[2.] It increaseth our hope of obtaining relief ; for this relation im{)lieth affection. As one brother is kindly affectioned to another, so will Christ be, and much more to us. As Tertullian, from God's taking the title of a father, tain -pater nemo ; so tarn frater nemo. Surely it somewhat allayed the fear and increased the confidence of Jacob's sons when Joseph told them, Gen. xlv. 4, ' I am Joseph your brother ; ' when they heard it was their brother did all in Egypt. So when we hear our brother doeth all in heaven, he that put this honour upon us, that is not ashamed to call us brethren ; the rather because he will more show himself a brother to those that do the will of God than to his natural kindred : Mat. xii. 50, ' They that do the will of my Father are my brethren.' They shall indeed find Christ to be a brother to them.
[3.] It comforts against the scoffs and scorns of the world, 1 Cor. iv. 13. We are counted as filth, only to be swept out and carried away in dung-carts. But we have a Father in heaven, and an elder brother at his right hand, who are ready to receive us; and therefore the honour which Christ doth unto us should counterbalance the reproaches of the world, that we be not dejected out of measure. If we be despised in the world, yet we are dear and precious to him as brethren.
[4] There is much depends on being indeed Christ's brethren ; for if we be brethren of Christ, then are we sons of God : ' If sons, then heirs, joint-heirs with Christ,' Rom. viii. 17. We shall have the comfort of this at the last day, when Christ shall publicly own us before all the world : ' Forasmuch as ye did it to one of these my brethren, ye did it unto me.' Christ and we have common relations and common privileges : John xx. 17, ' I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' God had a Son of his own, why should he think of adopting strangers? Among men it is a remedy found out in solatium m^hiiatis, when parents go childless. Yet this is God's gracious dealing with us; he taketh us into the fellowship of his beloved Son ; the same relation, the same privileges, only he hath the pre-eminence, Iloni. viii. 20, as first-born amongst many brethren.'
Use 2. Instruction. Let us not be ashamed of Christ, or anything that is his. Not ashamed of his gospel and the truths thereof, how light
438 SERMON UPON HEBREWS II. 11.
soever esteemed in the world : Rom. i. 16, ' I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.' These things are worthy in themselves, but when men count them unworthy, we should not be ashamed. Not ashamed of sufferings : 2 Tim. i. 8, ' Be not ashamed of the testimony of the Lord, nor me his prisoner ; but be thou a partaker of the afflictions of the gospel through the power of God.' Mallem mere cum Ghristo, quam stare cum Cccsare — I had rather perish with Christ than stand fast with Caesar. And Marsac, Cur non et me quoque torque donas, &c. — Why dost thou not grace me with a chain too ? Nor ashamed of those tliat suffer for the name of Christ : 2 Tim, i. 16, ' He was not ashamed of my chain ; ' Heb. xi. 26, ' Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater liclies than the treasures of Egypt.' As any one cometh nearer to Christ, so should he be dearer to us. This is true gratitude, not to be ashamed of Christ and his service, nor servants ; otherwise Christ will be ashamed of us : Mark viii. 38, ' Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.' Oh, to have Christ be ashamed of us, to hide his face in that day ! how terrible will it be 1 In the changes of the world, men, if they did know it, would stick to that party that is sure to be uppermost. Christ is sure to be uppermost ; if you shrink from him when his cause or honour lietli in the dust, it will be matter of eternal shame in the world to come.
Doct. 3. The kindred is only reckoned to the sanctified.
All men are in some sense of the same stock with Christ ; yet it is said, * He that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are all of one.' The rest of the world are left out, as not capable of the comfort of this rela- tion. (1.) Who are the sanctified ; (2.) Why this appropriation.
1. Who are the sanctified ? To sanctify signifieth two things — to separate and to set apart for an holy use, and to cleanse and purify. And when this is applied to persons, they are sanctified that are dedi- cated and set apart for God's use and service, and are purified and cleansed from the pollution of sin. And so in all that are sanctified there is a difference between them and others ; for they are set apart for God while others live to themselves : Ps. iv. 3, ' The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself.' Yea, there is a change, and so a difference between them and themselves : 1 Cor. vi. 11, ' And such were some of you ; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justi- fied, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.' This closely followed would find out the parties here intended. But yet we must know that in both these senses some are sanctified in appear- ance only, others really and indeed.