10. But How came they to be His Brethren?

But How came they to be His Brethren? But how came they to be his brethren? And how come we to be Christ’s brother. Christ is the first-born of many brethren, Rom 8:29. He is the Son of God by nature; and all others now, by grace and adoption, Rom 8:17. Christ is the primo-genitus amongst many brethren; and in Christ we have one Father with Christ. We have one honour, and we shall be all kings and heirs of heaven, as he is. ’If sons, then heirs,’ Gal 4:7; the apostle makes the coherence. Now we are all in Christ sons of God, heirs with him. To go to the condition of nature that he took, our nature; and therefore having our flesh, he is our brother, Heb 2:14. The very reprobate may say so. Yet that is a ground of comfort, that he is a man as we are. But that is not the main thing considerable. He is our brother in a spiritual respect, in regard of adoption. He is the first Son of God, and we in him sons. He is the first heir of God, and we in him are heirs. And therefore ’go to my brethren.’

Beloved, it is a point of marvellous comfort, that Christ was not ashamed to call them brethren, Psa 22:22 : ’I will declare thy name amongst thy brethren,’ saith Christ. Our Saviour Christ alluded to that psalm in this passage; and so it is read, Heb 2:12, out of that psalm. Christ hath taken all relations, that are comfortable, upon him towards us. ’He is the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace,’ Isa 9:6. He is ’a second Adam,’ and therefore a father in that regard. The first Adam is the father of all that perish; the second Adam is the father of all that shall be saved. As he is our brother, so our husband. He could not be our husband, except he were our brother. He must take our nature, and be one with us, before we can be one with him. He is our friend. Before this time he called them friends, as you see in John: ’I will call you friends,’ John 15:15. But here is a sweeter term, ’brethren.’ There is no relation that hath any comfort in it, but Christ hath taken it on him. He is our head, husband, friend, father, brother, and whatsoever can convey comfort to us.* And the truth of it is, he is these things more truly than any relation is made true on earth. For these relations of husband and wife, and brother and sister, and father and child, are but shadows of that everlasting relation that Christ hath taken upon him; the reality and truth itself is in Christ. We think there is no brother, but the brother in flesh; no father, but the father in flesh. Alas! these are but shadows, and quickly cease: ’the fashion of the world passeth away,’ 1Co 7:31. Brother is another relation, whereof these are but shadows. These do but represent the best things that are in heaven. Christ is the father, brother, friend, and whatsoever is comfortable in heaven; therefore ’go tell my brethren.’

Obj. Ay, but saith the poor soul, I that have been so sinful, so unworthy a wretch, shall I have comfort in this, that Christ is my brother, and I am Christ’s? I cannot do it.

Ans. 1. I profess thou canst not do it, ’flesh and blood must not teach it thee,’ thou must be taught by the Spirit of Christ. But consider how the apostles used Christ. Thou canst not call Christ brother, because thou hast been a sinner, and hast carried thyself unkindly to Christ. And did not the disciples so? Did not they leave him, and one of them deny him, and that with oaths? Therefore, whatsoever our sins have been, deny not our relation to Christ. The poor prodigal said, ’I am not worthy to be called a son,’ I am not worthy to be called a servant, Luk 15:21.

He denied not that he was a son, but he was unworthy of it. And so I am unworthy to be a spouse and brother of Christ, yet do not our unfaithful hearts so much pleasure, as to deny our relation. The apostles were so dignified, as to be called the ’pillars of the world,’ Gal 2:9. But these left him, and yet for all that, in this time of their desertion of him, ’go tell my brethren.’ Therefore be not discouraged. Go to Christ in our worst condition, in our greatest temptations, when our hearts misgive us most that we have used God most unkindly, and Satan plied us most with desperate temptations; yet own him for our brother, who owned his disciples when they dealt most unkindly with him. I beseech you, count it a comfort unvaluable, which no tongue is able to express, that Christ after his resurrection should call ’brethren.’ He might well call them brethren after his resurrection, because then all debts were discharged by his death. He had paid their debts, and now the acquittance was due to them, because Christ as surety had paid all. Now I am risen, ’go and tell my brethren so.’ If we can make use of the death and resurrection of Christ, and say, Christ hath died for my sins, and rose again for my justification; I will interest myself in his death, I will claim the virtue of his resurrection; then take the comfort of this. In popery, they had much comfort in those dark times, when a company of proud, carnal, beastly men ruled the roast according to their own lusts. These clergymen made a great pother with fraternity and brotherhood. And if they were of such a fraternity of Dominic or Francis, or merely in a friar’s cowl, it was not only satisfactory, but meritorious, they could not do amiss. Away with these shadows. Here is the brotherhood that must comfort Christians, that Christ owned us for brethren after his resurrection. He paid dear for it, alas! Are we worth so much, that God should become man to die for us, to rise again for us, to justify us, and make us brethren? That infinite love, that God became man and died for us, and rose again to own us for his brethren, will satisfy all doubts. Shall we doubt anything of that love? When he out of his free love will own us as brethren, shall not we own him? I confess it is a marvellous thing, in times of temptation it is difficult to make use of it. Oh, but pray with the good apostle, ’Lord, increase our faith,’ Luk 17:5; with the poor man in the gospel, ’I believe; Lord, help my unbelief,’ Mark 9:24. So when any temptation cometh for our unworthiness and our undeserving, then think Christ after his resurrection called his apostles ’brethren,’ and he will be content to be my brother, if I will believe he died for me, and I will cast myself upon him; therefore away with all doubts.

There be many other observations out of the words.

(1.) Will you have the first words in estate of glory, his first words after death? ’Go and tell my brethren.’ Think in a desperate extremity, think of the sweet message he sent by Mary Magdalene to his unworthy ’brethren,’ that he died for, and [had] given his blood to make them his brethren. Think of his free love to you. It is not for your worthiness or unworthiness, but of his own free love, that he came from heaven to take your nature. It is his own free love that he came to die; and therefore conceive not of worthiness nor unworthiness, but consider the command of God to believe; and if we perish, perish there. Cast ourselves on our brother, that will own us in our worst condition. That is the grand use.

(2.) Again, If God owns us in his glorious condition, shall we be ashamed of the doctrine of Christ, of the children of God, to own them? What saith Christ? It is a terrible thunderbolt. ’He that is ashamed of me and of my word before men, I will be ashamed of him before my heavenly Father,’ Mark 8:38. Take heed of being ashamed to stand out a good cause, in matters of religion. Christ was not ashamed to call us brethren when we were at the worst, and he himself in a glorious condition; he was in glory, and the disciples drooping in consideration of their guilt, that they had forsaken him, and yet ’brethren’ still. And shall not we own him, that owneth us in state of glory? How shall we look that he will own us hereafter, when he trusteth us with his cause and glory, and we betray all to pleasure such and such? Can we look Christ in the face with comfort, if we neglect his cause, his truth, and his church?

(3.) Again, Make this use of it, Christ is our brother, and will not he take our parts? Absalom was a disobedient son, yet Absalom would not let his sister Tamar be abused; he would be revenged of that. And will Christ suffer his sister, his spouse, his church to be abused long? Nay, will he leave his ’dove, his love, his undefiled one,’ Song of Solomon 5:2, where he hath placed all his joy and contentment, to the malice and fury of the enemy long? Certainly he will not. Certainly he will be avenged on his enemies. If nature, that he hath put into the wicked, sinful men, teach them to revenge indignities offered to their kindred, will Christ suffer his brethren, his sisters, to be abused? ’Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?’ Acts 9:4. Now he is in heaven, the church’s case is his own. And therefore comfort ourselves with that sweet relation. Christ hath undertaken to be our brother in state of glory. What a comfort is it that we have a brother in heaven! What a comfort was it to the poor patriarchs, when they thought with themselves, we have a brother, Joseph, that is the second man in the kingdom! And so, what a great comfort is it for poor Christians to think, that the second in heaven, that sitteth at God’s right hand, that is King of kings and Lord of lords, and that ruleth all, is our brother! Is not this a main comfort, yea, beyond all expression, if we could make use of it by faith answerable to our trouble? Therefore go to Joseph, that hath laid up comfort for us. He hath comfort enough for us, he hath treasures of comfort. Whatsoever is necessary for us, we may have in Christ our elder brother. And therefore ’go to my brethren.’

I beseech you, let us make a use of exhortation, to be stirred up, to labour by faith to be one with Christ; and then he will be our head, our husband, our brother, our friend, our all. Say what you can, Christ will be ’all in all’ to all his. He hath enough in him: ’Of his fulness we shall receive, and grace for grace.’ Oh labour to be one with Christ. Do not lose such a comfort as is offered. He offereth himself first to be our Saviour and Redeemer, and then our brother; never rest therefore till we have part in Christ. And then labour to make use of, in all temptations catch fast hold of, everything that is useful, as it is the nature of faith to do, like Benhadad’s servants, who made use of that word ’brother.’ He is my ’brother,’ said the king of Israel, as common offices make kindred, 1Ki 20:33. He had but let pass the term of ’brother,’ and they would not let it go, but catch at it: ’Thy brother Benhadad.’ We see what wisdom flesh and blood can teach, to make an improvement of any comfort in the world, if by kindred, or office, or any relation in the world, they make use of them. And when we be in Christ, shall not we make use of them, when we be troubled with sense of sin, or in desperate conditions? When Christ calleth us brother, shall not we answer, ’I am thy brother’? Blessed be thy mercy and love, that descended so low as to make me thy brother! I beseech you, let us not lose the comforts we may have in the disciples’ being called Christ’s brethren, when they were in some sort enemies. But he knew their hearts were sound, and it was but their weakness; therefore let no weakness discourage thee. He will not ’quench the smoking flax, nor break the bruised reed,’ Mat 12:20. Is thy heart right to Christ? art thou not a false hypocrite, a secret traitor to Christ, and to his cause and church? Then be of good comfort; thou mayest go to Christ as to thy brother. Though Peter denied him with his mouth, yet he confessed him with his heart. And therefore ’go tell my disciples,’ and Peter—he hath most guilt, and therefore he hath most need of comfort. Be thy guilt never so great, if thou wilt come into covenant with God, here is mercy for thee, and therefore make this use of it. Never forget, in your worst condition that may be, since Christ will stoop so low to own you to be brethren, to make use of it, if your hearts be right towards him.

’Go to my brethren.’ Now I come to the commission or charge given to her. ’Go to my brethren.’ Who is the party charged? ’Mary.’ And what is her charge? To go to the apostles under the sweet term of ’brethren.’ When doth he call them so? After his resurrection; when he was in the state of glory. What is the message? It is very sweet, Go, say to them, ’I ascend to my Father, and your Father; to my God, and your God.’ ’I ascend;’ that is, I presently am to ascend, in a very short time I shall ascend. It was but forty days between Easter and Ascension, and all that time Christ appeared now and then. It is the nature of faith, where it is glorious, for to present future things as if present, especially when they be near. ’I ascend;’ that is, I shall very shortly ascend, and it is all one as if I ascend presently. To whom do I ascend? ’I ascend to my Father.’ To ’my Father.’ That is not comfort enough. Therefore ’to your Father too.’ ’I ascend to God.’ That is not comfort enough. Therefore ’to my God, and your God.’ We shall unfold the words as we come at them.

First, Mary Magdalene, a woman, a sinner, is used in the great work of an apostle, to be an apostle to the apostles. I would there were that love in all men to teach what they know; and that humility in others, to be instructed in what they know not. It were a sweet conjunction if it were so. She was a mean person to instruct the great apostles. But, beloved, where there is a great deal of love, there they will teach what they know; and where there is humility, there they will be taught what they know not, though they be never so great. And God will humble the greatest to learn of the meanest sometimes. Therefore he sendeth Mary to the apostles.

I beseech you, in matters of salvation, stand not on terms. Let us take truth from Christ, let us see God and Christ in it, see our own comfort in it, not stand upon persons. Aquila and Priscilla teach the great men knowledge, Acts 18:2, seq. And so it is. Sometimes mean persons are honoured to be instruments of great comforts to persons greater than themselves. She is to go to the apostles under the name of brethren: ’Go tell my brethren.’ And she must go to the apostles that were Christ’s brethren, and owned to be so now, when he was in glory, when he was risen and exempt from all abasements of the cross and grave, where he was held captive three days under the dominion of sin, when he was freed from all enemies of salvation, and had triumphed over all. ’Go tell my brethren.’ So you see there is a sweet affinity and nearness between Christ and his. Christ took our nature on him for this end: he became flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone, that we spiritually might be flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone. It is no comfort at all; an inducing comfort it is, but no actual, present comfort, that Christ was incarnate for us; for all the world might have comfort in that, Turks, Jews, Pagans, that had the nature of man in them. And all have some comfort in it, as their nature is dignified; and that he took not on him the nature of angels, but the nature of man, his spouse, his church it is that hath the comfort of it. Therefore it is not sufficient that he be bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh; but we must be bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh. We must be ingraffed and baptised into him by faith, and then the term holdeth, and never till then; so that there is a sweet nearness between Christ and his. ’Brother’ is a most comfortable relation. It is a comfort that he took our nature upon him, that God would take ’dust and ashes,’ earth, into the unity of his person. For God to become man is a great dignifying of man’s nature. But to take not only our nature on him, but to take our person particularly near to him; thou and thou to be a member of Christ, there is the honour of it. It induceth us to come to Christ that hath loved our nature so much. But the other is an actual, present comfort, when we can say, ’I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.’ Our hearts are too narrow a great deal to embrace the whole comfort that this word affords unto us, that Christ should own us as his brother after his resurrection, for that sheweth a reconciliation. ’Brother’ is a term of friendship, nay, more than a term of reconciliation, for a man may be reconciled to an enemy; but it is a term of amity, to shew that when we believe in Christ and are one with him, our sins are quitted; death is overcome; Satan’s head is crushed when God is reconciled. What have they to do with us? They are only to serve our turns to bring us to heaven, and fit us for it. I beseech you, consider of the excellent freedom and dignity of a Christian; his freedom in that he is the brother of Christ; free from all, being owned by Christ after his resurrection, all being quit by his death who was our surety, else he should be in the grave to this day. And then think of our dignity, to be brother to him that is King of heaven, Lord of lords, ruler of the whole world; that hath all things subject to him. Oh that our hearts were enlarged to conceive the wonderful comfort that every Christian hath in this relation! ’Go tell my apostles,’ under the sweet term of ’brethren.’ Who art thou, will Satan say, flesh and blood, a piece of earth, wretched sot; wilt thou claim kindred of Christ?

Ay, saith the Christian, believing soul, it is true. If it were my own worthiness it were another matter, but I will give him the lie. When he owned me for his brother after his resurrection, shall I deny the relation? Therefore never believe Satan’s tempting words and sinful flesh; for Satan cometh to us in our own flesh, and maketh us think God and Christ to be such and such. Ay, but what saith Christ himself? Believe him and not Satan, that cometh to thee in thy own despairing, dark, doubting flesh. Believe the word of Christ, who calleth thee brother, if thou believest on him, and castest thyself upon him. This sheweth the dignity of a Christian when he is once in Christ, the excellent, superexcellent, transcendent glory of a Christian. When they told our Saviour Christ that his mother and brethren were to speak with him, saith he, ’They that hear my word and do it, they are my brother, and sister, and my mother,’ Luk 8:21. This is the excellency of a Christian, that he is of so near a kin to Christ. When we believe Christ, it is all one as if we conceived Christ, as if we were brothers to Christ, as if we were of the nearest kindred to him. Nay, it is more; he preferreth mother before mother, brother before brother; mother in spirit before mother in the flesh, and brother in spirit before all other brothers. Therefore an excellent thing to be a Christian! When once a Christian giveth himself to Christ, and denieth his own doubting, despairing heart, which is the greatest enemy he hath, 1. Then what belongeth to him? Then God is his, and Christ is his; he must have an inheritance; he is fellow-heir without;* all are his. 2. What carrieth he in him? He carrieth in him the Spirit of the Father and the Son, and the graces of the Spirit, which make him lovely to God. 3. What cometh from him? Having the precious graces of the Holy Ghost in him, what can come from him as a Christian but grace and comfort to others? He is a tree of righteousness; and what can come from a good tree but good fruit? So far he is so. So if you regard what belongeth to them, what is in them, the inheritance they shall have, or what cometh from a Christian, that is, brother of Christ, he is an excellent person, more excellent than his neighbour. There is no man in the world, never so great, but is a base person in comparison of a Christian. What will all be ere long? If a man be not in Christ, these things will add to our vexation. It will be a misery to have had happiness; the greater will be the misery when they must be parted withal. And therefore raise your hearts to consider of the excellent condition of a Christian when he is once the brother of Christ.

I confess it is an hidden dignity; as Paul saith, ’Our life is hid with Christ in God,’ Col 3:3. We have a life, a glorious life, but it is hid. It is dark; sometimes under melancholy, sometimes under temptations, sometimes under the afflictions of the world and disgrace, and so it is an hidden excellency, but it is a true excellency. The world knoweth us not more than they know God and Christ. But it is no matter, God knoweth us by name. He knew Mary by name, as it is said in Isaiah, ’I have called thee by name,’ 45:3. He is a shepherd, that knoweth his sheep by name, and is known of them. He knoweth thee, and thee, and thee, by name; yea, and the hairs of thy head are numbered; and therefore it matters not though thy dignities be hid with the world. Yet God knoweth them. He hath written all thy members in a book, and he hath a book of remembrance of thee. And therefore it is no matter though it be an hidden dignity. It is a true dignity to be a brother of Christ.

Let us oppose this to the disgrace of the world, and to all temptations of discouragement whatsoever. What are all discouragements to this? They fall all before this, that we are the sons of God and brethren of Christ. What can discourage a man that is thus apprehensive of this excellency upon good terms? I will enlarge the point no further, but leave it to your own meditations, and the Spirit of God work with it!

’Go to my brethren.’ When doth he bid her go? Now after his resurrection, when he was to ascend to heaven. The first degree of his glory was his resurrection, after his lowest abasement in the grave. You see that honour doth not change Christ’s disposition, as it doth amongst men. When they be advanced to great places, they will not look on their old friends and acquaintance; but Christ hath no such disposition, he owneth his poor disciples in their greatest abasements: ’Go tell my brethren.’ Now when he was in a state of glory, ready to go to heaven, and he giveth them a more comfortable title now than ever before. In the gospel he called them ’servants,’ and ’friends,’ and ’apostles,’ and ’disciples;’ but now ’brethren,’ a word of all sweetness, and nothing but sweetness. ’Go tell my brethren’ presently; Christ would have no delay, for he saw they had present need. Christ’s love is a quickening love, and the fruits of it are very speedy. There is more than angelical swiftness in Christ when there is need of him. God helpeth at need, in the most seasonable time, and he knoweth the time best of all. He did but rise in the morning, and the very same day, ’Go tell my brethren.’ Ye have Song of Solomon 2:8, that Christ cometh ’leaping upon the mountains.’ When he was to help his church, ’he leaped over the mountains;’ as in the eighth verse, ’The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.’ He cometh from heaven to earth, from earth to the grave; and now he is risen, he is all in haste, he maketh no stay, because his manner of despatch is, to help and comfort by the ministry of others. Go quickly; do not stand embracing of me, but ’go and tell my brethren.’

Obj. But why then do not we find comfort sooner, that are afflicted?

Ans. Beloved, where is the fault? Is it in Christ? You stand out at staves-end* with Christ; you will not embrace comforts when they be offered, or else you be not sufficiently humbled; for he is wise as he is swift, he knoweth which be the best times.

You see then that Christ, so soon as ever it is fit for him, he will come. If he should come sooner, he would come too soon; if afterward, it would be too late. He is the best discerner of times and seasons that can be, and therefore wait his leisure. If thou want comfort, humble soul, whosoever thou art, wait his leisure. Certainly he knoweth the best time, and when the time is come, he will come. ’He that will come shall come,’ Heb 10:37, there is no question of that.

Now as he sent her in all haste, preferring it before any compliment to his own person, so it is a constant love. As it is a quick love that God bears to his children, so it is a constant, invincible love. They had dealt most unbrotherly with him, for every one had forsaken him, and Peter had denied him; yet, ’Go tell my brethren.’ One would think this water would have quenched this fire; this unkind and unbrotherly dealing would have quenched this love in Christ’s breast. It is true, if it had been the mere love of man, it had been something; but it was the love of an infinite person, that took our nature out of love, and therefore it was a constant and invincible love. Nothing could conquer it, not the thoughts of their unkind dealings, no, not their denying and forsaking of him. But still, ’Go tell my brethren.’ ’Love is strong as death,’ Song of Solomon 8:6. Death could not hold Christ in the grave, but love held him on the cross. When he came to the work of our redemption, love then held him on earth; but when he was in the grave, it brake through all there. Indeed, it was stronger than death, in Christ.

Quest. Why is Christ’s love so constant, so invincible, that nothing can alter it?

Resolution. The ground of it is, it is free love. He fetcheth the ground of his love from his own heart; not from our worthiness or unworthiness, but from his own freedom, and God’s eternal purpose. God hath purposed to save so many, and those and no more he giveth to Christ to save. And God looketh on his own purpose, Christ’s free love, and that is the ground of all. And therefore whom he loveth he loveth to the end, because he looked on us in his election. The Lord knoweth who are his; the foundation is so sure, if once we be God’s we are ever God’s. For Christ looks on us in God’s election. Therefore, if ever he sheweth his love to us, once his love and for ever his love. If anything in man could hinder it, it would have hindered it at our first conversion, when we were at worst, even enemies; if nothing could hinder it then, what can hinder it afterwards? as the apostle reasoneth strongly: Rom 5:10, if we be reconciled by his death, much more will he save us by his life. ’If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, now much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.’ If when we had no goodness, but opposition and rebellion in us, we were saved by his death, Christ is much more able to save us now by his life, triumphing over death and being glorious in the heavens.

Obj. Oh but, saith the poor soul, I am a poor weak creature, and ready to fall away every day.

Ans. Ay but Christ’s love is constant. ’Whom he loveth he loveth to the end.’ What saith the apostle? Rom 8:38, ’Neither things present, nor things to come, shall be able to separate us from the love of Christ;’ and therefore be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; do not trust to yourselves, nor trouble yourselves for things to come. If you be free from guilt of former sins, never question time to come. God is unchangeable in his nature, unchangeable in his love. He is ’Jehovah, I am,’ always; not ’I was or will be,’ but ’I am always.’ If ever he loved thee, he will love thee for ever. You see the constancy of Christ’s love, ’Go tell my brethren.’ Now when they had most deeply offended him, they were renegadoes, having all left him; and then when he had most need of their comfort, being in greatest extremity; and yet ’Go tell my brethren.’

Beloved, let us not lose the comfort of the constancy and immutability of Christ’s love. Let us conceive that all the sweet links of salvation are held on God’s part strong, not on ours; the firmness is on God’s part, not on ours. Election is firm on God’s part, not on ours. We choose indeed as he chooseth us, but the firmness is of his choosing; so he calleth us, we answer, but the firmness is of his action. He justifieth; we are made righteous, but the firmness is of his imputation. Will he forgive sins to-day, and bring us into court and damn us to-morrow? No. The firmness is of his action. We are ready to run into new debts every day, but whom he justifieth he will glorify. The whole chain so holdeth, that all the creatures in heaven and earth cannot break a link of it. Whom he calleth he will justify and glorify. Therefore never doubt of continuance, for it holds firm on God’s part, not thine. God embraceth us in the arms of his everlasting love, not that we embraced him first. When the child falleth not, it is from the mother’s holding the child, and not from the child’s holding the mother. So it is God’s holding of us, knowing of us, embracing of us, and justifying of us that maketh the state firm, and not ours; for ours is but a reflection and result of his, which is unvariable. The sight of the sun varieth, but the sun in the firmament keepeth always his constant course. So God’s love is as the sun, invariable, and for ever the same. I only touch it, as the foundation of wonderful comfort, which they undermine that hold the contrary.

Christ Chose Mary The next point is, that Christ chose Mary to go tell his brethren, and under the sweet title of ’brethren,’ to deliver this sweet message, ’I am going to my Father, and your Father; to my God, and your God.’ He telleth them the sweetest words in the worst times. This point differeth from the former thus. The former was, that Christ’s love is constant, and always the same. But now Christ most sheweth his love when we are most cast down: in the worst times, if our casting down be with repentance. He never said ’brethren’ before, but reserved the term of ’brethren’ for the worst time of all. The sweetest discoveries of Christ are in the worst times of all to his children. Mothers will bring out any thing to their children, that is sweet and comfortable to them, in their sickness. Though they frowned on them before, yet the exigency of the child requires it. When there is need, any thing cometh out that may please the child. The poor disciples were not only in affliction, being the scorn of the world, the shepherd being smitten and the sheep scattered, but their inward grief was greater. They were inwardly confounded and ashamed to see Christ come to such an end. They were full of unbelief. Though Christ had told them he would rise again, they could not believe; and so what with fear, and what with doubt, and what with grief for their using of Christ so unkindly and leaving him, certainly they were in a perplexed and disconsolate condition; yet now, ’Go and tell my brethren.’ We see, then, that after relapses, when we be in state of grace, to deal unkindly with Christ, must needs be matter of grief and shame; yet if we be humbled for it and cast down, even then Christ hath a sweet message for us by his Holy Spirit: ’Go, tell my brethren.’ In the Canticles, the church, the spouse of Christ, had dealt unkindly with Christ, by losing him and forsaking him, chap. 3:5. In the third chapter, she had lost him, and sought him on her bed, but found him not. She rose, and went to the watchmen, and then went through the city, but found him not. At length she found him whom her soul loved. Then Christ speaks most sweetly and comfortably to her in the beginning of the fourth chapter, but especially in the sixth chapter, after she had dealt most unkindly with Christ. He standeth at the door knocking and waiting, till his locks dropped with rain, in resemblance of a lover that standeth at the door, and is not suffered to come in. Afterwards he leaveth her for this unkindness, yet not so, but that there was some sweet relish left upon the door. God always leaveth something in his children to long after him; and at length, after much longing, Christ manifesteth himself sweetly to her, chap. 4:4, and breaketh out, ’Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners; turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me; thy hair is as a flock of goats,’ &c., and so goeth on, ’My love, my dove, my undefiled one.’ He could not satisfy himself in the commendations of his church, being, as it were, overcome with love. And this sheweth, that after we have dealt unkindly with Christ, and our consciences are ashamed and abashed with it, as it is fit they should, yet if we will wait a while, and be content, nor be desperate, nor yield to temptation, if we stay but a while, Christ will manifest himself to us, and shew that he valueth and prizeth the hidden graces we cannot see. He can see gold in ore. He can see hidden love, and hidden faith and grace, that we cannot see in temptations; and he will manifest all at length, and shew his love when we stand most in need of it. We see it in David, who was deeply humbled for his folly with Bathsheba, for there was not one, but many sins, as murder and adultery, &c.; yet being now humbled, God sent him and Bathsheba wise Solomon, to succeed him in his kingdom. He forgetteth all; and so you see our Saviour Christ forgetteth all their unkindness. He biddeth her not ’Go, tell my renegade disciples, that owned not me; they care not for me: I care not for them; I am above death and all, and now will use them as they did me.’ Oh no. But ’Go, tell my brethren,’ without mentioning any thing that they have done unkindly.

What is the reason? It is sufficient to a gracious soul that it is thus; it is the course of God. But there be reasons to give satisfaction.

Reason 1. First, The love of Christ to a poor, disconsolate, afflicted soul is most seasonable. When they have relapsed and dealt unkindly with Christ, then Christ not only forgiveth, but forgets all; nay, and calleth them under the term of ’brethren,’ which is more than forgiving or forgetting. Oh now it is seasonable. For there is a wonderful dejection of spirit after unkind usage of Christ, in a soul that knows what Christ means. It is as a shower of rain after great drought. It falleth weighty upon the soul.

Reason 2. Secondly, The freedom of Christ’s love most appeareth then, when no desert of ours can move it. For is not that love free, when we have dealt unkindly with him, and joined with the world and with the flesh, and dealt slipperily with him, that then he would speak kindly to us and make love to us? Lord, if I had had my due, what would have become of me? If he had sent them word according to their deserts, he might have said, ’Go, tell the apostate, base people that have dealt unworthily with me, whom I will send to hell.’ Oh no. But ’tell my brethren.’ His free love appeareth most at such times, when our souls are most dejected.

Reason 3. Thirdly, Satan roareth then most, then he most of all sheweth his horns, when we are relapsed. Oh, saith he, if thou hadst never found kindness, it had been something; but thou hast dealt unworthily that hast had so many favours, and dost thou so requite the Lord of glory? Now this love of Christ doth exceedingly confound Satan, and trouble his plots. He knoweth then that God leaveth men, and he joineth with a guilty conscience, and a guilty conscience maketh them to fear all they have deserved, Shall I look God in the face, and Christ in the face when I have used them thus? Shall I receive the sacrament and join with God’s people? Now Satan doth join with guilt of conscience, and carrieth it further; and when God seeth them dejected and humbled for this, he speaketh more comfort to them than ever before.

There is none of us all, I can except none, but had need of this. Have we dealt so unkindly with Christ since our conversion? Have not we dealt proudly, and unkindly, and carelessly with him? And if we have the love of Christ in our breasts, it will shame and abash us. Now if we have joined with a temptation, Satan will say, Will you go to God, and to prayer, that have served God thus? Shall I yield to this temptation? If we can shame ourselves and say, Lord, I take all shame to myself, I have dealt most unworthily with thee, we shall hear a voice of comfort presently. And therefore whatsoever our conditions be, be invited to repentance, though thou hast fallen and fallen again. ’I have dealt unkindly.’ Did not Peter so? and yet, ’Go, tell my disciples, and tell Peter.’ The pope will have him head of the church. I am sure he was head in forsaking of Christ, and indeed Christ never* upbraided Peter with forsaking of him. Now only he biddeth him feed, feed, feed, that he might take more notice of it; but he was so kind that he never cast it into his teeth, John 21:15-17.

Obj. But saith the poor drooping soul, If I had never tasted of mercy it had been something.

Ans. But object not that, for though Peter’s offence was great, yet his repentance was great; and though thy sins be great, yet if thy repentance and humiliation be answerable, thou shalt have most comfort of all. And therefore let no man be discouraged.

If we go on in sinful, desperate courses, as the fashion of the world is, speak what we can, if we speak out our lungs, many will not leave an oath, nor their profane base courses and filthy ways; ill they have been already, and ill they will be till they come to hell. Some such there be, but better we are to speak too. Whosoever thou art, that are weary of thy profane, base, godless courses, be humbled for them. When thou art humbled and broken-hearted, then think of Christ, as he offers himself; think of nothing but love, nothing but mercy. Satan will picture him thus and thus, but when thou beest humbled and broken-hearted, he is readier to entertain thee than thon art to fly to him. And therefore at such times consider how Christ offereth himself to thee. He that died for his enemies, and seeks them that never sought him, that is found of them that sought him not, will he refuse them that seek him? If thou hast an heart humbled, and hast a desire of favour, will he refuse thee, that receiveth many in the world. Therefore do not despair. We as ambassadors beseech you, saith the apostle. Thou desirest God’s favour and Christ’s love. Thou desirest them, and Christ entreateth thee, and then thou art well met. Thou wouldst fain have pardon and mercy, so would Christ fain bestow it upon thee. Therefore join not to Satan. Take heed of temptations in such a case as this is. Take heed of refusing our own mercies. When God offers mercy in the bowels of his compassion refuse it not. Christ is ready to shew great kindness in our greatest unkindness, if we be humbled for it. But this belongeth to those that be broken-hearted, that can prize and value Christ. They that go on in presumptuous courses shall find Christ in another manner of majesty. They shall find him as a judge whom they despised as a brother; and they that will not come in and subject themselves to his mercy, they shall find his justice. If they will not come under this sceptre, they shall find his rod of iron to crush them to pieces. And therefore let no corrupt, careless person, that will go on, fortify their presumption from hence. It belongeth only to them to be humbled and abased with the sight of sin, and consideration of their unkindness and unworthy dealing with Christ. I know such as are most subject to discouragement, and Satan is most ready to close with them in strong temptations above all. Oh, but never let them despair, but consider what the apostle saith: ’While sin aboundeth, grace aboundeth much more,’ Rom 5:20. If there be height, depth, and breadth of sin in us, there is now more height, and depth, and breadth of mercy in Christ; yea, more than we can receive.

I have fallen from God, saith the soul. What if thou hast? but God is not fallen from thee. Peter denied Christ, but did Christ deny Peter? No. Christ hath not denied thee. What saith the Lord in Jeremiah? ’Will the husband take the wife when she hath been naught? no; yet return to me, O Israel,’ Jer 3:1. But say, thou hast been false, and committed such and such sins; whatsoever they be, though adultery, yet return to me.

Quest. Oh, but is it possible God should do it?

Resol. Yea, it is possible with him: ’His thoughts are not as thy thoughts; his thoughts are as far above thine as heaven is above earth,’ Isa 55:8.

Obj. Why, no man will do it.

Ans. Ay, but here is the mercy of a God, ’I am God, and not man;’ therefore his comforts fail not. If he were so, he would not regard one that hath been so unkind; but he is God, and not man.

’Go to my brethren.’ I come now to the matter of the commission. Tell them, ’I ascend to my Father, and your Father; to my God, and your God,’ which is all included in ’brethren;’ for if we be God’s in Christ, then God is our Father. But we must not deal in few words with disconsolate souls, but come again and again with the same words. As how many times have you the comfort of the Messiah in Isaiah and the rest of the prophets, again and again? Our hearts are so prone to doubt of God’s mercy, of Christ’s love, especially after guilt, that all is little enough; and therefore our Saviour studieth to speak sweetly to the heart, ’Go, tell my brethren.’ That which a carnal heart and curious* head would count tautology and superfluity of words, a gracious heart thinks to be scantiness. Oh, more of that still; I have not enough! This is the pride of men, that will have all things to satisfy the curious ear; but a gracious heart hath never enough. And therefore Christ addeth comfort to comfort: ’Go, tell my brethren, I ascend to my Father, and their Father; to my God, and their God.’ The message itself is Christ’s ascension. The place whither is to the Father, a common Father to him and them. Every word hath comfort.