, and doe it.
As Abrahams Children are not counted Children after the fleſh,Rom. 9. 8. but Children after the ſpirite: ſo Chriſtes Kindred are not counted Kindred after the fleſh, but kindred after the Spirite;Gen. 1. for the fleſh was not made after the Image of God, but the ſpirit was made after his Image: therefore God is not called the Father of bodies, but the Father of Spirites.
Now, God (which is a Spirite) preferreth them which are a kinne to him in the Spirite. Therefore Eſau was not bleſſed, becauſe hee was of Iſaacks fleſh, but Iacob was bleſſed, becauſe he was of Iſaacks Spirite. As wee louelove in the fleſh, ſo Chriſt loueth in the ſpirit, therefore he calleth none his kinſemen, but them which heare the word of God, and do it.
It ſeemeth that Paule thought of this ſaying,Gal. 4. when he ſaid; Till Chriſt be formed in you. If Chriſt be formed in vsus, as Paule ſaith, then we are Chriſts mother: euerie one which wil hauehave Chriſt his ſauiour, muſt be Chriſts mother. The virgin asked the angel how ſhe could beare Chriſt ſeeing ſhe had not knowen a man? Luke Chapter 1. Verſe 24. ſo you may aske how you can beare Chriſt, ſeeing he is borne alreadie?
As there is a ſecond comming of Chriſt, ſo there is a ſecond birth of Chriſt. When we are borne againe, then Chriſt is borne againe: the virgin was his mother by the fleſh,Mat. 25. & the faithfull are his mother by the ſpirit:Luke 21. the holy Ghoſt doth conceiue him in them: hee was in her wombe, and he is in their hearts: ſhee did beare him, and they doe beare him: ſhee did nurſe him, and they do nurſe him. This is the ſecond birth of Chriſt. As the ſoule of man may bee called,2. Cor. 3. 16. The Temple of the holie Ghoſt, which is the third perſon: ſo it may be called the wombe of the Sonne, which is the ſecond perſon.
Before theſe words it is ſaide, that Chriſt asked, Who are my brethren? as if hee ſhould ſay, you thinke that I am affected to my kinſmen, as you are: but I tell you that I count them my kinſmen, which heare the word of God and do it. To ſhewe that Chriſt loueth vsus with an euerlaſting LoueLove, hee ſheweth that hee doth not louelove vsus for anie Temporall things, but for that which doth endure for euer.
If Chriſt loued vsus,Gen. 25. 28. as Iſaack loued Eſau, for veniſon, then we might miſſe the bleſſing as Eſau did: But as Iohn ſaith; He loued in the truth, ſo Chriſt loueth in the truth. To louelove in the truth, is the true louelove: euerie louelove but this at one time or other hath turned into hatred, as the truth ouercommeth falſhood.
Nowe for this louelove, Chriſt calleth them by all the names of louelove, his father, and his brethren, and his ſiſters. In Rom. 6. they are called his ſeruants. If that be not enough, in the fifteēth of Iohn they are called his friends. If that be not enough, in the third of Marke they are called his kinſmen. If that be not enough, in the foure & twentith of Luke they are called his brethren. If that be not enough, in Mark 1. they are called his children. If that be not enough, here they are called his mother. If that be not enough, in Cantic. 5. they are called his Spouſe, to ſhewe that hee loued them with all loues; the Mothers louelove, the Brothers louelove, the Siſters louelove, the Maſters louelove, and the Friends louelove. If all theſe Loues could be put together, yet the louelove of Chriſt exceedeth them all: and the Mother, and the Brother, and the Siſter, and the Childe, and the kinſmen, and the Friende, and the Seruant, would not do, and ſuffer ſo much among them all, as Chriſt hath done, and ſuffered for vsus alone. Such a louelove we kindle in Chriſt, when we heare his word, and do it, that wee are as deare vntounto him, as all his kinred together.
Now as wee are his Mother, ſo ſhould we carrie him in our heartes, as his mother did in her armes. As wee are his Bretheren, ſo wee ſhould preferre him, as Ioſeph did Beniamin, Geneſis, Chapter fortie three, Verſe fortie three. As we are his Spouſe, ſo ſhould we imbrace him as Iſaac did Rebecca: if thou be a kinſman, do like a kinſman.
Now wee come to the markes of theſe kinſmen, which I may call the Armes of his houſe: As Chriſt ſaith; By this all men ſhall knowe my Diſciples, if they louelove one another, ſo hee ſaith; By this ſhall all men knowe my kinſmen, if they heare the word of God, and doe it.
As there is a kindred by the Fathers ſide, and a kindred by the Mothers ſide, ſo there is a kindred of Hearers, and a kindred of dooers. In Matthew it is ſaide, Hee which heareth the Wil of my Father, and doth it: Here it is ſaide, Hee which heareth the worde of God and dooth it: both are one; For his word is his will, and therefore it is called his will. Pſalme 119.
As he ſpake there of dooing, ſo hee ſpeaketh here of a certaine rule, which hee calleth the worde of God, whereby all mens workes muſt be ſquared: For if I do all the workes that I can, to ſatisfie an others will, or mine owne will; it auaileth mee nothing with God, becauſe I doe it not for GOD. Therefore, hee which alwaies before followed his owne will, when hee was ſtricken downe and beganne to repent,Acts 9. cried out: Lorde, what wilt thou hauehave mee to doe? as if hee ſhould ſay, I will doe no more as men woulde hauehave mee, or as the Diuell would hauehave mee, or as the fleſh would hauehave mee, but as thou wouldſt hauehave me.
So Dauid prayed, Teach mee O Lord to doe thy will: not my will, for wee neede not to bee taught to doe our owne will, no more than a Cuckoe, to ſing Cuckoe her owne name. Euerie man can goe to hell without a guide.
Here is the rule nowe, if you liue by it, then are you kinne to Chriſt: as other kinreds go by birth, and marriage, ſo this kinred goes by faith and obedience. Hearers are but halfe kin, as it were in a farre degree; but they that heare and do, are called his Mother, which is the neareſt kinred of all. Therfore if you hauehave the deed, then you are kin indeed; there is no promiſe made to hearers, nor to ſpeakers, nor to readers: but all promiſes are made to beleeuers, or doers.
If you aske God who ſhall dwell in the holie Mountaine;Pſa. 15. 2. he ſaith, The man which walketh vprightly. Here are none but dooers: If you aske Chriſt who ſhall enter into the kingdome of heauen,Mat. 7. 21. he ſaith; Not they which crie Lord, Lord, (though they crie twiſe Lord) but they which do the will of my father: here are none but dooers. If you aske him againe, howe you may come to heauen, hee ſaith,Luke. 18. Keepe the Commaundements: here are none but doers. If you aske him againe, who are bleſſed?Reu. 22. 7. he ſaith; Bleſſed are they that heare the word of God and do it: here are none but doers. If you aske an Angell, who are bleſſed, he ſaith; Bleſſed are they which keepe the words of this booke: here are none but dooers. If you aske Dauid, who are bleſſed? he ſaith; The man is bleſt which keepeth iudgement, Pſa. 106. 3.and doeth righteouſnes: here are none but doers. If you aske Salomon, who are bleſſed? hee ſaith; The man is bleſſed which keepeth the law: here are none but doers. If you aske Eſay, who are bleſſed?Eſay 50. 2. he ſaith; Hee which doeth this is bleſſed: here are none but doers: If you aske Iames who are bleſſed?Iam. 1. 25. he ſaith; The doer of the word is bleſſed in his deede: heere are none but dooers. Thus bleſſing and dooing runne together.
Leaſt any man ſhould looke to be bleſſed without obedience,Mat. 7. 21. Chriſt calleth LoueLove the greateſt commaundement:Ro. 12. 13. but Salomon calleth Obedience the end of all, as though without obedience all were to no end.
When Michah had got a Leuite into his houſe,Iudg. 17. 8. Now (ſaith hee) I know the Lord will be good vntounto mee, ſeeing I hauehave a Leuite in my houſe: So many thinke, when they hauehave gotten a Preacher into their pariſh; Now the Lorde will be good vntounto vsus, now Chriſt will louelove vsus, now we are good ſonnes, ſeeing we maintain a Preacher amongſt vsus. But Michah was not bleſſed for a Leuite, nor you for a Preacher: but as you would hauehave vsus do as we teach, ſo God woulde hauehave you doe as you heare: for you ſhalbe no more ſaued for hearing, than we are for ſpeaking.
When God created the Tree,Gen. 1. hee commanded it to bring foorth fruite: ſo when he createth Faith, he commaundeth it to bring foorth workes: and therefore it is called a liuely Faith. VVhen our Sauiour woulde prooue him ſelfe vntounto Iohn, to be the true Meſſias indeed, he ſayd to his Diſciples, Tell Iohn what things you hauehave heard and ſeene: Matth. 11. 4. not onelyonly heard, but ſeene: So if wee will prooue our ſelues to be Chriſtes kinſmen indeede, we muſt worke that thing which may be ſeene as well as heard. Iohn was not onelyonly called, The voyce of a Crier, Luke the ſeuenth Chapter and two & twentieth verſe, but, Aburning Lampe, Mathew chap. 3. verſe 3. which might be ſeene: ſo all which are crying voyces, muſt be burning Lampes.
Iames dooth not ſay, Let me heare thy faith,Iames 2. 18 but Let me ſee thy faith. As the Angels put on the ſhape of men,Gen. 18. 2. that Abraham might ſee them: ſo faith muſt put on works, that the world may ſee it. The workes which I do (ſaith Chriſt) beare witneſſe of me: Iohn 5. 16.So the workes which wee doe, ſhould beare witneſſe of vsus. Therefore Chriſt linketh Faith and Repentance together. Repent and beleeue the Goſpell. Marke the firſt chapter, verſe fifteene. Therefore I conclude, That which Chriſt hath ioyned, let no man ſeparate. Marke chap. 10. ver. 9.
Thus I hauehave ſhewed you Chriſt preaching, a great preaſe hearing, his Friends and Kinsfolke interrupting, and Chriſt againe withſtanding the interruption: By this you may ſee what a ſpirite the diuell hath to hinder one Sermon, therfore no maruell though he cauſe ſo many to be put to ſilence; no maruell though he ſtand ſo againſt a learned Miniſterie; no maruell though he raiſe vp ſuch ſlaunders vponupon Preachers; no maruell though he write ſo manie bookes againſt the Chriſtian Gouernment in the Church; no maruel though he make ſo manie Non-reſidents; no maruel though he ordain ſo many dumbe Prieſtes; for theſe make him the God of this world.
The Diuell is afrayde that one Sermon will conuert vsus, and we are not moued with twentie: So the diuell thinketh better of vsus than we are.
Againe, by this you may learne howe to reſiſte and withſtande temptations: whether it bee thy father which tempteth thee, thy mother which tempteth thee, or thy brother which tempteth thee, or thy ſiſter which tempteth, or thy kinſman which tempteth, or Rulers which tempteth, or Maſter which tempteth, or wife which tempteth. As Chriſt would not know his mother, againſt his father: ſo thou ſhouldſt not know any father, or mother, or brother, or ſiſter, or friend, or kinſman, or maſter, or childe, or wife againſt God. If the mothers ſute may be refuſed ſometime, a noble mans letter may be refuſed too: Hee that can turne his hinderance to a furtherance as Chriſt did heere, may make vſe of euerie thing.
Againe, by this you may learne how to chooſe your friends. As Chriſt counted none his kinſmen but ſuch as heare the worde of God and doe it: ſo we ſhould make none our familiars, but ſuch as Chriſt counteth his kinſmen.
Againe, you may ſee the difference betweene Chriſt and the worlde: Chriſt calleth the godly his kinſmē, be they neuer ſo poore; and we ſcorne to call the poore our kinſmen, be they neuer ſo honeſt, ſo proude is the ſeruant aboue his maſter.
Againe, by this you may ſee how Chriſt is to be loued, for when hee calleth vsus his mother, hee ſheweth vsus the way to louelove him as a mother, for indeede hee is the mother of his mother, and his brethren too.
Againe, by this all vaunting and boaſting of Kinred is cut off. Glorie not in that thou haſt a Gentleman to thy Father, glorie not that thou haſt a Knight to thy Brother, but glorie that thou haſt the Lord to thy Brother.Luke 16. He which called Abraham his Father fried in Hell, becauſe GOD was not his Father. If Marie might not bee prowde of ſuch a Sonne as our Sauiour Chriſt, much leſſe may you bragge of any friend or Sonne that you hauehave.
Againe:Eſay 2. by this you may know, whether you be kinne to Chriſt. As thoſe Prieſtes were ſhut out of the Temple, which could not count their Genealogie from Aaron: ſo they ſhall bee excluded out of Heauen, which cannot reckon their Pedegree from Chriſt.
Heere are the Armes now, whereby you may ſhewe of what Houſe you come. If you heare the woord of God, and doo it, then Chriſt ſaith vntounto you, as hee ſaid vntounto them, Theſe are my Mother, and my Bretheren, and my Siſters: You women are his Siſters, and you men are his Bretheren: and if you be Chriſts Brethren, then are you Gods Sonnes: and if you be Gods Sonnes, then are you his Heyres; for all Gods Sonnes are called heires Rom. 8. 7.
Laſtly, by this you may know the Diuels Kinſemen: and therefore our Sauiour Chriſt ſaith,Ioh. 8. 44. You are of your father the diuell: Shewing that the diuel and the wicked are as neare kinne as Chriſt and the faithfull.
Now as Dauid ſaith:1. Sa. 16. 23 Seemeth it a light thing vntounto you to be the Sonne of a king, ſeeing I am a poore man and of ſmall reputation? So may I ſaie, ſeemeth it a light thing vntounto you, to be the ſonnes of the king of kings, ſeeing you are poore men and of ſmal reputation? It is counted a great honor to Abraham,Heb. 11. 16. Iſaac & Iacob that God was not aſhamed, to be called their God; What an honor then is this, that God is not aſhamed to be called our Father? nay, our brother, as though we were matched with him.
If the Iſraelites had ſuch care to match with the ſeruants of God, what a bleſſing is this to marrie with the ſonne of God? Therefore if any affect rich kinſmen or great marriages: heere is a greater then Salomon, marrie thou him. This kinſman of ours is now gone vp into heauen, that we may hauehave a friend in the Court.
Ioſeph deſired the Butler to remember him when hee ſtood before Pharaoh,Gen. 20. 40. and hee forgot him though hee had pleaſured him.Gen. 40. 14. But a Theefe deſired Chriſt to remember him when he came into his kingdome, Luk. 13. 48.and hee receiued him into paradiſe the ſame day, though he had alwayes offended him: to ſhewe that although wee hauehave beene as bad as theeues, yet we may hope in Chriſt. Therefore, now I may conclude, you hauehave heard the word, if you goe away and doe it: then you are the Mother, and Brethren, and Siſters of this heauenly King. To whome with the Father and the holy ſpirit, be all praiſe, maieſtie and dominion, now and euermore, Amen.
THE CHRISTIANS SACRIFICE.
To my late Auditors, the congregation of Clement Danes: all the good will which I can wiſh.
BEloued in Chriſt Ieſus, my firſt fruites, I hauehave nothing but this myte to leaue with you, which is the ſumme of all my Sermons: ye hauehave heard it alreadie; and as the Apoſtle calles the Corinthians his Epiſtle, ſo ye ſhould be my Sermon, that is,2. Cor. 3. 2. my Sermon ſhould bee printed in your hearts, as this is printed in paper. If you hauehave not giuen your hearts to him which ſent for them, now thinke that God hath ſent for them againe: and heare mee writing, whom yee cannot heare ſpeaking. Take not cuſtome for Religion, ſhunne occaſion, aſwell as ſinne, ſeeke the vſe of eueryevery thing, deſire not to hauehave your Kingdome here. And ſo I leaue you all with Chriſt, (whom I hauehave preached) to bring forth the fruite of that ſeed which is ſowne: beſeeching you for all the louelove that you hauehave of heauē, that ye would not count any thing in this world, worthie to keepe your hearts from God, but thinke of the day when ye ſhall giuegive account for eueryevery leſſon which ye hauehave heard, and he which hath called you in this priſon, will glorifie you in his Pallace: where ye ſhall ſee him to whom ye hauehave giuen your hearts, and enioy that bleſſing of bleſsings, which makes all the world to worſhip him. The Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, which hath begun to draw you to his kingdome, neuer leaue you vntill you come vntounto it. Amen.
Your late vnworthie ſeruant for the Lord Henrie Smith.