The Affinity of the Faithful

H Ere Christ is preaching, a great press hearing, & his mother and his friends interrupting, and Christ again withstanding the interruption, with a comfortable doctrine of his mercies towards them which hear the word of God & do it. When Christ was about a good work, & many were gathered to hear him, the devil thought as the Priests and Sadducees did in the fourth of the Acts; If I let him alone, all the world will follow him, and I shall be like Rahel without children: therefore devising the likeliest policy to frustrate & difgrace but one of his Sermons, thereby to make the people more unwilling to hear him again; As he set Eve upon Adam, & made Job's wife his instrument, when he could not fit it himself: so he sendeth Christ his mother, & putteth in the mind of his kinsmen to come unto him, at that instant when he was in this holy exercise; & call upon him as he was preaching, to come away, and go with them.

Christ seeing the Serpents dealing, how he had made his mother his tempter, that all this auditory might go away empty, & say where they came; We heard the man which is called Jesus, and he began to preach to us with such words as though he would carry us to heaven; but in the midst of his Sermon came his mother and brethren to him, that it might be known what a kinsman they had, and so soon as he heard that they were come, suddenly he brake off his Sermon and sl • pt away from us to go and make mercy with them. Christ, I say▪ seeing this train laid by Satan to disgrace him as he would do his mini •• ers, did not leave off speaking, as they thought he would: but as if God had appointed all this to credit it & renown him; that which was noised here to interrupt his doctrine, he taketh for an occasion to teach another doctrine, that there is another conjunction between Christ and the faithful, than between the mother and the son which are one flesh: and therefore when they say; Thy mother & thy brethren a • e come to speak with thee, he pointeth to his hearers and saith; These are my mother, and my brethren, which hear the word of God and do it; as if he should say, I have a mother in deed which brought me forth, but in respect of these which hear the word of God and do it, she is like a stepmother, and these are like a natural mother. With this wise answer he quieted the auditors, & made them hear him better than they did before: for now they thought with themselves; what man is this which loveth us more than his mother? his mother called him, & yet he would not go from us: his brethren stay for him, and he maketh as if he did not know them, but saith: Who is my mother? Who are my brethren? Thus Christ stood up (as I ween) in an indignation against Satan, & said; Satan, this sermon was not begun for thee, neither shall it ende for thee: this work was not done for my mother, neither shall it be left for my mother. Thus he caught the Devil with his own bait, & made the people more loving and attentive to him, by that which Satan thought to disgrace him. He was so armed with the spirit, that let Devil tempt, or the woman tempt him, or Princes tempt him, all is one.

Here are two doubts, the first is, the difference between the Evangelists: for Matthew saith, that one brought this message unto Christ, Mark and Luke attribute it unto moe; Both may stand: for the word which his mother gave of calling him forth was received of the rest, and so passed amongst many till it came unto Christ; so that one and many may be said to bring this message, because one may send it first, and many noise it after.

The seconde doubt is, because Christ had no brethren, how then they said; Thy brethren would speak with thee.

You must understand that they which are here called Christ's brethren, were his Cousins by the Mothers side, that is to say, his Mothers sisters children: for there were three Mary's, and these three were sisters: Marie the virgins, and Marie the mother of James, & Marie the wife of Cleophas, whose sons these were; their names were James and Joseph & Judas and Simon; and they are called the Lord's brethren, because they we • e kin unto him. Therefore note that in holy Scriptu • es, there be iv. sortes of brethren; brethren by nature, so Esau and Jacob are called brethren, because they had one father and one mother; Brethren by Nation, so all the Jews are called brethren, because they were of one country; Brethren by affinity, so all are called brethren which were of one family, and so Abraham cal • ed Lot his brother and Sara his sister, because they were of one line; Brethren by profession, so all Christians are called brethren, because they are of one Religion: these were brethren of the third order, that is by affinity, because they were of one family.

Now when his mother and his brethren were come to see him, it • s said, that they could not come near him because of the press; here were auditors enough: Christ saw now, that his mother could have no rome to hear him; but after a while it was low water again. When the shepherd was stricken, the sheep were scattered; when he preached in the streets, and in the Temples, and in the fields, then many flocked after him: but when he preached upon the Cross, then they left him, which said they would never forsake him, then there was as great a press to see him die, as there was here to hear him preach; and many of these which he calleth his mother, and his brethren, & his sister, were his betrayers and accusers, and persecutors; so inconstant we are in our zeal, more than anything else. Thus much of their coming to the doctrine.

Here be two speakers: one saith; Thy mother and thy brethren are come to speak with thee: the other saith; These are my mother, & my brethren, which hear the words of God & do it. The scope of the Evangelist is this, First, to show that Christ would not hinder his doctrine for mother or brethren or any kinsmen: then to show that there is a nearer conjunction between Christ and the faithful, than between the mother and the son. The first is written for our instruction, & the latter is written for our comfort. Touching the first: he which teacheth us to honor our father & mother, doth not teach us here to contemn father or mother; for it is said, that he was obedient to his parents. This he shown, when being found in the Temple among the doctors, he left all to go with his mother, because she sought him; so he honored her, that he left all for her. This he shown again at his death, being upon the cross, he was not vnmindful of her: for pointing unto John, he said Woman behold thy son: and pointing unto him he said, Behold thy mother; so he commended her to his beloved Disciple before he died; therefore this is not a doctrine of disobedience, but a rule how to obey. As he taught his disciples, to give unto Caesar, that which is Caesar's, and to God that which is God's: so he teacheth them here, to give unto parents that which is parents, & to the Lord that which is the Lord's. When God said, Honor thy father and thy mother, he did not give a commandment against himself, & therefore he saith Honor me, before he saith Honor them. The first commandment of the first table is, Honor God: and the first commandment of the second table is, Honor Parents; lest you should honor your parents before God. When Solomon bad his mother ask him anything, & denied her that one thing which she asked; he showeth that the mother should not be obeyed in all things. When Christ said, You have but one father but one master, hespake of faith and religion; showing, that when it concerneth our faith & religiō, we should respect but one father & one master which is the giver of our faith, & the mater of our religiō.

When Paul said, Children obey your parents in the Lord, he meaneth that we should not obey them against the Lord: as when he saith, Obey Princes for conscience; he meaneth that we should not obey them against conscience. Therefore, when it cometh to this, that the earthly father commandeth one thing, & the heavenly Father commandeth another thing, then as Peter answered the Rulers, so thou mayest answer thy parents, Whether is it meet to obey God or you? then these are the hands which thou must cut off, then these are the eyes which thou must pull out; or else they should be as dear unto thee as thy hand or thine eye. In MATHEW, Aman must for sake his father & mother to dwell with his wife; but in LUKE, He must for sake father and mother, and wife to dwell with Christ; for, He that for saketh father or mother or wife for me, shall receive more (saith our Savior:) nay, he which doth not hate father and mother & wife for me, cannot be my Disciple (saith he again in the same Evangelist): showing that our love towards God should be so great, that in respect of it, our love towards men should seem to be but hatred. Thus he that obeyed his parents more than we, yet would have us search some sentence, some example in scripture of not obeying them too; because it is such a hard point to know how far they are to be obeyed which are set in authority over us. As none but God spake always right; so none but God must always be obeyed: we are not called only the sons of men, but the sons of God. Therefore, as Christ answered his mother when she would have him tourne water into wine; Woman what have I to do with thee? So we should answer father, and mother, and brethren, and sisters, and rulers, and m • sters, • nd wife too, when they will us to do that which is not meet; Satan what have I to do with thee? for else it were to turn wine into water. Peter was not Satan: but when he tempted Christ like Satan, Christ answered him, as he answered Satan, Come behind me Satan; showing, that we should give no more attention to father or mother, or master or wife, when they tempt us to evil, than we should give to Satan, if he should tempt us him self.

Three things children receive of their parents, life, & maintenance, and instruction: For these three they owe other three: for life they owe love; for maintenance they owe obedience; for instruction they owe reverence: For life, they must be loved as fathers: for maintenance, they must be obeyed as masters: for instruction, they must be reverenced as Tutors. But as there is a King of Kings which must be obeyed above Kings: so there is a father of fathers, which must be obeyed above fathers. Therefore, you must answer like the son when he was bid to go unto the vineyard, I will go: and sometimes you must answer as Christ answered, I must do my Fathers business, I have no other business.

When two milch kine did carry the Ark of the Lord unto Bethshemesh, their Calves were shut up at home, because the Kine should not stay, when they heard their Calves bleat after them: so when thou goest about the Lord's business, thou shalt hear a cry of thy Father and mother, and thy brethren and thy sisters, and of thy kindred to stay thee; but then thou must think of another father, as Christ thought of another mother: and so as these Kine went on, till the Lord brought them where the Ark should rest; so shalt thou go on, till the Lord bring thee where thou shalt rest. It is better to fly from our kindred as Abraham did, than to stay with some friends as Sampson did with Delilah.

I may say, beware of kinsmen, as well as our Savior saith, Beware of men; for this respect of cozenage hath made Eli his sons priests, and this respect of cozenage hath made many like priests in Europe This respect of cozenage brought Tobia into the Levites chamber: and this respect of cozenage hath brought many gentlemen, into Preachers livings: as Christ preferred his spiritual kinsmen, so we prefer our carnal kinsmen: many privileges, many offices, many gifts, we being by this tempted, have stooped to this voice; Thy mother calleth thee; or Thy kinsmen would have thee.

As this voice came to Christ whiles he was laboring: so many such voices come to us whiles we are laboring; One saith, pleasure would speak with you; another saith, profit would speak with you; Another saith, ease would speak with you; another saith, abundance would speak with you; Another saith, a promotion would speak with you; Another saith, Delight would speak with you.

When a man is in a good way, and studyeth the Scriptures to be a teacher in the Church of GOD, a voice cometh into his ear, as this came to Christ, and saith; thy friends would have thee to study the Law, or thou shalt attain to no preferment: For the reuerendest of that profession, are by the vylest of the people contemned; and so sometimes Jonah turneth his sails from Nineveh to Tharshish.

If he be a Divine already, and preach his conscience in reproving sin, a voice cometh to him again, as this did to Christ, and saith; Thy friends would have thee be quiet, or thou wilt be enuyed for that which thou sayest; or there be fellows which lie in wait to return scornings for thy pains. so sometimes with a little entreaty, he beginneth to draw up his hand and lay his fingers to his mouth, and preach peace when he is sent with war.

Thus are we cumbered like our master before our sermons, and in our sermons, and after our sermons; even of those sometimes which should encourage us, and therefore as Christ saith, Beware of men; so I say, beware of kinsmen.

So soon as the children be borne, their Parents bring them to the Temple and baptize them, and offer them unto GOD: but as soon as they are able to serve him, they tempt them away from him, some to the Law, some to Physic, some to marchaundise, and some to husbandry, and had rather they should be of any other Tribe than of the Tribe of Leni, which serveth in the Temple: he which will be hindered, shall have blocks enough: but we must learn to leap over all as Christ did over this. If we should leave father and mother▪ and wife, and children for Christ; much less should we care for labor, or loss, or shame, or trouble, or displeasure: for we would venture these for our friends. Thus much of his natural kindred: now of his spiritual kindred.

Here is another Genealogy of Christ, which MATTHEW and LUKE never spake of; As CHRIST saith, I have another bread which you know not: So he saith, that I have other kinsmen, which you know not.

Saint JOHN writing to a Christian Lady which brought up her children in the fear of God, calleth her The elect Lady; showing, that the chiefest honor of Lord's and Ladies, and Princes, is to be elect of God. LUKE speaking of certain Beroeans which received the word of GOD with love, calleth them more noble men than the rest; showing that God counteth none noble but those which are of a noble spirit. As Saint John calleth none elect but the virtuous, and Saint Luke calleth none noble but the religious; so our Savior Christ calleth none his kinsmen but such as are righteous: these are my mother, and my brethren which hear the word of God and do it.

As Abraham's children are not counted after the flesh, but after the Spirit: So Christ's kinsmen are not counted after the: flesh but after the Spirit: for the flesh was not made after the Image of God, but the Spirit: therefore God is not called the father of bodies, but the father of Spirites.

Now God which is a Spirit preferreth them which are kin unto him in the spirit: therefore Esau was not blessed, because he was of Isaac's flesh: but Jacob was blessed because he was of Isaac's spirit. As we love in the flesh, so Christ loveth in the spirit: therefore he calleth none his kinsmen, but them which hear the word of God and do it.

It seemeth that Paul thought of this saying when he said, till Christ be reformed in you. If Christ be found in us, as Saint Paul saith, then we are Christ's mother: everyone which will have Christ to be his Savior, must be Christ his mother.

The virgin asked the Angel, how she could bear Christ, seeing she had not known a man: so you may ask how you can bear Christ seeing he is borne already. As there is a second coming of Christ: so there is a seconde birth of Christ. When we are regenerate and borne again, then Christ is borne in us again. The virgin Marie was his mother by the flesh, and the faithful are his mother by the Spirit. Again, the Holy Ghost did conceive him in her: & the Holy Ghost likewise did conceive him in them: He was in her womb, and he is in their hearts: She did bear him, and they do bear him: She did nurce him, and they do nurce him. This is the seconde birth of Christ. As the soul of man may be called The Temple of the Holy Ghost: so it may also be called the womb of the son; that is, the mother of Christ.

Before those words, it is said, that Christ asked, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? As if he should say; You think that I am affected to my kinsmen as you are: But I tell you, that I count them my kinsmen, which hear the word of GOD and do it.

To show that Christ loveth us with an everlasting love, he showeth, that he doeth not love us for any temporal things, but for that which endureth forever. If Christ loved us as ISAAC loved ESAU for Venison; then we might miss the blessing as ESAU did. But as JOHN saith, He loved in the truth; so Christ loveth in the truth. To love in the truth, is the true love. Every love but this, at one time or other, hath turned into hatred; but the true love overcometh hatred, even as the truth overcometh falsehood.

No we see this love, Christ calleth them by the names of love, his mother, his brethren, and sisters. In the sixth to the ROMANES, they are called his servants; If that be not enough, in the fifteenth of saint JOHN, they are called his friends; If that be not enough, in the third of MARKE, they are called his kinsmen; If that be not enough, in the 24 Chapter of LUKE, there he calleth them his brethren; If that be not enough, in the first of MARKE, they are called his children; If that be not enough, here they are called his mother; If that be not enough, in the fifth of the CANT. they are called his spouse: to manifest that he loveth them with all loves; the mothers love, and the brothers love, and the sister love, and the masters love, & the friends love. If all these loves could be put together, yet Christ's love exceedeth them all; and the mother, and the brother, and the sister, and the child, and the kinsmen, and the friends, and the servant, would not do and suffer so much amongst them all, as Christ hath done and suffered for us alone; Such a love we kindle in Christ, when we hear his word and do it; that we are as deer unto him as all his kindred together.

Now as we are his mother, so we should carry him in our hearts, as his mother did in her arms; as we are his brethren, so we should prefer him, as Joseph did Benjamin; as we are his spouse, so we should embrace him, as Isaac did Rebecca: if thou be a kinsman, do like a kinsman.

Now we come to the marks of these kinsmen; which I may call the arms of his house. As Christ saith, By this all men shall know my Disciples; if they love one another: So he saith: by this shall all men know my kinsmen, if they hear the word of God and do it. Here it is continually said, He which heareth the word of God, and doeth it: both are one: for his word is his will: and therefore it is called his will.

As he spake (therefore) of doing; so he speaketh of a certain rule which he calleth The word of God: whereby all men's doings must be squared: for if I do all the works that I can to satisfy an others will, or mine own will, it availeth me nothing with God, because I do it not for God. Therefore he which always before followed his own will; when he was stricken down to the ground, and began to repent, he cried out, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? as if he should say; I will do no more as men would have me, or as the devil would have me, but as thou wouldest have me. So David praide, Teach me O Lord to do thy will; not my will: for we would not to be taught to do our own will, every man can go to hell without a guide. Here is the rule, now if you live by it, then you are knit to Christ. As other kindreds go by birth or by marriage, so this kindred goeth by faith and obedience. Hearers are but half kin, as it were in a far degree: But they which hear and do, are called his mother, which is the nearest kin of all. Therefore if you have the deed, then you are kin in deed. There is no promise made to bearers, nor to speakers, nor to readers, but all promises are made to believers and to doers.

If you ask God, Who shall rest in the holy mountain? he saith, the man which walketh uprightly & doeth Justice: Here are none but doers.

If ye ask Christ, Who shall enter into the kingdom? He saith, Not they which cry Lord, Lord, though they cry twice Lord; But they which do the will of my Father: Here are none but deeds. If you ask him again, howe you may come to heaven? he saith, Keep the commandments. If you ask him again, who are blessed? He saith: Blessed are they that hear the word of God and do it. If you ask an Angel, who are blessed? He saith, Blessed are they that keep the words of this book. If you ask the Prophet David, who are blessed? He saith, The man is blest that keepeth judgment, and doeth righteousness. If you ask Solomon, who are blessed? He saith, The man is blest that keepeth the Law. If you ask Isaiah, who are blessed? He saith, He which doeth this, is blessed. If you ask James, who is blessed? He saith, The doer of the word is blessed in his deed. Here you see all these are none but doers. Thus blessing and doing run together, lest any man should look to be blessed without obedience. Christ calleth Love, the greatest commandment: but Solomon calleth Obedience, the ende of all: as though without obedience, all were to no ende. When Micah had gotten a Levite into his house; now he saith, I know the Lord will be good unto me, seeing I have a Levite in my house: so many think, when they have goten a Preacher into their parish, now the Lord will be good unto us: now Christ will love us: now we are good sons seeing we maintain a Preacher amongst us: But Micah was not blest for a Levite, nor you for a Preacher. But as you would have us do as we teach; so GOD would have you do as you hear: for you shall be no more saved for hearing, than we for speaking.

When God created the tree, he commanded it to bring forth fruit; so when he created Faith, he commandeth us to bring forth works; and therefore it is called a lively faith. When our Savior would prove himself unto John the Baptist to be the Messias in deed, he saith to his disciples; tell what things you have heard & seen: not only heard but seen. So if we will prove our selves to be Christ's kinsmen in deed, we must work that which may be seen as well as heard. John the Baptist was not only called the voice of a crier, which might be heard, but a burning lamp which might be seen: so all which are crying voices, must be burning lamps. James doth not say, let me hear thy faith, but let me see thy faith. As the Angels put on the shape of men, that Abraham might see them: so faith must put on works that the world may see it. The works which I do (saith Christ) bear witness of me: so the works which we do must bear witness of us. Therefore Christ linketh faith and repentance together; Repent, & believe the Gospel: Therefore I conclude, That which Christ hath joined, let no man separate.

Thus I have shown you Christ preaching, and a great press hearing; his kinsfolks interrupting, & Christ again withstanding the interruption. By this you may see what a spite the devil had to hinder one sermon; therefore no marvel though he cause so many to be mute, no marvel though he stand so against the learned ministry; No marvel though he raise such slanders upon Preachers; no marvel though he write so many books against the Christiā government in the Church; no marvel, though he make so many ingrossers of church living, that being themselves without conscience, are unwilling to have the cure of souls committed to any other thā such as themselves: for these men make him the god of this world. The Devil is afraid that one Sermon will convert us, and we are not moved with twenty: so the devil thinketh better of us, than we are.

Again, by this we may know howe to withstand temptations: whether it be the father, mother, brother, sister, kinsman, rulers, master, or wife, that tempteth. As Christ would not know his mother against his father: so thou shouldst not know any father or mother, or whosoever against God. If a mothers suit may be refused sometimes, a mighty man's will may be refused too; he which can turn his hindrance to a furtherance, as Christ did here, may make use of everything.

Again, by this you may learn how to choose your friend. As Christ counted none his kinsmen, but such as hear the word of God & do it: So we should make none our familiars, but such as Christ counteth his kinsmen.

Again, by this you may see the difference between Christ and the world: Christ calleth the godly his kinsmen, though they be never so poor: we scorn to call the poor our kinsmen, though they be never so honest; so proud is the servant above his master. Again, by this ye may know how Christ is to be loved; for when he calleth us his mother, he showeth us the way how to love him like a mother: for in deed he is the mother of his mother, and his brethren too.

Again, by this all vaunting & boasting of kindred is cut of. Glory not that thou hast a gentleman to thy father, but that thou hast God to thy father. Glory not that thou hast Kings to thy brethren, but glory that thou hast the Lord to thy brother. He which called Abraham his father, fried in hell fire, because God was not his father. If Marie might not be proud of such a son as Christ, much less may we brag of any friend or son that we have.

Again, by this you may know whether you be kin to Christ: as those priests were shut out of the Temple which could not count their Genealogy from Aaron; so they shall be shut out of heaven which cannot reckon their pedigree from Christ.

Here are the Arms now whereby you may show what house you come of: If you hear the word of God, and do it, then Christ saith unto you, as he said unto them: these are my mother and my brethren & my sisters; you women are his sisters, & you men are his brethren: and if you be Christ's brethren, then are you God's sons: and if ye be God's sons, then are ye his heirs, for all God's sons are called heirs.

Lastly, by this ye may know the devils kinsmen: for if Christ counted none his kinsmen, but they which hear the word of God; then they which do not, hear the word of God, but contemn it, are the devils kinsmen: and therefore Christ saith, You are of your father the aiuell; for the devil and the wicked are as nere kin, as Christ and the faithful.

Now as David saith, Seemeth it a light thing unto you to be the son of a King, seeing I am a poor man and of small reputation? so I may say, seemeth it a light thing unto you to be the sons of a King, the King of Kings, seeing you are pooremen, and of small reputation? It is counted a great honor to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that God was not ashamed to be called their God. What an honor than is this, that God is not ashamed to be called our Father, nay our brother; as though we were matches with him. If the Israelites had such care to marry with the servants of God; what a blessing is this, to marry with the son of God. Therefore, if any affect rich kinsmen, or great marriages: here is a greater than Solomon to marry with you; this kinsman of ours is now gone up into heaven, that we may have a friend in the court. JOSEPH desired the Butler to remember him when he stood before PHARAOH, and he forgot, though he had pleasured him: but a thief desired Christ to remember him when he came into his kingdom, and he received him into Paradise the same day, though he had always offended him; to show that though we have been as bad as thieves, yet wet may have hope in Christ. Therefore I may conclude, you have heard the word. If you go away and do it: then you are mother, brethren and sisters of this heavenly King: to whom with the Father & the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory forever and ever.