common Supper before the sacrament to be observed by the Jews a people too much given to their own inventions and the traditions of Elders it is safeâ—t for us to thinke that Christ did keep the Law of the Passeover as was written Exodus 12. wherein was appointed a whole Lambe with unleavened bread not prescribing how much and soure or bitter herbes for a sauce-drink being presupposed and included as naturally necessary to make the Passover to be a Supper and an holy Feast all which making up sufficient store of meat to be a meal to so many men and to furnish a sop to Iudas ere he went forth and Elements also unto the new Sacrament after he was gone there is no ground to make us conceive that there was a common Supper preceding the Passover but when we find Iudas to be eating with the rest after their down-sitting to the Passover we have good ground to think that Iudas was partaker of the Passeover Supper Thirdly seeing the Evangelist expresly saith ver 19. that they made ready the Passeover and verse 20. that Christ when the even was come sate down with the twelve to wit to eat the Passover and ver 21. That as they that is Christ with the twelve were eating he said to them one of you shall betray me we may without any scruple conclude that Iudas was present at the Passover and so much the more as we find that the Evangelists hereafter do number only eleven Disciples untill the time that Matthias who used alwayes to be present with the Apostles was chosen to supply the room of Iudas and to make up again the number of twelve Act. 1.26 In regard of whom the Apostle Paul had just ground to say 1 Cor. 15.6 that Christ was seen of the twelve because Act. 1 21.22 Matthias being present alwayes with the twelve and so at this apparition and reckoned with the eleven in Iudas room doth make the number compleat This being presupposed we learn 1. That neither is the Sacrament the worse nor are the communicants polluted albeit an undiscovered hypocrite be in company with them at the Lords Table for Iudas was one of the twelve with whom Christ sate down to eat the Passeover and neither the ordinance nor the rest of the Apostles were tainted with Iudas his fault the pollution of the Sacrament was in Iudas only and remained with him alone 2. The Lord will not discover hypocritees till they by their own deeds discover themselves but wil suffer them to lurk among the Saints till his own time come as here he suffereth Iudas to lurk and to eat the Passeover 3. Social sitting at table is a very sit posture for a religious Feast for here Christ and his Disciples sit down at table together to eat the Passover Ver. 21. And as they did eat he said Verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me 22 And they were exceeding sorrowful and began every one of them to say unto him Lord is it I Our Lord forwarneth the Disciples that he was to be betraed by one of them and putteth each man to try themselves Doct. 1. It is possible that a man may come to the Lords table the one day and betray him shortly after the like fell out in Christs own Apostles One of you saith he shal betray me 2. The possibility that a communicant may become a Traitour should put all men to search themselves as here the Apostles are put to it saying Is it I 3. Sincerety and charity wil make men search and suspect themselves rather than another as here the Apostles say not Is it Iudas but Is it I 4. The sincere man dares not trust the deceitfulness of his own heart but bringeth it to the Searcher therof and relieth upon his testimony as here the Apostles do saying to Christ Is it I Ver. 23 And he answered and said he that dippeth his hand with me in the dish the same shall betray â—e 24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him but â—o unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed it had been good for that 〈◊〉 if he had not been born Christ answereth their question and taketh away the stumbling block of his suffering himself to be betrayed by application of the prediction of the scripture to the present date to let them see that the betraying of him was forâ—â—old in the scripture Doct. 1. A benummed conscience and a shamelesse face are easily joyned with a resolute purpose to sin as here the Traitour standeth not to dip his hand in the dish with Christ when he was minded presently to betray him 2. No kindness or good which the godly can bestow upon the wicked will hinder the wicked to prove Enemies to the godly when they are put to trial as all Christs kind usage of Iudas and admitting him to eat of the dish with him stayed him not from going to betray him 3. The known wil of God is the best remedy to save us from stumbling at the Crosse of Christs as here It is written saith Christ that he may keep them from stumbling 4. The prediction of Gods Word and the foredetermination of a fact doth not exempt the sinner and the committer of the fact from guilt or punishment for not the lesse it is said Wo to that man 5. Sin turneth all the benefits of God into curses and maketh them matter of misery for It had been better for the traitour he had never been born saith Christ. Ver. 25. Then Iudas which betrayed him answered and said Master is it I He said unto him Thou hast said Iudas seigneth himself a friend and is loath to bewray himself by not saying as the rest did Doct. 1. Hypocrites for shame will professe sincerety as the sincere do so saith Iudas Is it I 2. A seated conscience will make an affronted face as here Iudas dares say Is it I 3. The more the hypocrite will hide his sin the more is it brought forth as here Thou hast said it saith Christ. Ver. 26. And as they were eating Iesus took bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to the disciples and said Take eat this is my body 27 And he took the Cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it 28 For this is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Now followeth a more particular relation of the institution of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the whole Doctrine whereof is not to be found in any of the Evangelists or Apostles but to be collected out of all each contributing their part to expresse the full meaning of the Lords Spirit in this matter Here we take up onely that which Matthew saith and first we observe that the celebration of the first Sacramental Supper of the Lord was joyned in one continued supperly action with the Sacrament of the passeover our Lord herein declaring
the old church and new to be one in him and the Sacraments of both to have himself for their signification for the Sacrament began as They were eating that is sitting sâ—ill at table and the Supper not closed 2. For the nature of the action it is required there be a Table prepared and Elements ready to be made use of For the first Supper which is our patern was celebrated at the same Table whereat the Passeover was celebrated wherupon there were yet remaining Elements for eating for this much is imported in As they were eating 3. It is requisite also that the Minister of the Gospel and his stock so many of them as may communicate together at one Table at once be assembled together and joyntly set down together for celebration of this holy Feast for so was it in the patern As they were eating they that is Christ as minister and his disciples as the flock 4. The fittest posture of the Communicants in the action of this holy Feasting is social sitting together at the Lords Table for this was the behaviour of the first communicants the Lord began to give the Sacrament As they were eating that is as they yet continued sitting together socially at the Table materials foâ— eating not being removed daâ—ing which time men are said to be eating 5. The Elements of this holy Feast are only bread and wine for Christ took bread and 〈◊〉 cup. 6. The part of the Minister is to take the Elements and by the word of Institution and Prayer to sanctifie separate and appoint them for this holy and sacramental use so much of them and in so far as they shall be imployed by the communicants for Christ blessed the bread blessed the cup and gave thaâ—â—s to the Father 7. The part of the Minister also is to break the bread and give it unto the community of the Communicants with a command unto them in common or in the plural number to take the bread and eat it for Christ brake the bread and gave it to his disciples saying Take ye eat ye 8. It is the part of the Minister to expoâ—e and declare with authority in the Lords Name what this Bread thus blessed thus broken thus given and taken doth signifie exhibit and seal up by Christs appointment unto the beleeving communicant to wit that This bread is Christs body which speech is not to be understood physically nor miraculously but judicially that is to say in the sense that civil judgement maketh the instruments of security of any thing to be called by the name of it and holden in law for it and therfore as the instrumental elements wherby men are infeoff'd in any house or land or rent being orderly given and taken are by the appointment of mens law the very house or land or rent really and truly in law made sure to the receiver for all lawfull and profitable effects before the Barre of civil Justice so this bread thus given and thus taken is by the institution and appointment of divine Ordinance in a judicial sense the very body of Christ suffering judicially and truly or really in divine Law made sure to the receiver for all profitable effects before the Bar of divine Justice and as the instrumental Elements of seising a man in a house or land or rent such as are for example cause a piece of earth or a stone or a staffe or a penny orderly given and taken do signifie exhibit and confirme in law a mans right and title unto such a house or land or rent more strongly then if a man did take the house or land physically in his armes if it were possible So this bread by Divine Ordinance doth signifie exhibit and and confirme the Beleevers right and title unto Christs body as suffering for the beleevers redemption more certainly and surely then if Christs body suffering were physically imbraced by him in his armes if it were possible and therefore as the instrumental elements of civill inseoffment in the termes of humane ordinance and institution are rightly called by the name of the lands disponed so the Sacramentall element of bread is rightly called Christs body disponed in the termes of Divine Ordinance and institution which appointeth hereby right to be given unto us unto Christs body as suffering for our redemption 9. To assure us of ful satisfaction and compleat furniture for eternall life Christ our Lord hath not only taken bread in the Sacrament but also hath instituted a cup that is both meat and drink for certifying us that we shall have compleat nourishment in him commanding the community of the Beleevers or communicants in the plurall number to drink therof for He also took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye al of it 10. As it is necessary that the people receive the sacramental bread with the exposition and declaration in the Lords Name of what it giveth them right unto by Divine Institution so it is also necessary that the people receive all of them the Sacramentall Cup with declaration of what it giveth them right unto by Christ's Ordinance for this cup or wine in the cup is my blood saith the Lord to wit Appointed of me judicially to make you truely or really sure of your right unto my death and the blood shed and unto all benefits bought thereof 11. There is a Covenant of Redemption past between the Father and Mediatour Christ wherein Christ was bound to lay down his life by the shedding of his blood to purchase to the Redeemed remission of sins This is impoâ—ted in the words of The blood of the Covenant for the remission of sins shewing that the Son had before promised to pour out his blood for purchasing remission and the Father had granted remission upon this condition 12. Christ did make his Testament before his death and left remission of sins in legacy to his redeemed people namely to believing Communicants This is imported in the words of a Testament for remission of sins 13. Christ did make his Testament two wayes one in typicall promises under the Law before he came in the flesh and so also in types and figures he died as it were and was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World Again He made his Testament after his Incarnation in plain and clear terms after which he fulfilled the types of his death and actually laid down his life for his Redeemed People This is imported in the words New Testament is my blood shed Presupposing an Old Testament in the blood of typicall lambs and other sacrifices 14. Conforme to this two-fold manner of making of a Testament there was also a two-fold manner of making of a Covenant of Grace between God and the Church in her head Christ one called An Old Covenant before he came of typicall promises painfull and chargeable rites and harder conditions to the externall Beholder another after his Incarnation called A New Covenant of better promises and
more comfortable conditions because now the dimnesse of the shadow is removed the yoke of the ceremonies is broken and the substance of the covenant is more clearly seen and this is imported in the word of new Covenant for the word in the original which signifieth Testament signifieth also Covenant and is indifferently used for either for the Testament and Covenant is much of the same articles to and with the same persons 15. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a seal of â—he new covenant of Righteousnesseâ— and eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ the Redeemer this is imported in the words This cup is my bloud of the new covenant that is It is the seal of the new covenant wherby I make you sure â—ight unto my bloud shed for remission of sins 16. By the new covenant of righteousness and life through faith in Christ sealed in the Sacrament the believeâ— getteth right unto the covenant of redemption made between God and Christ to the behove of the redeemed this is imported in the words of Testament or covenant of bloud shed to satisfie the Father for many for the remisâ—ion of sins Ver. 29. But I say unto you I wil not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers kingdom That our Lord may put upon his disciples the impressioâ— of his death shortly to follow and so both â—ngraft the doctrine of the Sacrament more deeply in them and prepare them the better for his death he sheweth them that this was the last draught of wine he was to take in a Sacramental way with them and that the time was coming when he and his disciplâ—s should in Heaven together he partakers of the joy and comfort signified by this Sacramental wine which he calleth The drinking of it new or in the newnesse of the Spirit and not in the oldnesse of the letter for the externâ—l Sacrament and Sacramental Elements are at the last to be abolished as old But â—he joy and Life and Honour signified by the Sacramental Participation of them shal never be abolished shal never wax old but shall be fresh and new for ever Doc. 1. Our Lord beside all other relations which he hath to the Sacrament as the Institutor thereof the End therof the Thing signified therby the Minister in the first celebration thereof is also â— Fellow-banguâ—ter and communiâ—â—â— with us in his own â—ay for he did drink of the Sacramental wine as it signified communion of life and joy with us in Heaven I wil not drink henceforth of the fruit of the Vine until I drink it new with you c. 2. Whatsoever change it put upon the wine in the Sacrament by instituting that it should signifie and seal up spiritual life and joy yet alter the sanctifying of it and in the time of drinking of it by the communicâ—nts it â—emaineth Wine in the own natural properties without being 〈◊〉 â—tiaâ— for I wil not saith he drink of the fruit of the Vine henceforth 3. The drinking of the Sacramental wine is a sign and pledge of our spirituall and new communion in life and joy in the Kingdome of Heaven for Christ expoundeth it saying Untill the Day that I shal drink it new with you in the Kingdom of my Father 4. Christ will not be content to be without his disciples in Heaven for I wil drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father saith he Ver. 30. And when they had sung an hymn they went out into the mount of Olives This is the close of the whole action Doc. 1. It is fit that God be glorified in the Assembly of the church by singing of Psalms and in particular when the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is celebrate for They did sing a hymn 2. How sad hours soever the Lord send unto us it is our part alwayes to sing his praises for the disciples albeit they all knew that our Lord was presently to suffer yet They did sing unto God an hymn Ver. 31. Then saith Iesus unto them All ye shal be offended because of me this night for it is written I wil smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shal be scattered abroad 32. But after I am risen again I will go before you into Galilee Christ foretelleth his disciples of their stumbling at his sufferings and denying of him that night according as was foretold Zach. 13.7 and that he would rise again from death and would gather them unto him and meet them in Galilee whether they were to fly yea and that he should be there before them Doc. 1. The afflictions for the Gospel may be such as the stoutest disciples may stumble at them and fall at a time for All ye shal be offended because of me saith he 2. The visibility of the church is not such but that possibly open profession of the Gospel and open communion of Saints may be interrupted by persecution for it is written I wil smite the Shepherd and the Sheep of the flock shal be scattered abroad 3. Christ shall be victorious over the power of persecuters and after a scattering he will gather unto himself again the upright in heart He giveth ground to us for so much saying After I am risen again I wil go before you into Galilee Ver. 33. Peter answered and said unto him Though all men shall be offended because of thee yet will I never be offended 34. Iesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee that this night before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice 35. Peter said unto him Though I should dy with thee yet wil I not deny thee likewise also said all the disciples Honest Peter cannot believe such weakness at least in him self and therfore albeit forwarned the second time he speaketh stouâ—ly and so do the rest of the disciples also Doct. 1. Unexpert christians can hardly believe themselves to be so weak and sinful as the Lordsword sheweth them to be but so much the more as they have an honest purpose to stand they have fleshly confidence in their own strength and do assure themselves that they shal stand in all assays howsoever others fal beside them Therfore is it that Peter saith Though all men should be offended yet not I although I should dy I wil not deny thee and so also do the rest say 2. He that trusteth most to his own strength is nearest unto the most fearful fal Therfore it is said to Peter Ere the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice Ver. 36. Then cometh Iesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane and saith unto the disciples Sit ye here while I go and pray yonder Our Lordslast sufferings may be for memories cause distinguished by the places wherin He suffered First In the Garden on mounâ— Olives to ver 57. and next in Câ—iphas hall to the end of this chapter Our Lord taketh his eleven trusty Disciples with him into the Garden
he worketh repentance in him Doct. 1. The Elect may fearfully fall but cannot fall away utterly for Peter by temptation is driven to deny the Lord but doth not lye still in the sin 2. As the forgetting of the Lords word openeth the door to temptation so the calling of it to remembrance mixed with faith is a meanes of repentance for ere Peters repentance be mentioned it is said Peter remembred the words of the Lord. 3. Sincere repentance weepeth seriously and in secret as here Peter went out when he repented and wept bitterly CHAP. XXVII After Christ is delivered unto Pilate Judas hangeth himself and leaveth the money to the priests to be disposed ver 10. Pilate examineth Christ and without cause condemneth him and delivereth him to be scourged and crucified ver 45. after which Christs God-head is more manifested and he is buried with some respect Ver. 1. WHen the morning was come all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsell against Iesus to put him to death 2. And when they had bound him they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governour THe corrupt church-men having unjustly condemned Christ do seek now to put him to death by the power of the civill Magistrate Doct. 1. The wicked aâ—e exceeding watchfull and painfull to accomplish an ill turne especially against Christ for late at night and early in the morning are the chief Priests and others busie to have Christ put to death 2. It is no new thing to see corrupt church governours abuse the civil Magistrate in execution of their unjust and cruel conclusions as here the chief Priests and Elders Deliver Christ bound to Pilate the governour Ver. 3. Then Iudas which had betrayed him when he saw that he was condemned repented himselfe and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders 4. Saying I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood And they said What is that to us see thou to that 5. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged himself Now Judas his conscience is wakened but out of time whereupon he confesseth his sin to them who insnared him but finding them to despise him he casteth back the price of his treachery and hangeth himself Doct. 1. Though before a sin be committed the bait and allurement is â—nly seen and the conscience blindfolded kept captive and benummed yet after sin is committed it shall be wakened at last and see the ugliness of sin discovered for as Judas seeth now and saith now that He hath betrayed the innocent blood 2. When the evill of sin is discovered then is the naughtinesse of every inducement unto it discovered also and the grief is more then any gain or pleasure inducing unto it can counterballance for Judas now counteth little of the thirty peices of silver bringeth back the price and casteth it down in the temple 3. Such as sin by the inducement of others need not look for comfort from the inticers of them unto it but must bear the guiltiness of it alone for when Judas regrateth his sin to the Priests What is that to us say they to him see thou â—e that 4. When Justice pursueth the sinner and he flyeth not to Gods mercy in Christ there needeth no other Judge or witnesse or Burrio against him but his own conscience only it is sufficient to convict condemn and torture him so as he will chuse to strangle himselfe rather then indure the vexation of it for Judas being forsaken of those who insnared him in the sin goeth not to God but departeth and hangeth himself Ver. 6. And the chief Priests took the silver peices and said It is not lawful for us to put them into the treasury because it is the price of blood 7. And they took counsel and bought with them the potters field to bury strangers in 8. Wherfore that field was called The field of blood unto this day This cursed mony the priests wil not bring into the Treasury of the Temple but doe imploy it in a charitable worke to buy a buriall place for strangers by which meanes a prophesie of the Scripture is fulfilled in Gods providence Doct. 1. The Lord will have no offâ—ring made unto him of that which is not a mans own and that in suâ—h a way as may be free of all appearance of allowing of mens unjust or dishonourable gaine for It is not lawful say they Deut. 23.18 to put this mony unto the treasury 2. It is no new thing to see Christs most cruel adversaries deep in hypocrisie pretending to be feared to offend in the least things as these men stand not to give Judas a hire to betray innocent blood but will not meddle with the gain when it is cast back 3. Hypocrites even when they are deepest in a mischief wil seek to hide their course with seeming to do some good work as these men will be charitable to the poor in buying a burying place to the strangers with the price of Christs Blood 4. The Lord can make the Mask of mens hypocrisie the special Means to discover them as here these wicked Priests do seek to hide their cruelty against Christ by seeming to be charitable in buying the potters field for burying of strangers with the price of Christs life and in Gods providence it is turned to the contrary that this field should in all time coming bear the name of their bloudy bargain made with Judas for the field was called The field of bloud unto this day saith the Evangelist Ver. 9. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Ieremiah the Prophet saying And they took the thirty pieces of silver the price of him that was valued whom they of the children of Israel did value 10. And gave them for the potters field as the Lord appointed me The Evangelist doth observe the Lords over-ruling providence who by this means fulfilled the words of the Pâ—ophet Zachary cha â—1 ver 12. where the Lord complaineth of the ungratitude of the people who accounted less of all his personall care over them then ordinarily men do account of their basest servants on whom they wil one way or other in a short time bestow more then what they do pâ—ise all the Lords labour on them to be worth and withall the Lord foretelleth that at length they should put no other price upon him when he should come to be bought and sold among them saye thirty pieces of silver with which mony should be bought the potters field for a memoriall unto all ages of their undervaluing of him As for the calling of the Prophet Zachary by the name of Jeremy albeit it were presupposed that this verball mistake did creep into the Tâ—xt by the inadvertance of the first transcribers of the Evangelists Copy yet this is no materiall depraving of the Text but such an accident of the letter only as an intelligent reader being acquainted
Messiah by the resurrection from the dead and by his victory over the persecutions of his adversaries and this is another way of having the signe of the Prophet Ionah signes of both these sorts are proper to mis-beleevers Verse 41. The men of Niniveh shall rise in judgement with this generation and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Ionas and behold a greater then Ionas is bere Christ after refusing to giâ—e them a signe or to work any miracle at their pleasure certifieth them that they shall be condemned for their mis-belief by two witnesses The first witnesse is The men of Niniveh who repented at the preaching of Jonas whether this repentance was better then the repentance of Achab it skilleth not to dispute because presuppose it was no more then was in a naturall man upon the historicall beleeving of temporall judgement coming upon them like unto Achabs repentance yet it was more then these hard-hearted people did who were obstinate unbelievers and were neither moved with the preaching of mercy nor judgment Doct. 1. Any sort of repentance presuppose it be only temporary is better then obstinate unbelief and no sort of repentance for Ninivehs humiliation is better then the Jews hard-hearted carriage 2. There is more fruit of one Sermon to be expected from Pagans then of many Sermons from the abusers of Ordinances of Religion for Niniveh repenteth at one Sermon Judea repenteth not after hearing many 3. The sin of the Mis-beleever and his judgment is the greater by so much as the means of beleeving have been more frequently applyed and Christ hath shown himselfe more in the use of means for therefore was the condemnation of the Jewes unbeliefe the greater because Christ who was greater then Ionas was not beleeved after long preaching and miracles wrought Verse 42. The Queen of the South shall rise up in the judgement with this generation and shall condemne it for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to heare the wisedome of Solomon and behold a greater then Solomon is here Another witness is the Queen of the South Doct. The Example of such as have taken paines to get knowledge or obtain any vertue whose names are recorded in Scripture must either be made use of unto imitation of their faith and diligence or else their example will serve to agredge sins unto deeper judgement for the Queen of the South shall rise in judgement against those that regard not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Verse 43. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man be walketh through dry places seeking rest and findeth none 44. Then he saith I will return into my house from whence I came out and when he is come he findeth it empty swept and garnished 45. Then goeth he and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked then himself and they enter in and dwel there and the last state of that man is worse then the first Even so shal it be also unto this generation The last answer serveth to shew them their own miserable condition and that by a parable of a supposed case of Satans being cast out of a man in respect of one sort of possession and coming back unto a worse and more dangerous sort of possession The scope of the parableâ—s to shew that this people by theâ—r refusing to receive the grace of God and to beleeve in Christ were in a seven-fold worse condition then if the Gospel had never been preached unto them for Christ by his doctrine had made them see the onely true way of rightâ—ousnesse and eternall life and so in regard of the refutation of their former errour and removing the ignorance wherin they did formerly lye Satan was in some sort cast out but in respect of their not receiving Jesus Christ and his grace to dwel in their hearts by faith the divel had gotten a seven-fold stronger possession of them now then before From this parable we may learn 1. That Satan is an unclean spirit for so here is he called 2. He may be cast out of a man in some sort and yet the man be not renewed As for example He may be cast out of a bodily possession and the man remain unrenewed He may be cast out in regard of a mans outward polluted life as he was cast out of these who after abjuration of their ungodly life at their baptisme did returne again to their former filthinesse 2 Pet. 2. He may be cast out of a mans mind by refutation of his former errours and illumination of him by sound doctrine and yet the man may remain unrenewed such as was the casting of Satan out of this evil and adulterous generation 3. In case a man be not taken up by the spirit of grace in whatsoever other respect Satan is cast out of him he shall be more deeply possessed by him then before Verse 46. While be yet talked to the people behold his mother and his brethren stood without desiring to speake with him 47. Then one said unto him Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without desiring to speak with thee Concerning the coming of Christs friends and kins folks unto him whatsoever was their errand their pretence is to speak with him but untimously do they call for conference while he is about another work Hence learn that Christ is indeed very man having kindly consanguinity with other men and naturall relations unto them grounded upon the verity of his humane nature for he hath Mother and brethren or Cousin germans Persons neare in blood unto him who are called in Scripture Brethren 2. The Virgin Mother was not so free of sin but she might and did fall in escapes as here in joining with the friends at least in an untimous troubling of Christs Sermon to say no more and preferring her own conference with him unto his fathers service which conference might have been delayed untill his teaching of the people had been ended and a more eminent work which was now in hand perfected Ver. 48. But he answered and said unto him that told him Who is my Mother and who are my brethren 49. And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples and said Behold my mother and my brethren 50. For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my brother and sister and mother From Christs answer learn 1. That respect unto kindred and friends must not be prejudiciall to any higher service of God for when Christs mother and friends called to speak with him while he is teaching he asked Who is my mother 2. Whosoever believeth in Christ and endeavours to do Gods will giveth reall demonstration of saving faith and may be assured of Christs love and estimation no lesse then if all the relations of Brother and Mother and Sister in oneâ—vere put upon him for Whosoever shall do the will of my Father the same saith Christ is my Brother and Sister and Mother CHAP. XIII