The Last Judgment, Tract · Doctrine 23
Ver. 40. And the King ſhall anſwer, and ſay unto them, Verily I ſay unto you, inaſmuch as ye have done it unto one of the leaſt of theſe my Brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Doct. XXIII. is this, That the Elect Saints of Chriſt are counted and reckoned by him as his brethren: Joh. 20.17. Heb. 2.11, 12.
For opening of which, let me ſhew in what reſpects they are his Brethren. 2. The Uſes.
Queſt. In what reſpects are they ſaid to be his Brethren?
Anſ. 1. In that he and they have one Father; though as he is the ſecond Perſon in the Trinity he is the eſſenti… Son of the Father by Eternal Generation, and they his Sons by Adoption and Grace, John 1.14, 18. 1 John 3.1, 2. 2. In that they hear his Image, as Brethren are like one another, Rom. 8.29. They bear his Image here in Knowledge, Holineſs, and Righteouſneſs, Coloſſ 3.10. Epheſ 4.24. and ſhall bear it more perfectly hereafter, 1 Cor 15.49. 1 John 3.2. 3. In that they are joynt-heirs with him, Rom. 8.17. as Brethren inherit their Fathers Eſtate, though the firſt-born has a double Portion. 4. In that they and he are ſufferers together, Rom 8.17. 2 Tim. 2.12. Coloſſ. 1.24. as Brethren are often fellow-ſufferers. Rom. 8.29. 5. In that he and they are fellows one to another, Pſal 45 7. as Brethren are fellows and companions together, have fellowſhip one with another, he has fellowſhip with them, Cant. 5.1. and they with him, 1 John 1.3. Rev. 3.20. 6. In that he and they intirely love one another, as Brethren do: he loves them, Gal. 2.20. Epheſ 5.2, 25. and they love him, Pſal. 18.1. & 116.1. Epheſ 6.24. 1 John 4.19. 7. In that he and they are firmly …ited, ſo as nothing can ſeparate them: ſo are Brethren firmly linked and united, and ſo are they, Hoſ. 2.19, 20 2 Cor 11.2. Epheſ. 5.30. John 15.2. 8. In that he and they pleaſe their Father, John 8.29. 1 John 3.22. ſo do Brethren. 9. In that be and they are ſenſible of one anothers ſufferings and comforts: ſo the Text: Acts 9.4. The head in the natural body ſuffers, and rejoyceth with the members, and the members with the head; ſo in the myſtical body. 10. He and they partake of one anothers proviſions and feaſts, as Brethren: be invites us, and we him, Cant. 4.16. & 5.1. 11. He and they never forſake one another, as Brethren, Heb. 13.5. Jor. 32.40. 12. He has done many brotherly offices for them: (1) Laid down his life for them, 1 John 3.16. (2) He intercedes for them, Heb. 7.25. (3) Prepares a place for them, John 14.2, 3. (4) He will not leave them comfortleſs, John 14.18. (5) Procures the Comforter for them John 14 16. and ſends him, John 15.26. (6) Gives them a grant of all they aſk, John 14.13, 14.
Ʋſe 1. for Information: 1. We ſee what great honour the Lord Jeſus will put upon his Saints at that day, that he will own them as Brethren: Great is the honour of being the Brethren of a King: Oh what is it then to be the Brethren of this King! 2. We ſee the great humility of the Lord Jeſus, that will ſtoop ſo low as to count and call … his Brethren: Earthly Kings make account that they condeſcend in calling the chief Peers of the Land, their Couſins Oh but how does this King condeſcend in calling not onelyonly the greateſt, but the meaneſt of his Subjects, Brethren! Pſal 113.5, 6.7. 3. We ſee that ſurely he will never be wanting to us, to do thoſe brotherly offices for us now that we ſtand in need of, for he cannot forget his Brethren. 4. We ſee that though he ſeem to caſt us off in time of temptation, yet he will not do it long, for he cannot withdraw his compaſſions from his Brethren, Heb. 2.18. & 4.15. 5. We ſee that though he make himſelf ſtrange to them, and ſpeak roughly to them, and deal harſhly with them, yet there will be a time when he will not be able to refrain himſelf any longer, but will (as Joſeph did) diſcover himſelf to be their Brother, Gen. 45.1. 6. We ſee that he cannot ſee them lack, Pſal. 34.10. & 84.11. 7. We ſee that we had need to beware of offending him; for a Brother offended is hard to be won. Prov. 18.19. and therefore ſerve him with fear, and take heed of provoking him to anger, Pſal. 2.11, 12. 8. We ſee a reaſon of his kinde acceptance of what we do for him, he is our Brother. 9. We ſee that he will not ſuffer us to be overmuch wronged, but will ſurely take our part againſt our enemies, Luke 22.31. Mat. 10. 10. We ſee a reaſon why the Righteous is more excellent then his Neighbour, Prov. 12.26. for ſuch are Chriſts Brethren. 11. We ſee that his heart is toward …s. 12. That he will never leave us nor forſake us, Heb. 13.5.
Ʋſe 2. for Humiliation 1. That we have ſo little of His Spirit, are ſo unlike to ſuch a Brother. 2. That we are ſo unbrotherly to him. 3. That we are ſo apt to ſtart from him, Prov. 17.17. 4. That we are ſo little troubled for our unkindneſs to him: ſee Gen. 42.21.
Ʋſe 3. for Exhortation: 1. To honour our elder Brother. 2. To ſuffer with him, Rom. 8.17. 3. To trace his ſteps, 1 John 2.6. as younger Brethren do. 4. To do his Fathers will, Mat. 12.50. 5. To converſe much with him, Job 22.21. 1 John 1.3. 6. To open to him, Pſal. 24.7, 9. Rev. 3.20. See Gen 24.31. 7. To love him conſtantly. If brotherly love ſhould continue between the Saints, Heb. 13.1. then much more between Chriſt and us. 8. To truſt in him: for though other Brothers are not to be truſted ſometimes, Jer. 9.4. Micah 7.5, 6. yet we may ſafely truſt him. 9. To take his part againſt thoſe that riſe up againſt him: Brethren take one anothers part. 10. To get our elder Brothers garments on us. See for illuſtration Gen. 27.15. ſo Jer. 23.6. 11. To deny none that Ask for Jeſus ſake; he is our Brother. 12. To walk honourably, as having him to our Brother.
Ʋſe 4. for Conſolation: 1. Againſt afflictions and temptations, we have a Brother that is ſenſible of them 2 Againſt our own unbelief; he will appear to us. 3. Againſt hard Cenſures, and preſent diſhonour.
Poſitive Comforts. 1. That he will come to us, John 14.18. 2. That he will let us inherit with him. 3. That he will diſcover himſelf to us.