forth his hand" towards them, made use of the extraordinary language of our text : — in considering which, we shall shew,
I. In what light our Lord regarded his obedient followers — We are sure, that, in asking, " Who is my mother or my brethren," he did not intend to act towards them with any disrespect : he only intended to de- clare the infinitely greater respect which he had for practical piety than for any other thing whatever ; and to shew,
1. That his obedient followers were the exclusive objects of his regard —
[Doubtless, as a man, he felt the ties of consanguinity, and (most probably too) the partialities of friendship'': but as the Mediator between God and man, who was appointed to judge the world, he considered nothing deserving his notice but a conformity to the will of God. A mere profession of his religion w^as so far from recommending any person to his favour, that it rendered him tenfold the more hateful in his eyes, if it were not accompanied with a suitable practice'^. He compares such a person to a man building his house upon the sand, which is sure to fall and overwhelm him in its ruins : and he assures us, that, in the last day, whatever zeal such an one may have shewn even in propagating the truth itself, he will utterly disown him as unworthy of the smallest regard*^. The person whom alone he will apjjrove, is the conscientious and devoted servant of God, who does the will of God cheer/till^/, constantly, and tvithout reserve. The obedience of a slave, were it ever so extensive, would be unacceptable to him, be- cause it proceeds not from love. Nor, if we could conceive a person to obey from love, would his services be pleasing to God, if they were only occasional ; because it would prove, that sin retained an allowed ascendency over the soul. Nor, for the same reason, could the most uniform obedience be approved by him, if there were so much as one single lust spared, or one single duty wilfully neglected. An eye, a hand, a foot, retained in opposition to the line of duty, would occa- sion the whole body to be cast into hell*^. But "whosoever" is truly upright in doing the will, the whole will, of God, " that person," whatever other recommendations he may want, shall certainly be an object of his peculiar regard : " Then are ye my disciples, if ye do whatsoever I command you."]
*> We suppose his peculiar love to John was of this kind.
'^ Luke vi. 40. -i Matt. vii. 21 — 27. ^ Mark ix. 43—48.
1 359.3 Christ's regard to his followers. 393
2. That there was no honour or happiness which he would not confer upon them —
[All are agreed, that, in a temporal view, the in est ho- noured and blessed of all the human race was the Virgin Mary. Yet far more honoured, and more blessed, are all who cordially fulfil the will of God. This our Lord himself affirms^: and, in the text, he seems almost to disclaim relationship to her, as it were, in comparison of those closer bonds which unite him to his obedient followers.
But it is not merely the names of brother, sister, mother, that we are to regard : we must consider what is implied in those terms : what ardent love to their persons; what constant attention to their wants ; what a liberal supply of their neces- sities ; what familiar intercourse with them at all seasons ; what protection against dangers ; and what glorious triumph he will give them over all their enemies. We must consider too, that when the relations that were formed by flesh and blood shall exist no longer, then shall these spiritual relations be still acknowledged, and all the blessings attached to them be continued through eternal ages.]
This being a matter not of speculation merely, but of great practical importance, let us consider,