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,' Luke viii. 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 prcferreth 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 can-ieth 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 * Qu. ' without doubt ' ?— Ed.
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Holy Ghost in liim, 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 inherit- ance 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. iii. 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,' xlv. 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 Cant. ii. 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,