(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
VOL. VI. EC
434 A HEAVENLY COXFEIIENCE.
suffer his sister, his spouse, his church to be abused long? Nay, will he leave his ' dove, his love, his undcfiled one,' Cant. v. 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 persecutcst thou mc ?' Acts ix. 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 Chris- tians 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, 1 Kings xx. 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 despe- rate 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 com- forts 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. xii. 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. v^Never forget, in your worst condition that may be, since Christ will
A HEAVENLY CONFERENCE. 435
stoop SO low to own jou to be brethren, to roake 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 neJir. ' I ascend ; ' that is, I shall very shortly ascend, and it is all one as if I ascend presently. To whom do I ftscend ? * I ascend to my Father.' To ' mij Father.' That is not com- fort 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.