HEre Christ is prea­ching, a great prease hearing, & his mo­ther and his friends interrupting, and Christ againe with­standing the interruption, with a comfortable doctrine of his mer­cies towardes them which heare the word of God & do it. When Christ was about a good worke, & manie were gathered to heare him, the di­uell thought as the Priests and Sad­duces did in the fourth of the Acts; [Page] If I let him alone, all the world will follow him, and I shal be like Rahel without children: therefote deui­sing the likeliest policie to frustrate & difgrace but one of his Sermons, thereby to make the people more vnwilling to heare him againe; As he set Eue vpon Adam, & made Iobs wife his instrument, when hee could Gen. 3. 6. Iob. 2. 9. not fit it himselfe: so hee sendeth Christ his mother, & putteth in the minde of his kinsmen to come vnto him, at that instant when hee was in this holy exercise; & call vppon him as he was preaching, to come away, and goe with them.

Christ seeing the Serpents dea­ling, how he had made his mother his tempter, that al this auditorie might goe away emptie, & say where they came; Wee heard the man which is called Iesus, and he began to preach to vs with such words as though he would carie vs to heauen; but in the midst of his Sermon came his mother and brethren to him, that it might be knowen what a kinsman they had, [Page] and so soone as hee heard that they were come, suddenly he brake off his Sermon and sl [...]pt away from vs to goe and make mercie with them. Christ, I saie▪ seeing this traine lai­ed by Sathan to disgrace him as hee would do his mini [...]ers, did not leaue off speaking, as they thought hee would: but as if God had appoin­ted all this to credit it & renowme him; that which was noysed here to interrupt his doctrine, he taketh for an occasion to teach another do­ctrine, that there is another coniun­ction betweene Christ and the faith­full, than betweene the mother and the sonne which are one flesh: and therefore when they saie; Thy mo­ther & thy brethren a [...]e come to speak with thee, hee pointeth to his hea­rers and saith; These are my mother, and my brethren, which heare the word of God and do it; as if he should saie, I haue a mother in deede which brought mee foorth, but in respect of these which heare the worde of God and do it, shee is like a stepmo­ther, [Page] and these are like a natural mo­ther. With this wise aunswere he quieted the auditors, & made them heare him better than they did be­fore: for nowe they thought with themselues; what man is this which loueth vs more than his mother? his mother called him, & yet he would not goe from vs: his brethren staye for him, and he maketh as if he did not know them, but sayeth: Who is my mother? Who are my brethren? Thus Christ stoode vp (as I weene) in an indignation against Sathan, & said; Sathan, this sermon was not begun for thee, neither shall it ende for thee: this worke was not done for my mother, neither shall it be left for my mother. Thus he caught the Diuell with his owne baite, & made the people more louing and atten­tiue to him, by that which Sathan thought to disgrace him. He was so armed with the spirite, that let Di­uell tempt, or the woman tempt him, or Princes tempt him, all is one.

[Page] Here are two doubtes, the first is, the difference betweene the E­uangelistes: for Mathewe saith, that Math. 12. 47. Mark. 3. 31. Luk. 8. 10. one brought this message vnto Christ, Marke and Luke attribute it vnto moe; Both may stand: for the worde which his mother gaue of calling him foorth was receiued of the rest, and so passed amongest manie till it came vnto Christ; so that one and manie may be saide to bring this message, because one may sende it first, and manie noyse it after.

The seconde doubt is, because Christ had no brethren, how then they saide; Thy brethren woulde speake with thee.

You must vnderstand that they which are here called Christes bre­thren, were his Cousins by the Mothers side, that is to saie, his Mothers sisters children: for there were three Maries, and these three were sisters: Marie the vir­gine, and Marie the mother of Iames, & Marie the wife of Cleophas, [Page] whose sonnes these were; their names were Iames and Ioseph & Iu­das and Simon; and they are called the Lordes brethren, because they we [...]e kinne vnto him. Therfore note that in holie Scriptu [...]es, there be iiij. sortes of brethren; brethren by nature, so Esau and Iacob are called Gen. 25. 25 brethren, because they had one fa­ther and one mother; Brethren by Nation, so all the Iewes are called brethren, because they were of one Deut. 15. 22. countrey; Brethren by affinitie, so all are called brethren which were of one familie, and so Abraham cal [...]ed Gen. 12. 5. Lott his brother and Sara his sister, because they were of one lyne; Bre­thren by profession, so all Christians are called brethren, because they are of one Religion: these were bre­thren of the thirde order, that is by affinitie, because they were of one familie.

Nowe when his mother and his brethren were come to see him, it [...]s said, that they could not come neere him because of the prease; here were [Page] auditours enough: Christ saw now, that his mother could haue no rome to heare him; but after a while it was lowe water againe. When the shepheard was striken, the sheepe were scattered; when he preached in the streetes, and in the Temples, and in the fieldes, then many floc­ked after him: but when hee prea­ched vpon the Crosse, then they left him, which said they would ne­uer forsake him, then there was as great a prease to see him die, as there was here to heare him preach; and manie 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 zeale, more than any thing else. Thus much of their comming to the doctrine.

Here be two speakers: one saith; Thy mother and thy brethren are come to speake with thee: the other sayeth; These are my mother, & my brethren, which heare the words of God & do it. The scope of the Euangelist is this, [Page] First, to shew that Christ would not hinder his doctrine for mother or brethren or any kinsmen: then to shewe that there is a neerer coniun­ction between Christ and the faith­full, than betweene the mother and the sonne. The first is written for our instruction, & the latter is writ­ten for our comfort. Touching the first: he which teacheth vs to honor our father & mother, doth not teach vs here to contemne father or mo­ther; for it is said, that he was obedi­ent to his parents. This he shewed, Luke. 2. 51 when being found in the Temple a­mong the doctors, he left all to go with his mother, because she sought him; so he honoured her, that he left all for her. This he shewed againe at his death, being vpon the crosse, he was not vnmindful of her: for poin­ting vnto Iohn, he said Woman behold thy sonne: and pointing vnto him he said, Behold thy mother; so he com­mended her to his beloued Disci­ple Iohn. 19. 26. before he died; therefore this is not a doctrine of disobedience, but [Page] a rule how to obey. As hee taught his disciples, to giue vnto Caesar, that Luke. 20. 25. which is Caesars, and to God that which is Gods: so he teacheth them here, Mat. 19. to giue vnto parents that which is parents, & to the Lord that which is the Lords. When God said, Honour thy father and thy mother, he did not Exod. 20. 12. giue a commandement against him­selfe, & therefore he saith Honor me, before he saith Honor them. The first commandement of the first table is, Honor God: and the first cōmande­ment of the second table is, Honor Parents; lest you should honor your parents before God. When Salomon 1. King. 2. 16. bad his mother aske him any thing, & denyed her that one thing which shee asked; he sheweth that the mo­ther should not be obeyed in all things. When Christ said, You haue but one father but one master, hespake of faith and religion; shewing, that when it concerneth our faith & reli­giō, we shuld respect but one father & one master which is the giuer of our faith, & the mater of our religiō.

[Page] When Paul said, Children obey your parents in the Lorde, hee mea­neth Ephes. 6. 1 that we should not obey them against the Lorde: as when he saith, Obey Princes for conscience; he mea­neth that we should not obey them Rom. 13. 5 against conscience. Therefore, when it commeth to this, that the earthly father commaundeth one thing, & the heauenly Father commaundeth another thing, then as Peter aun­swered the Rulers, so thou maist an­swere thy parents, Whether is it Act. 4. 19. meete 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 deare vnto thee as thy hand or thine eye. In MATHEVV, Aman must for sake his father & mo­ther Mat. 19. 5. to dwell with his wife; but in LVKE, 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 receiue more (saith our Sauiour:) nay, he which doth not hate father and mother & wife for me, Luk. 14. 26 [Page] cannot be my Disciple (saith he again in the same Euangelist): shewing that our loue towards God should be so great, that in respect of it, our loue towardes men shoulde seeme to bee but hatred. Thus hee that obeyed his parents more than wee, yet would haue vs search some sen­tence, some example in scripture of not obeying them too; because it is such a hard poynt to know how far they are to be obeied which are set in authoritie ouer vs. As none but God spake alwayes right; so none but God must alwayes bee obeyed: wee are not called onely the sonnes of men, but the sonnes of God. There­fore, as Christ answered his mother when shee would haue him tourne water into wine; Woman what haue Iohn 2. 4. I to doe with thee? So we should an­swere father, and mother, and bre­thren, and sisters, and rulers, and m [...] ­sters, [...]nd wife too, when they will vs to doo that which is not meete; Sa­than what haue I to doo with thee? for else it were to turne wine into [Page] water. Peter was not Sathan: but when hee tempted Christ like Sa­than, Christ aunswered him, as hee aunswered Sathan, Come behind mee Sathan; shewing, that wee shoulde giue no more attention to father or mother, or master or wife, when they tempt vs to euill, than wee should giue to Sathan, if he should tempt vs him selfe.

Three things children receiue of their parents, life, & maintenance, and instruction: For these three they owe other three: for life they owe loue; for maintenance they owe o­bedience; for instruction they owe reuerence: For life, they must be loued as fathers: for maintenance, they must be obeyed as masters: for instruction, they must be reue­renced as Tutors. But as there is a King of Kings which must be o­beyed aboue Kings: so there is a fa­ther of fathers, which must be o­beyed aboue fathers. Therefore, you must aunswere like the sonne when he was bid to goe vnto the [Page] vineyard, I will goe: and sometimes you must aunswere as Christ aun­swered, I must doe my Fathers bu­sines, I haue no other busines.

VVhen two milch kine did carrie the Arke of the Lorde vnto Beth­shemesh, their Calues were shut vp at home, because the Kine shoulde not staye, when they heard their Calues bleat after them: so when thou goest about the Lordes busi­nes, thou shalt heare a crye of thy Father and mother, and thy brethren and thy sisters, and of thy kindred to staye thee; but then thou must thinke of another father, as Christ thought of another mother: and so as these Kine went on, till the Lord brought them where the Arke should rest; so shalt thou goe on, till the Lorde bring thee where thou shalt rest. It is better to flye from our kinred as Abraham did, than to stay with some friends as Sampson did with Dalila.

I may saye, beware of kinsmen, as [Page] well as our Sauiour sayeth, Beware of men; for this respect of cosenage 1. Sam. 2. hath made Elie his sonnes priestes, and this respect of cousenage hath made many like priestes in Europe This respect of cousenage brought Tobia into the Leuites chamber: and this respect of cousenage hath brought manie gentlemen, into Preachers liuings: as Christ prefer­red his spirituall kinsmen, so wee preferre our carnall kinsmen: many priuiledges, manie offices, many giftes, wee being by this tempted, haue stooped to this voice; Thy mother calleth thee; or Thy kinsmen would haue thee.

As this voyce came to Christe whiles hee was labouring: so ma­nie such voyces come to vs whiles wee are labouring; One saith, plea­sure woulde speake with you; an other sayeth, profite would speake with you; Another sayeth, ease would speake with you; an other sayeth, abundance woulde speake [Page] with you; Another sayeth, a pro­motion woulde speake with you; Another sayeth, Delight woulde speake with you.

When a man is in a good waye, and studyeth the Scriptures to bee a teacher in the Church of GOD, a voice commeth into his eare, as this came to Christ, and sayth; thy friendes would haue thee to studie the Lawe, or thou shalt attaine to no preferment: For the reue­rendest of that profession, are by the vylest of the people contemned; and so sometimes Ionas turneth his sayles from Niniueh to Thar­shish. Ioh. 1.

If he be a Diuine alreadie, and preach his conscience in reproo­uing sinne, a voice commeth to him againe, as this did to Christ, and sayeth; Thy friendes would haue thee be quiet, or thou wilt be en­uyed for that which thou sayest; or there be fellowes which lye in wait to returne scornings for thy paines. [Page] so somtimes with a litle intreatie, he beginneth to drawe vp his hande and laye his fingers to his mouth, and preach peace when hee is sent with warre.

Thus are wee cumbred like our master before our sermons, and in our sermons, and after our sermons; euen of those sometimes which shoulde incourage vs, and therefore as Christ saieth, Beware of men; so Mat. 10. 14. I saye, beware of kinsmen.

So soone as the children bee borne, their Parents bring them to the Temple and baptise them, and offer them vnto GOD: but as soone as they are able to serue him, they tempt them awaye from him, some to the Lawe, some to Phy­sicke, some to marchaundise, and some to husbandrie, and had ra­ther they should be of any other Tribe than of the Tribe of Leni, which serueth in the Temple: hee which wilbe hindred, shall haue blocks enough: but we must learne [Page] to leape ouer all as Christ did ouer this. If wee shoulde leaue father and mother▪ and wife, and children for Christ; much lesse shoulde wee care for labour, or losse, or shame, or trouble, or displeasure: for wee would venture these for our friends. Thus much of his naturall kindred: nowe of his spirituall kinred.

Here is another Genealogie of Christ, which MATTHEVV and LVKE neuer spake of; As CHRIST sayeth, I haue another bread which you knowe not: So he sayeth, that I haue other kinsmen, which you knowe not.

Saint IOHN writing to a Chri­stian Ladie which brought vp her children in the feare of God, calleth her The elect Ladie; shewing, that 2. Iohn. 1. the chiefest honour of Lordes and Ladies, and Princes, is to be elect of God. LVKE speaking of certaine Beroeans which receiued the worde Act. 27. 11. of GOD with loue, calleth them more noble men than the rest; shewing [Page] that God counteth none noble but those which are of a noble spirite. As Saint Iohn calleth none elect but the vertuous, and Saint Luke cal­leth none noble but the religious; so our Sauiour Christ calleth none his kinsmen but such as are righte­ous: these are my mother, and my bre­thren which heare the worde of God and do it.

As Abrahams children are not counted after the flesh, but after the Spirite: So Christes kinsmen are not counted after the: flesh but after Gen. [...]. the Spirite: for the flesh was not made after the Image of God, but the Spirite: therefore God is not called the father of bodies, but the father Heb. 12. 9. of Spirites.

Now God which is a Spirite pre­ferreth them which are kinne vnto him in the spirite: therefore Esau was not blessed, because he was of Isaacks flesh: but Iacob was blessed because he was of Isaacks spirite. As wee loue in the flesh, so Christ [Page] loueth in the spirite: therefore hee calleth none his kinsmen, but them which heare the worde of God and doe it.

It seemeth that Paul thought of this saying when he said, till Christ Galla. 4. 10 be reformed in you. If Christ be found in vs, as Saint Paul saith, then wee are Chists mother: euerie one which will haue Christ to be his Sauiour, must be Christ his mother.

The virgin asked the Angel, how shee could beare Christ, seeing shee had not knowen a man: so you may aske how you can beare Christ see­ing he is borne alreadie. As there is a second comming of Christ: so there is a seconde birth of Christ. When we are regenerate and borne againe, then Christ is borne in vs againe. The virgin Marie was his mother by the flesh, and the faith­full are his mother by the Spirite. Againe, the Holie Ghost did con­ceaue him in her: & the Holie Ghost likewise did conceaue him in them: [Page] Hee was in her wombe, and hee is in their hearts: Shee did beare him, and they doe beare him: Shee did nurce him, and they doe nurce him. This is the seconde birth of Christ. As the soule of man may be called The Temple of the Holie Ghost: so it may also be called the wombe of the sonne; that is, the mother of Christ.

Before those wordes, it is sayde, that Christ asked, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? As if hee should saye; You thinke that I am affected to my kinsmen as you are: But I tell you, that I count them my kinsmen, which heare the worde of GOD and doe it.

To shewe that Christ loueth vs with an euerlasting loue, he shew­eth, that he doeth not loue vs for any temporall things, but for that which endureth for euer. If Christ loued vs as ISAAC loued ESAV for Venison; then wee might misse the blessing as ESAV did. But as [Page] IOHN saith, He loued in the trueth; so Christ loueth in the trueth. To loue in the trueth, is the true loue. Euery loue but this, at one time or other, hath turned into hatred; but the true loue ouercommeth hatred, euen as the trueth ouercommeth falshood.

No we see this loue, Christ cal­leth them by the names of loue, his mother, his brethren, and sisters. In the sixth to the ROMANES, they are called his seruaunts; If that be not enough, in the fifteenth of saint IOHN, they are called his friends; If that be not enough, in the thirde of MARKE, they are called his kins­men; If that be not enough, in the 24 Chapter of LVKE, 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 loueth [Page] them with all loues; the mothers loue, and the brothers loue, and the sister loue, and the masters loue, & the friends loue. If all these loues could be put together, yet Christes loue exceedeth them all; and the mother, and the brother, and the sister, and the childe, and the kins­men, and the friends, and the ser­uaunt, would not doe and suffer so much amongest them all, as Christ hath done and suffered for vs alone; Such a loue wee kindle in Christ, when wee heare his worde and do it; that wee are as deere vnto him as al his kindred together.

Nowe as wee are his mother, so wee should carrie him in our hearts, as his mother did in her armes; as we are his brethren, so we should preferre him, as Ioseph did Benia­min; as wee are his spouse, so wee Gen. 43. 34 shoulde embrace him, as Isaac did Rebecca: if thou be a kinsman, do like a kinsman.

Nowe wee come to the markes [Page] of these kinsmen; which I may call the armes of his house. As Christ saieth, By this all men shall knowe my Disciples; if they loue one another: So hee sayeth: by this shall all men knowe my kinsmen, if they heare the worde of God and doe it. Here it is continuallie saide, Hee which Psal. 11 [...]. heareth the worde of God, and doeth it: both are one: for his worde is his will: and therefore it is called his will.

As hee spake (therefore) of do­ing; so hee speaketh of a certaine rule which hee calleth The worde of God: whereby all mens doinges must be squared: for if I doe all the workes that I can to satisfie an o­thers will, or mine owne will, it a­uaileth mee nothing with God, be­cause I doe it not for God. There­fore hee which alwaies before fol­lowed his owne will; when hee was stricken downe to the ground, and began to repent, he cryed out, Act. 9. Lorde, what wilt thou haue mee to do? [Page] as if he should saye; I will doe no more as men would haue mee, or as the diuell would haue mee, but as thou wouldest haue mee. So Dauid praide, Teach mee O Lorde to do thy will; not my will: for wee woulde not to be taught to doe our owne will, euerie man can goe to hell without a guyde. Here is the rule, nowe if you liue 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 halfe kinne, as it were in a farre degree: But they which heare and doe, are called his mother, which is the nearest kinne of all. Therefore if you haue the deede, then you are kinne in deed. There is no promise made to bea­rers, nor to speakers, nor to readers, but all promises are made to belee­uers and to doers.

If you aske God, Who shall rest in the holie mountaine? he sayeth, the Psalm. 15. 2 man which walketh vprightly & doeth [Page] Iustice: Here are none but doers.

If yee aske Christ, Who shall enter into the kingdome? Hee saith, Not they which crye Lorde, Lorde, though Mat. 7. 21 they crye twise Lorde; But they which doe the will of my Father: Here are none but deedes. If you aske him againe, howe you may come to heauen? hee sayeth, Keepe the commaundements. If you aske him Luk. 18. againe, who are blessed? He sayth: Blessed are they that heare the worde Luk. 11. of God and doe it. If you aske an Angell, who are blessed? He sayeth, Blessed are they that keepe the wordes Reuel. 21. 7. of this booke. If you aske the Pro­phet Dauid, who are blessed? Hee sayeth, The man is blest that keepeth Psal. 106. 3. iudgement, and doeth righteousnes. If you aske Salomon, who are bles­sed? Hee sayeth, The man is blest Pro. 29. 18 that keepeth the Lawe. If you aske Esay, who are blessed? He sayeth, He which doeth this, is blessed. If Esa. 56. 2. you aske Iames, who is blessed? He sayth, The doer of the worde is blessed Iam. 1. 25. [Page] in his deede. Here you see al these are none but doers. Thus blessing and doing runne together, lest any man should looke to be blessed without obedience. Christ calleth Loue, the greatest commandement: but Salomon calleth Obedience, the ende of all: as though without obedience, all were to no ende. When Micah had got­ten a Leuite into his house; now he sayth, I know the Lord will be good vn­to mee, seeing I haue a Leuite in my Iud. 17. 13. house: so manie thinke, when they haue goten a Preacher into their pa­rish, now the Lord wil be good vn­to vs: now Christ will loue vs: now we are good sonnes seing we main­taine a Preacher amongest vs: But Micah was not blest for a Leuite, nor you for a Preacher. But as you would haue vs doe as wee teach; so GOD would haue you doe as you heare: for you shall bee no more saued for hearing, than wee for speaking.

When God created the tree, he [Page] commaunded it to bring foorth fruit; so when he created Faith, he com­maundeth vs to bring foorth workes; and therefore it is called a liuely Gen. 1. faith. When our Sauiour woulde proue himselfe vnto Iohn Baptist to be the Messias in deede, he saith to his disciples; tel what things you haue heard & seene: not onely heard but Luk. 7. 22. seene. So if we will proue our selues to be Christes kinsmen in deede, we must worke that which may be seen as well as heard. Iohn Baptist was not onely called the voice of a cryer, Ioh. 1. 13. & 5. 35. which might be heard, but a bur­ning lamp which might be seene: so all which are crying voices, must be burning lamps. Iames doth not saie, let me heare thy faith, but let mee see Iam. 2. 18. thy faith. As the Angels put on the shape of men, that Abraham might Gen. 18. 2. see them: so faith must put on works that the world may see it. The works Ioh. 5. 36. which I do (saith Christ) beare wit­nes of me: so the works which wee do must beare witnes of vs. [Page] Therefore Christ linketh faith and repentance together; Repent, & be­leeue the Gospell: Therefore I con­clude, Mar. 1. 15. That which Christ hath ioy­ned, Mar. 10. 9. let no man separate.

Thus I haue shewed you Christ preaching, and a great prease hea­ring; The con­clusion. his kinsfolkes interrupting, & Christ againe withstanding the in­terruption. By this you may see what a spite the diuel had to hinder one sermon; therefore no maruell though hee cause so manie to bee mute, no maruell though he stand so against the learned ministerie; No maruell though hee raise such slaunders vpon Preachers; no mar­uell though he write so many books against the Christiā gouernment in the Church; no maruell, though he make so manie ingrossers of church liuing, that being themselues with­out conscience, are vnwilling to haue the cure of soules committed to any other thā such as themselues: for these men make him the god [Page] of this worlde. The Diuell is a­fraide that one Sermon will con­uert vs, and wee are not mooued with twentie: so the diuell thin­keth better of vs, than wee are.

Againe, by this wee may knowe howe to withstande temptations: whether it be the father, mother, brother, sister, kinsman, rulers, ma­ster, or wife, that tempteth. As Christ would not knowe his mother against his father: so thou shouldst not knowe any father or mother, or whosoeuer against God. If a mo­thers sute may be refused somtimes, a mightie mans wil may be refused too; he which can turne his hinde­rance to a furtherance, as Christ did here, may make vse of euerie thing.

Againe, by this you may learne how to choose your friend. As Christ counted none his kinsmen, but such as heare the worde of God & do it: So wee should make none our familiars, but such as Christ coun­teth [Page] his kinsmen.

Againe, by this you may see the difference betweene Christ and the world: Christ calleth the godly his kinsmen, though they be neuer so poore: wee scorne to call the poore our kinsmen, though they be neuer so honest; so prowd is the seruaunt aboue his master. Againe, by this yee may knowe how Christ is to be loued; for when he calleth vs his mother, he sheweth vs the waye how to loue him like a mother: for in deede he is the mother of his mo­ther, and his brethren too.

Againe, by this all vaunting & boasting of kindred is cut of. Glo­rie not that thou hast a gentleman to thy father, but that thou hast God to thy father. Glorie not that thou hast Kings to thy brethren, but glorie that thou hast the Lorde to thy brother. Hee which called A­braham his father, fried in hell fier, because God was not his father. Luke. 16. If Marie might not be prowde of [Page] such a sonne as Christ, much lesse may wee bragge of any friend or sonne that wee haue.

Againe, by this you may knowe whether you be kinne to Christ: as those priestes were shut out of the Temple which could not count their Genealogie from Aaron; so they shall bee shut out of heauen which cannot reckon their pede­gree from Christ.

Here are the Armes now where­by you may shewe what house you come of: If you heare the worde of God, and doe it, then Christ saith vn­to you, as he said vnto them: these are my mother and my brethren & my sisters; you women are his sisters, & you men are his brethren: and if you be Christes brethren, then are you Gods sonnes: and if yee be Gods sonnes, then are yee his heires, for all Gods sonnes are called heires. Rom. 8. 17

Lastly, by this yee may knowe the diuels kinsmen: for if Christ counted none his kinsmen, but they [Page] which heare the worde of God; then they which doe not, hear the word of God, but contemne it, are the diuels kinsmen: and therfore Christ sayeth, You are of your father the aiuell; for the diuell and the wic­ked Iohn. 8. 44 are as nere kinne, as Christ and the faithfull.

Now as Dauid sayeth, Seemeth it a light thing vnto you to be the sonne of a King, seeing I am a poore man and 1. Sam. 18. 23 of small reputation? so I may say, see­meth it a light thing vnto you to be the sonnes of a King, the King of Kings, seeing you are pooremen, and of small reputation? It is coun­ted a great honour to Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, that God was not a­shamed to be called their God. What an honour 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 marrie with the seruaunts of God; what a bles­sing is this, to marrie with the sonne [Page] of God. Therefore, if anie affect rich kinsmen, or great marriages: here is a greater than Salomon to marrie with you; this kinsman of ours is nowe gone vp into heauen, that we may haue a friend in the court. IOSEPH desired the Butler to re­member Gene. 40. 14. him when hee stoode before PHARAOH, and he forgot, though he had pleasured him: but a theefe desired Christ to remember him when hee came into his kingdome, and Luke. 13. 42 he receiued him into Paradise the same daie, though hee had alwaies offended him; to shew that though wee haue beene as bad as theeues, yet wet may haue hope in Christ. Therfore I may conclude, you haue heard the worde. If you goe awaie and doe it: then you are mother, bre­thren and sisters of this heauenly King: to whom with the Father & the Holie Spirite, be all honour and glorie for euer and euer.

Amen.